On the shelf Import and export Streamlining the industry Streamlining the industry INTERNATIONAL Packaging spotlight 01.qxp_Layout 1 24/10/2022 09:59 Page 102.qxp_Layout 1 24/10/2022 09:59 Page 1Contents November 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 Import and export14 Famous for its cuisine, it is perhaps unsurprising that Italy is set for another record year of food exports - though imports are increasing just as quickly. Packaging spotlight18 Plastic has been making our lives easier since its advent in the 1950s, not least as a durable, safe and hygienic material for food packaging. Whether for storage, transport or preserving food products on a shelf, few materials are as convenient. But that convenience has come with a cost. Kite Packaging Q&A24 We speak with Kite Packaging to find out what is happening in the packaging industry, and how they are helping their clients address key issues. Cold storage26 Soaring energy costs have made efficiently keeping food products chilled more challenging and shown us just how important it is to get things right. Depositors and filling 30 Depositors and filling machines are essential in any food industry environment requiring an even distribution of ingredients between separate food items. We take a closer look at these vital machines. 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 Soups and sauces34 Soups have been a staple of the human diet for thousands of years, and sauces as well, and yet the changing demands of consumers means the industry doesn’t stay still for long. Facilities management38 Facilities management has changed over the years as ever more challenging conditions force companies to try and squeeze more out of less, and make the most of what they have rather than invest in more. Foodservice42 The food service sector has been beaten black and blue of late, with the pandemic into a lockdown into the post-covid economic slump and now the cost of living crisis. Events46 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world. Classified 49 Food and Drink Diary 50 03.qxp_Layout 1 24/10/2022 10:00 Page 1Refresco expands into Australia with acquisition of beverage manufacturer Refresco has entered into an agreement to acquire Tru Blu Beverages, one of Australia’s leading manufacturers of non- alcoholic beverages. The financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. Refresco obtains a national Australian market position by acquiring Tru Blu Beverages, with opportunities to drive continued growth in the region, both organically and through acquisitions. CEO of Refresco, Hans Roelofs, said: “[The acquisition] is a testament to our proven Buy & Build strategy. We started with one factory in Europe just over two decades ago and steadily built a diversified, pan-European platform. “Only six years ago, we took our first step into North America. We now operate over 70 manufacturing sites globally, with just about half of those located across North America and the rest throughout Europe, offering a full range of beverage solutions to a broad customer base. “The acquisition of Tru Blu Beverages in Australia creates a new platform for Refresco, in line with our strategic promise to expand into a third continent.” 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Pernod Ricard deepens partnership with Sovereign Brands Pernod Ricard is to significantly increase its minority stake in Sovereign Brands’ portfolio of super premium wine and spirits brands, strengthening the long-term partnership initiated in September 2021. Sovereign Brands is a family company founded by brothers Brett and Brian Berish. It is currently one of the fastest-growing companies in the beverage alcohol industry. Over the last 12 months, and in the frame of their long term partnership, Pernod Ricard and Sovereign Brands have significantly accelerated the growth of Sovereign’s brand portfolio including French super-premium sparkling wine Luc Belaire (circa 1 million 9L cases in 2021), a range of Caribbean rums sold under the Bumbu brand (circa 300K 9L cases in 2021), the Brazilian gin McQueen and the Violet Fog and the French liqueur Villon. Both companies have also initiated a number of joint incubation projects, with an initial brand planned for a full scale launch in the coming months. Pernod Ricard says this additional investment is in line with its strategic plan Transform & Accelerate and reflects its ambition to further enhance its consumer-centric portfolio development and invest in anticipated growth categories. “Our partnership with Sovereign Brands has already proven to be very successful, with brands such as Bumbu and Luc Belaire now reaching an ever growing number of consumers in the US and abroad. I believe we are perfectly matched as two consumer-centric companies with a shared commitment of creativity, innovation and brand building,” says Alexandre Ricard, chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard. CSB provides a sweet solution for bakery specialist Cypriot bakery and confectionery specialist Zorbas Group - now a player in the international market with outlets in the USA - has cited the IT solutions of CSB-System and the strong partnership between the two companies as key factors in its continued success and growth. The single CSB ERP system that is used throughout the group and powers its web shop is providing Zorbas with full integration across the company, with faster and more flexible logistics procedures and production processes, and optimisation of its supply chain. CSB’s ERP system provides a point of reference for Zorbas Group’s entire IT. All stores and production facilities directly enter their orders in the company’s Webshop order systems, where available stock is checked in real time. “Without the integration of all company areas in a single software system, it would probably not be possible to achieve this high level of transparency,” said Zorbas Group’s Software Administrator, Marinos Magafas. For more information visit www.csb.com i2r Packaging Solutions appoints new MD Europe’s leading aluminium foil tray manufacturer, i2r Packaging Solutions, has announced the appointment of James Knight in a newly created role as managing director. Knight assumes responsibility for the commercial and operational running of the company from joint founders, Peter Reay and Jon West, who will focus more on special projects and international development. A specialist in strategy and business leadership driving transformational change, Knight has a successful background in implementing business improvement platforms across market sectors within SMEs and large-scale PLCs. He previously worked in a number of key international roles as a managing director and several executive leadership positions in commercial, financial and manufacturing industries worldwide. Commenting on his appointment, Knight said: “I am incredibly proud to be leading and guiding such a committed and talented team through an immense amount of change, investment and market growth. It is an incredibly exciting new phase for i2r globally, and I am very much looking forward to taking such an already established company and brand to new levels.” For more information visit www.i2rps.com © stock.adobe.com/ New Africa © stock.adobe.com/ gilbertc 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 24/10/2022 10:02 Page 1news Key Technology introduces Sort-to-Grade® with Artificial Intelligence Key Technology, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, introduces AI-driven Sort-to-Grade® (STG). Advanced AI algorithms allow STG for potato strips to digitally resolve clumps of overlapping product and better identify the individual strips, which maximizes its precision in measuring the length of each strip on the production line. Leveraging this powerful software on a Key digital sorter such as VERYX® enables potato processors to eliminate traditional mechanical length graders to reduce capital costs, maintenance and floorspace requirements while improving product quality and increasing yields. “The next-level accuracy achieved with AI-enhanced STG facilitates new automation. Now, processors can eliminate mechanical length grading. They can also stop analysing strip length off- line for QA purposes. And they have access to real-time length profile data to control upstream processes and better maintain final product specifications,” said Jack Lee, President of Key. “At Key, we’re continually developing next-generation automation that helps food processors reduce labour and increase profits. Artificial intelligence introduces many new opportunities to add value.” For more information visit www.key.net Aldi moves to cardboard packaging for porridge pots Aldi is moving to cardboard packaging for its own-brand porridge pots in a bid to further reduce plastic waste. The move will see the supermarket introduce fully recyclable, card-based porridge pots, saving an estimated 175 tonnes of plastic going onto the market each year. Aldi says it is the first supermarket to make the change, with the new porridge pots set to be available in all its UK stores in early 2023. This is the latest in Aldi’s commitment to reduce and remove unnecessary plastic from its products. Other changes this year include the removal of plastic shrink wrap on its bean multipacks and ditching single-use plastic from its own brand wipes. Richard Gorman, plastics and packaging director at Aldi, said: “Moving to card for our porridge pots is yet another step forward in our commitment to reducing the use of plastic across our products. “We know how important protecting the environment is to our customers, which is why we are committed to making changes like this that help make a difference.” 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 24/10/2022 10:02 Page 2Nestlé Confectionery reveals packaging innovations for Quality Street and KitKat Nestlé Confectionery has revealed packaging innovations for two of its best-loved brands – Quality Street and KitKat. In a category first, Quality Street will move to recyclable paper packaging for its twist- wrapped sweets. By replacing the double layer of foil and cellulose with a paper wrap, Quality Street will remove more than two billion pieces of packaging material from the brand’s supply chain. At the same time, KitKat will introduce wrappers made with 80% recycled plastic. These wrappers can be recycled at more than 5,000 supermarkets across the UK – and placed in household recycling in the Republic of Ireland. The rollout will begin on the brand’s flagship two- finger products, before being extended across the entire range by 2024. 6 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Diageo acquires premium cold brew coffee liqueur, Mr Black Diageo has acquired Mr Black, the Australian premium cold brew coffee liqueur. Mr Black was launched in 2013, by designer Tom Baker and award-winning distiller, Philip Moore, with the vision of bringing the global coffee culture to the world of spirits and cocktails. Mr Black has grown to become the leading premium-priced coffee liqueur in the United States, applying modern coffee brewing techniques and quality sourcing to reinvigorate coffee cocktail culture and consumers’ desire for premium coffee cocktails, such as the espresso martini and coffee old fashioned. In 2015, Diageo acquired a minority stake in Mr Black through Distill Ventures, the Diageo- backed accelerator program. Distill Ventures receives funding from Diageo and works with the company to support entrepreneurs as they launch and grow innovative drinks brands. Co-founder, Tom Baker, will remain actively involved with the brand, working with the Diageo team to build on Mr Black’s success. US is open for UK lamb business again for the first time in 20 years British lamb has been exported to the USA for the first time in over 20 years after the United States Department for Agriculture agreed to open the market for British lamb last year. Industry estimates the US market will be worth £37 million in the first five years of trade, opening up access for British farmers to a market of over 300 million American consumers to enjoy the United Kingdom’s world-renowned lamb, part of the government’s work to boost exports and grow the economy. NFU President Minette Batters said: “It is great news that British farmers producing top quality, sustainable, high-welfare lamb once again have access to the US market, something we’ve been working hard to achieve for over two decades. Expanding into markets such as these will be crucial to maintain the profitability of farm businesses.” Westland Milk Products acquires Canary Foods New Zealand’s dairy products are set to take further flight following the acquisition of dairy manufacturer Canary Foods by Westland Milk Products. Westland CEO Richard Wyeth said the purchase of Canary Foods would merge New Zealand’s rich West Coast dairy heritage with an innovative business that has already spread its wings to international markets. “Canary is a fantastic fit for our business because it is so obviously based on a strong understanding of what our customers want and need,” Mr Wyeth said. “Their commitment to innovation, sustainability and quality in pursuit of consumer demands are values we very much admire and uphold. “After our $40 million investment in doubling our consumer butter manufacturing capacity at Hokitika, this extends our long-term commitment to add value to Westland’s butter portfolio by playing a greater role in the expanding global consumer butter and spread market. “Westland continues to go from strength to strength under our parent company Yili. Yili’s investment has helped us turn our performance across the entire company around and we’re now in a very strong position to capitalise on that.” Canary has developed a world-first compostable, individually sized butter squeeze pack in response to consumer demands for ethically responsible packaging and global calls for an end to single-use plastics. “This is a great example of a New Zealand company leading the world in research and development and we look forward to getting behind this culture of innovation even further,” Mr Wyeth said. © stock.adobe.com/ bit24 © stock.adobe.com/ Gresei 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 24/10/2022 10:03 Page 3Food packaging specialist PFF Group invests Clean Air Zone grant in new delivery wagon Food packaging specialist PFF Group has invested a £16,000 Clean Air Zone grant in a new delivery wagon as part of the company’s drive to cut carbon emissions. The grant was awarded under Bradford Council’s £6.4m Clean Air HGV Fund Programme to help HGV operators adapt to the UK district’s new Clean Air Zone. The funding has enabled businesses to either replace or retro-fit their vehicles to reduce harmful emissions for around 400 HGVs. PFF Group used its £16,000 grant as a deposit on a new diesel 18t DAF curtain-side wagon, replacing an older vehicle. The new wagon will be used to make deliveries from PFF’s factory in Keighley to customers in the Bradford area. Lee Wilkinson, group supply chain director at PFF, said: “We are committed to being as carbon efficient as possible across all of our operations. The new vehicle meets the Euro 6 emissions standard as it’s a larger, more fuel-efficient wagon which means we can make fewer journeys and reduce our carbon footprint.” Solina continues North American expansion with Saratoga Food Specialties swoop Ingredient solutions firm, Solina has signed an agreement to acquire Saratoga Food Specialties to continue its expansion in North America. With operations in California, Illinois, and Nevada, and annual sales of $280m, Saratoga supplies Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) and food manufacturers with custom dry seasoning blends and liquid solutions such as sauces, dressings, and glazes. Upon closing, the Saratoga leadership team and its 500 employees will join Solina. Like Solina, Saratoga combines market and consumer insights with culinary expertise, R&D infrastructure, and advanced procurement capabilities to support and guide its customers with extensive value-added services. Acquiring Saratoga accelerates Solina’s footprint into North America, notably by adding liquid solutions to its existing dry seasoning capabilities, doubling its number of facilities in the region, and providing the North American organization with significant expertise in B2B (industry), foodservice (QSR) and retail. Food & Drink International 7 www.fdiforum.net news © stock.adobe.com/ peopleimages.com Let’s meet in Paris! Leading ingredients trade show Fi & Hi Europe all set to welcome more than 20,000 visitors from around the world. Fi & Hi Europe returns to France this year. From December 6 to 8, the leading ingredients fair will be held for the first time at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. More than 1,200 exhibitors – from leading ingredients manufacturers to highly specialized startups – will present themselves in four halls. The face-to-face exhibition will be complemented by a comprehensive online offering. A broad conference programme, as well as the renowned Innovation Awards and Startup Innovation Challenge, will complete the trade show experience. In the heart of Paris, Fi & Hi Europe is set to attract exhibitors and attendees from more than 135 countries around the world. The new Paris Expo Porte de Versailles location is within walking distance of many hotels, restaurants and bars, making logistics easier and the event more visitor-friendly than ever before. Many leading ingredient manufacturers have already confirmed their participation in Paris, including ADM, Beneo, Brenntag, Cargill, DSM and Ingredion. In addition to well-established companies, many new players have also announced their intention to present their solutions to the industry. In addition, there will be more country pavilions this year than ever before. This year, Informa Markets is focusing on a technologically enhanced hybrid show concept. The combination of online and face-to-face events offers participants the best of both worlds, including a wide variety of live and on-demand content as well as data-driven networking options. More information about the show can be found at: www.figlobal.com/fieurope/en/home.html 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 24/10/2022 10:03 Page 4Puratos UK snaps up Fourayes Puratos UK has bolstered its portfolio of locally made products following the acquisition of fruit grower and processor Fourayes. The move underlines the bakery and patisserie ingredient specialist’s commitment to future generations through responsible, transparent and local sourcing. The Puratos local and transparent fruit sourcing programme aims to embed sustainability through the entire value chain, from sourcing of raw materials to usage of products by customers and consumers. Fourayes’ range of fruit fillings, industrial jams and mincemeat – all manufactured at its 100-acre orchard in Kent – will complement and enhance Puratos’ existing local fillings capabilities in Simonswood, further expanding the offer of locally-produced ingredients to customers. Julia Darvill, Managing Director at Puratos UK and Ireland, said: “We are delighted to welcome Fourayes into the Puratos family and are excited to continue its proud legacy; supporting British farming, providing farm-to-fork transparency, and demonstrating exemplary ESG practices.” 8 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Food and drink businesses front and centre of new UK Government export campaign Food and drink businesses are at the forefront of the new phase of the UK Government’s ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign, creating pride in UK exporters and growing exports around the world. The campaign includes twelve food and drink exporters from all four nations, including ice cream maker Yee Kwan in Sheffield, Drop Bear Beers in Wales, Isle of Harris Gin Distillery in Scotland and Burren Balsamic in Northern Ireland. Minister for Exports Marcus Fysh said: “The UK is home to world- class food and drink, so it is brilliant to see so many great exporters join the ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign, showcasing their excellent products, helping to grow our economy and supporting local jobs. “We are proud of our great British exporters, but we want to see more businesses take advantage of the potential they could achieve if they get onto the exporting ladder. As the campaign says: if you make it in the UK, why not sell it to the world?” © stock.adobe.com/ Philipimage powered by employee share-ownership 02476 420065 kitepackaging.co.uk WĂĐŬĂŐŝŶŐƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐ for your business 02476420 Discover our range of environmentally friendly food packaging. © stock.adobe.com/ Kalyakan 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 24/10/2022 10:03 Page 5Nestlé bolsters North American coffee business with acquisition of Seattle’s Best Coffee Nestlé is planning to acquire the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand from Starbucks. This transaction is part of Nestlé’s focus on driving sustained profitable growth in the coffee category. Seattle’s Best Coffee’s approachable line of whole bean, roast and ground packaged coffee, and K-Cup pods are available in a variety of roasts and flavor profiles across both foodservice and grocery channels. In addition to Starbucks packaged coffees distributed by Nestlé under the Global Coffee Alliance, Seattle’s Best Coffee joins Nestlé’s roster of beloved coffee brands in the U.S. including Nescafé, Nespresso and Blue Bottle. The addition adds depth to Nestlé’s North America coffee portfolio by further expanding the company’s position in the category. “We continue to deepen our partnership with Nestlé to deliver the best of the Starbucks Experience to our customers in channels outside of our retail stores,” said Michael Conway, group president, Starbucks International and Channel Development. “We’re confident that Nestlé will continue to grow the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand as we focus on our strategy to elevate the premium coffee experience for consumers through the Starbucks brand.” Packaging Innovations & Empack strengthen focus on packaging journey as dates revealed for 2023 event Packaging Innovations & Empack, featuring Contract Pack & Fulfilment, a key event in the packaging industry calendar, has revealed the dates of its hotly anticipated 2023 show. Alongside new features, the event will return to its traditional February dates and bring a strengthened focus on driving business and innovation at every stage of the packaging journey, from design and development through to packing, filling and fulfilment. The triple-header expo will be held on 15 & 16 February 2023, with all three events running concurrently at the Birmingham NEC. In addition to hosting its popular networking areas, agenda-setting talks theatres, and hundreds of exhibitors on the show floor, 2023’s showcase includes a new Foodservice packaging zone, developed in collaboration with the Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA). More than 300 suppliers will be present to exhibit their innovations to an expected audience of over 6,000 visitors. Food & Drink International 9 www.fdiforum.net news 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 24/10/2022 10:03 Page 6Next >