©Horizon Organic
FoodBev Media’s Siân Yates rounds up this week’s food and beverage news, including:
Platinum Equity to buy Horizon Organic and Wallaby from Danone
Private equity company Platinum Equity has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Horizon Organic and Wallaby from Danone.
Horizon Organic introduced the first organic milk available coast-to-coast in the US in 1991. Its product lineup includes various organic dairy items such as milk, creamers and whiteners, yogurt, cheese and butter.
Meanwhile, the Wallaby brand is an Australian-style and Greek yogurts made with organic milk and premium ingredients.
Nongfu Spring to invest $700m in new facility
Chinese bottled water producer Nongfu Spring is set to invest 5bn yuan (approx. $703 million) into a new factory in Jiande City, Zhejiang Province.
The project will be implemented in two phases and multiple stages, expected to be completed within five years.
It will cover production, processing and manufacturing, aiming to create a comprehensive industrial base for the production of drinking water and beverage products.
Research: Survey highlights growing popularity of low- and no-alcohol alternatives
Results from the Portman Group’s sixth annual survey, conducted in partnership with YouGov, reveal a significant rise in the preference for low- and no-alcohol alternatives among UK consumers, particularly young adults.
The survey, which took place between 16-17 November 2023, sampled 2,197 adults and provides further insights into evolving drinking habits.
Key findings indicate a substantial increase in 18-24 year olds identifying as occasional or regular drinkers of alcohol alternatives, reaching 44% compared to 31% in 2022.
Steakholder Foods introduces plant-based 3D-printed eel
Steakholder Foods, an Israeli company specialising in cultivated meat products, has introduced what it claims is “the world’s first” plant-based 3D-printed eel.
According to the company, Steakholder “accurately replicates the complex texture of eel” through precise layering and “a unique combination of materials” in its proprietary 3D printing technology.
The eel product is currently based on plant materials, with plans to incorporate cultivated eel cells in the future, “as economies of scale allow price-competitive cell development,” said the business.
Mars China launches low-sugar and low-glycaemic index Snickers bar
Mars China has unveiled its latest innovation, a new Snickers bar that provides consumers with a low-sugar and low- glycaemic index (GI) option.
The bar, which contains dark chocolate cereal, was developed through a collaboration between Mars and the China National Research Institute of Food & Fermentation Industries.
The formula incorporates zero-sugar pure cocoa butter dark chocolate and includes “quality” ingredients like Turkish hazelnut spread, almonds, pumpkin seeds and black sesame, aiming to maintain nutritional balance.
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