Notpla’s seaweed-based packaging is now “the first and only” material to have been recognised as being plastic-free under the European ‘Single-use plastics’ directive. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) – the official environmental authority of the Netherlands – mentioned thousands of other materials tested to have been classified as plastic. This includes technologies often claiming to be “plastic-free,” such as aqueous dispersion coating which contains microplastics. However, Notpla’s natural seaweed-based packaging is said to be the first and currently only material to have been recognised as being truly plastic-free, following a nine-month assessment process where evidence, results and materials were shared for the investigation. Global sustainability consultancy Eunomia Research & Consulting independently investigated the packaging and the claim of being 100% plastic-free, agreeing with the claim. Notpla uses natural extracts found in seaweed which provide the grease and moisture resistance required by food boxes for performing their function without any chemical modification. Conventional containers, as well as bioplastic alternatives, usually contain petrol-based coatings that do not biodegrade and can release harmful toxins. Notpla’s seaweed-based solution can be recycled with existing paper streams or composted at home. As the packaging is 100% plastic-free, the plastic tax does not apply, meaning that businesses and consumers will see an immediate benefit. Notpla has also announced that it is collaborating with Dutch manufacturer Conpax to distribute plastic-free food packaging throughout the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) market. This collaboration aims to replace a minimum of 15 million items of single-use plastics that are thrown away every day in the Netherlands. Pierre Paslier, co-founder of Notpla, said: “We are thrilled to have our seaweed-based coating recognised as fully compliant with the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, and being the first to pass the most rigorous assessments in Europe, through the ILT analysis… This sets Notpla apart and aligns perfectly with our mission to reduce society’s dependence on plastic.” Roy Suiskens, director of Conpax, added: “We are very pleased with the cooperation between Notpla and Conpax as it ensures the availability of unique seaweed-coated folding carton products in the Benelux. From our own facilities in the Netherlands, we will design, manufacture and supply new sustainable single-use products made from Notpla coated board and distribute this to the Benelux market who are calling out for this exact solution.”

US-based plant-based nutrition and healthcare company Kate Farms has launched a range of whole food blended meals, coming to market in early 2024. Kate Farms Pediatric Blended Meals are described as the “first-ever” whole food formulas inspired by meals at home with resealable packaging that directly connects to common tube feeding devices. The pouches contain a proprietary blend of organic whole foods, nine grams of “easily digested” pea protein and 27 vitamins and minerals, working to deliver between a third of a cup of fruit and vegetables per pouch. Used for tube feeding, as sole source nutrition or oral supplementation, the blended meals come in three flavours and provide complete nutrition to support healthy growth and development for children aged one to 13. Each serving is USDA organic, non-GMO, high in vitamin D and a good source of fibre, with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Debora Duro, program director of paediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at US medical centre Broward Health, said: "Kate Farms listens. We – clinicians, parents and caregivers – have been asking for whole food variety, convenience and smart packaging, and Kate Farms delivered. A new package that easily connects to common tube feeding devices is truly innovative, and the kid-friendly design will make the little ones smile too." The meal pouches are compatible with common ENFit tube feeding devices and flow easily through feeding tubes with minimal thinning or dilution, versatile for tube feeding and drinking. The flavours include a banana, blueberry and oat pouch and butternut squash, carrot and buckwheat. Kate Farms’ chief commercial officer Catherine Hayden said: "Today marks a significant milestone for Kate Farms as we unveil our latest innovation – Pediatric Blended Meals. This product combines innovative advancements in product design, packaging, and delivery with our unwavering commitment to quality, plant-based ingredients, a value we've upheld since day one." The company’s VP of clinical nutrition, Vanessa Millovich, added: "Clinicians prescribing Kate Farms' peptides or standard formulas may find our blended offerings an effective addition to address the nutritional needs of their complex patients. Parents and caregivers will appreciate the resealable pouch that connects to common tube feeding devices, and the flavour choices may help with sensory or transition challenges."

Godrej Agrovet, one of India's largest diversified agri-businesses, has announced the launch of an advanced pest control product Rashinban in India. Godrej is working in collaboration with Nissan Chemical, which discovered and developed the chemicals used in Rashinban, and is seeing the first global launch in India to protect chilli crops during the flowering stage. India accounts for almost 36% of total chilli production globally. However, 80% of the crops get damaged during the flowering stages because of pests such as hoppers and mites. Rajavelu NK, CEO, crop protection business, Godrej, highlighted Rashinban's efficacy in controlling different pests. He said: “Effective on the broader spectrum of pests, both sucking as well as chewing type, it eliminates the need for multiple insecticides and reduces the frequency of sprays. Hence, if used at the flowering stage, it will not only protect key economical part of the chilli farmer but also assure better yield at later stages.” On the collaboration with Godrej, Rajkumar Yadav, managing director of Nissan Chemical Corporation (India), said: "We are delighted to collaborate with Godrej for the global-first launch of Rashinban and contribute to the company's endeavour to uplift Indian farming families. Rashinban is another result of our efforts to support the growth and sustainability of Indian agriculture." With India's spice industry poised for continued growth, the launch of Rashinban is a step toward securing Indian chilli farmers' jobs and preserving India's position as a global spice leader.

Myprotein has announced a collaboration with global confectionery brand Chupa Chups, launching several Chupa Chups-flavoured products into its protein line-up. The collaboration begins in the UK and EU this autumn, with further products and flavours set to join the sports nutrition brand’s portfolio in 2024. Spanish-born brand Chupa Chups, owned by Perfetti van Melle, is renowned for its fun flavoured lollipop products and sells in more than 150 countries worldwide. Myprotein will be incorporating Chupa Chups’ classic strawberry flavour into its Clear Whey Isolate, one of Myprotein’s best-selling whey protein products. Clear Whey Chupa Chups is low in sugar and offers 21g protein and 87 calories per serving. The partnership follows a series of confectionery collaborations from Myprotein, including with Vimto and Jelly Belly. Neil Mistry, CEO of Myprotein owner THG Nutrition, said: “We are delighted to announce this major agreement with Perfetti van Melle and its brand Chupa Chups, helping to drive range expansion for our existing Myprotein community while attracting new consumers courtesy of Chupa Chups’ iconic flavours”.

PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) has opened a 150,000 square foot distribution and satellite warehouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The new building's footprint can extend an additional 32,000 square feet, with the capacity to house up to 300 employees, spanning from frontline to management roles. The warehouse received all 275 employees who had previously worked at the McKee's Rocks facility – earlier this year, PBNA announced that it was leaving its distribution centre near the McKees Rocks Bridge. The facility annually distributes 10 million cases of PepsiCo beverages – such as Pepsi, Mtn Dew, Aquafina, Gatorade, Lipton, Starbucks, Rockstar and Celsius – from its new location, catering to the needs of Allegheny, Butler, Beaver and Washington counties. Richard Glover, north division president of PepsiCo Beverages North America, said: "With this new facility, we have upgraded our operation, providing a better experience for our team. We look forward to future growth and strengthening our relationships within this market."

Ferrara Candy Company-owned brand Brach's has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to launch a line of confectionery items inspired by the movie Elf. The range is available in three variants: Candy Canes, Swirly Twirly Gum Drops and Candy Cane Forest Mellowcreme. Lauren Holtz Pezza, director of Brach's and seasonal marketing at Ferrara, said: "Brach's is honoured to collaborate with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to celebrate the adored film Elf, that's just as synonymous with the holiday season as our candy canes". "Whether you're watching your favourite holiday films, like Elf, or decorating gingerbread houses, Brach's candies are the perfect treats to enjoy together while making sweet memories this season." The limited-edition sweets are available at US retailers nationwide.

Dreher Breweries, a subsidiary of Asahi Europe & International, has unveiled a HUF 100 billion (approx. $277 million) investment initiative aimed at enhancing the sustainability and long-term future of Dreher. Building on prior years' investments, the initiative will elevate the entire beer production process. Its goal extends beyond increasing capacity and efficiency; it also strives to meet the company's demanding standards for development and sustainability. Gábor Békefi, CEO of Dreher Breweries, said: "Next year, as we celebrate the 170th anniversary of the establishment of Dreher Breweries, we are reminded that our rich historical tradition and the workplace spanning four generations are not merely a source of pride but also a testament to the responsibility we bear". "The confidence placed in us by Asahi Group Holdings and Asahi Europe & International, manifested through our professional and business accomplishments, enables us to undertake the most substantial investment in the Hungarian beer industry to date. If we continue to uphold the business expectations of Asahi and achieve the set milestones, then indeed, from HUF 100 billion, we lay the foundation for the long-term future of the factory and our employees." The initial stage of the investment plan focuses on creating a sustainable manufacturing chain, with an allocation of HUF 30 billion (equivalent to USD 83 million). From 2023 to 2026, the company's experts will focus on the initial milestone. According to Dreher, one of the inaugural projects is the construction of a part of the new energy centre to serve all departments of the plant. The centre will support capacity growth and the company's sustainability goals. During this period, "fermentation and conditioning stages in the cellars will undergo a complete renewal, involving the replacement of tanks and the introduction of new technologies, which involves the continuous development of skills and knowledge among our employees".

UK pie brand Pukka has released a limited-edition Christmas dinner pie containing chicken pieces and sage and onion pork stuffing balls. The chicken and stuffing is accompanied by chipolata sausages, smoked bacon and chicken gravy in a puff pastry case. In September, Pukka released a limited-edition Doner Kebab Pie as well as a Cheese & Bacon Pie. Pukka also expanded its ‘Just For Two’ sharing range with a Chicken & Chorizo Just For Two recipe. These product launches coincide with what the company describes as “another outstanding year of sales for Pukka, with the brand’s retail sales value surpassing £70 million and growing over 23% – more than twice the rate of the total category". Isaac Fisher, MD at Pukka, said: “Our customers have been asking for a festive pie from Pukka for quite some time, and now it’s time to give the people what they want". The company followed this statement by saying: “At Pukka we’re committed to working towards a more sustainable future, as well as having a positive impact on our community. All our packaging is sourced from sustainable sources and is 100% recyclable.” Pukka’s Christmas Dinner pie (RRP: £2.00) will be available at Tesco for a limited time from 30 October, 10p from every pie sold goes to the Trussell Trust to support their mission to end the need for food banks.

Milestone Beverages has announced the launch of Stateless Whiskey, a brand which uses molecular science to "recreate rare and expensive whiskeys". Stateless is crafted using a blend of traditionally made spirits, which are then processed in a lab where key characteristics are fine-tuned, giving control over each aspect of the flavour profile, from the smoky and woody notes to fruit, vanilla and spices. Molecular technology allows Milestone to produce whiskey with a reduced environmental impact compared to traditional whiskey which requires water, grain, barrel storage space and a lengthy maturation period. A spokesperson for the company said: “Advanced technology uses machine-learning algorithms, artificial intelligence and advanced chemical analysis to produce spirits that are indistinguishable from traditional products, yet made with less water, land, and a smaller CO2 footprint than traditional processes.” Damith Weerakoon, marketing and operations manager at Milestone Beverages, said: “We’re not just creating a new line of whiskeys, we’re taking the traditional, the non-traditional, the “circus freaks” and the classic entertainers, all the diverse ingredients and processes to pay homage to tradition while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with modern science. This is where tradition meets innovation.” With molecular technology reducing the length of the maturing process, the brand says its spirit will be less expensive than the whiskeys and bourbons that it is inspired by. Stateless is launching first with a classic Blended Bourbon Whiskey at 40% ABV and its first flavoured whisky, a banana variety, in Hong Kong, Asia and Europe in early 2024.

Biotechnology company Triplebar has announced its raise of $20 million in new financing to expand its product portfolio in food and biopharmaceuticals. Triplebar’s Hyper-Throughput screening platform acts as a “microprocessor for biology,” integrating hardware, software, biology and biochemistry to miniaturise and accelerate evolution by testing millions of "potential world-changing" solutions in the time it normally takes to search mere thousands. The platform develops biological systems for manufacturing low-cost, low-footprint animal proteins to replace traditional animal sources, improving the performance of cellular meat products and addressing major human health challenges. The new round of funding follows Triplebar’s partnerships with Umami Bioworks and FrieslandCampina in January, through which the company has further developed its screening platform. Synthesis Capital led the round, with participation from Essential Capital, Stray Dog Capital, iSelect Fund, and existing major investor The Production Board. Maria Cho, CEO of Triplebar, said: “Our investors believe profoundly in our mission to reduce humanity’s footprint while greatly increasing our quality of life with better food and biopharmaceuticals". Rosie Wardle, Synthesis Capital partner and co-founder said: “For truly disruptive adoption to take place, alternative products need to at least match animal-based proteins on taste, price, convenience and nutrition. We believe Triplebar’s technology platform has the potential to bring entire portfolios of bioproducts to market, helping a wide range of companies, from incumbents to startups, to scale up production while reducing cost.”

Sips & Bites, Doritos and PepsiCo’s in-house agency, has unveiled ‘Doritos Silent,’ the “world’s first” AI-augmented snack – powered by ‘Crunch Cancellation’. The technology cancels the sound of the crisps’ crunch for gamers in real time as they game with each other, solving what Doritos says is a genuine consumer tension. Snacking and gaming are synonymous, with 86% of gamers claiming to snack while playing. Doritos research has uncovered that gamers are put off by the sound of other players snacking, with a third of gamers claiming the sound of someone snacking frustrates them when playing and one in five gamers saying the sound makes them want to log off, with crisps identified as the most noisy. Together, Doritos and Sips & Bites have created what they say is “the first ever” silent chip, Doritos Silent. The new concept is powered by ‘Crunch Cancellation’ technology, where the sound of someone’s voice is separated in real time from the noise of the crisps' crunch. The AI then works to stop the crunch audio from being sent down the microphone – meaning gamers can snack without it distracting them from their game. Doritos collaborated with software developers Smooth Technology to create the “world’s first” AI-augmented chip. Under development for six months, the process involved the technical analysis of more than 5,000 thousand different Doritos crunch sounds to create a database. From these recordings, Doritos ‘Crunch Cancellation’ technology utilises AI learning audio driver technology to provide gamers with an uninterrupted playing experience. Matt Watson, executive creative director for Sips & Bites at PepsiCo, said: “Our ‘Crunch Cancellation’ tech delivers an entirely new snacking experience to gamers – the “Doritos Silent” experience. What we loved is how the concept is so intriguing to people; how on earth can you silence the iconic crunch of a Doritos? People immediately asked “what?” and “how?” and the disruptive image of an actual Dorito in an ear escalated the buzz, before we revealed it to be the world’s first AI-augmented ‘Silent Snack’. By silencing one of our biggest assets, we made it even louder.” Karina Stoltz, senior brand manager at Doritos, added: “Gaming is a massive industry worth over £7 billion, and is particularly enjoyed by Gen Z – a key demographic for Doritos. We know that the nation loves the satisfying crunch of Doritos, but listening to someone else enjoy them can be off-putting, particularly when concentrating while gaming. This concept isn’t a gimmick – it’s the real deal...‘Crunch Cancellation’ software is simple to use and can identify over three million crunches in real time, silencing them from travelling down the microphone.” The software can be downloaded for free on Doritos web page and works exclusively with PCs. Once activated, the brand says that the software will “eliminate all traces of Doritos crunching”. This is the latest in a number of innovations from Doritos and PepsiCo, last week PepsiCo revealed new paper outer bags for all multipack crisps in its Walkers Baked brand, in July Doritos unveiled a new Spicy Pineapple Jalapeño flavour and in March announced a new burger-flavoured crisp in collaboration with fast food giant Burger King.

Cranberry juice brand Ocean Spray is launching the company's first sugar-free beverage, Ocean Spray Zero Sugar. Ocean Spray Zero Sugar will be available in cranberry and mixed berry flavours. Made with real fruit juice and sweetened with stevia, the sugar-free offerings are said to be an excellent source of vitamin C. Trinh Le, VP of next-generation beverages and omni-channel marketing at Ocean Spray, said: "From full flavour blends to refreshing diet and now bold zero sugar, Ocean Spray is committed to developing product innovations that continually meet the needs and desires of consumers who are seeking out more options for their juice drink". "We're excited to be the first brand to introduce this new innovative product in the shelf stable aisle and continue our legacy of beverage innovation." Ocean Spray Zero Sugar juices will be available at grocery stores nationwide from this month.