Food science On the shelf Ahead of the competition Ahead of the competition INTERNATIONAL Fruit and vegetables 01.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2022 13:54 Page 1Check out our prices! 01603 788 833 | teknomek.co.uk InTroducinG Euro binS pRomise to keEp pRices comPetitive durinG tHese toUgH times, to give yOu gReAt valuE witHoUt comPromisinG on quAlity! ThAT’S WhY… AT TEKnOMEK , we pRide oUrSelVes on givinG oUr cusTomerS tHe mosT ‘banG for tHeIr bucK’… THE THE EKN MEXPE TS EKN EXPE TS LEAD THE EVOLUTION LEADTHE paris nord villepinte francia 21-24 NOV 2022 IN 2022, A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXCHANGE AND BUSINESS ł 1,300 exhibitors of machines and containers ł Innovative and sustainable solutions for packaging and intra-logistics ł Concrete answers to new regulatory constraints ł 3 exceptional areas: ALL4PACK Innovations, ALL4PACK Conferences and Target Zero Impact all4pack.com Be an actor of change! REQUEST YOUR FREE BADGE Or with the code UKPARPRI on all4pack.com Contact: Marion DUTANG mdutang@promosalons.com 02.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2022 13:54 Page 1Contents October 2022 This magazine is now fully recyclable. By recycling magazines, you can help reduce waste and add to the 5.5 million tonnes of paper already recycled by the UK paper industry each year. Before you recycle your magazine, please ensure you remove all plastic wrapping, free gifts and samples. FoodandDrinkInternational @fdiforumwww.fdiforum.net company/fdiforum News 4 • General news • On line - production news • On the shelf - new products and initiatives Carlton Forest 3PL Q&A10 We ask Carlton Forest 3PL, a renowned 3PL provider, how they operate and why outsourcing warehousing, storage and logistics solutions can pay dividends for businesses. Import and export12 While the UK has continued to see its fair share of import and export disruption this year, promising figures, new trade deals and schemes show a positive future. Logistics16 With the complexity of food logistics only growing, investing in modern technology is critical. Labelling, coding and traceability20 Brexit, Covid-19, and climate change are all factors which have raised the public consciousness about the necessity for greater visibility and transparency within food manufacturing. Control and automation 24 The UK food and drink sector continues to fall behind its European and global rivals despite one of the highest upticks in automation spending in 2021. Have lessons been learned, or are UK manufacturers sleepwalking into the same problems? Mixing and blending28 Mixing and blending are important to so many food and drink products, that much of the time it’s invisible. Fruit and vegetables32 The Covid-19 pandemic and rising rates of obesity and related diseases have caused the population to think about fruit and vegetables more than ever within the last year. Group Editor: Steve Fisher (s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Editor: Michael Fisher (m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Editor’s PA: Angela Sharman (a.sharman@blmgroup.co.uk) Journalist: Tess Egginton (t.egginton@blmgroup.co.uk) Sales Director: Teri Cooper (t.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk) Sales: Vicky Hunt (v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk) Tel: +44 (0) 1472 310302 Accounts & Subscriptions: John Downes (j.downes@blmgroup.co.uk) Design & Production: Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson (studio@blmgroup.co.uk) Editorial: Tel: +44 (0) 1472 310305, Email: fdi@blmgroup.co.uk Part of the Business Link Magazine Group: Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QE England All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. Main: stock.adobe.com/Olga Miltsova • Top: Hard Rock International • Middle: stock.adobe.com/Liliya Trott • Bottom: stock.ado be.com/Gorodenkoff Food science36 Food safety expectations and awareness are only rising. As a result, microbiology and testing will only become more crucial to the food industry. Environmental spotlight40 When it comes to combatting the climate crisis and hitting net zero, the food and drink industry has a lot of heavy lifting to do. However, it has the size and scale to make a transformative impact. VOG Products44 VOG Products awarded EcoVadis silver. Robotics and Automation45 Robotics and Automation is the UK’s largest dedicated robotics and automation show! Gulfood Manufacturing46 On the 8-10th November, Gulfood Manufacturing will open its doors to over 36,000 guests looking to target, do business or whom are currently doing business in the UAE region. Easyfairs LAB Innovations48 Taking place on the 2-3 of November at the NEC Birmingham, LAB Innovations features over 3,100 decision makers and over 160 lab suppliers and manufacturers. Events50 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world. Classified 53 Food and Drink Diary 54 03.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2022 13:55 Page 1Müller skims off 500 tonnes of virgin plastic annually with new cream pot Müller Milk & Ingredients is to remove 500 tonnes of virgin plastic from its annual production of cream pots by switching to packaging made from recycled plastic. The dairy company has converted 75% of its cream volume to rPET pots which are 100% recyclable and contain 82% recycled material. The new rPET pots, which are supplied by Faerch, have been rolled out across Müller’s 150ml and 300ml cream range, across both its brand and private label offering. The business is currently developing packaging solutions for the remaining volume for 2023. Müller’s fresh milk bottles have been 100% recyclable for many years and contain 30% recycled material. The dairy company also recently partnered with Waitrose to replace coloured milk caps on fresh milk bottles with clear caps, with Aldi currently trialling them, to enable retention for reuse within the food sector. 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Stepping into flexibles The Chuckling Cheese Company, a Lincolnshire based, family- run business incorporated in 2015, may be a dream come true for all of us cheese lovers, but they are about more than just cheese. With a wide variety of chutneys, cheese crackers, snacks, and sweet treats, their growth has rocketed over the last 7 years. When the Chuckling Cheese team approached National Flexible, they were looking to accelerate this expansion and make their first step into the snack market, with a key aim of this project being to develop their brand with their first, printed flexible pack. Applying the technical expertise and NPD support of National Flexible, together they developed the “Crackling Snacks” range. Emma Colclough – Founder of The Chuckling Cheese Company with husband, Stuart Colclough, commented: “Our new pork scratchings range was one of the biggest product launches for our company to date, as we look to introduce new and different product offerings to complement our cheeses. Our Team had a vision of our new range and National Flexible were exceptional in helping our vision come to life. Throughout the entire process, which was completely new to us, they were not only informative but offered initiative and advice to ensure we could deliver the best product possible, which according to our customers, has ultimately been achieved.” HEINEKEN UK assumes full ownership of Beavertown Brewery HEINEKEN UK has purchased the remaining shares in Beavertown Brewery, assuming full ownership of London’s largest brewery. As part of the agreement between the two companies, founder Logan Plant will step down as CEO and take on a new advisory role, with Jochen Van Esch, taking on the new Managing Director role. HEINEKEN UK purchased a minority share in Beavertown in 2018, and since then has invested significantly, developing a new state-of-the-art brewery in North London. Beavertown will continue to be operated separately to HEINEKEN UK with its own functional teams including sales, marketing, brewing and wider existing teams. Boudewijn Haarsma, Managing Director at HEINEKEN UK, says: “This is a hugely positive step, and builds on a partnership that will see Beavertown continue to expand and flourish, while remaining committed to its independent creativity. HEINEKEN will fully support Beavertown’s brand position, inimitable creativity and huge growth potential, and will do so in a way that preserves its unique approach to beer.” Durham Box awarded highest BRC grade Leading corrugated packaging manufacturer, Durham Box, has been awarded a AA grade BRC certification for its manufacturing site in Bishop Auckland, Co Durham. Under the revised issue 5 of the BRC Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials, a AA grade is one of the highest awards that a business can achieve within the certification scheme. The BRC certificate streamlines the supplier approval process and makes it easier for suppliers to the food manufacturing sector meet the requirements of the BRC Food Standard, while also helping retailers and food manufacturers adhere to their legal obligations. Durham Box’s managing director, Dan Morris said: “As with all businesses, maintaining a BRC certification involves a great deal of hard work from all employees. Achieving a AA grade shows that we deliver the highest possible standards in all that we do and provides reassurance to our customers that our products are made in a safe, quality-minded environment that complies with all relevant legislation.” To find out more about Durham Box, visit www.durhambox.co.uk. © stock.adobe.com/ Tom Eversley 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2022 13:58 Page 1info@macpac.co.uk Tel: 0161 442 1642 www.macpac.co.uk THERMOFORMED PACKAGING SPECIALISTS We design, produce tooling and manufacture packaging all under one roof, at our AA grade BRC accredited factory. We use responsible manufacturing processes and raw materials with up to 100% recycled content as well as being 100% recyclable. UP TO 100% RECYCLED 100% RECYCLABLE Innovative, Economical & Responsible. UK MANUFACTURER news Waterford Distillery begins bottling the first peated Irish whisky made from Irish barley The new single malt whiskies use both Irish peat and Irish- grown barley – the first distillery in generations to do so – as part of Waterford’s quest to unearth whisky’s most natural flavours and commitment to Irish-only ingredients. Both bottlings are the latest addition to Waterford’s Arcadian Farm Origins, which represent real rarity in whisky due to the scarcity of the raw materials. This range – which include Ireland’s only Organic whisky and the world’s first Biodynamic whisky – reimagines the old ways of production in the pursuit of flavour intensity over yield imperatives. The arrival of the new Irish peat bottlings, spearheaded by CEO Mark Reynier, has been in development since 2017, though kept a secret until this year. The approach included selecting two Single Farm Origin barleys – from distinctive terroirs – to see if the flavour profiles could stand up to the smokiness of peat. For more information visit www.waterfordwhisky.com McCain Foods snaps up Scelta Products McCain Foods has acquired Scelta Products, adding the Netherlands-based producer of frozen foods to its growing family of prepared vegetable appetizer product offerings. The deal represents a significant investment that will fuel McCain’s growth and expansion in the frozen vegetable appetizer space. “With common customers and shared values as family-owned companies, there is a natural complement between McCain Foods and Scelta Products,” says Max Koeune, CEO of McCain Foods. “We feel honoured and privileged to build on the legacy of Scelta Products, bringing their delicious product to our customers as we expand on the fantastic business that Scelta’s founders have created.” Scelta Products has been driving innovation in the frozen vegetable industry for more than 22 years and has been a business partner of McCain’s for the past 13 years. Scelta Products’ plant assets will be integrated into McCain’s product network, creating increased production capacity to accelerate global prepared appetizer growth throughout European and international markets. Scelta Mushrooms, cofounder of Scelta Products and the international route to market for more than 20 years, will solely focus on its mushroom business going forward. © stock.adobe.com/ Ralf 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2022 13:58 Page 2Cadman Capital Group strengthens beverage portfolio with Alder Ridge Vineyard Cadman Capital Group has purchased Alder Ridge Vineyard and brand, strengthening its position in the growing English sparkling wine market. Based in Berkshire, Alder Ridge is an award-winning vineyard that has been producing traditional method English sparkling wine for over 9 years. The purchase increases the group’s land under vine ownership to over 130 acres, firmly positioning it as one of the leading landowners in the sector. The deal also secures distribution of Cadman’s existing beverage brands, across the Cobbs Farm Shops estate, the former owner of Alder Ridge. “The acquisition of Alder Ridge represents a commitment to strengthen our portfolio with high performing businesses with considerable opportunities to create value. We are really looking forward to bringing our years of real life operating experience to the Alder Ridge business,” said James Dinsdale, CEO of Cadman Capital Group. 6 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Asda to acquire 132 convenience stores from The Co-op UK supermarket chain, Asda has agreed to acquire 132 sites from The Co-operative Group (Co-op) in a transaction with a cash value of £438 million, as part of its growth strategy to move into the convenience market and bring Asda value to more local communities. The purchase includes 129 established sites with a grocery retail store of between 1,500 and 3,000 square feet and attached petrol filling station, and three development sites. They are located nationwide and will create a new and distinct format for Asda in the convenience market. The circa 2,300 colleagues currently employed in the Co-op stores will transfer to Asda’s employment under TUPE transfer following completion and after a transition period. The stores being acquired as part of the transaction delivered net sales of £863 million and pro forma EBITDA of £53 million for 12 months to June 2022, with potential to grow EBITDA further when development opportunities and other synergies are taken into account. Investindustrial invests in Eataly An investment company of Investindustrial and Eataly have signed an agreement to support the international growth of Eataly, the ambassador of ‘Made in Italy’ food, which for almost 20 years has been promoting the sale of high-quality Italian food products and restaurant concepts in prestigious locations globally. The transaction provides for an investment of 200m and a concurrent purchase by Investindustrial of a part of the shares held by existing shareholders, which will lead to Investindustrial becoming the majority shareholder. Investindustrial will hold 52% of the company, with the existing shareholders Eatinvest (Farinetti family), the Baffigo / Miroglio family and Clubitaly (Tamburi Investment Partners) owning the remaining 48% of the company. The investment will allow Eataly to retire net financial debt and maximize financial flexibility for the group’s global expansion plans. Andrea C. Bonomi, chairman of Investindustrial’s Advisory Board, said: “We are delighted to be able to support Eataly, an example of Italian excellence in the world, as a long-term partner.” Electroserv expands into the South with 6-figure investment Electroserv has invested £250,000 in flagship calibration facility and service hub in the south of England. To meet the needs of process industry customers throughout the country, Electroserv has launched a new service hub, which comprises a wet flow calibration rig and electrical, temperature and pressure calibration facilities, as well as meeting and office space. The new facility is Electroserv’s second dedicated calibration centre in the UK. Simon Fisher, Electroserv Managing Director commented: “The new hub houses our flagship flowrig which is part of our collaboration with Endress+Hauser. The flagship rig is the most accurate calibration system in the UK, and the state-of-the-art facility will ensure compliance with marginal process interruption for our customers. “We’re committed to integrating sustainable, agile processes to our operations. Expanding into the south of England will mean our customers’ instruments will spend less time in transit, and therefore reduce the amount of travel and ultimately the associated carbon footprint.” Simon continued: “In just half an hour, instruments can be fitted, tested and removed. The system is also fully programmable to accommodate the vast range of requirements our customers expect from a flagship facility,” which includes: • Flowmeter sizes up to 3-inch diameter • Flow rates from 0.001m3/hr to 80m3/hr • Measurement uncertainty of ±0.1% o.r. • Pressure ranges from -1bar to 100bar • Temperature ranges from -30oC to 1600oC • UKAS accreditation to ISO 17025 • Certificate of calibration supplied The Bramley calibration facility has also provided opportunities for employment in Basingstoke and beyond, with 6 jobs created, covering a variety of roles including technicians, engineers, marketing and sales. For more information about calibration and service at the new Bramley facility visit www.electroserv.co.uk/calibration © stock.adobe.com/ zoteva87 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2022 13:58 Page 3Diageo sells Archers brand to De Kuyper Royal Distillers Diageo has sold Archers, the Peach Schnapps brand, to De Kuyper Royal Distillers, adding to its international liqueur portfolio. After its launch in 1986 this British bar legend became one of the fastest growing drink brands in the UK market and founded a whole new category. Today, Archers is a very well-known brand in the UK for both consumption at home and in bars and restaurants. The famous peach liqueur is essential in many classic cocktails such as WooWoo and Sex on the Beach. “We want to own the peach category. With Peachtree we do so in a number of important cocktail markets, but in UK the peach category is historically owned by Archers. We had the choice to keep competing with Archers or to try to acquire Archers and add the brand to our premium liqueur portfolio. We decided to do the latter,” explains Mark de Witte, CEO of De Kuyper. As part of this transaction, Diageo has agreed a 24-month manufacturing supply agreement with De Kuyper Royal Distillers. Primo Water Corporation acquires duo of French spring water companies Primo Water Corporation, a provider of sustainable drinking water solutions in North America and Europe, has revealed that Primo Water Europe has acquired Eureau Sources and Defeaus, two French companies specializing in the marketing and packaging of spring water. Eureau Sources, founded in 1996, specializes in packaging spring water in 5-gallon returnable bottles for refrigerated water coolers. In 2016, the company became the French leader in bottling water in carafes. Eureau Sources draws water from four sources in the Cantal, Indre et Loire, Oise, and Vaucluse regions to effectively cover the entire French territory. Defeaus was founded in 1996 and has been marketing HERMES spring water since 2015. Located in Hautes-de-France, in the heart of the Oise, the water is bottled on-premise and distributed mainly in the Ile de France region to commercial and residential customers. “The acquisition of Eureau Sources and Defeaus further strengthens Primo’s vision to offer sustainable water solutions to customers and consumers across our footprint. Customers will continue to receive products and services from Eureau Sources and Defeaus while benefiting from being a part of Primo’s global family of brands focused on healthy and sustainable hydration,” said Mr. Harrington. Food & Drink International 7 www.fdiforum.net news © stock.adobe.com/ lenscap50 © stock.adobe.com/ Africa Studio 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2022 13:58 Page 4Two veteran olive-producing families join forces The Escalante family, owners of Aceitunas Guadalquivir (AG Olives), one of the world’s premier olive companies, has acquired Bell-Carter Foods, a manufacturer of table olives in the United States. Bell-Carter Foods’ current senior leadership team, led by fourth-generation CEO, Tim T. Carter, will continue to lead the 110-year-old, family-founded business under the same moniker. The acquisition provides for the continuity of Bell- Carter Foods’ leadership and its nearly 300 employees, the adoption and continuation of all active California grower contracts, and the effective execution of the company’s own envisaged growth plans within California. The deal further fulfills Bell-Carter Foods’ longstanding commitment to its U.S.-based employees, nationwide retail customers, loyal Lindsay brand consumers and its production facility, located in Corning, CA. Within the first few weeks of the acquisition, investments will be made in the facility which include advanced olive cookers, expanded warehouse space and new production lines – all of which will help the company meet the surging demand for all forms and varieties of Lindsay brand olives processed and packaged in California. Plenty secures up to 120 acres of land for vertical farm campus Plenty Unlimited Inc. has secured up to 120 acres of land near Richmond, Virginia, to build “the largest, most advanced indoor vertical farm campus in the world.” The centrally located Plenty Richmond Farm Campus marks Plenty’s expansion beyond the U.S. West Coast and will bring fresh, healthy produce to the East Coast year-round. Plenty plans to deploy several large-scale vertical farms on the campus in the coming years, with a potential annual production capacity exceeding 20 million pounds across multiple crops including strawberries, leafy greens and tomatoes. “Through more than a decade of investment in research and development Plenty has cracked the code on a scalable platform that makes indoor farming increasingly economical,” said Arama Kukutai, CEO of Plenty. “That innovation makes it possible for us to grow a wide variety of crops with a fraction of the land and up to 350x more yield per acre than conventional farms. Channeling that into the largest vertical farm complex in the world propels us to the level indoor farming has to operate at to truly transform our food system.” 8 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net on line Key Technology introduces reversible Zephyr™ horizontal-motion conveyor Key Technology, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, introduces its reversible Zephyr™ conveyor at Pack Expo booth S-3547. Achieving higher capacities than other horizontal- motion conveyors, Zephyr gently moves product with minimal bounce to protect product quality and reduce noise. Now equipped to flow in either direction, the reversible Zephyr maximizes production line versatility while improving sanitation and minimizing maintenance. “We’ve made design changes to our field-proven Zephyr to expand its capabilities and meet the needs of even more food processors. Previously, if customers needed to redirect a product stream, they had two options – diverter gates and reversible belt conveyors – both of which have more moving parts that require additional cleaning and service,” said Rudy Sanchez, Process Systems Product Development Manager at Key. “The new modified Zephyr offers the same simple design, great sanitation and low maintenance as our standard model but now with a reversible function.” For more information visit https://www.key.net/en/products/zephyr-horizontal-motion-conveyor/ Irish Distillers reveals € 250m investment plan for new distillery in Midleton Irish Distillers, producer of Irish whiskeys, is to invest 250 million euro to build a new distillery in Midleton Co. Cork in order to meet demand and ensure the necessary future production capacity for its portfolio of Irish whiskeys globally. The distillery will produce some of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys, including Jameson, Powers, Redbreast, Midleton Very Rare, the Spot family and Method and Madness. The new distillery will be situated on a 55- acre site adjacent and connected to the world- famous Midleton Distillery. Subject to a successful planning application and meeting all licensing requirements, the new distillery will distil pot still and grain whiskey with grain intake, brewing, fermentation, and distillation facilities incorporated into the new 55-acre site. The new distillery is expected to generate up to 100 highly skilled new jobs for the region over time once the distillery is operational in 2025, and circa 800 jobs during the construction phase. Walmart makes equity investment in Sustainable Beef Walmart has signed an agreement to acquire a minority stake in Sustainable Beef LLC, a rancher-owned company based in North Platte, Nebraska. Walmart’s equity investment is part of a broader strategic partnership to source top-quality angus beef from Sustainable Beef LLC’s new beef processing facility. This partnership helps supplement the current beef industry and provides additional opportunities for ranchers to increase their business. As part of the investment, Walmart will also have representation on Sustainable Beef’s board. Walmart’s investment will help Sustainable Beef LLC open their beef processing facility in North Platte, Neb. The facility is expected to open by late 2024, creating more than 800 new jobs. Walmart’s work with Sustainable Beef LLC will create more capacity for the beef industry. “At Walmart, we are dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable beef to our customers, and an investment in Sustainable Beef LLC will give us even more access to these products,” said Tyler Lehr, senior vice president of merchandising for deli services, meat and seafood, Walmart U.S. © Bell-Carter Foods © stock.adobe.com/ zapp2photo © stock.adobe.com/ nadianb 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2022 13:58 Page 5Pacific Foods welcomes fall with new organic canned ready-to-serve soups and plant-based chilis Just in time for fall, Pacific Foods is giving soup lovers 14 more organic reasons to enjoy soup season with the introduction of canned ready-to- eat hearty soups and plant-based-chilis in infinitely recyclable non-BPA lined packaging. The shift to hearty, ready-to-serve soup in steel cans comes at a time when one-third of millennial consumers consistently consider sustainability when making a purchase. The reinvigorated line also features reformulated vegan and non-vegan varieties, like Vegetable Lentil and Chicken and Wild Rice, for a better taste, spotlighting an array of delicious, organic, popular ingredients, such as tahini and kale, that are ready to be served in minutes. In addition to the transition of hearty soups to cans, Pacific Foods is rolling out its first-ever line of plant-based chilis in three unique and tasty recipes: Fire-Roasted Vegetable Chili?, Harvest Black Bean Chili? and White Bean Verde Chili?. Featuring curated ingredients such as tomatillos, roasted poblano peppers and black quinoa, each of the new plant-based chilis packs a flavorful punch and contains 12-17 grams of protein and fiber per container – great for nutritious and nourishing meal-time moments. on the shelf Kellogg and Little Debbie recreate childhood memories at the breakfast table Kellogg’s and Little Debbie are bringing back sweet moments of nostalgia by expanding their lineup of classic treat-inspired cereals with their latest collab: Kellogg’s Little Debbie Nutty Buddy Cereal. This new cereal evokes a sweet chocolatey and peanut butter aroma, while featuring smooth, creamy chocolate and lightly roasted peanut butter flavors. The flavors meld with the crunchy cereal pieces coated in fudge for the quintessential Nutty Buddy experience. “Since dropping our first two Little Debbie cereals, fans have been hungry to see Kellogg transform more Little Debbie snacks into cereal,” said Sadie Garcia, director of brand marketing at Kellogg All Family Cereal. “Our newest collaboration brings the iconic Little Debbie Nutty Buddy bars to the breakfast table for the first time ever.” Kellogg’s Little Debbie Nutty Buddy Cereal is the third Little Debbie treat to become a cereal. The two fan-favorite brands first teamed up in 2020 to create Kellogg’s Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies Cereal and Kellogg’s Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies Cereal. Vegan KitKat test success leads to Europe-wide launch Fans of KitKat across Europe will soon be able to take a plant-based break. That’s because KitKat V, the vegan version of the iconic treat, is launching now in 15 European countries. The wider launch follows a test in the United Kingdom and some other countries in 2021 that confirmed what social media users had been saying already: a vegan KitKat would be a hit! The new KitKat V was developed by chocolate experts at Nestlé’s confectionery research and development center in York, UK, the original home of KitKat. Combining Nestlé’s expertise in chocolate innovation and non-dairy alternatives, they managed to perfectly blend the smooth chocolate with plant-based ingredients. KitKat V is certified vegan and made from sustainably sourced cocoa through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, with Rainforest Alliance certification. The milk in the original KitKat is replaced with a rice-based alternative, which gives the perfect texture and flavor. It still offers the perfect balance between the crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that people know and love. Food & Drink International 9 www.fdiforum.net Hard Rock ready-to-drink cocktails goes international with London debut Hard Rock International is expanding the launch of Hard Rock Expert Cocktails across the pond in London, signifying the iconic brand’s first ever international distribution of its ready-to-drink canned cocktails. “Hard Rock was born in London so it’s with great pride that we expand our ready-to-drink cocktails with the first international taste in our hometown,” said Kimberly Manna, the Senior Vice President of Retail and Licensing for Hard Rock International. “We’re excited to continue extending our brand and helping fans around the globe to enjoy at home. We were inspired by the world’s most loved cocktails and expertly blended them so that our customers can enjoy bartender-like quality, no matter what the venue.” Hard Rock Expert Cocktails: Piña Colada, Mojito and Passion Fruit Martini (5% ABV) are now available for purchase in the U.K with an RRP of £2.25. Expanded international distribution in 2022 includes launches in Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Switzerland, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Spain, Portugal, France, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Australia. Hard Rock International launched Hard Rock Expert Cocktails in the U.S. in 2021. For more information visit https://hardrockcocktails.co.uk/ Pringles launches new multigrain range Pringles is launching a new Multigrain range that contains fibre and grains, including wheat and barley. The new snack range has the same iconic crunch and the famous ‘hyperbolic paraboloid’ shape snack fans know and love, with less salt. The Multigrain range features three brand-new flavours, Sour Cream & Chilli, BBQ Sauce Flavour, and Roast Chicken & Rosemary Flavour, all of which offer a twist on some of the beloved snacking brand’s classics. Pringles’ team of sensory experts tried a number of different recipes to create the new range, which is non- HFSS (non-high fat, salt, sugar food). More herbs, spices and natural flavours have been used to replace some of the salt, while keeping the same great taste of Pringles that people love. Pringles Multigrain will be rolling out in UK supermarkets including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Co-op. RRP £2.00. Courtesy of Nestlé Courtesy of Kellogg Company Courtesy of Pacific Foods 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2022 13:58 Page 6Next >