Canpack Group, owned by Giorgi Global Holdings, has selected Marius Croitoru as its next chief executive officer. Croitoru joined the company in 2015 as chief financial officer and worked as interim CEO from November 2022. Prior to that, he spent 14 years of his career working at Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company. Peter Giorgi, president and CEO of Giorgi Global Holdings, commented: “Marius has proven himself time and time again, and I have complete faith in Marius and in his ability to lead Canpack forward. I, the GGH Team, and the Canpack supervisory council are completely committed to Marius’ and to Canpack’s success.” Canpack announced that its former CEO, Roberto Villaquiran, had stepped down from his position in November 2022 to spend time on other pursuits. Croitoru added: “I thank Peter for his confidence in me and I look forward to continuing to work with Peter, the GGH Team, the supervisory council, our executive committee, and our 9,000 Canpack colleagues around the world as we together reimagine what packaging can do, creating impactful and sustainable solutions, serving our customers, and providing meaningful career opportunities for our employees.” With Croitoru’s appointment as Canpack Group CEO, the company has stated it has begun its search for a new Group CFO.

ProAmpac has launched its fibre-based Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) RAP Sandwich Wedge to the North American market. Designed for sandwiches and wraps, the package introduces the concept of modified atmosphere packaging to a fibre-based format. ProAmpac’s RAP Sandwich wedge is said to have the capability to keep a fresh sandwich or wrap preserved for up to 28 days. It incorporates a carton board structure with a thin film lining to optimise product preservation and visibility. Irma Randles, ProAmpac's market manager for fresh food-to-go, said: "Sustainability lies at the heart of ProAmpac's business strategy and we are thrilled to unveil the fibre-based MAP RAP Sandwich Wedge. Our packaging solution represents a more sustainable alternative to conventional plastic sandwich packs while reducing food spoilage costs. “ The wedge utilises high barrier technology to extend product shelf-life, especially when incorporated with gas-flush filling technology. The RAP Sandwich wedge is said to enable longer transit and selling time, enhancing sales potential while minimising food waste.

Nature's Path Organic Foods, a cereal and snack food brand based in North America, has announced it will acquire Love Child Organics, a Canadian baby food and children's snack brand. The acquisition will support Nature’s Path in making organic food more accessible to consumers and “strategically positions” the company in the baby food market. With this acquisition, Nature's Path brings the Love Child Organics brand into its portfolio, including its baby foods and children's snacks. There will also be opportunities to expand into the US market and explore new product innovations for the Love Child Organics brand, Nature’s Path said. Arjan Stephens, president of Nature's Path Organic Foods, said: "Love Child Organics' dedication to producing premium, nutrient-packed, organic meals and snacks that bring a smile on every child's face aligns seamlessly with our own commitment to delicious, organic and sustainable food”. He added: "The brand carries a warmth and commitment to quality that we hold dear at Nature's Path Organic Foods, making it a perfect addition to our family of brands. We are eager to carry forward the Love Child Organics brand promise of nourishing growing bodies, hearts and minds." Brittany Compton, president at Love Child Organics, commented: "Nature's Path has played an integral role in shaping the organic industry as they delivered on their mission of providing sustainably sourced, nutritious, organic food to families. This is a wonderful opportunity for Love Child Organics to reach its full potential and amplify its reach ensuring more children have access to nutrient-rich food. We are truly excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and the impact this union will have on the wellbeing of our children." A project team, including members of Love Child Organics, will be established to ensure a smooth integration process. Nature's Path plans to continue the production of Love Child Organics' products. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. The transaction is scheduled to close on or around 30 June.

Parkside has launched a new range of sustainable lidding films designed to tackle the packaging industry's sustainability challenges. The lidding film range – which has been launched as part of Parkside's 'Sustainable 7' product strategy – comprises renewable and certified compostable films, paper-based solutions and recyclable monomers. The range is augmented by its ParkScribe laser scoring technology, which allows for the production of PET lids that can be easily peeled and resealed, remaining intact throughout the recycling process. Parkside said its home and industrially compostable duplex laminate films can be used throughout the supply chain for various food applications, and when paired with pulp trays, they become fully compostable. Moreover, Parkside also has an extended range of sustainable films that can provide a higher level of oxygen or moisture barrier for food items such as chilled meats, soft fruits, dairy products and more, helping to reduce the impact of food waste. Joshua Swann, head of technical at Parkside, said: “ParkScribe uses a laser to score substrates quickly and with micron-level precision. It means we can cut through only a few layers of the lidding material in specific areas to create a lid that peels away, then reseals without the need for additional glue strips, zips or stickers, which can affect recyclability. He continued: "When weld sealed to a tray, it is fully recyclable under current OPRL guidelines provided the polymer is the same as the one used in the tray, while still being easy to open and reseal to meet consumer demands for convenience". “This is just one demonstration of the innovation present in our lidding film range. Our latest range of recyclable plastic, 30%-plus recycled content, paper-based and compostable films enables customers to be flexible when developing packaging that perfectly suits the needs of their application.”

Sofina Foods Europe has announced a proposal to cease production at its Young’s Seafood factory on Marsden Road in Grimsby from October this year. The company said that it had explored “a number of options” to try to maintain the site’s production following changes in future demands for products. However, it was “unable to find any viable solutions” and is therefore proposing to move the remaining whitefish processing undertaken at the Young's Marsden Road site to the Humberstone Road site in Grimsby, and the smoked processing to the Fraserburgh site in Scotland. Producing the remaining whitefish contracts at Marsden Road would “no longer be financially sustainable,” a Sofina spokesperson told FoodBev. The statement confirmed that Sofina Foods Europe is now set to commence a formal consultation with staff and their representatives at the Marsden Road site “as soon as practicable,” following the election of employee representatives, to discuss and consider options. “During the coming months, we will work closely with our employees, and any other appropriate organisation, to ensure that there is meaningful consultation before any decisions are made and that colleagues at Marsden Road have all the information and support they may need,” the spokesperson commented. The proposal could result in the loss of 285 roles from the Marsden Road site between September and October 2023. New roles will be created at the Humberstone Road and Fraserburgh sites to support the transfer. “Today’s proposals to cease production at the Marsden Road site not reflect on the committed and skilled teams who work there – they are a credit to the company,” Sofina said. “If the proposals go ahead, we will work hard to maintain the employment of all colleagues throughout this transition. Sofina Foods Europe has a long history of seafood production in Grimsby, and whatever the outcome of the consultation, we will continue to be a part of the community, given our other manufacturing sites within the town.”

Puratos has announced the introduction of Easy Soft’r Brioche to the UK market, a concentrated mix designed to enable the production of premium quality brioche products. The powdered 10% concentrate mix aims to ensure a soft, moist crumb and long-lasting freshness. Puratos described the product as highly versatile and effective, able to be combined with other Puratos ingredients to create varied brioche portfolios including traditional, plant-based and lower-fat products. For example, it could be combined with Puratos’ plant-based butter alternative MIMETIC to create a 100% vegan brioche product, or with Puraslim to reduce fat content and retain a ‘clean label’. It can also be enhanced by the addition of Puratos’ Sapore Medea, a toasted and dried fermented wheat sourdough flavour, to accentuate additional buttery notes. The product can present opportunities to bring “the luxury of brioche” to hybrid formats such as hot cross buns, bagels, packaged croissants and more, the ingredients company said. Ben Ledger, bakery marketing manager at Puratos UK commented: “The brioche is one of the UK’s bakery success stories and has firmly secured itself as a mainstream offering. But there is still ample opportunity for growth by adapting traditional recipes or formats to align with the priorities that consumers have today.” He added: “Easy Soft’r Brioche has been developed to add as much value as possible for bakers by offering convenience while improving texture and extending shelf life, but also giving them the freedom to customise their product ranges in the ways they want to”.

Bakery products manufacturer Baker & Baker has expanded its range of Cadbury Dairy Milk baked cookies with the launch of a chocolate and orange flavour. The new cookie will be baked fresh in-store and will feature cookie dough infused with orange flavour and packed with Cadbury Dairy Milk. The variant aims to tap into growing consumer affinity for chocolate and orange-flavoured products. Cadbury Dairy Milk's chocolate and orange variant will join Baker & Baker's existing range, which includes: Dairy Milk and Dairy Milk Caramel flavours. Michael Bancroft, licensing director at Baker & Baker, commented: “Our new Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate and orange cookie offers greater consumer choice and indulgence within the in-store bakery channel". He continued: "Given the strong performance of a series of chocolate and orange confectionery products across different grocery brands, we’re confident the blend of Dairy Milk and chocolate and orange will generate significant consumer appeal and trial”. The 45g four-pack chocolate and orange-flavoured cookie will launch this month at Co-op stores.

Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) has revealed it is withdrawing its membership from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) over IDFA’s petition to modify the federal milk marketing order (FMMO) system. DFA has 83 processing plants and has been a longstanding member of IDFA. The decision to withdraw follows a proposal from IDFA, which initially focused on changing how make allowances (an estimate of the cost for dairy producers to process milk into dairy products) are configured. The IDFA said its efforts relating to federal order updates have been ongoing for more than a year, including engaging in an “extensive process” working with members across all segments of the industry. In March, the company met twice with leadership from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) to seek consensus on priorities for Federal Order reform, but this was not achieved. A spokesperson for the IDFA told FoodBev: “IDFA then acted on the direction of our boards and filed its petition at the end of March 2023. Since that time, we have updated our initial proposal on make allowances, per USDA’s direction, and submitted a balanced proposal on the Class I mover. It is because of our diverse membership that we can submit a balanced approach that is based on sound data and beneficial to both processors and dairy farmers.” In a statement announcing its decision to withdraw, DFA said it appreciates the significant value that IDFA provides in supporting the dairy processing and manufacturing sector. However, it described IDFA’s milk pricing proposal to the USDA as “divisive” and a “critical exception” to its generally neutral position on policies lacking full membership consensus. “This placed DFA in the untenable position of being represented as supporting a policy position, which contradicts what we believe to be in the best interests of our farmer-owners and the dairy industry,” the statement declared. “Following requests to return to a neutral policy position until a consensus position could be reached, DFA made the difficult decision to submit notice to withdraw from IDFA membership”. The IDFA spokesperson said that the organisation “cares deeply” about the industry’s future and ensuring its stability, adding that it understands the pressure cooperatives are under relating to the challenge of balancing the interests of farmer-owners with their processing objectives. “IDFA is a critical part of a growing dairy industry that is responding to rising demand from consumers here and abroad," the spokesperson commented. "We need to keep our eye on the ball and continue to deliver value for our full membership by supporting and cultivating that continued growth.” They added that due to the diversity of IDFA’s membership, disagreements are expected, and the organisation’s job is to be inclusive and balance diverse interests. “We have been here before on federal order reform, and we are confident that we will come out of this stronger. We are confident that we are taking a balanced, inclusive approach that is in the best interest of the full dairy supply chain.”

Tony's Chocolonely has secured an extra €20 million in funding from its current shareholders, enabling the brand to fuel its rapid expansion across various markets. The funds will also contribute to the growth of Tony's Open Chain, the company's business-to-business platform focused on ethical bean sourcing. Tony's Chocolonely highlighted that increasing the sales of its chocolate bars and cocoa beans means purchasing more beans at fair prices, ensuring a "more positive impact" on the lives of cocoa farmers. As part of the funding round, some existing shareholders will sell a small portion of their stake. The revised shareholding percentages include Genuine Chocolate – the holding company of former Tony's CEO Henk Jan Beltman – which will see its stake decrease from 26.5% to 17.9%. Additionally, other investors now hold a 21.3% shareholding, which is down from 26.3%. Meanwhile, Belgian investment group Verlinvest – Tony’s largest shareholder – will see its stake in the company increase from 43.1% to 55.9%, and Jam Jar, an investment company run by the former Innocent Drinks founders, will up its stake from 4.1% to 4.9%. Douglas Lamont, Tony's CEO, commented: “This investment will help us accelerate our progress towards our mission of ending exploitation in the cocoa industry. The funding will be used to support the rapid global growth we are delivering in both Tony’s Chocolonely, our chocolate business, and Tony’s Open Chain, our global business-to-business ethical bean trading company." He continued: "I am delighted that all the funding was raised from within our existing shareholder base, who we know are all committed to supporting our long-term mission. With this new investment, with our governance structure and with our recently introduced Mission Lock, we will all remain fully focused and committed to delivering on our mission to end exploitation in the cocoa industry.” The transaction is subject to regulatory approval in the Netherlands.

It’s easy to get swept up in the news and activities of the industry’s global titans, but what about the smaller firms that are out there flexing their creative muscles? In FoodBev’s very first instalment of ‘Start-up of the month’ – which celebrates the lesser-known companies and their innovations – we speak to Fergus Moore, co-founder of Revive Eco, a Scottish start-up developing green solutions to the global food waste challenge. Read the full interview below. To begin, could you introduce Revive and outline its core objectives? Revive is developing green technologies to create high-value products from previously low-value waste materials, exploiting a huge opportunity and disrupting global industries. Our first focus is on used coffee grounds. We have developed a patent-pending technology that converts previously unused material into high-value chemicals and consumer products using a novel, green and scalable adaptation of an industrially-proven process. Firstly, we extract a coffee oil that has uses in a wide variety of industries including food and beverage, skincare, household products and pharmaceuticals. We then use this coffee oil as a base to create additional ingredients also used in these industries. Industries like food and drink and skincare rely too heavily on virgin materials like palm oil, which come with huge environmental issues, including mass deforestation. We can provide them with a sustainable, locally sourced alternative, improving their environmental footprint and allowing them to meet consumer demand. What led to the start-up's establishment? My co-founder Scott and I were studying business at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. As part of a class project, we were tasked with coming up with a business concept that had either an environmental or social element to it. At the same time, we both worked in the hospitality sector so we were seeing first-hand the amount of food waste that was being created every day. We focused on used coffee grounds and after presenting to our class and lecturers we were chosen to represent the university at a start-up competition in Texas, US. Up until this point, it had very much just been coursework. However, on the flight home after having won an award and some funding for the business, we decided that this was what we wanted to do. And the week we graduated, we set up Revive. A huge congratulations! So, just how is Revive combatting the food waste crisis? The UK consumes more than 95 million cups of coffee every single day. This leads to more than 500,000 metric tonnes of used coffee grounds being produced in the UK every year, with the vast majority going to landfill or being incinerated. This costs the coffee industry >£80m annually in waste disposal costs. This material still holds a huge amount of value, which is currently being lost. By collecting the used coffee grounds, we not only avoid the huge volumes of carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia from being released into the atmosphere, but we also maximise the lifetime value extracted from them. What are the main applications of Revive's coffee-derived alternative? Our main focus until now has been on the skincare market as they are crying out for more sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients like ours. Due to our scale, this industry is also more applicable from a cost perspective as they are used to working with low-volume, high-value ingredients. We are now exploring the F&B industry as this is where we see our true scale coming from. However, we are in a bit of a chicken and egg position right now in that we are not large enough to take advantage of the economies of scale required to meet the price point expected in the F&B industry, but we need to enter the F&B industry to reach that scale. Therefore, we’re currently looking for an F&B partner that is willing to work with us while we scale with them, obviously benefiting from being the first to market with our new sustainable ingredients. Why coffee? Well, the reason we chose coffee was simple, we worked in hospitality and knew how much of this material was going to waste. However, since then we’ve discovered how valuable and beneficial it can be. It’s rich in a number of fatty acids, tocopherols, polyphenols and diterpenes that offer great skincare benefits. The caffeine content also can stimulate blood circulation, reducing puffiness and brightening dark circles. Coffee is already considered a superfood, we want to help make this great product that gets everyone up and going in the morning and make it the first truly sustainable commodity on the planet. Could you tell us more about your palm oil solution? What are the main benefits and how will this impact the F&B industry? We are not looking to compete directly with crude palm oil. Coffee oil has far more skin and nutritional benefits than palm oil does, so to compete with it directly would in fact detract from the value we are bringing to our customers and their products. However, palm oil is used as a base for a huge number of ingredients like surfactants and emulsifiers and currently, there are little to no alternatives on the market that are sustainable and ethical. While you may look at the ingredient list of a product and not see ‘palm oil,’ it is likely that there will be multiple ingredients derived from palm oil that (unless you’re a chemist) you would never know their association with palm. We can compete directly with these as we have developed further processes to convert our coffee oil into comparable ingredients, without the associated environmental impact that comes with using palm oil derivatives. To date, how much material has been saved from landfill or incineration through Revive's activities? Pre-pandemic, we were collecting over 2.5 tonnes of used coffee grounds per week from across Scotland to be recycled either to create oils or to be sent for composting. However, we’re now focusing on only collecting the grounds we need for our process right now from a small number of partners. We have diverted well in excess of 100 tonnes from landfill over the course of our history, the equivalent of about 5 million lattes. What's next for Revive? Any exciting plans in the pipeline? Right now, we are scaling up our processing capabilities with third-party chemical manufacturers. Our process has been proven at a large lab scale, but to truly take advantage of the demand we are seeing, we need to be at a more industrial scale. Long-term, we plan on taking what we learn from working with these chemical manufacturers and licensing our IP and know-how to companies internationally. We want to avoid shipping our coffee-derived ingredients around the world so licensing will allow us to grow our impact to an international scale without the capital expenditure of building coffee recycling facilities all over the globe. We are constantly on the lookout for potential licensing partners so would encourage any companies that are interested in utilising our circular solution in their country to get in touch. revive-eco.com

James Pennefather will succeed co-founder Nigel Mills as chief executive of The Lakes Distillery, effective 1 July 2023. Mills has led The Lakes since 2012, co-founding the company with Paul Currie. He will move to a new role as The Lakes' non-executive board director. Most recently, Pennefather held the position of regional managing director of Africa, the Middle East & Indian Sub-Continent for William Grant & Sons. Before joining William Grant & Sons in 2014, Pennefather boasts a 14-year tenure at Diageo, during which he held various leadership positions. Pennefather said: "I’ve worked in the premium spirits industry for more than 20 years, both in the UK and abroad, and it was clear to me that The Lakes has the potential to become one of the great luxury international spirits brands". He continued: "The next phase of growth requires us to establish The Lakes as an aspirational brand in international markets. It will bring new challenges, but what I can confidently say is that the whisky being made at The Lakes is perfectly placed to succeed on a global stage where opportunity abounds and having an obsession for flavour is paramount." Tim Farazmand, The Lakes chairman, commented: "Together with Paul and the team, Nigel has built The Lakes Distillery from the ground up and helped to inspire the regeneration of the English whisky industry. The journey the business has been on is quite remarkable, and Nigel has not only ensured we have firm foundations from which to build but will also continue to support both James and the whole team in his new role as a non-executive board director."

Vietnam's leading dairy processor Vinamilk has announced it is entering into a strategic partnership with six global nutrition and bioscience companies. The six participating companies are DSM, Chr. Hansen, Beneo, Gnosis, AAK and Kanematsu, operating in Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Japan, respectively. Through these strategic collaborations, Vinamilk aims to deliver "international-quality" nutritional solutions featuring "superior formulations" for the younger generation of Vietnam. The collaboration reinforces Vinamilk's international reputation and its mission to provide high-quality baby milk powder of international standards. Over the years, the brand has incorporated beneficial nutrients such as HMO-2'FL fibre, BB-12TM and LGG probiotics and nucleotides into its products to bring them closer to breast milk. With the strategic partnership, Vinamilk hopes to gain access to its advanced technologies and know-how to accelerate its own product innovation. Mai Kieu Lien, CEO of Vinamilk, said: "Since its establishment, Vinamilk has been committed to continuous investment in modern production processes, the application of advanced scientific research, and the promotion of international cooperation to bring internationally standardised and the most suitable products for Vietnamese children”. She added that Vinamilk's partnership with the six global companies aids Vinamilk in its journey to achieve this goal. Bringing more value to consumers and providing high-quality and safer products for children is Vinamilk’s “highest commitment," she said. Francois Scheffler, APAC president of DSM Group Asia Pacific, stated: "DSM has cooperated with Vinamilk for many years. We have seen the company's endless efforts and overwhelming enthusiasm for developing products that meet international quality standards. Hence, I believe that with this stronger strategic partnership, Vinamilk will soon conquer the highest global standards in the dairy industry." In recognition of meeting the strictest standards related to purity and transparency, Vinamilk was awarded the 'Purity Award' for its baby formula products Optimum Gold, YokoGold, ColosGold, Pedia Kenji, Dielac Grow Plus, Dielac Alpha, and Dielac Alpha Gold by the American non-profit organisation Clean Label Project. This award recognises Vinamilk's “commitment to providing pure, safe, and nutritious products for babies and children”. The brand is said to now be the first in Asia to have achieved the Purity Award standard for its entire baby and children formula line.