Nutrition specialist Pulsin has announced a new range of flavours to add to its vegan protein powder collection. The Complete Vegan Protein Blends are available in four flavours: Berry, Chocolate, Chocolate Hazelnut and Vanilla. Each blend is crafted from a combination of pea, faba and pumpkin seed proteins for a complete and balanced amino acid profile. They are free from gluten and soy as well as animal products, and are made with no artificial additives, colours or preservatives. The blends are formulated to provide a rich source of protein with 20g per serving, which can help to aid recovery after workouts and boost muscle growth and energy levels. Pulsin said they can be enjoyed as part of a healthy and active lifestyle, helping consumers to stay fuller for longer and balancing blood sugar levels to limit energy crashes. All of Pulsin’s plant-based protein powders range can be mixed with water or plant-based milk to create a shake. They can also be blended with fresh fruit and vegetables or used as a base for personalised recipes. Pulsin MD Lisa Butler said: “At Pulsin, we understand the importance of offering both nutritious and great-tasting options to individuals following a vegan or plant-based lifestyle, or those that want to add more protein into their diet”. “With our new range, we aim to provide an exceptional protein solution that meets their dietary requirements without compromising on taste or quality.” The range is now available for purchase through Pulsin’s website and selected UK retail partners.

Functional ingredients manufacturer Beneo has announced the appointment of Niels E Hower as the latest member of its executive board of directors. The appointment, effective immediately, will see Hower responsible for Beneo’s portfolio of plant-based proteins. This includes Meatless, a specialised company for plant-based texturising solutions. Hower has more than 25 years of experience in the retail, wholesale and life science sectors. He has an MBA in economics and has occupied several senior management roles during his career, where some of his key responsibilities have included category and product management, and operations. Prior to the new role at Beneo, Hower was positioned as EVP global procurement at Fresenius Kabi. He also co-founded the Doctor Chococo brand, which launched a functional milk chocolate bar containing vitamin D and other beneficial ingredients. Beneo acquired Meatless in 2022. Leading Beneo’s plant-based protein division, Hower will focus on continuing the development of Meatless to meet growing demand for plant-based products, alongside Beneo’s wider ingredient portfolio including faba bean ingredients and textured wheat protein. Commenting on his new role, Hower said: “I am happy to join the Beneo team, whose technical and nutritional expertise and longstanding experience has made the company a leading player for prebiotic chicory root fibres, functional carbohydrates and speciality rice ingredients”. Hower said that his ambition is to grow the plant-based protein business by accelerating market expansion and extending solutions. He added: “In the future, we will continue to grow our range into more products to satisfy different market needs for meat and fish alternatives”.

Forager Project has added two new flavours to its line of cashew milk yogurt pouches. The variants are available in peach, which is made with organic peaches blended with cashew milk yogurt, and strawberry banana, a combination of strawberry flavour combined with ripe banana. The new yogurt pouches join the brand's existing range, which launched last year, and its flavours includes: Berry berry, strawberry and mango. Each pouch contains probiotics, calcium and vitamins D, A and B12. They are 100% vegan, and designed to be a healthy, easily consumable snack for children. Stephen Williamson, Forager Project co-founder and CEO, said: “We’re still working to pave the way in the category for more family-friendly vegan and organic food options that taste good, and expanding our pouches product line is one way to do this. We want there to be a flavour that everyone in the family is excited about, and we’re confident that this new lineup will offer just that.” The peach flavour is available at Whole Foods Market stores across the US. Meanwhile, the strawberry banana flavour is available at retailers including Fresh Market, Giant Landover, HyVee, Stop & Shop and more. The yogurts have an SRP of $2.29 per pouch.

Westrock Coffee Company has entered into definitive agreements with affiliates of HF Capital and the Herbert Hunt family to make aggregate equity investments of $75 million in the company. The aggregate equity investments will be made through the purchase of 7,500,000 shares of company common stock at a price of $10 per share. The transactions are expected to close in August 2023, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Westrock Coffee also announced plans to open a new facility in Conway, Arkansas, US – the result of a more than $300 million investment. The new facility is set to provide 600 jobs over five years with expected average annual salaries of around $70,000. The location will utilise state-of-the-art equipment, including advanced robotics specifically designed to efficiently manufacture and package a variation of beverages such as canned or bottled cold brew coffees, lattes, assorted teas and juice-based products, as well as single serve coffee cups. The space will also incorporate a product development lab and FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) certified pilot plant, enabling Westrock to create, test, and produce new beverage solutions. Scott T Ford, CEO and co-founder of Westrock Coffee, stated: “We are excited to announce both a follow-on $50 million equity investment by HF Capital, one of the original investors in our go-public transaction and a $25 million equity investment by the Herbert Hunt family, a new investor who was excited for the opportunity to partner with our team as we expand our extract and ready-to-drink (RTD) capabilities.” He added that the equity investments and credit agreement amendment form part of a capital plan that allows the company to complete two new can lines and the Conway facility. The expansion of the extracts and RTD business in Conway is the gateway to future EBITDA expansion and remains Westrock Coffee’s top strategic priority and key enabler of future growth, he concluded. Andrew Seamons, chief investment officer at HF Capital, commented: “Our agreement to make this additional investment further validates our belief in Westrock Coffee’s strategy to capitalise on the strong demand for extracts and RTD as a growing consumer category and on the ability of the Westrock Coffee team to deliver on that strategy".

Singapore Finc and Huayuan Food Group have entered into a joint venture to construct the “first” US-based edible fungus smart factory in Houston, Texas. The JV aims to produce 50 tons of American enoki mushrooms daily, to help ease the US’ long-term dependence on mushroom imports, as the demand for edible fungi has increased along with healthier eating habits. The smart factory will leverage advanced technical operations for the sustainable development of edible fungus, with operations focused on chemical-free, soilless and environmentally-friendly practices. The collaboration between Singapore Finc – a subsidiary of Shanghai Finc Biotechnology – and Huayuan Food Group, one of the largest Chinese brand operators in the US Asian food market, demonstrates support for the burgeoning mushroom industry and an open attitude to expanding production internationally. The factory is planning to be fully operational one year after construction begins. Despite the growing edible mushroom trend in the US, the country lacks the infrastructure and production technology to grow edible fungi – hence its reliance on mushroom imports, which elevates the price. Finc says that its new smart factory will “alleviate this issue for the US, bringing production to the country and lowering prices”. The market for edible fungi has increased in recent years as biotech studies have shown that mushrooms have the potential to block bitterness, inhibit sugar absorption and produce high-quality plant-based protein. After 20 years of development, Finc has established itself as a “pioneer of factory cultivation of the white jade mushroom and crab mushroom in China,” with the company applying for more than 190 invention and utility model patents. The white jade mushroom and crab mushroom produced by Finc are said to be among the best-selling fresh mushrooms in China and are sold under the Freshmore brand. Finc plans to continue its global expansion by deepening cooperation between enterprises, universities and scientific research institutions, and working together to support the world's edible fungi industry.

Monster Beverage and Vital Pharmaceuticals (VPX Sports) have entered into an asset purchase agreement under which a Monster subsidiary would acquire all of Bang Energy’s assets. The announcement follows last week’s news that a notice of auction for the sale of VPX Sports had been cancelled, with Monster set to complete the acquisition. The acquisition includes Bang Energy’s performance beverages and related businesses and a beverage production facility located in Phoenix, Arizona, US. The transaction is subject to certain terms and closing conditions, which include obtaining Bankruptcy Court approval. While Monster said it is hopeful that the transaction will be completed, there is no guarantee that it will receive Bankruptcy Court approval. VPX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Florida, US, in October 2022 to help the company recover from multiple lawsuits that had impacted its “short-term outlook” and a cost impact of “reconstituting the company’s national distribution network that resulted in a summer revenue gap”. Huron Consulting Group is acting as financial advisor, Rothschild & Co is acting as investment banker and Latham & Watkins and Berger Singerman are acting as legal counsel to Bang Energy. C Street Advisory Group is acting as strategy and communications advisor to Bang Energy. The debtors will proceed with the sale hearing scheduled for 12 July to seek court approval of the sale of VPX Sports’ assets to Monster’s subsidiary, Blast Asset Acquisition.

Gourmet Italian Food has purchased Firma Italia from the Birolo family, a company specialising in dehydrated ready meals. The Birolo family will remain involved in the company as investors. Founded in 1995, Firma produces ready meals and offers a wide range of products such as pastas, risottos, soups, sauces and ethnic dishes. The company is said to have a turnover of approximately €30 million, with over 60% generated from international markets, especially in the US, where Firma has "an important commercial branch". Gourmet Italian Food was founded in June 2021 by Alcedo and FVS, through the combination of Eurochef Italia, owned by Alcedo, and La Gastronomica, owned by FVS. The acquisition will enable the integrated group to achieve a consolidated turnover of over €130 million in 2023. The deal is expected to bolster Gourmet Italian Food's position in premium gastronomy. By entering the market of dehydrated ready meals, the company aims to enhance its product range while also accelerating the process of expanding its presence worldwide. Filippo Nalon, partner of Alcedo, said: "The acquisition of Firma completes Gourmet Italian Food's offer thanks to its entry into the segment of quality dehydrated ready meals and accelerates the internationalisation process, where we are confident that the group has important development opportunities for the next few years". Silvano and Mario Birolo, co-CEOs of Firma, commented: "We are enthusiastically joining this group, which we believe represents the ideal landing point for the company, to which we will contribute with our almost thirty years of experience in dehydrated ready meals, the perfect complement to Gourmet Italian Food's current gastronomic offer, with the aim of also developing important commercial synergies, in particular in foreign markets where Firma has solid and long-standing relationships with the main large-scale retail brands”. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Perfetti Van Melle-owned Fruit-tella has expanded its gummy portfolio with the launch of the new Fruit First range. Available in two flavours – strawberry & raspberry and mango & peach – Fruit-tella Fruit First gummies are made with natural colourings and flavours. In addition, they are high in fibre and are dairy-, gluten- and nut-free. Lauren Potter, senior brand manager at Fruit-tella, said: “As we continue to innovate and expand our portfolio, our goal is to inspire parents who are searching for top quality, high fruit content, sweet treats". She continued: "As an iconic brand that consumers know and trust, we are thrilled to introduce this delicious new gummy range that has real fruit puree as its lead ingredient, and are confident it’ll be a strong addition to all grocery confectionery aisles”. The new flavours are available to buy from Boots and Ocado for an RRP of £2.

Srsly has released a range of low-carb ready meals to its portfolio, available this month. The ready meal line-up includes five “vegan proud” meals, featuring Chick’n Teriyaki Noodles, Chick’n Chow Mein Noodles, Vegetable Thai Red Noodles, Chick’n Pad Thai and Chick’n Mexican Rice. Each recipe contains a mix of low-carb noodles or rice, aromatic spices, vegetables and crunchy peanuts with each meal consisting of 15g of carbs and around 300 calories per portion. Srsly’s ready meals include konjac noodles, said to be an increasingly popular plant-based flour extracted from the root of the konjac yam plant. Konjac-based noodles are described as “a cult stalwart of Asian cuisine,” that are “quickly generating a loyalist following” for those seeking a credible alternative to wheat-themed noodles that are high in carbs and calories. Srsly founder, Andy Welch, said: ”Our ongoing remit is consumers searching for a low carb/sugar lifestyle that marries great taste with unrivalled convenience. In just the same way we saw the opportunity for low-carb condiments and jams to prevent lazy, ill-informed decisions at either the breakfast table or dinner time, we felt the need for fast turnaround ready meals crying out for a low-carb hero that pairs fair price points with less predictable flavour formats.” Konjac noodles are also made with glucomannan that, in addition to being low in carbs, also absorbs water in the digestive tract, helping the consumer feel full and content.

Panelto Foods, an Irish bakery group specialising in bake-off artisan breads, is to establish a UK and Ireland platform within the European Bakery Group. European Bakery Group was formed in May 2023 with the combination of Dutch Bakery, a bakery group specialising in home bake-off bread and snack products, and coolback, a German bakery group specialising in bake-off bread. Dutch Bakery, coolback and Panelto Foods will be key pillars of the European Bakery Group going forward, investment manager 3i Group announced. Panelto Foods’ key product categories are pre-packed thaw and display rolls, bake-off sandwich bread and rolls, and bake-off loaves and baguettes. The enlarged bakery group will benefit from a complementary product assortment and customer base across Europe, 3i said in a statement. It aims to enable European Bakery Group to capitalise on its capabilities to offer its customers an innovative and high-quality product assortment, produced sustainably with natural ingredients at its core. Brian O’Grady, CEO of Panelto Foods said: “We are delighted to be joining European Bakery Group. Together, we will be able to reach new markets, capitalise further on the growth opportunities within the UK, Ireland and Europe and benefit from the size and scale of the combined platform.” The transaction is subject to customary merger clearance.

FoodBev Media caught up with Pan Gang, chairman and president of Yili Group, who tells us about the group's sustainable development journey. In May 2022, Yili held its ‘ESG and Social Value Forum’ at the group’s Modern Intelligent Health Valley. To begin, could you tell us more about the forum and its outcomes? The Earth, our cherished home, is the foundation on which our survival and progress depend. The pursuit of sustainable development holds paramount importance for every one of us. Yili held the ESG and Social Value Forum on May 2022, the International Day for Biological Diversity, where representatives from many international organisations, including the United Nations Global Compact, Global Reporting Initiative and World Wildlife Fund Beijing Office, exchanged their valuable practices and insights concerning ESG matters. We firmly believe that for an enterprise to truly fulfil its purpose, it must actively generate value for society. At the forum, we officially released three ESG reports: The 2022 Sustainability Report, the 2022 Annual Report on Biodiversity Conservation and the Net-Zero Carbon Future Report 2022. Together with the participants, we also unveiled the WISH2030 Declaration for a Sustainable Future. While we showcased Yili’s sustainability achievements at the forum, we also wished to facilitate communication with stakeholders to help influence, empower and lead more companies and the entire dairy industry towards sustainability and high-quality development. Could you outline the objectives of these three ESG reports? “Good health and wellbeing” are important components of sustainable development. As a healthy food company, Yili has been embracing its vision of World Integrally Sharing Health (WISH) and striving to provide nutritious and healthy, high-quality products. We are also committed to driving the industry towards a sustainable future. Since 2007, Yili has, for 17 consecutive years, released its annual sustainability report. We wish to enhance friendship and cooperation with our global partners and build a deeply rooted, far-reaching and fruitful network of sustainable development. Safeguarding the health of biodiversity is crucial for the sustainable development and operation of a long-lasting business. Yili has been actively practising its corporate social responsibilities to conserve biodiversity and our environment. For instance, Yili was the first Chinese company to sign the Business and Biodiversity Pledge of the 2016 Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity. In 2022, Yili also attended the High-Level Segment, Phase II of COP15, as the sole dairy enterprise in the COP15 business partnership. In addition, Yili was the sole dairy enterprise included in the New Deal for People and Nature: Case Book on Business Actions in Biodiversity. The pressing challenges of global warming and the increasing occurrence of extreme weather events call for urgent global efforts to combat climate change and accelerate the irreversible transition towards carbon neutrality. In 2022, we launched our Plan for a Net Zero Carbon Future and Roadmap to Realize the Plan for a Net Zero Carbon Future, becoming the first Chinese food company to release carbon peak and neutrality targets as well as a roadmap. Looking forward, we will anchor our efforts surrounding our own business operations and continue to expand our carbon reduction practices. Guided by our goal to realise carbon neutrality throughout the entire value chain by 2050, we will continue to enhance our organisation, exploring and forming a new management model for low-carbon green growth. While going through our own low-carbon transition, we will maximise our industrial leadership and engage upstream and downstream partners, as well as consumers, in the drive towards decarbonisation. How is Yili promoting and empowering more enterprises and industries to achieve sustainable high-quality development? Yili upholds a sustainable development philosophy that underscores the importance of environmental protection, win-win cooperation and shared prosperity. We wish to join hands with our partners to achieve shared, sustainable high-quality development. The dairy industry features a long industrial chain with a wide range of players, imposing great challenges to the chain-wide realisation of sustainable development. That said, Yili, as an industry leader, has fully stepped up to address those challenges. As early as 2007, Yili became the first Chinese private company to release a corporate citizenship report. In the report, we proposed a concept of “green leadership,” which was later upgraded to the strategy of “green supply chains” in 2009. Yili was also the first Chinese company to sign the Cancun Business and Biodiversity Pledge. In 2017, Yili then initiated the World Integrally Sharing Health Corporate Sustainable Development (CSD) System, or the WISH system. In 2021, Yili officially released the New Vision for Value Creation to advance the concept of green and sustainable development. In 2022, Yili also became the first Chinese food company to release carbon peak and neutrality targets as well as roadmap, pledging to achieve carbon neutrality throughout the entire supply chain by 2050. In the past 17 years, we have always adhered to the spirit of longtermism and altruism, uniting efforts from all fronts to celebrate both business and social values. In 2017, under the guidelines of the WISH system, we conducted full life-cycle carbon reduction activities and established the industry’s first net-zero carbon alliance. We have also organised many child and adolescent social welfare projects, such as Yili’s Ark, Yili Nutrition 2030 and Children’s Dream for Space. As part of efforts to fully achieve the 17 UN SDGs, we have upgraded the WISH system to the WISH2030 Golden Key Sustainable Development System. Prioritising four major areas – comprehensive value management, high-quality products and services, a net-zero carbon better future and shared prosperity of a better life – the WISH2030 system will enable us to create integrated ESG values and realise our dream of “World Integrally Sharing Health.” What initiatives are currently being carried out to promote the four major areas prioritised by Yili's upgraded WISH2030 Golden Key Sustainable Development System? We believe that a successful enterprise should emphasise social responsibility over simply its own development, industry prosperity over its own achievements and social value over commercial wealth. Embracing the concept of balanced development and a strong sense of responsibility, we have fully integrated sustainability into our corporate development strategy. As mentioned earlier, the WISH2030 Golden Key Sustainable Development System concentrates on four key action areas – comprehensive value management, high-quality products and services, a net-zero carbon better future and shared prosperity of a better life – underscoring that sustainability is the golden key to realise shared value and prosperity. Centred around the four action areas, we will prioritise value creation as the bedrock for enhancing value sharing with our partners. In terms of 'comprehensive value management,' we continuously enhance our strengths around quality management, innovation and digital operations in order to create value for our shareholders and investors. Regarding 'high-quality products and services,' we strive to serve our customers and retain their trust. In terms of 'a net-zero carbon better future,' as the first Chinese company to release carbon peak and neutrality targets as well as a roadmap, we already achieved peak carbon emissions in 2012 and will realise carbon neutrality throughout the value chain by 2050. And in terms of 'shared prosperity of a better life,' we strive to attain shared prosperity with our employees and industry partners, and, by doing so, contribute to the common prosperity of society as a whole. Now is the time for taking joint actions aimed at expediting the shift towards green growth and sustainable development. We look forward to partnering with all parties to forge an even brighter future.

Perfetti Van Melle-owned Mentos is entering the soft drinks category for the first time with the launch of non-sparkling drinks that contain jelly bites. The new range consists of three flavour variants inspired by Mentos mints and gum flavours, including, lemon and mint, apple soda kick and fruity mix. The Mentos drink contains low sugar and is presented in a slim 240ml format. Marta Ballesteros, global licensing manager, said: "I'm thrilled with the launch of this ground-breaking drink for Mentos, which truly showcases our unwavering commitment to innovation and delivering exceptional brand experiences. I am confident that it will captivate the discerning palates of consumers across Europe, offering a delightful and unexpected taste sensation." The drink is manufactured by Namyang of South Korea under the license of Perfetti Van Melle and distributed in the European market by the Dutch company Engel Foreign Food B.V. Kihoon Kim, Namyang’s director of the overseas department, added: “We released Chupa Chups sparkling beverage in 2018 and we have been recognised for the quality and taste around the world since then. With the release of Mentos drink at this time, we will once again provide fantastic pleasure to people around the world”.