Pernod Ricard's scotch whisky business, Chivas Brothers, has announced plans to invest £60 million to reach its goal of carbon neutral distillation by the end of 2026. The multi-year investment was announced alongside Chivas Brothers’ FY23 financial results, which it reported as its “strongest financial performance in a decade,” with 17% growth in net sales. The investment will occur over the next three years and is set to accelerate the brand’s energy and carbon reduction journey, to achieve carbon neutral distillation by the end of 2026. Chivas Brothers’ will use the planned investment to implement heat recovery technologies and install electric boilers across viable distilleries. While driving down its carbon footprint, the brand says it will also invest in strategic inventory management, ensuring a future-fit model that continues to meet the global demand for its Scotch whiskies. Chivas Brothers chairman and CEO, Jean-Etienne Gourgues, said: “The historic highs we’re seeing across our strategic brands signal the success of our premiumisation strategy which has enabled Chivas Brothers to outperform the market. Our highest growth of the last decade reinforces our position to shape the future of sustainable Scotch while continuing to meet demand.” In July, the brand made its carbon-reducing technology available to the wider industry. The move was made after the firm’s heat recovery technology was integrated at Pernod Ricard’s Glentauchers distillery in Scotland, lowering the site’s carbon emissions by 53%. He continued: “We have fast-tracked a number of sustainability initiatives to meet our own ambitious targets and remain committed to supporting the industry in ushering in this new era – as we demonstrated earlier this year by making our heat recovery findings open source”.

In this opinion piece, Nisha Purswani, vice president client solutions data science and analytics at The Smart Cube, explores how the use of data can help the industry predict culinary trends. From avocado’s newfound popularity to the boom in kale and the ever-growing presence of kombucha, food trends can seemingly materialise out of the blue and pop up everywhere, from corner cafés to supermarket shelves. Subsequently, these trends tend to stick around, becoming a staple of people’s diets. For instance, avocado was once considered an exotic, rarely-seen fruit. Nowadays, it is easy to find around the world. There has been an explosive growth in the popularity of the product, which shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, the global market, which was valued at over nine billion US dollars in 2021, is forecasted to reach nearly 20 billion US dollars by 2026. With food and beverage itself being a trillion-dollar industry, being able to predict what these changes will be and when they’ll happen can lead to large-scale commercial activity. This makes it imperative for food manufacturers to understand consumers’ developing needs. As such, organisations in this sector are increasingly investing in analytics, data science and other technologies in the hope of gaining that all-important glimpse of the future and predicting what the next big trend will be. Data analysis and artificial intelligence There are numerous ways in which food manufacturers and retailers utilise data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI) to forecast future trends. For example, Tastewise provides its users with almost real-time industry insights and predictions by using sentiment analysis and natural language processing to automatically extract data from social media posts, restaurant menus and recipes. From this, the data can be used to identify and follow trends before they enter the wider public’s consciousness. Similarly, other businesses are deploying AI, which uses named-entity recognition to highlight new words or terms being used with increasing regularity within its data pool – meaning they’re able to spot trends that are on the verge of emerging and exploding. Additionally, some firms are utilising AI and machine learning to discover the popularity of specific flavours within different markets. Importantly, the technology is also being used to predict how long these trends could last so businesses are capable of making smarter, data-driven investments. Listening to experts Prior to arriving on supermarket shelves, most new trending culinary products start in restaurants. From there, most of these go on a journey which is relatively simple to predict. At least, this is the hypothesis behind the work at Datassential, a firm that has come up with The Menu Adoption Cycle. According to Datassential, there are four stages of the cycle. All trends begin with the initial inception of a new ingredient or trend before going on to their initial adoption in restaurants. Then there is the proliferation stage, whereby trends are adjusted for mainstream appeal and, finally, ubiquity – where trends are found throughout all aspects of the food and drink sector. This method allowed the company to keep tabs on kale’s growing popularity, from its initial appearance on menus in 2009 to it reaching mainstream appeal in 2013. Tracking health trends Another important way to predict future trends is by monitoring societal drivers. Indeed, it’s not only restaurants that influence our eating habits. As we continue to learn about how the food and drink we consume affect our health, the decisions we make as a society have shifted. Research from Forbes discovered that healthfulness is the biggest driver in determining what people eat and drink – more so than taste and price. Keeping a watchful eye on these trends and concerns can help food manufacturers predict the direction the industry will move in. Whether it be a new, celebrity-endorsed diet or a movement towards reducing sugar consumption, these societal changes can help determine which products are likely to see their popularity explode in the near future. The challenge is establishing how long these trends are set to last. Global events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, can impact the importance people place on health. The only way to tell whether consequent shifts in consumer preferences will stand the test of time, or retreat once the status quo returns, is to continue collecting, combing through, and analysing both past and present data. Personalised diets When it comes to health and nutrition, one size doesn’t necessarily fit all. As data and analytics continue to reveal more about the human body, it’s not only becoming apparent what’s best for us as a species but as individuals, too. One trend that has emerged in recent years is tailored meal plans. For instance, as consumers have become increasingly health conscious, there has been a surge in the number of personalised nutrition apps. For example, Youniq is an app that utilises AI to suggest meals to users and helps to develop an intensely personalised diet plan for them. What’s more, there are services available that analyse people’s genes, guiding us to the best diet according to different nutritional concerns. The DNA testing firm FitnessGene takes an individual’s saliva sample and identifies genetic variants influencing their propensity to suffer a disrupted night’s sleep and gain or lose weight. From this, the company provides personalised dietary recommendations which can improve people’s health. Looking at it from the perspective of the average consumer, culinary trends appear out of thin air. However, for food manufacturers, retailers, and other groups operating in the food and drink industry, this is not the case. By using data, these organisations can find – and provide – the next avocado, kale, or kombucha.

GoGo squeeZ has released its new limited-edition Apple Pumpkin Spice snack pouches. GoGo squeeZ's Apple Pumpkin Spice is made from real ingredients, including apples, pumpkin puree and cinnamon. The fruit and veggie pouches have no added sugar and are free from gluten, nuts, dairy and preservatives. GoGo squeeZ's chief marketing officer, Mark Anthony Edmonson, said: "We're excited to lean into the hype for seasonal flavours and introduce a satisfying blend of two iconic fall tastes – apple and pumpkin spice – to the GoGo squeeZ portfolio". He continued: "We know how important flavour innovation is to our fans and love keeping them guessing, so pumpkin spice was one we couldn't hold back from delivering this year". GoGo squeeZ's Apple Pumpkin Spice is currently available at grocery stores across the US.

UK-based premium milkshake brand Shaken Udder has expanded its portfolio with the launch of two new chocolate flavours. The two new flavours, Double Choc and White Choc, tap into the trending permissible indulgence category as they are HFSS-compliant and have only 5% added sugar. White Choc is made with creamy white chocolate, while Double Choc has a mixture of dark chocolate and Belgian chocolate, providing a rich, velvety taste. Shaken Udder milkshakes contain no artificial ingredients, are suitable for vegetarians and come in fully recyclable bottles. The two new varieties are set to complement the brand’s existing flavours, recognising the “huge popularity” of chocolate. Shaken Udder says its existing chocolate milkshake, Chocolush, is “by far its most popular flavour,” adding that seven out of ten of the top performing SKUs in the flavoured milk category are chocolate. Jo Abram, marketing director at Shaken Udder, said: “Chocolate has always been our most popular milkshake flavour so we are delighted to launch two brand new mouthwatering chocolate flavours this autumn – Double Choc and White Choc. Both have an utterly delicious, indulgent taste while being HFSS compliant with less than 5% added sugar.” The latest additions come days after Shaken Udder's announcement that it was launching its popular strawberry milkshake in ambient form. The milkshakes are available to purchase now in UK supermarkets.

Westfalia Fruit has announced its plans to unveil a packhouse expansion in Mozambique, East Africa. According to Westfalia, the expansion aims to meet rising demand and strengthen the company's "commitment to community development and collaboration," ultimately enhancing Mozambique's avocado industry. The company is poised to enhance operational efficiency, with a particular focus on the essential picking and packing phases. In a statement, Westfalia said: "As Westfalia Fruit embarks on this ambitious journey of growth and progress, the company extends its sincere appreciation to all our stakeholders, partners and the diligent community of growers who have played a pivotal role in shaping our success". The statement continued: "This packhouse expansion embodies not only the company’s dedication to Mozambique's avocado sector but also signifies a significant stride towards reinforcing the local economy and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. With the imminent completion of this expansion project, Westfalia Fruit remains enthusiastic about its ongoing contributions to Mozambique's flourishing avocado industry. Through a commitment to excellence, the company looks forward to sharing the rewards of prosperity with all those involved." The upgrade is currently in progress and is expected to be completed in February 2024.

Dr. Oetker is introducing three new flavours to its Ristorante frozen pizza range, including a new tier of premium pizzas. A brand new Pepperoni Mozzarella Pesto pizza joins the core range, featuring a thin and crispy crust topped with pepperoni, mozzarella and a pesto garnish. Alongside this, a new tier of premium pizzas, Ristorante Primo, includes two flavours – Salame Piccante Nduja and Pollo Funghi Truffini. The Salame Piccante Nduja is topped with mozzarella, calabrese salame, nduja, peppadew peppers and a sweet, hot honey garnish on a chilli-infused crust. Pollo Funghi Truffini features mozzarella, roast garlic chicken, crispy bacon, sliced mushrooms and a rich truffle garnish on an Italian herb-infused crust. Laura Robinson, senior brand manager at Dr. Oetker Ristorante, said: “We’re pleased to be able to announce our range of exciting new products to the frozen pizza category. We hope that Ristorante fans will enjoy the delicious new flavours and find new favourites within the Primo range.” The trio launched in Asda stores on 14 August and will roll out into other major retailers later this year.

GEA has teamed up with Unilever to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in dairy farming by installing GEA’s new manure enricher solution, ProManure E2950. During the initial phase of the partnership, GEA will install four units on Dutch farms that supply milk to Unilever. Over a one-year period, the data of these systems will be analysed to measure their impact on Unilever’s carbon footprint. Unilever and GEA will assess and scale up the potential of the system to significantly reduce GHG emissions throughout the milk production process, aiming to improve Unilever’s sustainability across its value chain. According to GEA, its manure enricher enables dairy farms to produce environmentally friendly organic fertiliser locally on their farms just with their livestock slurry, air and electricity. Nitrogen from the air is added into the manure through plasma technology. At the same time, the manure enricher technology utilises all available nutrients on the farm by reducing ammonia losses that typically occur during storage and field application by up to 95%. Nutrients, including increased nitrogen, are available to the plants immediately in a targeted manner to support plant growth. GEA said that crop yield can be increased by up to 40% using the solution, compared to untreated manure. Methane emissions from manure and storage are also eliminated during the process. The company stated that all of these effects can reduce a farm’s overall carbon footprint by up to 30%. Eric Soubeiran, managing director of the Climate and Nature Fund at Unilever, said: “At Unilever we are convinced that technology and innovation is key to decarbonise the dairy industry. This partnership between four dairy farmers of our supplier CONO Kaasmakers, Unilever and GEA is a good illustration of creating a circular farm management system.” “By implementing this technology, we are deploying our regenerative strategy and support significant reduction of the carbon footprint of our dairy ingredients. This ultimately provides more sustainable products for our consumers.” Peter Lauwers, CEO of GEA Farm Technologies, added that an important part of the company’s ‘Next Generation Farming philosophy’ is to “empower dairy farmers around the world to sustainably future-proof their operations in times of tight margins, environmental regulations and increasing complexity”. “As one of the world's largest system suppliers for the food industry and frontrunner for sustainable change, we will put all our efforts together with Unilever on this manure enricher solution to promote circular farming,” Lauwers concluded.

Nissin Foods USA is introducing a new brand, Geki, into its instant noodle portfolio with the launch of a chilli-infused noodle innovation. Geki, which means ‘extreme’ in Japanese, is designed for spice enthusiasts in pursuit of a spicier, authentic Asian meal at home. Its first consumer offering, Geki Fiery Hot Chicken, introduces a new advanced manufacturing technology developed by Nissin, infusing real chilli flakes directly into the round noodles to generate a red hue and fiery heat. The heat from the noodles is balanced with a hot chicken seasoning packet. Priscila Stanton, senior vice president of marketing at Nissin Foods USA, said: “We know that spicy food experiences are embedded in American culture and a recent food industry study found that 65% of consumers are choosing spicy meals when cooking at home”. “We wanted to find an innovative solution that not only satisfies consumer cravings for heat, but also delivers on our mission to provide meals of value that are both convenient and delicious, while providing a spicy foundation for culinary creativity in American kitchen.” Geki is available for SRP $1.39 at Sam’s Club online and in its locations across the US, as well as launching on Amazon this month. It will soon roll out at grocery stores.

General Mills is investing $48 million to expand its frozen dough facility in Joplin, Missouri, US. Expected to create 47 new jobs, the expansion will increase General Mills' manufacturing and packaging capacity to meet growing demand and foster product innovation for the company's foodservice customers. The expansion will see the incorporation of new technology, including semi-automated processing and packaging, aimed at enhancing production and operational efficiencies. Upon completion, the Joplin facility will have the capability to manufacture more than 1 billion pounds of frozen dough products annually. Tim Johnson, plant manager at the General Mills' Joplin site, said: “At General Mills, we’re accelerating our business and investing to support continued growth in frozen dough. Southwest Missouri and the Joplin community continue to partner with employers on mutually beneficial programs to drive growth in the region.” Construction is expected to be completed in early 2024.

Cherubino Wines has announced the acquisition of fellow Australian wine and spirits brand Margaret River Winemakers. The acquisition includes a 2,000-tonne facility with warehousing, distillation capacity and cellar door. As part of the acquisition, Cherubino said the spirits brand will be rebranded with a focus on utilising Cherubino’s vineyards and fruit resources to create regional and beginning-to-end estate spirits and a produce farm shop. This will complement the existing Cherubino cellar door and Frui Momento restaurant and Enoteca, located in Wilyabrup, Australia. Cherubino’s founders, Larry and Edwina Cherubino, revealed that they have been planning an acquisition for over 20 years. Founder, Larry Cherubino, said: “We are committed to a long-term approach to winemaking, and this acquisition represents an incredible opportunity for us to establish the brand not only in terms of supply but will greatly support our production and marketing capabilities”. “Cherubino’s newly appointed distribution partner in the UK, Hatch Mansfield, Oatley Fine Wine Merchants in Australia and our many partners and customers around the world have allowed us to make this important step with confidence and we look forward to sharing more details of the project soon.” The current wine facility and equipment will be moved to the new facility over the next 12 months. The new cellar door is slated to reopen in December 2023.

Prinova is introducing a new line of premix solutions for the thriving functional food ingredients market in the Asia Pacific region. At this year's FiAsia Thailand event in Bangkok, the company will showcase three cutting-edge beverage concepts, including: Lifestyle & Replenish: a dragon fruit-flavoured hydration beverage featuring Cococin, a freeze-dried derivative of coconut water, renowned as a natural isotonic sports drink. Formulated with electrolytes, BCAAs, B vitamins, and antioxidants, it is designed to rejuvenate and nourish the body. Healthy Active Lifestyle Plant Protein Beverage: a vegan beverage with matcha and white chocolate flavours, fortified with pea and fava bean protein. This concept caters to the burgeoning demand for premium plant protein products that endorse a health-conscious, active vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. Ginger & Yuzu Healthy Ageing: crafted with EAAlpha, Prinova's essential amino acid matrix, designed to combat age-related muscle function decline. This solution incorporates clinically researched ingredients such as Aquamin, Curcumin C3, Reduct and BioPerine, each known for its support in addressing age-related concerns, such as diminished bone density. James Street, marketing director EMEA & APAC at Prinova, said: “Functional and fortified products are enjoying fantastic growth in the Asia Pacific region. So it’s vital that manufacturers have a premium-quality premix ingredients partner to help them maximise the opportunities in this fast-evolving market. These exciting concepts are just a small taster of what brands can achieve with the right premixes for their new product development.” Prinova Europe offers a range of powder nutrients, liquid vitamins, amino acid blends and particle size enhancement services. These products and services are utilised in various applications, including beverages, cereals, dairy, supplements, sports nutrition, infant and early life nutrition, and oil, fat and flour fortification. FiAsia Thailand takes place from 20-22 September.

Bubs Australia has appointed non-executive director and board member, Reg Weine, as its new chief executive officer and managing director, effective immediately. Weine steps in as the successor to interim CEO Richard Paine, who temporarily held the position after the founder of the infant formula and baby food business, Kristy Carr, was ousted back in May. The new CEO brings more than 25 years in the FMCG and agri-food sectors, complemented by over 15 years of expertise in international markets and trade. Weine's prior roles include serving as the managing director of Australian canned-food enterprise, SPC Ardmona, as well as holding the position of CEO at Bulla Dairy Foods. Additionally, he contributed as the director of sales and international operations at Blackmores, a health supplements company. Bubs Australia chair Katrina Rathie said in a filing: “With his strong commercial, FMCG, dairy and international markets expertise, he is the right leader to drive Bubs’ strategy forward in Australia, US, China and international markets”. She continued: “Most importantly Reg has previously led growth companies and he is a measured, hard-working executive who is trusted by the board to act in the best interests of our company and our shareholders. I look forward to working with Reg and we are optimistic about Bubs Australia’s future under his leadership.” Weine added: “Bubs is a brand and a company with significant potential, but I fully understand the challenges that face us in the short to medium term. As the architect of the recent strategic review of the business, I will be pursuing the five-point plan to arrest the decline in shareholder value and get Bubs back on its feet.” Back in May, Bubs Australia announced the termination of employment of its CEO Kristy Carr for failing to comply with “reasonable board directions”. The termination of employment of its founder was announced during a stock-exchange filing on 10 May, following the start of a strategic review two weeks ago. In the review, Bubs said it would place particular importance on “expenditure management and the Chinese market”. In October last year, Bubs Australia entered a binding agreement with Heilongjiang Ubeite Dairy Group to manufacture and distribute Bubs’ Chinese label goat milk infant formula in China. In April, the business announced that its gross revenue in Q3 fell by 10%.