Retail technology company 365 Retail Markets has announced the launch of a new self-service kiosk, the MM6 Mini, for dining and micro market applications. In a statement announcing the launch, 365 Retail Markets said that two types of kiosk technology have existed in the market for Food Service Operators (FSOs) until now – cheap tablet-sized solutions targeted to smaller spaces, and full-sized kiosks that address premium, high-touch and high-traffic locations. With the launch of the MM6 Mini, the company aims to balance flexibility and consumer experience to provide FSOs with a “middle ground” and enable them to better serve a broader range of location types without compromising customer satisfaction. The MM6 Mini is a compact point-of-sale with a 15.6 inch display, suited for midsize locations and as part of a ‘cluster’ of additional Minis to improve throughput in larger spaces. According to 365 Retail Markets, the MM6 Mini can help operators to cut down service time and drive additional income through digital advertising services powered by Advana. The 365-user interface for dining was enhanced to offer new capabilities including nutritional insight, upsell recommendations, order ahead and custom orders. For micro markets, the interface has easy item look-up for items without barcodes, highlights transaction detail and guides consumers through transactions. Operators with the two concepts adjacent can use a single kiosk for both market and café purchases. Boris Amegadjie, chief product officer for 365 described the MM6 Mini as the ideal solution for catering to workplace refreshment services in an evolving work environment. He commented: “Equipped with a flexible size that accommodates any setting and a remarkable combination of affordability and performance, operators are poised for successful outcomes wherever they take their business”.

UK childrens’ snack brand Bear has added two new products to its summer lineup with its new Fruit Treasures range. Bear’s Fruit Treasures are coin-shaped dried fruit snacks, available in two flavours – Tropical (mango, pineapple and passonfruit) and Berry (strawberry and blueberry). The coin-shaped pieces feature numbers to encourage learning numeracy for toddlers. The product range is aimed at children aged three and above, and is made from 100% natural ingredients with no added sugar. Matt Kitteridge, senior innovation manager at Urban Fresh Foods said that the launch aims to fill a gap in the kids snacking market by offering more options for toddlers. He commented: “In doing this, we are set to retain parents in the category for longer via snacks suitable for an increased age range, in addition to adding value to baby sub-categories. Our Berry & Tropical Fruit Treasure recipes were developed to tap into mainstream fruit flavours that appeal to kids, while also recognising that as young cubs get that little bit older, they want to start discovering new tastes and flavour combinations too.” Bear Fruit Treasures are launching at Sainsbury’s in the UK and are available in a multipack of 5x20g with an MRRP of £2.80.

Arla Foods is partnering with Swedish start-up Blue Ocean Closures to create a fibre-based cap for its cardboard milk cartons. The company said this could be a first in the dairy industry and would reduce Arla’s plastic consumption by more than 500 tonnes annually if implemented. Accounting for around 23% of the plastic used in Arla’s cartons, the farmer-owned dairy cooperative is focusing on eliminating the use of fossil-based virgin plastic in its packaging by 2030, starting with the caps on its cardboard cartons. Chief commercial officer at Arla Foods, Peter Giørtz-Carlsen, said: “Improving our packaging, including reducing our use of plastic, is imperative to us and we know that consumers are also very invested in this area. This project to explore what could very well be the first fibre-based cap on milk cartons is very exciting and shows that we at Arla are constantly looking to improve and lead the transformation of sustainable packaging.” The caps are made from sustainably sourced FSC fibre material combined with a thin barrier coating. They use advanced proprietary vacuum press forming and are bio-based, ocean biodegradable, and recyclable as paper. Lars Sandberg, CEO at Blue Ocean Closures, commented: “We are delighted to work with Arla, acting as a frontrunner to create a real difference in packaging sustainability. With increased fibre content, the solution will increase recyclability, starting in Scandinavia and paving the way for global change.” Part owner of Blue Ocean Closures, Alpla is involved in the technical development and Christian Zmölnig, director of corporate research, development and innovation, said: "As part of Alpla's important strategic development in the circular economy, we see great potential in this collaboration between Arla and Blue Ocean Closures". With funding from Arla Foods, the plan is to develop a fully functional prototype and complete the testing phase by the beginning of next year. Arla implemented this change on its Danish organic range in 2020, but it was said to be criticised by consumers "unhappy with the loss of convenience". Giørtz-Carlsen concluded: “We know that consumers like the convenience a cap provides and while we have removed the cap completely from some of our ranges, we acknowledge this need and want to provide a choice for consumers . But if we have to have a cap, we want to create the best possible one and that is what we are doing now.” Arla Foods uses milk cartons in several markets, including Denmark, Sweden and Netherlands.

Stock Spirits Group has agreed to acquire German spirits producer Borco for an undisclosed sum. According to the company, the deal will help Stock Spirits enter the German market and add a tequila brand to its portfolio – Borco owns the Sierra Tequila brand. Moreover, Stock Spirits will leverage Borco's distribution structures to introduce its own brands in new markets. Meanwhile, Borco will secure a strategic investor to support the global expansion of its brand portfolio. Stock Spirits produces a wide range of alocholic drinks, including vodka, vodka-based flavoured liqueurs, rum, brandy, bitters and limoncello. The company offers a portfolio of 70 brands available in over 50 countries worldwide, and has more than 1,200 employees and operates five production sites. Markus Kohrs-Lichte, chairman of the management board of Borco, said: “The planned transaction with Stock Spirits is the right step into the future for Borco. The company will be able to continue to develop effectively and consistently expand its international business, which is good news for customers, business partners, and employees." Jean-Christophe Coutures, Stock Spirits CEO, commented: “Borco has been a trusted and respected player in Germany and Austria for many years. The acquisition of Borco will be important step in our Western Europe expansion. Borco will benefit from better development opportunities including access to Stock’s extended spirits portfolio. Stock Spirits will gain access to the German market, one of the largest and most dynamic spirits market throughout Europe.” Krzysztof Krawczyk, partner in CVC Capital Partners, added: "Our investment in Stock Spirits assumed M&A growth into new geographies across Europe and we are delighted that the business is making a strong progress in this strategic direction. Borco's brands, in particular Sierra Tequila, have a great international potential, which we want to develop, and it's an important addition to Stock's geographic footprint.” The transaction is subject to German and Austrian regulatory procedures.

Non-alcoholic spirits brand, Lyre’s, has announced the closure of its latest strategic funding round, successfully raising over £17 million. Lyre’s says that the round, led by investors DSquared and Morgan Creek Consumer Fund, will help the brand meet accelerating global demand, driving momentum in key markets such as Australia, North America, Europe and the Middle East. The investment is set to enhance the company’s global footprint, improving its ability to meet global production and inventory obligations to customers. Lyre’s chairman Greg Bundy said: “Lyre’s success is a testament to the dedication and resilience of their team. I am not only grateful to each of them, but I am honestly inspired by their uncompromising passion and commitment to changing the way the world drinks. Take our supply chain leads, who have worked tirelessly to deliver our manufacturing efforts globally. Now, with the support of our investing partners, we can provide additional resources, improved manufacturing, and infrastructure to support our valued customers around the world.” Kristy Bloomfield, senior VP of global marketing at Lyre’s, added: “It is an exciting time for the brand as the more and more people choose Lyre’s as reflected in our exceptional growth...We are delivering programmes and tactics that are introducing a wider audience into the category, which in turn aids in our ambition to change the way the world drinks." The company also announced that CMO Paul Gloster has taken on the position of CEO. Gloster had been chief marketing officer since Lyre’s launch in 2019 and previously held positions at Coca-Cola Amatill as group strategy manager and Pacific Beverages as CMO. Gloster replaces Lyre’s co-founder Mark Livings. A spokesperson for Lyre's said: "Gloster’s beverage expertise and industry experience will not only enable him to drive the business forward, but also allow Livings to step back from the day to day running of the business and focus on his future ambitions". Gloster said: “I am humbled to be given the opportunity to lead Lyre’s into a new chapter of growth and build upon our vision of changing the way the world drinks. Our new expanded leadership structure ensures accountability across all our strategic priorities and business functions. I am excited to work with such a capable and passionate team that is energised and ready to lead the business into our next exciting stage.”

A south London brewery, Gipsy Hill, has created an offset-free carbon negative beer in what it says is a world first. Gipsy Hill Brewery’s new Swell Lager and Trail Pale are brewed using barley grown through regenerative farming from Wildfarmed and hops which have been recaptured and reused. Each pint removes more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it produces. The carbon-negative beer is created without using carbon offsetting, a process where businesses reduce the carbon footprint of products through activities unrelated to their production, such as planting trees in another part of the world. Gipsy Hill combines the barley with recaptured hops – the hop material that has been removed after fermentation from a previous batch of beer and then reused to bitter and flavour a new batch of beer. The complete carbon lifecycle of the beers has been analysed by Zevero, a specialist carbon accounting firm. The beers are currently available in a number of locations, including Gipsy Hill’s taproom and sister bar in South London, The Understudy at the National Theatre, Kerb Street food markets, Seven Dials Market and a selection of Youngs venues around the UK. Gipsy Hill’s new beers have carbon footprints of -40gCO2e for Swell Lager and -30gCO2e for Trail Pale per pint respectively. A typical pint of commercial lager produces at least 350g of CO2, with many craft IPAs starting at 500gCO2e. Sam McMeeken, co-founder of Gipsy Hill Brewery, said: “Making great quality beer has been our obsession for 10 years, but I felt we had to find a way to do it more sustainably. Great beer should be guilt-free, and our new Trail Pale and Swell Lager mean that for the first time, our drinkers can enjoy a pint safe in the knowledge it’s actively improving the environment and helping solve our climate crisis. He continued: “At Gipsy Hill, we have always tried to make sure our beer has a positive impact, and that’s why we have actively sought to introduce new innovations to the brewing process and work with the most innovative producers to push the boundaries of sustainable brewing. “By truly embedding sustainability into our brewing process, rather than simply offsetting emissions, we have created a blueprint for sustainable beer range, but the wider food and drink industry”. Edd Lees, co-founder at Wildfarmed added: “We’re thrilled to be working with Gipsy Hill to create a beer that not only tastes great, but is great for the planet too. We’re making it easy for people to help solve some of the world’s biggest problems — like climate change and food security — by consuming food & drink made with ingredients from healthy, regenerative soil. Our Wildfarmed barley sequesters carbon, increases biodiversity, and is the gold standard of regen agriculture.”

Soft drink brand Bottlegreen is introducing four new flavour variants across its range of dilutable cordials and ready-to-drink sparkling pressés. The Orange and Lemon flavour sees Mediterranean oranges paired with zesty lemon to create a sweet and juicy summer-inspired cordial. A 500ml glass bottle is available for an RRP of £4.05, which contains 30 servings. Meanwhile, in its sparkling presses range, Blood Orange Spritz combines the taste of blood orange with Cotswold spring water drawn from an on-site spring. Available as a ‘light’ variant containing 20 calories per 100ml, the Raspberry Lemonade pressé blends juicy raspberries and tart lemon juice with gently sparkling Cotswold spring water. Ginger Beer contains 27 calories per 100ml and features a combination of invigorating ginger and sparkling Cotswold spring water. All of its new flavours in the sparkling presses range are available in 750ml glass bottles for an RRP of £3.20. Sarah Lawson, head of marketing – softs at SHS Drinks, said: “Bottlegreen is known for its iconic-shaped green bottles and its high-quality products, and our array of new variants will further enhance the brand’s strong reputation amongst consumers”. She added: “Bottlegreen is admired for both its innovative flavours and its serve versatility: our diluted cordials can be enjoyed ‘straight’ or added in concentrated form to make classy cocktails or to pep-up prosecco, and our sparkling pressés are perfect on their own or as the ideal complement to meal occasions".

Arkeon, a biotech start-up converting CO2 into functional protein ingredients, has built a new pilot production plant in Vienna, Austria. Located in Vienna's Seestadt Innovation Hub, the facility supports the development of Arkeon's production process and expands its infrastructure with a 150-litre bioreactor system. Arkeon says that the system will improve its process and lays a biotechnological foundation for future large-scale production. The plant was built in partnership with Steamtec, Böhm Stadtbaumeister & Gebäudetechnik, Kanzler-Dach, Bioengineering, RW Serviceteam and others. Arkeon said that it has also commissioned a demo facility with a 3000-litre bioreactor system, which is scheduled for the end of 2024 and is expected to mark the company's entry into commercial production capacity. Last week, the Vienna Business Agency initiated the construction of the Technology Centre Seestadt, where the new demo facility will be located. The project aims to create additional production and office space for new start-ups, including Arkeon. Günther Bochmann, technological project lead of Arkeon, said: “The successful implementation of our pilot production plant represents a solid basis and illustrates that our company has set up the technical foundation to unlock our production technology at large scale. It is an essential step on our way to scale to large commercial production outputs."

The European Commission has outlined a package of measures for a sustainable use of key natural resources, designed to strengthen the resilience of EU food systems and farming. In particular, the Commission has detailed a new proposal to tackle food waste. The EU proposes that by 2030 Member States should reduce food waste by 10% in processing and manufacturing, and by 30% jointly in retail and consumption. As part of the proposal, the EU will look to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 12.3 to halve per capita food waste at the retail and consumer level by 2030 and reduce food losses along the food production and supply chains. The proposal described tackling food waste as a triple win that “saves food for human consumption…contributes to food security” and “lowers the environmental impact of food production and consumption". The EU has said that a formal review of Member States’ progress toward the goals will be made by the end of 2027. The Commission will then carry out a formal review of the progress made including the possibility to adapt targets if evidence suggests that the EU can contribute more towards the global ambition. According to statistical monitoring of the amount of food waste in the EU, carried out by the European Union's statistical office Eurostat, nearly 59 million tonnes of food waste is generated in the EU each year, representing an estimated loss of €132 billion. The EU states that around 10% of all food supplied to retail, restaurants, households and food services including schools and hospitals, is wasted. Despite this, around 32.6 million people cannot afford a quality meal (including meat, chicken, fish or vegetarian equivalent) each day. FoodDrinkEurope's director general Dirk Jacobs said: "The Commission food waste targets are important but must not undermine efforts of Member States and actors along the food value chain that have already taken steps towards food waste reduction using a 2015 baseline, as per the UN SDGs. It will also be important for the Commission to collect robust and reliable food waste data from Member States which is representative and comparable – this applies to the 2020 baseline as well as subsequent years. This will enable our sector to meet food waste targets and facilitate effective food waste prevention strategies at national level." Stephen Jamieson, global head of circular economy solutions at SAP, added: “Food wastage plans set out today by the European Union is an extremely positive step forward in addressing a critical component of human-generated climate change. Food waste not only puts pressure on valuable resources, but it also contributes to environmental degradation and spotlights social inequalities. By adopting a circular economy approach, we can design food systems from the outset that eliminate waste and are regenerative in nature – ensuring food security for the long term." He said that by designing solutions that optimise the entire food system, waste can be minimised at every stage, "from production and distribution to consumption and disposal". He continued: "System change can only be effective with the right incentives, measurement approaches and standards to ensure effective collaboration and innovation that supports nature-led solutions and that’s why today’s strategy is so welcome". The legislative proposal will be subject to negotiation with the EU Parliament and the Council of the EU.

Dubai incubator brand Naksha has made its UK debut with the launch of its savoury and sweet meal kits that represent authentic cuisines from around the world. Founded in Dubai, the meals prioritise recipes “beyond the mainstream realms of Indian, Thai and Mexican food”. Naksha became a mainstream brand in Dubai after its founders applied to – and won – UAE supermarket Spinneys’ local business incubator programme designed to accelerate the journey of creative homegrown food startups onto shelves. Naksha co-founder Nisha said: “During the pandemic, Sam and I spent a lot of time cooking at home as we sought to travel the world through the medium of food. Ingredient authenticity sat at the very heart of our foodie vision, which meant we ended up spending a small fortune purchasing specialist ingredients that were usually only available in bulk. This was the moment we started to envisage a range of perfectly proportioned recipe kits with diligently measured portions of gourmet ingredients.” The meal kits include Jamaican curried goat, lemak cili padi (a Malay-style curry from Singapore), ropa vieja (a Cuban national dish) and milk chocolate blondies made with Lebanese tahini. She continued: “I knew that our proposition had legs when I began posting recipes on Instagram only to be inundated by messages from friends asking for the cooked recipes to be sent to them. Clearly, we had neither the time or the inclination to mass cook the dishes, but we were prepared to portion up the expensive leftover ingredients and distribute to friends and family so that they wouldn’t go to waste.” Co-founder Sam added: “Many of the more enticing and adventurous cuisines are wrongly perceived to be either too complex, time-consuming, expensive or wasteful to cook at home. Naksha dismantles this dogma by curating accessible recipes and user-friendly kits which ordinary consumers can pick up at their convenience from supermarket shelves.” Naksha works with chefs across the globe to help interpret and modernise the traditional recipes, “using the products as a canvas to express national identity through contemporary home-cooking”. For example, Naksha’s Singapore collection was a collaboration with Haikal Johari, head chef at Singapore’s Michelin- starred Alma restaurant. Naksha manufacturing takes place in Derbyshire, UK, while the company is also part of the London School of Economics’s ‘LSE Generate’ accelerator programme, which backed Nisha’s innovator visa. The meal kits are initially rolling out into Harrods, John Lewis and Whole Foods Market, with more listings “imminent”.

Starco Brands-owned Soylent has added a new vanilla flavour to its high protein shake product line-up. Soylent's Complete Protein Shakes are made with 30g of complete plant protein, 28 immune-supporting vitamins and minerals, zero sugar, 1,000mg Omega-3, 250 calories of slow-burning carbs, and 60% of the daily recommended protein value. The product includes all 9 essential amino acids with 5g BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) that help support lean muscle mass maintenance, strength and energy. The product is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan, and kosher, and contains no artificial flavours or colours. Ross Sklar, head of Soylent and CEO of Starco Brands, Soylent's parent company, said: “High protein shakes are outgrowing the overall nutrition shake category. Since its inception 10 years ago, Soylent has been a leader in the protein space and our shakes continue to provide consumers with a nutrient-dense and delicious product.” He added: “We’ve had immense success with the High Protein Chocolate flavour and are thrilled to welcome Vanilla into the Complete Protein Shake line-up - it’s been a request from consumers for years”. The new vanilla flavour is available online on the Soylent website and Amazon. Complete Protein Vanilla will also be available in US Walmart and Meijer stores this August, with expanded retail availability to be announced throughout the fall.

Givaudan has expanded the Protein Hub at its Zurich Innovation Centre in Kemptthal, Switzerland to support the growth of dairy alternatives. In a statement announcing the expansion, the company said that it will offer specialised expertise, state-of-the-art digital technologies, and an integrated portfolio of solutions designed specifically for dairy alternatives to accelerate new product development. Doruk Ongan, president Europe, taste and wellbeing at Givaudan said: “At Givaudan, we have a unique approach to co-creation where we work side-by-side with our customers, partners, start-ups, chefs, academics and many others as a driving force for innovation”. “We’re excited to open the doors of the Protein Hub to customers in the alternative dairy space, so we can shape the future of this dynamic category together”. Givaudan said that customers visiting the Hub have direct access to experts in science and technology, consumer sensory insights, alternative dairy applications including milk, yogurt and cheese, and culinary. Experts can help create a product base with the preferred taste and functionality, using Givaudan’s tools such as its TasteSolutions mouthfeel technologies as well as masking, sugar reduction, solutions that mimic dairy notes, natural colours, clean-label and health/nutrition solutions. This aims to help customers achieve the “authenticity and indulgence” of traditional dairy products. Fabio Campanile, global head of science and technology, taste and wellbeing commented: “In addition to our in-house knowledge, technology and research programmes, we have created a global innovation ecosystem to support our customers in markets around the world with facilities such as the Protein Innovation Centre in Singapore, the MISTA Centre in San Francisco and the Tropical Innovation Lab in Brazil”. The Protein Hub incorporates digital tools and AI solutions for rapid concepts, prototyping and testing with consumers, such as the company’s Atom technology which uses AI to enhance the taste and aromas of alternative dairy products. It also features a show kitchen and laboratories with capabilities in chemistry, biotechnology, fermentation, flavour delivery technology, sensory, applications and food science.