< Previous6|7|8 FEBRUARY BERLIN=ub|Ѵo]bvঞ1-ĺ1ol-uh;|m|;ѴѴb];m1;|7ĺ-uh;|m|;ѴѴb];m1;|7ĺķƐƒƑ)-m7vou|_!o-7")ѶƑom7om$;ѴƳƓƓƑƏƕƔƏƐƏƒƐƏl-m7Š=ub|m;|ĺ1ol#fruitlog2019L.A.C. in upward spiralL.A.C. ConveyorSystems have onceagain teamed up withIntralox to build a 3.5metre-high SpiralConveyor incorporatingIntralox’s patentedDirectDrive System(DDS). Intralox’s DDS has amajor advantage overfailure-prone tension-driven, stainless steelbelts by relying on apatented operatingsystem that engages the belt edge directly with the drum to generatezero slip and significantly reduce belt tension. No drum-belt edgefriction means reduced tension and simple, reliable performance.Maintenance and cleaning expenses are significantly decreased andproduction time maximised. Spiral conveyors are well known in the food manufacturing industryand offer effective product proving and cooling in confined spaces andL.A.C. have experience in building Spiral conveyors to meet exactingcustomer requirements in food factories and elsewhere. L.A.C. said it is excited to be teaming up again with Intralox byincorporating the DirectDrive System into their latest to date, 3.5-metre-high Spiral which is destined for the food industry. Get in touch to see how L.A.C. can power your food production line.on lineIshida FlexGrader increasesthroughputThe installationof two IshidaFlexGraders atHungarian poultryprocessor TranzitFood has enabledthe company tonearly doublecapacity with thesame number ofline operators.TheFlexGraders aregrading packed duck and goose – both whole birds and pieces – intospecified fixed weights for Tranzit’s retail customers. Each pack isindividually weighed and then diverted to a series of packing stations,according to its weight, where it is placed into a transit case foronward supply.The 20 station FlexGrader can handle around 80 packs per minute,giving it the capacity to process around 3,600 ducks and 1,600 geeseevery hour, compared with the 2,000 and 1,000 birds delivered bythe previous manual system. Line operators are assigned three orfour stations, where the packs are placed into the cartons and anouter case label is produced.The system also has the flexibility to weigh and grade each packby its individual weight where fixed rates aren’t required.10 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.net04-12.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 09:23 Page 7New Linx 8900 features deliveradded advantages andapplicationsLinx PrintingTechnologies hasupgraded its Linx 8900series of Continuous InkJet printers with newsoftware that is opening itup to more applicationsand providing businesseswith several newcompetitive advantages.The Linx 8900 series isnow capable of producingfaster print speeds;printing over longer throwdistances; mistake-proof date code changes and quicker messageediting, and ultimately, greater production output.The series’ new ‘prompted dates’ feature facilitates faster, mistake-proof message choices. When a message is selected or updated, theoperator simply selects from a pre-defined range of dates that aresuitable for the product being coded, so there is no need to edit datesmanually, making editing quick and easy. John Tierney, Marketing Director at Linx Printing Technologies, said:“This is an example of how we continually strive to evolve our existingproduct ranges in order to remain the best option for any companythat needs to code onto products.”Ishida’s gentle solution for sticksnack products Ishida hasintroduced a newmultiheadweigher into itsSector Solutionsrange. The CCW-RV-216W-1S-20-SS-STK1 is astandard modeldesigned tohandle thechallenges ofstick snackproducts at high speeds - up to 120 packs per minute - with no loss ofaccuracy or product quality.Pretzel sticks are a hugely popular snack in countries such asGermany, Turkey and the Middle East, and are a growing market inmany other areas. But their fragile and dusty nature makes themparticularly difficult to pack in an automated weighing system.The Ishida stick weigher has been designed for gentle handling ofthe fragile stick snacks to minimise the potential for breakages. Itensures optimum flow of the sticks, with reduced angles throughout, alow-profile inlet chute, convex dispersion table, and waterfall ends forsmoother transition of the long products into the pool hoppers.Special electrostatic polished contact parts reduce dust build upthroughout the weighing process.Food & Drink International 11www.fdiforum.netTo advertise your services on the news pages contact us on 01472 31030204-12.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 09:23 Page 8BreDog appoints new MD of Distilling Independent craft brewer BrewDoghas appointed David Gates asManaging Director of its Distillingdivision. Mr Gates brings 27 years ofexperience in the industry to theburgeoning team, as BrewDogcontinues in its mission to redefinethe spirits industry, establishing a newstandard for distillation with craft andquality at its heart. BrewDog cofounder James Wattsaid: “David is as obsessed with quality and flavour as we are. His proven success inbuilding an established spirits division makes him a force to be reckoned with in theindustry; I’m thrilled to have him on board. I can’t wait to see where David takes LoneWolf - he shares our vision in standing as a marker andcustodian of purist, truthful distillation methods, and his fresh, challenging thinking will not only take LoneWolf to new levels, but the entire category.”appointmentsLoma Systems appoints new RegionalSales Manager for ScotlandLoma Systems, a leading manufacturer ofmetal detectors, checkweighers and X-rayinspection equipment, has appointed IanHogg as its new Regional Sales Manager forScotland where he will be responsible forhelping customers solve their inspectionchallenges.Prior to joining Loma, Mr Hogg spent over12 years at Stevens Traceability Systems,initially as Area Sales Manager for the NorthEast of England and Scotland, and latterlyas National Account Manager for largeaccounts and Area Manager for Ireland. “I’m excited to join a well-established,quality driven business like Loma,” he said. “The company’s inspection equipment, whichincludes metal detection, checkweighing and X-ray systems, is second to none, and alwaysbacked up with first class service delivery.” Ian Craig, Sales & Service Director at Loma, added: “I am confident that Ian has the skillsand knowledge to help both existing customers and new ones who might be unfamiliarwith us.”Lorien invests in thefuture with graduateappointments Lorien Engineering Solutions has invested in thenext generation of engineers by welcoming younggraduates Tom Holmes and Joel Herbert to its team,who join the packaging department and controldepartment respectively. The two new graduate engineers hope to follow inthe footsteps of Lorien’s Lou Charpentier-Dusoir,who won the ‘Graduate Learner of the Year’ awardat the seventh annual Engineering ConstructionIndustry Training and Development Awards. Lorienwas also commended in the ‘SME of the Year’category at the prestigious awards ceremony held atThe Bloomsbury Hotel in London.Meanwhile, Lorien Senior Project Engineer BenWeaser is celebrating after becoming a CharteredMechanical Engineer (CEng IMechE), following in thefootsteps of colleague Peter White. Lorien Director David Mallinson said: “We areproud of our graduate scheme because it identifiesemerging talent and provides young engineers witha platform to learn and develop. The influx of newtalent plays an important part in the ongoing growthof our business.”12 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netNew MD for Haribo UK & IrelandHaribo UK &Ireland hasappointed itsformer SalesDirector toManagingDirector toleading theconfectionerymanufacturer andretailer. He replacesHerwig Vennekens, who previously headed up the UK & Irelandteam for ten years before becoming MD of the Haribo Holdingresponsible for sales and marketing worldwide.“It’s a great privilege to be appointed to the role of ManagingDirector for such a fun and iconic brand,” said Mr Hughes. “I amvery much looking forward to working with our teams in the UKand in Ireland to support the continued growth of the business bydriving the category forward in a responsible way.”During his recent sales director role, Mr Hughes worked on thestrategic introduction of Haribo’s new sugar reduced lineFruitilicious, supported the relaunch of Super Mix and the openingof the first Haribo Shop in London.DavidGatesJon HughesNew Commercial Director for Bristowsof Devon and Crawford & TilleyThe Paramount Retail Group hasappointed Nigel Moult to the post ofCommercial Director for itsconfectionery portfolio which includesCrawford & Tilley and Bristows ofDevon. He brings considerable experiencein import and distribution acrossseveral categories and with customersin sectors ranging across majorsupermarkets, chains and independentretailers.Following £1.2 million of investmentand renovations to the Bristows ofDevon factory, the business was givenan outstanding BRC A-rating in the summer, it has also achieved RSPO(Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) supply chain accreditation. At theCrawford & Tilley site recruitment is in process to meet increased demand.Steve Page has been appointed to the post of UK Sales Manager acrossboth companies and will benefit from the support structure and CRMsystems used across the whole Paramount business to service hiscustomers to a high standard. The company has also welcomed masterconfectioner Andy James back to Bristows. Ian HoggJoel HerbertNigel Moult04-12.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 09:23 Page 9Food & Drink International 13www.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTAny food and beverage productattempting to enter the UK mustcomply with European Law oncontaminates. Any products found tobe flouting these laws will simply bedenied entry, with the shipmentturned away at the expense of theexporter. As defined by the UK’s FoodStandards Agency (FSA), foodscontaining contaminates such asmycotoxins and aflatoxins, pesticidesand salmonella are high risk and canface checks and possibly denied entry.There are measures in place toprevent such high-risk foods fromentering the UK food system,including only allowing goods to beimported through designated pointsof entry (DPEs). Here documentarychecks must be carried out and, ifnecessary, physical checks also.According to the FSA, importers offoods containing contaminates mustensure they import through a DPEwhere shipments can be inspectedand verified via official controls.Specifically, this includes mandatorychecks as well as identity andphysical checks, the number of whichdepends on the potential risk posedby the shipment. Under current law, all consignmentsof controlled goods are subject to atleast a documentary check, withother inspections applied at randomin accordance with inspection quotas© Shutterstock/tontonCompanies looking to export theirgoods into the UK are faced witha complex, multi-pronged processwhich can leave productslingering in ports andcheckpoints. These periods ofdowntime can be especiallytroubling for shipments of freshproduce, which in the event ofextended risk assessments andhealth checks, can rot before everreaching a supplier. Therefore, it’scritical that exporters understandand comply with the laws andprocesses involved. 14 ÁClearing aconsignment 13-15.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 09:28 Page 1approved entry into theUK, assuming checks arepassed and everything’sabove board; there are,however, many foodscurrently restricted underEU legislation. For example, foods fromChernobyl. The nuclear disaster thatbefell the Ukrainian city in 1986 stillcasts a long spectre over the Europeanfood industry. Fruits includingcranberries and bilberries, as well aswild mushrooms, are still restrictedentry into the UK from Belarus, Russiaand Ukraine. Similar restrictions havealso been placed on other products andtheir countries of origin due to thepresence of pesticides, salmonella andgenetically modified organisms.However, one of the biggest offendersis aflatoxins.14 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTas outline in EU legislation. During adocumentary check, health certificatesand any accompanying laboratory testresults are authenticated and thencross-matched against the details ofthe commercial documents in order toensure they relate to the specificconsignment under scrutiny. Identity checks, on the other hand,refer to the actual physical inspectionof the consignment. Here the integrityof container seals are checked and, as ifoften the case, the packaging of thegoods themselves are inspected toensure they meet the informationspecified on the certification andcomply with regulations. Typically,labelling and health marking will also bechecked to ascertain whether productsfall foul of European law. Although high-risk foods can still beAflatoxins are naturally produced bycertain fungi found on crops includingmaize, peanuts and tree nuts, but havebeen linked with liver cancer wheneaten at high levels. At present, the EUhas strict limits in place limiting thelevel of aflatoxins present in importedfoods. So some products might need tobe tested before they can be allowedentry – or denied, as might be the case. The exhaustive list of restricted foodsremains in constant flux, it isconsistently reviewed and revised atquarterly meetings based on evidenceprovided by all EU Member States with© Shutterstock/noina13-15.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 09:28 Page 2Food & Drink International 15www.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTthe UK represented by the FSA. Itremains unclear as to what effect Brexitwill play on the UK’s relationship withEU import legislation. Whatever the circumstances, delaysat ports can be problematic for foodmanufacturers waiting for ingredientsor other products in the UK to dealwith. Hold-ups can mean products andingredients can arrive later thanexpected, with demand only increasing.Should any issues arise, and productsare denied entry into the UK, it’simportant that food makers havecontingency plans in place. The time ittakes for a shipment to clear a port,however, depends greatly on whether itis selected for an identity and physicalchecks. The FSA says that thefrequency of these checks depends onthe level of risk related to the specificfood and its country of origin,something food makers, distributionsand suppliers in the UK should bear inmind.The expediency of clearance throughchecks is dependent on a myriad offactors meaning it can take longer totest for salmonella than it can for thepresence of pesticide residue as theformer must be cultivated in alaboratory over several days comparedthe swiftness seen when testing for thelatter. Port checks are a crucial part of theimport process, helping to ensure thatconsumers remain safe and nothingillegal or potentially hazardous isbrought into the country. When itcomes to high risk foods,manufacturers must factor in anypotential hold-ups and wait times thatstem from these checks and have plansin place to deal with supply if aconsignment is restricted. © Shutterstock/science photo13-15.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 09:28 Page 316 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netOne of the defining issues of 2018,certainly as far as the food and drinkindustry is concerned, has been foodwaste. Last year, the Waste & ResourcesAction Programme (WRAP) revealedthe shocking level of food being wasted,kickstarting a shift in consumerattitudes, inspiring new governmentinitiatives and sparking a wave ofinnovation across the industry. Alreadythis has had a dramatic effect in thesupermarket sector, where new productlaunches made from food wastestreams are now commonplace. It’s thefruit and vegetable aisles, however, thathas perhaps experienced the mostsignificant change. Fresh produce sold by farms tosupermarkets was forced to adhere tostrict aesthetic criteria, with those thatfailed often left rotting in the field.Confronted with a groundswell ofprotest from consumers and suppliers,supermarkets are now selling these so-called “ugly” fruit and vegetablescheaper than their counterparts. It’s anational disgrace that edible food isbeing wasted in such vast volumeswhile the use of food banks is rising.Closing this loop has seen an upsurge infood redistribution schemes, ensuringthat less food is wasted, and poorerfamilies and individuals have access tohealthy food. It’s also good for theeconomy, with the UK £51 million betteroff a year thanks to food redistribution. With the UK food industrycommitting to a roadmap with the aimof slashing food waste by half, it’s clearthat we’re in a transitional period. Butthere’s still a long way to go, with thelatest WRAP findings revealing that330,000 tonnes of milk are wasted eachyear in the UK alone. One of the biggestcauses is down to a failure in labellingand the antiquated best-before, use-bysystem that food and beverageproducts are forced to comply with.Innovations in the packaging sectorhave an important role to play in thepreservation and longevity of food, butpackaging – specifically plasticpackaging – is having its day in court.Last year’s packaging bug bear wasundoubtedly the disposable coffee cup,and while the fight against this rampantdifficult-to-recycle package hascontinued, it has been eclipsed by thewider environmental threat of plasticpackaging – specifically single-useplastic, from water bottles to take-awaycontainers. The issue reached feverpitch towards the very end of 2017 withAtransformativeyear If 2018 has a lasting legacy beyondpolitical chaos and environmentaldisaster, let it be as a turning point. Letfuture generations look back at thesetwelve months as the period thatgovernment, industry and consumersalike started taking responsibility inmeaningful and impactful ways. 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 10:27 Page 1END OF YEAR SUCCESS STORIESFood & Drink International 17www.fdiforum.netthe airdate of the final episode of theBBC’s Blue Planet 2in which thedevastating effect plastic pollution waswreaking on our oceans was revealed inheart-breaking detail. The impact,dubbed the ‘Blue Planeteffect’, wasalmost immediate, with 2018 beginningwith important conversations aboutplastic pollution and what can be doneto minimise it. Manufacturers have taken theirdesigns back to the drawing boards orelse revamped their products so thatthey are more easily recyclable byconsumers. But the recyclinginfrastructure itself also needs to beoverhauled. Innovation here is alreadyallowing consumers to recycleeverything from crisp packets totoothpaste tubes, traditionally difficultor downright impossible items torecycle. However, this is currently just adrop in a very large ocean and requiresmore widespread support from the topdown. Although government hasthrown its weight behind this packagingblight, many have said they aren’t goingfar enough. So while consultations overa potential ban of plastic straws andstirrers wages on, Chancellor PhilipHammond failed to unveil a levy ontake-away coffee cups following its ownconsultation. The food industry is taking mattersinto their own hands. Some of theindustry’s biggest names havecommitted to make their packaging onehundred per cent recyclable over thecoming years, while others havedistanced themselves entirely fromblack plastic – a stubborn plastic that isdifficult at best to recycle andimpossible at worst. We’ve also seen theretail sector slowly embrace the reversevending machine. These allowconsumers to feed in plastic bottles andreceive discount coupons and voucherswhich can be redeemed in-store.Although government and industry hadkey roles to play, there’s no ignoring theincredible power that consumers wield.But it isn’t always easy to know at aglance which package is more harmfulto the environment. To that end,campaign organisation A Plastic Planethas this year launched a ‘Trust Mark’ soconsumers can see straightaway whichproducts aren’t packaged in plastic,helping them make wiser, moreinformed decisions. Safe to say that sustainability has© A Plastic Planet© Shutterstovk/MOHAMED ABDULRAHEEM18 Á© Shutterstovk/Nitikorn Poonsiri16-19.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 10:27 Page 218 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netEND OF YEAR SUCCESS STORIESbeen a significant, if not the defining,theme of 2018 be that with majorplayers including Mars, Hershey andMondelēzrolling out their respectivesustainable cocoa initiatives, or foodmakers throwing off the yoke of fossilfuels and embracing renewable energy.It’s not a moment too soon either, withresearch claiming that climate changecould result in shortages in beer supplyand much more expensive brews. Theother issue that has dominated theindustry this year has been health. It’s no secret that the world has anobesity crisis. In England, more than halfof adults are now classed as obese, andwith bigger waistlines comes a wholehost of related diseases, includingdiabetes, heart disease and stroke.Suffice it to say that excessive sugar,salt and saturated fat in food and drinkproducts has been public enemynumber one. To help counteract that,the government has introduced itsmuch-mooted sugar tax,though research hasquestioned theimpact it will have. Companies havegotten in on the action too, whether toavoid any levies or to appeal to thewallets of consumers looking for lowersugar and salt varieties of householdfavourites. In any case, supermarketshelves are now stocked with lower saltand lower fat varieties and a myriad ofstart-ups with innovative products to fillthis growing hunger. It’s no coincidence that 2018, with itsdiscourse around health andsustainability, has seen veganism gofrom market niche to mainstream.Indeed, a third of Brits now identify asvegan or flexitarian – in which a personlowers their meat consumption andembraces alternative proteins. This haschanged the market as we know it,giving manufacturers the opportunity torelease new products and gearthemselves towards this now majordemographic. It isn’t just consumers who aregetting in on the actioneither, with someof theworld’s biggest food companies sensingthe market shift and adapting. TysonFoods and Cargill are leading thecharge here, investing big money inplant-based and cultured meat start-ups. It’s a clear signal of where theindustry is heading, and with reportafter report claiming that the mostmeaningful change a person can maketo better the environment is reducing orcutting meat out of their diet, doubtlessit’s a trend we’ll continue to see evolveover the years to come. Of course, we couldn’t discuss2018 without mentioning Brexit. Asof going to print, Prime Minister© Shutterstovk/Brian A Jackson© Shutterstovk/lucio pepi16-19.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 10:27 Page 3Food & Drink International 19www.fdiforum.netEND OF YEAR SUCCESS STORIESTheresa May has released a draft Brexitagreement which has sparked highprofile resignations and revolts from herback benchers. Throughout the year,however, the fate of the UK’s tradingrelations with the European Union hasbeen unclear at best, much to thedetriment of British food bosses. So theonus has been on Government to makethe Britain competitive and self-sufficient. The recently launchedFisheries Bill promises to “take backcontrol of UK waters”, not a momenttoo soon after British scallop fishermenwere at loggerheads with their Frenchcounterparts. The government hasalmost committed further funds toboost farmer productivity, beefing updomestic supply and production. Afterall, the UK imports half of its food andresearch has indicated that a no-dealBrexit would be devastating for the UK’sfarming sector. Fortunately, Britain’s export market ishealthy, especially where meat, dairyand alcohol are concerned. Forexample, September saw British ginbreak the £2 billion mark, while UK foodexports reached a record £10.6 billion inthe first six months of the year. With thegovernment providing more exportsupport to UK food and drinkcompanies, and making efforts to targetmarkets outside of Europe, includingChina and the Middle East, we look setto raise that record higher. 2018’s biggest dealsHere’s a round-up of some of the biggest deals that havetaken place in the food and drink industry this year. Nestlé signs $7bn deal with StarbucksNestlé is invigorating its presence in the coffee sector with the signing of a$7.15 billion deal to sell Starbucks consumer and foodservice products globally. In particular, Nestlé will accelerate its out-of-home channels and will workalongside Starbucks on innovation and go-to-market strategies to bring morecoffee and consumers together.PepsiCo acquires SodaStream for $3.2bnPepsiCo has acquired SodaStream International as part of its mission to expandits wellness offering through environmentally-friendly and cost-effective beveragesolutions.PepsiCo said that its distribution capabilities, global reach and marketing knowhow will enable SodaStream to achieve further expansion and breakthroughinnovation.Tyson spends $2.16bn on Keystone Foods buyTyson Foods has acquired Keystone Foods, a major supplier to the globalfoodservice industry including McDonald’s, for $2.16 billion.The deal expands Tyson’s value-added protein capabilities serving keyfoodservice customers, the company said. It also strengthens its global presencein high growth international markets.Coca-Cola enters hot beverages market with £3.9bn Costa buyWhitbread is selling its Costa Coffee chain to the Coca-Cola Company for £3.9billion to focus instead on growth opportunities for its Premier Inn hotel businessin the UK and Germany.Whitbread acquired Costa back in 1995 for £19 million when it had only 39shops and successfully grew the business to be the UK’s largest coffee shopcompany.According to Whitbread, the combination of Costa and Coca-Cola will “ensurenew product development, continued growth in the UK and more rapid expansionoverseas”.© Shutterstovk/Elena Rudakova16-19.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2018 10:27 Page 4Next >