Fonterra has announced a significant step towards its climate ambitions with its latest on-farm emissions target and release of its climate roadmap. The cooperative is targeting a 30% intensity reduction in on-farm emissions by 2030 (from a 2018 baseline), which will see it further reduce the emissions profile of its products. 86% of Fonterra’s emissions are on-farm, with the new target set to reduce emissions intensity by tonne of fat- and protein-corrected milk collected by Fonterra. Fonterra expects this target to be achieved through a number of routes, including a 7% reduction through farming best practice such as feed quality and improving herd performance. It expects a 7% reduction through novel technologies that it is developing through its AgriZeroNZ joint venture which is working to find a solution to methane, and other partnerships. The coop expects an 8% reduction through carbon removals from existing and new vegetation and 8% reduction from historical land-use change conversions to dairy. Fonterra’s CEO Miles Hurrell said: “Our collective efforts, to reduce emissions from on-farm, across our operations and by our R&D teams, will help future-proof Fonterra, supporting our ambition to be a long-term sustainable coop for generations to come. At the other end of the supply chain, as a large part of our customers’ Scope 3 emissions, today’s announcement further demonstrates to them that we are committed to being their sustainable dairy partner of choice both now, and into the future.” Fonterra’s chairman Peter McBride added: “There is significant variation within and across farming systems when it comes to emissions intensity. We are confident that we can make solid progress towards our target by working together and sharing information farmer-to-farmer. It will require a combination of sharing best farming practices and technology to reduce emissions – it’s both our biggest opportunity and our biggest challenge.” He continued: “We have deep empathy for the challenges our farmers are already dealing with. The coop’s approach will be to work alongside farmers, not against them, as we collectively make progress towards our target, including investing in methane reduction technologies”. Fonterra also launched its ‘Climate Roadmap,’ a plan that outlines the actions the coop will take towards its 2030 targets and ambition to be net zero by 2050. In the roadmap, Fonterra says by 2025, 100% of its New Zealand farms will have farm environment plans, it will implement a zero-deforestation commitment across primary deforestation-linked commodities and a 40% reduction in the number of sites that use coal. By 2037, the coop hopes eliminate all remaining coal use, achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The coop has also released its first climate-related disclosure report, which identifies risks and opportunities related to climate and helps it plan for the future. New Zealand is the first country in the world to pass a law introducing mandatory climate-related risk reporting, with it becoming mandatory next year for around 200 New Zealand companies, including Fonterra.

A new global association, Future Ocean Foods, has launched this week, dedicated to accelerating the alternative seafood industry. The first-of-its-kind association is launching with an inaugural membership base of 36 companies across 14 countries, including the UK, US, Canada and Singapore. It will span plant-based, fermentation and cultivated seafood and technology. Members in the plant-based space include Konscious Foods, SimpliiGood, Mindblown by The Plant Based Seafood Co and Revo Foods. From the cell-based sector, members include Avant Meats, Umami Bioworks and Sophie's Bionutrients. Future Ocean Foods’ mission is to promote food security, human health, environmental sustainability and ocean conservation. Its members have already received significant venture capital from leading food and climate investors, and are already working with large legacy seafood companies to create sustainable food options. Invested capital into the fast-growing alternative seafood space increased by 92% from 2021 to 2022, and US retail sales grew 42% over a similar period. The global plant-based food market is expected to surpass $100 billion by 2030 and the alternative seafood industry is ‘poised to capitalise on this,’ the association said in a statement announcing its launch. Future Ocean Foods members are using plants and cells to help create seafood alternatives, ranging from whole-cut salmon filets, sushi-grade tuna, flaky white fish, shrimp, crab, calamari and more. The association emphasises the importance of ocean conservation, with issues such as ocean warming, acidification and plastic and antibiotic pollution causing rapid loss of biodiversity and marine life as well as threatening international food supplies. The global seafood industry is projected to surpass $700 billion by 2030, and the association argues that aquaculture cannot, and should not, fulfil this demand. Future Ocean Foods aims to unite global stakeholders to foster knowledge-sharing and collaboration, as well as increase awareness of the benefits of alternative seafood for human health and sustainability. It will work to increase product trials, deepen market penetration and help to raise the nutritional profile of alternatives with a focus on protein and omegas. Members will work with traditional seafood companies to help diversify their offerings create sustainable solutions and create new jobs in regions that are historically reliant on the seafood sector. The association announced that it is planning a global event to unite alternative seafood start-ups, investors, government groups, trade associations and traditional seafood organisations, as well as retail, foodservice and grocery representatives. It has partnered with the non-profit alternative proteins thinktank Good Food Institute as a knowledge partner, as well as with plant-based food awareness organisation ProVeg International and the Global Organization for EPA & DHA Omega-3s, which works to increase consumption of quality omega-3s. Marissa Bronfman, founder and executive director of Future Ocean Foods, described the association’s lunch as an “incredible moment in time for the future of food and our oceans”. She added: “Alternative seafood offers us the opportunity to build a more delicious, nutritious, sustainable and ethical global food system. I am humbled and hugely excited to be working alongside these visionary founders and pioneering companies to revolutionise the seafood industry, and am emboldened by the spirit of collaboration among our members. We all embrace the adage: ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’.”

Culligan-owned Quench has announced the acquisition of Neighbors Coffee. Founded in 1985, Neighbors Coffee is an office coffee supplier and service provider in West Park, Florida. The acquisition highlights the growing role of coffee in the company's portfolio and supports its "goal of providing commercial customers with the broadest array of premium point-of-use offerings," said Ryan Hartley, VP of corporate development for Quench. David Santana, owner of Neighbors Coffee, added: "Quench is the benchmark when it comes to customer service. When the time came to pass our legacy on, Quench was the natural choice." "With its unparalleled product line that also includes water coolers, ice machines and sparkling water dispensers, Quench is uniquely equipped to support the many breakroom needs of our customers." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Aquatech 2023 – the largest trade exhibition for the global water technology industry – took place from 6-9 November in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The event attracted hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of visitors from across the globe, marking it as a significant gathering for the industry. Aquatech provides a comprehensive platform for professionals in the water sector to showcase innovations, exchange knowledge and network. Taking place at the RAI convention centre, the event provided a chance to engage with a wide range of industry leaders and professionals, including Blupura, Zerica, Cosmetal, Xylem, Oasis, Caware, Canaletas and many more. During the show, Refreshment witnessed a diverse array of innovations. From technologies to sustainable practices, the exhibition showcased a broad spectrum of advancements in the industry. Technologies ranged from digital solutions to water treatment methods. The exhibitors presented innovative approaches to address challenges, emphasising efficiency, sustainability and real-time monitoring. UV and filtration systems were a focal area, reflecting the industry's commitment to advancing water purification technologies. Blupura, for instance, showcased its first line of filter cartridges, Blutron. Meanwhile, Taiwanese water filter solution, Caware, presented its line of single-cartridge coffee filters – such as RM- 17BWM and RL- 17BWM. Silanna UV, an Australian company specialising in the manufacture of advanced semiconductors, demonstrated its SF1 series of UV LEDs. These UV LEDs are ideal for water purity applications such as nitrate detection, organic compound detection, disinfection and HPLC chromatography. AquiSense Technologies featured its UV-C LED water disinfection system range – the PearlAqua Micro. Furthermore, in the realm of water dispensers, Canaletas presented its hands-free drinking fountain for bottle filling, the A-88 2PE water fountain, equipped with separate pedals for cold, room temperature and mixed water. Blupura also showcased its latest water dispenser release, Rebel, capable of dispensing 30 litres per hour with options for extremely hot and cold water. The event highlighted evolving consumer preferences in hydration. As many people dislike consuming plain water, flavoured water has become a significant focus in recent years. At the trade show, Switzerland-based company Lang presented a machine that not only filters tap water but also replicates the taste and benefits of natural Alpine mineral water. The machine comes with cartridges offering flavoured water options, using natural extracts to produce beverages like tea and flavoured cold drinks. Amid these innovations, the exhibition provided valuable insights into the latest water industry developments, showcasing collaborative efforts towards a more resilient and sustainable water future.

Nestlé in Ukraine has committed to employ and provide internships for 630 people within its own youth programme over the next two years. The company has committed to employ 320 people under the age of 30 and to engage 310 people in its internship programme for students and graduates of higher education institutions during 2024-2025. Nestlé reports that over the last decade, its youth programme, 'Nestlé Needs YOUth,' has developed career opportunities for young people, hiring more than 4,800 people under the age of 30. Nestlé also claims around 1,900 students have completed internships at the company. Alessandro Zanelli, CEO of Nestlé in Ukraine and Southeastern Europe, said: "In Ukraine, we continue to deploy 'Nestlé Needs YOUth' aiming to foster leadership development and provide career opportunities for young Ukrainians helping them get their first job. Since the beginning of this year, within the framework of 'Nestlé Needs YOUth,' we have already hired more than 80 employees under the age of 30.” He continued: “In total, since the beginning of the full-scale war, we have employed more than 500 people at Nestlé in Ukraine. Our company demonstrates full trust in the prosperous future of Ukraine and at the beginning of the year announced $42 million investment in a new factory, bringing the number of factories operating in Ukraine to four... We are already taking concrete steps today to ensure the future development of the country and the realization of its business potential." Earlier this month the Ukrainian National Agency on Corruption Prevention added Nestlé to an “international sponsors of war” register, a list of companies which still operate and potentially make a profit in Russia. The company responded by saying that they are not making any investments in Russia, but still providing essential supplies to the local communities and fully complying with all applicable international sanctions.

The new PET bottle from Sidel is designed to offer an increased competitive advantage for liquid dairy manufacturers. The bottle has been designed for products such as drinking and probiotic yoghurts with capacities between 65ml to 150ml. Sidel also reports that the bottle would suit applications within the juice, nectar, soft drinks, isotonics and tea sector. Laurent Naveau, packaging innovator leader for Sidel, commented: “This new format has been launched to support the liquid dairy product industry where the use of PET packaging has increasingly become an attractive alternative. Part of Sidel’s continuous packaging optimisation programme, this bottle is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs while also offering new marketing opportunities and high production performance for manufacturers.” Sidel claims that with the new ultra-light bottle, manufacturers can benefit from PET’s heightened sustainability credentials. Manufacturers can achieve a significant cost reduction when moving from polystyrene or high-density polyethylene to PET. The company also says that the new PET bottles are highly customizable by manufacturers leading to a greater shelf appeal than current products. Sidel’s new “ultra-small bottle” is based on a uniquely designed preform, which, they claim, ensures a wide process window even with reduced heating zones. This offers optimum material distribution guaranteeing a high-bottle performance. Laurent Naveau added: “Sidel’s packaging experts have developed a preform that achieves great bottle quality. The accurate material distribution on the bottle ensures that its performance is secured even with lower blowing pressure and a reduced quantity of material. We’re excited to work with producers within the liquid dairy product sector to realise the full scope of our new ultra-small and light design range.”

UK peanut butter brand ManiLife has teamed up with Brixton Brewery to create a peanut butter-flavoured stout. The new drink, called Nuts + Bolts, combines the rich flavour of ManiLife's deep roast peanut butter with a smooth stout characterised by a robust malty flavour. The stout features hints of morning coffee and milk chocolate with a rich "peanutty" finish. Jez Galaun, co-founder of Brixton Brewery, said: “There are already a few peanut brews on the market, so we really wanted to create something unique and different with this limited-edition stout...We went through lots of trials with the recipe, but have landed on a batch that we’re super proud of. It’s malty, smooth and has that distinctive peanut-flavoured finish that we know people will recognise and love.” Available for a limited time, Nuts + Bolts has a 5% ABV and will be sold at Brixton Brewery’s online shop for £2.75 per 330ml cans.

Tyson Foods is closing two of its case-ready meat production facilities in the US. The closure affects sites in Jacksonville, Florida, and Columbia, South Carolina. A spokesperson for Tyson told FoodBev that this was a "difficult decision". The company further stated that it would "make an effort" to provide its staff with opportunities to stay with the company at different locations. Additionally, Tyson will collaborate with state and local officials to offer additional resources to its employees. The company highlighted: "With a focus on optimising our operational footprint, we are reallocating resources to operate as efficiently as possible, while maintaining ample capacity to serve our customers". Tyson did not disclose the number of affected employees. You may also like to read: Tyson Foods to sell China poultry business – ReutersTyson to shutter four more chicken plantsTyson Foods to cut 10% of corporate jobs and 15% of senior roles

Foremost Farms USA and Ginkgo Bioworks have teamed up to reduce the dairy industry's carbon footprint. The collaboration seeks to leverage biotechnological advancement for domestic, sustainable biomanufacturing of materials derived from dairy co-products, with the aim of benefitting the environment, family farms and the dairy industry. Through the partnership, Foremost Farms will use Ginkgo's bioproduction services to create and commercialise a new technology designed to upcycle billions of pounds of dairy co-products annually. Ginkgo's metabolic engineering and analytical capabilities will allow strain optimisation for challenging environmental conditions while avoiding common toxicity issues. Greg Schlafer, president and CEO of Foremost Farms, said: "We're excited to partner with Ginkgo Bioworks, which can uniquely help Foremost Farms realise its goals. Ginkgo's platform gives us access to everything we need to move from concept to commercialisation faster, providing a competitive advantage." He continued: "We are innovating to continue our trajectory as environmental stewards that take care of our world and create value for dairy farm families by potentially lowering manufacturing costs and creating a significant new revenue stream for those farmers". Declan Roche, chief commercial officer at Foremost Farms, added: "We're in a unique position to leverage Ginkgo's expertise because their flexible R&D service offerings allow us to creatively approach this significant opportunity in our value chain. With Ginkgo, we are able to pursue this exciting opportunity while minimising our internal R&D fixed costs and allowing our team to remain focused on our core business."

The JM Smucker Co has announced the closing of the transaction to acquire Hostess Brands, owner of the Twinkies snack cake brand. As reported by FoodBev in September, JM Smucker signed a definitive agreement to acquire Hostess for approximately $5.6 billion. The deal includes Hostess’ portfolio of sweet baked snack products, including Donettes, Twinkies, DingDongs, Zingers, CupCakes and Mini Muffins among others. JM Smucker has also acquired Hostess’ manufacturing facilities in Emporia, Kansas, Burlington, Ontario, Chicago, Illinois, Columbus, Georgia, Indianapolis, Indiana and Arkadelphia, as well as a facility currently under construction in Arkansas and a distribution facility in Kansas. Approximately 3,000 employees will join the company in conjunction with the now completed transaction. Mark Smucker, chair of the board, president and CEO of JM Smucker Co, said: “We are excited to formally welcome Hostess Brands and for the tremendous opportunity we have with the combined capabilities our businesses offer”. “Consumers' increasing reliance on snacking to fit lifestyle needs and convenience choices has expanded the occasions where the category can deliver, and the sweet baked goods category is one of the largest and fastest growing in the industry. With the Hostess acquisition, we have a strong position in this highly attractive segment with popular brands that consumers love.” Smucker added that the synergy of the businesses provides a “compelling platform” for sustainable growth, offering an expanded distribution model, a “robust” innovation engine and extensive manufacturing capabilities. He concluded: “This is complemented by the strong retailer relationships in the grocery and mass channels we have at Smucker; along with our advanced commercial organisation, highlighted by our industry-leading consumer insights and marketing and our continuous productivity approach”. The company will provide further information about the transaction’s impact on its financial outlook when it reports its second quarter fiscal 2024 results on 5 December 2023.

Solution provider for the carton packaging industry, Impack, has introduced GenieCut, an in-line window patcher designed to redefine carton windowing. GenieCut’s technology boasts enhanced speed, functionality, flexibility and efficiency. Using the GenieCut, packaging producers can offer window patching as a new service to existing customers or can modernise and streamline customers’ current window application processes. One of its “standout features” is its compact design that provides the same functionality as larger competing systems while taking up “virtually no additional floor space”. GenieCut features a specialised glue system capable of feeding at least 60 glue guns. To accelerate customer return on investment, Impack and Baumer offer optional glue gun modules for the GenieCut so that customers can select the smallest module that meets production needs. The glue system comes standard with a user-friendly Baumer touchscreen controller that allows operators to define precise glue patterns. While traditional window patchers have motors that need to “home” before cycling again, the GenieCut design allows it to cycle continuously, so it can cut the film over 15 times a second. With the GenieCut, optimised folder-gluer lines can expect to achieve actual production times of up to 150 metres per minute or 15,000-40,000 boxes per hour depending on blank size. Jeff Shaffer, inventor of GenieCut, said: “Over the years, as a production manager on a folder-gluer line, I saw many ways that the outdated window patching technology could be improved. The GenieCut is a simple, low-maintenance design that promises years of easy operation with less waste and down time.” The technology increases productivity by reducing training time, set up time, cleaning time and maintenance due to its simplified and streamlined mechanism. Impack says that “while standard window patchers can take 3 to 4 hours to set up, the GenieCut usually takes less than 15 minutes to set up when recalling an existing job...While traditional window patchers require fairly frequent blade replacements due to their knife and anvil cutting system, the GenieCut uses a patented stationary knife film cutting system.” Shaffer added: “The GenieCut is the most user-friendly window machine on the market! No prior window machine experience is necessary. With some basic knowledge of any adhesive extrusion system, operators already know how to run this machine.” Dominic Theriault, president and CEO of Impack, commented: “Like all of our products, the GenieCut is designed to improve functionality and productivity of folder-gluer machines and has the potential to help every single one of our customers be more competitive in the global market”.

Danone has announced the launch of Fortimel, its first medical nutrition product in the adult foods for special medical purposes category in China. The launch is part of Danone’s strategy in China to leverage its scientific expertise across the life spectrum and further drive acceleration in adult medical nutrition. It was developed to cater to China’s ageing population, among which there is an increase in chronic disease – as it is becoming increasingly important to ensure adequate nutritional care, especially for those who have been discharged from hospital. Danone says that after discharge from hospital, medical nutrition like Fortimel can help address the risk of malnutrition when nutritional requirements cannot be met through normal food alone. The dairy giant already provides its Nutrison and Peptisorb tube-feeding products for patients who cannot eat or swallow normally due to a condition or disease to 90% of the top tier hospitals in China. Bruno Chevot, Danone’s president China, North Asia and Oceania, said: “The launch of Fortimel Balanced is another milestone on Danone’s ‘Innovated in China, Made in China’ journey. The product leverages Danone’s cutting-edge science and research capability to cater to the nutritional needs of Chinese patients. It marks a solid step into the aFSMP market in China and helps Danone to further grow its portfolio covering the full life spectrum.” Jean-Marc Magnaudet, president of specialised nutrition at Danone, added: “Pioneering patient-centric medical nutrition solutions is at the heart of our strategy for specialised nutrition. This innovation marks a key milestone in our strategic ambition to accelerate in adult medical nutrition. It combines our 125-year legacy and scientific expertise in medical nutrition with our understanding of the Chinese healthcare ecosystem to bring new solutions that support the health and recovery of Chinese patients.” To succeed in this new category in China, Danone conducted in-depth research into the eating habits and taste preferences of Chinese patients. This month, the flavours red date and goji berry and milk – that have been adapted to the Chinese taste preferences – will become available.