Microbiology and testing Ready meals Staying ahead Staying ahead INTERNATIONAL Packaging spotlight 01.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2023 10:32 Page 1nd the planneandsoplesafe andd kindd to peo FHHUWPXOWLFLHGƪHG award g winning d zeplaero psttic natural anda circuarula The sustainable barrier board for cups and food packaging Plastic free Compostable PFAS free C E R T I F I E D C E R T I F I E D C E R T I F I E D Recyclable Biodegradable C E R T I F I E D C E R T I F I E D C E R T I F I E D Carbon Balanced seerving sus sustainanability or ttoday and tomformmworro www.denmaur.com z See us at the NEC Birmingham Hall 1, Stand L68, 15 & 16 Feb 2023 02.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2023 10:32 Page 1Contents February 2023 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 export12 China is a huge market ripe for those wanting to grow their food and drink exports but can also be a precarious one. Packaging spotlight16 We explore the current trends in the food packaging space and what pitfalls producers should look out for. Ready meals22 Ready meals have become the go-to choice for young professionals in busy working conditions, but an inability – or a refusal – of big brands to cut down on unhealthy ingredients may open up room for fresh competition. Loading bays and doors26 Loading bay areas are integral to many stages of the food supply chain, from factory-bound deliveries of raw ingredients to the final drop-off once products are ready for sale. Food and Drink International takes a closer look. Containers and pallets 30 The cost of transport of food goods has risen drastically in recent years, but one area where money can be saved is surrounding pallets and containers. Microbiology and testing34 Demand for microbiological testing is increasing in the food and drink industry as awareness of food- related illnesses rises with consumers, and regulators become more focused on food safety. 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/VICUSCHKA • Top: stock.adobe.com/Prostock-studio • Middle: stock.adobe.com/etonastenka • Bottom: stock. adobe.com/Microgen Neogen Q&A38 We spoke to Neogen® this month to learn more about dietary fiber testing and the most suitable methods for analysing dietary fiber in your products. Clean air solutions40 The air we breathe is fundamental to more than just our survival; it limits how actively we can perform, how efficient we can be, and how healthy we are – the same holds true for workers in any factory. IFE Manufacturing43 Exhibitors and visitors alike will be arriving at ExCel London on the 20 – 22nd March for IFE Manufacturing. Packaging Innovations and Empack44 Taking place on the 15-16th February, at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, Packaging Innovations and Empack will highlight the future of the packaging industry. 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 30/01/2023 10:33 Page 1Scottish food producers receive funding to make their recipes healthier To support Scotland’s food and drink producers’ aims to make everyday food healthier, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland has provided funding to 13 well-loved food businesses. Biscuits and confectionery manufacturers Aldomak, Border Biscuits and Dean’s of Huntly have been awarded funding. While a whole range of meat and butchery producers – including Bells Food Group, Hunters of Kinross, Macsween of Edinburgh, Malcolm Allan and Simon Howie – have received support. In addition, funding has been provided to Growers Garden who make broccoli crisps; free from snacks manufacturers Fodilicious; ingredient suppliers Cardowan Creameries and R&W Scott; and farm shop the Smiddy. FDF Scotland will be supporting food producers with a breadth of projects from salt reduction, fat reduction, fibre enrichment and sugar reduction. The fund will be used for a wide range of activities. This includes accessing nutritional testing and technical support, working with ingredient suppliers to access and trial new innovative solutions – that can improve the health of products, to developing new marketing and promotional materials. 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Loma Systems to launch new training academy in 2023 Loma Systems, a global leader in inspection technologies for food quality and safety, will be launching its brand new training academy in January 2023. Having provided training to an excellent standard for many years, the LOMA® Training Academy represents a step-change for the company, which has reviewed and updated all its course content to deliver a much-enhanced training experience. Offering a range of courses to facilitate ongoing learning for new and existing customers, Loma’s newly written training courses are designed to provide interactive, hands-on learning, to help grow, develop, and hone inspection expertise. The courses, which are industry and regulatory-led, will be delivered by Loma trainers, all of whom are highly experienced service engineers who understand the pressures of the industry. “We are really excited to be launching the all-new training academy,” commented Loma’s Aftermarket Service Manager, Carl Wilkinson. “We are in a great position to deliver high-quality training throughout the UK, providing customers with backup material and a much better training experience.” For more information on the LOMA® Training Academy visit www.loma.com/en-gb/ services/training-academy. Kason fluid bed processor upgrade offers more drying control Kason has upgraded its popular VIBRO-BED fluid bed processor with new features designed to regulate pressure and temperature more efficiently for faster material drying and increased throughput. Fluid bed processors dry, moisturise, heat or cool bulk material by causing it to vibrate on a screen or perforated surface within a rising column of heated, chilled or moisturised air. In addition to faster drying, Kason’s upgraded controls make it easier for operators with minimal training to run batch or continuous material processing. “This upgrade makes one of the industry’s most energy and cost-efficient fluid bed dryers even better,” said Seth Vance, CEO of Advanced Material Processing, Kason’s parent company. “Along with further improving performance to help decrease processing time, the ability to record operational data and troubleshoot issues remotely in real-time helps minimise downtime for an even greater return on investment.” To find out more visit www.kason.com/fluid-bed/ © stock.adobe.com/ eldarnurkovic Tel: +44 (0)1707 331111 info@welwyntoolgroup.co.uk www.welwyntoolgroup.co.uk Hot Air delivered direct to the point of application HOTWINDMISTRALVULCAN Seafood business enters administration after abrupt plant closure Cook & Lucas Frozen (UK) Limited has entered administration. The company is an established importer, processor and supplier of seafood and whitefish, operating a smokehouse and processing plant in Grimsby. On 10 January 2023, the company abruptly closed its plant in Grimsby, with approximately 80 members of staff being laid off. Following this unannounced closure, the company’s secured lender took steps to protect its position and sought the appointment of the joint administrators – James Clark and Howard Smith from Interpath Advisory. James Clark, Managing Director at Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: “Given the circumstances surrounding our appointment, our immediate priority is to take steps to secure the company’s assets, while seeking to gather further information about the company’s financial position.” © stock.adobe.com/ bit24 04-11.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2023 11:01 Page 1Kerry to sell its Sweet Ingredients Portfolio Kerry Group has entered into exclusive negotiations to sell the trade and assets of its Sweet Ingredients Portfolio to IRCA, an international leader in chocolate, creams, and other high-quality semi-finished food ingredients, for a consideration of € 500m. The potential sale is subject to relevant regulatory approvals and routine closing adjustments. Employee consultation and information processes have commenced in relevant jurisdictions. The Sweet Ingredients Portfolio is a leading manufacturer of sweet and cereal products with a broad range of technological capabilities, primarily serving the end markets of bakery, cereal, confectionery, dairy and ice cream in Europe and the US. Its operational footprint covers four manufacturing facilities in the US (in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and California), and six facilities across the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and France. The portfolio incorporates a range of products spanning sweet particulates, chocolate confections, baked inclusions, variegates and fruit purées. news Hometown Foods acquires Birch Benders Hometown Food Company, home to a portfolio of American baking brands and controlled by Brynwood Partners, has acquired Birch Benders from Sovos Brands, a public company listed on the NASDAQ exchange. Founded in 2011, Birch Benders offers Pancake & Waffle Mixes, Toaster Waffles, Pancake and Baking Cups, Baking Mixes and Frostings, Cookies and Syrups, with an expansive portfolio of keto, paleo, and organic options that are sold at grocery and mass retailers, as well as through the E- Commerce channel, nationally. Hometown Food Company is home to baking brands including Pillsbury Baking, Funfetti, Hungry Jack, Arrowhead Mills, White Lily, Jim Dandy, Martha White, and De Wafelbakkers. “The Birch Benders acquisition is a wonderful addition to Hometown Food Company’s portfolio of brands and it increases our footprint in the better-for-you, breakfast and baking categories,” said Tom Polke, president and CEO of Hometown Food Company. “We are truly delighted to have the opportunity to support Birch Benders in its next phase of growth.” Spiroflow’s new FSC agitator offers improved operator access Global powder handling and dry bulk solids processing specialist, Spiroflow, has re-designed its existing Flexible Screw Conveyor (FSC) agitator with an updated version that can be easily dismantled in place for cleaning. The new design can also be retrofitted to existing machines in place of the current standard agitator unit. “In certain situations, it’s important for our customers to have the ability to quickly strip down the agitator to be cleaned by the operator safely, and without the use of tools,” said Spiroflow’s Chris Brennan, technical sales manager. “With the new agitator design, all access is protected by safety interlocks and the gearbox and motor remain in place. There is no need to have plugs and sockets or heavy lifting to facilitate its removal, so cleaning can be done on the line, thereby saving time in the process. The additional benefit of the new agitator is that it can be retrofitted to existing FSCs.” For more information visit www.spiroflow.com Food & Drink International 5 www.fdiforum.net Diageo to acquire Don Papa Rum Diageo has reached an agreement to acquire Don Papa Rum, a super-premium, dark rum from the Philippines. The upfront consideration is € 260 million with a further potential consideration of up to € 177.5 million through to 2028 subject to performance, reflecting the brand’s current growth potential. The super-premium plus segment of the rum category is in the early stages of premiumisation, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18% in Europe and 27% in the US between 2016-2021. Through the same period, Don Papa Rum consistently outperformed the market in Europe, delivering a 29% CAGR. Launched in 2012 by entrepreneur Stephen Carroll, together with Andrew John Garcia, Don Papa Rum is currently available in 30 countries, with France, Germany and Italy being its largest markets. Stephen Carroll, founder, Don Papa Rum, said: “Diageo has a strong track record in nurturing founder-led brands. They believe in our unique story and have genuinely embraced our brand idea. We believe this acquisition is a great opportunity to take Don Papa into the next exciting chapter of its development.” Our extensive product range includes: Innovative, system-compatible air heaters Powerful, robust blowers Compact, flexible hot-air blowers Comprehensive range of accessories 3 Heat output & air volume steplessly adjustable with potentiometers 3 Integrated temperature controls 3 Integrated temperature probes 3 Protection against heating elements or devices overheating 3 Brushless power motors 3 Integrated power electronics © stock.adobe.com/ bit24 © stock.adobe.com/ Konstantin Yuganov © stock.adobe.com/ Micah C/peopleimages.com 04-11.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2023 11:01 Page 26 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Tesco to use discarded plastic from coastal areas in fresh fish packaging Plastic waste such as drinks bottles, which is at risk of getting into the sea, is now being collected and recycled and used again in Tesco’s fresh fish packaging. Many of the supermarket’s fresh Salmon, Haddock, Cod and Sea Bass lines will be sold for the first time in trays that contain at least 30% Recycled Coastal Plastic collected from beaches, coastlines, and coastal communities around the Mediterranean Sea. The move into the new packaging is expected to remove around 500 metric tonnes of plastic from the environment each year and reduce the amount of ‘virgin plastic’ required in the packaging. The plastic waste consisting of Polypropylene, PET, Polyethylene, and other types of plastic, is collected from at-risk coastal areas such as beaches, and coastal communities within 10 km from the sea, thus prevented from entering the Mediterranean Sea by wind, rain or floods. Collection and processing is undertaken with full transparency and traceability and certified by the non-profit organisation Keep Sea Blue. © stock.adobe.com/ zakalinka Meatless Farm introduces eco impact labelling Meatless Farm has introduced eco impact labelling to its top selling products to help customers make more environmental choices. Delivered and certified by Foundation Earth, the traffic-light labelling appears on the front of pack of its Plant-Based Mince, Burgers, Chipolata Sausages, Chicken Breasts and Steaks from January 2023. The ratings take into account each product’s carbon emissions, water usage, water pollution and impact on biodiversity. The Plant-Based Mince, Burgers, Chipolata Sausages and Chicken Breasts all received an ‘A’ Eco Impact rating. Morten Toft-Bech, CEO and founder of Meatless Farm, said: “At Meatless Farm we are constantly looking for new ways to encourage consumers to make more sustainable choices to help improve the health of the planet. “As we look to the future, the introduction of eco-labelling is one way we plan to do this. Informing shoppers about the impact their choices have on the environment will encourage them to think more about their carbon footprint and choose products with lower carbon emissions.” © stock.adobe.com/ lado2016 04-11.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2023 11:01 Page 3Asda changes yoghurts range to reduce food waste Asda has announced a major change to over half of its own-brand yoghurts by removing Use By dates and replacing them with Best Before dates to help customers combat food waste in the home. The change follows data from climate action NGO WRAP which says that half of all yoghurt wasted in UK households is in unopened packs. The report also showed that 70 per cent of all the yoghurt wasted in the home is due to the product ‘not being used in time’, with the date label cited as the reason. The Asda Technical Manager, Microbiologist and Product Manager have been conducting robust food safety and quality evaluations to confirm that existing recipes in those 28 lines, which sell around 455,000 a week, make it safe for those products to change to ‘Best Before’ labelling. Customers will notice the label change on products such as Asda natural yoghurt, Greek Yoghurt and Extra Special Strawberry and Hazelnut. Peckwater Brands snaps up competitor Peckwater Brands, the operator of virtual food brands, has acquired eatclever, the virtual delivery brand market leader in the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Peckwater operates delivery- only food brands from more than 500 unique locations across nine countries: UK, US, France, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Czechia, and the UAE. The UK company will take over eatclever’s operations in almost 100 restaurants across the DACH region, expanding their presence into three new countries across Europe. Peckwater will add Hamburg-based eatclever’s food brands to its portfolio, including taste&soul, Chicos, and KoChi (Korean Fried Chicken). This takeover is Peckwater’s second European acquisition in the past five months, following the onboarding of the Honest Food Company in September. Its international expansion has been fuelled in part by the £15 million Series A funding round the company completed in June 2022, backed by Stonegate Group, SBI Investments, Fuel Ventures, and Pembroke VCT, bringing the company’s post-money valuation to £65 million. Food & Drink International 7 www.fdiforum.net news © stock.adobe.com/ Alex Yeung © stock.adobe.com/ Rido To advertise your services on the news pages contact us on 01472 310302 04-11.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2023 11:01 Page 4Molson Coors transitions Fort Worth brewery to 100% renewable electricity Molson Coors Beverage Company is moving its Fort Worth brewery to wind-powered, 100% renewable electricity, putting it closer to meeting its 2025 sustainability goals and ultimately its target of net-zero emissions by 2050. The company has signed a long-term agreement with EDF Energy Services to receive approximately 72,000 megawatts of power generated by the King Creek Wind Farm in north- central Texas, which went online late last year. Fort Worth becomes Molson Coors’ first brewery in North America to be powered by 100% renewable electricity. The company’s UK business switched to 100% wind power in 2021. “We work hard to make sure our brewery is efficient and a good steward of the environment. This project helps us achieve both,” says Jim Crawford, the brewery’s general manager. Rachel Schneider, Molson Coors’ vice president of sustainability, said: “Fort Worth is our fifth- largest brewery, and it represents about 6% of our total direct emissions. Getting Fort Worth to 100% market-based renewables for electricity will have a measurable impact for us as a company.” Local Bounti breaks ground at new high-tech controlled environment agriculture facility in Texas Local Bounti Corporation, a U.S. controlled environment agriculture (CEA) company, has started construction on a new indoor facility in Mount Pleasant, Texas. The six-acre facility will leverage Local Bounti’s proprietary Stack & Flow Technology to grow and sell its indoor grown line of packaged leafy greens. Varieties include spring mix, butter lettuce, romaine crisp, green leaf, and additional blends. The facility is expected to commence operations in the fourth quarter of 2023. “Mount Pleasant is thrilled to welcome Local Bounti to the region,” said Nathan Tafoya, executive director of the Mount Pleasant Economic Development Corporation. “With its innovative and proprietary controlled- environment agriculture (CEA) approach, Local Bounti adds a much-desired agri-tech ingredient to Mount Pleasant’s rich history in food production. “We’ve already begun integrating workforce training and partnership conversations with our college’s Ag program. As Local Bounti’s chosen Texas location for an investment, and multiple planned phases, Mount Pleasant looks forward to growing with Local Bounti for many years to come.” 8 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net on line Key Technology introduces new air cleaner Key Technology, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, introduces its new #16 Air Cleaner. Removing extraneous vegetable matter (EVM), dirt and other lightweight materials, this system cleans product of debris to improve product quality and line efficiency. Key’s redesigned air cleaner features a new fan, motor, screen and chamber configuration to enhance sanitation and reduce maintenance while increasing air flow capacity and spreading air velocity more evenly across the product screen. “At Key, we partner closely with customers to develop new solutions to their production problems. Our new air cleaner was driven by one customer’s desire to remove even more debris for a cleaner product. While we designed this system primarily to improve performance, we looked for opportunities to maximize sanitation and maintenance, too,” said Jack Lee, President of Key Technology Americas. “Predictive modeling software was crucial in the development of this air cleaner. Computational fluid dynamics enabled us to model the air flow to put together a revolutionary design backed by real data.” To find out more visit www.key.net South Mill Champs opens its largest single-site mushroom farm South Mill Champs, one of North America’s largest growers and suppliers of fresh mushrooms and mushroom products, has opened a new state-of-the-art farm in Oxford, Pa. The new facility will be one of North America’s largest single-site mushroom farms and one of the largest phase 3 composting operations. The grand opening marks the completion of the first phase of the multi-year, multi-phase farm and compost operation buildout. “Mushrooms are continuing to surge in popularity as consumers become more proactive about their health,” said Lewis Macleod, CEO of South Mill Champs. “As a company, we’ve experienced tremendous success on the fresh side of the business and we have grown our portfolio of mushroom-forward food products to align with consumers’ needs as they aim to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets. Increased production will support existing and planned growth across all customer channels.” Industry-leading technological advancements and processes will be implemented at the new facility, including automated and environmentally efficient climate control and watering systems. Bavaria invests $413 million in new brewery Local AB InBev brewer, Bavaria, has announced the construction of a new brewery in Colombia, in the northern region municipality of Palmar de Varela. “We firmly believe in Colombia and in the great transformations that the private sector can generate for the benefit of the country,” said Bavaria president, Sergio Rincón. “With this new plant, Bavaria is investing long-term on a significant expansion of the industry.” Located one hour from the Atlántico capital city of Barranquilla, the new brewery plans to begin its operation in mid- 2024 and produce national beer brands including Águila, Poker and Club Colombia. The investment being made by Bavaria amounts to roughly $413 million. More than 1,500 jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase. Once operational, the brewery is expected to generate 350 direct jobs and 7,000 indirect jobs. © stock.adobe.com/Iurii Kachkovskyi © stock.adobe.com/engel.ac © stock.adobe.com/Rido © stock.adobe.com/foto76 04-11.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2023 11:01 Page 5Register toDAY ojou Register to attend using code 10004 packagingbirmingham.com 15 & 16 February 2023 NEC Birmingham Featuring DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF YOUR BRAND’S PACKAGING AND PRODUCTION JOURNEY Register today and invite your colleagues! Registration only takes a few short minutes – so sign up today and share this invitation with all your colleagues who play a role in packaging decisions, from marketing and design through to purchasing, operations and manufacturing! 04-11.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2023 11:01 Page 6Next >