Import and export Recycling and waste management Warehousing optimisation A year of change A year of change INTERNATIONAL £45£ VEROO SORDERON YELIVER FREE DE of F our businnor y agood packFg ess ing Fin po end out mor o.ukaging.cpackekit 02476420065 rshwne-oe shareyemploy ed brewe Recy&^ĞƌƟĮĞĚ y!odaapp t wnload ourDo hip CompostableyclableBiodegradable Contents December 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 Teledyne FLIR Q&A12 Detecting problems in a manufacturing line before they can cause downtime is integral in today’s difficult market conditions. We speak with Teledyne FLIR, specialists across multiple industries, to learn more on how they’re helping their food and drink customers cope. Import and export14 Though Italian food is a staple in many diets, the promotion and protection of the country’s products remains a key concern to ensure fruitful exports. End of year success stories18 Few can look at 2023 and say it’s been an easy ride. Geopolitics, environmental change and inflation have all conspired to make this year almost as turbulent as during the pandemic, and yet the food and drink industry has risen admirably to the challenge. Process, control and automation22 Food safety isn’t just a top priority for businesses that value their customer base - future business success is on the line as well. Traceability26 Traceability – it’s complicated, time- consuming, and costly. Increasingly, the ability to trace not just the finished product, but the ingredients that go into it, is an eminent cornerstone of food manufacturing. 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/Svetlana Kolpakova • Top: stock.adobe.com/MAURO • Middle: stock.adobe.com/Login • Bottom: stock.adobe.c om/New Africa End of line packaging 30 In the ever-shifting landscape of consumables manufacturing, end-of-line packaging stands as a crucial phase in the production process. Warehousing optimisation34 Industrial warehousing becomes more of a sensitive matter when it comes to storing food, with safe and high-quality handling depending on details from temperature and lighting to a management system that runs smoothly. Recycling and waste management 38 As manufacturing activities are some of the largest pollutants, manufacturers wield considerable influence in shaping sustainable norms. In response to escalating concerns regarding environmental impact, the imperative for proficient waste management and amplified recycling initiatives has gained unprecedented significance. Events42 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world. Classified 45 Food and Drink Diary 46Walkers Baked to reduce virgin plastic use with paper multipack bags Crisp brand Walkers is rolling out new, paper outer bags for all Walkers Baked multipacks, set to reduce the brand’s use of virgin plastic on outer packaging by 180 tonnes per year. Following positive feedback from an exclusive trial in 800 Tesco stores earlier this year, the packaging will now be permanently rolled out to all major supermarkets in the coming months, with the first packets now landing on shelves. The paper outer bag, which is a first for savoury snacks flexible packaging in the UK, can be widely recycled in home recycling bins alongside other paper packaging, which is collected at kerbside. It is also set to lower greenhouse gas emissions of each individual pack. Gareth Callan, sustainable packaging lead, PepsiCo UK & Ireland, said: “We are constantly innovating new ways to remove virgin plastic in our packaging. It’s exciting to see our successful trial of this paper pack lead to a nationwide roll-out.” 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Veolia Water Technologies helps reduce costs and disruption for snack food manufacturer As part of a long-term collaborative partnership with a major food manufacturing business, Veolia Water Technologies has helped improve operational costs and minimise the risk of downtime with improvements to the site’s water treatment system. The site in northwest England produces a range of baked snack products and relies on a consistent supply of purified water for use in the production process. A key part of the water treatment on the site is a chlorine dioxide system that treats all incoming mains water supplying the factory. Water treated by this system is used for everything from process water to hand washing. Veolia Water Technologies has a long-standing and trusted relationship with the manufacturer. In 2022, the site was experiencing increased chemical usage and its chlorine dioxide generator was becoming mechanically unreliable, requiring new parts and frequent service callouts. The recurrence of these issues had the potential to impact the production process in addition to the increased cost of maintenance. As a result, Veolia Water Technologies recommended that the unit be replaced, and following a discussion with the client, a new chlorine dioxide generator was selected. Sandra Rountree, National Account Manager at Veolia Water Technologies explained: “While we have a wide range of solutions for the food and beverage sector, we suggested a direct replacement of the chlorine dioxide unit due to the fact that the system as a whole was still in good condition.” As a result of the replacement, the site has experienced an improved performance from the water treatment system. By ensuring more consistent chlorine dioxide reserves are maintained, the system has helped the site to guarantee full compliance at all times. Plus, as a precursor, chemical usage has been reduced by 50%. To find out more about Veolia Water Technologies’ range of water treatment solutions and services visit www.veoliawatertechnologies.co.uk. Premier Foods gobbles up FUEL10K Premier Foods has acquired FUEL10K, a breakfast brand with a portfolio of granola, oats and drinks products, in a £34m deal, as the group expands its presence in the breakfast meal occasion. Alex Whitehouse, Chief Executive Officer, Premier Foods, said: “The acquisition of FUEL10K follows on from our successful integration of The Spice Tailor, where we have increased revenue and profit through the application of our branded growth model. “FUEL10K provides us with an ideal platform to accelerate our expansion into the Breakfast category, building on our recent successful launch of Ambrosia porridge pots. “Possessing a differentiated category position, with its protein enriched product range and appealing to a younger demographic, we expect to deliver significant further profitable growth of FUEL10K through the deployment of our successful branded growth model.” B&G Foods sells Green Giant U.S. shelf-stable product line B&G Foods has sold its Green Giant U.S. shelf-stable vegetable product line to Seneca Foods Corporation. In connection with the sale, B&G Foods, which will retain ownership of the Green Giant trademarks, will license the Green Giant brand name to Seneca Foods. The sale does not include Green Giant frozen, Green Giant Canada or the Le Sueur brand. “Our decision to sell the U.S. shelf- stable product line of the Green Giant brand is part of our ongoing effort to divest product lines that are non-core to B&G Foods’ long-term strategy and reduce long-term debt,” said Casey Keller, President and Chief Executive Officer of B&G Foods. “Seneca Foods, the long-time, primary co- manufacturer for the Green Giant U.S. shelf-stable product line, is the right owner. “We continue to believe in the power of the iconic Green Giant brand and the sale will allow our Green Giant team to focus on Green Giant frozen, Green Giant Canada and the Le Sueur brand.” © stock.adobe.com/ Bill © stock.adobe.com/ Jon Le-Bon © stock.adobe.com/ UuganbayarGet equipped this Christmas The cream of the crop: hygienic furniture and equipment right when you need them. Contact a Teknomexpert today: +44 (0)1603 788 833mail@teknomek.co.ukteknomek.co.uk act a omexpert today:Ingredion to divest business in South Korea Ingredion, a global provider of ingredient solutions to the food and beverage industry, has signed a definitive agreement to divest its business in South Korea to an affiliate of the Sajo Group, a food company headquartered in Seoul. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, subject to regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. “As we look forward in our business transformation, we will take actions to sharpen our customer focus and pursue global growth opportunities,” said Jim Zallie, Ingredion’s president and Chief Executive Officer. “We believe this transaction is an example of putting our strategy into action to unlock value and redeploy assets in pursuit of our growth roadmap to create value for shareholders.” Lidl GB to bring “egg farm of the future” to Great Britain with Kipster partnership Lidl GB has announced an exclusive UK partnership that will see it become the first Grocer in Great Britain to sell British eggs from the revolutionary egg company Kipster, which is said to produce “the most animal and environmentally friendly farms in the world.” Kipster’s transformative farming concept will see British eggs produced by chickens that are farmed to the highest welfare standards and which have a significantly reduced carbon footprint, with the remaining offset through the purchase of carbon credits. The Kipster concept has been developed in partnership with scientists and animal welfare organisations to meet the needs and instincts of chickens. The farms, which exceed typical free range standards, enable the animals to roam freely inside or out, with access to an indoor playground filled with daylight and fresh air. Through the installation of live 24/7 web cams the conditions chickens live in are available for all to see, any time, any place, demonstrating Kipster’s dedication to transparency. 6 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Minus snaps up Future Waste to fight food waste across Canada Minus Global Holdings Inc. (Minus) has acquired Future Waste, a food and liquid waste management company based in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. For the past 21 years, Future Waste has provided organic waste and recycling solutions with a strong emphasis on sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and tailored solutions for clients with various waste products and production practices. Alongside food waste, Future Waste offers bulk liquid waste pumping, collection and disposal services and is licensed to handle off-spec alcohol. Future Waste boasts an extensive customer portfolio containing some of North America’s largest food and beverage producers and retailers. Furthermore, Future Waste comes with a prestigious network of service partners that enables them to offer services across Canada. With this acquisition, Minus will provide a larger and more bespoke level of service to all of its customers, through extended geographic reach, they will be able to further tailor their services to specific client needs. © stock.adobe.com/New Africa New export programme to boost UK dairy industry The UK’s dairy industry is set to be boosted by a brand-new programme to increase exports, the Government has announced. The Dairy Export Programme will help UK agri-businesses grow by seizing new export opportunities and exploiting overseas markets for their products through a comprehensive package of export support. The Prime Minister committed £1 million to the dairy sector at the Farm to Fork Summit hosted at 10 Downing Street in May. The Dairy Export Programme is a direct result of this funding and forms part of a wider package of Government support for agriculture, food and drink. This includes an investment of £2 million to boost Department for Business and Trade’s programme of global tradeshows and missions, which will be delivered in partnership with industry and the Food and Drink Export Council. The programme will provide a wide range of targeted support for businesses, through education sessions on how to boost exports and target new markets and trade promotion activity, including an inward buyer trade mission and a UK Dairy Showcase. It will also provide specialist resource in priority markets dedicated to supporting dairy exports and market intelligence support to help businesses exploit overseas opportunities. Minster for Exports Lord Offord said: “Growing the agri, food and drink sector is key to growing our economy, and I am delighted to launch the Dairy Export Programme which will help businesses grasp exciting new opportunities around the world. “Last year our dairy exporters sold £2 billion of products to markets worldwide, and the work we are doing to strike up new trade deals will only see that figure rise further and move us forward in the race to £1 trillion of exports by 2030.” © stock.adobe.com/ Usmanify © stock.adobe.com/Arnéll Koegelenberg/peopleimages.com Image courtesy of Lidl GBFood & Drink International 7 www.fdiforum.net Japan opens doors to cooked poultry meat from UK British cooked poultry meat products will soon reach Japanese tables thanks to a new market access deal that will benefit UK farmers, meat processers and exporters. The industry estimates that this market could be worth over £10 million in the next 5 years. UK poultry meat has been exported to Japan since a market access deal for fresh and cooked poultry was secured in 2021, but Avian Influenza outbreaks in the UK have led to restrictions on the trade. The new agreement enables smoother trade of cooked poultry meat, meaning that additional high value exports to Japan can be made. Moy Park, one of the UK’s largest poultry meat producers, is the first to be officially registered to export cooked poultry to Japan under this agreement from one of its facilities in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Japan is renowned internationally for its stringent food safety and import control regime, as well as for its taste for high-quality, varied cuts of meats. Negotiations were led by Defra and their Agriculture Attaché and colleagues based at the British Embassy in Tokyo, with support from the British Poultry Council (BPC), South Kesteven District Council and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Food and Farming Minister Mark Spencer said: “British poultry is rightly celebrated as some of the best in the world and I’m delighted that new high value products can now be enjoyed in Japan. “I’d like to pay tribute to our Agri-food Attaché network who work hard to secure trade opportunities like this and fly the flag for UK farmers.” Minister for International Trade Nigel Huddleston said: “This is a significant win for British poultry farmers and producers who can now export their top-notch produce to this vast and lucrative market.” news Louis Dreyfus Company to construct soybean processing plant in Ohio Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) is to construct a soybean processing plant in Upper Sandusky (OH), US, with integrated crushing, vegetable oil refining and lecithin production and packaging capabilities. “This strategic development will further strengthen LDC’s core merchandizing capabilities with additional capacity to originate and process US soy into value-added products – in this case edible oils and lecithin, reinforcing our position as a partner to our customers as we grow our Food & Feed Solutions business established in January,” said Michael Gelchie, LDC’s Chief Executive Officer. The new plant also provides an option to participate in renewable energy feedstock markets and help meet growing demand for biofuels. With construction expected to begin in early 2024, the new facility will employ over 100 people and have annual soy crushing capacity of 1,500,000 MT, annual edible (RBD) soybean oil production capacity of 320,000 MT and annual lecithin production capacity of 7,500 MT. © stock.adobe.com/Maksym Kapliuk © stock.adobe.com/phive2015Tate & Lyle to make major investment in Slovakia facility Tate & Lyle has announced a major investment programme in its corn wet mill in Boleráz, Slovakia, to establish new capacity for its non-GMO PROMITOR ® Soluble Fibres. The production of fibres during the first phase of the programme will start in mid-2024, representing a € 25m investment. This programme is expected to significantly increase Tate & Lyle’s fibre capacity to serve both its European and global customer base. Developed with Tate & Lyle’s proprietary fibre production know-how and using the latest technology to drive operational efficiencies, the facility in Boleráz will give Tate & Lyle the ability to expand existing PROMITOR® product lines, and add new ones. This major investment programme will help Tate & Lyle to meet growing consumer demand for fibre as a tool for supporting gut health and immunity. Customer demand for sugar reduction solutions, where fibre can play an important role, also remains high, with sugar and calorie reduction claims being included frequently in new fibre fortified product launches. 8 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company invests over £10m in Northampton Brewery to bolster sustainability Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) is to invest more than £10m in upgrading equipment at its Northampton Brewery, increasing capacity for producing its Snap Pack packaging and reducing its water usage. The investments will see three significant upgrades realised, with all three set to go live in Q1 next year; a second-generation machine for packaging cans in Snap Pack is being installed, alongside a new laser can encoder and an improved can filler and seamer. First launched in 2018, Snap Pack uses innovative glue dot technology to hold cans together, removing the need for plastic rings and making multipacks more sustainable. Snap Pack was co-developed by Carlsberg Group and KHS GmbH, an international manufacturer of filling and packaging equipment. This technology has been used across some of the best-known and most popular beers in CMBC’s portfolio, including Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, San Miguel, Birrificio Angelo Poretti and Brooklyn Pilsner. By the end of 2022, Snap Pack was used for 65% of the four- and six-can multipacks produced at the brewery. The new second-generation Snap Pack machine will allow double the number of Snap Pack multipacks to be produced, with the company aiming to fully transition by the end of 2024. By eliminating plastic rings from packaging, once fully rolled out across four- and six-can multipacks it is estimated that Snap Pack will reduce CMBC’s plastic usage by up to 76%, compared to previous multipacks. The replacement KHS can filler, which will be attached to a new seamer from Ferrum, and a Domino Laser Can Coder are also being installed, bringing a number of improvements across efficiency and safety. Combined, these new machines alone will see an estimated reduction of around 10% in water usage, around 18 million litres every year – equivalent to more than seven Olympic-size swimming pools or almost 32 million pints. A.G. BARR acquires tropical drinks brand Rio A.G. BARR has acquired the Rio soft drinks brand through the purchase of Rio Tropical Limited. Acquired from Hall and Woodhouse Limited, the independent brewer and pub company, for a total cash consideration of £12.3m, tropical fruit brand Rio has been marketed, sold and distributed on an exclusive licence basis by A.G. BARR’s recently acquired Boost Drinks division since 2021. Roger White, CEO of AG BARR, said: “As brand builders we are delighted to acquire the Rio brand and secure its long-term position in our wider portfolio. This allows us to realise the benefits of full brand ownership and support Rio’s continued growth. This acquisition is a further positive indication of our strategic ambitions.” A.G. BARR is a branded multi-beverage business with a portfolio of market-leading UK brands, including IRN-BRU, Rubicon, FUNKIN and Boost. Ferrara Candy Company to acquire Jelly Belly Ferrara Candy Company has agreed to acquire Jelly Belly Candy Company through CTH Invest, the lead holding company of Ferrara. The proposed acquisition would combine Jelly Belly Candy Company’s more than 100 flavors of Jelly Belly® jelly beans and gourmet specialty confections with Ferrara’s broad portfolio of sugar candies. Once the acquisition closes, nearly 800 global Jelly Belly employees and its facilities in California, Illinois, and Thailand will join the Ferrara organization. Jeff Brown, who is currently the Executive Vice President of Global Operations and Distribution of Jelly Belly, will become its Chief Executive Officer. Jelly Belly Candy Company’s roots date back to its founding in Illinois in 1869 and it has continued to be family-owned and operated by the fourth, fifth, and sixth generations of the Rowland candy-making family. Its signature brand of Jelly Belly® jelly beans has been one of the most loved and recognizable candy products in the world since its introduction in 1976. © stock.adobe.com/ NAMPIX © stock.adobe.com/ Björn Wylezich © stock.adobe.com/ Refrina © stock.adobe.com/ luzitanijawww.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. CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO? • Print • Online • E-Newsletters • Regular News • Topical Features The perfect medium to give your brand the best chance of being seen! 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 eady R ymea ackPPkaging 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 oood 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 Next >