Plenty has announced the opening of a new indoor vertical farm in Compton, California, designed to grow up to 4.5 million pounds of leafy greens annually. The farm uses Plenty’s 3D vertical architecture that can increase yield up to 350 times the yield per acre of a conventional farm. The farm also has the potential to save millions of gallons of water annually compared to field farming. Plenty grows in 3D – on vertical towers nearly two stories high, which enables the company to grow more produce in less space and easily automate each step of the growing process, from planting to harvest. Plenty’s CEO, Arama Kukutai, said: “After investing nearly a decade into R&D, Plenty has cracked the code on a scalable platform for indoor farming. With Plenty’s first commercial farm, we’re proving that our uniquely vertical indoor farms can deliver a reliable, year-round supply of fresh produce with positive unit economics.” The Compton Farm is initially growing four leafy greens – baby arugula, baby kale, crispy lettuce and curly baby spinach – the spinach is the “first vertically grown, pesticide-free spinach available in the US” and is the result of more than two years of development in Plenty’s plant science research centre. From designing a new filtration system to analysing nearly billions of data inputs from trials, Plenty adjusted the spinach growing environment to consistently produce pesticide-free spinach with a distinct sweet flavour and unique crunch. Compton Mayor Emma Sharif added: “The Plenty Compton Farm is bringing field-scale farming back to Compton and introducing a new generation of our community to careers in agriculture – more than 30% of the farm’s hires came from Compton. Plenty’s farm is a model for how we can increase access to fresh, locally grown food for urban populations while supporting cities’ economic development.” Plenty’s pesticide-free leafy greens are available at select locations in and around California, including Whole Foods Markets and Walmart, as well as a featured meal ingredient on all Singapore Airlines flights out of Los Angeles International Airport.

Canadian packaging solutions provider Gelpac has announced the strategic acquisition of Standard Bag. Standard Bag manufactures industrial and food grade multiwall and wovenpoly laminated bags to handle raw materials and finished products suitable for use in the agrifood, pharmaceutical and industrial markets. Gelpac confirmed the acquisition in a LinkedIn post: According to Gelpac, Namakor Holdings was the strategic support provider for this deal and was responsible for managing the negotiations, which led to the financing by CDPQ, W Investments and a banking syndicate led by the National Bank of Canada. Gelpac's CEO Alain Robillard said: "The acquisition of efficient western and south-western production plants further strengthens our competitive position in North America. By combining the strengths of each of our plants, by integrating our respective R&D initiatives, ongoing innovations to the manufacturing processes and procurement strategies, as well as extending our geographical reach, we will offer the best-performing packaging solutions in the market." He added: "Having itself grown from a family operation, Gelpac has always remained true to its core values of treating each client and team member with integrity and respect. As such, the cultural fit can not be any tighter. The orderly transfer of ownership and the smooth integration of the Standard Bag team will ensure the continuity of operations." "The addition of this complementary production capacity to our comprehensive products portfolio will allow us to provide our North American clients with even greater value. We look forward to working with the new members of our team to reach ever-higher levels of excellence." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Pilgrim’s UK has announced the proposed closure of its Ashton-under-Lyne site in Manchester, UK, putting 542 employees at risk of redundancy. Pilgrim’s UK says the proposed closure is part of its ongoing footprint review as it looks to structure the business for long-term growth and development. Pilgrim's UK's executive team has proposed to transfer existing operations to its facilities located in Spalding in Lincolnshire, Westerleigh in South Gloucestershire, and Bromborough in Merseyside, which the company says could create 90 additional roles split between the three sites. The initial phase of its footprint review included the closure of its Coalville site in North West Leicestershire and the Bury St Edmunds site in Suffolk, as well as the introduction of a four-day week at Ashton in September 2022. The UK pork sector continues to face significant challenges, as the UK sow herd has contracted by around 15% and loss-making farmers have left the industry due to a sustained period of high production costs and lower pig prices. A reliance in the UK on cheaper, lower welfare imports from the EU and post-pandemic recovery challenges within certain markets has negatively impacted UK production. Rachel Baldwin, VP of human resources at Pilgrim’s UK, said: “The decision to propose the closure of our Ashton site has not been taken lightly and we have made every effort to explore alternative options”. She continued: “A key part of our work to return to growth includes ensuring we fully optimise our operational footprint and the age and location of Ashton within a densely populated area means that there is no feasible opportunity to modernise or grow the site. As a result, these proposals are unfortunately essential to ensure a sustainable future for our team members across the UK.” The business will now enter into a period of collective consultation with a site union and employee representatives. You may also like to read: Pilgrim’s UK invests £1.8m into Bodmin site for sustainable developments Pilgrim’s UK invests £10m in sustainability projects JBS scraps plans to purchase remaining shares in Pilgrim’s Pride –Reuters

Nature-positive foods is top of the agenda of this year’s Sustainable Foods Summit Europe. For the first time, the executive summit will discuss the opportunities and challenges when moving to sustainable food production methods that encourage biodiversity. The executive summit will be hosted in Amsterdam on 15-16 June 2023. The two-day summit will begin with an opening keynote on redesigning foods for circularity. How can food production be adapted so there is a positive impact on nature, producers/growers, as well as our health? What solutions are provided by organic and regenerative agriculture? What developments are occurring with upcycling? Case studies of food producers making the transition to sustainable food production will be provided. Approaches to move to nature-positive food production will be discussed. At the recent UN Biodiversity conference (COP15), 195 countries signed a historic deal to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, including to protect 30% of land and water by 2030. Nature-positive production will play an important role in meeting this ambitious target: agriculture and food production systems that involve the protection, management and restoration of nature. Martine van Weelden, director of Capitals Coalition, will discuss the implications of COP15 on food and ingredient firms. Stendert Krommendam, chief people and sustainability officer at EcoTone, will share the company’s biodiversity action plan. EcoTone, one of the leading organic food companies in Europe, changed its name in 2020 to reflect its mission to restore and protect ecosystems. The company owns several leading organic and sustainable brands, including Allos, Bjorg, Bonneterre, Clipper, Danival, Isola Bio, Kallø and Whole Earth. Details will also be given of the new EU deforestation-free regulation. Recently passed by the European Parliament, the new law ensures products sold in the EU do not come from deforested or degraded land. The regulation applies to cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soya, as well as products made using these agricultural commodities. Mark Varney, head of Fair to Nature, will explain how the certification scheme's standard encourages farmers to adopt biodiversity-friendly practices. Introduced by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Fair To Nature is the first ethical label that focuses entirely on nature-positive food production in the UK. Industry experts will participate in a panel discussion on encouraging nature-positive production and stimulating consumer demand for such products. Regenerative agriculture will also be featured at the Sustainable Foods Summit. Philippe Birker, co-founder of Climate Farmers, will discuss the implementation and scaling issues associated with transitioning to regenerative practices. The mission of his organisation is to build the infrastructure to scale regenerative agriculture in Europe. Other speakers will cover ingredients from regenerative agriculture and marketing issues. Joanna Wierzbicka, deputy director of IFOAM Organics Europe, will be speaking about the future of environmental labelling. As the number of eco-labels on food products increases, there is confusion about their meaning and the environmental impact of products. There is growing debate about the methodology used to rate products by schemes such as Eco-Score. At the same time, the European Commission plans to set limits on what eco-labels can enter the market. It plans to only allow private schemes to be approved if they have higher environmental ambitions than existing ones in the market. It also proposes to ban any new public schemes (national or regional). Upcycling is another emerging sector in the sustainable food industry. There is growing recognition that waste ingredients can be valorised from the food industry. However, setting up supply chains and marketing such products are major issues. Case studies will be given of companies using upcycled ingredients in their products. Robert Wilson, co-founder of Toast Ale, will show how his company is making beer from waste bread. The London-based brewery sells its beer to over 1,000 retailers and recently secured €2.3 million investment to reduce its environmental impact and scale its sustainability projects.

US dairy brand Hood has debuted a range of cottage cheese packs in the country. Cottage Cheese Medleys are available in three flavours: pineapple with honey-roasted almonds, strawberry with graham crackers and chocolate chips, and blueberry with crunchy oat granola. “We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Cottage Cheese Medleys,” said Lynne Bohan, spokesperson for Hood. “We know our consumers are seeking quick, easy, and exciting new ways to add protein into their diets in ways that are satisfying and delicious. Medleys meet that need while being delicious and convenient for any snacking moment.” Hood Cottage Cheese Medleys is available in select grocery stores across New England and New York.

Tirlán-owned Irish milk brand Avonmore has expanded its range of value-added milks with the introduction of Avonmore Fibre Plus Milk. The new milk has added fibre – from chicory root – which is said to be beneficial for digestive and gut health, as well as added vitamins C and D, to help support the immune system. Each 250ml glass of the low-fat unflavoured milk contains 6g of fibre, with Avonmore recommending for adults to consume two glasses per day in order to get the full benefit of chicory root fibre and to bridge the gap in their fibre intake Gráinne Murray, senior brand manager at Tirlán, said: “Digestive health is a key area of concern for consumers and with this product launch, we hope to provide an easy and convenient solution for consumers to increase their fibre intake, whilst the addition of vitamins C and D will also help to address consumers growing desire for products that support the immune system.” Glanbia Ireland rebranded as Tirlán in September last year – a new identity the company said reflects the characteristics that define the organisation. Combining the Irish words ‘Tír’ (meaning land) and ‘Lán’ (full), Tirlán stands for ‘land of abundance’. Avonmore Fibre Plus Milk is available in a 1-litre carton in retailers across Ireland.

Multivac has developed the new Multivac Pouch Loader (MPL) for chamber belt machines, created as a semi-automatic solution to improve the filling of the film pouches and loading into the packaging machine. The MPL is said to provide up to 40% reductions in personnel costs and an increase in efficiency when compared to manual loading – and all with maximum flexibility in terms of products and pack formats. The pouch loader works by having one person position the products on the infeed conveyor of the machine. Two other people then load the products by pulling the film pouches over the loading conveyor, so that the product can be conveyed automatically from the conveyor into the film pouch. The film pouch goes through a heat of 90 degrees and is placed on the machine conveyor and subsequently vacuum packed and sealed. When compared with the manual procedure, only three operators are necessary with this semi-automatic solution. The new system is beneficial in terms of hygiene and ergonomics with operators no longer needing to lift and place products in the pouches, reducing the risk of contamination. The MPL can also be integrated into line solutions from Multivac with either the B 425, B 525 or B 625 chamber belt machines. Additionally, it can be combined with the Multivac Pouch Rack, the compact pouch rack, which can take up to ten different stacks of pouch sizes. Korbinian Wiest, product manager for chamber belt machines at Multivac, said: “We can for the first time offer our customers a complete solution from one source for pouch applications on chamber belt machines…. The Multivac Pouch Loader stands for a simple and effortless packaging process with a high degree of efficiency, reliability, operating convenience and cost-effectiveness.” The MPL is able to accommodate pouch lengths in a range of 200 to 800 mm, as well as pouch widths between 150 and 600 mm.

Bunge and Nutrien Ag Solutions have announced a strategic agreement to support US farmers in the transition to lower-carbon products. Nutrien Ag Solutions is the retail division of Nutrien, the "world's largest" crop inputs company, helping growers achieve the highest yields with sustainable solutions, through a network of crop consultants at over 2,000 global locations. The agreement is expected to expand sustainable agriculture across shared supply chains in North America and bring whole-acre solutions to food, feed and fuel for customers and end-consumers. Fernando Candia, Bunge’s vice president of carbon solutions, said: “Making meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions requires collaboration between stakeholders, including farmers, crop input companies and processors. We are pleased to create this new alliance with Nutrien Ag Solutions, which will further strengthen Bunge’s connection with farmers in the US and create value for participants across all our value chains.” He added that the focus will be on continuing to invest in the Bunge business to support low-carbon initiatives including the implementation of regenerative agriculture best practices to improve soil health, capture carbon and increase biodiversity to minimise emissions. Initially, the programme will focus on soybeans grown in the regions close to Bunge’s crushing facilities in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Decatur, Indiana, in the US. It will provide the opportunity for future expansion to other locations and crops such as corn and wheat. The programme, targeting the 2023/2024 crop season, will include practices such as cover crops, reduced tillage, nutrient management and responsible pesticide use. Matt Marshall, Nutrien Ag Solutions' VP of sustainable ag and retail strategy, said: "The implementation of sustainable farming practices that bring additional value to growers for lower carbon products requires a strong and established ally that shares our values”. He continued: “Through this new alliance, we will increase the implementation of sustainable practices that impact soil health and nutrient use efficiency to bring new revenue opportunities to the field”. As part of the initiative, Nutrien Ag Solutions plans to provide crop consulting services, custom applications of fertility and/or chemistry, analytical testing of soil, water and tissue, traceability, and data collection via its Agrible platform, which uses predictive agronomic forecasts and sustainability metrics. Rob Clayton, senior VP of Nutrien Ag Solutions in North America, said that sustainable agriculture is an important part of modern farming and essential for “being stewards of the environment”. He added: “We are very excited to be working with Bunge to connect growers through the shared purpose of being caretakers of the land”. Bunge plans to contract with these farmers and manage harvest and post-harvest commercialisation.

Nature Valley has added new Savory Nut Crunch bar to its portfolio, marking its entry into the savoury snack market. The new bar is available in three flavours, Everything Bagel, White Cheddar and Smoky BBQ. Ray Joncas, vice president and business unit director, bars at General Mills, said: “Nature Valley is known for introducing the first mainstream granola bar to consumers, and since 1975 we’ve continued to innovate and find new ways to shake up the bars aisle. Snacking fans now have the best of both worlds with our new Savory Nut Crunch bars as a companion to our traditional whole grain oat granola bars.” The bars offer grab-and-go convenience in a one-bar pack by using a proprietary binding process that removes the need for sugar binders to keep them intact. “Our new technology has enabled us to solve a consumer need for convenient snacks that don't require the use of syrups and sugars to bind the bars together,” said Ali Shaikh, senior brand manager, bars innovation at General Mills. “This has unlocked an opportunity for us to craft Nature Valley snack bars with 2g of sugar in surprisingly savoury flavours, delivering on a whole new set of cravings.” Nature Valley's new line of savoury bars are now available at US grocery stores for a suggested MSRP of $4.79 for a 5-count box.

Miko Coffee has announced the acquisition of German coffee service company Procon. Based in Magdeburg, Germany, Procon has been a distributor of Miko "for a long time". Procon's customers can borrow or rent small and medium-sized coffee and vending machines for office workplaces. Founded in 1801, Miko is a Belgium-based coffee distributor. It produces and sells roasted coffee beans, ground coffee, coffee pods, coffee machines and other coffee-related products to local businesses and individuals. Frans Van Tilborg, CEO of Miko Group, said: "Miko already has a fully-fledged subsidiary in Germany with Miko Kaffee, which is located in Nuremberg. With the acquisition of Procon, we are today taking a first step in the further expansion of our territorial presence in Germany. This fits into our strategy of building further on the rollout of an international coffee service organization through external growth." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Israeli bioproduction company Enzymit has announced the successful development of insulin substituents, in partnership with Aleph Farms. Using proprietary algorithms and throughput testing capabilities, Enzymit was able to develop a variety of insulin substituents and experimentally assess their functionality. Further screening resulted in several leading substituents that exhibited superior results in activity for cell culturing and required minimal concentration for activation. These new proteins, which demand notably fewer downstream purification and maturation processes, have the potential to reduce the cost and development time for producing cultivated meat at scale. A “prohibitive expense” in scaling up cultivated meat production is developing non-animal-derived serum protein mimetics that promote and support cell growth – these proteins are not widely available in the current market at the quantity, quality and cost necessary for large-scale production. Aleph Farms and Enzymit have co-developed novel insulin substituents in microorganisms that are able to fulfil the function of proteins found naturally in animals, and with greater desired activity per molecule. Neta Lavon, CTO of Aleph Farms, said: "Developing more suitable processing aids for the production of cultivated meat is imperative for driving economies of scale and taking cultivated meat mainstream. This innovation, combining Enzymit's outstanding protein design and experimental capabilities with our team's expertise in cellular agriculture, is helping to build the foundations for our sector to achieve cost-efficiency and long-term impact." According to Enzymit, as insulin is a conserved protein across mammals and other species, it has the potential to similarly influence the production of other cultivated meat types – not just cow cells – such as porcine, ovine and poultry. Enzymit’s CEO, Gideon Lapidoth, commented: "With recombinant proteins currently accounting for the overwhelming majority of cell culture costs, creating highly stable and more active insulin substituents can markedly reduce the cost of growth media and increase efficiency in producing cultivated meat at scale."

Members of the European Parliament has voted not to include plant-based drinks in schools, in a “significant blow” to children who cannot or do not want to consume milk. According to a report by food awareness organisation ProVeg International, the majority of Members of the European Parliament failed to include plant-based drinks within their own initiative report on the EU School Scheme, which impacts around 20 million children across Europe. Lucia Hortelano, EU policy manager at ProVeg International, said: “We are very disappointed by the outcome of this vote, but we are hopeful that the European Commission will still move ahead and include plant-based drinks in the scheme as part of their review, which is out at the end of the year”. She continued: “Many children in the EU cannot or do not want to drink cow’s milk for medical, ethical, taste, or environmental reasons. Including fortified plant-based milk alternatives is essential in terms of inclusion, availability, sustainability and affordability.” The scheme has the potential to become the EU public procurement tool for the inclusion of sustainable and environmentally friendly products for children across Europe. The scheme’s inclusion of plant-based drinks could boost EU efforts towards more sustainable diets, in alignment with the Food Systems Framework initiative – the EU’s legislative framework for sustainable food systems. The European Commission will now work on publishing a new proposal to implement the EU-funded scheme, with calls on the European Commission to bring about change and introduce unsweetened fortified plant-based alternatives to milk to the scheme.