Olyra Foods has announced that it has received a minority investment from the venture capital arm of Grupo Bimbo, Bimbo Ventures. Olyra Foods produces organic, non-GMO and natural breakfast biscuits made with stone-milled ancient Greek grains. Today, Olyra is distributed online and in over 5,000 retail locations across the US. According to Grupo Bimbo, it is the “world’s largest” baking company with operations in 34 countries. Olyra Foods says it will use the undisclosed funding to further expand its retail and online presence. Olyra Foods’ founder and CEO, Yannis Varellas, said: “These past few years have been exciting as we’ve worked toward offering consumers new nutritional breakfast options. We are looking forward to working with Bimbo Ventures as we continue our growth and expansion into the market.” Constantino Matouk, VP of Bimbo Ventures, commented: “Olyra, in a very authentic way, has tapped into a consumer need for more nutritious and delicious breakfast solutions. We are excited to work with them to help grow the business and expand availability of Olyra’s products to more consumers.”

US frozen gluten-free snack brand, Brazi Bites, has added a new cheese flavour to its portfolio: Everything Brazilian Cheese Bread. The new addition, which joins the brand's core line of Brazilian Cheese Bread, combines Everything seasoning with the brand's cheddar and parmesan cheeses. In addition, the product is crafted with sesame and poppy seeds, garlic, onion and salt. Brazi Bites' signature cheese bread dough is made with tapioca flour, a gluten-free alternative to wheat. Junea Rocha, co-founder of Brazi Bites, said: "Coming into 2023, brands are tapping into popular flavor trends, like Everything seasoning, to amplify existing product lines. We received thousands of consumer submissions and Everything was the clear winner. The popular seasoning combined with the deliciously bold cheddar and parmesan in our signature Brazilian Cheese Bread absolutely nailed the taste category..." Brazi Bites' Everything Brazilian Cheese Bread is currently available at Sprouts Farmers Market for an SRP of $7.49 per 11.5oz bag, and will roll out at Whole Foods Market nationwide in autumn 2023.

UK dessert brand Pots & Co has launched a limited-edition baked passion fruit cheesecake cream pot. Made with cheesecake filling, Madagascan vanilla and passion fruit glaze, the new dessert is made in small batches using "high-quality" ingredients and contains no artificial preservatives. Fraser Thomson, joint CEO of Pots & Co, said: "With summer just around the corner, we wanted to create a refreshing dessert using punchy flavours that perfectly accompanies the sunshine". He continued: “Our current limited-edition dessert of summer berries and mascarpone cream has proved popular with consumers, offering a light and refreshing treat for the warmer months. This brand-new pot extends our limited-edition fruit-based flavours – this time with an added zing of passion fruit. “With the rising cost of eating out, we are committed to giving consumers restaurant-quality food at home or even on the go. Our new limited-edition summer pot offers a light and refreshing treat for picnics, BBQs or al fresco dining, making this an ideal solution for those looking for high-quality and great-tasting desserts to finish their meal.” The potted dessert is available at Sainsbury’s stores nationwide and will roll out in Waitrose from 26 April.

The European Parliament has formally approved a new law that prevents companies from selling products in the EU that have links to deforestation and forest degradation. While no country or commodity will be banned, the law states that companies will only be allowed to sell products in the EU if the supplier can confirm that the items do not come from deforested/degraded land after 31 December 2020. The regulation, first put forward by the EU Commission in November 2021, will affect cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil and soya, among other non-food and beverage products such as wood. Additionally, the EU Parliament has requested that companies evidence that these products comply with the relevant legislation of the country of production. This includes human rights and ensuring the rights of indigenous people have been respected. Risk measurements "The Commission will classify countries, or parts thereof, as low-, standard- or high-risk based through an objective and transparent assessment within 18 months of this regulation entering into force," EU Parliament said in a statement. Products from low-risk countries will be subject to a "simplified due diligence procedure". EU authorities will have access to relevant information provided by the companies, such as geolocation coordinates, and will conduct checks with the help of satellite monitoring tools and DNA analysis to verify the origins of a product. Penalties for non-compliance with the law will be "proportionate and dissuasive" and a fine of at least 4% of the total annual turnover in the EU of the non-compliant operator or trader will be implemented. EU rapporteur Christophe Hansen said: “Until today, our supermarket shelves have all too often been filled with products covered in the ashes of burned-down rainforests and irreversibly destroyed ecosystems and which had wiped out the livelihoods of indigenous people. All too often, this happened without consumers knowing about it." He added: “I am relieved that European consumers can now rest assured that they will no longer be unwittingly complicit in deforestation when they eat their bar of chocolate or enjoy a well-deserved coffee. The new law is not only key in our fight against climate change and biodiversity loss but should also break the deadlock preventing us from deepening trade relations with countries that share our environmental values and ambitions.” A wider definition of forest degradation was also established, which now includes “the conversion of primary forests or naturally regenerating forests into plantation forests or into other wooded lands”. The EU Parliament statement concluded: "The text now also has to be formally endorsed by Council. It will then be published in the EU Official Journal and enter into force 20 days later". Comments from Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation and Commodities, Fadillah Yusof, said in a statement that the legislation is a “deliberate effort to increase costs and barriers for Malaysia’s palm oil sector”. Yusof added: “The EUDR is unjust and serves primarily to protect a domestic oilseeds market that is inefficient and cannot compete with Malaysia’s efficient and productive palm oil exports”. Yosof also stated that the enforcement of the new law will impact 450,000 smallholders, which would “increase poverty, reduce household incomes and harm our rural communities,” in Malaysia. You may also like to read: EFSA identifies dietary exposure to Bisphenol A as health concern

Under its Nescafé brand, Nestlé has launched Ice Roast, it's first soluble coffee designed especially for use in iced coffee beverages. The product was crafted by experts at Nestlé’s coffee R&D centre in Orbe, Switzerland, in response to rising demand for products that allow people to recreate “café-style” cold coffee experiences in the home. Nestlé says that today, 15% of coffee in the world is consumed cold. Nescafé Ice Roast is made with 100% Robusta coffee beans that are grown and produced sustainably, with a tailored roasting profile to provide a lightly roasted soluble coffee without harsh or bitter notes. The company states that the extraction process was optimised to give a refreshing taste and clear appearance in the cup, with a coffee granule structure that dissolves quickly and easily. Damien Tissot, head of Nestlé's product technology centre for coffee in Orbe, said: "With Ice Roast, we've created a light-medium roast that's ideal to drink cold, with a smooth texture and cocoa notes that unlocks new sensory territory. By applying an innovative mindset, our teams have created a new sensory experience in cold coffee." The Ice Roast coffee is launching in China this month, with Mexico to follow. You may also like to read: Nestlé launches new compostable-pod coffee machine Nescafé opens $340m coffee facility in Mexico Nescafé Azera, Perky Blenders team up to launch premium craft coffee

Danish Crown has announced the proposed closure of an abattoir in the northern Jutland region of Denmark, risking 800 jobs. The company said that the proposed closure is due to a 10% decline in the number of pigs being supplied for slaughter in Denmark over the past year. Danish Crown’s board of directors “sees no other option” than to close one of the group’s six abattoirs in Denmark. As a result of the proposed closure, the 800 employees who work at the abattoir in Sæby, northern Jutland, face losing their jobs. The company states that it will need to take on 450 new employees across three of its abattoirs in Horsens, Ringsted and Blans, Denmark, within the next six months. Per Laursen, VP of production at Danish Crown, said: “It is very sad that we have to say goodbye to so many skilled and loyal employees, but we are forced to react to such a marked decrease in the amount of slaughterings. Now, our surplus capacity is costing us more than DKK 300 million a year, and it would be irresponsible in relation to the company and our owners if we didn’t take the steps which are necessary to address this challenge.” According to Danish Crown, the decline in the number of pigs being sent for slaughter is partly due to a rise in inflation which has resulted in some Danish farmers closing their livestock operations. Another contributing factor is that some farmers are selling their pigs for export as soon as they weigh 30kg, due to high demand for ‘weaners’ from Poland and Germany, which generates good earnings for the farmers. The company plans to reverse this development by increasing the settlement price paid to the cooperative owners for their supplies of pigs so that it matches the level paid in Germany and Poland and ensures that farmers can make money from fattening their pigs for slaughter. Per Laursen continued: “What is so frustrating about this situation is that our employees’ performance has been exemplary, but in our industry, it is imperative that the abattoirs are run with very high-capacity utilisation because otherwise it simply becomes too expensive to slaughter every single pig. But it’s a heavy decision for us all.” For those employees based at Sæby that wish to accept jobs at one of the company’s other three abattoirs, Danish Crown is able to cover some travel costs and subsidise employees moving to a new home. The company will also offer courses and training to help those who face losing their jobs find other employment. Jais Valeur, group CEO, Danish Crown, commented: “The decision to propose the closure of the abattoir in Sæby is based on a careful and in-depth analysis of the situation. However, our Feeding the Future strategy is unchanged, because our future growth is not only going to come from slaughtering more pigs, but from increasing the value of our meat and the production of attractive and more sustainable foods.” The news of the site’s closure comes after the company revealed it had acquired a 120,000-square-metre site in Denmark from Skare Meat Packers last month. In January, Danish Crown announced the closure of a deboning facility in Boizenburg, Germany, affecting more than 200 employees.

German packaging and bottling machine manufacturer, Krones, has acquired a 90% stake in US-based company, Ampco Pumps. Ampco Pumps supplies sanitary pumps and applied products – such as mixing and blending equipment – to the food, beverage, dairy processing, personal care and pharmaceuticals markets. Current Ampco management will remain and will continue to hold 10% of the shares of Ampco – Krones has the option to buy the remaining 10% share in the future. In a statement, Krones said: “The transaction will increase the profitability margin of the ‘Process Technology’ segment as well as the group margin of Krones”. In the 2022 fiscal year, Ampco Pumps generated revenue of approximately $50 million, with a “high EBITDA margin”. The acquisition is a major step in expanding the components business of Krones Processing. The company states that “with Ampco Pumps and Evoguard Valve Technology, Krones has now a broad portfolio of all key components for the processing technology market”. The transaction is subject to approval under the relevant antitrust legislation. Krones expects the transaction to be completed within the first half of 2023. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. You may also like to read: Mondi creates paper packaging solution with Krones, replacing plastic shrink wrap Krones sells 100th Craftmate C to Australian brew O-I Glass and Krones sign packaging collaboration agreement

AquiSense Technologies, a provider of UV-C LED water disinfection systems, has announced the launch of PearlAqua Deca 30C. PearlAqua Deca 30C offers treatment for both larger and smaller point-of-use applications. The solution is suitable for commercial and industrial water treatment, food and beverage processing and residential use, as well as soda machines, among other uses. The PearlAqua Deca 30C applies UV-C LED technology to achieve more than 99.99% reduction of pathogens at four gpm (15 lpm). It includes automatic on-and-off switching or external triggering, configurable alarm outputs and dynamic power control, "which reduces overall energy consumption and extends lamp replacement intervals," said the company. Oliver Lawal, AquiSense's president and CEO, said: "We’re thrilled to introduce the latest PearlAqua product to the market. This not only fills a gap in our lower flow rate product range but, more importantly, demonstrates our next-generation PearlAqua design platform. We’re using a newer generation of UV-C LED devices, more advanced electronics, integrated UV Intensity Sensor and increased assembly automation.”

Italy-based coffee machine manufacturer Simonelli Group has appointed Marco Feliziani as its new CEO, effective immediately. After 14 years at Simonelli – the last six of which in the role of CEO – Fabio Ceccarani will be stepping down from the company at the end of his second mandate. Feliziani said: “Fabio Ceccarani has represented a decisive support for the company. Under his guidance, Simonelli Group has accelerated its process of growth and digital renovation, it has increased its attention to the product and has reinforced its commitment to sustainability and environmental protection.” The newly appointed CEO joined the company in 2015 and has previously worked as director of the US branch, sales director and deputy chairman. Ceccarani commented: “I’m leaving a company that I’ve seen grow exponentially in the last few years, not only from a financial and economic point of view but also from the perspective of the skills and competences of individual people and the way they work together cohesively…I thank the shareholders for their trust and their continued support in these years and the whole of the Simonelli team, the real leading players of this success.”

Amcor has partnered with Tyson Foods to launch a more sustainable package for consumer products. Tyson Foods’ Jimmy Dean egg bites and frittatas are now packaged in Amcor’s AmPrima recycle-ready-forming/non-forming flexible film. The design and development of the package address sustainability and cost-efficiency needs. Tara Cruz, principal product development engineer at Amcor, said: “This highly innovative solution is the result of a long-standing partnership between Amcor and Tyson Foods to redesign Tyson’s packaging portfolio and help reach their sustainability goals”. Cruz added: “The packaging is designed to be recycled through in-store drop off or curbside where available. With AmPrima, the package’s sustainability is improved through the manufacturing and recycling process, which also increases the availability of post-consumer recycled content and strengthens the circular economy for plastic.” Amcor’s AmPrima recycle ready forming/non-forming film delivers a 30% reduction in non-renewable primary energy demands and 42% reduction in water consumption, among other benefits. When the package is recycled through in-store drop off or curbside, it delivers 80% reduction in non-renewable primary energy demands, 70% reduction in carbon footprint and 68% reduction in water consumption. Jeff Czarny, senior director, research and development, at Tyson Foods, said: “At Tyson Foods, we’re constantly looking for innovative solutions that enable us to be a more sustainable food company, and packaging is a great example of that. We’re proud to partner with an industry leader like Amcor on sustainable packaging solutions as we work to build a more sustainable food system, together.”

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has identified dietary exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) as a health concern for consumers across all ages. EFSA’s scientific experts have concluded – in a re-evaluation of the scientific evidence and input from a public consultation – that BPA poses potential harmful health effects on the immune system. The Authority has set a new tolerable daily intake (TDI) of BPA that is 20,000 times lower. BPA is used in combination with other chemicals to manufacture plastics and resins such as water dispensers, food storage containers and reusable beverage bottles. The chemical substance is also used to produce epoxy resins found in protective coatings and linings for food and beverage cans and containers. Chemicals like BPA can migrate in very small amounts into the food and drinks they contain. As a result, EFSA’s scientists regularly review their safety and consider new data. Claude Lambré, chair of EFSA’s panel on food contact materials, enzymes and processing aids, said: “Our scientists have examined the safety of BPA in great detail over the years since our first full risk assessment of the substance in 2006. For this re-evaluation, we scrutinised a vast quantity of scientific publications, including over 800 new studies published since January 2013. This has allowed us to address important uncertainties about BPA’s toxicity.” He added that the studies showed an increase in the percentage of a type of white blood cell – ‘T helper’ – in the spleen. He explained: “They play a key role in our cellular immune mechanisms and an increase of this kind could lead to the development of allergic lung inflammation and autoimmune disorders”. Also taken into account by the panel were other potentially harmful health effects on the reproductive, developmental and metabolic systems identified in the risk assessment. Since September 2018, the use of BPA has been banned in plastic bottles and packaging containing food for babies and children under three years in the EU. The US Food and Drug Administration banned the use of BPA in baby bottles and children’s cups in 2012, followed by a further ban on its use in infant formula packaging materials in 2013. Henk Van Loveren, chair of EFSA’s working group for the re-evaluation of BPA, said: “To assess the large number of studies published since 2013 - the cut-off point for our previous assessment in 2015 - we applied a systematic and transparent approach. We developed upfront a protocol for selecting and appraising all the evidence with the input of stakeholders and Member State competent authorities." He added: “Our findings are the result of an intense evaluation process that has lasted several years and which we finalised using the input we gathered from a two-month public consultation launched in December 2021”. In 2015, the panel experts set a TDI for BPA due to uncertainties found in the evidence at the time, which meant additional data was required on the toxicological effects of BPA. The recent re-evaluation addressed most of these gaps and remaining uncertainties were taken into account when setting the new, lower TDI of 0.2 nanograms per kg of body weight compared with the previous level of 4 micrograms per kg of body weight. This leaves the new TDI around 20,000 times lower. Comparing the new TDI with the estimated dietary exposure to BPA, the experts came to the conclusion that consumers with average and high exposure to BPA exceeded the new TDI, raising health concerns. EFSA’s scientific advice on BPA will now inform discussions among EU lawmakers on the appropriate regulatory measures to take to protect consumers. The European Commission and national authorities will discuss appropriate regulatory measures to follow up on EFSA’s advice.

Angry Orchard, a US-based cider maker, has launched a new Blueberry Rosé Hard Cider. Expanding on its Hard Cider range, Blueberry Rosé combines the crisp, juicy flavours of Rosé with real blueberries to deliver a fruity twist on the classic. Blueberry Rosé features a blend of 10 traditional bittersweet and culinary apples that are balanced with blueberry juice to create an apple cider with subtle blueberry notes and a ruby red hue. At 6% ABV, this delicious divergence from the expected cider profile will have drinkers reaching for more Blueberry Rosé all summer long. Joe Gaynor, Cider Maker for Angry Orchard, said: "As our trees start to bloom and the colours of Blueberry Rosé naturally begin to pop throughout the Orchard, reaching for something refreshing and fruit-forward just feels right". He added: "An evolution of our Rosé that we first tested at the Orchard before taking it nationally years ago, Blueberry Rosé is another great example of a cider that started as a small innovation here at the Cider House then grew into something all Angry Orchard fans can pick up this summer." Angry Orchard Blueberry Rosé is available now in selected US stores in the new Sunny Sessions variety pack.