Haigh’s Chocolates has released designs of its AUD 130 million (approx. $85.6 million) manufacturing facility in Salisbury South, Australia. The company reports that this development is the largest infrastructure investment in the history of the business, as it prepares for further expansion and growth. The state-of-the-art facility is intended to be fully operational in the second half of 2025, accommodating up to 400 employees throughout the growth phase including the creation of approximately 150 new jobs. Alister Haigh, Haigh’s Chocolates chief executive, said: “This project represents a significant milestone for Haigh’s, as it will see our current chocolate production capacity double, allowing us to meet increased demand and interstate growth opportunities, including entering new markets". Peter Millard, chief operating officer for Haigh’s Chocolates, said: “Not only will this project directly create new jobs and opportunities at this site, it will facilitate employment growth across our retail business Australia-wide creating up to 250 new jobs in the medium- and long-term." The new facility will encompass 17,000 square metres for new production facilities, warehousing and online fulfilment, with AUD 36 million (approx. $23.7 million) of the project investment going towards state-of-the-art European-made equipment. This includes specialised panning, enrobing and moulding lines as well as kitchen and packing equipment chosen to complement its chocolate-making capabilities. Haigh’s currently produces 1000 tonnes of chocolate across its two existing manufacturing sites in Mile End and Parkside, Adelaide which will remain home to its head office, artisan chocolate production and visitor centre.

Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Shearer's Foods from Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board. Founded in 1974, Shearer's Foods is a manufacturer and distributor of snack foods. The company is a producer of salty snacks, cookies and crackers. Under Ontario Teachers' management, Shearer's expanded from five to 17 plants, establishing itself as "one of the largest producers of private-label and co-manufactured salty snacks in North America," said CD&R. During this period, Shearer's invested in its plant network to enhance ties with strategic blue-chip customers while diversifying its geographic and product mix. As part of the transaction, Ontario Teachers – Shearer's current majority shareholder – will exit its position in the company. Shearer's executive chairman Bill Nictakis said: "CD&R shares our focus and commitment, and their track record of helping build stronger, more sustainable businesses makes the firm an ideal partner as we continue to drive our business forward", He continued: "At the same time, I would like to express my gratitude to the Ontario Teachers' team. Under their more than a decade of ownership, we have successfully grown our footprint and significantly diversified our offerings to our valued customers." Shearer's CEO Mark McNeil commented: "As Shearer's enters a new phase of growth, we are excited to be joined by a team with the experience, expertise and resources to support our mission of producing high-quality, innovative and delicious snacks that we are proud to serve to our families, friends, customers and retailers." CD&R partner J Zrebiec added: "We have strong conviction in the differentiated manufacturing capabilities and category management the company provides, and our goal is to support the team in further scaling operations and capturing the many opportunities ahead to better serve Shearer's customers". Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Labatt Breweries of Canada has announced a CAD 6 million (approx. $4.4 million) investment in heat recovery and energy productivity innovation at its Montreal brewery. The project aims to significantly contribute towards the decarbonisation of the brewing process through reduced energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is set to reduce the plant’s GHG emissions by 30%, optimising existing energy infrastructure and creating scalable solutions for future innovations in the brewery. The new heat recovery system will convert previously unused heat expelled from Labatt’s refrigeration systems and utilise that heat within the pasteurisation process in brewing, in lieu of consuming additional energy to generate the heat needed during pasteurisation. This expenditure comes in conjunction with capital investments in two other Labatt breweries across the country this year – London and St. John’s – to fund sustainable packaging innovations and increased production capacity. These investments, combined with the Montreal announcement, total CAD 43.1 million (approx $31.7 million) invested in Labatt’s operations from coast to coast in 2023. Sarah Genetti, vice president of procurement and sustainability at Labatt Breweries of Canada, said: “Through this investment and working closely with project partners, we've taken significant steps toward decarbonising our Montreal brewery”. She added: “With this progress towards carbon neutrality in our Montreal operations, we are another step closer to achieving our ambition of net zero by 2040 across all Labatt breweries coast to coast”.

Diageo India has expanded its gin offering with the launch of Tanqueray Rangpur and Tanqueray Mallaca. The two novel variants were created to tap into the increasing popularity among consumers for diverse gin cocktails. Tanqueray Rangpur offers a citrus-infused profile, crafted with Rangpur lime, a hybrid of mandarin and citron that provides aromatic and subtle bitter notes, the gin incorporates four botanicals, bay leaf and ginger. Tanqueray Malacca, named after a city in Malaysia, provides Eastern flavours through a blend of exotic local ingredients and features botanicals such as peppercorns, cloves, ginger root, cardamom and rose.

MDWerks announced that it has acquired Two Trees Beverage Company, a fine spirits company with liquid maturation technology that accelerates the natural ageing process that happens when alcohol is aged in wooden barrels over time. Two Trees' technology aims to deliver all-natural, high-quality distilled products, efficiently produced, that are "indistinguishable by taste" from those that are traditionally aged in wooden barrels. Steven Laker, CEO of MDWerks, said: “We've closely followed Two Trees’ innovative journey in the beverage industry over the past few years. We believe that the technological foundation at Two Trees will be the catalyst for a revolution in beverage production and become the centrepiece of the company’s growth strategy. The portfolio of more than 30 refined spirits are being produced in a fraction of the time it takes to age traditional whiskies... We are thrilled to welcome the Two Trees team into the MDWerks organisation." Under Two Trees’ Sustainably Matured method, the physical and chemical changes which occur during ageing are accelerated without affecting the natural progression that occurs when alcohol is aged in White Oak barrels. The company’s accelerated ageing process uses the same ingredients as traditional ageing but uses 85% to 90% less wood than in traditional barrel ageing, cutting the need to house barrels for multiple years.

Danone-owned brand International Delight has launched two new creamers and an iced coffee inspired by the television series Bridgerton. The Bridgerton Berries & Crème flavour is available in both iced coffee and creamer options. Additionally, the creamer line-up features an English Toffee variant. International Delight Berries & Crème creamer and iced coffee blend sweet, fruity berry notes with rich crème. Meanwhile, the English Toffee creamer combines sweet chocolate swirls with caramel notes. Kallie Goodwin, VP of marketing for coffee creamers at Danone North America, said: "International Delight captures the attention of the next generation of coffee drinkers through unique, pop-culture-driven limited-time offerings." "The pageantry and opulent aesthetic of Regency era Britain made Netflix's Bridgerton the perfect collaboration opportunity to introduce our coveted Berries & Crème creamer and iced coffee and English Toffee creamer to our flavour-obsessed fans." International Delight Bridgerton creamers and iced coffee are available in major retailers nationwide for a limited time.

A new brand of healthy beverages, A1C, has launched to help consumers in the US manage blood sugar, weight, diabetes and pre-diabetes. The drinks are diabetic-approved, science-backed and are made with pure cinnamon – a spice which A1C says supports healthy blood sugar levels. Alongside cinnamon, the beverages feature natural ingredients, such as aloe vera, vanilla, black tea and select vitamins known for boosting wellbeing. A1C Drinks' founder and CEO, Russ McCullough, said: "Over 38 million Americans have diabetes. And an astonishing 98 million have pre-diabetes. As a person who cares about health, I found these numbers to be atrocious and a clear indicator that the beverage industry has not only failed to produce healthy beverages, but often times, has contributed to this epidemic.” He continued: “So we started to work. And after years of research, our team found a way to utilise the beneficial properties of cinnamon and aloe, which we combined with other natural ingredients to create a line of unique, delicious and uniquely healthy beverages”. A1C is also designed to help fight childhood obesity and provides an alternative to sodas and sports drinks.

Japanese plastic film manufacturer, Gunze, has launched an eco-friendly shrink film for automatic sleeve applicators, GeoPlas HCX1. Gunze says GeoPlas HCX1 is the "lightest shrink film for automatic sleeve applicators," – it is a polystyrene/polyethylene terephthalate multi-layered product that uses 5% of chemical recycled raw materials with the ‘mass balance’ approach. The new film can be incorporated globally as shrink labels for PET bottled beverages, foods, cosmetics, home and personal care products and other products. It has the benefits of both polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate, such as excellent shrink appearance, perforation suitability, heat resistance, content resistance and stiffness. Gunze aims to increase its use of recycled raw materials to 50% by 2024 and to supply products made from 100% recycled raw materials by 2030 through the use of these technologies. The new shrink film will first be launched in Japan and then expanded to the US, China and ASEAN markets.

The European Commission has cleared the merger between Chr. Hansen and Novozymes, conditional upon compliance with the commitments offered by the parties to divest their interests in lactase manufacturing. Kerry Group has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the lactase enzyme business of the two companies on a carve-out basis. Kerry’s acquisition of the lactase enzyme business is subject to Commission approval. This business is assessed at a total consideration of €150 million, subject to routine closing adjustments. The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2024. The agreement to purchase part of the lactase enzyme business was dependent on the European Commission’s clearance – which was recently given – of the merger between Danish bioscience companies Novozymes and Chr. Hansen. The merger was initially announced in December last year. By divesting part of the parties’ lactase businesses, the Commission reports that the transaction eliminates the danger of removing sufficient competition, and thereby reducing innovation in the industrial bio-tech sector. Novozymes and Chr. Hansen’s commitments will be monitored by “an independent trustee.” Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president in charge of competition policy of the European Commission, said: “Novozymes is an established biotech player, which manufactures industrial enzymes, including lactase. This is a concentrated area in which Chr. Hansen is an imminent competitor. The divestiture of Chr. Hansen's lactase activities together with production assets will ensure that its pipeline project can come to market and preserve competition in the highly innovative biotech sector.” With the clearance from the European Commission, Novozymes and Chr. Hansen have announced their new name as a merged business: Novonesis. Ester Baiget, president and CEO of Novozymes, said: “Novonesis reflects where we came from, what we can achieve, and what we will become together. We are dedicated to harnessing the transformative potential of biology. Building on our legacy of developing innovative BioSolutions, we stand ready to unlock unprecedented opportunities. In Novonesis, we will unite the brightest minds and the best science and technology in the field to help customers and businesses prosper while enabling them to solve some of the greatest challenges we all face. We are here to start an era of BioSolutions. That is why we have chosen to call our new company Novonesis which means ‘A new beginning’.” In a joint release the companies stated that they expect the merger to close in the first quarter of 2024 subject to regulatory approval: “The name Novonesis will be used and gradually implemented once the proposed combination is completed. Until final merger control approvals are received, and the proposed combination completes, Novozymes and Chr. Hansen operate as completely separate companies.”

Italy-based food manufacturer Newlat has revealed it is in “very advanced” talks to buy British food and beverage supplier Princes, in a report by Reuters. It was reported last week that Newlat and British buyout firm Epiris were competing to purchase Princes from Japanese owner Mitsubishi, which the report said is seeking a price of £400 million. In a statement, Newlat said it was involved in a "competitive process" for a deal. "(Our) Chairman, Angelo Mastrolia, and the entire management team are committed to seizing a great strategic opportunity capable of creating value for all stakeholders of the group," it added. Princes supplies tinned fish and fruit under its own name brand, while it also has other brands such as Flora sunflower oil and the Napolina range of Italian-style sauces and ingredients. Newlat operates in sectors including pasta, milk and dairy, instant noodles and bakery products. Princes was established in 1880 as a fish importer in Liverpool, UK, where it retains its international headquarters. It has been owned by Mitsubishi since 1989.

Velo Coffee Roasters has unveiled Velo Coffee + Protein, a ready-to-brew coffee that contains 12g of protein per serving. The product uses 100% Arabica coffee beans from Brazil and Columbia, roasted in small batches before being ground and blended with whey protein. Velo describes the result as a creamy, sweet coffee with notes of milk chocolate, able to provide healthy energy while helping consumers to build and maintain muscle. While protein products like coffee-flavoured protein powder and RTD iced coffees have already launched on the market, adding protein to hot liquids usually makes it congeal as it is not heat soluble, Velo said. The company has partnered with Glanbia Nutritionals to launch the protein coffee using Glanbia’s ProTherma whey, said to dissolve completely and maintain its nutritional properties without impacting on the coffee’s taste or aroma. Co-founder of Velo Coffee Roasters, Suzanne Casey, said: “We wanted to create a coffee that still tasted delicious, so you don't have to make a sacrifice for quality and flavour when having your boost of protein – or create separate drinks to provide the taste and the protein kick. This is a revolutionary approach to great-tasting, real quality coffee with additional health benefits.” Mayuresh Bedekar, director of product at Glanbia Nutritionals, said: “The coffee uses a high-quality hydrolysed whey protein, ProTherma, which is an exciting new alternative that works with hot coffee to achieve a protein-rich formulation that is stable and highly soluble. Two years of testing went into creating this product to ensure the taste and the performance were the standard we all sought.” Velo was founded in 2018 and is now available in retail and online, selling its millionth bag of coffee into Aldi Ireland this month and launching in Aldi UK. Velo Coffee + Protein is priced at £9 for 170g.

US private equity firm Highlander Partners has announced the merger of its portfolio company, Benestar Brands, with Palmex, a Mexican snacks brand owned by Wind Point Partners. The move will see Wind Point become the majority shareholder of the combined business, while Highlander will retain a "significant" minority position. Headquartered in Illinois, US, Benestar Brands manufactures pork rinds and restaurant-style tortilla chips, as well as soft pretzel breads. Its brands include Pretzilla, Mac's, 4505, Turkey Creek, Cazo de Oro, Porq and Chicas Tortilla Chips. Benestar operates seven production facilities in North America, located in Chicago, Illinois; Arlington, Texas; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Portsmouth, Ohio; Minford, Ohio; City of Industry, California; and Saltillo, Mexico. Palmex, based in Monterrey, Mexico, manufactures better-for-you and Hispanic snack pellets. These pellets serve as an "intermediate component" for a range of salty snacks, including veggie sticks, straws, 3D snacks, food carriers, wavy snacks and other distinctive forms. The merger will create a strong presence in the North American salty snack industry, making the combined entity as one of the leading providers of Hispanic and healthier salty snacks throughout the continent. As part of the transaction, the Pretzilla division of Benestar, known for its fresh pretzel bread and snacks, along with its manufacturing facilities in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will be spun out as a standalone business entity. Highlander and Pretzilla's management, including president and CEO Bruce Myers, will hold ownership of this independent entity. Jose Luis Prado, the current head of Palmex, will assume the position of chairman and CEO for the merged organisation. Myers will continue in the role of president of the Benestar division in the combined company. Prado said: "This powerful combination of Palmex and Benestar represents a transformative step in our journey. It not only accelerates our growth trajectory but also aligns our resources to innovate and capture emerging market trends effectively, both within the ethnic and better-for-you categories. Our goal is to leverage this combination to introduce a wider range of innovative products, thereby enhancing our portfolio of offerings and market reach." Jeff Hull, president and CEO of Highlander, commented: "Uniting Benestar and Palmex marks a significant milestone in our strategic expansion. We have worked hard on building Benestar organically and through multiple acquisitions into a premier branded snack platform with a broad portfolio of exceptional snack products. We're thrilled about the endless possibilities this partnership opens up, including leveraging each company's unique capabilities to drive growth and market penetration." Jeff Partridge, partner at Highlander and former Benestar chairman, added: "The snack market is rapidly evolving, and this merger is a game-changer. By combining Benestar's renowned brand portfolio with Palmex's state-of-the-art pellet extrusion capabilities, we're setting the stage for a new chapter of innovation and accelerated growth at the company. Highlander will remain actively involved with the combined business from the board level, using its extensive food industry expertise to provide strategic guidance to the combined organisation."