A2 Milk announced this week that it would be cancelling Synlait Milk’s exclusive manufacturing and supply rights for some of its infant formula products. The announcement was published on the New Zealand Stock Exchange on Monday 18 September. A2 said it gave Synlait written notice of the decision the previous Friday (15 September), due to Synlait’s delivery in full and on time performance (DIFOT) falling below the required level within the fiscal year 2023 for it to maintain its rights. A2, which is Synlait’s second largest shareholder with a 19.83% stake in the company, said that Synlait “remains an important supplier” and will continue to be contractually bound to supply up to the same prescribed volume of its infant formula per annum. This includes all stages of A2’s Platinum product. In a statement responding to the announcement, Synlait said that it would be disputing the cancellation relating to the exclusivity arrangements. The manufacturer added that A2 has confirmed that it will maintain exclusivity with Synlait until the matter is resolved. Both parties will now enter a dispute resolution process, involving a period of good faith negotiations over the course of 20 business days, followed by arbitration if not resolved. The cancellation proposed by A2 Milk relates only to the exclusivity arrangements under the Nutritional Powders Manufacturing and Supply Agreement (NPMSA) signed by the two companies. The NPMSA will remain in place and requires three years notice of termination by either party. Synlait also stated that it continues to hold the Chinese regulatory State Administration for Market Regulation licence attached to its Dunsandel manufacturing facility, which covers A2 Milk’s Chinese-labelled stage one, two and three infant formula products. The company expects to continue manufacturing those products for A2 for the remaining licence period, set to expire in September 2027.

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UK supermarket Sainsbury’s has launched a new Aberdeen Angus beef range to its Taste the Difference line, which offers a 25% lower carbon footprint compared to the industry standard. Following a decade of development and five years of production, Sainsbury’s says the new steaks are the “largest low carbon beef range ever produced in the UK”. The retailer developed the range by merging its beef and dairy supply chains, reducing carbon through “superior” cattle breeding and animal management. It implemented measures such as strictly monitored feed and living conditions, which means that healthy calves are raised in the most efficient way possible, needing less time and energy to grow and, in turn, emitting fewer harmful gases. The updated Taste the Difference range initially features 16 products, including 12% and 5% fat mince, 30-day rib eye steak and a 30-day beef roasting joint. The beef is produced in Britain using Aberdeen Angus cattle, allowing Sainsbury’s to breed healthy, hardy animals that are naturally suited to a grass and forage diet, producing more consistent beef with a rich flavour and tenderness. In addition to bettering the planet, the retailer ensures that the new process benefits farmers with fixed, forward pricing to provide greater security and stability. Sainsbury’s also equips farms with advanced free-of-charge technology that generates in-depth data to help them make better farm management decisions. Gavin Hodgson, director of agriculture, aquaculture and horticulture at Sainsbury’s, said: “More customers than ever want high-quality beef with a lower carbon footprint...Our updated lower carbon premium beef range not only tastes great but is also positive news for our farmers too, who will benefit from more security and stability, supporting the future growth of UK agriculture." Ruth Cranston, director of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Sainsbury’s, added: “We know that more customers are wanting to make responsible choices when buying food so we sought to find a solution which gave them high quality, great tasting beef which is lower carbon. By creating 25% lower carbon emissions, this launch is another step forward in Sainsbury’s ambition to become net zero across its own operations by 2035, and value chain by 2050. She continued: “This launch also shows what can be achieved through genuine collaboration with farmers and suppliers. No one else has been able to produce a lower carbon beef range on this scale and we hope this launch will set a leadership example of what is possible in the industry.” This is the latest in a string of sustainable developments made by the supermarket. Earlier this month, Sainsbury’s announced that it was investing an additional £6 million annually into its dairy farmers, and, in July the retailer announced its new steak packaging would save 10 million plastic pieces annually. In April, Sainsbury’s went trayless on whole chickens and earlier this year removed plastic bags from its entire banana range, while in February it removed all traditional plastic tray packaging across its entire beef mince range. Customers can buy the lower carbon Taste the Difference Aberdeen Angus beef range in over 60 stores now, with nationwide expansion to follow.

Mars Food & Nutrition brand Ben’s Original has launched a new ready-to-heat pouch product, Ben’s Original 10 Medley, featuring a mix of ten grains, vegetables, legumes and herbs. The product range offers four flavour varieties: Chinese Style Five Spice, Smoky Southwest, Caribbean Style and Tomato & Herbs. Each product blends brown rice and barley with its own vegetable, grain and legume mix, with ingredients such as carrots, peas and ginger in the Chinese Style Five Spice, and red kidney beans and jalapenos in the Smoky Southwest. The pouches each contain at least 10g of fibre from diversified sources and 10g of protein. Angie Madigan, vice president of marketing at Mars Food & Nutrition North America, said: “Understanding growing consumer interest in gut health and the impact a healthy gut has on physical and mental well-being, we knew there was a need for a nutrient-dense innovation. We also know many consumers feel overwhelmed by the time required to make nutritious and delicious meals.” “Our Ben's Original team is thrilled to provide consumers with another simple and delicious way to get more plant protein and fibre in their diets through our new Ben's Original 10 Medley product.”

International Dairy Investment Company has purchased 69.55 million shares of Arabian Food Industries, giving it a 24.61% ownership stake. Arabian Food Industries – known by the name of its flagship brand Domty – manufactures a range of branded white and processed cheeses and juice products in Egypt. The transaction, valued at EGP 445.84 million (approx. $14.39 million), was carried out at an average price of EGP 6.41 per share. This acquisition involved the complete sale of shares held by the El-Damaty family in Domty to the International Dairy Investment Company. The transaction was brokered by Egyptian investment company EFG Holding last week. In 2021, FrieslandCampina and the Arabian Food Industries Company agreed to form a new joint venture to export cheese to Africa and the Middle East, with FrieslandCampina and Domty holding 51% and 49% stakes, respectively, in the new JV.

International Beverage has announced its acquisition of the New Zealand distillery Cardrona Distillery. The acquisition includes the Cardrona Distillery and visitor centre near Wanaka in New Zealand’s Crown Range Mountains, plus Cardrona’s portfolio of brands including Cardrona single malt whisky, The Reid Vodka, The Source Gin and the Rose Rabbit liqueurs. Founded in 2015, Cardrona Distillery handcrafts its spirits from grain to glass on-site, starting with just three ingredients: pure Cardrona alpine water, malted barley and distillers’ yeast. Following International Beverage’s recent acquisition of the Larsen Cognac business, the deal aims to give the global drinks business a foothold in the New World spirits category, complementing its Scotch whisky and spirits brands which include Old Pulteney, Speyburn and Caorunn Gin. International Beverage will focus on investment in the purpose-built distillery site and maximising the potential of Cardrona’s brands in the core New Zealand, UK and USA markets. Cardrona Distillery founder and managing director, Desiree Reid, commented: “I’m thrilled that International Beverage shares our belief in Cardrona’s quality and potential as we embark upon the next chapter of our story together. I look forward to working with their team to bring our spirits to more people in markets around the world in the future.” Malcolm Leask, International Beverage’s managing director, UK, said: “A warm welcome to Desiree and everyone at Cardrona Distillery to International Beverage. We are delighted to have their skilled team and exceptional craft spirits join our business. The team has done an excellent job in building Cardrona’s super-premium brands to date with so much integrity, quality and potential for the future.”

The Collective has introduced a limited-edition spiced plum and custard-flavoured yogurt. The yogurt is made of "rich and creamy" vanilla custard with a "punchy, spiced plum compote" made with stanley plums. Tor Hunt-Taylor, marketing director of The Collective, said: “We’re delighted to have them back in market, trailblazing on utterly unique flavours and mouth-watering eating experiences. Our role has always been to shake up the dairy category and making things more exciting for consumers, and limited-edition gourmet does this with...unexpected flavour offerings.” The new flavour is part of The Collective's gourmet limited edition, which operates on a six-month rolling agenda. The brand's next seasonal yogurt is scheduled for a March release to align with the spring and summer seasons. The Collective's spiced plum and custard flavour is currently available in Sainsbury’s and Ocado, as well as Waitrose, by the end of the month.

Canadian meat processor Olymel has made a series of announcements as part of measures to reorganise and optimise its business and operations. The company’s management has announced the definitive closure of its boning and packaging plant in Princeville, Centre-du-Québec, Canada, affecting 301 employees who have been given 16 weeks’ notice of termination. Olymel says that the plant will cease operations on 10 November – of the 16 weeks of notice, eight weeks will be worked until closure, and the remaining eight weeks will be paid out in a lump sum. The meat processor will roll out a relocation plan that will enable the Princeville employees to be relocated within the company to other facilities with labour needs. It says that the plant in Princeville also has 33 temporary foreign workers on staff and that it will work with authorities so those employees can apply for relocation to another Olymel facility. Yanick Gervais, president and CEO of Olymel, said: "Today more than ever, it is necessary to continue to rethink our organisation in order to optimise all of our activities. The fresh pork industry is slowly getting back on track after two years of tumult that forced us to reorganise our operations. We explored various avenues for the Princeville plant, but we found that its operations could be handled in our three slaughtering, cutting and boning plants, namely in St-Esprit, in the Lanaudière region, in Yamachiche, in Mauricie and in Ange-Gardien, in Montérégie West.” He continued: “It is with reluctance that we announce today the permanent closure of the Princeville factory. This decision, difficult but necessary, is part of Olymel's desire to continue our efforts to return to profitability in the sector, for the benefit of our entire organisation." In the notice, Olymel management also announced the closure of its poultry further processing plant in Paris, Ontario, Canada, “as part of an effort to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and ensure profitability across all its facilities”. The closure will affect 93 employees, who have been given 14 weeks’ notice of closure, with operations set to close indefinitely on 22 December. Affected employees have also been given the option to sign up to a relocation programme, to continue working at other Olymel plants within the Ontario region. Simultaneously, Olymel has unveiled a CAD 8 million (approx. $5.2 million) investment at its existing Oakville, Ontario, plant, about 75km away from the Paris plant. Olymel plans for refurbishment work to begin in the coming weeks, where one of the production lines currently based in Paris will be installed. Once completed, the refurbishment will create 62 new jobs. Gervais continued: "With the Paris and Oakville plants both operating in the poultry further processing sector and located a short distance apart, Olymel found itself running two plants that were working below their respective capacities. Consolidating the operations of the two plants in Oakville will put an end to this situation and generate significant gains in efficiency and savings, as well as positive outcomes for the Orenda poultry further processing plant in Brampton and the Sainte-Rosalie plant in Montérégie Est, Quebec." The restructuring in the Ontario poultry sector is set to have a positive impact on the activities of Olymel's poultry further processing plant in Sainte-Rosalie, in the Saint-Hyacinthe region. The company says that by taking equipment from the Paris plant and installing it in Sainte-Rosalie, it will increase production capacity for certain poultry products and could create additional jobs at the facility. Finally, Olymel's management announced that it is accelerating the closure of its Saint-Simon distribution centre in Montérégie Est – the centre will close on 26 January 2024, more than a year ahead of the date planned. The 15 employees at this facility were given 19 weeks' notice of termination and will all be offered the opportunity to relocate to another Olymel distribution centre or to one of the other facilities in the Sainte-Hyacinthe region. Gervais finished: "On behalf of Olymel's management, I would like to thank all Olymel employees affected by the decisions...The announcements are consistent with the measures taken by Olymel over the past two years to address the difficult challenges facing our markets, optimise our operations and return to profitability after years of losses...Olymel will take great care to ensure that the implementation of relocation plans for Princeville, Saint-Simon and Paris, Ontario, will enable employees affected by the closures to pursue their careers within our company according to our employment needs."

In the ever-evolving food and beverage industry, the importance of sustainable practices has grown exponentially. Beyond eco-friendly sourcing and waste reduction, one vital aspect that demands our attention is the proper disinfection of food areas to prevent the spread of viruses, bacteria and cross-contamination. While disinfecting is not the primary factor in preserving food freshness, it can play an important role in preventing food spoilage. Adrian Fulle, global chief marketing officer for ByoPlanet, explains. Preventing food waste through disinfection As the world navigates the challenges of an increasingly globalised food supply chain, preventing food waste is a critical goal for the F&B industry. According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, around one third of the food produced globally for human consumption is lost or wasted. This amounts to approximately 1.3 billion metric tons of food each year. The pandemic underscored the need for robust hygiene measures to safeguard food from contamination and spoilage, especially in storage and processing facilities. One often overlooked aspect of food spoilage is the air quality within these facilities. Pathogens and microorganisms present in the air can accelerate the deterioration of fresh produce, leading to significant losses for producers and suppliers. Disinfecting the air and maintaining a clean environment can significantly reduce the risk of contamination, which may lead to prolonged freshness of food and minimised food waste. The advancement of disinfection technologies To address the challenges of disinfection effectively, the food and beverage industry must embrace advanced technologies. Among these innovations, induction-charging electrostatic disinfection technologies have emerged as a game-changer. Unlike traditional spray and wipe methods, these cutting-edge techniques deliver significant advantages, optimising both effectiveness and efficiency. With high-quality electrostatic sprayers, a sufficient charge is applied to the disinfectant as it leaves the nozzle, ensuring the disinfectant is uniformly and effectively covering the targeted surfaces, including complex geometries and hard-to-reach areas like food equipment, countertops and storage containers. The efficiency of these technologies also leads to a substantial reduction in labour time and costs. In fact, studies have shown that such advanced methods can reduce labour time by up to 73%. With streamlined disinfection processes, employees can focus on other essential tasks, enhancing overall productivity and reducing operational expenses. Indoor air quality: A crucial component of workplace wellness As the world becomes increasingly conscious of health and wellbeing, the significance of indoor air quality (IAQ) cannot be underestimated. For professionals working within the food and beverage industry, the impact of IAQ is particularly pronounced. Poor air quality can lead to health issues among workers, resulting in more sick days, decreased productivity and heightened costs for companies. In facilities where a multitude of activities are conducted, including food processing, cooking and packaging, the release of airborne contaminants is not uncommon. These contaminants may include allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other harmful particles. Without proper ventilation and air purification systems, these pollutants can accumulate, leading to respiratory problems and reduced overall wellbeing. Investing in technologies that improve IAQ can yield remarkable benefits for both employees and businesses. By installing high-quality air filtration systems – such as HEPA filters, UV germicidal lights and air purifiers – companies can effectively remove contaminants from the air, creating a healthier work environment. As a result, workers experience fewer health issues, take fewer sick days and enjoy higher job satisfaction. Food for thought As the food and beverage industry marches toward a more sustainable future, safeguarding the health and safety of employees while minimising food waste has become a top priority. By implementing advanced disinfection technologies, such as electrostatic disinfection application methods, companies can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their disinfection processes, ultimately protecting front-line workers and reducing operational costs. Furthermore, recognising the critical role of indoor air quality in the wellbeing of workers, investing in air purification systems is no longer an option but a necessity. Improved IAQ leads to healthier, more productive employees and contributes to overall cost reductions for businesses. Sustainability in the food and beverage industry encompasses a broad spectrum of practices, and among them, the proper protocols for disinfection and indoor air quality management stand as crucial pillars. By embracing innovative technologies and prioritising employee wellness, companies can thrive in a safer, more productive and sustainable environment, securing a brighter future for the entire industry.

UK bakery brand St Pierre has announced the launch of two new products in its range of premium European baked goods. The new products, St Pierre Belgian Waffles with Butter and St Pierre Belgian Waffles with Chocolate Chips, are said to be “the first multipack waffle product for the UK market”. The waffles are made in Belgium, following an authentic and traditional recipe that uses real butter, Belgian chocolate chips, fresh yeast, whole eggs and real Belgian sugar pearls, to add an “authentic caramelisation and crunch found in traditional Liege waffles”. The waffles are ready to eat and are free of any artificial colours or preservatives. They are individually wrapped for easy on-the-go snacking, making them versatile for multiple meal occasions. Lauren Meadows, head of UK brands at St Pierre Groupe, said: “This product launch is exciting for us – it’s brand new to our product range and it’s a new format too, giving real on-shelf standout. More importantly, however, the quality of our Belgian Waffles is second-to-none. St Pierre is all about elevating the everyday and waffles are not traditionally seen as a premium product. What we have managed to do, is offer a premium solution in a category that is growing at 14%, but will no doubt be helped by the addition of an innovative new product.” Meadows continued: “Waffle consumption increased in 2020 with the arrival of lockdown and greater demand for variety in breakfast and at-home snacking. Those consumers are still looking for elevated meals and St Pierre Belgian Waffles will appeal to the increased number of adults looking for indulgence. The new waffles will launch into 360 ASDA stores from 25 September, with an RRP of £3.50 per six-pack.

US sour cream and cottage cheese brand, Daisy, has introduced a new range of sour cream dips. The range is available in two variants: French Onion, which offers a rich caramelly-toasted onion flavour with garlic undertones, and Creamy Ranch, featuring a full-bodied garlic flavour with a blend of spices. Daisy's sour cream dips are made with clean ingredients, and are free from thickeners, stabilisers, preservatives, added MSG and non-dairy allergens. "Daisy Dips are delicately blended to deliver a creamy, dynamic flavour that is so fresh you would swear they were made from scratch," said Erik Christensen, director of marketing at Daisy. "We are excited for consumers to now be able to dip a dollop with Daisy." The dips are currently available at select national and regional retailers.

US better-for-you noodle brand Goodles has announced it has raised $13 million in a Series A funding round led by consumer investment farm L Catterton. The brand – which launched in 2021 – is known for its modern line of nutrient-packed boxed mac and cheese and pasta products, in a range of “sophisticated flavours,” and now has more than 35,000 points of retail distribution across the US. With the new Series A investment, the brand is bolstering its executive team and increasing its US production capacity to meet the surging consumer demand for their products. Jen Zeszut, co-founder and CEO of Goodles, said: "We can't outspend our deep-pocketed, big-brand competition. We have to be more authentic and more unexpected and go places they simply cannot. We are excited about this partnership with L Catterton – the best-of-the-best when it comes to scaling consumer brands. The influx of capital to keep up with demand, coupled with the ability of our extraordinarily creative and results-oriented team to produce unconventional and joyful executions, positions us perfectly for continued success.” Gal Gadot, founding partner of Goodles, added: "The growth we've experienced is a testament to our loyal fans and consumers. I would never have imagined that my favourite meal as a child – mac and cheese – would become a business venture of my own. I am grateful that I can contribute to bringing joy to people's dining room tables.” L Catterton led the round, joined by existing investors: Springdale, Third Craft Partners, Willow Growth, Alumni Ventures, GingerBread Capital, IMG-Endeavor, Cosmic VC, and Electric Feel Ventures. Jon Owsley, co-managing partner of L Catterton's Growth Fund, commented: "Goodles is reimagining the category by delivering innovative, high-quality products that are just as delicious as they are nutritious. With its growing portfolio of unique flavours, the brand has quickly captivated consumers of all ages. We are thrilled to be leading the Company's Series A raise.”