Upbeat Drinks has added a Sour Berry flavour to its line of RTD protein energy drinks. The new drink features a blend of caffeine and protein, is non-carbonated and contains a clear whey isolate. It contains all nine essential amino acids, as well as 4000mg of BCAAs and vitamin B complex. It has 180mg of caffeine, 15g of protein, just 78 calories, and is designed to be consumers pre-workout. Upbeat's range is sugar- and lactose-free, suitable for vegetarians. Sour Berry is described as a "fresh, fruity alternative to milk-based shakes". The range also features Tropical Protein Energy. Mark Neville, CEO of Upbeat Drinks said: “We are incredibly excited to power up our drinks range with Sour Berry Protein Energy. Our drinks are functional; a healthy beverage option offering additional benefits beyond hydration, helping you to stay sharper, perform better and recover faster. He added: "They’re convenient; easy to drink, on the go and kind on the wallet, and they’re sustainable; responsibly packaged and made from environmentally friendly materials”. The new RTD drink is now available in the UK in Sainsbury's stores, Ocado, plus 700 petrol stations and 100 gyms nationwide. RRP £1.99.

Upbeat Drinks has added a Sour Berry flavour to its line of RTD protein energy drinks. The new drink features a blend of caffeine and protein, is non-carbonated and contains a clear whey isolate. It contains all nine essential amino acids, as well as 4000mg of BCAAs and vitamin B complex. It has 180mg of caffeine, 15g of protein, just 78 calories, and is designed to be consumers pre-workout. Upbeat's range is sugar- and lactose-free, suitable for vegetarians. Sour Berry is described as a "fresh, fruity alternative to milk-based shakes". The range also features Tropical Protein Energy. Mark Neville, CEO of Upbeat Drinks said: “We are incredibly excited to power up our drinks range with Sour Berry Protein Energy. Our drinks are functional; a healthy beverage option offering additional benefits beyond hydration, helping you to stay sharper, perform better and recover faster. He added: "They’re convenient; easy to drink, on the go and kind on the wallet, and they’re sustainable; responsibly packaged and made from environmentally friendly materials”. The new RTD drink is now available in the UK in Sainsbury's stores, Ocado, plus 700 petrol stations and 100 gyms nationwide. RRP £1.99.

Rude Health has added two new organic No Sugars dairy-free drinks to its portfolio, launching into UK retail. Containing no naturally occurring sugars, the new range is said to have been created in response to consumer demand for clean and natural ingredients, as well as a “growing consumer desire to reduce or avoid sugar”. The production process of the No Sugars Oat drink is tweaked in order to stop the oats from releasing sugar. It is made with four natural ingredients and includes 10% gluten-free oats. Meanwhile, No Sugars Almond utilises the natural sweetness of almonds and is created with a blend of three ingredients including organic Italian almonds with spring water and a little carob seed flour to create a creamy and smooth texture. Founder, Camilla Barnard, said: “I am even more excited than usual about our No Sugars range innovation. It’s personally a dream drink because I don’t have a sweet tooth, but I am big on flavour and we have managed to get all the flavour of Oat and Almond with none of the sugars.” She added: “It’s also a great technical achievement for the team. All grains contain some sugar, naturally, so the challenge of making a delicious creamy milk out of them without getting any of the sugars from them is something I am very proud of”. No Sugars Oat and No Sugars Almond are organic and free from dairy and gluten. The new products will be available at UK Waitrose stores and Ocado. No Sugars Almond will be available for an RRP of £2.30 and Oat will be available for an RRP of £2.20.

Research recently unveiled at the Canadian Nutrition Society in Québec City has shown that maple syrup is better than refined sugars when it comes to cardiovascular health. The clinical nutrition study – which aims to build on the benefits of maple syrup and its polyphenols – demonstrated that the sweet sap provides cardiometabolic support and meets the "recognised criteria of a functional food". Used as a substitute for refined sweeteners and sugars, the data shows that maple syrup may help food and beverage manufacturers naturally boost the sweetness of their products without the need for unhealthy or refined sources. The study was jointly funded by Québec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) and the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) through its healthy food production initiative, the Programme Alimentation santé. It was conducted by researchers at the Université Laval, led by André Marette at the Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec and Marie-Claude Vohl at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods. The results are in The team examined the effect of "substituting 5% of the total daily energy provided by added sugars with an equivalent quantity of maple syrup on the composition of subjects' intestinal microbiota, and its impact on recognised risk factors for cardiometabolic disease". Over eight weeks, the researchers studied 42 adults with mild alterations to their cardiometabolic profiles. During each phase, participants consumed one serving (2tbsp) of maple syrup or one serving of flavoured sucrose syrup (the placebo) per day. The team evaluated their cardiometabolic risk factors and faecal microbiota before and after each phase. Results found that replacing refined sugar with maple syrup had a positive effect on cardiometabolic health, decreasing abdominal fat and systolic blood pressure, while improving glycemic response in an oral glucose tolerance test. Marette commented: "Up until now, there had been no randomised controlled trial on the impact of replacing refined sugars with maple syrup on intestinal microbiota and cardiometabolic risk factors in humans. Our results suggest that the consumption of maple syrup as a natural sweetening agent is more beneficial to cardiometabolic health than that of refined sugars and can be associated with selective changes in gut microbiota." QMSP President Luc Goulet added: "This research builds on years of ongoing research on the properties of maple syrup, made solely from the sap of maple trees harvested by our hard-working producers". Benefits for food and beverage manufacturers Manufacturers looking to improve their product formulations, while meeting consumer demand for healthy and functional alternatives, may want to look no further than the maple tree. Evidence suggests that the polyphenols in maple can "exert a probiotic-like action on gut microbiota that improve cardiometabolic wellbeing". Animal studies have also shown that maple syrup could be a good alternative to refined sugars, as it "lessens liver damage and glucose homeostasis". Maple syrup is already a popular kitchen staple for many consumers. However, its applications may reach far beyong the pantry. "100% pure maple syrup contains over 100 compounds such as vitamins and minerals, amino acids, phytohormones and 67 polyphenols," a statement from the study said. "That's what makes it a healthier choice than white sugar or other refined sweeteners." Maple syrups can be added to paleo foods, raw foods and natural products. It can be used to flavour desserts, baked goods, snacks and more.

Research recently unveiled at the Canadian Nutrition Society in Québec City has shown that maple syrup is better than refined sugars when it comes to cardiovascular health. The clinical nutrition study – which aims to build on the benefits of maple syrup and its polyphenols – demonstrated that the sweet sap provides cardiometabolic support and meets the "recognised criteria of a functional food". Used as a substitute for refined sweeteners and sugars, the data shows that maple syrup may help food and beverage manufacturers naturally boost the sweetness of their products without the need for unhealthy or refined sources. The study was jointly funded by Québec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) and the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) through its healthy food production initiative, the Programme Alimentation santé. It was conducted by researchers at the Université Laval, led by André Marette at the Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec and Marie-Claude Vohl at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods. The results are in The team examined the effect of "substituting 5% of the total daily energy provided by added sugars with an equivalent quantity of maple syrup on the composition of subjects' intestinal microbiota, and its impact on recognised risk factors for cardiometabolic disease". Over eight weeks, the researchers studied 42 adults with mild alterations to their cardiometabolic profiles. During each phase, participants consumed one serving (2tbsp) of maple syrup or one serving of flavoured sucrose syrup (the placebo) per day. The team evaluated their cardiometabolic risk factors and faecal microbiota before and after each phase. Results found that replacing refined sugar with maple syrup had a positive effect on cardiometabolic health, decreasing abdominal fat and systolic blood pressure, while improving glycemic response in an oral glucose tolerance test. Marette commented: "Up until now, there had been no randomised controlled trial on the impact of replacing refined sugars with maple syrup on intestinal microbiota and cardiometabolic risk factors in humans. Our results suggest that the consumption of maple syrup as a natural sweetening agent is more beneficial to cardiometabolic health than that of refined sugars and can be associated with selective changes in gut microbiota." QMSP President Luc Goulet added: "This research builds on years of ongoing research on the properties of maple syrup, made solely from the sap of maple trees harvested by our hard-working producers". Benefits for food and beverage manufacturers Manufacturers looking to improve their product formulations, while meeting consumer demand for healthy and functional alternatives, may want to look no further than the maple tree. Evidence suggests that the polyphenols in maple can "exert a probiotic-like action on gut microbiota that improve cardiometabolic wellbeing". Animal studies have also shown that maple syrup could be a good alternative to refined sugars, as it "lessens liver damage and glucose homeostasis". Maple syrup is already a popular kitchen staple for many consumers. However, its applications may reach far beyong the pantry. "100% pure maple syrup contains over 100 compounds such as vitamins and minerals, amino acids, phytohormones and 67 polyphenols," a statement from the study said. "That's what makes it a healthier choice than white sugar or other refined sweeteners." Maple syrups can be added to paleo foods, raw foods and natural products. It can be used to flavour desserts, baked goods, snacks and more.

Mondelēz International has announced that it will close its Enjoy Life Foods (EFL) baked goods factory in Jefferson, Indiana. The closure – which the snacks company announced via a statutory filing with the state government – will impact a number of employees. According to the company, several rounds of employment terminations will take place, with the first impacting 105 employees on 3 July. At the end of the layoffs, Mondelēz expects to cut a total of 166 jobs. In a statement to FoodBev Media, the company said: "Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the number and variety of offerings consumers now have to choose from in the 'free-from' snacking space, which prompted us to reevaluate our offerings of our Enjoy Life Foods products". "While we remain committed to Enjoy Life Foods, we need to ensure that ELF can continue to grow in a way that makes sense for the business. As part of this shift, we have decided to exit our lease for the ELF manufacturing plant we have in Jeffersonville, Indiana as we refocus and narrow our portfolio. We have shared this news with our employees and will spend the next few months phasing out production at that site." "We will continue to make our most-loved consumer-favourite ELF snacks as we transition operations to external manufacturing with capabilities to produce our delicious, high-quality products. Even with this change, as we have always been, ELF will be an ally of allergen families and consumers, continuing to focus on their specific needs and creating tasty foods that are free-from 14 allergens." The ELF facility operates three production lines, including a snack bar line that can produce 780,000ft of bars monthly; a cookie line, which can make 7.1 million cookies a month; and a chocolate line, which can make 1,500 tonnes of baking chocolate each year. Mondelēz acquired the ELF brand back in 2015. The filing states that the closure will be permanent, with the facility to shutter on or before 1 April 2024.

Mondelēz International has announced that it will close its Enjoy Life Foods (EFL) baked goods factory in Jefferson, Indiana. The closure – which the snacks company announced via a statutory filing with the state government – will impact a number of employees. According to the company, several rounds of employment terminations will take place, with the first impacting 105 employees on 3 July. At the end of the layoffs, Mondelēz expects to cut a total of 166 jobs. In a statement to FoodBev Media, the company said: "Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the number and variety of offerings consumers now have to choose from in the 'free-from' snacking space, which prompted us to reevaluate our offerings of our Enjoy Life Foods products". "While we remain committed to Enjoy Life Foods, we need to ensure that ELF can continue to grow in a way that makes sense for the business. As part of this shift, we have decided to exit our lease for the ELF manufacturing plant we have in Jeffersonville, Indiana as we refocus and narrow our portfolio. We have shared this news with our employees and will spend the next few months phasing out production at that site." "We will continue to make our most-loved consumer-favourite ELF snacks as we transition operations to external manufacturing with capabilities to produce our delicious, high-quality products. Even with this change, as we have always been, ELF will be an ally of allergen families and consumers, continuing to focus on their specific needs and creating tasty foods that are free-from 14 allergens." The ELF facility operates three production lines, including a snack bar line that can produce 780,000ft of bars monthly; a cookie line, which can make 7.1 million cookies a month; and a chocolate line, which can make 1,500 tonnes of baking chocolate each year. Mondelēz acquired the ELF brand back in 2015. The filing states that the closure will be permanent, with the facility to shutter on or before 1 April 2024.

KBF Enterprises-owned brand Warrior has added two new peanut butter flavours to its low-sugar, high-protein bars portfolio. The low-carb protein bars are available in peanut butter jelly and peanut butter cup flavours. The offerings contain over 20g of milk protein and only 2.3g of sugar. Warrior Crunch protein bars are available in over 1000 supermarket locations, including Asda.

Packing and weighing solutions company, Ishida Europe, has launched a tray sealer which is said to have improved performance and environmental benefits. The new Ishida QX-500 has been developed following detailed feedback from the company’s global customers and partners. The new compact tray sealer can easily fit into new and existing packing lines and combines seal quality and high throughput, helping companies reach their sustainability goals. Ishida says that the QX-500 delivers a 66% increase in cycle speed, a 44% reduction in weight, a 46% reduction in size and a 50% reduction in energy consumption, meaning the new tray sealer significantly reduces waste and delivers an increase in productivity. The tray sealer offers a variety of consistently high-quality sealing options – seal only, gas flushing, MAP, stretch film and skinpack – across a wide variety of tray designs and materials, including plastic, board and recyclable and innovative paper film formats to support the use of sustainable packaging. Tara O’Connor, Ishida Europe’s product manager for tray sealers, said: “The global food market remains extremely competitive and companies face many challenges on a daily basis. By talking in depth with our customers and partners, we have been able to fully understand their tray-sealing requirements. The QX-500 is designed to maximise yields and throughput without compromising on product or pack quality and while minimising environmental impact.” The QX-500 incorporates Ishida’s new ‘IntelliSeal’ technology system that ensures excellent seal integrity for extended shelf life while providing ease of opening for the end user. The system measures the sealing force of the tray sealer to optimise sealing pressure, temperature and time for each cycle. This enables the machine to adapt itself to each packaging format to guarantee the highest pack quality, consistency and integrity. O’Connor continued: “Often development initiatives for products for an existing technology are based upon incremental improvements. The QX-500 represents a true clean-sheet approach, with a development process that involved very high expectations and features enhancements across all aspects of the machine.” “This very broad development approach for both new technologies and machine construction means that we can truly state that the new QX-500 is revolutionary rather than evolutionary. All the new sub-systems come together to make something greater than the sum of its parts.”

Flipz, a chocolate-covered pretzel brand, is launching a new Flipz State Fair inspired line-up this summer. The two new offerings include Flipz State Fair Churros and Flipz State Fair Strawberry Shortcake. Flipz State Fair Churros features the signature salty and crunchy pretzels coated in a cinnamon sugar, churro-flavoured coating and drizzled with milk chocolate. Meanwhile, Flipz State Fair Strawberry Shortcake offers salty pretzels coated in fresh strawberry, sweet cream and butter cake flavoured coating. Simge Weinling-Dogrular, head of marketing at pladis Americas, said: "As a brand, we are all about bringing fun and flavour to our fans wherever they are. The state fair is such an exciting staple moment of the summer season and we were inspired by that energy." She added: "With our Flipz State Fair offerings, we are bringing much-needed fun to everyday routines with snacks that transport our fans to thrilling times with family and friends at the state fair with every bite." The new flavours are available now at US retailers, including Albertsons, CVS, Kroger, Sam's Club, ShopRite and Publix.

Nactarome, a manufacturer of natural taste and colour solutions for the F&B industry, has announced that it has completed its acquisition of Royal Buisman, a Dutch producer of natural, clean label caramel ingredients. The company says its latest acquisition, which was solely advised by Rothschild&Co, will help to create a strategic presence in the Netherlands. With more than 150 years of experience, Royal Buisman's caramel ingredients have broad applications and functionality in multiple F&B categories. The company will complement Nactarome's portfolio, while increasing geographical reach and blue-chip customer exposure. With the acquisition, Nactarome grows its portfolio of all-in-one natural flavourings, extracts, colours and functional ingredients. Royal Buisman has a network of blue-chip customers across Benelux, Europe, South East Asia and North America, with a strong portfolio of dry powder and liquid caramel products that offer flavouring, colouring and texture solutions. Robert Hoopman, CEO of Royal Buisman, commented: “Our management team sees huge potential in joining the Nactarome group to create a leading natural ingredients company. The combined business offers a great opportunity to pursue attractive synergies by creating innovative flavour and colour solutions to the benefit of customers across international food markets.” Luigi Del Monaco, CEO of Nactarome, added: “We are thrilled to announce our recent acquisition of Royal Buisman and welcome the talented team and strong 'clean label' products into our organisation. This strategic move aligns with Nactarome long-term growth goals and strengthens our position in the market. We look forward to the exciting opportunities and continued success ahead as we integrate and collaborate with our new partners.” Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Nactarome, a manufacturer of natural taste and colour solutions for the F&B industry, has announced that it has completed its acquisition of Royal Buisman, a Dutch producer of natural, clean label caramel ingredients. The company says its latest acquisition, which was solely advised by Rothschild&Co, will help to create a strategic presence in the Netherlands. With more than 150 years of experience, Royal Buisman's caramel ingredients have broad applications and functionality in multiple F&B categories. The company will complement Nactarome's portfolio, while increasing geographical reach and blue-chip customer exposure. With the acquisition, Nactarome grows its portfolio of all-in-one natural flavourings, extracts, colours and functional ingredients. Royal Buisman has a network of blue-chip customers across Benelux, Europe, South East Asia and North America, with a strong portfolio of dry powder and liquid caramel products that offer flavouring, colouring and texture solutions. Robert Hoopman, CEO of Royal Buisman, commented: “Our management team sees huge potential in joining the Nactarome group to create a leading natural ingredients company. The combined business offers a great opportunity to pursue attractive synergies by creating innovative flavour and colour solutions to the benefit of customers across international food markets.” Luigi Del Monaco, CEO of Nactarome, added: “We are thrilled to announce our recent acquisition of Royal Buisman and welcome the talented team and strong 'clean label' products into our organisation. This strategic move aligns with Nactarome long-term growth goals and strengthens our position in the market. We look forward to the exciting opportunities and continued success ahead as we integrate and collaborate with our new partners.” Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.