UK retail giants Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons have joined Iceland Foods in cutting the cost of Aptamil baby formula by 7%. The news comes after Danone cut the price it charges retailers for the majority of its baby milk range by 7%, and comes in response to the Competition and Markets Authority's announcement that prices for baby formula milk had risen by 25% in the last two years. The regulator noted that competition was hindered as consumers were hesitant to change brands, influenced by recommendations from friends and family or their baby's specific formula preference. Iceland was the first supermarket to announce a price decrease. In August last year, the supermarket announced plans to illegally accept food bank vouchers, loyalty points and gift cards for purchases of infant formula. The news followed a public announcement from Iceland that informed consumers that it would be cutting the price of formula milk at Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores by over 20%, in response to rising prices of formula milk placing “unbearable pressure” on parents during the cost of living crisis. At the time, Iceland urged the UK government to promptly update existing legislation, enabling retailers to inform the public when they lower the price of formula. A total of six Aptamil lines across Asda's 'Core' range will be reduced in price by an average of 7%. Customers can also now use their 'Asda Rewards' scheme vouchers to pay for any baby formula products they purchase in-store. Asda said that it will continue to work with its manufacturing partners to ensure that any additional decreases in production costs are reflected in lower prices for customers. Kris Comerford, Asda's chief commercial officer, said: “For many of Asda’s customers, and families nationwide, we understand that buying baby formula is a vital necessity in their weekly shop, which is why we’re taking swift action to pass on falling manufacturing costs to customers before any other retailer". "At the same time, we’ve decided to remove exclusions on using Asda Rewards vouchers to pay for baby formula. Whilst we respect the regulations in place regarding the sale of baby formula, we want to do everything we can to help families manage their budget and keep their family fed.”

Diageo has expanded its offering under its Smirnoff brand, with the introduction of Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind, a 30% ABV flavoured vodka. The new variant combines tamarind, an edible fruit that is found in Africa and Asia, with notes of lime and spice from a mix of chillies, providing a “sweet-meets-spicy" flavour. Smirnoff says it developed the new offering as consumer demand for flavoured vodka continues to grow, and with spicy flavours leading the way in food and drink culture within the UK. Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind can be used in various serves and mixed drinks, for example in a spicy vodka margarita cocktail or served as a Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind and lemonade. Tyler Monk, Smirnoff’s brand manager, Diageo GB, said: “Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind certainly puts the Smirnoff brand at the forefront of innovation and great flavour. We know that people are becoming more explorative when it comes to food, drink and flavours so we couldn’t think of a more perfect time to launch Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind in the UK.” Monk continued: “The latest innovation provides people with a unique twist on well-loved cocktails and is the perfect ingredient for those looking for something unique and exciting to enjoy when socialising with friends. We’re really excited for consumers to try this bold and distinctive taste experience from Smirnoff!” The new Spicy Tamarind Vodka is available to purchase in retailers nationwide for an RRP of £18.50.

Israel-based food-tech start-up Imagindairy has acquired a new facility and is operating its own industrial-scale precision fermentation production lines. Imagindairy says it is the “first” company in the industry to achieve this milestone, fully owning and operating its own industrial-scale production lines dedicated solely to animal-free milk proteins. The facility, located in the Middle East, enables Imagindairy to produce its animal-free dairy proteins at more than 100,000 litres of fermentation capacity, with planned capacity expansion to triple this volume in the next one to two years. Imagindairy is currently producing industrial-scale batches in the facility at a competitive cost structure to traditional dairy. Eyal Afergan, Imagindairy’s co-founder and CEO, said: “Having just entered the landscape three years ago, this achievement is a big step forward for us. We’ve overcome industry-wide hurdles that have previously been holding precision fermentation dairy back, including the production capacity bottleneck and ensuring that unit economics make sense across the supply chain.” He continued: “This will enable our customers to put animal-free dairy products on-shelf at cost parity to traditional dairy, without compromising on quality. It’s a substantial breakthrough and important step that will allow us to support mass-market adoption, transition to an industrial company, and speed up the development of other milk proteins.” This achievement comes on the heels of another major company milestone, as Imagindairy received a “no questions” response letter from the US Food & Drug Administration last month for the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notice submitted by the company. This signifies that the ingredient is safe to be used in F&B products, providing a regulatory ‘green light’ for food and beverage manufacturers to partner with Imagindairy. Imagindairy can now offer the most efficient manufacturing and end-to-end capabilities, extending through in-market product availability. Products made using Imagindairy’s animal-free dairy protein are expected to be launched in the US in the coming year.

Inefficiency and waste in the fermentation process can pose problems for meat substitute manufacturers. And these problems are unwelcome for businesses who wish to scale up production. Mark Richardson, processing product manager of Parker Bioscience Filtration, explores the solutions. From vegan mince to ‘fake’ bacon, more and more meat substitute products are appearing on supermarket shelves. As an increasing number of consumers switch to vegan diets or reduce the number of animal products on their shopping lists, the global meat substitute market is growing. According to Custom Market Insights, the global meat substitute market size was expected to reach a valuation of $10.1 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach a valuation of $233.87 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 42.1% from 2023 to 2030. However, manufacturers will need to scale up production as demand grows. They will also need to operate more efficiently in an increasingly competitive market. In addition, manufacturers are also under pressure from rising energy costs. Combine this with the drive to reduce carbon footprints, and there’s clearly an appetite to cut down on energy use. So, what challenges do manufacturers who use biomass fermentation or precision fermentation in meat substitute production face? And how can they reduce operational expenditure, eliminate waste and optimise fermentation to maximise production? The challenge of excessive foaming How manufacturers tackle excessive foaming can affect both energy use and operational expenditure. Foam is created in fermenters because of the need to agitate and aerate aerobic fermentations. However, excessive foaming can occur. If enough foam is generated, it will overflow from the gas outlet, resulting in the loss of growth media and product. In addition, foam that collects around a fermenter’s impellers can reduce agitation efficiency – and affect the fermenter’s performance. A less visible problem is that bubbles trapped in foam will have longer residence times in fermenters. Over the duration of the residence time, the bubbles will become oxygen depleted, leading to a reduction in the Oxygen Transfer Rate: This can impact on productivity. In addition, in some fermentations, off-gas will need to be filtered before it is released into the environment. However, if excessive foaming occurs, foam in the gas outlet can cause filter blockages. This can cause multiple problems. Blocked filters will need to be replaced, resulting in downtime. A filter blockage can also cause pressure to build up within the vessel, which can damage equipment. Plus, if the vessel is shut down because of a blockage, the fermentation process is likely to be terminated, leading to expensive production delays. Manufacturers can use antifoam additives to control excessive foaming – but antifoam can also be a contamination source. Direct heat exchangers or steam injection have been common methods of sterilising antifoam. However, typical antifoams have reasonably high molecular weights that result in lower solubility in water. This inhibits the effectiveness of steam as a sterilant, as it is difficult for the moist heat to achieve direct contact with the microorganism. It is also very difficult to validate that sterilisation is complete. Sterile filtration of antifoam using Polyethersulfone (PES) membrane filters can guarantee sterility prior to the antifoam being dosed into the fermenter. Using this method means that the high energy costs associated with using direct heat exchangers or steam injection can be reduced. Validation is also easier: PES filter membrane cartridges offer validated sterility when they are handled correctly by an operator and regular integrity testing is carried out. This makes quality control more efficient. Mechanical separation technology – which removes foam by creating a cyclone which causes foam and aerosol to migrate to an outer wall – can also be introduced. This reduces the quantity of antifoam required and so helps the manufacturer to cut down on operational expenditure. By removing foam, it can also offer additional protection to off-gas filters – again, helping the manufacturer to cut down on operational expenditure and downtime. Tackling further contamination risks Sterile filtration must be used to prevent contamination from the air sparged into the bottom of the fermenter to supply oxygen to the organisms (inlet air). However, fermentation generates high temperatures, which can damage filters. This damage can cause downtime while damaged filters are replaced. And if filters fail, the product could be at risk of contamination: Batches could be written off as a result. Consequently, any filters used to sterilise inlet air should be built to withstand high-temperature environments. Microorganisms are unlikely to grow in alkali or acidic conditions – but that doesn’t mean that pH-adjusting chemicals shouldn’t be sterilised. That’s because there is a significant contamination threat from extremophiles and heat-resistant spores that can thrive in the fermenter if introduced. However, pH adjustment chemicals are corrosive to Heat Transfer Surfaces and therefore, sterile filtration of these chemicals, prior to their addition to a fermenter, is preferable. Nutrient feeds pose a different problem. They have all the right elements to grow a healthy culture of the active microorganism, but this means that by their very nature, they provide conditions for spoilage organisms to thrive. Direct heat exchangers and steam have often been used to sterilise nutrient feeds, however these methods require high energy use. In addition, heat transfer surfaces can suffer from corrosion, which can reduce sterilisation performance. Sterile filtration offers an effective solution: Filters don’t generate the same maintenance issues as heat exchange methods, and are far less energy-intensive. Finally, sterile filtration can also be used to sterilise the ‘make-up’ water that replaces water which evaporates from the fermenter. Although liquid vent losses can be replaced by steam injection, this method carries the risk of damage to the microorganism at the injection point – and also means higher energy costs. Looking to the future With the meat substitute market experiencing rapid growth, it’s vital that manufacturers put their fermentation processes under the spotlight – and consider technology that can drive efficiency and reduce waste.

Mars has added a new flavour to its Orbit chewing gum line with the launch of White Sweet Mint. The White Sweet Mint flavour features a crunchy exterior and chewy centre. According to the company, the new flavour aims to deliver a "stronger, brighter and whiter smile". Maria Urista, vice president at Mars Wrigley, said: "We know consumers can be self-conscious about their smiles, so we hope that Orbit White Sweet Mint can help give everyone an extra boost of confidence and inspire moments of everyday happiness in 2024". Our soft chew format is a fan favourite, and we're excited to deliver this beloved flavour as part of our Orbit White lineup to keep everyone feeling their best." Orbit White Sweet Mint is available in a 40-count bottle at retailers nationwide.

Today, Aleph Farms has announced that Israel’s government agency has issued regulatory approval for Aleph Cuts, the “world’s first” cell-based beef steaks, in the form of a 'No Questions' letter. Following a rigorous review process by Israel’s Ministry of Health (MoH), Aleph Farms received the green light – the first ever for non-chicken cultivated meat anywhere in the world. It is also the first for cell-based meat of any kind in the Middle East, and the third cultivated meat company in the world to gain approval, following the US Department of Agriculture's approval of Good Meat and Upside Foods' cell-based chicken products in the US last year. Aleph Farms cultivates its beef, named Aleph Cuts, from cells sourced from cattle. The company says it prioritised beef due to conventional cattle farming’s impact on the environment, as well as its value – of common animal proteins, beef delivers the highest value in global markets, shortening the timeline to price parity. In a statement, Aleph said: “Together, impact and value pave a clear path for the acceptance of cellular agriculture, propelling its long-term growth and success”. Didier Toubia, CEO and co-founder of Aleph Farms, said: “We believe that addressing joint challenges like food security is the best way to ensure the prosperity of the Middle East and other parts of the world that rely heavily on massive food imports, especially in Asia. On behalf of our entire team, I would like to thank the Ministry of Health, the Israel Innovation Authority and all the other involved government agencies for their commitment to advance the first cultivated beef product in the world.” The first Aleph Cut to be introduced to diners in Israel – the cell-based Petit Steak – is made of non-modified, non-immortalised cells of a premium Black Angus cow named Lucy, as well as a plant protein matrix made of soy and wheat. Aside from starter cells that come from one of Lucy’s fertilised eggs, there are zero animal-derived components (including no foetal bovine serum) in the cultivation process and the final product. No antibiotics are used in production, with none present in the final product. Yifat Gavriel, chief of regulatory affairs, quality assurance and product safety at Aleph Farms, commented: "2024 stands to be a landmark year for the advancement of regulatory pathways and commercialisation of cultivated meat. With this historic regulatory approval, Israel’s MoH has firmly cemented its leadership position in introducing world-changing innovation in a way that builds trust with consumers.” He continued: “Working closely with the Food Risk Management Department at the IMOH, led by Ziva Hamama, we have ensured full compliance with safety standards and shaped the regulatory landscape for novel foods, opening the door for cellular agriculture to enhance food safety and food security." "This approval grants us permission to produce and market our product in Israel, subject to specific directions for labelling and marketing provided by the IMOH, and the completion of Good Manufacturing Practices inspection for our pilot production facility. Our regulatory team is working in similar fashion with authorities in numerous markets around the world in order to ensure compliance with respective safety requirements.” Ziva Hamama, food risk management department director at Israel’s MoH, added: “This regulatory approval of bovine cell-based food establishes Israel as a global leader in this emerging field but also underscores the National Food Service in the Ministry of Health’s commitment to prioritising public health. This regulatory milestone, the first of its kind worldwide, reflects a comprehensive assessment of crucial factors, from toxicology and allergens to nutritional composition, microbiological safety, and chemical safety throughout the entire production process – from the initial cell isolation to processing and packaging.”

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) has reached an agreement to acquire all of Carrols Restaurant Group’s issued and outstanding shares that are not already held by RBI or its affiliates. Through the deal, RBI will acquire Carrols for $9.55 per share in an all-cash transaction, for an aggregate total enterprise value of around $1 billion. Carrols is the largest Burger King franchisee in the US and operates 1,022 Burger King restaurants in 23 states, as well as owning and operating 60 Popeyes restaurants in six states. The Burger King restaurants generated around $1.8 billion in system sales during the 12-months ended 30 September 2023. Tom Curtis, president of Burger King US and Canada, said: "This acquisition is an exciting accelerator to our ‘Reclaim the Flame’ plan that is focused on relentlessly pursuing a better experience for our guests. We are going to rapidly remodel these restaurants over the next five years or so and put them back into the hands of motivated, local franchisees to create amazing experiences for our guests." The transaction follows the brand's $400 million investment, announced in September 2022, to drive high-quality remodels, improve operations, enhance marketing and support ongoing technology and digital priorities. Burger King expects to accelerate Carrols' rate of remodels to bring the acquired portfolio to a modern image over the next five years. To accomplish this, Burger King plans to invest around $500 million, funded by Carrols' operating cash flow, to remodel 600 acquired restaurants that are not currently considered modern image. Deborah Derby, president and CEO of Carrols, commented: "Today's announcement is a testament to our more than 24,000 Carrols team members who have helped drive the company to record levels of profitability over the past 12 months. These results have allowed us, through this transaction, to deliver immediate and certain value to Carrols shareholders at an attractive premium to the company's current and historical share prices.” She continued: “Additionally, we believe our team members will now have additional opportunities as part of the greater RBI family – in our office, in the field and especially in our restaurants, including for long-time managers who may want to become franchisees themselves. We look forward to working closely with Tom and the rest of the Burger King team in the months and years ahead." Josh Kobza, CEO of RBI, added: "This is a terrific example of our commitment to put our capital to work to accelerate growth and support Tom and his team in their broader efforts to have a more competitive Burger King restaurant base. The strategic merits of this acquisition are very compelling and consistent with our objective to invest our capital in long-term, high-return opportunities." The transaction is expected to be completed in Q2 2024 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

Quaker Canada has issued a voluntary recall of its granola bars and Harvest Crunch cereals due to possible exposure to salmonella. The decision follows a recall initiated last Thursday in the US by the Quaker Oats Company and is "taken in Canada out of an abundance of caution and commitment to the well-being of our Canadian consumers," said the company. The affected items comprise ten varieties of Harvest Crunch cereals, 13 Chewy granola bars, nine Dipps granola bars, five Quaker Yogurt granola bars and one Captain Crunch cereal treat bar. The recalled products have been distributed across Canada. According to Quakers, consumers are advised to inspect their pantries for any of the mentioned products and discard them. Quaker said that it is working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to ensure the removal of the recalled products from the marketplace.

Holland & Barrett (H&B) with Life Kitchen is a food range designed to help consumers that have experienced changes to their taste or smell due to short- or long-term illnesses, such as cancer treatment or long covid. The “first-of-its-kind" range on the UK high-street features six taste-boosting food products that help to enhance the flavour of mealtimes for those experiencing changes to taste. The retailer created the taste-boosting range by partnering with specialists at Life Kitchen and founder of the Centre for Study of the Senses, Barry Smith, with the aim of helping people find pleasure in food again. The collection has been formulated to enhance the five basic tastes - sweet, sour, salt, bitter and umami. Either working to one of these tastes, a mix-and-match approach, or working to enhance all five, each product has been designed to work with the corresponding taste receptor on the tongue to create the ultimate flavour experience, developed through extensive research. The six-strong range was created to provide simple cooking hacks that are quick, easy additions to supercharge the taste and flavour of any dish, and were formulated to be tasty whether or not your taste buds have been affected. H&B says that changes to taste impact 70% of people affected by cancer and 40-50% of those with Covid-19 globally. The line is also designed to aid those experiencing changes to smell, with Holland & Barrett citing recent studies that reveal that over 11 million adults in the UK experience changes to smell at any given time – the equivalent to more than one in five adults. The range includes Sensation Salt, a blend of white pepper, sour citric acid and umami to create a full sensory experience that can be used to replace normal salt – it can be used on chips or popcorn for example. H&B’s Seed, Kale & Wasabi Blend provides a mix of bitter flavours that add depth and intrigue to dishes, working as a taste enhancer for salads or as a garnish for soups. The retailer’s Soy & Honey Umami Paste gives consumers a combination of three umami rich ingredients, soy sauce, honey and dried mushrooms, to create a flavour boost that makes other ingredients more intense, it is recommended for use in marinades and dressings. Miso Honey is a rich umami miso that boosts the honey’s sweetness, providing decadent flavour notes that can be used to enhance both sweet and savoury dishes – the versatile ingredient could be poured over a grilled chicken breast or paired with a bowl of ice cream or yogurt. H&B’s Citrus Sensation Spritz is a blend of vinegar, glucose syrup, yuzu juice, rice koji and natural ginger flavourings – with yuzu selected due to its small scent molecules that reach the nose quickly, working with the koji on the tongue to create a multi-level sensory taste experience. The retailer says the Spritz works well with fish or grilled vegetables. The final product in the range, White Chocolate & Miso Raspberries, features a fusion of umami-rich miso and white chocolate sweet cocoa butter, resulting in a sweet, salt and savoury balance resulting in an intense chocolate bar. April Preston, global product director at Holland & Barrett, said: “Our new Holland & Barrett with Life Kitchen range is our latest example of delicious products that love you back. We’re incredibly proud to launch this brand-new range to help people find their pleasure and joy in food again.” Life Kitchen co-founder, Ryan Riley, added: “Our experience at Life Kitchen – which saw us create the world’s first cancer cookery school – means we know the profound impact that taste and smell has on our physical and mental health. Our aim is to help as many people as possible enjoy food again, whether or not your taste buds have been affected, so we’re thrilled to work with H&B to bring this innovative product range to the high-street.” The new range is available online and in-stores nationwide at Holland & Barrett, for RRPs ranging from £3-£4.

UK healthy food-to-go brand Pollen + Grace has released a new line of veg-led ready meals. The ready meals offer a plant-based twist on familiar dinner classics. Pollen + Grace, in line with current nutritional guidance to consume at least 30 different plants weekly, emphasises 'plant points' per meal, where vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains count as one point each, and herbs or spices contribute a quarter point, facilitating consumers in evaluating the wellness-boosting plant diversity in each serving. The initial range, which is launching this month, features three "insight-led" dishes: Rich Aubergine + Lentil Moussaka, features a protein-packed, plant-based combination of slow-cooked tomato + lentil ragu seasoned with basil and mint between layers of roasted aubergine and potato, topped with cashew nut béchamel sauce and paprika breadcrumb topping, scoring 10 plant points. Meanwhile, the Saag Aloo Potato Pie is a fusion dish merging the Indian flavours of Saag Aloo with Shepherd’s Pie, comprising a lentil, chickpea and spinach masala base topped with spiced potato mash and nigella seeds, scoring 13 plant points. Thai Red Vegetable Curry provides a restaurant-style experience at home with baby corn, bamboo shoots, red pepper and green beans in a Thai red sauce served with brown basmati and wild rice, delivering 12 plant ingredients. Additionally, three more meals, including Garden Vegetable Pie, Chickpea Tikka Masala and Thai Green Vegetable Curry, are set to launch in March. Stephanie Kingston and Kristina Komlosiova, founders of Pollen + Grace, commented: “In 2024, we’ve set ourselves an ambitious target of tripling sales, and expanding into new product categories to help more people eat better than ever before, wherever they are". “The healthy ready meals sector has seen a decline in household penetration, and we think that’s because the current options just don’t live up to shopper expectations for taste and quality, which we know are most influential in category purchase decisions. Our meals have been crafted by our own chefs, using the best combinations of quality, flavour-packed plant ingredients. Pollen + Grace's ready meals are currently available at Co-op, Ocado, Booths and Amazon, as well as through independent retailers via CLF Distribution.

Danone has announced that "after an in-depth period of analysis," it has taken the decision to initiate a dialogue process regarding the potential closure of the Parets del Valles yogurt plant in Catalonia, Spain. The proposal is part of Danone's plan to enhance the competitiveness of its brands and to improve industrial efficiency. Danone said in a statement: "From this moment on, Danone Spain will work together with the legal representation of the workers to offer the best possible solutions, and minimise the impact on the employees of the plant". It added that it would "try to reach an agreement that satisfies the interests of all parties and will make every effort to mitigate the consequences of this announcement". The company highlighted that among the various measures Danone Spain proposes in this type of situation, the dairy giant is committed to promoting reindustrialisation with the goal of facilitating ongoing industrial operations in the region and reducing the labour impact. According to the business, Danone "remains firmly committed to the territory" and "will continue to collect milk in Catalonia".

India’s Tata Consumer Products, owner of Tetley Tea, has acquired two Indian food groups: Capital Foods and Organic India. The Indian conglomerate announced it had purchased Capital Foods for INR 51 billion (approx. $614 million) and acquired Organic India for INR 19 billion (approx. $229 million). Through the deal, Tata Consumer will buy 75% of the equity shareholding of Capital Foods upfront, owner of the brands Ching’s Secret and Smith & Jones, with the remaining 25% shareholding acquired within the next three years. Ching’s Secret manufactures chutneys, blended masalas, sauces and soups, while Smith & Jones is a fast-growing brand catering to in-home cooking of Italian and other Western cuisines. This move is consistent with Tata Consumer’s strategic intent to expand its product portfolio and its target addressable market in fast growing and high margin categories. Sunil D’Souza, MD and CEO, Tata Consumer Products, said: “We believe this is a good strategic and financial fit. It will open up significant market opportunities in the fast-growing non-Indian cuisines segment, leveraging the sales and distribution platform that we have built. The strong brand recall of Ching’s Secret and Smith & Jones coupled with our operational strength across channels makes us extremely confident of driving topline growth and realizing cost synergies.” Ajay Gupta, founder of Capital Foods, commented: “Today is a historic day for Capital Foods. To be associated with the iconic Tata Group is a dream come true for me. Just the name, ‘Tata’, instils a sense of trust and pride in every Indian. Together, Tata and Capital Foods can create a multi-national culinary brand that includes multiple food categories." Tata Consumer also announced that it had signed definitive agreements to acquire up to 100% of the issued equity share capital of Organic India, a strong BFY organic brand spanning F&B and herbal and traditional supplements. founded in 1997, Organic India supplies more than 40 markets, including US customers at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Markets. This move is set to create a health and wellness platform for Tata Consumer. D’Souza added: “This transaction aligns well with Tata Consumer’s overall strategic objectives and presents exciting market opportunities in the rapidly growing health and wellness segment. In addition, Organic India has built very strong relationships with farmers to create a robust organic supply chain with a trusted brand and a loyal consumer base.” He continued: “Organic India’s differentiated products and robust supply chain together with Tata Consumer’s distribution strength across channels in India and specific geographies globally makes us confident of accelerating momentum in the business while improving our margin profile”.