US-based biotech company Cypress Systems has announced that it has achieved self-affirmed Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for its organically bound natural food form of selenium yeast, SelenoExcell. Selenium has been a mandated mineral in infant formula since 2019, but only inorganic forms have been approved by the FDA. The company says that this is the first GRAS notification for a selenium source for use in infant formula for healthy, full-term infants. SelenoExcell is a standardised high-selenium yeast that is a more efficacious food form of the mineral. It is the first selenium yeast product to be GRAS-approved by the FDA for use in a variety of food categories and to have a Qualified Health Claim. It is originated from a non-pathogenic, non-GMO Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strain. During its growth, it creates compounds resembling food forms of selenium, similar to those found in Brazil nuts, eggs, peas and meats. The S. cerevisiae cells in SelenoExcell are inactive, and only the nutritional properties remain. The cells cannot reproduce in the human body when consumed because they are no longer alive. The yeast accumulates, encouraging the incorporation of selenium into the protein structure, supporting antioxidant properties that may reduce oxidative stress in the body. Cypress Systems’ president and COO, Michelle Martin, said: “While the FDA mandated the use of selenium in infant formula in 2019, until now, only inorganic forms of selenite or selenate were allowed, which prevented manufacturers from using the highest quality option. SelenoExcell is the gold standard for maternal health supplementation, so extending its benefits to infants is a seamless evolution. We are honoured to be the first organic selenium ingredient to attain Infant GRAS.” She continued: “Our focus has long been perfecting the process of fermentation for organically bound minerals to yeast, which creates natural, food-form minerals that can be easily absorbed by the body. Achieving infant GRAS is a further testament to the quality of this ingredient.”

Climate tech venture capital firm At One Ventures has announced the close of a $375 million second fund. The fund focuses on backing early-stage start-ups with disruptive technologies that can improve planetary health, such as food and agriculture, buildings and construction and energy and transportation. The fund was raised from a group of partners, including GenZero, World Wildlife Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, CalSTRS and New Mexico State Investment Council. Helen Lin, partner, At One Ventures, said: "It's going to take a different kind of thinking than what got us into the climate crisis to get us out. That's why we've invested in founders coming from a variety of backgrounds and on a global scale, ranging from academics and scientists to investment bankers and scale-up veterans. We value diversity of thought so we can get a multi-faceted and in-depth understanding of problems in order to find tangible solutions." At One says that 40% of the founders it has backed are part of traditionally under-represented groups such as “BIPOC and female”. It has a globally distributed portfolio with companies in North America, Europe, Africa, South America and Israel. According to the firm, its investment thesis is based on “the Triad, which consists of: a disruptive deep tech that ushers in radically better unit economics paired with radically better environmental economics”. The venture firm’s managing partner Tom Chi commented: "This combination eliminates most adoption friction as the industry gets to upgrade their production in a way that will be massively more profitable, all while their core production gets much more aligned with planetary health. Our team, who all have backgrounds in physical sciences, engineering, manufacturing, or finance, are well-positioned to deeply evaluate physical/hardware businesses that could make a huge difference.” He continued: “Specifically, we look for 'invention catalysts' which are technologies that not only improve upon the domain of the invention itself, but also have the potential to ripple-change entire systems of production and use. It is technology that makes us reimagine what is possible for living on a healthy planet. We then get detailed and disciplined in understanding what it will take to commercialise that technology and successfully displace existing brownfield approaches." Examples of invention catalysts in At One's portfolio include: Finless Foods: First to achieve more than 50% cultivated cell composition of lab-grown bluefin tuna Dalan Animal Health: The world's first USDA-approved vaccine for honeybees Halo Car: First to offer remote-piloted electric vehicle transportation to paying customers This is the second fund for At One Ventures – in October 2021, the firm closed a $150 million round – bringing its total to more than half a billion. There are currently 35 companies in the firm's portfolio invested in the past three years, with eleven already booking product sales.

Crosta & Mollica has expanded its frozen dessert range with the launch of two new products, Amaretto Tiramisù and Caramel Crema Cotta. The Amaretto Tiramisù is a twist on the popular Italian dessert, made with traditional savoiardi biscuits soaked in amaretto syrup, layered with mascarpone cream and finished with crushed amaretti biscuits and almonds. The dessert needs to be defrosted at room temperature for 40 minutes prior to serving. The Crema Cotta is Crosta & Mollica’s own take on the Italian dessert Panna Cotta. It is made in Piemonte, Italy, and is inspired by French influences. The Crema Cotta is enriched with Italian cream and topped with a caramel sauce – it is best served defrosted at room temperature for approximately 40 minutes before being turned onto a plate. The latest launch is in response to growing demand in the UK for premium desserts. The Caramel Crema Cotta is available to purchase in Waitrose stores now for an RRP of £5, while the Amaretto Tiramisù is launching into Tesco stores on 30 October for an RRP of £5. These are the latest in a string of launches from Crosta & Mollica. In September the brand expanded its range of bakery products with the launch of four “authentic” Italian Biscotti. In May it introduced apricot crostata to its portfolio, as well as two new oven-ready aperitivo snacks. In May it unveiled a gluten-free margherita pizza and in April Crosta & Mollica introduced Sorbetto Shells.

LT Foods’ rice brand, Royal, has expanded its ready-to-heat range with a new seasoned basmati rice featuring a blend of white cheddar cheese and jalapeño. Royal’s ‘White Queso & Jalapeño’ basmati rice is described as fluffy and aromatic, containing 2g of sugar and 5g of protein. Each serving contains 220kcal. The pouch is designed for convenience, aiming to bring authentic flavours to consumers in a quick-to-prepare format. Andrew Cops, SVP of sales, marketing and product development at LT Foods Americas, said: “This culinary blend brings together the best of two worlds, mirroring the tapestry of cultures and tastes that define the many flavours of you. We hope consumers will savour the experience, enjoy the fusion of flavours, and celebrate the unique and diverse flavours that Royal has to offer.” The new innovation is now available in Walmart stores across the US and will feature a packaging refresh from the brand. It joins Royal’s other flavours in the ready-to-heat line including Cilantro Lime, Yellow Rice and Mexican Street Corn.

Britvic has completed its acquisition of the Extra Power energy beverage brand from GlobalBev and will acquire three additional Brazilian brands as part of the deal. In addition to Extra Power, Britvic will acquire energy brand Flying Horse, juice brand Juxx and acai smoothie brand Amazoo from GlobalBev. The acquisition enables Britvic to expand its brand portfolio and regional footprint in Brazil, where data from Nielsen shows that energy beverages are the fastest-growing category in the market with volume growing 17% in 2022 on the previous year. Within the category, Extra Power has broad-based distribution and 42% market share in its core regions near Brasilia, according to Nielsen. In the year to December 2022, the acquired portfolio generated R 118m (approx. $23 million) of net sales, growing 26% on the previous year. The purchase includes a modern warehouse in Brasilia that will enhance Britvic’s supply chain efficiency across its wider portfolio and route to market into Brazil’s Centre-West region. Simon Litherland, CEO at Britvic, said: “The addition of these brands to our Brazilian portfolio will accelerate our growth trajectory in one of our key markets, as well as generate value overall”. “In line with our strategy to expand our business and accelerate our growth in Brazil, we now have a meaningful presence in the Centre-West region, providing the opportunity to scale our existing brands into territories where we’ve historically under-indexed, while also bringing new brands into our existing market regions.” Britvic first entered the Brazilian market in 2015 with the acquisition of Ebba, followed by the acquisition of Bela Ischia in 2017. Since then, the beverage company has developed a strong national innovation presence for fruit beverage brands such as Magaury and Dafruta. Britvic said that Brazil's growth market for fruit drinks is perfectly complemented by Be Ingredient, Britvic's fruit growing and processing company, providing natural ingredients for Britvic and the international market.

Good Foods, a better-for-you dips and spreads brand, has debuted the first product in its new chip-inspired dip line, a dill pickle-flavoured dip. Now available at Target stores across the US, the Good Foods Dill Pickle Chip Dip is plant-based and features bold flavours of dill and Dijon mustard, packed into an 8 oz tub and containing 50 kcal per serving. Good Foods’ cauliflower-based dip line has been designed with inclusivity in mind, created with a formula that removes the top nine key allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soya beans and sesame. The brand revealed that dill, and other soon-to-be-announced flavours in the line, were inspired by consumer research that uncovered popular chip flavours. Joyce Longfield, principal of HPP applications for Good Foods, said: “At Good Foods, we continually seek inspiration for product innovation and what better place than where millions of shoppers spend their time – the chip aisle! We are always excited to harness our technology to make fresh, delicious food more accessible.” She added: “While most dips on the market today contain a major allergen such as soy, dairy and sesame, our Dill Pickle Chip Dip is a uniquely inclusive option”.

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has announced that Gulfood Manufacturing, the most influential annual food and beverage (F&B) manufacturing event in the world, will take place from 7-9 November 2023. This year’s edition – the largest ever – will bring together over 2,000 exhibitors, including the biggest global brands in F&B production, to fill 15 halls. Away from the exhibition floor, over 100 of the F&B industry’s decision-makers and the world’s leading experts will be exploring the very latest trends in the industry and setting out strategies to capture business opportunities and address the challenges the industry faces. The industry-leading trade event, approaching its milestone 10th anniversary next year, continues to garner interest from top production players across sectors in processing, packaging, ingredients, supply chain solutions and control & automation, to chart a course towards a more sustainable, resilient, agile and efficient future. With COP28 taking place just weeks after the show, Gulfood Manufacturing is set to redouble its longstanding focus on how the F&B manufacturing industry is integrating sustainable practices and processes (such as sustainable packaging), reducing food waste, introducing energy-efficient machinery with a smaller carbon footprint, and driving traceable, ethical and transparent food production. Gulfood Manufacturing 2023 will deep dive into themes examining how artificial intelligence, robotics and automation are spurring an evolution in efficiency, the digitalisation of the F&B manufacturing sector, stimulating revolutionary innovation and those raising the benchmark of excellence across the industry. Trixie LohMirmand, executive VP of Dubai World Trade Centre, commented: “Gulfood Manufacturing is the leading industry event in the MENA region, sitting firmly in the top tier of global industry events, and the only annual event of its kind in the world. The event comes at a critical point for the global F&B industry, as it tries to balance rising inflation and input costs against downward price pressure from retailers and consumers – whilst meeting the imperative to make food production more sustainable. By leveraging innovative technologies and driving efficiencies, the industry can strike this balance and continue to evolve and reach new heights.” Reflecting Gulfood Manufacturing’s position at the pinnacle of the food production industry, many of the of the world’s top ingredients brands have already confirmed participation for this year’s edition, including Apical (Gulfood Manufacturing 2023 platinum sponsor), Cargill, Givaudan, Wilmar, Kerry, Dohler, Orkila, Fanar, Takasago and many more. Meanwhile, from the packaging and processing segment, global powerhouses from the likes of Tetra Pak, GEA, Krones, Husky, Sidel, Ishida, TNA, SIG and Rieckermann will also be in attendance. Niels Hougaard, managing director at Tetra Pak Arabia, stated: "At Tetra Pak, we are committed to revolutionising the packaging industry through our distinctive products. We take pride in offering innovative, eco-friendly solutions that address not only the needs of contemporary consumers but also pave the way for a sustainable future. Our participation in the region's premier food and beverage manufacturing show in Dubai is a testament to our unwavering dedication to the industry. This platform allows us to present our most recent advancements and innovations. As we continue to grow, our aim remains steadfast: to be the preferred choice for customers seeking sustainable solutions. We are here to protect people, food, and our planet”. Gulfood Manufacturing 2023 will be a powerful platform to present their products, services, and solutions to prominent buyers from across the globe, with countless opportunities to build new professional relationships, strengthen existing ones, and execute high-value business deals over the three days. This year’s edition will see a bigger presence from European manufacturers from Italy, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain. The show will also see the Chinese Pavilion back in full force, taking up a dedicated bespoke hall. A focus area of this year’s event will be Dubai’s Green and Sustainable Manufacturing initiative, part of the Dubai Economic Agenda. As the plant-based F&B industry grows and innovates, there is a corresponding need for new plant-based food manufacturing facilities. The initiative will bring together leading businesses in the plant-based F&B industry with co-manufacturers, equipment and solution providers to explore challenges and opportunities in effectively scaling up plant-based production and manufacturing in Dubai. The Dubai Economic Agenda, or D33, aims to double the size of Dubai's economy over the next decade and consolidate its position among the top three global cities, and include 100 transformational projects, including the Green and Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative. At the heart of this year’s event once again, the FoodTech Summit will convene the global industry’s most dynamic and engaging experts, decision-makers and thought leaders, to offer fresh new perspectives, insights and inspiring strategies on topics ranging from cost hikes, through to innovation economics, green solutions and smarter manufacturing, to alternative products, functional foods, food safety and much more. Among the industry leaders due to speak at the Summit are Samuel Sigrist, group CEO, SIG; Adolfo Orive, president and CEO, Tetra Pak; Alavaro Martinez, CEO – Western Europe, Middle East, Africa & Latin America, GEA; Adam Adamek, innovation director, EIT Food; and Olga Bezukladova, regional head of innovation – SAMEA - Taste & Wellbeing, Givaudan. Three other DWTC food and beverage events will be co-located with Gulfood Manufacturing from 7 - 9 November 2023. The Speciality Food Festival is the MENA region’s only dedicated gourmet and fine food trade show, offering buyers a platform to network and find the right premium or niche product, and visitors the opportunity to uncover the latest news and emerging trends in the market. ISM Middle East is the region’s largest trade fair for sweets and snacks, connecting visitors with the most influential brands in the industry and giving them the opportunity to discover the latest products and innovations. Private Label Licensing ME – MENA’s only event where buyers can source cost-effective, customisable products, branding and packaging solutions, bringing together food and nonfood suppliers, private label and contract manufacturers under one roof. Attendance is free and gives registrants access to the entire ecosystem of four events with a single pass. For more information and to register, visit Gulfood Manufacturing, The Speciality Food Festival, ISM Middle East, and Private Label Licensing Middle East.

Bacardi has celebrated the opening of its new Combined Heat & Power (CHP) system in Puerto Rico, set to halve greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its Bacardí rum brand. The new CHP system at Bacardi’s rum distillery in Cataño, Puerto Rico, replaces heavy fuel oil with propane gas, shifting the site to cleaner energy. The system will generate 100% of the energy used at the campus including the distillery, offices and the Casa Bacardí visitor centre. Bacardi described the 50% reduction in Bacardí rum’s GHG emissions as a significant step in its broader global sustainability programme, which includes a commitment to achieving a 50% reduction in GHG emissions globally across its entire business by 2025. In addition to the new CHP system, the Bacardí rum distillery is implementing other environmental practices including the creation of biogas through the cleaning of waste water, which then powers the distillation and creates electricity – more than 60% of the distillery’s energy is generated this way. A new treatment system helps to clean the biogas and reduce environmental impacts, and 95% of the heat generated during distillation is recaptured to reduce energy required. Bacardi is also developing a new project to capture CO2 from the fermentation process and supply it to the sparkling drinks industry in Puerto Rico. Edwin Zayas, VP of operations for Bacardi Corporation in Puerto Rico, said: “At Bacardi, we are committed to cutting our GHG emissions by reducing our energy consumption and switching to the most sustainable form of energy where we make our beloved brands”. He added: “We are proud of the work we are doing in Puerto Rico, and across the globe, to be greener and cleaner with our energy”. Other global targets made as part of Bacardi’s Corporate Responsibility programme, Good Spirited, include a 25% cut in water consumption at Bacardi production sites and 100% of product packaging to be recyclable by 2025, as well as a commitment to being 100% plastic-free by 2030.

US milling equipment manufacturer, Munson Machinery, has introduced a new SCC-15-SS Screen Classifying Cutter. The new model includes a double-width infeed hopper designed to accommodate the conveyor-feeding of irregular shapes and sizes of hard, soft and fibrous materials by gravity. Typical materials that are frequently processed through the equipment include bulk foods, spices, sugar cane and hemp stalks, tobacco, coal, minerals, and more. The 76 cm wide hopper leads the materials into a smaller 38cm wide part, positioned over a 279mm wide diameter solid-mass rotor containing staggered parallelograms. Each shape holds two cutter tips that are 12.7mm wide and can be easily replaced with just one machine screw. Once materials enter the infeed chute, they undergo consecutive mechanical shearing against bed knives until they reach a size suitable for passing through bedscreen apertures. This process results in uniform size reduction from coarse down to 20 mesh with minimal fines or heat generation, at high rates with reduced energy use. The bedscreens have perforations ranging from 0.8mm to 51mm in diameter and can be as large as 76 mm square. The shaft's rotation speed spans from 30 to 3600 RPM, producing up to 14 m3/h, depending on application.

PAI Partners’ chilled juice brand Tropicana is expanding its offering with the launch of Tropicana Kids Smoothies, available in two flavour varieties. Made with 100% real fruit and containing vitamin C, each 150ml serving counts as one of a child’s five-a-day. The range, which comes in Pineapple & Mango and Strawberry & Banana flavours, has been designed for convenience and on-the-go snacking, providing a spill-free option. Liz Ashdown, marketing director UK&I at Tropicana Brands Group, said: “Tropicana is the UK’s Number one juice brand and combines over 75 years of fruit expertise. Launching a new kids smoothie as part of our expanding range is an exciting step for Tropicana, allowing us to cater to new shopper trends and offer a convenient and healthy solution for families.” She continued: “Shopping for your family can be a difficult task for parents and guardians, who are looking for ways to make meals and snack times more healthy and convenient, so stocking a smoothie that is just for kids by a brand that people of all ages already know and love, is a simple way for retailers to help make their lives that much easier.” The new smoothies are available to purchase now in major UK retailers. You may also like to read: Tropicana debuts long-life versions of fruit juice range Tropicana expands fruit juice offering PepsiCo to offload majority stake in juice business for $3.3bn

Private equity firm Impact Capital has acquired a majority stake in US-based snack bar brand Junkless Foods. The new owners will work closely with the founders of Junkless to promote its chewy granola bars in the health-conscious snack market. Founded by Ernie Pang and Larry Beyer, Junkless snack bars are made with clean and simple ingredients and do not contain anything artificial. According to the company, Junkless is a healthier alternative amidst the market's sugar-loaded, over-processed snack bars. Pang said: “We have poured our heart and soul into getting Junkless to where it is today, but we knew we needed something more to take us to the next level”. Mike Repole, owner of Impact Capital, commented: “We saw a huge opportunity for Junkless to become a major brand. Everyone is looking for better-for-you versions of their favourite snacks – and that’s exactly what Junkless provides. The passion of Ernie, Larry and the entire Junkless team combined with our experience growing small brands into scalable mainstream brands, is a perfect match.” Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

NutrEvent, the leading European partnering event dedicated to innovation in food, human and animal nutrition, aims to identify industrial, scientific, commercial and financial partners for innovation projects. NutrEvent gathers over 650 international actors: Food, feed, medical nutrition, food supplement, pharmaceutical industries and distributors, innovative ingredient and process suppliers, academic institutions, technology transfer organisations, research institutes, R&D services and consulting firms and investors. Check out FoodBev's interview with Nicolas Lechevallier, business development manager for NutrEvent, below. Join Nicolas and over 2,000 connections at NutrEvent 2023 on 17-18 October 2023 in Rennes, France! https://youtu.be/jAdHRHE5MsU?si=YZc1jzZgRF8ziXz4