A year of challenges A year of challenges INTERNATIONAL Processing, control and automation Warehousing and optimisation TraceabilityOUT OF THE BOX! We understand the importance of Food Quality That’s why we engineer instruments to help you meet global standards The ONLY on-line gauge on the market that can simultaneously measure: Color Moisture Fat/Oil Protein Series 9 OUT OF THE BOX! The ONLY on-line gauge on the market that can simultaneously measure: Color Moisture Fat/Oil Protein Series 9 https://info.ndc.com/series-9-non-contact-food-gaugewww.ndc.com www.pbiforum.net The complete guide to the pharmaceuticals industry We can help you get your message across to an informed and interested audience. Tel +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email: a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk Contents December 2024 This magazine is now fully recyclable. By recycling magazines, you can help reduce waste and add to the 5.5 million tonnes of paper already recycled by the UK paper industry each year. Before you recycle your magazine, please ensure you remove all plastic wrapping, free gifts and samples. FoodandDrinkInternational @fdiforumwww.fdiforum.net company/fdiforum News 4 • General news • On line - production news • On the shelf - new products and initiatives Import and export10 Import and export is the lifeblood and future of the food and drink industry, but with many new markets emerging – it’s important to get the initial push right, otherwise one might lose out to competitors who know better. End of year review14 It’s not been a great year for many people – and some might argue it’s been a bad one in general. Even those who have done well will be shocked and perhaps a little shaken by the speed at which the industry is changing. End of line packaging18 In the ever-shifting landscape of consumables manufacturing, end-of-line packaging stands as a crucial phase in the production process. • Interlock Adhesives Q&A Process, control and automation24 The processing industry is one that all- too-often changes with external pressures. For many, it is adapt or die. Traceability30 Proper traceability systems not only help prevent a crisis, but also put criminals on the backfoot. 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/teressa • Top: stock.adobe.com/Retan • Middle: stock.adobe.com/ manjurul • Bottom: stock.adobe.com/ panuwat Recycling and waste management 34 Food waste has always been a glaring issue for the sector. With consumers demanding more action, microplastics in the ocean, fish and even human blood – and now with wastewater being pumped into rivers in the UK – effective waste management, and wastewater management, are more important than ever before. Warehousing and optimisation 38 Difficulties finding staff, reliance on AI, increasingly demanding customers. It’s beginning to feel like managing a warehouse is a never-ending game of whack-a-mole with the life and death of the company at stake. Events 42 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world. Food and Drink Diary46Portfolio expanded: Krones presents compact version of its Contipure AseptBloc A sterile process chain from preform sterilisation to sealing - this summarises the principle of the Contipure AseptBloc. A system that has proven its worth: At Krones, almost 90 per cent of aseptic fillers are currently integrated into this block solution. While this type of system was previously used primarily in the medium and high output range, there is now also a compact version that can be used to economically fill outputs as low as 8,000 containers per hour. The basis for expanding the portfolio was laid by a further development in stretch blow- moulding technology: two years ago, Krones launched a new generation of its Contiform blow- moulding machine, which for the first time also enabled configurations of four, six and eight cavities. Similarly, the filling technology team further developed its existing aseptic filler, also with a view to low outputs - and finally combined both systems in a compact version of the Contipure AseptBloc. 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Croxsons and Silent Pool partner for exclusive limited-edition 10th Anniversary Gin Leading glass packaging company Croxsons has once again provided their primary packaging expertise for award-winning gin distillers, Silent Pool, in the unveiling of their limited- edition 10th Anniversary Celebration Edition Gin. Croxsons, known for its high- quality packaging solutions for the spirits industry, has collaborated closely with Silent Pool to create a bespoke bottle for the celebration edition. The iconic Silent Pool teal glass, complete with intricate copper botanical designs, showcases a bold number 10 in recognition of the distillery’s remarkable journey. The packaging serves not only as a collector’s item but as a symbol of the strong partnership between Silent Pool and Croxsons, which has played a vital role in the brand’s success over the years. Silent Pool Distillers’ Sophie Best said: “Working with Croxsons to craft such a distinctive and beautiful bottle has been a delight and we’re excited for our customers to experience this exceptional gin, both in taste and design.” To learn more about Croxsons visit https://www.croxsons.com/ Anheuser-Busch invests additional $8m in St. Louis brewery Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Michelob ULTRA, Busch Light, Budweiser, and Bud Light, has announced a new $8 million investment in its St. Louis brewery. Over the last five years, Anheuser-Busch has invested nearly $2 billion in its facilities across the US. Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser- Busch, said: “At Anheuser-Busch, we’ve built a legacy of brewing great beer and showing up in our local communities - that’s who we are. “Our continued investments in our St. Louis brewery benefit not only our local team, but also our hometown, which continues to be a core part of our identity after more than 165 years. “This brewery is as iconic as the beer we brew, and these investments help ensure that we not only have the infrastructure but also the people and talent to build on our legacy for generations to come.” Since 2019, the brewer has invested more than $165 million in its St. Louis campus alone, including renovating and reopening its Technical Excellence Center, which allows its workforce to grow in their careers and access new opportunities in their desired manufacturing fields. Kyle Topping, Senior General Manager of the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery, emphasized the significance of this investment: “Our St. Louis brewery serves as an iconic landmark to those of us who call St. Louis home and it proudly stands as our flagship brewery and a symbol of Anheuser-Busch. These continued investments are vital for ensuring we can carry our legacy forward for future generations, while giving back to the town that has already given us so much.” Maya Jama invests in plant milk brand British television presenter and entrepreneur Maya Jama has become an investor and co-owner of Swedish plant milk company Sproud. Jama will be the face of Sproud and a strategic advisor as the brand continues its rapid growth, with consumers increasingly moving away from both dairy and oat milk alternatives. Formed from yellow split-peas, Sproud has a better nutritional profile than other dairy alternatives, including oat. It’s low in sugar, high in protein, and has zero allergens. Sproud also has a far lower environmental impact than other plant milks in terms of how it is produced. It is recognised by CarbonCloud as the milk alternative with the lowest climate impact. Maya Jama says: “I’m really excited to become a co-owner of Sproud. There’s a lot to love - the products taste amazing, and the packaging is eye- catching, too, but ultimately I like what the company stands for in terms of health and sustainability.” © Charlie Sarsfield © Anheuser-BuschDairy flavor manufacturer Edlong acquires Brisan Group Chicago-headquartered Edlong Corporation, the manufacturer of Dairy and Dairy- type Flavors, has acquired Brisan Group. Brisan Group has serviced the Dairy Flavor and Sweet Flavor markets for nearly three decades with a mission to “Build amazing food products for consumers, with consumers.” “Our aligned vision at Edlong, To empower the food and beverage industry to unleash the taste of dairy, makes our acquisition of Brisan Group a key strategic step towards delivering the next generation of dairy taste technologies. We are also very excited about the capabilities that Brisan Group brings, specifically regarding their Ingredient & Consumer Research capacities and their Innovation platform,” said Michael Natale, Edlong President. “I’ve spent the last 27 years building Brisan Group, with a strategic focus on Dairy and Sweet Flavors, so it is very exciting for me to see us join an industry leader as well respected and prestigious as Edlong,” said Brisan Group’s CEO Brian Vogt. news Oddlygood acquires Rude Health to expand position in UK plant-based market Finnish plant-based company, Oddlygood, has taken another step towards its ambition of becoming one of the leading plant-based companies in the UK and Europe, with the acquisition of British plant- based drinks company, Rude Health, for an undisclosed sum. Oddlygood is a key player in the Nordic plant-based market, where in six years it’s grown to an anticipated turnover close to €50m this year and a widely stocked range of plant-based alternatives to milk, cheese, desserts, cooking products and yoghurts. It launched its plant-based puddings into the UK market in 2023 and established itself in the competitive UK plant-based drinks category earlier on this year. Oddlygood’s mission is to raise the standard of plant-based food and drink. The UK is a key territory for the brand and its acquisition of Rude Health will further diversify the business beyond the Nordics and drive both UK and European growth. Glasgow-based drinks brand eyes European expansion Panther M*lk, the innovative drinks company, is gearing towards expansion into European markets after achieving significant success across Scotland. Glasgow businessman Paul Crawford launched the creamy drink as a sustainable, plant based alternative alcoholic beverage, inspired by the traditional Spanish beverage Leche de Pantera back in 2015. Over the last 12 months, Panther M*lk has experienced phenomenal growth, increasing its on- and off-trade distribution points from 100 to 600. Paul has credited support from the Scottish EDGE competition as helping to accelerate its trajectory after being crowned a winner in late 2022. Receiving a £75,000 funding and advisory services package including support from competition partner, leading UK accountancy and business advisory firm, Johnston Carmichael, Paul is confident opportunities overseas will be realised in 2025. Speaking ahead of Scottish EDGE final on 28 November, Paul said: “The last two years have been transformational for Panther M*lk and that is set to grow in 2025 with new opportunities in overseas markets, led by a team of well-respected figures from across Scotland’s food and drink industry. “Starting a business is hugely exciting but equally important to success is working collaboratively with the existing business community and learning from industry experts. We have found this in abundance via Scottish EDGE, which has subsequently been fundamental to our continued growth. “Even before the competition itself, Johnston Carmichael offered a free pitching workshop, which helped me to sharpen my pitch and ensured that I had the best possible chance of securing funding. Johnston Carmichael’s continued support has helped us to navigate Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) relief, which has made us a more attractive option for investors and allowed us to take on two full-time employees, which is really exciting.” © stock.adobe.com/petrrgoskov Caffè Nero buys coffee brand 200 Degrees Premium coffee house brand Caffè Nero has purchased Nottingham, UK-based coffee brand 200 Degrees. Founded in 2012 in Nottingham by Rob Darby and Tom Vincent, 200 Degrees has grown into a 21-store Midlands-based coffee brand. In addition to stores, the business has its own roastery and operates an online e- commerce channel selling directly to customers at home, including a subscription offering. 200 Degrees also operates a wholesale arm, serving over 500 wholesale customers. 200 Degrees joins The Nero Group and will sit alongside the Group’s other brands: Caffè Nero, Coffee#1, Harris+Hoole and Aroma, making it the fifth brand in the Group. The Nero Group aims to expand the 200 Degrees brand as part of its growth strategy in the UK. The Nero Group Founder and Group CEO Gerry Ford said: “I’m delighted to welcome 200 Degrees into the Caffè Nero family. It is a fantastic brand with an emphasis on great coffee and service combined with a local community-based feel which matches perfectly the ethos of The Nero Group.” Food & Drink International 5 www.fdiforum.net6 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Northern Ireland-based desserts manufacturer expands with £6m funding An Armagh-based desserts manufacturer is expanding its range with new ready-to-eat puddings thanks to £6 million funding from HSBC UK. Family-owned Davison’s, which specialises in hot desserts for retail and food services both chilled and frozen, will use the funding to refurbish an existing unit on site and to purchase a new automated process and packing line. The new 50,000 sq ft facility, outside Portadown, will enable the company to begin producing new ‘ready to eat’ desserts for retail customers in Ireland and Great Britain, such as individual cheesecakes, premium trifles, glass potted and high-protein desserts. Alan Davison, Managing Director at Davison’s, said: “This is a very exciting time for Davison’s as we significantly increase our capacity to manufacture puddings and expand our offering. We’ve worked with HSBC UK for around 15 years now and it continues to provide us with excellent support and advice.” Tate & Lyle launches new automated lab in Singapore for mouthfeel solutions Tate & Lyle has launched its new ‘Automated Laboratory for Ingredient Experimentation’, known as ‘ALFIE’, at its Customer Collaboration and Innovation Centre in Singapore. Through the pioneering use of automated robotics, ALFIE represents a revolution in the delivery of mouthfeel solutions for customers, providing faster and more accurate ingredient design and accelerating speed-to-market for new products. ALFIE, which represents a multi-million pound investment in innovation by Tate & Lyle, has the ability to run characterisation tests at around 10 times the current rate, and provides enhanced predictive modelling. It comprises two robotic systems with complete connectivity and seamless data flow for fast ingredient and solution design. By accelerating sample production, characterisation and modelling, the company will be able to trial new ingredients more efficiently and create new solutions for customers at greater pace. MilkyMist partners with SIG and AnaBio Technologies to launch world’s first long-life probiotic buttermilk in aseptic carton packs MilkyMist, a renowned dairy innovator from South India, has teamed up with SIG and AnaBio Technologies to introduce the world’s first long-life probiotic buttermilk in aseptic carton packs. This groundbreaking development, showcased at Gulfood Manufacturing 2024 in Dubai, represents a major breakthrough in the beverage industry, allowing probiotics to be incorporated into shelf-stable drinks in aseptic cartons for the first time. Probiotics are valued for their gut health and immunity-boosting benefits, but until now, incorporating live probiotics into long-life beverages has been hindered by the heat treatments used in Ultra-High- Temperature (UHT) processing, which compromised probiotic viability. The combination of AnaBio Technologies’ patented encapsulation technology and SIG’s gentle aseptic filling technology has overcome this challenge, enabling MilkyMist to offer probiotic buttermilk that remains shelf-stable and does not require refrigeration. “We are thrilled to offer our probiotic buttermilk, a groundbreaking product that combines health and convenience, reduces energy consumption and food waste thus helping us bringing the goodness of probiotics to the people. This game-changing product not only offers consumers a healthy and nutritious option but also ensures long shelf-life without the need for refrigeration. We look forward to seeing this product make a positive difference in the lives of consumers”, said Dr. K Rathnam, Chief Executive Officer of MilkyMist. Christoph Wegener, Chief Markets Officer of SIG: “We are proud to display an ingenious example of a new product category expansion: long-life probiotic buttermilk in an aseptic carton pack. It has health benefits and overcomes the limitations of fresh probiotic drinks. With a longer shelf life and no need for refrigeration, we significantly increase the reach and can bring the goodness of probiotics to the people. The way is paved for many more amazing long-life probiotic products in our aseptic packaging solutions.” Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds become co-owners of Wrexham Lager Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are now co-owners of Wrexham Lager Beer Co Ltd, alongside the Roberts family. The acquisition was made by Red Dragon Ventures, a joint venture formed by The R.R. McReynolds Company, majority owner of Wrexham AFC, and the Allyn family of Skaneateles, New York. Red Dragon Ventures was created to drive growth in the Wrexham community and Wrexham AFC. This transaction represents another landmark deal for the Welsh town and will considerably scale up Wrexham Lager’s infrastructure and international production, distribution, and marketing efforts. “As Co-chairmen of Wrexham AFC we have learned a lot,” said Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. “The connection between club and community, the intricacies of the offsides rule and the occasional need for beer - especially after finance meetings. Wrexham Lager has a 140-year-old recipe and a storied history and we’re excited to help write its next chapter.” © Tate & Lyle © stock.adobe.com/Rawpixel.comFood & Drink International 7 www.fdiforum.net Sysco acquires Scottish specialist meat supplier Campbell’s Prime Meat Sysco GB, the foodservice provider, has acquired Campbell’s Prime Meat, the specialist meat and fish supplier in Scotland. Campbell’s Prime Meat currently employs 325 people at its Linlithgow site in Scotland. It has built an enviable reputation over the past 100 years, providing top quality meat, fish and deli products to food businesses and consumers in Scotland and through online sales across the UK. Commenting on the acquisition, Paul Nieduszynski, CEO of Sysco GB, said: “We are delighted that Campbell’s Prime Meat will be joining Sysco GB. It is a great business with a fantastic reputation for producing high quality meat, fish and deli items, combined with exceptional levels of service and championing independent customers in Scotland. “We believe that it is a brilliant fit for Sysco and will bring a huge benefit for our customers by strengthening our Scottish proposition. We’re very keen to work with high quality and complementary businesses like Campbell’s Prime Meat, which can add value to Sysco and enhance our customer proposition. We look forward to welcoming Campbell’s Prime Meat colleagues to the Sysco family.” news Innovative food label that tackles waste: Mimica wins Lineage’s Food Chain Innovation Challenge Lineage, the world’s largest global temperature-controlled warehouse REIT, today announced the winner of its pioneering initiative, the Food Chain Innovation Challenge London. After a full day of pitching at the Science Museum to an esteemed judging panel, Mimica, the brand behind dynamic food expiry labels, was crowned regional champion and walked away with the $5,000 prize. The competition invited students and startups to develop and pitch innovative solutions aimed at tackling one of the world’s most pressing issues: food waste. Mimica’s winning solution, Bump, helps to reduce unnecessary waste from overcautious expiry dates. Available as a cap or tag, it shows the true longevity of food and drinks by responding to temperature changes and becoming bumpy when the food or drinks actually spoil. Solveiga Pak?tait?, Founder and Director of Mimica said: “It’s fantastic being selected as the winner today. As a business in the early stages of its journey, events like Lineage’s Food Chain Innovation Challenge, are vital. They support businesses like Mimica but also help to foster innovation that will genuinely help to solve issues like food waste.” © stock.adobe.com/StockPhotoProKey Technology Introduces All-New COMPASS ® Optical Sorters for Nuts Key Technology introduces their COMPASS ® optical sorter for nuts. Offering a high ROI and quick payback, this easy to operate high- performance, high-capacity system identifies and removes undesirable product defects and foreign material (FM) such as shells, shell fragments, rocks and wood sticks. COMPASS helps nut processors protect food safety and product quality while easing use and increasing profitability. “The message from nut processors is that other optical sorters on the market are overly complex and difficult to use. That’s why we designed COMPASS – to simplify operation, sanitation and maintenance while delivering consistent sort performance day in and day out across different product batches and operators. Its ergonomic user interface was developed in collaboration with UI experts to mimic the intuitive navigation of smartphone apps,” said Jack Lee, Duravant Group President - Food Sorting and Handling Solutions. “With nut prices continually under pressure, processors are looking for an accurate, high-throughput sorting system that delivers a great return on investment. COMPASS fits all their needs.” For more information visit www.key.net Karen McQuade appointed president of the British Frozen Food Federation The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) has appointed Karen McQuade as its new president, succeeding Ian Stone, who steps down after serving in the role since December 2020. McQuade, a highly respected industry leader, steps into the post of president following her election at the federation’s Annual General Meeting on November 13. She brings 25 years of experience in the frozen food sector, having attended her first BFFF event in 1999, and has made significant contributions to the industry since. In 2007 she founded The UK Foodhall Ltd, which has grown into a leader in providing healthy, quality-assured British meat, fish, and poultry products to the school meal sector. Driven by a commitment to sourcing locally and supporting British farmers and manufacturers, McQuade has earned national recognition, including 17 national business awards and 32 national product awards. 8 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net on line PPM Technologies Introduces FlavorWright SmartSpray™ Food Coating System PPM Technologies introduces their new FlavorWright SmartSpray™ food coating system. Designed specifically for vitamins, gummies and other confectionery goods, this economical system precisely applies oil and other liquids through continuous operation for enhanced productivity. SmartSpray enables processors to achieve consistent, high-quality coating applications while reducing labour requirements and minimizing waste to increase profitability. “When a confectionery processor approached us for a coating system that could accommodate their product handling challenges, we adapted one of our most popular technologies – the FlavorWright All-in-One™ seasoning system – to address the confectionary industry’s unique needs,” said Jack Lee, Duravant Group President - Food Sorting and Handling Solutions. “We designed SmartSpray with a specialized belt conveyor for wet, sticky and hard-to-move confectionery products to ensure effective yet gentle handling while achieving accurate and reliable coating coverage. Our deep collaboration with customers, combined with our decades of expertise, enables us to deliver solutions that make a meaningful difference in our customers’ operations.” For more information visit www.ppmtech.com WEDA cooperates with Damm Aquakultur in shrimp and fish farming The Lower Saxony-based feeding systems specialist WEDA Dammann & Westerkamp GmbH and Damm Aquakultur GmbH & Co. KG from Niedenstein, Hesse, are cooperating in the field of shrimp and fish farming. In a declaration dated 8 November 2024, the partners agreed to further develop the areas of husbandry, feeding, water treatment and rearing technology for marine animals together in the future, thereby accelerating the strategic and technical development of shrimp and fish farming. The partners complement each other very well for the co-operation: Damm Aquakultur operates a state-of-the-art and leading shrimp breeding facility in Germany with a system design developed in-house and innovative technologies. The shrimps are reared under controlled conditions and using sustainable resources. Damm Aquakultur Technologien produces fresh shrimps of high quality and completely free of medication. The company attaches great importance to animal welfare, environmental protection and transparency along the entire regional supply chain. For its part, WEDA Dammann & Westerkamp GmbH can already look back on various aquaculture projects. Steinecker wins 2025 German Sustainability Award for “Products: Climate” Steinecker GmbH, a subsidiary of Krones, has been honoured with the 2025 German Sustainability Award (GSA) in the Products category, which is being presented for the first time this year to rec-ognise standout projects offering sustainable solutions. Steinecker submitted its biomass conversion concept Phoenix BMC for the transformation field Climate and won first place. The principle behind Phoenix BMC is as simple as it is ingenious: Where brewery residuals have commonly been used as animal feed, Steinecker has put the concept of resource recovery on a broader footing, revolutionis-ing it to effectively turn organic waste from the brewing process into a source of valuable substances and thus leveraging far more potential even than if it were just used for energy generation in a biogas plant. © Jens DistelbergGuinness launches first range of sous vide slow cooked meals at Asda The UK’s most popular pint – Guinness – is this month launching a new range of sous vide slow cooked meat dishes for home cooks, a first for Guinness, which has seen phenomenal success across licensed categories over recent years. Partnering exclusively with Asda for the initial three month launch, the three-strong range will be available in 266 stores nationwide from mid-November, just in time for consumers seeking comforting dinners and cosy mealtimes this winter. The three new Guinness Slow Cook products include: Guinness BBQ Chicken Wings, Guinness Beef Casserole, and Guinness Chipotle Pulled Pork. Guinness has seen a well-documented rise in popularity over recent years. A long-term strategy interjected with pivotal new product launches and partnerships has allowed the brand to rise through the popularity ranks and introduce itself to a whole new generation. From being the top selling zero alcohol beer, to newly appointed sponsors of the Premier League, and even having a Netflix show commissioned about the history of the family, there is no questioning their dominance in popular culture. Bardinet Brandy unveils trio of cocktails to celebrate dazzling new limited edition festive release Bardinet is bringing some festive flair to the UK this winter with three deliciously decadent new brandy cocktails which are perfect for the party season. Created to celebrate the recent launch of a new limited edition 1 litre festive bottling of Bardinet VSOP (pictured), each cocktail has been designed to showcase the rich flavour and versatility of this award-winning spirit. Aged in France and one of the UK’s bestselling brandies, Bardinet’s bottle design takes inspiration from the colour and brilliance of the many end of year festivals celebrated across the world. With eye catching gold and red patterns, it’s the perfect pack for gifting and adding a touch of seasonal sparkle to any celebrations. Inspired by Bardinet’s smooth, rich flavours, leading mixologist Adrian Gomes created the three delicious cocktails to cater for all tastes and occasions – featuring a light pre-dinner drink, a sumptuous digestif and a warming party punch. His aim is to show that, with one bottle of Bardinet, every festive moment is covered when it comes to serving up some very special drinks for family and friends. on the shelf Food & Drink International 9 www.fdiforum.net Baileys Chocolate launches delicious new truffle varieties to range Baileys Chocolate is launching two new varieties to its successful truffle range, designed for the festive season and beyond. The Baileys Chocolate Assorted Truffles and Baileys Chocolate Mint Truffles are both infused with Baileys Irish Cream and cater to a range of gifting or personal consumption occasions. The new Baileys Chocolate Assorted Truffles carton contains four best-selling Baileys Truffle flavours: Original Baileys Irish Cream, Strawberries and Cream, Birthday Cake, and Salted Caramel. Each truffle features a hint of Baileys Irish Cream. Available in ASDA, and selected retailers, RRP £9.50. Alison Robson, marketing manager for Baileys Chocolates, stated “The launch of these truffle varieties aligns with our strategy of expanding our product range for both festive and year-round occasions. These new flavours reflect our commitment to offering premium products that capture the essence of Baileys in new and innovative ways. With these additions to the existing truffle range, there really is something for everyone to provide the finishing touch for festive celebrations or quiet moments of self-indulgence.” Ella’s Kitchen brings back festive makeover of best-selling melty sticks Ella’s Kitchen, the UK’s largest baby and kids’ food brand and certified B- Corp, has brought back its on-pack partnership with children’s charity Action for Children for a second year, to raise money for vulnerable little ones and their families this Christmas. The partnership, which raised more than £91,000 for Action for Children last year, will see Ella’s Kitchen’s best- selling Sweetcorn + Carrot Melty Sticks swapping out its usual packaging to instead feature Rudolph, who has traded his famous antlers for Melty Sticks. The on-pack partnership will hit the shelves from the beginning of November, and will remain in stores, including Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, until stocks last. 30 pence from every pack sold will go directly to Action for Children, who support vulnerable families and little ones across the UK. Applied Nutrition launches new sparkling protein water Applied Nutrition, a UK sports nutrition, health & wellness brand has unveiled its latest innovation: Sparkling Protein Water, a refreshing beverage packed with 10g of protein, zero sugar, electrolyte rich coconut water powder and added vitamin C with only 44 calories per can. Designed for health-conscious consumers and active individuals, Applied Nutrition’s Sparkling Protein Water offers an easy, convenient, and delicious way to stay hydrated and fuelled throughout the day. Sparkling Protein Water supports fitness goals and active lifestyles without compromising on taste or nutritional value. Each can is formulated to help consumers stay hydrated and support muscle recovery. The addition of vitamin C provides an immune-boosting benefit, making it an ideal option for those on the go. Applied Nutrition COO, Steven Granite stated “Through extensive research, we’ve observed a significant shift in consumer behaviour, with an increasing number of people seeking higher protein intake compared to just a few years ago. Responding to this demand, we are excited to offer a delicious, high-protein alternative to traditional soft drinks like Coca-Cola, Sprite, and Fanta, which lack nutritional benefits.” © MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCYNext >