Parkside and the New Forest Fruit Company have launched a home compostable flexible packaging solution for its new range of ‘plant to packet’ sustainable dried strawberries. The solution is made with Parkside’s triplex Park2Nature material, which is TÜV certified as home compostable within 26 weeks in normal composting conditions and 12 weeks in an industrial composting facility. It is referred to as ‘plant to packet’ as the products are grown, processed, and packed on the New Forest Fruit Company’s farm in the New Forest, Hampshire, UK to ensure “the carbon footprint of each product is kept to an absolute minimum”. Staci Bye, business unit manager at Parkside, said: “Sustainable packaging is fundamental to our business, so we were thrilled to work with a brand whose ethos is so similar to our own. This partnership with New Forest Fruit Company saw us share a goal to develop a high-quality product that is packed as sustainably as possible – and that synergy shows in the final result.” Bye added: “It is particularly rewarding as these products represent a first for the UK snack market – the result of a novel combination of pulse drying and freeze drying. Despite the challenge of packing a first-to-market product, our innovation team worked in close collaboration with the customer to deliver excellent results once again.” The fruit snacks use a combination of pulse drying and freeze drying to desiccate the fruit pieces while retaining their original shape, flavours, and nutrients. Sandy Booth, owner of New Forest Fruit Company, said: “It was important to us that we found a company that could provide the compostable flexible packaging that had not only been tested and accredited but could also be designed to meet the specific needs of our strawberries". The Park2Nature range of packaging from Parkside uses a laminate material made using PEFC-accredited plant-based resources and is GMO and PLA-free.

Wilmar International has announced that it has entered into an agreement to dispose of its minority stake in Moroccan sugar business Cosumar. The agreement will see Wilmar sell its entire 30.05% equity shareholding in Cosumar for an aggregate cash consideration of MAD 5.96 billion (approx. $605 million). Cosumar’s principal business is the production of sugar through the processing of sugar cane and sugar beet in Morocco. The company is also a refiner of imported raw sugar and a distributor of sugar products. The carrying value of the investment in Cosumar in Wilmar’s books was $336.2 million as of 31 December 2022. The completion of the transaction, targeted to happen in the fourth quarter of 2023 at the latest, is subject to regulatory approvals. In the same agreement, Wilmar has agreed to make two acquisitions. The agribusiness company will acquire Cosumar’s 45% enquity interest in Wilmaco for a total cash consideration of MAD 85 million (approx. $8.7 million) which will result in Wilmaco becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Wilmar. Wilmaco’s principal business is the production, development, processing, importing, exporting and marketing of vegetable fats and their byproducts. The construction of its specialty fats facility in Morocco is ongoing and expected to complete in the fourth quarter of 2023. Wilmar will also acquire Cosumar’s 43.28% equity interest in Saudi Arabian sugar importer and distributor, Durrah Advanced Development, for a total cash consideration of SAR 243 million (approx. $64.7 million), increasing its existing 5% equity interest in the company. The balance 51.7% interest in Durrah is held by local Saudi investors. The Wilmaco and Durrah transactions are subject to terms to be agreed in definitive agreements, set to be finalised by September 2023. Wilmar said that when completed, the deals will not have a “significant financial impact” on the company.

AG Barr has announced that its current CEO, Roger White, will be departing from the company within the next year. White will resign as a director and retire from the business at a "mutually agreed date in the next 12 months". The owner of Boost Drinks said that it will commence the search for a successor immediately to "ensure a smooth leadership transition". White joined the soft drinks group over 21 years ago, making him "one of the longest-serving CEOs in the UK public market," said Mark Allen, AG Barr's chairman. He continued: "He has supported the transformation of the business from a regional soft drinks business into a highly successful multi-beverage, branded company that has delivered significant value to shareholders, stakeholders and employees. AG Barr has a strong culture and momentum and is strategically well placed to continue to deliver for the long term." White commented: "It has been a privilege and pleasure to lead the business for over two decades, and now the time is right to plan for my succession and to ensure the continued success of the business".

Perfetti Van Melle-owned Fruit-tella has expanded its jellies range with the introduction of two variants: Out in Space and On a Safari. Out in Space features moon, rocket and star-shaped treats infused with strawberry, pineapple and peach flavours. Meanwhile, On a Safari offers shapes resembling elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffalos and lions, all filled with zesty orange, apple and pear flavours. According to Fruit-tella, the HFSS-compliant jellies are crafted using a 30% reduction in sugar, real fruit juices and natural colourings and flavours. Lauren Potter, senior brand manager at Fruit-tella, said: “After the successful introduction of Fruit-tella Curiosities to the market earlier this year, we are delighted to be expanding the beloved portfolio with two new themed packs for families to explore and enjoy". The jellies are available to buy across grocery channels in the UK for £1.50 per pack.

The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has received €25 million in additional funding from the European Union to extend and scale up the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) programme. The initiative has been working with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries since 2017 to "strengthen people's livelihoods" and food security, reduce unsustainable wildlife hunting and conserve wildlife. The investment marks the second phase of the initiative, which will run from August 2023 to May 2029. It will form part of NaturAfrica, a new EU initiative for biodiversity conservation in Africa. The first phase of the initiative received €45 million, with co-funding from the French Global Environment Facility and French Development Agency. FAO says it will continue to lead a consortium of partners, which includes the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development, the Center for International Forestry Research and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Maria Helena Semedo, deputy director-general, FAO, said: “The SWM programme has a significant contribution to make as we work towards a sustainable and food-secure world for all. The initiative contributes to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework as well as to the ‘four betters’ in the new FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031.” She added: “For example, the programme is working towards ‘better nutrition’ by promoting safe food across wild and domestic meat value chains, and towards ‘better environment’ by developing innovative approaches to improve practices, build capacities to reduce zoonotic risks and protect ecosystems”. The partnership is working with national and regional administrations, with over 80 local and indigenous communities in 16 countries. Marjeta Jager, deputy director-general, directorate-general for International Partnerships, European Commission, commented: “Building scalable new models to conserve wildlife and improve food security takes time. We need to further develop the models tested by the SWM Programme and to disseminate and scale up the programme’s findings, results and approaches to achieve greater impacts. For this reason, the EU seeks to provide additional funding to continue the SWM programme until June 2029.” An increasing demand for wild meat, especially in urban areas, is threatening wildlife populations, ecosystem balance and food security of indigenous and rural communities in tropical and subtropical regions, according to the FAO. The SWM programme aims to improve the sustainable and legal use of wild animal populations through participatory management of hunting, fishing and wildlife. It also works on reducing urban consumption of wild meat from unsustainable sources by encouraging healthy and sustainable livestock, poultry and fish farming value chains. The new EU funding will be used to boost the impact and sustainability of the programme by completing the models and sharing tools and innovations at national, regional and international levels.

French investment company Wendel Group has signed an agreement to sell Constantia Flexibles to an affiliate of One Rock Capital Partners. Based in Austria, Constantia is a manufacturer of flexible packaging for over 4,000 pharmaceutical, food and consumer goods customers. Wendel said that Constantia would be sold for a price that yields net proceeds of €1.097 billion. According to the company, the sale price represents a multiple of 1.94 times Wendel's total investment in Constantia since 2015. In 2015, Wendel acquired Constantia for an enterprise value of €2.3 billion. Wendel said the transaction's net proceeds exceeded Constantia's valuation by €84 million, according to Wendel's net set value, published prior to the transaction announcement, as of 31 March this year. Furthermore, additional proceeds generated by Constantia's ongoing assets disposals will further bring the proceeds up to €1,124 million. David Darmon, Wendel Group’s deputy CEO, said: “The history of Constantia Flexibles within Wendel's portfolio highlights the validity of our long-term investor model, which has enabled us to support the company in its development. Constantia Flexibles has thus placed innovation at the heart of its growth model, enabling it to rise to the challenge of the circular economy without compromising on the functional requirements of its products." He continued: "Under Pim Vervaat’s leadership, all Constantia Flexibles teams demonstrated their commitment and resilience during the Covid-19 crisis and coped brilliantly with the recent disruptions in the energy and commodities markets. They enabled the company to deliver outstanding operational, financial and extra-financial performance.” Pim Vervaat, CEO of Constantia Flexibles, added: "Our current position and success would not have been possible without Wendel's dedication and commitment. We are grateful for their supportive partnership over the years, which has enabled our growth and investments in our workforce, innovations, and sustainable offerings for the consumer and pharma markets. Working alongside Wendel has been a pleasure." The closing of the transaction is expected to take place during the second half of 2023, subject to the satisfaction of the contractual conditions precedents, including the clearance by regulatory authorities.

UK snack brand Bear has introduced a new line of dual-flavoured fruit snacks, called Fruit Splits, specifically designed for older children. Fruit Splits is available in two flavours: strawberry & apple and raspberry & pineapple. The snacks are made with real fruit and contain no added sugar. Matthew Kitteridge, senior innovation manager at Urban Fresh Foods, commented: “We know that innovation is important for keeping children engaged with healthier options, which is why we’re launching Bear Fruit Splits in time for back-to-school when we know parents will be on the lookout for options from brands they know and trust. Bear Fruit Splits are easy to eat on the go, as they are individually packaged, making them ideal for lunchboxes.” “This launch is set to help us retain parents in the snacking category for longer through snacks that are attractive to older children, as well as our younger cubs. We recently launched Bear Fruit Treasures that targets a younger age range (from 3 years old), we have Yoyos to cater to our 4-6-year-old cubs, and now Fruit Splits takes us beyond that with a snack and Bear cards that will feel more grown-up for this age group.” Bear Fruit Splits will be available in a multipack for an RRP of £2.85.

Lactalis UK & Ireland has announced it is “reinventing” the cheese burger with its latest NPD, Seriously Cheese Burgers. The ‘burgers’ feature a combination of Scottish cheddar and mozzarella – creating a melting cheese centre – coated in crispy breadcrumbs. They were created to provide consumers with a vegetarian alternative to meat-based burgers that are easy to prepare. Seriously says the launch “reaffirms its ability to transform its unique extra mature cheddar into a variety of engaging cheese products”. Heloise Le Norcy-Trott, group marketing and category director for Lactalis UK & Ireland, said: “With Seriously’s heritage of great Scottish cheddar and our proven track record for bringing successful new products to market, we are confident that Seriously Cheese Burgers will be a big hit with consumers”. The new cheeseburgers are available in packs of two cheese patties, with an RRP of £3. They are available to purchase in Waitrose stores and will roll out into Tesco later in the year. You may also like to read: Lactalis and Perfetti Van Melle team up on Chupa Chups milk Lactalis UK and Ireland launches Leerdammer in grated format Lactalis taps into lighter spreadable butter market

Coffee tech start-up Ansā has secured $9 million in funding to support the commercial roll-out of its hi-tech coffee micro-roaster across North America. Tel Aviv-based early-stage fund Jibe Ventures is leading the round, with additional participants including Closed Loop Ventures, New Climate Ventures, Millennium Food-Tech and Sweetwood. Ansā has created a fully autonomous mini roaster, aiming to provide a sustainable alternative to large, traditional roasters which usually rely on gas-operated convection heat at temperatures surpassing 200°C. Ansā’s compact, countertop-friendly appliance is quiet and smoke-free. Its patented approach energises the beans from core to shell without emitting any noise, heat or unwanted byproducts. The fully automatic appliance is equipped with sensors and AI algorithms to ensure a consistently even roast. The device facilitates on-demand roasting of bespoke raw green coffee beans. It can roast a single serving of coffee within minutes or be programmed to roast any desired amount by a set time using the Ansā roasting app. Subscribers benefit from a supply of specialty grade, 100% arabica beans delivered in bulk recyclable boxes. According to Ansā, its approach to sourcing and supplying coffee beans significantly cuts the distances coffee beans need to travel by minimising transport between farms, roasting facilities and customers while eliminating reliance on single-use capsules and other environmentally polluting packaging. Yuval Weisglass, co-founder and CEO of Ansā said that the company secured commercial contracts in 2023 with a lineup of distributors in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Seattle and more. Matan Scharf, Ansā’s CMO and co-founder, said: “Ansā is rewriting the coffee narrative by bringing aromatic fresh coffee ‘from shrub to cup’ sustainably”. “The coffee landscape has long yearned for a rejuvenation. Our mission is to provide consumers with an extraordinary coffee experience, allowing them to engage with green coffee beans while indulging in superior quality coffee at its freshest. And all in the knowledge that they are protecting our planet and the livelihoods of coffee farmers.”

Age No More has launched an energy beverage that combines caffeine with a carefully curated blend of natural ingredients. Each serving delivers an “invigorating boost” with 180mg of caffeine and incorporates 20mg of CBD sourced from full-spectrum hemp. The beverage features NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide), a vital coenzyme responsible for cellular energy production, which plays a significant role in the anti-ageing process. Age No More features ingredients such as urolithin A, resveratrol, red reishi, cordyceps, Lion's mane, and tremella mushrooms, which are said to be renowned for their impact on collagen production and skin health. Additionally, Age No More includes various botanicals known for their health benefits, such as green tea extract, andrographis, bacopa monnieri, quercetin, turmeric, ashwagandha, lithium orotate, and blueberry extract.

Campbell Soup Company is investing approximately $160 million in its manufacturing facility in Richmond, Utah, to expand production of its Goldfish crackers. The new line will increase the bakery’s output of Goldfish by 50% and produce over five million Goldfish crackers per hour – 1,500 every second. The expansion aims to meet increased consumer demand, Campbell said, and will include construction of an onsite flour mill that will be separately owned and operated. With a bakery in Richmond and operations in Logan, the company currently employs more than 400 people in the Cache Valley region. The investment is expected to add a further 80 jobs. Utah Flour Milling will build the flour mill, adjacent and connected to the Campbell bakery. The onsite mill is a partnership between PHM Brands’ Panhandle Milling and Nippn Corporation. The mill aims to increase supply reliability, provide capacity for continued growth and improve plant efficiency. Additionally, the mill will reduce the site’s greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating over 2,200 trucks per year transporting the flour from mill to bakery. Chris Foley, executive VP and president of Campbell Snacks, said: “Goldfish is an iconic brand that is quickly approaching a billion-dollar business, and this investment demonstrates our commitment to the growth of our brands and the communities where we operate”. The new Goldfish line is expected to be operational by the end of 2024. This is Campbell’s third Goldfish capacity expansion in the past two years, following bakery expansions in Lakeland, Florida and Willard, Ohio.

McCormick & Company-owned mustard brand, French's, has teamed up with Mars Wrigley to launch a mustard-flavoured Skittles ahead of National Mustard Day on 5 August. The limited-edition Skittles are said to have a "tangy mustard flavour" with the brand's "iconic chewy texture". Valda Coryat, North America VP of marketing for McCormick, said: "From mustard ice cream to last year's viral mustard donuts, this year marks the fifth time French's has gone all out with unique, flavourful innovations to celebrate National Mustard Day". Ro Cheng, marketing director at Mars, added: "Skittles is always looking to inspire moments of everyday happiness and deliver unexpected ways for fans to experience the brand". "That's why we've teamed up with French's to create the first-of-its-kind Skittles that combines their tangy mustard flavour with our iconic chewy texture to deliver this unique summer treat for National Mustard Day."