< Previous40 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net ENGINEERING AND COMPONENTS While it is called on to further automate operations, engineering is key in the rising adoption of cloud- connected sensors and IoT-enabled machinery in food production, as food manufacturers and engineers look to measure, gain more knowledge about, and enhance machinery and processes. With engineering and the integration of real time sensors and analytics, producers can gain actionable data and full control of their process, uncover anomalies, highlight problems in production and correct these to optimise operations, heighten productivity, capacity, and yield, and cut waste. Furthermore, with equipment failure a common cause of downtime, potentially leading to missed deadlines, upset customers, and revenue losses, sensors are useful to engineers evaluating maintenance, offering a chance to continually and remotely monitor if a machine and components are working properly, while connected remote alarm software can raise any concerns. Machine learning can be applied to data collected here to warn of a breakdown or other issue, facilitating predictive maintenance, and allowing the devices that need maintenance to be specifically targeted. Moreover, with the right software plant engineers can acquire and analyse process data, uncover events in need of intervention, optimise processes, and gain insights about processes. The pandemic further affected the food industry by putting strain on facilities in meeting requirements for machinery cleaning and sanitation, as processors worked to keep up with demand, altered schedules and extended shifts. Challenges arose for thorough, efficient cleaning in new production schedules. Though sanitation must remain stringent and could not be reduced to accommodate demand, there is a place for engaging with engineers to implement ultra- hygienic equipment that is designed for easier, quicker cleaning and sanitisation. The desire for easy to clean equipment is not new, with crevices for example © Shutterstock /DifferR © Shutterstock /Mongkolchon Akesin eliminated, and now equipment is also being employed that is faster to disassemble and reassemble for cleaning to enable minimised downtime for production. As food plants have adapted and brought in new tech to stay afloat in the pandemic, so have engineering firms and equipment manufacturers themselves to be able to provide machines to the food industry, shifting how they interact with clients and how equipment changes and upgrades are completed. With many unable to travel, and distancing restrictions in place, remote design, engineering, and testing has come into play to keep facilities running, and engineers have welcomed the virtual world. The food industry has embraced technologies required for remote factory acceptance tests, demos, troubleshooting, diagnostics as well as augmented reality tech like smart glasses, and the combination of local engineers with digitally present engineers for installation. Of course when acquiring new equipment, financing and calculating total cost of ownership are vital considerations. When making a decision on whether to invest in new solutions, then, one will need to assess running costs, including maintenance and sanitation, service and spare parts costs, machinery performance and impact on labour, risk of downtime, quality of equipment, and life expectancy. 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2021 08:27 Page 3Advanced Engineering MIDDLETON LTD l Inline High Shear Mixer l Top Entry High Shear Immersion Mixer l Bottom Entry High Shear Mixer l Sealed Bearing Mixer l 3 Stage High Shear Mixer l Dispersion Mixer l Fluid Mixers l AdPro mixer design and technology Trent Industrial Estate | Duchess Street || Shaw | Lancs | OL2 7UT | UK t: +44 (0)1706 759003 | e: info@aemixers.com | w: www.aemixers.com mixing is our business 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2021 08:28 Page 442 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net THE DAIRY INDUSTRY © Shutterstock /Goskova T atiana Got milk? There’s no two ways about it – the dairy industry is in flux. Food and Drink International finds out more. 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2021 08:25 Page 1Food & Drink International 43 www.fdiforum.net THE DAIRY INDUSTRY Report after report exploring the future of food has identified algae milk as the next plant-based milk to take over the mantle from the popular nut- based varieties that continue to be widespread on store shelves. Even the most conservative of these estimates predict that algae milk will enjoy market dominance as early as 2025 but, in many ways, the future is already here with alternative non-dairy milks having spent years moving away from the fringes of the market and into the mainstream. Today, even the discount supermarkets sport their own range of plant-based dairy products (and often at competitive prices). Unsurprisingly, this shift has occurred alongside a changing taste among consumers, especially where millennials and Generation Z are concerned. In 2017, non-dairy milk was added to the Office for National Statistics inflation basket for the first time. Indeed, Mintel says that sales of plant- based milk here in the UK have grown by thirty per cent since 2015, while almost half of all shoppers in the United States regularly add a plant milk to their baskets. Globally, the industry is now worth an estimated $16 billion. Amid rising demand for alternative milks, there’s been an overall decline in demand for cow’s milk. Coupled with falling milk prices, this dip led to the closure of one thousand dairy farms in the UK between 2013 and 2016. In the US, liquid milk consumption has dropped eleven gallons per person since the seventies. Experts point out that the total volume of the alternative milk market is still relatively small – minuscule, it would seem, compared to the sheer volume of animal lactose produced – and not a major factor behind declining fluid prices. Be that as it may, it has served as a rude awakening for dairy companies who ignore the shift in shopping habits and consumer preferences at their peril. Dairy companies keen to move into the plant-based dairy market have done so either through new product development, an acquisition, participating in an investment round or a combination of all of the above. Although food and beverage companies must be cognizant of this market change, it’s not so simple as to say ‘adapt or die’. Indeed, many companies are doubling down on their traditional dairy efforts, hitting back at claims from vegan campaign groups. Traditional milk and dairy products are frequently sold with claims emphasising their health benefits, especially protein. Companies are also more frequently fortifying dairy products, especially beverages which can be enjoyed on- the-go and, therefore, are aligned with busy and active consumers looking for a healthy, nourishing and filling drink. Added protein might be one example, but more common on supermarket shelves of late are dairy products enriched with vitamin D. Last year, for example, Coca-Cola launched a new dairy beverage in Australia boosted with protein, calcium, fibre and vitamin D, citing an evolving dairy industry. Then there’s the rise in speciality dairy products such as kefir, tapping the growing trend for gut health and probiotics and the interest in fermented products. This cultured, fermented milk drink dates back almost two thousand years in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia and is packed with live cultures and loaded with calcium. Once a niche product in the US and UK, it has become readily available on supermarket shelves as small-scale suppliers secure listings and big players 44 Á 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2021 08:25 Page 244 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net THE DAIRY INDUSTRY muscle in on a market that’s tipped to reach $2.42 billion by 2024. It’s all part of the wider premiumisation trend taking place in the dairy industry – think organic and grass-fed, even raw and unpasteurised, milks. As well as offering consumers more choice in the chiller aisle, these products command a higher price and can compete more directly with plant- based alternatives. With this in mind, it’s interesting to look at the biggest trends tipped for the dairy industry with its emphasis on digestive wellness, reducing sugars, experimenting with flavours and proteins, as well as upscaling the market share of niche products such as camel milk. All speak towards the diversification taking place in the traditional dairy sector as it competes for consumer interest. This does, however, result in several challenges for producers. “Managing diversified product lines adds logistical challenges to an industry accustomed to a commodity product structure,” a report from CoBank said. “For example, adding a grass-fed option to an organic milk portfolio requires separate handling all the way from farm to milk to bottling and onto retail shelves.” It also results in an increase in marketing costs and slotting fees. More and more supermarkets are increasing slotting fees for plant-based beverages as more enter the dairy case. They’ll likely follow suit with premium cow’s milk products as more new launches enter the market and competition for shelf space continues. Logistical and supply chain efficiencies can be made up elsewhere, with many companies augmenting their production and processes with new and emerging technologies. For example, French retailer Carrefour put a range of milk on blockchain, allowing consumers to use a QR code and discover information about where it was farmed, right up to the date it was placed on store shelves. Elsewhere Arla Foods is using artificial intelligence to predict milk intake, resulting in a leaner, more sustainable supply chain. However, one of the biggest challenges facing the dairy sector is environmental. According to a new report, the biggest dairy companies in the world have the same combined greenhouse gas emissions as the UK. The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) report shows that the impact of the thirteen farms on the © Shutterstock /279photo Studio 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2021 08:25 Page 3Food & Drink International 45 www.fdiforum.net THE DAIRY INDUSTRY current climate crisis is growing with an eleven per cent increase in emissions in the two years after the 2015 Paris climate change agreement. This increase, it said, is largely due to consolidation in the sector. The researchers point to caps on production as a means of protecting the climate and small farmers. The report found that the growth of giant dairy companies has driven – at least in part – milk prices below the cost of production for the last ten years. However, in a joint statement the President of the International Dairy Federation and the Executive Director of the Global Dairy Platform, said: “The dairy sector is committed to producing nutritious foods in environmentally sound and responsible ways. It’s very easy to put out a report that criticises and tries to paint a simple picture of a sector which doesn’t contain all of the nuances or realities of how the global dairy sector nourishes the world with nutrient-rich, safe foods and does so in a manner that strives for continued environmental improvements while providing livelihoods to a large percentage of the world’s population.” Be that as it may, there’s no denying that the dairy industry needs to help create a greener, more sustainable supply chain both for the planet but also to remain competitive with the alternative dairy industry and to continue to appeal to younger consumers. They are, after all, the future. Tel: 020 8446 7127 | Email: info@halalfoodauthority.com | www.halalfoodauthority.com | halalfoodauthorityUK | @HFA_UK Established in 1994, we specialise in the Halal Certification of Beverages, Dairy, Confectionery, Food Ingredients Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics. We also certify Chicken, Lamb and Beef Slaughterhouses, Cutting Portioning/Further processing plants and Ready Meals manufacturers. We are accredited to certify in the Gulf region including UAE (ESMA), The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and all other Middle Eastern countries. HFA's Certificate is recognised in Malaysia (JAKIM), Indonesia (MUI), Singapore (MUIS), Turkey (GIMDES), Thailand (CICOT), Pakistan, OIC (SMIIC) and the rest of the world. © Shutterstock /T atjana Baibakova 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2021 08:25 Page 4Vertical Farming World Congress 20-24 September London & Online Bringing together vertical farming operators, investors, suppliers and customers, the 2nd annual Vertical Farming World Congress is designed to help develop and advance the sector’s future. The 2021 event will feature two days of online conference sessions and networking opportunities, with additional elements for those attending in person, including vertical farm tours, produce tasting, policy forums and training courses. For new entrants as well as industry leaders. To book, please visit the registration tab. For more information, visit www.zenithglobal.com/events/vfwc2021. Anuga 9 – 13 October Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany The world’s largest trade fair is the most important industry meeting point with over 7,500 exhibitors and more than 170000 visitors and as such, the Seafood Expo North America 11 – 13 July Boston Convention and Exhibition Centre, USA Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America is a leading trade event for seafood buyers in every market category including retail, restaurant, catering, foodservice and processing. Meet with suppliers from around the world and source the seafood, new products, equipment and services to meet your business needs. To find out more, visit www.seafoodexpo.com/north-america. The NAFEM Show 26 – 28 August Orange County Convention Centre, Orlando, Fl The NAFEM Show is the world’s leading showcase dedicated exclusively to foodservice equipment and supplies. Here’s where attendees will discover the very latest in equipment and the industry’s top supplies. Applications to exhibit are being accepted now. To find out more, visit www.thenafemshow.org. 46 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net Events Food & Drink © Shutterstock /alex7370 © Shutterstock / Seqoya WorldFood Istanbul 9 – 12 September Tuyap Fair, Convention and Congress Center, Istanbul, Turkey WorldFood Istanbul is the largest food and drink exhibition in Turkey. WorldFood Istanbul has been the trusted route to market, reflecting the trends of the industry, initiating international cooperation and bringing the latest food and beverage products to the Turkish marketplace. To find out more, visit worldfood-istanbul.com. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, readers should be aware that events may have been cancelled or postponed. All dates correct as of publishing, but please check beforehand. No.1 food and beverage business event. Anuga will once again feature the world’s most relevant innovations and topics for the international trade audience. With 10 trade shows under one roof, an exciting congress and event programme and over 280000 square meters of business opportunities, the Anuga Food & Beverage fair is a must. To find out more, visit www.anuga.com. 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2021 08:15 Page 118th Global Water Drinks Congress 19-21 October Gleneagles, Scotland Tour Highland Spring’s bottling operations, followed by two days of conference sessions, networking opportunities and a gala industry awards dinner in a spectacular setting that hosted a G8 Summit. Insights will be shared by leading international and regional businesses on the latest market and strategic developments, as well as by innovators and entrepreneurs bringing new ideas and taking up new challenges. To find out more, visit www.zenithglobal.com/events/gwdc2021. Lab Innovations 1 – 4 November NEC Birmingham At Lab Innovations, the industry will meet to launch its products and innovations to the UK’s leading gathering of lab professionals, suppliers and manufacturers. Lab professionals across all sectors will be able to discover sustainable lab initiatives, secure the latest tech, join exciting free conferences to earn CPD points and explore new ways of future-proofing labs. To find out more, visit https://bit.ly/2SFFzxj The Middle East Natural and Organic Products Expo 6 – 8 December Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE This expo is the only platform in the regions to connect organic and natural producers, manufacturers, and suppliers to buyers in the regions, focusing on meeting the demands of the billion-dollar market. In 2020, the expo is all set to feature nearly 3500 products of 275 suppliers, with a diverse line up of exhibitors from 65 countries in categories - F&B, Health, Beauty, Environment and Living. Watch the live demonstration of organic ingredients come to life in the hands of trained chefs making it an educational extravaganza for all our visitors. Alongside the expo, the event will also showcase two co-located events for Tea & Coffee and TCAM. Lastly, the Organic Conference, a 2-day conference with some of the eminent buyers and ministries in the Middle East enlightening the industry with some stimulating insights. To find out more, visit www.organicandnatural.com. Food & Drink International 47 www.fdiforum.net Fruit Expo 2021 24 – 26 September China Import & Export Fair Complex Supported by Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, CCPIT Guangdong Committee, the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality, as well as dozens of Guangzhou-located foreign embassies and consulates, Fruit Expo 2021 is going to span over 30,000 sq.m to host 500+ quality exhibitors. Moreover, held alongside the 2021 Guangdong 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo (MSRE), the show is going to share over 50,000 visitors from across the country. To find out more, visit www.fruit-expo.com/index.php?lang=en. © Shutterstock / GuoZhongHua 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2021 08:15 Page 2FEATURES Processing Spotlight Software & Hardware Pouch Packaging Materials Handling Microbiology & Testing Ready Meals Import & Export Next month in August 2021 - Deadline 14th July INTERNATIONAL Food&Drink Food &Drink Visit us at www.fdiforum.net where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to our newsletters so you can have the latest news emailed to your inbox, in between printed issues? 48.qxp_Layout 1 24/06/2021 08:13 Page 1Classified Often imitated… …never equalled You can feature your company in our hugely popular Online Directory with a description, contact details and a hyperlink If you would like further information please contact Sam Trott on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk or visit www.fdiforum.net/directory From field to fork, Food & Drink International is the voice of the industry. 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