< PreviousREGISTER NOW Condense a year’s worth of product sourcing into two days of discovery! It’s time to reunite with the industry, get inspired and reignite your product lines at the UK’s leading showcase of fi ne food & drink this September. Reconnect with notable heritage brands, discover dynamic start-ups and pick up the latest hints and tips from our industry experts. TRADE ONLY 6-7 September | Olympia London Register now for your free ticket at: WWW.SPECIALITYANDFINEFOODFAIRS.CO.UK CC21-134_MontgomeryGroup_SFFF_Food&DrinkInternational_190x277_07-21.indd 214/07/2021 14:01 04-15.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:09 Page 7Calls for support over ‘critical’ shortage of food delivery drivers Tonnes of food and drink are at risk of being wasted unnecessarily every week because of the current shortage of delivery drivers, says online retailer Approved Food. The Yorkshire-based company is calling for further support for the industry to recruit drivers, who are in demand following the impact of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, but also wants supermarkets to engage with more food redistributors to prevent waste. It has been widely reported that Tesco suppliers are binning almost 50 tonnes of fresh food every week because of too few HGV drivers being available to transport it to stores. The pandemic, coupled with the effects of the Brexit transition on the availability of foreign workers, means drivers are in demand at a challenging time for the food sector. The Road Haulage Association (RHA) estimates the shortfall of drivers has now reached around 70,000. It predicts that shoppers will see increased costs passed on to them and has suggested a 12-point plan for the sector that includes a seasonal visa scheme for qualified HGV drivers, priority driving tests and improvements to the road network. The Federation of Wholesale Distributors has already warned that its members are struggling to get food deliveries out to supermarkets, restaurants, pubs, schools, and care homes. Some convenience stores have had to put up signs warning customers of empty shelves. It wants the army to step in to help carry out deliveries. Approved Food brand ambassador Jonathan Straight explained that 50 tonnes of waste might be around half a dozen trucks full, dependent on exactly what was being transported. He urged supermarkets to work with more organisations with the capability to redistribute this food. “This issue does not need the army – many organisations would be glad of this food. Wasting precious resources is not acceptable, especially when we have a problem with people going hungry,” he said. Whitworths reports revenue growth as clear core strategy, innovation & profit reinvestment pays off Whitworths announces its annual results for financial year 2020 (53wk ending December 2020). In summary: • Whitworths returns to operating profit in 2020 (operating profit £3.4m 2020 vs £0.6m loss in 2019) • Topline revenue growth is up 19% at £25m (£142m 2020 vs. £117m 2019) • Turnover improvement has been driven by significant business wins, brand innovation and expansion towards a more diversified customer base 2020 Business Performance Whitworths’ improvements continue for the fourth consecutive year with success attributed to: 1. A continued focus on removing non-core and non-profit making business 2. Brand innovation and diversification of the customer base, through the launch of NPD like Whitworths’ Protein by Nature range. 3. A largely positive impact of COVID-19 on the business over the past year, despite the brand being hit during this period. Whitworths is looking to further diversify its customer base with some new business wins, a new channel distribution agreement and further brand innovation in 2021 and beyond. news Food manufacturers secure Made Smarter support Food manufacturers have secured support from a programme helping businesses boost productivity and growth using digital tools. The latest businesses to sign up for support from the Made Smarter Adoption programme in the North West include: * Fylde Fresh and Fabulous, a potato producer in Weeton; * Classic Desserts, a cake and pudding maker in Penrith; and * Ye Olde Friars, a chocolate manufacturer in Keswick. Meanwhile, Len Wright Salads, a salad producer in Tarleton and Nutree Life, a natural protein bar maker in Burscough, who have already experienced the benefits of the government funded and industry-led programme, are now taking the next step on their digitalisation journeys with second projects. Since 2019 Made Smarter has supported 161 businesses with £3.9 million matched funding for 201 projects, leveraging £10.5 million of private sector investment. Food & Drink International 11 www.fdiforum.net 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/branislavpudar © Shutterstock/Juice Flair 04-15.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:09 Page 8Macsa ID UK launches new iCON 3 small character laser coder Macsa ID UK, leading manufacturer of high performance coding and marking equipment, has launched the iCON 3 small character laser coder aimed at the food, pharma, beverage, cosmetics and homecare markets. Like all previous Macsa iCON models, the iCON 3 is ideal for businesses that have always wanted to switch to laser technology but been previously prevented by price. Clean, fast and consumable free, the iCON 3 is extremely affordable yet offers everything you would expect from a high performance laser coder. In fact, in just over a year the laser will have cost less than an inkjet system. The iCON 3 is suitable for a wide range of sectors. It codes cleanly and permanently on food packaging and is capable of marking water, wine, spirits and soft drink beverage containers produced from PET or glass. The iCON 3 also meets the high standards of the pharmaceutical industry and will code labels, tubes and boxes. 12 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net on line New tray sealer offers greater speed and flexibility Ishida Europe has extended its range of QX Flex tray sealers with the launch of a new model that meets market demands for a compact, high performance model that maximises output, capacity and flexibility for medium to high volume production lines. Ishida’s ongoing investment in its tray sealing portfolio is driven by the continuing global demand for shelf-life extension to reduce food waste and to provide quality assurance for the consumer while also ensuring minimal impact from packaging materials. The Ishida QX-900 Flex operates at up to 15 cycles per minute with a maximum of seven impressions, delivering a top speed of 105 packs per minute. The tray sealer is capable of both seal only and MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) trays and can handle a wide variety of materials and formats, including trays made from recycled or renewable cardboard and mono plastics, and the latest skinpack and skin on board variants. Bacon slicing (and beyond…) The key to success for most bacon processors is the slicing line. Fundamental to this is obviously the slicer itself. While there are many offered on the market, those specifically developed for bacon applications are less common. Available in the UK and Ireland from Interfood is the Textor TS750, a high-speed slicer designed to meet the demanding requirements of bacon. The TS750 is part of the industry-proven TS700 series and, as such, adopts the approach of operational simplicity which is the foundation on which Textor (and its parent company Weber) has built its reputation. The TS750 is a powerful and compact machine, featuring a ground-breaking ‘Performance Blade and Blade Head’ developed by Weber/Textor’s in-house blade technology department. It has been designed specifically to meet the challenges of bacon slicing, providing consistently high standards for all bacon types and portion presentations whilst also able to deal with the natural variation and potential inconsistency of product being delivered to the line. Breedr trades £1.85m of cattle since launching Breedr, the herd management app for farmers, has traded more than £1.85 million worth of cattle since launching its trading platform just four months ago. In that time, farmers have sold 2,912 cattle; 2,475 of liveweight trades and 437 deadweight. The app enables farmers to list their stock for sale, complete with their movement history, weights, growth rates, medicine usage and photos. On average, vendors have received 99.7% of their asking price and have sold within five days of listing. The average lot size is 14 head, commanding £11,530 – and stock range from weaned calves to stores and finished cattle. Around 3,000 buyers and sellers are currently registered to trade through the app, and the first three trades are commission free until October. With supply likely to increase through August, now’s the time to list cattle for sale and benefit from current buoyant pricing and demand. Tereos strikes stevia sourcing agreement with Firmenich Tereos, a French sweetness solutions supplier, has forged a strategic sourcing agreement with Firmenich for stevia extracts. The deal enables it to globally offer customers unique and traceable stevia- based sweetening solutions. Tereos has been dealing with stevia for more than 10 years, developing a deep market knowledge and application expertise. It is part of Tereos’ broad product portfolio which includes sweetness options, bulking agents, fibres and proteins, which add up to a complete set of solutions supported by proven (re)formulation expertise. By combining Tereos’ solutions with Firmenich’s range of stevia extracts, this agreement further accelerates Tereos innovation in sugar reduction. Guillaume Planque, Marketing Director at Tereos, said: “This strategic sourcing agreement with Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company and a leading stevia supplier, opens up new perspectives around stevia and sweetening options for customers who will benefit from Tereos’ reformulation skills and Firmenich’s extensive expertise in taste and aroma.” © Shutterstock/Aneta_Gu 04-15.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:09 Page 9SCAN TO REGISTER ppmashow.co.uk See the latest processing equipment, packaging machinery, robotics and machine vision in action Gain a competitive advantage through the latest innovations and knowledge sharing 28 - 30 SEPT 2021 NEC, BIRMINGHAM WHERE PRODUCTIVITY MATTERSPlanet-positive drinks brand launches carbon footprint label In a bid to set new benchmarks for sustainability in the drinks industry, planet-positive drinks brand, Avallen, is launching a brand-new bottle label, which showcases its sustainability credentials. The new label, that will still be made out of recycled paper fibres and apple pulp, will feature a completely transparent list of everything that goes into – and comes out of – producing Avallen Calvados; from water usage (1,2L per 70cl) and greenhouse gas emissions (2.73kg CO2e is removed from the atmosphere per 70cl) to packaging materials and details of the brands charitable donations. The bottle label will also include a unique QR code on the cork, whereupon scanning the bottle, citizens will find Avallen’s sustainability report. Launched earlier this year, the Bee More Report reveals exactly what the brand has done so far on its mission to tackle the climate emergency and catastrophic biodiversity loss, along with its future commitments to both people and the planet. on the shelf 14 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net British drinks manufacturer celebrates 30 years and launch of dozens of new products Award-winning water and soft drinks manufacturer Radnor Hills has had a busy 12 months. The company, which is based in the old county of Radnorshire in Mid Wales and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, seized on the pandemic as a chance to innovate and launch over 40 new products. It produced a record 350 million units of products, saw turnover grow by 30% and, during the peak of the pandemic, secured four new listings with national retailers. Innovations during COVID-19 included launching a series of new products in various eco- friendly packaging options and creating the UK’s first vitamin D flavoured spring water in Tetra Pak®, to help increase daily intake of this vital vitamin, which it has been trialling with a Welsh care home. The company also pivoted and opened its first direct to consumer shop via Amazon and its own online shop so customers could carry on receiving their supply of soft drinks during lockdown. Saicho launches new 200ml and 750ml range Premium sparkling tea brand, Saicho has launched new 200ml and 750ml glass bottles across its entire tea range. This innovation is part of a continued focus to better meet the needs of its customers and the hospitality industry, who are increasingly looking for new ways to enjoy non-alcoholic drinking and dining experiences. Since launching in 2019, Saicho sparkling teas has been welcomed by sommeliers, hoteliers and consumers, slowly becoming the unsung heroes of the booming low ABV market. With a growing number of people seeking to drink less, Saicho offers a unique and refreshing alternative. Founder Charlie Winkworth-Smith said: “Whether eating in a fine dining restaurant, enjoying a drink at a wine bar or just at home with family and friends, the new size bottles allow Saicho teas to be enjoyed in new ways and are a direct response to the suggestions of our customers and stockists.” Athletic Brewing Co. alcohol-free craft beer launches in the UK New to the UK market, Athletic Brewing Co. is the US brand shaking up the alcohol-free craft beer category with two new cans this summer – Run Wild IPA and Upside Dawn Golden Ale. Created with health-conscious drinkers in mind, Athletic Brewing Co. was founded in 2017 by Bill Shufelt, an ex-finance professional and ultra-marathon runner, and highly accomplished and awarded craft brewer, John Walker. The idea for the alcohol-free craft beer company came through their shared passion for an active lifestyle and love of great craft-beer, and the desire to offer the active modern beer drinker a non-alcoholic drink that could naturally become part of their lifestyle, without compromising on taste and the overall drinking experience. Available in two signature flavours, Run Wild IPA and Upside Dawn Golden Ale, Athletic Brewing Co. has brought a new standard for flavour in the low alcohol space, perfect for craft-beer drinkers looking for lighter options which don’t compromise on taste. DON’T THROW IT OUT Half A Carrot Can Create A Nutritious Dish For A Family Of Four ChicP, which creates healthy veggie bites, hummus and dips from surplus wonky veg, has launched in Co-op supermarkets. In the last 12 months ChicP has used over 30,000 wonky vegetables and they now want Brits to tackle their own food waste at home, using some simple tips and tricks to understand when to throw your fruit and veggies away: ChicP founder, Hannah McCollum, comments: “Up to 40% of British crops are rejected because of their shape or size, but at ChicP we never turn a wonky vegetable down! If you’re unsure about using raw vegetables that are going off, why not cook them first then blend them which will increase the shelf life of the dip. This will also bring out the flavours and consistency of vegetables like tomatoes.” 04-15.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:09 Page 11SOLUTIONS THAT ADAPT TO YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS. Visit us at PPMA, Stand #E50 28-30 September 2021 ©2021 WestRock Company. All rights reserved. We are much more than a packaging machinery manufacturer, we are a highly skilled team of specialists creating high-tech solutions to address your specifi c challenges. Whether you need a single solution, robotic solution or a complete integrated system, WestRock Automation provides a wide array of end-of-line automation and bespoke solutions. westrock.com/automation-uk Factory Packaging Automation & Robotics Warehouse Dispatch Service & Engineering 04-15.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:09 Page 1216 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT foothold Getting a 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:15 Page 1Food & Drink International 17 www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT © Shutterstock /Lightboxx Import and export is the lifeblood and future of the food and drink industry, but with many new markets emerging – it’s important to get the initial push right, otherwise one might lose out to competitors who know better. When it comes to exporting food and drink products, identification of an attractive market and quickly getting a foothold are important factors. The early bird gets the worm, as the old saying goes, and attempting to unseat a well-known product in a country can be a daunting task. As such companies are often keeping a close eye on countries that are not the biggest, or the highest spending on products. But what countries are booming, or are showing sudden increases in demand. The US still stands at the top of the table when it comes to their demand for foreign food. This is according to a number of factors 18 Á 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:15 Page 218 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT involving, imports and exports, and is ranked on the Food and Beverages Attractiveness Index (FBA). The problem is that the US is also one of the most well-established markets in the world, with thousands of brand names competing for shares of the customer base. As such, introducing a food and drink product from the UK for instance, can be difficult. The marketing budget alone necessary to break into the market can be staggering, particularly in competitive markets such as confectionaries or soft drinks. More attractive markets to prospective exporters might be those who are just starting to become bigger players in the world economy. They are far less likely to have a wide range of products in the market, and it gives a company a chance to build their own brand and marketing strategy, without being pressured by existing brands with multi-million marketing budgets. In the wake of COVID-19 and with many borders and restrictions beginning to lift, now may be the best time in a while to What makes a market attractive to exporters often is determined by what specific exports are booming. A clear sign of increased food and drink imports in a country might mean little if a company’s particular product is not experiencing the same demand. For instance, when it comes to eggs and dairy products, Germany sits at the top of the table, based on sheer volume. On the other hand Japan leads in terms of meat imports, with China also showing a high amount of specific meats. Fish imports dropped in Japan last year, while rising in the US – particularly Salmon imported from the UK. The lifting of China’s ban on Irish beef has provided welcome to relief to the Irish market, prompting many meat producers to travel to China’s SIAL exhibition which took place last month. China placed a ban on EU beef almost fifteen years ago, when the BSE epidemic was reaching across mainland Europe. At the moment Ireland is the only European country allowed to export beef to China, providing a strong competitive advantage for the country. China is currently Ireland’s second biggest trade partner for both dairy and pork - with their exports to China totalling over £440 million. That’s not to say there haven’t been 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:15 Page 3Food & Drink International 19 www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT Non-EU food & drink exports exceeds EU share following large sales drop Exports of food and drink to non-EU markets topped sales to the EU in the first quarter of 2021, with EU sales falling 47% compared with Q1 2020, as a result of the on-going impacts of COVID-19 and changes in the UK’s trading relationships. Sales to non-EU nations accounted for 55% of all UK food and drink exports, with exports to the EU having fallen by £2bn compared with Q1 2019. Exports to nearly all EU Member States fell significantly. In Q1 2021, sales to Ireland were down by more than two thirds, while sales to Germany, Spain and Italy declined by more than half since Q1 2020. All of the UK’s top 10 products exported to the EU fell significantly in value from 2019 to 2021, with whisky dropping 32.3%, chocolate 36.9% and lamb and mutton 14.3%. Dairy products have been most severely impacted. Compared to 2020, exports of milk and cream to the EU have fallen by more than 90%, and exports of cheese by two thirds in the same time period. There has also been a return to strong growth in exports to East Asia, where there is high demand for quality UK food and drink. In Q1 2021, exports to China (+28.2%), Hong Kong (+3.7%), Japan (+6.2%) and South Korea (+18.5%) were all above the levels seen in Q1 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic triggered the early closure of hospitality sectors. The UK’s top three non-EU markets, US (11%), China (5%) and Singapore (3%), now account for 19% of the UK’s total exports, a figure of £713m. UK imports from the EU were also down 10%, driven by a number of factors including the continued closure of the UK’s hospitality sector, stockpiling in late 2020, reduced demand for ingredients as a result of the decline in exports to the EU, and import substitution. © Shutterstock /FOTOGRIN problems close to home. UK food bosses are warning of a perfect storm of BREXIT and COVID leading to empty shelves, while Brexit’s red tape has caused prosecco exports to drop nine per cent and Italian pasts imports to the UK have dropped twenty-five per cent since Brexit (and possible the EU2020 Finals). Yet again, it seems more of the problems are due to a lack of clearance and transparency in the legal framework, a flaw that the Government has been slow to fix, which is causing a lot of the problems. The willingness to trade is still there, the business is still there, but red tape and a lack of quick movement by the Government are not helping to facilitate any of it. With any luck, and a little prodding, that may change soon. © Shutterstock /DronG Getting UK farming ‘match ready’ for free trade agreements The NFU recently welcomed a group of MPs to the Farmers’ Club to discuss how the government can assist UK farmers to get ‘match ready’ for future free trade agreements (FTAs) and boost export opportunities for British agri-food products. The lunch was attended by a number of MPs with an interest in trade, including trade envoys and members of the EFRA and International Trade Select Committees. Speaking at the event, NFU President Minette Batters launched the NFU’s new one-page summary highlighting what the government can do so UK farmers are able to maximise the benefits future FTAs will provide. Following the event, Ms Batters said: “British farmers produce some of the highest quality, safest, most nutritious food in the world and are ready to embrace the opportunities that free trade deals can deliver to export our goods across the globe. “There are opportunities, such as in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) for our farmers and food producers to grow their exports significantly, but as we have seen with the recent Australian trade deal, the UK’s future trade policy presents our farmers with many challenges. “In order to maximise the opportunities that FTAs provide, the NFU would like to see the government develop a comprehensive agri-food strategy to improve both productivity and exports, as a matter of urgency.” © Shutterstock /SpeedKingz 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:15 Page 4Next >