Food and Drink International

Critical systems Critical systems INTERNATIONAL Packaging spotlight Microbiology and testing Ready mealsZLWKWKH FKHDSHU [[[JSIRM\GSHMRKGSQ 3ULQWHU 2QH3ULQWHUIRUDOO\RXUDSSOLFDWLRQV SQ '(6,*1(' 0$'(,17+(8. *(7',6&2817:,7+&2'( 8 )WEPIW$JSIRM\GSHMRKGSQ 8VHVHQYLURQPHQWDOO\IULHQGO\LQNVWR NHHSWKHER[IXOO\UHF\FODEOH )',Contents February 2025 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 Teknomek Q&A12 We speak with Michelle Locke, Product and Marketing Manager at Teknomek, to find out how they are helping business navigate the tricky waters of hygiene compliance. Import and export14 While there may be new opportunities incoming, declining export figures from the UK’s food and drink industry are causing concern. Packaging spotlight18 There are many exciting developments in the packaging sector and yet food manufacturers are slow to embrace and make the most of them. With the cost of living rising and a recession within sight, the question becomes – if not now, then when? • Kite Packaging Q&A Ready meals24 Ready meals are here to stay and are fast becoming the food of choice for every working adult and student. Loading bays and doors28 Fundamental to food and drink logistics, loading bays and doors are evolving to meet greater consumer demand, resulting in efficiency and safety gains. Sometimes it’s best to shop around when it comes to suppliers. 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: Angela Cooper (a.cooper@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/liliyabatyrova • Top: stock.adobe.com/Seventyfour • Middle: stock.adobe.com/ weyo • Bottom: stock.adobe.com/ Gorodenkoff Containers and pallets32 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 testing 36 Food safety expectations and awareness are only rising. As a result, microbiology and testing will only become more crucial to the food industry. Clean air solutions 40 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. Packaging Innovations and Empack 44 The countdown is on until Packaging Innovations & Empack 2025 opens its doors at the NEC Birmingham. Events 46 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world. Food and Drink Diary 48Plans revealed for specialist food and drink incubator at Colworth Science Park A state-of-the-art food and drink incubator that will house pioneering future food and beverage businesses is set to open at Colworth Science Park in Bedford. ‘Gastronomica’ is the brainchild of Pioneer Group, which specialises in life science infrastructure and venture-building. The incubator is being created through a cooperation between Pioneer and Unilever. Colworth Science Park is home to one of Unilever’s Global R&D Innovation Centres, as well as other businesses pioneering future food and drink developments including DSM- Firmenich, Symrise, and IRCA Group. The 16,000 sq ft ground floor of the Magniac building on the Colworth campus is undergoing extensive refurbishment to transform it into a shared lab facility that will be fully kitted out with high- tech equipment donated by Unilever. This will include state-of-the-art microbiology and innovation suites, featuring centrifugation, imaging, chromatography and drying systems, and a utility room available for use by start-ups. The facility is due to open in Q1 2025. 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Verner Wheelock Excellence Award Winners Announced Leading food industry training provider, Verner Wheelock has announced the winners of its annual Excellence Awards. The awards, now in their tenth year, recognise outstanding delegates attending Verner Wheelock’s open and in-house training courses during the past 12 months, as well as companies and ethical audit customers. Students of the Year 2024 are: * Auditing - Katherine Cook, Fochabers Quality Manager, Baxters Food Group * Food Safety - Gary Johnson, Regional Technical Manager, Morrisons Convenience * HACCP – Daniel Jarman, Technical Manager, Tyrell’s Crisps * Ethical Excellence Award - ESG Drysdale * Company Excellence Award - Encirc Ltd * An award for individual excellence was given to Paul Cartwright, Supplier Auditor at Forza Food Ltd. Katherine Cook (pictured) says, “I am thrilled to win this award! The Lead Auditor course was a great interactive course, with an excellent trainer. I have attended several Verner Wheelock training courses, and they are always of a high standard.” The Black Farmer secures £1m funding line to drive expansion Food brand The Black Farmer has secured a £1 million funding line and specialist FX services from independent SME funder, Bibby Financial Services (BFS). The additional capital supports the brand’s expansion into high street retail premises, and furthers the company’s overarching mission to offer premium quality, affordable British products. Founded by Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE, The Black Farmer Ltd is the result of a life-long love of British Farming and a personal dream to own a farm in Devon. After becoming known to his neighbours as ‘The Black Farmer’, Emmanuel-Jones applied the sobriquet to his brand. He has worked tirelessly to support diversity in farming, setting up the Black Farmer Scholarship, which aims to help and encourage ethnic minorities to work in agriculture and rural communities. Established in 2004, The Black Farmer Ltd now has an annual turnover of £10 million. Producers Peanut Optimizes Peanut Drying with Moisture Monitoring System from WECO Producers Peanut, a buying point for Premium Peanut, dries over 25,000 tons of peanuts in just three months during their peak season. In 2023, they transformed their process by installing WECO’s PeanutTek active moisture monitoring system. WECO’s PeanutTek is an advanced active moisture monitoring system that utilizes a series of sensor plates installed in each semi-trailer or wagon to collect moisture data from a substantial sample size. These sensor plates continuously monitor the moisture content of the peanuts during the drying process, providing real-time data to a centralized computer. “PeanutTek has drastically improved our drying process,” said Ron Dozier, General Manager at Producers Peanut. “Now, we simply connect the load to the dryer and hook it up to the WECO system. No more climbing on trailers, collecting sample buckets and shelling the peanuts to determine the status. We get live moisture readings that I can monitor from my office, home or smart device, and I can even adjust settings remotely. Once the load reaches the desired moisture level, PeanutTek turns the dryer off instantly.” For more information visit www.wecotek.com Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE NEW AIR HEATER SERIES LHS 210 / 410 COMPACT & POWERFUL CGI of Gastronomica labSainsbury’s turns to plastic-free packaging for avocados Sainsbury’s is switching its own-brand twin pack avocado packaging from plastic to paper in a move which will eventually save 20.2 million pieces of plastic a year upon full rollout. Starting with a trial across 77 Sainsbury’s supermarkets, customers can purchase by Sainsbury’s Ripe & Ready Avocados twin pack in paper packaging in selected superstores now. Following successful completion of the trial, a wider rollout is anticipated to start later this year in-store and online. The plastic-free avocado packaging consists of paper with bamboo netting, a solution that is fully recyclable at kerbside. Claire Hughes, Director of Product and Innovation, said: “Switching to paper packaging across our Ripe & Ready Avocados twin pack is one of the many steps we are taking to fulfill our commitment towards a greener future. “The initiative reflects our continuous efforts to help develop more sustainable and innovative packaging solutions and we’re excited for our customers to try out the new packaging in-store.” Müller launches Fast Track programme to decrease farm emissions Müller UK & Ireland has launched ‘Fast Track’, a programme targeted at decreasing carbon emissions from supplying farms by introducing real-time data analysis. Delivered in partnership with Kite Consulting and 40 supplying farms, the project will play a key role in Müller’s Sustainability Action Plan ambition to decrease on-farm emissions by 30% by 2030. The Fast Track programme will run for three years and will see 40 farmers from across Great Britain utilise new ways of monitoring key data relating to production efficiency and sustainability to help inform decision- making, and drive quick actions needed to meet their emission reduction goals. Currently, most British farms monitor emissions through annual reporting based on the previous year’s data. Fast Track will enable participating farmers to access real-time data, giving them timely and more frequent monitoring of important KPIs. Fast Track aims to utilise automated data integration from numerous sources including Feedlync, a cloud-based feed management system, to monitor four key areas of feed efficiency, fertility, stock numbers, and energy-corrected milk. Fortitude Drinks UK secures exclusive distribution rights for Pampero Fortitude Drinks UK has been awarded the exclusive distribution rights for Pampero, the Venezuelan rum brand, in the United Kingdom. Pampero is a celebrated brand with deep roots in Venezuela’s rich rum-making heritage. It is one of the leading Rums in Europe, known for its smooth profile. Pampero offers a versatile range of expressions that have earned a following worldwide. With this new partnership, UK consumers can look forward to wider access to Pampero’s award- winning portfolio, including Pampero Blanco, Pampero Especial, Pampero Seleccion and Pampero Aniversario. The addition of Pampero further bolsters Fortitude Drinks’ growing portfolio of premium spirits. With its established distribution network and expertise in introducing high-quality brands to the UK market, Fortitude Drinks is positioned to elevate Pampero’s presence across on-trade and off-trade channels. Bramble Foods Group gobbles up Whitakers Chocolates Bramble Foods Group, a supplier of branded ambient foods, has acquired Whitakers Chocolates, Yorkshire’s renowned chocolatiers since 1889. This strategic move strengthens the Bramble Foods portfolio, uniting two family-owned brands. Whitakers Chocolates has been at the heart of British chocolate-making for 135 years, crafting luxurious confectionery for retail, private label, and food service markets. The acquisition builds on a trusted working relationship spanning 17 years, during which Whitakers has been a key supplier to Bramble Foods Group. Tony Foster, Managing Director of Bramble Foods, said: “We are delighted to welcome Whitakers Chocolates to the Bramble Foods Group and look forward to working with William and his team to further develop the business. “Whitakers is a well-run business with a long history of producing excellent products, this coupled with a broad customer base and dedicated team of employees attracted us to the business. As a family, Whitakers is our longest standing supplier having worked together for over 40 years.” © Sainsbury’s news Food & Drink International 5 www.fdiforum.net Tel: +44 (0)1707 331111 info@welwyntoolgroup.co.uk www.welwyntoolgroup.com EASY CONNECTION HOT AIR RECYCLING ECONOMICALCOMPATIBLE NOZZLES HIGH AIR VOLUME OVERHEATING PROTECTION © stock.adobe.com/Syda ProductionsLidl to remove all packaging designs deemed attractive to children from least healthy own-brand products Lidl is removing all packaging designs deemed attractive to children from its least healthy own- brand products by mid-2025. Going further than new UK legislation that is set to restrict the advertising of less healthy to children from October 2025, the discounter will eliminate design elements, such as 3D or animated shapes, brightly coloured patterns, or playful product names that do not reflect the items themselves. This latest move builds on its 2020 packaging changes, when Lidl confirmed the removal of cartoon characters from its breakfast cereals to help parents resist pester power. In Spring 2024, this policy was expanded to ban cartoon characters from all ‘less healthy’ products aimed at children. Lidl’s strengthened commitment aims to ensure that any product deemed as least healthy according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Nutrient Profiling Model or the Food Standards Agency (FSA) 2004/05 Nutrient Profiling Model, alongside any breakfast cereal, cannot be marketed in a way that appeals to children. 6 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Natural energy snack brand raises £2.4m to fuel growth TRIBE – the natural energy snack brand – has raised £2.4m in a funding round led by Mercia Ventures and including Yeo Ventures, Crowdcube and private investors. The funding will enable it to continue its rapid growth and make seven new senior appointments. TRIBE’s products are all vegan, gluten-free and contain only natural ingredients. They are stocked at health food stores and major supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, the Co-op and Morrisons. TRIBE delivered revenue of £4m in 2024 and plans to reach over £20m by 2027. The company, which has its head office in London, employs a ten-strong team and uses a network of subcontractors, with logistics carried out in Dudley and manufacturing at sites in Leicester, Chester, Rochdale and Corwen, Wales. As part of the funding round, the company has appointed a new Chair in the form of Steve Rich, the former Managing Director of FulFil who led its sale to Ferrero for £140m in 2022. Potato specialist makes acquisition AKP Group has acquired Whole Crop Marketing Ltd (WCM). Established in York in 1999 by Richard Arundel and Bruce Kerr, AKP Group is a potato grower, marketing group and supply chain specialist. Whole Crop Marketing Ltd, established in 2008, specializes in marketing potatoes and ensuring a maximum return. The business supports growers by offering services including seed supply and marketing solutions tailored to their customers in the pre-pack and crisping sectors. WCM will continue to operate under its established name within the AKP Group, maintaining its current team, headed up by Richard Arundel in his role as group MD. “We are delighted to welcome WCM into the AKP Group,” said Richard Arundel, Managing Director of AKP Group. “WCM joining the Group represents a strategic step forward in our mission to being the UK’s leading supply chain partner for our customers and growers. “By combining our expertise, infrastructure and resources, we aim to strengthen the supply chain for our customers, minimize risks for our growers, and support the long-term success of UK agriculture.” The TRIBE team Co-op backs British farmers with £820k sustainability fund Co-op has revealed further backing for British farmers with a new £820k fund to support sustainable farming efforts. This significant investment by the convenience retailer will see farmers directly rewarded for their efforts in reducing carbon emissions and promoting nature on their farms across beef, lamb and dairy sectors as part of two new sustainability projects. Matt Hood, Managing Director at Co-op, said: “Backing UK agriculture is more important than ever – at Co-op, this means investing hundreds of millions every year to be one of the few UK retailers to be totally 100% British across meat, poultry and dairy throughout our own supply chain and committing support for farmers addressing the growing need for sustainability and climate resilience.” The £820k fund will be allocated across two key projects, with participating farmers able to access sustainability payments above the price they are already paid for their products. The first project will focus on the dairy sector and will see Co-op partnering with the Soil Association Exchange to support the 140 farmers in its Dairy Farming Group in reducing their carbon footprint and begin to baseline key nature indicators like biodiversity and soil health. Sustainability payments will be rewarded to the farms as part of the project, whilst farmers will be able to choose an action plan that works for them, with support from Soil Association Exchange advisors, which could include cutting fertiliser use, increasing fuel efficiency, and investing in solar energy. The second project, Co-op’s Beef Sustainability Scheme will reward farmers for adopting on-farm sustainable practices and will be open to members of Co- op’s farming Group. The scheme, which launches after a successful two-year pilot, will be extended to 15% of the retailer’s beef supply chain this year and include lamb farmers for the first time. © Lidl © stock.adobe.com/New Africa © stock.adobe.com/Patrick JenningsFood & Drink International 7 www.fdiforum.net Westfalia Fruit snaps up Belgian avocado products company Westfalia Fruit has completed the acquisition of Syros, a Belgian-based manufacturer of avocado products serving the European food and service industry as well as retail sectors. For over 30 years Syros has been producing avocado- based products for major European supermarkets, restaurant chains and meal box companies. The company supplies both private label and branded products with a focus on convenient, healthy, and sustainable food solutions. Across its portfolio, which contains a wide range of guacamole varieties, there is a strong emphasis on the health and nutritional benefits of avocados. Wim Destoop, Regional President Europe at Westfalia Fruit, said: “This acquisition strengthens our value-added business in Europe and aligns perfectly with our growth strategy. “Syros has been a trusted partner for many years, with Westfalia supplying a high percentage of their raw materials. Their commitment to quality and sustainability mirrors our own values, making this a natural next step for both companies.” news Vegetarian Society certifies first major retailer with plant-based trademark Lidl has become the first major retailer to use The Vegetarian Society’s Plant-Based Trademark on its Vemondo Plant! range, which includes plant-based ingredients, vegetable- based options, and ready meals. The Plant-Based Trademark, offered by the Vegetarian Society, is designed to be the gold standard of plant-based accreditation and goes beyond the proposed ISO definition, in turn offering manufacturers and customers the labelling and product checking assurances they are looking for. Products using the Plant-Based Trademark must have no animal ingredients, whilst also having a key plant-based characteristic. The Plant- Based Trademark has been developed with consultancy after a review of case law and the industry in general. Vanessa Brown, Head of Trademarks, the Vegetarian Society said: “It’s fabulous to have Lidl on board with its fantastic Vemondo Plant! range now being certified to use the Plant-Based Trademark. Customers are looking for reassurance from an easy-to-read label and will be able to see the Plant- Based Trademark on products in Lidl stores soon.” © stock.adobe.com/pixarno © stock.adobe.com/grinchh TJEUDVEPSU WF Q TTFOJTVT IUU C TVOJPB+ ZFWPS S D PGUOFG NJ W UMVFIU EEPPG FUBN LOJSE TJE DVEPSQ U ZFWP SD TFFEOFUU" IY& S1 TSPUJC J FW TUDVEP &S TOPJUDF4UO F SBF8 QVTZMEVPSQF ZCEFUSPQQ PDFGJXXX UJTJWSPFFSGSPG JHFSPU32FIUOBD4 TJ&'* XEFUBDPMPDT IUJX LV SFUTJ Food & Drink International 9 www.fdiforum.net Cranswick acquires pig genetics company UK food producer Cranswick has acquired fellow East Yorkshire firm JSR Genetics from JSR Farms. The transaction includes the pig genetics and pig farming operations of JSR Farms. JSR Genetics is a pig genetics company known for its innovative genetic solutions for cost effective pig production. Genetic improvement is centred around sustainability and efficiency. Extensive research and innovation deliver pig genetics with a continuous improvement in production efficiency, meat quality, animal health and robustness. JSR Genetics is an existing, long-standing supplier to Cranswick. Adam Couch, CEO of Cranswick, said: “I am delighted to announce the acquisition of JSR Genetics, a leading pig genetics supplier and commercial pig producer based in East Yorkshire. “This acquisition increases the scale of our indoor pig production, further securing supply for our customers’ pork requirements. “The addition of an integrated pig genetics supply chain will allow us to drive ongoing improvements in production efficiency, meat quality, animal health and robustness, for the long-term benefit of our customers and the UK consumer.” French halal meat products leader acquires German business Isla Délice, the French market leader in branded halal meat products and portfolio company of private equity investor Perwyn, has acquired Gurkan, a premium halal business based in Germany. Gurkan is a specialist manufacturer of Pastirma, a premium beef product. Its brand-led offering is principally distributed in Germany to halal consumers. The products can be found in both traditional retail and modern trade. Germany is one of the main halal markets in Europe with attractive growth prospects – in particular in modern trade. In addition to its historical market in France, Isla Délice now sells products across the UK, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy. Following this acquisition, group sales now exceed €155m. John Gallagher, Investment Director at Perwyn and board member of Isla Délice, said: “We are delighted to welcome Gurkan to the Isla Délice Group – bringing access to a new market, as well as new product capabilities and a premium brand.” news ,QWUDORJLVWLFVȁIXOO\DXWRPDWHGࢊH[LELOLW\ Streamlined routing and processes combined with agile material ࢊRZVWKDWFDQEHࢊH[LEO\PDWFKHGWRFKDQJLQJSURGXFWLRQDQG GLVSDWFKUHTXLUHPHQWV6\VWHP/RJLVWLFVLVWKH.URQHV*URXSȆVH[SHUW WHDPIRULQQRYDWLYHIXOO\DXWRPDWHGVROXWLRQVJHDUHGWRRSWLPLVLQJ \RXULQWUDORJLVWLFVZDUHKRXVLQJDQGPDWHULDOࢊRZWHFKQRORJ\ NURQHVFRP © stock.adobe.com/Olga Nayashkova © stock.adobe.com/Olga NayashkovaNext >