Machinery and equipment spotlight The total package The total package INTERNATIONAL Meat, poultry and seafood Stand F36, NEC, Birmingham, 26th-28th September Stand F36, NEC, Birmingham, 26th-28th September Bakery and confectioneryGetting Xmas ready Only 12 weeks ‘til Xmas, so get in touch today! with Expert Partner in Hygienic Solutions +44 (0)1603 788 833 mail@teknomek.co.uk teknomek.co.uk The very best in risk-managed hygienic furniture and equipmentContents September 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 Whilst the ‘Korean wave’ spreads across the world, with South Korean culture booming in popularity, the country is capitalising on the trend to promote the export of its increasingly desired food and drink products. Machinery and equipment spotlight16 Finding the best and most fitting equipment in the food industry is paramount to achieving efficient, high- quality, and safe food production processes. Packaging materials and design20 Delving into the dual aspects of packaging and design, it soon becomes clear how the challenges and powers of each tesselate together to create a successful product. Loading bays and doors 26 Maintaining fast pace and efficient operations is critical in the food industry. The quicker goods can be processed, packaged, transported, loaded and unloaded, the more products a business can output. Meat, poultry and seafood30 Amidst a cultural climate which is increasingly uncertain on the consumption of meat, poultry, and seafood, the industry is making continued attempts to adapt operations to appeal to this increasingly ambiguous market. 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/Parilov • Top: stock.adobe.com/sopiangraphics • Middle: stock.adobe.com/singidavar • Bottom: stock.adob e.com/VAKSMANV Dust control35 Dust control is essential to improving process safety in food and drink facilities. To the outsider dust may seem a simple thing to sweep away, but it in fact poses serious hazards. Bakery and confectionery38 In the year 2023, the realm of sweet goods has undergone a remarkable transformation. Once associated with guilt and indulgence, these treats have now taken on a new role – they’ve become the conduits to “feel good” moments that punctuate our lives. PPMA Show 202344 The UK’s largest processing and packaging machinery exhibition, the PPMA Show, returns to the NEC Birmingham in September. Events54 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world. Classified57 Food and Drink Diary 58Kite Packaging Makes App Available to All Customers Kite Packaging, a leading UK packaging supplier and pioneer in the industry, has made significant updates to their app, making it available to all customers where previously only those with credit accounts could access it. The Kite app facilitates secure card payments, embracing the convenience of modern digital payments by supporting both Google and Apple pay. Customers can enjoy swift, seamless transactions using their preferred mobile payment options, ensuring a hassle-free checkout process. Customers can also manage their payment methods with ease. Whether updating card details or adding new payment options, this feature provides complete control over payment preferences. For added convenience, the Kite app enables management of multiple delivery addresses with the ability to edit, remove and add new information. Order history filtering has been improved, allowing customers to effortlessly access and filter their past orders. The Kite app has been optimised for improved performance and functionality in a bid to meet customer expectations in an ever-changing digital landscape and create the best possible online shopping experience. To find out more visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk. 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Synergy Flavors opens new savory innovation center Synergy Flavors, a supplier of sweet and savory flavors, extracts and essences for the global food and beverage industry, has opened a new savory innovation center at its US headquarters in Wauconda, Ill. “The savory innovation center has been operational for months, and we have seen tremendous interest from our customers to tour the facility and work alongside our team in the culinary demonstration kitchen,” Vice President of R&D and Innovation Mike Brown said. “We look forward to hosting all of our customers in the near future at our state-of-the-art facility for tasting and innovation sessions.” The new 12,500-square-foot savory innovation center features dedicated space for flavor development, laboratories where customers work alongside Synergy’s technical team and a state-of-the-art applications lab that replicates its customers’ commercial kitchens and processing conditions. The new culinary demonstration kitchen will host tasting and innovation sessions with customers and the pilot plant features spray dryers, flavor reactors, vacuum drying and retort capabilities. Kingsmoor Packaging creates sustainable energy milestone with solar panel investment Kingsmoor Packaging’s recent collaboration with Mypower, a solar energy solutions provider, has resulted in an extensive PV solar panel investment for their Somerton manufacturing facility. Once installed, the system will mark a significant step forward in the thermoformed packaging specialist’s commitment to sustainability, as the company aims to achieve 50% of its annual energy consumption from on-site renewable sources by the end of 2023. Following the recent announcement of Kingsmoor’s brand refresh and their inspiring new strapline, “Forming A Better Future”, this renewable energy project serves as a testament to the company’s unwavering dedication to this vision. Recognising the value of plastic packaging while prioritising environmental considerations, Kingsmoor remains steadfast in its commitment to producing packaging solutions that align with its sustainability goals and ongoing commitment to decarbonising. With the integration of state-of-the-art technologies such as a free air chiller system and smart compressor systems, Kingsmoor has taken substantial strides to reduce its carbon footprint during the manufacturing process. The latest investment in on-site renewable energy further strengthens their mission to minimise environmental impact. For more information visit www.kingsmoorpackaging.co.uk Specialty Colombian coffee roasters Hermanos brings a new Exotic Coffee Subscription and Tasting Kit to the nation This August, specialty Colombian coffee roasters Hermanos launch a new Exotic Coffee Subscription as part of their mission to bring their native culture to the world, through coffee. In addition to their Classic Coffee Subscription, this month Hermanos has launched a new Exotic Coffee Subscription which will be a showcase into the country’s exotic beans, offering unique handpicked coffees, from different regions and farmers across Colombia. The Exotic Coffee Subscription is priced at £29.50 per 250g bag, and customers can opt to have their coffee delivered for free, to the grind and delivery frequency of their choice. The newly launched Tasting Kit is a combination of six of Hermanos’ best beans, each with differing tasting notes to experience the full spectrum of coffees on offer. The kits are available in 50g bags priced at £28.00 or 100g bags at £46.00; and customers can choose their grind preference, including whole bean, espresso, french press, pour-over, filter, and more. © stock.adobe.com/ Victor Koldunov6 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Tesco trials fresh mince ‘pillow packs’ that use less plastic Customers picking up fresh mince in some Tesco stores will notice a big change in how it’s packaged. Instead of the traditional tray/top wrap pack, shoppers will see two lines of mince in new ‘pillow packs’. The supermarket is trialling the new packaging, which uses 70% less plastic, on two lines: 500g Tesco Beef Lean Steak Mince 5% fat (£3.49) and Tesco Beef Mince 500g 20% fat (£2.49). If customers like the new pillow packs, Tesco will roll it out to more stores and across more lines. Pillow packs are the opposite to vacuum packs. The slightly inflated ‘pillow’ keeps the mince in perfect condition and prevents it being compressed at all. While the new packs still contain the same amount of mince as the old ones, the packaging is smaller in size, meaning fewer lorries are needed to transport them, and stores can fit more on shelves, increasing availability. The new packaging is recyclable. Customers can put it into the front of store recycling units with their other soft plastic. Lactalis Canada swoops for dessert manufacturer Lactalis Canada – the Canadian dairy company behind brands such as Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia and a subsidiary of France-based Lactalis Group – has reached an agreement with Marie Morin Canada to acquire its business based in Canada. The acquisition will see Lactalis Canada entering the dessert category, in both the Canadian and U.S. markets, and joins Lactalis Canada’s extensive dairy portfolio of cheese, tablespreads, yogourt and fluid brands. Lactalis Canada will acquire Marie Morin Canada’s product line of premium desserts including its signature crème brûlée, chocolate mousse and cheesecakes. The transaction will also include Marie Morin Canada’s production facility in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Québec and the addition of 52 employees who will join Lactalis Canada’s existing 4,000+ employees and 30 operating sites including 19 manufacturing facilities in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia. Döhler Group acquires Boon Flavors in Thailand Döhler, a global producer, marketer and provider of technology-driven natural ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions, has acquired Boon Flavors, a renowned premium flavour house located in Bangkok, Thailand. As part of this acquisition, Boon Flavors will be known as Döhler Thailand going forward and be managed by its founder, Piya Boonnamkitsawad. In 2018, Boon built a state-of-the-art flavour plant in Bangkok. Leveraging its proprietary technologies, the company has developed a great variety of local flavour tonalities that perfectly extends Döhler’s global taste portfolio. Boon will have access to all of Döhler’s cutting-edge taste technologies and, together with Döhler’s application labs in Indonesia and Thailand, global and local customers can expect to benefit from enhanced services and a more extensive product portfolio in the region. Consumers are looking for exceptional sensory experiences in nutrition; superior taste, a perfect appearance and well-balanced mouthfeel play a significant role for consumers when choosing their products, ultimately guiding their preferences towards a better human nutrition. Boon’s premium variety of local flavours, now integrated into Döhler’s global taste portfolio, contributes perfectly to this trend providing superior natural flavours to the food, beverage and lifescience & nutrition industry. This strategic acquisition further strengthens Döhler’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of customers and consumers for excellent and remarkable tasty, healthy and sustainable solutions. Piya Boonnamkitsawad, the founder of Boon Flavors, said: “Teaming up with Döhler, we are looking forward to enhance our customer-oriented culture, foster long-term customer relationships, expand and strengthen our presence in the Southeast Asia market and continue delivering top- quality products while effectively supporting customers’ demand for more sustainability.” UK food-tech business secures £2.3m to scale operations in advance of Series A UK-based bio-tech business Clean Food Group has secured a further £2.3 million in funding to accelerate the commercialisation of its sustainable oils and fats technology. International investment has come from industrial food specialists Doehler Group and Alianza Team as the global food industry looks to invest in healthier and more sustainable food choices for future generations. Agronomics, the listed investment company focused on Cellular Agriculture, and SEED Innovations Ltd, the AIM-listed fund focused on investments in global health opportunities, have also shown their continued support and participated in the latest funding round. Capital raised from this funding will enable Clean Food Group to accelerate the scale-up of its technology platform while advancing critical regulatory and commercial pathways. Clean Food Group expects to complete a Series A funding in 2024, by which time the business will have validated the technology at a commercial scale and have a clear line of sight to near term revenue generation. The business will raise funds at Series A to support the build out of a commercial scale manufacturing facility. © stock.adobe.com/ Ascannio © stock.adobe.com/ Woraphon © TescoMolson Coors snaps up Blue Run Spirits Molson Coors Beverage Company has made its first acquisition in the spirits category, adding Blue Run Spirits to its roster of whiskey and bourbon brands. Founded in 2020 in Georgetown, Ky., Blue Run has won numerous industry awards. It is currently sold at retail or on-premise accounts in 31 states. The company previously announced plans to build its own distillery in Kentucky, and those plans will continue under Molson Coors. Since expanding beyond beer in 2020 – and adding spirits to its repertoire with the launch of Five Trail blended American whiskey in 2021 – Molson Coors has continued to seek ways to premiumize its portfolio. With the addition of Blue Run, Molson Coors has established Coors Spirits Co., which now houses Blue Run, Five Trail, Barmen 1873 Bourbon and future innovations. Molson Coors’ Chief Commercial Officer, Michelle St. Jacques said: “Blue Run has accomplished in three years what many brands hope to do in a generation and has done it at the luxury end of the whiskey category. Importantly, we are committed to maintaining Blue Run’s well-known quality, design and innovation as we continue to grow our spirits portfolio.” Capri Sun to take over sales and distribution from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners in Western Europe Capri Sun Group Holding AG, the kids drink brand, will take back the sales and distribution of its iconic pouch drinks in France, Monaco, Great Britain, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal in 2024, bringing to an end the sales and distribution arrangement with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP). The decision was taken jointly and supports the strategy of Capri Sun Group to be closer to its customers and consumers, the wish to accelerate growth, and the vision of the company to become the most sustainable kids’ drink in the world. The strategy to be closer to the market started around 5 years ago, by taking the sales and distribution back in-house in Switzerland, Austria, the Middle East, China, and most recently Poland. This so- called “go-direct” strategy enables the Capri Sun Group to be more agile and responsive in a fast-changing environment and allows a full focus on developing the Capri Sun business. Capri Sun has recruited 70 new employees, who will now focus on preparing for the transition, which will begin in March 2024. Food & Drink International 7 www.fdiforum.net news © stock.adobe.com/ chettythomasIngredients business Meadow gobbles up Naked Foods Ingredients business Meadow has acquired Naked Foods. The move is a further step towards Meadow strengthening its position as a trusted partner of bespoke critical food ingredients to some of the UK’s most famous brands, growing the business through organic expansion and acquisition. Naked Foods produces a range of fruit and confectionery sauces for UK and Irish food companies from its factory in Kent. The company, established in 2003, has grown organically to now providing over 300 recipes and several thousand tonnes of sauces each year. The products include fruit preps for yogurts, dairy drinks, ice cream and plant-based products, as well as sweet and confectionery fillings for bakery and dessert products. The acquisition allows Meadow to expand its portfolio into new product areas while enabling customers to benefit from the many synergies between the businesses, including product knowledge and manufacturing expertise. Meadow is also able to enhance its customer offering, while leveraging the company’s existing manufacturing, sales and NPD capabilities. 8 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Food group acquires its first non-food and drink business Regal Food Products Group Plc, the food group owners behind household brands, Regal Foods and Yorkshire Baking Company, have acquired Packaging ‘R’ Us for an undisclosed sum – their first non- food and drink business. The acquisition comes in response to the group’s long-term vision of expanding and strengthening their wholesale and food service offering, whilst providing a diverse product range within their brand portfolio. Since the recent challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit, the Regal group have identified the importance of becoming a one-stop solution for their customers, delivering services including finished goods, ingredients, and now packaging. Packaging ‘R’ Us is a well-established catering supplier, manufacturing and specialising in a wide range of disposable food packaging solutions, including foil containers, catering foil, disposable utensils, and plastic containers. Arla Foods Ingredients and Zhongbai Xingye sign new agreement to advance Chinese nutrition business Arla Foods Ingredients and Zhongbai Xingye Food Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd (Zhongbai) have signed a new distribution agreement to serve the Chinese food and nutrition markets. Zhongbai is part of the Brenntag Group, a global leader in chemicals and ingredients distribution. It has a strong and long-standing working relationship with Arla Foods Ingredients, which offers a broad range of premium food and nutrition ingredient solutions in China and globally. In a collaboration spanning more than 15 years, the two companies have significantly grown their share of the Chinese market. The new agreement, which is effective immediately, will cover the full range of Arla Foods Ingredients’ business units, focusing on solutions for three key segments: * Infant Nutrition: With Chinese parents increasingly demanding premium products, the partnership will focus on helping manufacturers improve the nutritional profile of formula and other products for infants and toddlers. * Performance Nutrition: There is high potential for further growth in China’s performance nutrition market, which includes sports nutrition, nutrition for seniors, and dietary supplements. * Food and beverage: The two companies see strong growth potential in segments such as bakery and beverages. The in-depth collaboration between the two companies includes a jointly funded Innovation & Application Center in Zhongbai’s Beijing facility, where China-specific formulations are developed. As part of the new agreement, it will be expanded with additional application-specific capabilities, increasing the potential for products tailored to local market needs. Luis Cubel, commercial director of Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “Demographic changes in China have increased the demand for high-quality products, particularly in the infant nutrition and performance nutrition spaces. This agreement will help us adapt, and make our offering to Chinese markets even stronger.” Future of True North Brew Co secured, saving 325 jobs The future of Sheffield-based True North Brew Co has been secured following a sale out of administration in a deal which safeguards approximately 325 jobs. Howard Smith and Rick Harrison from Interpath Advisory were appointed joint administrators to True North Brew Co Limited on 2 August 2023. The company operates 12 licensed venues across South Yorkshire, as well as its own brewery and distillery. In common with many other leisure and hospitality businesses, True North Brew Co had been negatively impacted by lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing series of economic and trading headwinds, including spiralling food, labour and energy costs. Immediately following their appointment, the joint administrators concluded a sale of the business and assets to Cocktails and Craft Beers Limited. All of the company’s 325 employees have transferred to the purchaser as part of the transaction. © stock.adobe.com/chika_milan © stock.adobe.com/Ira_Shpiller9 HALLS4 DAYSHUNDREDS OF LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF PRINT THE 11-14 SEPTEMBER 2023BRUSSELS EXPO Stand shoulder to shoulder with the greats this September at Labelexpo Europe 2023 - the world’s largest array of technology in label history. Every hall, stand and aisle will represent the future of print. Witness hundreds of live demonstrations of pioneering machinery and experience ground breaking product launches from the world’s leading manufacturers. Innovation, accuracy, speed and creativity - explore them all at Labelexpo Europe 2023, the show that sets the standard worldwide. DISCOVER THE STUFF OF LEGEND AT: WWW.LABELEXPO-EUROPE.COM Food & Drink International 9 www.fdiforum.net news LOMA SYSTEMS® introduces virtually unbreakable test sticks to global markets Loma Systems, a global leader in inspection technologies for food quality and safety, has recently launched its latest innovation - LOMA® test sticks. Designed in response to customer requests, the sticks offer unparalleled reliability for performance testing of metal detectors and X-ray machines. Hard-wearing and practically unbreakable, the Loma test sticks are built to withstand even the most demanding testing environments. Intelligently designed with a shaped end allowing for easy insertion into various products, easily pushing into a product or placing into small containers like jars or bottles, their rugged construction ensures remarkable durability. The sticks are colour-coded for effortless identification and come in a range of contaminants to cater to diverse industry needs, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals, stainless steel and aluminium. To guarantee transparency and uphold quality assurance, all test sticks are accompanied by a free certificate of conformity. And lastly, for added peace of mind, the test sticks bear the EU symbol, signifying that the materials used are safe for food contact. For more information visit www.loma.com/en Merchant Gourmet launches new frozen range of globally inspired Veg & Grains The UK’s #1 pulses and grains brand, Merchant Gourmet, is launching a new frozen range of grab and cook Veg & Grains pouches. The launch seeks to provide consumers with a quick and easy way to make fresh, veg-packed meals full of inspiring global flavours, as research reveals 35% of consumers find the frozen veg aisle uninspiring[1]. The range includes Korean-Style Vegetables & Mixed Grains, Mediterranean-Style Vegetables & Giant Couscous, and Mexican-Style Vegetables & Quinoa. Ready in just 4 minutes from frozen, they can be eaten on their own or alongside a protein for a complete meal. With over half (58%) of consumers picking up frozen products because they are easy to prepare[2], Merchant Gourmet’s new pouches are perfectly portioned to provide a healthy meal with no fuss and no waste in minutes. Each pouch is packed with 5 different veg, is one of your 5-a-day, a source of fibre and fully plant-based. [1] Frozen Food Buyers (Bingham & Jones Frozen Food Report 2022) [2] Mintel July 2021Next >