Campbell-owned snack brand Late July has added two new spicy tortilla chips to its portfolio: Hawaiian Habanero and Scorchin' Sauce. Late July's Hawaiian Habanero features a "sweet and tangy" pineapple flavour, paired with spicy habanero pepper. Meanwhile, the Scorchin' Sauce variant has a "bold and savoury" cayenne pepper flavour. Both flavours are made with gluten-free, non-GMO ingredients, including organic corn and "carefully selected" seasonings. The tortilla chips are available at US retailers for an SRP of $5.79 per 7.8oz bag.

Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, has announced that the government of Canada is providing CAD 89 million (approx. $65.85 million) in funding to dairy, poultry and egg processors. The announcement took place at Lactalis Canada's cheese plant in Ingleside, Ontario, where MacAulay reported that the facility will receive up to CAD 3.34 million (approx. $2.47 million) to "enable a modernisation project" that will see the installation of new automated cheese processing and packaging equipment. Mathieu Frigon, president and CEO of Dairy Processors Association of Canada, said: “The Supply Management Processing Investment Fund has shown its value in leveraging increased investments from dairy processors in process innovation and upgrading plants. We commend government officials for their flexibility and responsiveness to the evolving needs of the dairy processing community in the administration of this programme.” You may also like to read: Fonterra and Nestlé complete sale of DPA Brazil Lactalis to purchase dessert manufacturer Marie Morin Canada Lactalis fined AUD 950,000 for dairy code of conduct breach

Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, has announced that the government of Canada is providing CAD 89 million (approx. $65.85 million) in funding to dairy, poultry and egg processors. The announcement took place at Lactalis Canada's cheese plant in Ingleside, Ontario, where MacAulay reported that the facility will receive up to CAD 3.34 million (approx. $2.47 million) to "enable a modernisation project" that will see the installation of new automated cheese processing and packaging equipment. Mathieu Frigon, president and CEO of Dairy Processors Association of Canada, said: “The Supply Management Processing Investment Fund has shown its value in leveraging increased investments from dairy processors in process innovation and upgrading plants. We commend government officials for their flexibility and responsiveness to the evolving needs of the dairy processing community in the administration of this programme.” You may also like to read: Fonterra and Nestlé complete sale of DPA Brazil Lactalis to purchase dessert manufacturer Marie Morin Canada Lactalis fined AUD 950,000 for dairy code of conduct breach

Dawn Foods has announced the acquisition of bakery ingredients manufacturing company, Royal Steensma. Headquartered in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, Royal Steensma offers a wide range of bakery products, specialising in fat-based coatings (Souplesse), almond and confectionery pastes, bakery mixes, fruit fillings, as well as infused and candied fruits and decorations. The acquisition, which closed on 31 January, includes four manufacturing plants located in the Netherlands, along with a manufacturing facility in Thailand, and continued involvement with the Food Innovation Academy education centre. In addition, all Royal Steensma employees are now members of the Dawn team. Dawn Foods' CEO, Carrie Jones-Barber, said: "We are proud to welcome the team from Royal Steensma to Dawn and to build on our shared bakery knowledge and history of providing incredible products to bakers all around the world. The expansion of our manufacturing capabilities and product portfolio further strengthens our mission to provide customers with bakery solutions that truly inspire and help them achieve their business goals." Alfred Bruin, owner of Royal Steensma, added: "Dawn's century of bakery expertise, long-term vision, commitment to company values and sincere dedication to team members, customers and suppliers were the determining factors in entrusting Royal Steensma to Dawn Foods". "Additionally, Dawn has the same creative entrepreneurial spirit of a family-owned company, which gives me the confidence that the essence of the family business will be safeguarded, providing a promising future with numerous new opportunities for our loyal and valued employees and customers." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Dawn Foods has announced the acquisition of bakery ingredients manufacturing company, Royal Steensma. Headquartered in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, Royal Steensma offers a wide range of bakery products, specialising in fat-based coatings (Souplesse), almond and confectionery pastes, bakery mixes, fruit fillings, as well as infused and candied fruits and decorations. The acquisition, which closed on 31 January, includes four manufacturing plants located in the Netherlands, along with a manufacturing facility in Thailand, and continued involvement with the Food Innovation Academy education centre. In addition, all Royal Steensma employees are now members of the Dawn team. Dawn Foods' CEO, Carrie Jones-Barber, said: "We are proud to welcome the team from Royal Steensma to Dawn and to build on our shared bakery knowledge and history of providing incredible products to bakers all around the world. The expansion of our manufacturing capabilities and product portfolio further strengthens our mission to provide customers with bakery solutions that truly inspire and help them achieve their business goals." Alfred Bruin, owner of Royal Steensma, added: "Dawn's century of bakery expertise, long-term vision, commitment to company values and sincere dedication to team members, customers and suppliers were the determining factors in entrusting Royal Steensma to Dawn Foods". "Additionally, Dawn has the same creative entrepreneurial spirit of a family-owned company, which gives me the confidence that the essence of the family business will be safeguarded, providing a promising future with numerous new opportunities for our loyal and valued employees and customers." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Israel-based animal-free dairy start-up Remilk has received Health Canada’s ‘Letter of No Objection,’ enabling the use and sale of its animal-free beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) protein in Canada. Health Canada is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for national health policy. Remilk's animal-free BLG milk protein is equivalent to its cow-derived counterpart, but it is produced through precision fermentation, without a single cow. The company manufactures its protein at commercial scale in several locations around the world. In February last year, Remilk received a ‘No Questions Letter’ from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and gained approval from the Singapore Food Agency for its animal-free BLG protein and, in April, it received regulatory approval in Israel. Now, with Health Canada's ‘No Objection Letter,’ Remilk says it is LBG protein is the “first” animal-free protein greenlit for use within the country. The letter means that Canadian manufacturers can use Remilk's protein in a variety of products with the same taste and texture as milk, ice cream, yogurt, cream cheese and more. The protein is free of lactose, cholesterol and growth hormones, and Remilk says it provides “significant” nutritional and environmental benefits. Aviv Wolff, Remilk's co-founder and CEO, said: "This is an important day for us at Remilk, and a historic one for Canada as it opens its doors to the new-dairy revolution. We developed a strategic roadmap for regulatory approvals around the world, recognising that CPG companies seek solutions that benefit consumers throughout North America. We prioritised Canada in our regulatory strategy, following the green light from the FDA.” He continued: “There's a lot to love in dairy, which is why we set out to create a solution that will enable consumers to enjoy the taste of the dairy they love, without dairy's environmental and health-related drawbacks. The recognition from Health Canada – which follows years of R&D and major investments by Remilk – led to this pivotal moment, enabling a substantial market entry." Ori Cohavi, co-founder and CTO at Remilk, commented: "Health Canada's acceptance of our animal-free protein is additional validation of its safety and purity. Canada is the fourth separate health administration to conduct thorough examinations of our protein and each, individually, found it to be equivalent to its traditional counterpart.” Cohavi explained that regulatory approvals serve to open new markets for the sale of these proteins, while also reassuring both industry and consumers that the protein is the same milk protein they have been consuming for decades. Wolff added: "Canada is an important market for us, and we are proud to be the first to enter with an opportunity to deliver an unparalleled dairy experience for Canadians. We are now ready to partner with leading food companies in the country and offer consumers a whole new experience of guilt-free indulgence.”

Israel-based animal-free dairy start-up Remilk has received Health Canada’s ‘Letter of No Objection,’ enabling the use and sale of its animal-free beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) protein in Canada. Health Canada is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for national health policy. Remilk's animal-free BLG milk protein is equivalent to its cow-derived counterpart, but it is produced through precision fermentation, without a single cow. The company manufactures its protein at commercial scale in several locations around the world. In February last year, Remilk received a ‘No Questions Letter’ from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and gained approval from the Singapore Food Agency for its animal-free BLG protein and, in April, it received regulatory approval in Israel. Now, with Health Canada's ‘No Objection Letter,’ Remilk says it is LBG protein is the “first” animal-free protein greenlit for use within the country. The letter means that Canadian manufacturers can use Remilk's protein in a variety of products with the same taste and texture as milk, ice cream, yogurt, cream cheese and more. The protein is free of lactose, cholesterol and growth hormones, and Remilk says it provides “significant” nutritional and environmental benefits. Aviv Wolff, Remilk's co-founder and CEO, said: "This is an important day for us at Remilk, and a historic one for Canada as it opens its doors to the new-dairy revolution. We developed a strategic roadmap for regulatory approvals around the world, recognising that CPG companies seek solutions that benefit consumers throughout North America. We prioritised Canada in our regulatory strategy, following the green light from the FDA.” He continued: “There's a lot to love in dairy, which is why we set out to create a solution that will enable consumers to enjoy the taste of the dairy they love, without dairy's environmental and health-related drawbacks. The recognition from Health Canada – which follows years of R&D and major investments by Remilk – led to this pivotal moment, enabling a substantial market entry." Ori Cohavi, co-founder and CTO at Remilk, commented: "Health Canada's acceptance of our animal-free protein is additional validation of its safety and purity. Canada is the fourth separate health administration to conduct thorough examinations of our protein and each, individually, found it to be equivalent to its traditional counterpart.” Cohavi explained that regulatory approvals serve to open new markets for the sale of these proteins, while also reassuring both industry and consumers that the protein is the same milk protein they have been consuming for decades. Wolff added: "Canada is an important market for us, and we are proud to be the first to enter with an opportunity to deliver an unparalleled dairy experience for Canadians. We are now ready to partner with leading food companies in the country and offer consumers a whole new experience of guilt-free indulgence.”

Starship Technologies, an autonomous delivery service that deploys robots to deliver goods, has announced a $90 million funding round co-led by investment firms Plural and Iconical. This latest funding round – which brings Starship's total raised capital since its establishment to $230 million – is set to aid the company's global expansion efforts and capitalise on the growing demand for home deliveries. Operating in 80 locations worldwide, including the US, UK, Germany, Denmark, Estonia and Finland, the company's autonomous robots deliver takeaways, groceries, tools and corporate documents to customers' doorsteps, using less energy compared to human delivery methods. Companies including Bolt, Co-op, Aramark and Sodexo use Starship’s robots to deliver to their customers. The investment round will enable Starship to use continuous advancements in AI and machine learning to improve its AI, technology and wireless charging infrastructure. The capital will support the company's expansion into more global markets, with a particular focus on its Delivery as a Service (DaaS) offering. Through DaaS, Starship robots integrate into the delivery systems of its partners, providing enhanced capabilities and efficiency. The last-mile (the very last step of the delivery process when a parcel is moved from a transportation hub to its final destination) and on-demand (which allows customers to choose exactly when and where they prefer to have an order delivered) delivery segment is known for its high costs and significant carbon footprint. While this presents a sustainability challenge for logistics companies globally, the demand for these swift deliveries of food and other goods has continued to rise steadily. According to Starship, the estimated carbon emissions from last-mile delivery in Europe alone will reach 5.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2032, equivalent to emissions from 1.2 million gas-powered cars. Starship has addressed these challenges by creating a solution for last-mile delivery. Utilising innovative technology and sustainable practices, it has developed a method to deliver goods directly to customers nearby. The company says that this strategy proves to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly, meeting the demand for rapid deliveries while decreasing carbon emissions, thereby paving the way for a more sustainable future in logistics. Each Starship robot can run for 18 hours on full charge, with the average delivery using the same amount of energy as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea. Since its launch, Starship says its robots have saved nearly 1.8 million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions. Recently, Starship introduced wireless charging for its robots at George Mason University, in Virginia, US. The company plans to expand this wireless charging solution globally in the coming months, aiming to enhance the efficiency of last-mile delivery processes This initiative aligns with Starship's vision of establishing a fully autonomous system for scalable deployment. Ahti Heinla, co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies, said: “Building a company like Starship takes at least a decade of perfecting the technology, streamlining operations and reducing costs to make last-mile autonomous delivery viable and sustainable at scale. Now we’re ready to take on the world and with ambitions to build a category-dominating company that can change the daily lives of millions of people in thousands of locations worldwide.” Taavet Hinrikus, partner at Plural, added: “Starship is the global leader in autonomous technology, built in Europe. For the past 10 years, the team have been working tirelessly to build the most advanced autonomous logistics technology in the world, driving more miles and making more deliveries than any other company, whilst reducing the impact of last-mile and on-demand delivery on the planet. The culmination of this hard work over the past decade and this new funding means Starship is well-positioned for accelerated growth."

Starship Technologies, an autonomous delivery service that deploys robots to deliver goods, has announced a $90 million funding round co-led by investment firms Plural and Iconical. This latest funding round – which brings Starship's total raised capital since its establishment to $230 million – is set to aid the company's global expansion efforts and capitalise on the growing demand for home deliveries. Operating in 80 locations worldwide, including the US, UK, Germany, Denmark, Estonia and Finland, the company's autonomous robots deliver takeaways, groceries, tools and corporate documents to customers' doorsteps, using less energy compared to human delivery methods. Companies including Bolt, Co-op, Aramark and Sodexo use Starship’s robots to deliver to their customers. The investment round will enable Starship to use continuous advancements in AI and machine learning to improve its AI, technology and wireless charging infrastructure. The capital will support the company's expansion into more global markets, with a particular focus on its Delivery as a Service (DaaS) offering. Through DaaS, Starship robots integrate into the delivery systems of its partners, providing enhanced capabilities and efficiency. The last-mile (the very last step of the delivery process when a parcel is moved from a transportation hub to its final destination) and on-demand (which allows customers to choose exactly when and where they prefer to have an order delivered) delivery segment is known for its high costs and significant carbon footprint. While this presents a sustainability challenge for logistics companies globally, the demand for these swift deliveries of food and other goods has continued to rise steadily. According to Starship, the estimated carbon emissions from last-mile delivery in Europe alone will reach 5.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2032, equivalent to emissions from 1.2 million gas-powered cars. Starship has addressed these challenges by creating a solution for last-mile delivery. Utilising innovative technology and sustainable practices, it has developed a method to deliver goods directly to customers nearby. The company says that this strategy proves to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly, meeting the demand for rapid deliveries while decreasing carbon emissions, thereby paving the way for a more sustainable future in logistics. Each Starship robot can run for 18 hours on full charge, with the average delivery using the same amount of energy as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea. Since its launch, Starship says its robots have saved nearly 1.8 million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions. Recently, Starship introduced wireless charging for its robots at George Mason University, in Virginia, US. The company plans to expand this wireless charging solution globally in the coming months, aiming to enhance the efficiency of last-mile delivery processes This initiative aligns with Starship's vision of establishing a fully autonomous system for scalable deployment. Ahti Heinla, co-founder and CEO of Starship Technologies, said: “Building a company like Starship takes at least a decade of perfecting the technology, streamlining operations and reducing costs to make last-mile autonomous delivery viable and sustainable at scale. Now we’re ready to take on the world and with ambitions to build a category-dominating company that can change the daily lives of millions of people in thousands of locations worldwide.” Taavet Hinrikus, partner at Plural, added: “Starship is the global leader in autonomous technology, built in Europe. For the past 10 years, the team have been working tirelessly to build the most advanced autonomous logistics technology in the world, driving more miles and making more deliveries than any other company, whilst reducing the impact of last-mile and on-demand delivery on the planet. The culmination of this hard work over the past decade and this new funding means Starship is well-positioned for accelerated growth."

Sonae, via its subsidiary Sparkfood, is in "exclusive negotiations" to acquire an 89% stake in Diorren for €152 million on a cash and debt-free basis. Sparkfood specialises in investing in companies focused on sustainable and healthy food solutions. Based in France, Diorren is the parent company of ingredients producer BCF Life Sciences. Founded in 1986, BCF produces ingredients for the nutrition industry through a production process supported by circular economy principles. BCF converts food production waste into premium amino acid ingredients, which are incorporated into pharmaceuticals, human food and animal feed, as well as into bio-stimulants for sustainable agriculture. The deal is in line with Sonae’s strategy to develop Sparkfood into a global platform in the food tech industry by acquiring companies specialising in innovative ingredients. It also reflects Sonae’s commitment to sustainability by investing in the circular economy and expanding its international footprint.

Sonae, via its subsidiary Sparkfood, is in "exclusive negotiations" to acquire an 89% stake in Diorren for €152 million on a cash and debt-free basis. Sparkfood specialises in investing in companies focused on sustainable and healthy food solutions. Based in France, Diorren is the parent company of ingredients producer BCF Life Sciences. Founded in 1986, BCF produces ingredients for the nutrition industry through a production process supported by circular economy principles. BCF converts food production waste into premium amino acid ingredients, which are incorporated into pharmaceuticals, human food and animal feed, as well as into bio-stimulants for sustainable agriculture. The deal is in line with Sonae’s strategy to develop Sparkfood into a global platform in the food tech industry by acquiring companies specialising in innovative ingredients. It also reflects Sonae’s commitment to sustainability by investing in the circular economy and expanding its international footprint.

General Mills-owned brands Old El Paso and Cinnamon Toast Crunch have teamed up to launch a new dessert taco shells. Old El Paso's Stand 'N Stuff shells are covered with Cinnamon Toast Crunch's "cinnadust". Jenny Jonker, Old El Paso's brand experience manager, said: “We love adding unexpected flavour combinations to our roster, and this collaboration between Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Old El Paso pairs the most valuable players from the cereal and taco game for a one-of-a-kind format that gives taco night the sweet touchdown it deserves". The dessert taco shells will be available for a limited time at retailers nationwide from next month.