Microbiology and testing Import and export Packaging spotlight Constant innovation Constant innovation INTERNATIONALShady Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham, B44 9EU England Tel: +44 (0)121 360 0155 For all your Power Transmission Solutions • Roller Chain • Gears & Sprockets • Timing Belt Drives • V Belt Pulleys • V Belts • Clamping Elements • Inverted Tooth Chain • Inverted Tooth Sprockets • Sealmaster Bearings • Shaft Couplings • Freewheel Clutches • Torque Limiters • Overload Clutches • Sheargard Clutches • McGill® Cam Followers • Gearboxes The Driving Force In Power Transmission sales@crossmorse.com www.crossmorse.com Power Transmission Solutions powered by employee share-ownership 02476 420065 Download our app today! kitepackaging.co.uk Find out more Food packaging for your business FREE DELIVERY ON ORDERS OVER £45 CompostableRecyclableBiodegradable&^ĞƌƟĮĞĚ 2,500 stock products Next day delivery We are carbon neutral 46,000+ reviewsContents February 2024 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 While 2023 was a rockier year for Ireland’s food and drink exports, focus remains on expansion and market access. Packaging spotlight16 We explore the dynamic journey of food and drink packaging as it navigates the intersection of consumer preferences, regulatory shifts, and sustainability imperatives. • Kite Packaging Q&A Ready meals24 In the fast-paced landscape of modern living, ready meals have become the culinary saviours for those navigating through hectic schedules. Loading bays and doors28 In the intricate dance of technology and logistics within warehouses, loading bays emerge as the unsung heroes, serving as both gateways and defences in the food industry’s critical journey from production to consumer. Containers and pallets 32 In the dynamic world of food logistics, containers and pallets seamlessly bridge the gap between production and consumer shelves. Microbiology and testing36 Microbiological testing can be slow but the consequences of an outbreak are anything but. Though memories may have been dulled by COVID, the years before 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/Yaruniv-Studio • Top: stock.adobe.com/fahrwasser • Middle: stock.adobe.com/abu • Bottom: stock.adobe.co m/Adin saw a number of startling outbreaks in food products with dire consequences, and consumer and media attention now is even more focused on food hygiene. Clean air solutions 41 In the world of food processing, it may seem that the presence of dust is an inevitable and ultimately harmless intrusion to the factory floor. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Packaging Innovations & Empack 44 Sustainability, legislation latest, and the future of packaging – this year’s showcase has it all. IntraLogisteX48 The industry’s leading showcase for packaging, warehouse and logistics management solutions has expanded its programme, resulting in an exhibition packed with more shows, innovation, insights and inspiration than ever before. Events50 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world. Classified 53 Food and Drink Diary 54Panicium acquires The Bury Black Pudding Company An award-winning producer of black puddings has been acquired by a Buxton artisan speciality food group. Panicium has acquired The Bury Black Pudding Company (BBP) for an undisclosed sum. The deal follows Panicium’s acquisitions of handmade cakes and biscuits producer Margaret Hall and specialist potted meats and spreads manufacturer Binghams Food in 2018 and 2021 respectively. A multi-disciplinary team at HURST advised on the acquisition. Graham Norfolk, one of Panicium’s founding directors, said it remains business as usual for BBP and its workforce, adding that the group would invest to further grow the newly-acquired company and build on its strong foundations by introducing new product ranges, increasing its market share and expanding and developing customer relationships. BBP, founded by Managing Director Debbie Pierce, has expanded into a business with turnover of £11.5m, employing 122 staff operating from a 25,400 sq ft factory in Bury. 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news IFF has embarked on a collaborative research initiative with Unilever and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in protein-flavor interactions to address flavor challenges in plant-based meat alternatives. Plant proteins can create beany off-notes and lingering bitterness in plant-based meat alternatives. Manufacturers often mask these unfavorable attributes through a combination of flavors, but this can result in undesirable aroma characteristics. In response to this longstanding challenge, IFF and Unilever are spearheading a comprehensive four-year research project, working alongside scientists from WUR in the Netherlands. The project’s primary focus lies on exploring the ways flavors bind to protein molecules with the goal of recommending novel flavoring strategies that elevate the sensory experience of plant-based meat alternatives. Drawing upon IFF’s years of extensive research in protein purification and natural food flavoring, this project targets areas within flavor compositions that hold the greatest promise for success. Using advanced analytical methods, WUR will study the protein flavor interactions. Unilever’s involvement ensures that the research remains guided by consumer preferences – cementing a consumer- centric approach throughout. Mars opens $42m Snacking R&D hub in Chicago Mars has announced the opening of its Global Research and Development Hub on its Goose Island campus, the global headquarters of the company’s Snacking business. The 44,000-square-foot, $42m facility will be dedicated to chocolate and nut testing, research and innovation. As Mars looks to double its Snacking business in the next decade, the new facility will give Mars’ R&D Associates in Chicago runway to create and refine new products for the company’s multi-billion-dollar snacking portfolio before they are scaled at large around the globe. The new site will centralize crucial innovation components under one roof while also serving as a testing ground for future-focused, sustainable ingredients. Recipes will be perfected in small batches in the plant’s contemporary test kitchen, while the flexible bar line, which mimics factory conditions, will allow Mars Snacking Scientists to hone the process of bringing new products to scale. A dedicated nut facility inside the plant will also enable next-generation testing, evaluation and application of peanuts and tree nuts within Mars products, key to brands such as SNICKERS®, M&M’S® and KIND®. © stock.adobe.com/ grinchh Tel: +44 (0)1707 331111 info@welwyntoolgroup.co.uk www.welwyntoolgroup.co.uk Hot Air delivered direct to the point of application HOTWINDMISTRALVULCAN © stock.adobe.com/ igradesign Bramble Foods gobbles up The Bay Tree Food Co Leicestershire-based Bramble Foods Group, a manufacturer and distributor of fine foods to independent, local retailers, garden centres, farm shops and holiday parks, has acquired The Bay Tree Food Co, an award-winning manufacturer of branded chutney, relish, sauce and jam. The Bay Tree Food Co was founded by Emma Macdonald in 1994 and has been creating artisan chutney, relish, sauce and jam from its BRC accredited factory in Ivybridge, Devon, ever since. In addition to its own brand products, The Bay Tree Food Co offers own-label and bespoke recipe solutions to independent retailers and food service companies. Emma Macdonald, founder and CEO of The Bay Tree Food Co, will stay with the business to help deliver the next phase of its growth. She said: “We are very excited to work with the Bramble team. Being part of a larger group will accelerate the next phase of our development and I’m looking forward to the opportunities that will bring.” Regal Foods shows appetite for growth with Love Handmade Cakes acquisition Yorkshire-based cake manufacturer Love Handmade Cakes has been acquired by Regal Food Products Group Plc for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition comes just 24 months after the Regal group snapped up premium desserts manufacturer, Just Desserts Yorkshire. Established in 2004 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Love Handmade Cakes (formerly Exquisite Handmade Cakes) specialise in baking a range of over 100 cakes, traybakes, individual cake bars and muffins for food service wholesalers, coffee shops, distributors, and other food service outlets. The acquisition is set to boost and compliment Regal’s portfolio of bakery brands, including Regal Bakery, Yorkshire Baking Company, Just Desserts Yorkshire, and The Cake Emporium, whilst providing opportunities for expansion, development and growth in the food service area of the business and its new desserts division. Regal Food Products Group plc have confirmed Love Handmade Cakes will continue to operate as an independent business whilst benefiting from the group’s resources and investments. news Food & Drink International 5 www.fdiforum.net Prickly pear RTD drinks brand secures £15,000 grant Natural prickly pear drinks company, Cacto, has secured £15,000 funding from the University of West England. The funding, which is part of the University’s Entrepreneurial Futures Award, is distributed to businesses who show exceptional potential and traction with their ventures. Having won the funding, from a pool of over 60 businesses, the brand will use the finance to develop Cacto’s rebrand and two new products, set to launch in February 2024. The existing range of products, including three sparkling prickly pear drinks, and the two new SKUs set to be released in early 2024 is made from Sicilian prickly pear fruit and are all low sugar, low calorie and high electrolytes, particularly magnesium and potassium. Prickly pears are a great source of electrolytes, vitamins, calcium and antioxidants such as phenolic acid and Cacto drinks are made using UV, carbon and ceramic filtered water. Cacto is founded by Sam Jukes, whose background in cricket, sport science and nutrition, led him to understand the holistic health benefits of prickly pear fruit and later develop the brand. HARIBO appoints firm to deliver Castleford factory expansion HARIBO UK has recently received planning approval for a new, purpose-built warehouse at its Castleford site. Now, HARIBO has appointed local firm Caddick Construction to deliver this expansion. The site in Castleford first started producing HARIBO’s treats in 2015. The new warehouse facility will allow HARIBO to manage increased volumes of finished product, stock more raw materials and packaging, and will help safeguard 600 jobs across both its West Yorkshire sites. Jon Hughes, Managing Director of HARIBO UK and Ireland, said: “Following another successful year, we’re pleased to have recently received planning approval for a new, purpose-built warehouse at our Castleford site. “We expect to break ground and begin construction soon and are delighted to have appointed local Yorkshire construction firm Caddick Construction to support the build. For fifty years, we’ve been part of Yorkshire’s sweet-making tradition, and we continue to invest in our two sites in Pontefract and Castleford to deliver delicious treats for our consumers across the UK.” 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 Jobs on the menu as plant-based firm opens ‘UK first’ site Almost 70 jobs will be created after a plant-based food manufacturer moved into a huge new product development site. MYCO Holdings will transform a former food manufacturing plant in Leeming Bar into a vertically farmed production unit. It will be the first site of its kind in the UK. The North East-based firm hopes the move into the purpose-built 20,000 sq ft site will launch an exciting period of growth, amid an expected boom in sales of plant-based meat substitutes. “This is a great move for MYCO, and one we all believe will help the business unlock its extraordinary potential,” said John Shepherd, co-founder and chairman of MYCO. “This new site is a food industry first, and the concept of combining both the growing of the raw materials and the manufacturing of the finished product under one roof will pave the way for more sustainable food manufacturing practices in the future.” Image courtesy of HARIBOSainsbury’s to save over 775 tonnes of plastic a year with move to cardboard for own-brand mushrooms Sainsbury’s is switching its own-brand mushroom punnets from plastic to cardboard in a move which will save over 775 tonnes of plastic. The change will roll out to all 13 own- brand lines including top sellers such as whole baby button, closed cup, organic and chestnut mushrooms, helping customers to recycle the packaging more easily at home. Sainsbury’s will be the first UK retailer to roll out cardboard punnets for all mushrooms across all stores. Claire Hughes, Director of Product and Innovation, said: “As part of our Plan for Better commitments, we are trying to reduce plastic packaging across our own brand ranges. We are delighted to introduce cardboard punnets for our own-brand mushrooms. “Making a collective effort with suppliers to increasing recycled content and recyclability for all customers has helped achieve our biggest ever plastics removal so far. The initiative reflects our commitment towards a healthier and more sustainable future as we continue to look at ways to innovate our packaging and reduce and replace plastic where possible.” Denkavit expands with acquisition of Volac Milk Replacer business The Dutch Denkavit Group and UK-based Volac International Ltd. have reached agreement for the acquisition by Denkavit of the Volac Milk Replacer business. David Neville, CEO, Volac International Ltd, said: “Our Milk Replacer business is something we can be hugely proud of. We want that business to continue to flourish. As our portfolio of products in Volac Animal Nutrition expands further into the Feed Additives area following the successful acquisition of Micron Bio-Systems in 2021, we want to build on the synergies this brings. We have made the decision to sell our Milk Replacer business to a leading player in that market who can give it the focus it deserves. “It was hugely important to us to sell to a company with similar ambition and values. We have enjoyed a healthy relationship with Denkavit over the years, and look forward to this new chapter and seeing them take the Milk Replacer business to the next level.” 6 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Key Technology introduces RemoteMD® 2.0 for optical sorters Key Technology (“Key”), a member of Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Solutions group, introduces RemoteMD® 2.0 remote support service for their optical sorting systems. RemoteMD enables Key service technicians to securely connect to a customer’s sorter for real-time remote monitoring as well as technical support. Now with 24/7 call center support and delivery of quarterly status reports, RemoteMD 2.0 helps optimize equipment performance to protect food safety and ensure product quality while increasing machine uptime and reducing service costs. “Leveraging RemoteMD, we can take many machine maintenance tasks off the customer’s plate and improve their ROI by minimizing repair time and costs and reducing the chance of product recalls,” said Jack Lee, Duravant Group President - Food Sorting and Handling Solutions. RemoteMD is compatible with Key’s VERYX ® , COMPASS ® , OCULUS, Manta ® , Optyx ® and Tegra® optical sorting systems as well as the ADR® and ADR EXOS® automatic defect removal systems. It can be installed on new systems and retrofitted on equipment in the field. RemoteMD is compatible with multiple best-in-class connectivity solutions. For more information on Key’s optical sorting systems, visit www.key.net/en/our- products/sorting/. Enifer secures € 12m grant to build mycoprotein ingredient factory Business Finland has conditionally approved a recycling and reuse investment grant of more than € 12m for biotech startup Enifer to build its first commercial-scale PEKILO® mycoprotein ingredient factory. The funding comes from the European Union NextGenerationEU recovery instrument. It will support building first-of-its-kind industrial facilities promoting the reuse and recycling of industrial by-products and waste streams, hence aligning with the EU’s circular economy action plan and the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland. The commercial-scale factory will produce Enifer’s unique PEKILO® mycoprotein ingredients, which are made using fungal fermentation. The PEKILO® fermentation process has a long legacy – it was originally developed by Finnish forest industry engineers in the 1970s. As the world’s first commercial mycoprotein production process from 1975 to 1991, it converted forest industry by-products into sustainable feed protein for the domestic market. Enifer has taken the original process many steps further and developed a food-grade ingredient based on the original PEKILO® technology. The product is a protein- and fiber-rich powder with a neutral taste and color that can be used in a similar way to plant-based proteins in the food industry today. The company is expecting to file for regulatory approval of its food-grade ingredient during the first half of 2024. The new facility will have a production capacity of 3 million kilograms a year of sustainable, locally sourced protein – roughly equivalent to the protein content of meat from 30,000 cows but with at least 20 times lower carbon emissions and considerably lower water and land use. The factory is currently projected to cost € 30m to build and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, with production ramp-up occurring in 2026. Enifer is currently undertaking basic engineering of the facility together with design and engineering company AFRY. The facility will be built in the Uusimaa region. Image courtesy of Sainsbury’s © stock.adobe.com/Emil © Iiro MuttilainenFood & Drink International 7 www.fdiforum.net Moisture can quickly affect plant safety: a fail-proof solution Excess moisture within a product can cause more issues than just quality control, in some instances, excess moisture in the product creates issues with equipment function that can lead to human intervention. In those cases, safety concerns arise as large pieces of equipment can be very dangerous to work with. A fail proof solution for the production line is a near- infrared moisture measurement solution that allows for full monitoring. With the ability to be read on an external display or tie back into a PLC system, users can create a closed loop process and ensure safety and quality control during production. MoistTech’s NIR system is developed to stay consistently calibrated, giving you trustworthy moisture readings throughout the process. MoistTech sensors come pre-calibrated to fit your exact application, eliminating the need for constant recalibration, and continuously monitor to ensure they stay on point. This not only guarantees accuracy but also extends the life of your sensors. To find out more visit https://www.moisttech.com/, contact info@moisttech.com, +1 941-727-1800, or +44 1138-680413. news Two Tribes secures multi-million pound investment Beer brand Two Tribes has secured a multi-million-pound investment. The funds raised from existing investors will play a pivotal role in supporting the brand’s ongoing expansion within the UK. They will also facilitate Two Tribes’ upcoming strategic launch into two new international territories. The expansion is due to take place later this year. The continued shareholder support has also enabled Two Tribes to enhance and strengthen its core team. Hezi Yechiel, an investor in Two Tribes and the Founder of Urban Leisure Group, brings a wealth of hospitality and marketing experience to the brand, and will now undertake the role of Executive Chairman. Joining him as Finance Director (FD) is Bob Emms, former Meantime Brewery FD, and Prudence Stamp, who takes on the position of Head of People & Culture. Two Tribes @ We Out Here Festivalwww.fdiforum.net Plan your campaign with Food & Drink International… ...your competitors are! As marketing is the vital ingredient for the success and growth of any business, we can offer advice and packages to suit all budgets. Speak to one of our experienced account executives. 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Contact us below for our 2024 editorial schedule Call today on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email: v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk INTERNATIONAL INTERN NATION AL ahe Sta d ayng d i ea ngspogh ahead a eadyRymea ackPPk aging s Micr obiolog testing gy INTERN NATION AL ma r Cha r ket ang s g ytryy and ma r kets m s Meat, poul d f l tt seaf o ood v Sie es and separ aat ors spotlight separ aat ors e Softw are sp Sti INTERN bl NATION bus Sus bus Sus sness stana i ti s able bl business s End of fline packkaging Int INTERN NATION AL g ro Hea h althy o wth ah chan eden wth g unc F ctional ingr eedients y uppl S lyy chai spotlight Caps and cl spotlight osur Caps and cl ees MINIMUM COST…MAXIMUM IMPACT! www.fdiforum.net news Food & Drink International 9 www.fdiforum.net PAG to acquire Food Union Europe PAG Private Equity, a global alternative investment firm, has agreed to acquire a majority controlling interest in Food Union Europe, a provider of ice cream and other frozen treats to consumers in six European countries. The transaction, pending final regulatory approval, was executed through the acquisition of equity from the founder and other private stakeholders. Specific financial details are not being disclosed. Lincoln Pan, partner and co-head of private equity at PAG, said: “PAG Private Equity has been invested in Food Union Europe since February 2017. We believe strongly in the company’s unrivaled market position across its core markets in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark, Norway and Romania. We look forward to working with the existing management to support Food Union’s continued growth and expansion.” PAG Private Equity is an active investor in the food industry, especially in frozen food. Recent transactions include the acquisition of two Australian companies in the food and consumer sector – Patties and Vesco. Platinum Equity to acquire Horizon Organic and Wallaby from Danone Platinum Equity has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Horizon Organic and Wallaby from Danone. Horizon Organic is the largest USDA-certified organic dairy brand in the world and is a pioneer in dairy beverages, having introduced the first organic milk available coast to coast in the United States in 1991. Horizon Organic’s portfolio of organic dairy products includes milk, creamers and whiteners, yogurt, cheese and butter. The proposed acquisition also includes the Wallaby brand, an Australian-inspired Greek- style yogurt made with organic milk and premium ingredients. “Horizon Organic is an iconic name in dairy that is well recognized and beloved by consumers,” said Platinum Equity co-president Louis Samson. “The brand has earned a reputation for quality and innovation that is unmatched in the industry. We appreciate Danone’s confidence in our ability to build on that legacy and support Horizon Organic’s growth as a standalone company.” © stock.adobe.com/Camerene Pendl/peopleimages.com © stock.adobe.com/fotoduetsNext >