The UK government is working to fast-track regulatory approval for cell-based meat to boost food security and sustainability, The Telegraph reports. Ministers and regulators are working to accelerate approval of the novel food to ease the cost of living and provide more sustainable sources of meat as the global population grows. Currently, no cell-based meat is authorised for sale in the UK. However, The Telegraph has reported that the UK government is poised to sign a bilateral agreement to boost collaboration on cell-based meat with Israel, a country at the forefront of the movement. The Food Standards Agency is also said to be considering future changes to the approval process of cell-based meat to remove unnecessary burdens on businesses. UK science minister, George Freeman, said: “With nine billion hungry mouths to feed by 2050 – we’re going to have to generate novel sources. If we don’t quickly generate ways to develop very low-cost protein, we’re going to see huge geographical instability.” Last year, the UK Government Food Strategy supported alt-protein innovation and set out an ambition to "keep the UK at the front of this growing and innovative sector". In August, Israeli startup Aleph Farms submitted an application to sell its cell-based beef in the UK, under a process that is expected to take at least 18 months. Linus Pardoe, UK policy manager at GFI Europe, commented: "The science minister is right: alternative proteins like cultivated meat will be transformative for national and global food security. Collaborating with other nations to accelerate their development can help the UK's burgeoning cultivated meat sector grow, delivering more choice for consumers and creating new green jobs. Sharing information and best practices between regulators internationally will help smooth the path to market for cultivated meat companies and maintain the highest standards of food safety.” He continued: "It's great to see the government recognising that optimising regulations will build confidence in the UK as a priority market for alternative proteins. But the Chancellor must urgently provide the financial resources the FSA needs to deliver those reforms with a £30 million uplift in the FSA's budget in the upcoming Autumn Statement." Last month, GFI called for the UK government to invest £390 million in alt-proteins by 2030, including funding open-access research, business grants and a new sustainable protein catapult to support small businesses in the alternative protein sector.

Pernod Ricard's scotch whisky business Chivas Brothers has announced plans for its first distillery on the isle of Islay, Scotland. The new distillery marks the first time Chivas Brothers has expanded its scotch portfolio to contain an Islay whisky. The sustainable scotch brand – which has a goal to be carbon neutral in distillation across all of its sites by the end of 2026 – says that the design of the Islay project (and any future new-build distillery), will be carbon neutral in distillation from inception. Once operational, the facility’s production will focus on Islay single malt, celebrating the region’s distinctly smoky and peated profile. Jean-Etienne Gourgues, chairman and CEO at Chivas Brothers, commented: “The introduction of an Islay whisky completes our comprehensive and award-winning scotch portfolio. As a business built on hundreds of years of heritage, it also gives us the opportunity to do something we rarely do, which is to start from scratch.” He continued: “Here on Islay, we can create a blueprint for carbon-neutral distilling and continue to usher in this era of sustainable scotch. We are committed to scotch, to the Islay community and the landscape that makes it the perfect place to continue our vision to shape the future of whisky.” You may also like to read: Pernod Ricard subsidiary announces £60m sustainability investment The Glenlivet unveils new line of premium whisky-based cocktails Pernod Ricard subsidiary invests £88m in scotch distilleries

Nestlé-owned brand Coffee Mate has released what it claims is the first-ever pink-coloured coffee creamer, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the film Mean Girls. According to the brand, the creamer features "notes of sweet, rich pink frosting flavour" and "tastes like a 'cake filled with rainbows and smiles'". Leonardo Aizpuru, Nestlé's VP of brand marketing for the beverage division and business unit, said: "We're not a regular creamer; we're a cool creamer. That's why Coffee Mate is thrilled to debut the category's first-ever pink creamer with Paramount's iconic Mean Girls movie." "This partnership gives our fans a chance to add a splash of pink to their coffee as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of this nostalgic, quotable film." The creamer will be sold in a 32 fl oz bottle for $4.69 at grocery stores and mass retailers nationwide, starting January 2024, for a limited time.

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and coffee brand Instanta have jointly launched ILD Coffee Vietnam, a freeze-dried instant coffee facility located in Binh Duong province, Vietnam. The facility has an annual production capacity of 5,600 metric tons of freeze-dried instant coffee. It was built to address the increasing global demand for instant coffee, particularly the premium freeze-dried variety. The site's product range is designed to cater to consumer preferences across established markets, such as Europe and emerging markets in Asia. The new plant uses advanced extraction and freeze-drying technology, and it holds certifications such as FSSC 22000 and SMETA audits, showcasing both companies' commitment to safety. Aligning with the partners' sustainability pledge in coffee production and distribution, the facility's equipment is designed to reduce its environmental impact. This includes a biomass boiler that utilises spent coffee grounds to generate steam. Ben Clarkson, LDC's global head of coffee, said: "This venture with Instanta supports our global strategy to diversify through more value-added products, reflects our ongoing commitment to Vietnam as a key market for LDC, and complements our existing global Robusta green coffee business, expanding our product portfolio to meet customers’ needs". "Leveraging our expertise in coffee sourcing in Vietnam and extensive global network, combined with Instanta's leadership in the instant coffee business, ILD Coffee Vietnam is well positioned for success."

Nestlé Confectionery has announced its Christmas 2023 line-up with a cohort of brand-new and returning winter treats. Quality Street has introduced a new chocolate bar, fusing two popular flavours together. The Quality Street Collisions Hazelnut & Caramel Chocolate Sharing Bar brings together indulgent caramel, a smooth hazelnut filling and crunchy hazelnut pieces, all encased in milk chocolate. Chocolate brand Aero has expanded its offering with the launch of Aero Candy Cane Bubbles, featuring an aerated vanilla flavour centre and half-red and half-white shell. Under its Milkybar brand, Nestlé is launching a new Milkybar Speculoos chocolate bar, which features the brand’s classic creamy-tasting white chocolate, dotted with crunchy caramelised biscuit pieces. Also in the line-up, mint cream chocolate brand After Eight is launching the After Eight Winter Fondant bag, made up of London landmark-shaped mint fondant sweets, and the period will also see the return of After Eight Gin & Tonic & Mint, featuring a gin and tonic-flavoured mint fondant enrobed in rich dark chocolate. Rowntree’s Randoms Festives are also new for 2023. Wrapped in winter-themed packaging, the new sugar pouch contains festive and random jelly shapes in fruity flavours.

Ebro Foods-owned Tilda Kids is set to debut its inaugural range of rice puddings, marking a significant expansion in its product offerings. The new range is slated for an exclusive launch on Ocado in the UK in mid-September, with wider availability planned later in the year. This line-up features two flavours: Strawberry & Banana Rice Pudding, which provides children with one of their five-a-day; and a fragrant Vanilla Rice Pudding, which serves as an excellent source of Vitamin D. Crafted with basmati grains, both Tilda Kids rice puddings offer a velvety texture, making them an ideal choice for a treat. Anna Beheshti, head of marketing at Tilda, said: “The launch of Tilda Kids’ Rice Puddings builds on our recent success, where we have seen an increase of 9% in unit sales in a category worth over £315m. Moving into desserts was a natural next step for our Tilda Kids brand, which already has a well-established rice and vegetable pouch range, helping busy parents to feed their little ones nutritious meals.” Designed to cater to children transitioning to solid foods, the rice puddings can be enjoyed either warm or cold, making them suitable for a variety of occasions, from dessert indulgence to after-school snacks and even breakfast treats. The new range will receive in-store promotion support, including 'New Rice Puddings' SRP trays, ensuring clear differentiation between the new offerings and existing Tilda Kids products. This release builds upon the successful track record of the Tilda Kids range, which already features a diverse selection of ready-to-heat rice products and vegetable pouches aimed at children's tastes. Offerings include Sunshine Vegetable Rice, Cheese & Tomato Rice, Vegetable Paella, Mild Curry Rice and Vegetable & Wholegrain Rice.

Fonterra has joined forces with APC Microbiome Ireland (APC) to form a new strategic research partnership. Based in the University College Cork (UCC) and Teagasc Food Research Centre, APC Microbiome Ireland claims to be the largest and oldest microbiome research institute in the world. In 2020, Kraft Heinz and APC Microbiome Ireland announced a new collaboration aimed at developing new natural cultures for food fermentations. APC has also worked on research projects with more than 30 companies, including DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences in a four-year project aimed at developing solutions to establish a healthy microbiome in infants. This new partnership with Fonterra will focus on probiotics and human microbiome research, with a primary focus on creating innovative products that promote consumer health and wellness. Mark Malone, general manager for science and technology at Fonterra, said “This new partnership with APC is a fantastic opportunity for Fonterra to collaborate with world-leading experts in the field of probiotics and microbiome research. This will augment Fonterra’s health and nutrition expertise and accelerate our development of new and differentiated nutritional offerings.” Paul Ross, director of APC, commented: “This is a significant development for APC and we are thrilled to be working together with Fonterra. This latest collaboration with industry underlines APC’s reputation as a global leader in microbiome research and our expertise in supporting new product development with our Irish and international industry partners.” John O’Halloran, UCC president, added: “This collaboration reinforces the commitment APC shares with Fonterra to develop new, evidence-based products that support lifelong health. It reflects UCC’s international reputation in science and innovation and is an important milestone in our UCC Futures – food, microbiome and health strategy which aims to provide solutions to some of the most important challenges of our time.” Pioneering probiotics A rising number of individuals are seeking to incorporate probiotics into their daily diets. This growing awareness presents Fonterra and APC with significant market potential to collaborate on new solutions. By tapping into the wealth of expertise at APC Microbiome Ireland, Fonterra is poised to expedite the development of novel probiotic strains that can be manufactured and distributed on a global scale. This partnership marks a crucial step toward meeting the ever-evolving needs of health-conscious consumers worldwide. A new hub for innovation Central to the project is the establishment of a new Fonterra microbiome research centre, which will be based at UCC. The purpose of this centre is to maximise the synergy between Fonterra and APC, making it an ideal hub for pioneering research in the field. The centre will play a pivotal role in identifying and substantiating the health benefits associated with Fonterra's probiotic offerings. Their shared objective is to introduce a range of novel probiotic strains into the market over the next five to ten years. By doing so, the partnership aims to provide consumers with a diverse array of probiotic products that cater to a wide spectrum of wellness demands. Fonterra says it is already "well positioned in this space" as it houses one of the world’s largest dairy culture collections (more than 40,000 strains) and has been developing probiotics for nearly three decades. Operations are expected to commence before the close of 2023.

FoodBev’s Dan Bunt spoke to Melanie Luangrath, director of new business development at DSM, following the company's victory in the Best Plant-Based Snack category at this year's World Plant-Based Innovation Awards 2023. The winning innovation was DSM-Firmenich's Vertis CanolaPRO nutrition bar with cranberry. Better nutrition means better performance: that’s the philosophy behind their advanced Vertis CanolaPRO nutrition bar. Delicious and filling, this protein bar contains an ingredient with sufficient levels of all nine essential amino acids to be considered a complete protein. Whether it's powering Team DSM-Firmenich endurance cyclists, casual gym goers or just busy days, a high-quality protein isolate and a convenient on-the-go format make the Vertis CanolaPRO nutrition bar a first-place finisher. Watch the full interview, below. https://youtu.be/2s4_HBoZSw4?si=LUtvgg3SWtilba4i

UK-based pie brand Pukka has launched two new savoury pastry products, aimed at capturing new consumer moments. The latest additions, now available on supermarket shelves, include the All Day Breakfast Slice and the Chicken Pasty. These offerings expand Pukka's line-up of Slices, which includes the Steak Slice and Pepperoni Pizza Slice. All Day Breakfast Slice features a combination of classic breakfast ingredients, including baked beans, sausage, smoked bacon and mushrooms, encased in golden puff pastry. It is designed to be enjoyed at any time of the day, whether on-the-go, at work or at home. Chicken Pasty builds on the popularity of Pukka's Beef Pasty, and features roast chicken, potato, swede, onion and gravy. These launches follow the impressive success of Pukka's existing portfolio of Slices, Sausage Rolls and Pasties, which, after just two years on the market, have reached a value of £15 million. Pukka’s managing director, Isaac Fisher, said: “We first launched our on-the-go Savoury Pastry range back in 2021 to bring a unique portfolio of taste-led products to the fixture, which catapulted us into new consumption moments through a line-up of distinctively full-on flavour Pukka Slices, Sausage Rolls and a Pasty. The response has been incredible and, thanks to the ongoing backing of the nation, we’ve already contributed £5m worth of incremental value sales to the category." These product launches coincide with 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. Pukka's All Day Breakfast Slice (170g, RRP: £1.75) is available in Sainsbury's stores, and it will soon be rolling out to Morrisons, Asda and Tesco locations. The Chicken Pasty (210g, RRP: £1.75) will be hitting Asda shelves from 9 October. Both products will also be accessible to convenience retailers and wholesalers.

Vertical farming company Infarm has been “declared bankrupt” in the Netherlands, according to official documents. The news comes after the company closed operations across its key markets in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark over the last year, completely exiting the European market. At the end of last year, Infarm laid off more than half its staff to downsize operations. Infarm grows salad leaves, herbs and other vegetables in vertical farms and sells them to supermarkets, restaurants and wholesalers. It is reported that the company has raised more than $470 million in total from investors, including Astanor Ventures, Qatar Investment Authority and Balderton. This is the latest in a string of bankruptcies for indoor crop farming facilities. In June, AeroFarms filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware, US, while Kalera and AppHarvest – both US companies – also filed. AeroFarms has since emerged from bankruptcy and says it is nearing profitability. Like many vertical farms, Infarm has been hit by rising energy prices, which have impacted the company’s margins. Indoor farms are often powered by LED lighting, temperature control systems and airflow systems, all of which are energy-intensive. Multiple industry sources say Infarm has raised $40 million – $50 million in new funds from Qatar. FoodBev has approached Infarm for comment.

Welsh dairy brand Rachel’s Organic has expanded its portfolio with the addition of a seasonal apple & cinnamon-flavoured Greek yogurt. The bio-live yogurt includes "thick and creamy" yogurt with small organic apple pieces and a hint of organic cinnamon. Rachel’s Organic's apple & cinnamon-flavoured Greek yogurt is made with organic British milk and does not contain any artificial ingredients. Christopher Pihoué, marketing manager at Rachel’s Organic, said: “This latest launch, Rachel's Organic Greek limited-edition apple & cinnamon, has a unique flavour combination that we know consumers will warm to this autumn and winter. Consumers are looking for tasty products that are healthier and better for the planet, and with this new limited edition, we hope to excite them and drive them to the category.” The 450g pot is currently available in selected Waitrose stores for an RRP of £2.65.

Little Moons has announced a new 50,000-square-foot production facility in Kettering, due to open in the first half of 2024. The new facility comes after the company's filing accounts revealed a significant surge in demand for its bite-sized ice cream treats, resulting in the business more than doubling its turnover in the 18 months ending on 30 December 2022. The mochi ice cream brand increased sales from £25.5 million in 12 months to £68.5 million in 18 months and is investing in additional production capacity to support future growth. According to Little Moons, the facility is designed and constructed to support the brand's ambitious growth plan and cater to its growing geographic footprint. In addition to expanding production capacity, Little Moons said it has invested in operational teams in France and Germany to accelerate growth, as well as secured a new permanent office space for its head office in Farringdon, London. Little Moons said: "These significant investments in setting the business up to succeed over the next five years are a signal of the commitment that founders Vivien and Howard Wong have to building a powerful global brand in ice cream and sweet treats".