General News
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Naturex strengthens its range of Spirulina food colouring
18 March 2019Naturex triples its production capacity of Spirulina and introduces new line for their Blue Spirulina collection Already renowned for its extensive coloring foods offer, Naturex is now spearheading its investment in coloring foodstuffs with Vegebrite® Ultimate Spirulina. A new extraction line, which triples spirulina production capacity, has been introduced at the company’s production site in Avignon, France. This expansion of Naturex’s manufacturing capacity has been designed to meet the growing global demand for clean label blues and greens. Spirulina is a microscopic, fresh water blue-green alga, often listed as a “superfood”, with its coloring properties derived from the phycocyanin pigment. Naturex’s gentle, water-based extraction process for Vegebrite® Ultimate Spirulina ensures a 100% natural solution delivering clean-label friendly, trehalose-free formulations, available in various concentrations and formats. It offers all shades of blue, and green when blended with Naturex’s natural yellows. Nathalie Pauleau, Global Product Manager for Colors, said, “The natural color landscape is constantly evolving, Natural colors are now a prerequisite in many countries around the world. But health-conscious consumers want to go even further in their quest for transparency and must be provided with fully clean formulations, as minimally processed as possible. “We are strengthening our coloring foods production capacity in Europe to provide our customers with vibrant colors that will help shorten ingredient lists. With the recent acquisition of Naturex by the Givaudan group, the natural color category has become a key development area of business growth for us.” Blue food will create a brand new, enjoyable and surprising experience, from confectionery to cake decoration, from ice-cream to juice drinks and dietary supplements. Naturex’s Vegebrite® Ultimate Spirulina will be presented at Expo West 2019, March 7-9 in Anaheim, California, with a blue frozen yogurt.
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ADM acquires European citrus flavour group Ziegler
18 March 2019ADM has reached an agreement to acquire the Ziegler Group, a leading European provider of natural citrus flavor ingredients. The agreement comes shortly after ADM completed its addition of U.S.-based citrus flavor provider Florida Chemical. Vince Macciocchi, president of ADM's Nutrition business, said, “Ziegler is highly respected as a cutting-edge leader in citrus, and we’re excited to welcome their outstanding leadership and talent to ADM. The combination of Ziegler and Florida Chemical will immediately position ADM for growth as a global leader in natural citrus ingredients, with a complete range of innovative citrus solutions and systems for food, beverage and fragrance customers.” Founded in 1963, Ziegler uses proprietary cold concentration technologies to produce natural high-quality citrus oils, extracts, concentrates and compounds for flavour, food, and beverage industry customers, focusing on Europe, the U.S. and Japan. The company is privately held and headquartered in Aufsess, in Southern Germany. ADM are one of the world's largest food ingredient providers today, providing ingredients such as emulsifiers and sweetening solutions for the confectionery industry. Grunt Zielger, said, “We are delighted that we found a strong home at ADM where both our business and our people can grow. The integration of more than 50 years of citrus expertise into the ADM group will secure our top priority: successful long-term growth for our business and our employees. Our family members will be staying with the company to help ensure a smooth transition. We’re excited to join ADM and strongly believe that the combination of our technology and citrus capabilities, coupled with the portfolio of ingredients and global reach of ADM, will accelerate growth opportunities while creating benefits for our customers. “Citrus is one of the fastest-growing, highest-demand flavors for food and beverages, which is why the creation of a global citrus platform offering a complete product line for our customers is such an important capability for our growth strategy,” Macciocchi continued. “We’re continuing the most ambitious portfolio transformation in our company’s long history, and as we build the world’s leading nutrition company, the beneficiaries will be our customers and our shareholders.” The deal is expected to close near the end of 2019.
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Prestat, gains access to Domori single origin coverture in deal with Gruppo Illy
14 March 2019Prestat, one of the country's most well-loved chocolate brands, gains access to Domori's acclaimed single origin covertures in new deal with Gruppo Illy, the Trieste based International Super Premium Food and Beverage Company. Gruppo Illy, own Domori, who are widely recognised for making some of the finest chocolate in the world. Thanks to this deal, Prestat can access Domori’s acclaimed single origin couvertures, making it the only chocolatier with a Royal Warrant, and the only sizeable UK artisan chocolatier to have complete control of the chocolate making process from tree to truffle or bean to bar. Riccardo Illy, Chairman of Gruppo Illy, commented: “The deal is consistent with the DNA of the group, constantly looking for a proposal of the highest quality offer and reinforces the growth in the chocolate business in which the group is already present with Domori. The two companies complement each other perfectly and have a geographical presence in the main world markets, based on a passion for excellence in chocolate”. Having grown Prestat from a single shop with a turnover of £100,000 to a £7M retail and manufacturing business, the two co MDs and half-brothers, Nick Crean and Bill Keeling, are delighted to now embark on the next stage of Prestat’s growth. Nick Crean, co MD of Prestat, says "This deal is good news for Prestat and good news for British chocolate making. We have long been one of the few artisan chocolate brands to make all our own chocolates in this country and teaming up with Gruppo Illy now allows us to take the final step and gain complete control of the sourcing of ingredients from tree to truffle. Gruppo Illy’s investment in manufacturing, here in the UK, will mean that we are even better placed to nurture the traditional skills needed to create the finest handcrafted chocolates and we are already looking forward to building on our reputation for developing award-winning new products. "Prestat, which employs nearly 100 people, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the family-owned Gruppo Illy on 13thMarch, 2019. The partnership will be highly collaborative and Prestat will continue to make its award-winning chocolates, truffles, mince pies and petit fours – supplying businesses such as Fortnum & Mason, Liberty, Selfridges, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Daylesford, Rococo Chocolates, and now Domori, too." Bill Keeling says, "We are delighted to announce the deal with Gruppo Illy. Gaining access to what many believe are the world’s finest couvertures, together with the support of Gruppo Illy’s financial strength and a range of new distribution opportunities, makes Prestat’s future very exciting". The cacao chosen for Prestat’s couvertures will now come from Cote d’Ivoire and will be traceable to specific plantations and individual farmers. The cacao beans go through a stringent quality assessment before undergoing a low-impact method of roasting and milling, at temperatures which are typically 25-30⁰C, less than those used by other chocolate manufacturers. This makes the cacao less acidic and so avoids the need to ‘wash’ it with an alkaline solution. The gentler and more environmentally friendly processing method helps to preserve the chocolate’s natural aromatics and contributes to Domori often being called the best chocolate manufacturer in the world. Prestat is also looking forward to aligning its ethical approach with Domori’s and paying cacao farmers directly, ensuring they get a premium price and develop sustainable long-term relationships that meet or exceed all Fair.
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tna appoints Matthew Walters to lead African operations
14 March 2019Food processing and packaging solutions provider tna has appointed Matthew Walters as branch manager to head up its African operations. Based in tna’s Johannesburg (South Africa) office, Matthew will be responsible for supporting food manufacturers across the African continent with tna’s portfolio of equipment, such as fryers, conveyors, seasoning equipment, VFFS packaging systems and end of line solutions. At the same time, Matthew will be tasked with driving the sales of tna’s confectionery processing solutions, including its range of kitchens, starch moulding and finishing equipment, while helping to further develop tna’s local service and support team. With a degree in mechanical engineering, Matthew started his career at one of South Africa’s leading FMCG companies, where he was responsible for the successful implementation of a number of high profile projects. His previous experience will be instrumental in supporting tna’s customers with the advanced food processing and packaging technology they need to make the most out of South Africa’s flourishing snacks and confectionery sectors. “Matthew will be an excellent addition to the team here in South Africa”, comments Jonathan Rankin, CEO at tna. “His experience in the food industry, business acumen and positive attitude are a great fit for tna. Together with his project engineering skills, he’ll not only be able find the most suitable solution for our customers, but will also ensure a smooth installation and successful project delivery, no matter how complex or challenging.” Commenting on his new position Matthew says: “I’m really excited to embark on this new challenge with tna. I’ve come across tna equipment a few times during my career and have always admired the technology and the people behind it. As an engineer, I was naturally drawn to tna’s reputation as the first company to bring high-speed VFFS technology to the market. However, it’s not just tna’s engineering excellence that I admire. The company really offers the whole package.”
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Hershey announces cocoa strategy plans
14 March 2019The Hershey Company is taking action to protect forests and restore forest cover in the cocoa growing regions in West Africa. The company has released action plans that are part of the company’s commitments as a founding member of the Cocoa & Forest Initiative (CFI). In February 2018, Hershey publicly committed to no new deforestation in its cocoa supply chain, effective immediately, and to implementing agroforestry tree planting programs. The new CFI forest protection plans for the two largest cocoa-producing countries in West Africa – Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire – step up Hershey’s forestry commitments with specific actions to end deforestation and to begin restoring forests. Hershey’s CFI action plans will be delivered through its Cocoa For Good sustainable cocoa strategy, announced in April 2018. The plans focus on sensitive forest areas and are designed to inhibit encroachment on these protected areas by implementing locally tailored development programs. “Cocoa, the key ingredient in chocolate, is beloved by people around the world,” said Beatrice Moulianitaki, Head of Sustainable Sourcing. “We want to ensure that this cherished product continues to be available for a growing number of consumers worldwide without damaging the forests close to where most of the world’s cocoa is grown. With the proper care and resources, we are confident that cocoa can continue to grow while protecting sensitive forests and habitats in the region.” Hershey’s CFI action plans are organised under three strategic pillars: Forest Protection and Restoration Sustainable Production and Farmers’ Livelihood Community Engagement and Social Inclusion Hershey has created specific goals, actions and timebound targets for both Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire under each of the three pillars. Plans include: Distributing 900,000 multi-purpose trees to farms in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire by 2022 Distributing more than 2.5 million improved cocoa seedlings to farmers in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire by 2022 Satellite mapping of 50,000 farms across Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in the Hershey supply chain by 2019 Under its Cocoa For Good program, Hershey has been implementing programs that meet the CFI commitments. The company’s agroforestry programs have already distributed more than 3.5 million cocoa trees and about 320,000 shade trees in West Africa between 2013 and 2017. Hershey will continue to review, expand and improve current programs to meet its CFI 2022 goals. Hershey has released action plans to protect forests and restore forest cover in the cocoa growing regions in West Africa
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Sugar reduction via a non-sweetener from the Andes
13 March 2019Greg Aharonian, at KukaXoco, explores a new non-sweetener flavouring chemistry, that can reduce sugar in sodas and chocolates, while maintaining their pleasant tastes Written by Greg Aharonian, KukaXoco Abstract Chocolate and cola sodas seem to have a lot in common as sweet confections, with both being loaded with sugar. Remove sugar from chocolate and sodas, and few would con- sume either. These products are increasingly linked to public health problems, forcing companies to struggle for decades to reduce sugar use. Both industrys’ products have mild psychoactive drugs (chocolate: caffeine, cola sodas: caffeine and myristicin), even though using caffeine requires more unhealthy sugar. These two “sugar” industries need more rapid innovation to reduce sugar, before the nimbler, tech-savvy Silicon Valley and e-commerce giants take over the chocolate and sodas businesses. In this article, I offer a new non-sweetener, flavouring chemistry, based on the coca leaf from the Andes, that can reduce added sugar to create healthier and/or better tasting sodas and chocolates. Simply, KukaXoco believes that neither chocolates nor sodas need to use sugar, especially fructose. Cola sodas with 80% less sugar! Take one 220 ml can of Diet Coke as sold in the U.S. and with only one artificial sweetener, aspartame. Add a teaspoon of de-cocainized coca leaf extract (FDA/DEA approved), and a five-gram bag of sugar. Stir. Drink. Enjoy. A taste, in my opinion, as sweet as sugary cola soda with 25 grams of sugar, but with an 80% sugar reduction and costing less than a penny. Better, use six grams of glucose to achieve the first fructose-free cola soda. It can be made even tastier by replacing aspartame with a 10:1 ratio of cyclamate and saccharin. Coca leaf extracts are not sweet, but instead a new natural aromatic flavouring chemistry! Siblings: Chocolate and sodas The dictionary definition of “confection” is a “food or beverage loaded with sugar”. Chocolate and cola sodas have much in common as confections. The average chocolate is loaded with 50% sugar. A standard Hershey bar (43 grams) has 24 grams of sugar, whilst a can of cola soda is loaded on average with 38 to 42 grams of sugar, a liquid confection. To the 80+% level, the taste of cola sodas is largely due to sugar and salt. Similarly, the taste of chocolate is mainly due to its 80% sugar and fat content. Both mix well with alcohol, for example, rum and cokes, and chocolate liquors. Caffeine? In a standard can of any cola soda, you can find approx. 34 milligrams. A dark chocolate bar has about 24 milligrams. There is even more in common between chocolate and cola soda. Both are brown, as cola sodas don’t contain caramel coloring for taste. Both have slow innovation rates. Chocolate bars and cola sodas haven’t changed much in 100 years. Both industries suffer financially. Both will be hit with consumer health lawsuits. Coca-Cola is now in U.S. courts facing three such lawsuits; will chocolate companies be next? Both confection industries rely solely on two main strengths: global distribution chains, and mystery e.g. Coke’s “secret formula” This article discusses a new development from the labs of KukaXoco: a coca-leaf extract that makes diet cola sodas taste and feel much like sugary cola sodas. This is a very unexpected discovery that hasn’t been uncovered by Coca-Cola. Most likely, decades ago, the company abandoned use of the coca leaf (officially stating so for its Diet Coke). Pepsi, on the other hand, has never used the coca leaf. The article also discusses, for most likely the first time in print, complete formulations, including flavourings, for Coca-Cola’s and PepsiCo’s most valuable (diet) cola sodas, which is useful for competitors and new entrants. Next, the article discusses new insights into the chemistry of cola and chocolate confections, including reports in medical journals as to the little-known health troubles associated with these sugary confections. The article ends with ordering information on how any company can easily buy and start experimenting with (de-cocainized) coca leaf extracts, approved by both the DEA and FDA, with just one phone call to Lima, Peru (+51 84582027). Then use the e-commerce world to manufacture and distribute your new sodas! Pepsi, it’s finally time for you to call ENACO and start using the coca leaf. And will we see a McDonald’s McColasoda, a Nestlé NesCola soda, and/or an Amazon Amazona Kolasoda? Diet colas with a sugary-cola taste Take one 220-milliliter can of Diet Coke as sold in the U.S. Add five to 10 milliliters of ENACO coca leaf extract, and a bag of a 10:1 mix of cyclamate and saccharin. This creates a taste very similar to sugary Coca-Cola, but sugar-free, more so if aspartame is eliminated. This breakthrough in diet sodas could launch a new era of sugar-free cola sodas, especially new artisanal sodas. Of course, it helps start-ups and designers of new sodas to have the crucial formulas for cola sodas. To begin, in ...
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Olam Cocoa strengthens commitment to end deforestation
11 March 2019Olam Cocoa has announced further commitments to end deforestation and forest degradation in its entire cocoa supply chain worldwide. This includes the following key actions: Achieved 100% traceability of its sustainable cocoa supply chain in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire as part of action plan to end deforestation by cocoa in West Africa On track to achieve full traceability of its direct origination supply chain worldwide by 2020 Committed to supporting the restoration and preservation of 460,000 hectares of forêts classées in Côte d’Ivoire Mapped 100% of its supplier network in Ghana and will use this data to identify suppliers perceived to be in areas of highest forest risk by the end of 2019 Distributing almost 1.2 million multi-purpose shade trees in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and 2 million improved cocoa seedlings to farmers in Ghana in 2019 Training 104,000 cocoa farmers in Good Agricultural Practices in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana in 2019 As a signatory to the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) Olam Cocoa is implementing an action plan to eliminate deforestation, protect and restore forests and work with farming communities that depend on cocoa for their livelihoods, both in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and across its global cocoa supply chain. Arouna Coulibaly, Business Head Olam Cocoa, Côte d’Ivoire, said: “This is a landmark moment for combating the complex issue of deforestation in West Africa and supporting a sustainable livelihood for millions of cocoa farmers. Olam Cocoa has already achieved 100% traceability from individual farms to first purchase point in both Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and has mapped its entire supplier network in Ghana to be able to identify deforestation risk hotspots. We are pushing ourselves even further by aiming to map Cote d’Ivoire and other countries by the end of 2019.” The action plans form part of Olam’s cross-commodity Living Landscapes Policy (LLP) which goes beyond forest policies byseeking to re-imagine the future of global agriculture where prosperous farmers, thriving rural communities, and healthy ecosystems can coexist. Olam Cocoa is implementing sustainability programmes in partnership with its international chocolate and confectionery customers, which are all independently verified and focused on three key areas: Forest protection and restoration; sustainable production and farmer livelihoods; and social inclusion and community engagement.
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Partnership to empower women in cocoa growing communities
11 March 2019DOVE Chocolate and CARE have announced the next phase of their partnership to empower women in the cocoa growing communities of Cote d'Ivoire. Last week, just days before International Women's Day, the first stone was laid on a new marketplace for women-led businesses in the village of Gueyo, a centrally-located commerce area nestled among the cocoa fields of Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa. The official ceremony was attended by 1,000 women and entrepreneurs, some of whom will have a new space within the market. Also in attendance were local dignitaries. "It is a monumental day for all of us at DOVE Chocolate as we break ground on a new marketplace in Gueyo," said Leslie Philipsen, Brand Director, DOVE Chocolate. "This effort is a natural evolution of our partnership with CARE, and another step towards realising our vision of financially independent and empowered women, which in turn benefits cocoa communities like Gueyo." The new marketplace will open in July and provide space for women to sell their goods daily. The reinforced structure will provide protection from the elements, a major improvement from the outdoor stalls used before. Connected to the electricity grid, the marketplace will offer lighting for safety and added longevity should women choose to extend their work day. New meeting space will allow women to organise training, run operational meetings and be available for rent as another form of income. The marketplace infrastructure will also include new latrines and handwashing stations. "There is a palpable excitement within the Gueyo community as we embark on this market build and opening," said Guillaume Aguettant, Country Director for CARE in Cote d'Ivoire. "As in the United States, International Women's Day is widely celebrated by both the women and men in Cote d'Ivoire. Today is all about the national pride we have for these women and the commitment they've made to themselves to gain financial independence." The DOVE Chocolate partnership with CARE, a leading humanitarian organisation fighting global poverty, has operated since 2015. The continued partnership between DOVE Chocolate and CARE is part of the commitment by Mars, Incorporated, to improve the lives of cocoa farmers and to achieve its Sustainable in a Generation Plan ambitions. The first stone was laid on a new marketplace for women-led businesses in the village of Gueyo in Cote d’Ivoire
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Bosch launches new flow packer
11 March 2019Bosch Packaging Technology has launched the first machine of its next generation of flow wrappers on the European and Asian markets – the Pack 403, a fully-automated horizontal flow wrapper for medium to high speed wrapping. The narrow machine is ideal for wrapping bars and biscuits, as well as chocolate, cookies and crackers. It features a removable discharge belt, upgrades to the cross-seal and fin seal units, and a highly intuitive, user-centred design. “Our new Pack 403 offers mid- to large-sized manufacturers a fully-automated packaging solution that is exceptionally easy to operate, clean and maintain. This minimises downtime and increases Overall Equipment Effectiveness,” says Fransien de Ruijter, product manager at Bosch Packaging Technology in Schiedam, Netherlands. The Pack 403 is designed to produce up to 800 packages per minute at a film speed of 90 metre. Supported pack styles include pillow, gusseted and easy-to-open packs. User-friendly design User-friendly and easy operation was in focus for the Pack 403’s design. Clear signage, instructive decals and setting scales on each component facilitate changeovers between products and minimise waste and downtime caused by ‘trial-and-error’ adjustments. The cantilevered discharge belt is one of the Pack 403’s key features - being removable, it is easy to clean. Its detection function rejects faulty packages and automatically ejects them using compressed air. For even more user-friendliness, the film tower has an easy-to-adjust pivot arm and sequentially numbered film rollers for easy film threading have been added. The Pack 403 also comprises an automatic film splicer with clear instructions to secure fast and smooth film changes without having to stop the machine. Improvments Compared to the previous machine series, several updates were made to improve process efficiency and film control, including as standard the servo-driven power feed roller to optimise film tension and tracking. The new fin seal unit consists of pressure-controlled fin wheels to easily adjust the machine when running a variety of products with different films. Due to the cut-out deckplates each package now passes over the fin wheels more closely, which results in even tighter packages. “Operators are now able to remove the fin fold-over unit without tools and have full access to the cutting head area for cleaning and maintenance, which increases OEE,” says de Ruijter. The cross-seal unit in turn stands out for its narrow cutting head, which operators can manually open up for cleaning and clearing using a hand wheel. Air and fork gusseting is available for gusseted packages. In a final step, the mechanically driven overhead roller tightens the package seals on the discharge belt station.
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Volpak: Pouches at the forefront of the packaging revolution
08 March 2019Volpak, designer and manufacturer of horizontal form-fill machines for flexible pouches, says that pouches are at the forefront of the flexible packaging revolution, thanks mainly to their versatility. Pouches can be adapted for most products and industries, and various filling and packing technologies are employed in the production process of the pouches to guarantee full protection and freshness of the packaged product. They also ensure long-lasting freshness within the flexible packaging, while extending the shelf life. As pouches can easily include resealable options such as zip-locks and many others, goods may last longer even after they are opened by the customer. There are also plenty of exterior aesthetic options available - with pouching technology, the imagination can be stretched to create all sorts of unique shapes, sizes, materials and components. From the production to distribution processes, Volpak says that flexible pouches are by far the most cost-effective packaging solution, as well as being the more ecological one compared to cans, jars, bottles or boxes. For one, it says, the manufacturing process of flexible pouches is much simpler. It takes far less material to produce pouches compared to rigid packaging solutions, and thus has a much lower production cost. With the highest product-to-package ratio of any other packaging solution, pouches are more compact in space and lighter in weight than cans or jars. This makes them more efficient to transport, thus reducing both transportation costs and CO2 emissions. Even in cases where the packaging is not recycled after use, leftover pouch material still creates less landfill debris, since there was less material to begin with. Plus, efficient manufacturing technology enables less heat to be used in the production process, meaning the amount of energy is reduced from the get-go. While the packaging industry continues to push for the use of recyclable materials, Volpak has already developed the technology to operate with recyclable materials. Stability in the forming process, control of film stretching, precise settings and accurate control of sealing parameters (time, pressure and temperature) are key elements to producing good quality and leak-proof pouches, especially if made with down-gauge packaging films. Machines such as the SI 280 or the brand new SC+ are equipped with solutions for management of different packaging materials qualities. Moreover, all latest Volpak machines address the needs and requirements of Industry 4.0 and digitalisation, hence come with a set of ‘smart’ advanced devices such as an asset performance evaluation system, central data storage, web-based self-diagnosis system and plug and play interconnectivity. The company says that these features contribute to achieve a perfect result in forming and filling pouches, and also help in sustaining the environment, reducing waste both in terms of energy and materials.
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