< PreviousInvestindustrial to acquire Spanish ice cream manufacturer Global Icecream Investments, an independently managed investment subsidiary of Investindustrial, is set to acquire Grupo Alacant. Founded in 1972 by 35 ice cream makers and headquartered in Alicante (Spain), Grupo Alacant is an independent ice cream manufacturer focused predominantly on private label ice cream for modern retail clients and on co-manufacturing for leading branded ice cream players. The company produces and commercialises a wide range of products (e.g., bulk, tubs, cones, extrusion sticks, sandwiches, etc.) and generated approximately €225 million of revenue in 2024. The business has four manufacturing plants (one in Alicante, one in Murcia and two in Madrid) and employs approximately 850 people. The acquisition of Grupo Alacant comes at a pivotal moment, as the company aims to continue serving its key customers in Spain and further reinforce its industrial footprint and plant productivity through significant investments, while accelerating its internationalisation strategy, both organically and inorganically, to become one of Europe’s leading independent private label ice cream players. Louis Dreyfus Company swoops for BASF’s Food and Health Performance Ingredients business Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has signed a binding agreement for the acquisition of BASF’s Food and Health Performance Ingredients business, including a production site and state-of-the-art R&D center in Illertissen, Germany, and three application labs outside of Germany. “In line with our strategic plans for revenue diversification through more value-added products and growth in downstream markets, this agreement is an opportunity to accelerate LDC’s participation in the rapidly growing plant- based ingredients market,” said Michael Gelchie, LDC’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited about the prospect of this transaction, as LDC’s first investment in dedicated facilities to produce food and health performance ingredients at scale.” “Building on our teams’ success to develop this business very well over the last years, LDC as a future-oriented company can offer our employees and portfolio a promising perspective,” said Michael Heinz, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF and responsible for the Nutrition & Health division. 10 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net on line Key Technology introduces new conveyor systems for poultry processing and packaging Key Technology, a member of Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Solutions group, leverages the poultry processing expertise of Duravant brands Foodmate, Marelec, Marlen and Henneken to introduce their new vibratory conveying systems for poultry processing and packaging lines. These integrated systems meter, separate, singulate and/or align raw poultry products to create a monolayer for optimal presentation to downstream equipment including x-ray inspection systems, metal detectors, tray packing equipment and more. By automating this process, these vibratory conveying systems maximize production efficiency, increase throughput and minimize labor requirements while improving sanitation to protect product quality. Jack Lee, Duravant Group President - Food Sorting and Handling Solutions says, “By replacing traditional belt conveyors with vibratory systems, we’re helping processors improve food safety and prevent costly product recalls. Vibratory conveyors are substantially safer and more sanitary, reducing the chance of foreign material contamination like belt fragments and clips while eliminating common issues like fat build-up.” For more information visit www.key.net Müller joins processor-led organisation Dairy UK Müller UK & Ireland has joined the processor-led organisation Dairy UK as it targets further industry collaboration. Dairy UK represents farmer-owned co- operatives and private dairy companies and aims to promote the consumption of British dairy products at home and on the international market. With the addition of Müller UK & Ireland, the two organisations hope to foster greater collaboration and leadership across the British dairy sector. As the UK dairy industry faces into a wide range of challenges and opportunities, cross-industry collaboration and collective action will be key to promoting and protecting the consumption of UK dairy products, benefitting the entire supply chain. Commenting on Müller’s membership, Dr Judith Bryans, Chief Executive of Dairy UK, said: “We’re delighted to confirm Müller to our membership, marking a significant step forward for industry collaboration. This reflects the value of collective action in addressing the pressing challenges and opportunities facing the UK dairy sector today.” Britvic makes £1m+ investment to cut carbon at Rugby factory Soft drinks business Britvic is cutting carbon and saving energy with more than a million pounds of investment in its Rugby factory. The major environmental upgrade will see the factory’s centralised chilling system upgraded to make use of more efficient cooling towers. The cooling towers will offer increased efficiency over the current heat rejection set up, allowing for a reduction in electricity consumption on the chiller units. This will provide a cost saving in the medium term and cover the cost of the investment within four years. This reduction in the site’s electricity consumption will also see carbon emissions cut, saving up to 650 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per year. The upgrade will enhance the reliability and efficiency of the chilling system, especially during the peak summer months, allowing the production of brands including Robinsons, Tango and Pepsi MAX to continue smoothly during warmer weather. Heat is removed from products such as Pepsi MAX prior to carbonisation to avoid foaming and waste. Heat is also removed from drinks that have been pasteurised. © stock.adobe.com/Quality Stock Arts © Müller © stock.adobe.com/DionisveraRowntree’s unveils tangy twist with new Jelly Tots Tangy Rowntree’s has launched its latest innovation, Jelly Tots Tangy! A vibrant and playful twist on the much-loved classic Jelly Tots. This exciting new creation steps into the sour space, offering fans a flavourful experience that combines nostalgia with tanginess! Made with real fruit juice, the sweets are not only bursting with flavour but are also vegan-friendly, appealing to a broader audience who value delicious treats. Packaged in a 140g sharing bag, Jelly Tots Tangy is perfect for any sharing occasion, whether it’s a family gathering or fun sociable events with friends. Hayley Nixon, Senior Brand Manager for Rowntree’s, said: “At Rowntree’s, we are dedicated to bringing joy and innovation to our fans. With Jelly Tots Tangy, we’ve taken a beloved classic and added a refreshing twist that we believe will resonate with both new and loyal fans alike. It’s not just a sweet; it’s a fun experience to share and enjoy together!” KitKat launches sharing bars KitKat, the iconic British brand, has unveiled brand-new sharing bars. Available nationwide, they come in three new flavours: KitKat Double Chocolate, KitKat Salted Caramel, and KitKat Hazelnut. These innovative bars provide a unique, and multi-sensory eating experience thanks to their delicious light and creamy fillings and chocolate that melts effortlessly in the mouth. This contrast in textures makes for an exceptional experience, made all the more eye-catching by the stunning swirled effect created by the marbled coating. Stephanie Scales, Marketing Manager for KitKat at Nestlé UK & Ireland, said:?“In today’s non-stop world, it’s far too easy to let the evenings disappear in a blur. We want KitKat fans to hit that pause button and really unwind at the end of the day… and what better way to do that than by catching up with your favourite people and sharing a delicious treat? “KitKat’s always been about those feel-good breaks and now with sharing bars, we’re making it even easier to disconnect and reclaim your evenings.” on the shelf Food & Drink International 11 www.fdiforum.net Nescafé Espresso Concentrate expands to the US Coffee brand Nescafé is launching its first-ever liquid espresso concentrate in the US. With one out of every three cups of coffee consumed outside of the home being a cold coffee, Nescafé Espresso Concentrate allows consumers to make barista- style, personalized cold espresso beverages in the comfort of their home. The growth of global coffee consumption is being driven by younger generations, and two out of three youth regularly drink cold coffee. In North America, 50% of Generation Z consumers’ first cup of coffee is cold. Nescafé Espresso Concentrate meets this growing demand for customizable, convenient, at-home cold coffee. Because the concentrate easily dissolves in water or milk, consumers can simply mix it with ice and water or milk and then customize it to create their go-to drink, whether an iced mocha, macchiato, or cappuccino. Nescafé Espresso Concentrate is made with 100% Arabica beans and comes in a 300-milliliter bottle. In the US, it will be available at retailers starting in February in two variations: Nescafé Espresso Concentrate Black and Nescafé Espresso Concentrate Sweet Vanilla. For Goodness Shakes teams up with Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World RTD protein shake brand, For Goodness Shakes, has joined forces with Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World to mark its release this February 14. “Resilience, strength, determination and evolution are key themes of the newest Captain America instalment from Marvel Studios,” says Sue Mackay, head of brand at For Goodness Shakes, “which are perfectly aligned with our high-performance products, fuelling the inner hero in all of us.” Over 1.2 million special edition SKUs of For Goodness Shakes’ 20 & 25g Strawberry and Chocolate bottles will feature Captain America (AKA Sam Wilson) and Red Hulk characters. The branded products will be available to purchase instore nationwide and online via Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Tesco, Ocado and Spar between January and April 2025. In addition to the Captain America: Brave New World inspired product, an integrated marketing programme will include a mix of retail, out of home, digital and social touchpoints, to maximise awareness and engagement. © Nestlé © Nestlé Sanpellegrino launches new Zero Added Sugar range Premium Italian Sparkling Drinks brand, Sanpellegrino has unveiled its brand-new Zero Added Sugar range in the UK, crafted from real Italian fruit juice. The new Sanpellegrino Zero Added Sugar drinks are a fruit beverage option with 0g added sugar. Made with real juice from the sun-kissed fruits grown and carefully hand-picked in Italy, the new Sanpellegrino Zero Added Sugar range comes in two authentic flavours – Limonata (lemon) and brand-new Pesca & Clementina (Peach & Clementine) with each 330ml can containing less than 22 calories. The new product range is part of Sanpellegrino’s brand repositioning which includes a refreshing new design to its core range. Sanpellegrino Zero Added Sugar is available to purchase in Tesco Extra and Superstores now. The range will become available in other retailers this Spring.12 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net TEKNOMEK Q&A Can you tell us a little about Teknomek and what you do? Teknomek are specialists in hygiene working across the UK, Europe and beyond. We work from the ground up, designing and engineering high-quality, hygienic furniture and equipment for some of the most hygiene-critical industries in the world. Our products are manufactured to exacting standards with precision welding of 304 or 316 grade stainless steel, making them hardwearing, long lasting and corrosion resistant. We help our customers by designing, manufacturing and providing equipment and furniture that are built to exacting standards – not only to ensure compliance with HACCP and BRCGS, but also to minimise the amount of time workers have to spend cleaning and dealing with hygiene. Time is money after all, doubly so on a busy factory line. What challenges are food and drink companies facing at the moment, and how does Teknomek help address them? When it comes to hygienic furniture and equipment, there's been a lot of temptation for food and drink manufacturers to make use of furniture made by steel fabricators. A fabricator may be able to work to a brief to create furniture at a low cost, but they may not be aware of hygiene requirements and lack experience and specialist knowledge in the food and drink industry. This results in furniture that is not designed and manufactured to the same hygienic specifications that our own is. Poor design of hygienic furniture and workstations can lead to dirt traps that at best require extra cleaning and at worst can lead to a failed hygiene audit or even a product recall. With several recalls and high- profile cases of hygiene scares in food and drink of late, testing and standards agencies are updating their requirements for hygiene- critical industries. In 2022, the BRCGS updated from issue 8 to issue 9, and as part of that there was an update on non- conformities on audits. One area that was updated was on equipment and the hygiene of it, resulting in an increased focus on hygiene equipment during audits in future. Here at Teknomek, we keep abreast of the changes in legislation and audit focus and make sure we're working to provide furniture that will always pass any audits. Each piece of furniture is engineered from the ground up with hygiene in mind, made to be both efficient but also quick to clean. We avoid dirt traps and minimise flat tops in favour of ledges such as on lockers and wash troughs, which are all methods of avoiding bacterial buildup that a non- hygiene focused fabricator may not be aware of. Recently, we've introduced a foreign body control box to our range to help workers isolate foreign body contaminants in a safe and unobtrusive area. This allows a quality assurance team to collect them later for analysis with minimal fuss or disruption to a line. Our focus is not only on ensuring our furniture passes audits, but on making sure it requires as little cleaning and maintenance as humanly possible. Q&A Hygiene critical 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. Food & Drink International 13 www.fdiforum.net TEKNOMEK Q&A What makes your company stand apart from the competition? Unlike many other companies who can fabricate and produce hygienic furniture to specification, Teknomek lives and breathes hygiene. Our focus is not only on the food and drink industry; we also operate within the medical and pharmaceutical industry, which is one of the most hygiene stringent industries in the world. The fallout of contamination in pharmaceuticals is far greater than in food and drink, so what differentiates us from other businesses is our proven ability to operate in both fields for over 40 years. It's no exaggeration to say we live and breathe hygiene at Teknomek. It is entirely what our company provides and our expertise in the field reflects that. Our engineers are constantly innovating to provide furniture that not only passes audits but delivers quantifiable benefits to a business. Do you have any advice for food and drink companies? In the world of hygiene, the costs of cutting corners can be astronomical, and can reflect on a company's reputation and ability to secure contracts with major supermarkets and wholesalers. The increasing focus of auditors and regulatory bodies on hygienic furniture and equipment makes it clear that this is an area they feel many businesses are failing in, and that may be in part due to companies seeking financial savings by contracting construction of furniture out to local fabricators whose focus is not on hygiene. This may be evident in the hygiene and quality of the end product. Teknomek works exclusively with hygienic furniture and equipment. Our food handling equipment is all BRCGS-compliant and designed and built with the express purpose of working in a hygiene-critical environment. We’re also continually working on introducing products our customers want For more information visit www.teknomek.co.uk or call +44 (0)1603 249 663. and need. We provide customised and bespoke furniture to fit unusual requirements and layouts, and we’re ever increasing our portfolio. We introduced a lot of new products last year for factories and in changing rooms and production areas such as boot washers and drainage equipment to meet the demands and needs of our customers. We partner with numerous suppliers who fit our brand and quality, all of which are aligned with our brand and quality to ensure they can support us in delivering the requirements our customers need. We have recently partnered with seating, drainage, barrier and bollard specialists – all so we can offer a wide range of products that fit the needs of our food customers. 14 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT © stock.adobe.com/anitalvdb Export worries and opportunities While there may be new opportunities incoming, declining export figures from the UK’s food and drink industry are causing concern. Food & Drink International 15 www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT C oncerns and frustrations over the UK’s food and drink exports and imports are showing no signs of wavering, especially with new figures on post-Brexit trade causing more dismay. Exports of British food to the European Union have plunged by almost £3bn a year since the country left the single market, as new, costly red tape at the border has stymied trade, according to a report from the Centre of Inclusive Trade Policy (CITP). The research has found that the export of UK food and agricultural products to the EU dropped by over 16% on average across the three years since Brexit, equating to £2.8bn less exports a year. It adds that though the decline came alongside other export- impacting events including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic, trade flows have displayed no signals of returning to prior levels. While the arrival of a new government in Britain brought positive sentiment of a closer alignment with the EU, via promises of a veterinary agreement to prevent unnecessary border checks and reduce costs, businesses await news of any progress on this, with such negotiations anticipated to take years. The CITP report further indicates a divergence in standards between the EU and UK post- Brexit, with the EU for example introducing stricter standards in areas around pesticides, veterinary drugs and packaging rules, while the UK has stronger animal welfare rules. More alignment would thus be required to facilitate future trade and overcome novel barriers. The CITP report came ahead of additional disappointment for British trade overall as the Food & Drink Federation’s (FDF’s) Trade Snapshot released at the end of 2024 revealed a continued export drop in Q3, with exports in the first nine months of 2024 down 10.2% to £16.3bn, driven by a significant fall in alcohol sales. When it comes to the value of food and non-alcoholic drink exports, this remained steady, up 1.2%. The figure, however, hides a fall in volume of 16.3% amidst high food and drink inflation and trade barriers. In spite of a challenging trade environment, the FDF research showed the EU remains the UK’s biggest trading partner for food and drink, with exports to Ireland and Germany increasing by 3% and 1.4%. Unfortunately for exporters, these were exceptions, with overall exports to the EU falling 5.3% in the first nine months of the year, as administrative burdens continue to create barriers to trade. Moreover, exports to the UK’s third largest consumer, the US, were down 7.9%, however the nation did manage to maintain its trade surplus with the US, meaning that while the UK received £1bn of food and drink, it exported £1.6bn of products. Relations may yet be impacted, though, as the incoming president brings desires to implement new tariffs, the effects of which are to be determined. On the other side, food imported by the UK rose 3.7% to £46.5bn, illustrating steady demand for foreign goods, with growth across both EU and non-EU imports. This included significant import increases from New Zealand, with the FDF highlighting the effectiveness of their government’s support in promoting Free Trade Agreement (FTA) utilisation, and encouraging the UK government to provide similar assistance for targeted in demand UK products. Balwinder Dhoot, Director of Industry Growth and Sustainability, The Food and Drink Federation, said: “These figures highlight the challenges that UK food and drink continue to face when selling their products abroad. This is particularly true for the 12,000 SMEs in our 16 Á16 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT industry, who struggle to overcome the administrative burdens of exporting. Providing more support for these businesses will help the UK strengthen its international trade and maintain its position on the global stage. However, there are many exciting opportunities beyond Europe. With millions of American consumers continuing to enjoy the iconic British tea and biscuits, it’s important that we maintain our positive trading relationship with this high value market.” It is not all negative for the UK, though, with hope incoming in the form of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), with the UK officially joining the CPTPP on 15 December – a trade agreement between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Bolstering relationships with the 11 countries, who are the nation’s second largest supplier of ingredients, UK businesses will face lower tariffs and fewer barriers when selling to economies across three continents, with the food and drink sectors in particular set to benefit, including through modern “rules of origin” provisions which allow goods to qualify for lower tariffs when built from parts from CPTPP countries then exported to a CPTPP country. Prices on consumer goods could also decrease if savings are passed on by importers, with tariffs removed on items like fruit juices from Peru. The CPTPP further gives © stock.adobe.com/ Виталий СоваFood & Drink International 17 www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT the UK free trade deals with Malaysia and Brunei for the first time, economies with a combined GDP of over £330bn in 2023. CPTPP is additionally designed to expand over time, growing the economic and strategic benefits of the agreement. Costa Rica is the next country to go through the process of joining. Joining the CPTPP comes as the UK continues to take steps to secure trade deals with partners such as the Gulf Cooperation Council, India, Switzerland and South Korea. Free trade talks with India, for instance, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, are to relaunch in 2025. Other positives have arisen with the end of Covid- era restrictions on UK unprocessed pork exports to China in December (2024), allowing major pork producers to resume exports. Industry estimates this could boost revenues by around £80m. China bought around £180m worth of pigmeat in 2023 alone – making them the UK’s biggest non- EU customer. It follows talks during the UK Foreign Secretary’s visit to China. Meanwhile, the UK has secured special protected status with geographical indications for a further 39 British food and drink products in Japan. It means British businesses can export to Japan with confidence that their products are protected against imitation and could see a boost to British exports in Japan.18 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING SPOTLIGHT 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? P ackaging waste continues to be a major problem for the planet and ever conscious consumers are pushing the demand for less, none or alternative forms of packaging. This is nothing new and has been going on for years. Until now, most savings have been through reduction of packaging via intelligent design, pouch packaging or trays and films. However, new developments in plant-based packaging material may mean there is a new solution on the horizon, and it may be the industry’s greenest one yet. Scientists at Rutger University in New Jersey have created a starch-based biopolymer that is not only fully biodegradable but also has antimicrobial properties making it perfect for use in food and drink packaging. This material is said to be stringy but malleable, and to have simplistic integration in shrink wrapping applications. The coating can be applied to food directly, even going so far as to protect them from foodborne infections like E. Coli When to change Food & Drink International 19 www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING SPOTLIGHT © stock.adobe.com/Joaquin Corbalan and Listeria and can be washed off under water. So, will this revolutionise the food packaging industry? The answer should be yes, but the reality may not be there. The sad truth is that much of the sustainable effort put into packaging is lip service at best and downright misleading at worst. Manufacturers have taken steps to reduce packaging insofar as doing so lowers their own costs, but investment in new systems to create genuinely sustainable packaging is still low, showing that many don’t understand or refuse to accept the idea that it can be a 20 ÁNext >