Trade Drinks Expo is shortly approaching with a whole new look. Coming to the ExCeL London on 10-11 October, the team has been preparing for the UK’s only event dedicated to maximising drink sales for both on-trade and off-trade. It is going to be a jam-packed event full of unlimited opportunities to take part in. From the incredible range of suppliers showcasing their off-trade and on-trade innovative drinks to the 100 hand-picked seminars presented by your favourite brands. Yet this is not all the team has been working on. Trade Drinks Expo is proud to announce its brand-new Trail on Tap partnered with Flightcase Bars. This exciting new feature allows you to taste and test the samples from all our amazing drink brands and breweries. Get a taste of exactly what the future of the trade drinks industry has to offer. You are now able to join us and thousands of like-minded individuals with a free ticket here now. Meet potential business partners, clients and buyers whilst networking with all those attending. With all the top industry professionals under one roof, the networking opportunities are endless for guaranteed business growth. Are you in the Trades Drink Industry? Whether you are just starting in the trade drinks industry, own a small business or a large one, Trade Drink Expo is dedicated to everyone in the sector. From learning the industry's top tips and tricks to grow your business to be able to taste and explore innovative on and off-trade drinks. Better still, this year’s instalment runs alongside six other industry-leading events, the biggest B2B event for the growth of the hospitality industry. So what are you waiting for? Register for your free ticket now.

US infant formula company Bobbie has acquired Nature’s One, an Ohio-based paediatric nutrition company, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition will support Bobbie in meeting its “full growth potential” while strengthening domestic manufacturing. It follows less than three years after Bobbie’s launch. Bobbie will continue to manufacture Nature's One products under the Baby’s Only brand for the foreseeable future. Established in 2019 with the purpose of developing safe and nutritious infant formula, its newly built infant formula facility is said to be the first in the US in 40 years. The new facility allows Bobbie end-to-end control of manufacturing, from raw material sourcing to production and canning. Laura Modi, Bobbie CEO and co-founder, said: “From inception, Bobbie’s mission has been centred around evolving the infant formula industry, and this acquisition is one of the biggest diversification moves in this very concentrated industry. There is no one better suited to help us pursue this vision than Nature’s One's founder, Jay Highman – he revolutionised the industry decades ago with his dedication to purity, accessibility, and safety, and this best-in-class facility is no exception. Owning end-to-end production while also continuing our valued partnership with Perrigo is critical as we scale and build the resiliency needed for the future.” Highman commented: “Nature’s One takes great pride in our evidence-based approach from the ingredients, to the state-of-the-art facility, and the team that has spent years to ensure our formula is safe, nutritious, and accessible for families. By handing the keys to Bobbie, it helps grow our reach and carries forward our message of purity.” He will remain as Nature’s One’s executive director and will be a key shareholder in the combined entity, alongside Juggernaut Capital Partners, a majority investor. The company is raising a Series C financing round that includes participation from several of Bobbie’s existing investors and proves Bobbie’s loyal backing and investor belief in their ability to continually disrupt an industry ripe for change like no other. Olivia Walton, founder and CEO of Ingeborg Investments, said that the acquisition positions Bobbie to become a “market leader” in high-quality baby formula and to reach millions more customers who are seeking “better options to feed their babies”. George Birman, principal at Powerplant Partners, said: “We believe Bobbie is leading a new generation of thinking when it comes to the vitally important areas of infant and child nutrition; in addition to making the highest quality product, Bobbie is unique in its understanding of the challenges and choices faced by modern parents, and as a result is becoming a household name. As investors in consumer brands, we are proud to leverage our category and operating expertise to support the company in the years ahead.” The Bobbie team has grown from a team of two co-founders to a team of over 100 employees, since its inception. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

KP Snacks has expanded the McCoy’s Epic Eats product range with two new flavours – McCoy’s Epic Eats Chip Shop Curry Sauce and McCoy’s Epic Eats Bangin’ BBQ. The new products are also non-HFSS, with 45% less salt than the standard potato crisps on average. Amy Heap, marketing manager at KP Snacks said: “The McCoy’s brand is famous for delivering bold flavours on our trademark ridges and we are excited to be expanding our range with the brand new Epic Eats multipacks. The two new launches will drive sales and category growth by engaging shoppers and tempting them to try something new. She added: “With 45% less salt than our core range, the new non-HFSS flavours enable our consumers to make a healthier choice without compromising on the delicious flavour and crunch they expect from the McCoy’s brands.” The flavours will initially launch in multipacks to Tesco and Asda in July, followed by Sainsbury’s in October, at an RRP of £2.25.

Supermarket chain Spar is entering the flavoured spirits market with the launch of a new raspberry-flavoured vodka spirit under its own label. According to research conducted by Spar, raspberry vodka currently controls 37% of the flavoured vodka market. Adam Georgiou, senior brand manager for own-label beer, wine and spirits at Spar UK, said: “We are proud to introduce our new own label raspberry-flavoured vodka, which extends our extremely popular own-label vodka range. Flavoured vodka is a growing sector of the spirits’ market, and within the category, raspberry has proven to be the consistent crowd favourite.” He added: “Our own label British-made spirit has been distilled five times and filtered three times to guarantee a smooth mouthfeel and clean, fruity flavour. We know this is a great, exclusive own-label product for our independent Spar retailers and stores as we move into the summer holidays." The raspberry-flavoured vodka is currently available in participating Spar stores across the UK for an RRP of £14.99 per bottle.

Saudi Arabia-based food-tech company, Kaso, has raised $10.5 million in a seed funding round to fuel the company's mission of revolutionising the food supply chain. The round was supported by investors such as BY VP, Hala Ventures, Seedra Ventures and others. Founded in 2021, Kaso is a B2B platform that digitises and automates procurement between food suppliers and restaurants in the Middle East. The business currently has over 5,000 partners in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The funds will be used to expand Kaso's operations, enhance its technology platform and achieve a gross merchandise value of $1 billion within 12 months. In addition, Kaso has launched a FinTech vertical that specialises in providing payment solutions and extended credit terms to restaurants. This service ensures suppliers receive seamless payments while offering financial flexibility and transparency for both parties involved. Kaso's co-founder, Manar Alkassar, said: “We are extremely proud to be partnering with globally renowned brands such as Burger King, Buffalo Wild Wings, Tim Hortons, Caribou Coffee, Chili’s and many more. Additionally, it is very encouraging to see strong regional and international investors joining us, especially considering the challenges some startups currently face in the fundraising market." He continued: "This reaffirms our vision to revolutionise one of the oldest industries on the planet, an industry that still runs on pen and paper, phone calls and WhatsApp. In line with our commitment to tackling these inefficiencies, we are excited to announce the launch of our FinTech vertical, which will offer payments and credit facilities to restaurants, further solving key challenges in the industry. By combining our procurement platform with innovative financial solutions, we are enabling restaurants to thrive in a competitive landscape."

Great Lakes Distillery has launched ‘Junipre’, a new zero-proof botanical spirit featuring natural flavours derived from juniper berries. The Wisconsin-based distillery described Junipre as a zero-calorie, zero-sugar and zero-alcohol beverage that “delivers on taste”. Other natural flavours are derived from ginseng, orange zest, cardamom, chilli pepper and coriander. It is the first product launched as part of Great Lakes Distillery founder Guy Rehorst’s new brand and company Boundless Beverages, which specialises in both low and non-alcoholic cocktails. Junipre can be used at a 1:1 ratio as a replacement in drinks that typically use spirits like gin or vodka. Rehorst commented: “Junipre is perfect for those who want to be part of celebrations while making the choice to not drink alcohol. As attitudes change, so does the need to innovate and provide consumers with what they want—a delicious, lifestyle-conscious alternative to use in their favourite cocktails.”

Nestlé has launched an initiative to help bring regenerative agriculture practices to wheat farms within its DiGiorno pizza brand supply chain. The initiative, which will bring regenerative agriculture practices to over 100,000 acres of farmland, aims to improve soil health and fertility, use less water, energy and fertiliser, enhance biodiversity and help reduce the effects of climate change. According to Nestlé, nearly two-thirds of its global greenhouse gas emission come from sourcing ingredients. As part of its roadmap to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the company aims to source 20% of its key ingredients through regenerative agricultural methods by 2025 and 50% by 2030. Through partnerships with DiGiorno wheat flour suppliers ADM and Ardent Mills, Nestlé said its investment will benefit wheat farms across Kansas, North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri. Regenerative practices aiming to help farmers in the programme include planting cover crops, eliminating or reducing tillage and reducing the use of pesticides. Steve Presley, CEO, Nestlé Zone North America, said: “At Nestlé our aim is to help leave the world better than we found it, and as the world's largest food and beverage company, we have a tremendous opportunity to help create a regenerative, healthy food system while also working with the local farming communities that employ it”. He added: “To do this we need to find solutions that create shared value throughout the ecosystem – value for us, value for farmers, value for our consumers, and value for the planet. This investment in wheat producers is just one example of how we are bringing this commitment to life across our supply chain.” Nestlé is also working across its tomato supply chain in the US to support the verification of regenerative agriculture practices, with the aim of sourcing tomatoes grown for its ingredients through these methods in the coming years. The company is working with Leading Harvest, a nonprofit that monitors and audits farming methods through its Farmland Management Standard, to certify the farming practices of tomato suppliers. Emily Johannes, head of diverse and sustainable sourcing, Nestlé USA, commented: “Many tomato farmers in our supply chain have already been doing the work to implement regenerative farming practices in their fields and they've made great progress so far”. “We are now working to verify these efforts throughout the supply chain in a way that is effective and efficient for our brands and the farmers. Third-party verification is a critical component of this work because it helps us, and others, remain accountable.”

Canadian whisky brand Forty Creek has announced the latest addition to its portfolio, Forty Creek Butter Tart Cream Liquor. Inspired by the Canadian dessert, the spirit has flavours of brown sugar and cream. Manufacturer Campari Canada said the new product aims to offer “an indulgent treat, evoking fond memories among Canadians”. Crafted with fresh dairy cream and Forty Creek whisky, it can be drank neat or over ice, or as a cream supplement added to coffee. Forty Creek master blender Bill Ashburn commented: “After the incredibly successful launch of Forty Creek Nanaimo Bar Cream in 2020, we know Canadians have a deep affinity for local desserts. Today, we're excited to unveil another spirit inspired by Canada, paying homage to the iconic butter tart, unearthing familiar memories for consumers nationwide.” In Ontario, the new spirit retails for CAD 32.75 ($24.88) and is available for sale at LCBO, Forty Creek Distillery and on fortycreekwhisky.com. It will become available across other provinces throughout summer and autumn.

Foraged – the marketplace for wild and speciality foods – has announced that it has raised $2.7 million in its latest seed funding round. The round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners with participation from Yelp co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman, StubHub co-founder and Eric Baker, Shopify president Harley Finkelstein, and Fiverr founder and CEO Micha Koffman. Foraged says it will use the capital to “enhance its suite of tools and features to deliver a more seamless and robust platform for buyers and sellers alike in the online marketplace”. Launched in the US in 2021, Foraged was created to empower small-scale food producers – such as farmers and foragers – to grow sustainable businesses while nourishing people with easy access to naturally occurring foods. Jack Hamrick, co-founder and CEO of Foraged, said: "Mainstream awareness of wild foods has been quietly, but intensely growing over the past few years. More people than ever have discovered that there are alternatives to the local supermarket. This funding not only validates the potential of our platform but also moves us closer to realising our vision for the food system of the future – where consumers can discover and connect with independent food producers in a more meaningful way." Foraged enables small-scale food producers to access an end-to-end, turnkey solutions for their business, handling “everything from shipping (especially for perishable goods) to secure payment processing via Stripe to a mobile app for messaging customers, uploading photos of products and managing local pickups”. The company says that vendors are now able to seamlessly enter the ecommerce market where they can “instantly” get discovered by tens of thousands of new customers from all over the country – in turn allowing consumers to access rare foods never before available online. Jeremy Levine, partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, said: "Bessemer is excited to lead this financing round. We believe in Foraged’s mission to empower independent food producers and provide consumers with a unique shopping experience. Foraged has reimagined the way consumers think about where and how they get their food."

Packaging and paper manufacturer Mondi has agreed to acquire the 250,000 tonne per annum Hinton Pulp mill in Alberta, Canada, from West Fraser Timber for $5 million. Mondi will enter into a long-term partnership with West Fraser as part of the transaction to access local fibre from a well-established wood basket. The packaging manufacturer plans to invest €400 million in the expansion of Hinton, primarily for a new 200,000 tonne per annum kraft paper machine, anticipated to be operational from the second half of 2027. Mondi’s acquisition of the mill and investment in the paper machine, will “fully integrate operations in the Americas and enable Mondi to secure the long-term supply of high-quality, cost-competitive kraft paper," the company said, into its network of ten paper bag plants in the region. The kraft paper produced at Hinton will have the “highest quality and strength parameters,” in order to meet customer requirements for sustainable packaging solutions. Andrew King, Mondi Group CEO, said: "Strategically, we are focused on investing to support the growing market demand for our sustainable packaging products, while delivering attractive mid-teen returns through cycle. The acquisition of Hinton is an excellent opportunity for us to secure locally produced kraft paper for our bags customers, helping to meet the current and anticipated future growth in demand for industrial and mailer bags in the Americas. This acquisition will also enable us to further strengthen our position as the global market leader in the production of kraft paper and paper bags." He added: "We are delighted to be making this investment in Canada and look forward to working with Hinton colleagues, West Fraser as a long-term partner, and other local stakeholders towards improving the mill’s environmental footprint and securing its sustainable future." The acquisition is subject to customary regulatory clearance and is expected to close towards the end of this year.

James White Drinks has expanded its production capabilities with the opening of a new canning line at the company's factory in Ashbocking, Suffolk, UK. James White Drinks makes a range of fruit and vegetable juices including Europe's "leading" spiced tomato juice Big Tom, Beet It beetroot juice and sports performance range and the Zingers a range of health shots. The new line is part of a significant investment in James White's Suffolk manufacturing facility to meet the growing demand for Big Tom spicy tomato juice products. In addition, the canning line is equipped with automated equipment designed for packing high-quality drinks in both 15cl and 25cl cans. The line includes a Hermis tunnel pasteuriser, which the company says is an "essential component for the canning of fruit juices and has the capacity to pack carbonated drinks". Lawrence Mallinson, managing director and founder of James White Drinks, said: "We are excited about the opening of our new canning line. This investment is a testament to our commitment to reliably meet the needs of our existing airline customers and enable us to build on the growing interest for Big Tom from other airlines. The line also gives us, for the first time, the ability to expand our product range with carbonated juice drinks."

Simple Mills has debuted its new Cheddar Pop Mmms veggie flour baked snack crackers. The Cheddar Pop Mmms feature organic butternut squash, organic red bean and real organic cheddar cheese to deliver a crunchy texture with a cheesy flavour. The snack crackers have a light, airy texture and contain ½ cup of vegetables per serving. Organic butternut squash delivers Vitamin A and fibre, while organic red beans contain minerals such as potassium and iron. Pop Mmms are 120 calories per serving of 50 crackers. Simple Mills founder and CEO, Katlin Smith said: “Our mission to advance people and planetary health starts with the ingredients we use, which is why we’re so passionate about using underrepresented crops that drive diversity”. She added: “When we began the innovation process for Pop Mmms, we carefully selected diverse, nutritious ingredients that not only support our approach to revolutionary food design for people and planet, but also deliver on bold flavour and a light, airy texture that is irresistible. We could not be more thrilled to bring this one-of-a-kind snack cracker to consumers so they can enjoy a salty snack without compromise.” Cheddar Pop Mmms Veggie Flour Baked Snack Crackers have an SRP of $5.39 and are currently available at US Whole Foods stores, Amazon, and Simple Mills’ website, with national retail availability at Sprouts Farmers Market, Kroger and Thrive Market to come this summer.