< Previous50 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net All the food industry news you might have missed Rest Best of the Stay in touch with Food & Drink International For more up to the minute information from the food and drink industry, visit Food & Drink International online at www.fdiforum.net. Keep up to date with Food & Drink International, and let us know what you think, by following us on Twitter at @fdiforum, at www.facebook.com/FoodandDrink International or by searching for fdiforum on LinkedIn. Sol beer now brewed exclusively with solar energy Sol beer is being exclusively brewed using solar energy as Heineken UK moves closed towards its sustainability production goal. The brewer, who is aiming to reach 70% renewable energy in production by 2030, has installed 4,000 solar panels at its brewery in Tadcaster, Yorkshire and 9,212 solar panels at its brewery in Zoeterwoude in the Netherlands. The brand’s new tagline, ‘Brewed with Solar Energy’, now features on the back of every Sol bottle and complements its new design – dialling up the iconic sun symbol and bright brand colours – increasing its appeal amongst consumers, potential rate of sale and revenue opportunities in the on- trade. Sol has already more than doubled its volume this year, so ensure your offering meets consumer demand. European Parliament votes against ‘veggie burger ban’ The European Parliament has voted to reflect the ‘veggie burger ban’, which would have restricted plant- based products from using terms typically associated with meat products, such as ‘burger’ and ‘sausage’. However, it has voted to ban descriptive terms such as ‘yoghurt-style’ and ‘cheese alternative’ on plant-based dairy products. This follows earlier bans on the use of terms such as ‘almond milk’ and ‘vegan cheese’ on products in the EU. “Although we welcome the European Parliament’s vote against the introduction of naming restrictions on plant-based alternatives to meat, where common sense has prevailed, we deeply regret its vote in favour of far- reaching and entirely unnecessary restrictions on the descriptions of plant- based dairy products,” said Jasmijn de Boo, Vice President of ProVeg International. Unilever targets €1bn plant-based sales by 2027 Unilever is targeting €1 billion in sales of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives within the next five to seven years as it sets a “bold” new ‘Future Foods’ ambition. The growth will be driven by the roll-out of The Vegetarian Butcher as well as increasing vegan alternatives from brands including Hellmann’s, Magnum and Wall’s. The ‘Future Foods’ ambition has two key objectives: to help people transition towards healthier diets and to help reduce the environmental impact of the global food chain. Unilever has also committed to: * Halve food waste in its direct global operations from factory to shelf by 2025 – five years earlier than previously committed, as part of the Champions 12.3 coalition target. * Double the number of products delivering positive nutrition globally by 2025 – defined as products containing impactful amounts of vegetables, fruits, proteins, or micronutrients like vitamins, zinc, iron and iodine. * Continue lowering calorie, salt and sugar levels across products © Shutterstock /Daniel Jedzura Historic bakery brand, Hovis, acquired by private equity firm Hovis, the historic British bakery brand, has been acquired by private equity firm, Endless, in a move that will see it tap growing customer demand for high-quality nutritious products. Investment by Endless will support the existing Hovis management team to deliver their future plans and is the third investment by the firm in recent times in the UK food sector. Hovis has grown its branded market share and is well placed to capture further market share in the UK’s £4 billion bakery category. This acquisition will allow it to focus on delivering the next phase of growth by tapping into growing consumer demand for high quality, relevant and nutritious products that will be supported by investment in the brand and infrastructure of the business. Hovis CEO Nish Kankiwala said: “The acquisition will help drive our strategy for growth by bringing both strategic and operational value to Hovis.” Financial details were not disclosed. 50.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 10:50 Page 1CALL 01442 843387 TO SPEAK TO A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM Valley Farm, Hemel Hempstead Road, Dagnall, Herts JP4 1QR Email: enquiries@rmsealers.co.uk RM Sealers remain a leading British manufacturer and supplier of high quality Bag Sealing Machines, also known as Rotary Band Sealers and Impulse Sealers. Our machines are proven bag closing machines, manufactured by us for over 30 years and having previously been sold under the Doboy, SIG and Bosch names. They are suitable for a wide range of industrial applications and may be bespoked to fulfil customer requirements. BAG SEALING MACHINES www.rmsealers.co.uk HORIZONTAL BAG SEALING MACHINE IMPULSE BAG SEALING MACHINE BENCHTOP BAG SEALING MACHINE VERTICAL BAG SEALING MACHINE VISIT WWW.RMSEALERS.CO.UK TO SEE OUR MACHINE RANGE SEALERS © 51.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 10:51 Page 1Dairy from Ireland where we work in harmony with nature Our country on the edge of Europe, with its lush, the world, visitirishfoodanddrink.com 310401043 Dairy NM FoodandDrinkINT.indd 121/09/2020 17:32 52.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 10:51 Page 1Next >