Are you an innovator looking to make a splash in the beverage industry? Don’t miss out on entering the World Beverage Innovation Awards 2023. Hosted in association with Braubeviale, these awards celebrate excellence and innovation across every category of the global beverage industry. FoodBev’s annual award scheme is now in its 21st edition. For the past two decades, the awards have brought together the most creative minds from the beverage technology and product development sectors. This year's competition introduces five new categories, including ‘Best Bio-based Packaging’ and ‘Best Sports/Energy Beverage’. For Bio-Based Packaging, entrants must present an alternative beverage package that strives to reduce the beverage industry’s carbon footprint and meets growing consumer demand for sustainability, convenience and health. End-of-life performance, recyclability and reusability, and resource efficiency will be core focal points here. Meanwhile, the Sports/Energy Beverage category pays homage to the innovative formulations designed to help athletes and other active consumers enhance their performance. The award judges will be looking out for products with interesting ingredient and flavour combinations, added functionality and health benefits, and a stand-out design. The new categories will be presented during a special live ceremony at this year’s BrauBeviale, which will be held in Nuremberg, Germany from 28-30 November. This award show will undoubtedly celebrate the exciting and creative minds behind some of the industry’s most recent innovations – so why not join us? Enter your beverage innovation and explore the full list of categories on our website. About FoodBev Media Established in 2000, FoodBev Media is the food and beverage industry’s leading media and communication business. With a portfolio of international magazines, the website foodbev.com and the industry’s largest social media network, FoodBev Media ensures you are continuously kept up to date with the latest trends and innovations. Since 2003, FoodBev Media has gained a reputation for organising successful international awards schemes in the food, beverage and dairy industries. For more information about our selection of awards programmes, please visit foodbevawards.com or email awards@foodbev.com.

Diageo has announced that it is permanently closing its manufacturing facility in Relay, Maryland, following a review of its supply footprint. The facility is slated to close by June, a move that is anticipated to impact around 97 roles out of 108 employees listed on a Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification posted on Friday. In a statement, Diageo told FoodBev: “We do not take these decisions lightly and recognise the impact on our employees”. The drinks giant continued: “For those affected, we are providing support in the form of severance packages, outplacement assistance and employee assistance resources, as well as information on open roles across our organisation”. The closure will not impact the company's hospitality operations at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, which is adjacent to the facility in Relay. Diageo added that it will continue to brew experimental beers to serve the Maryland taproom in the ten-barrel innovation brewery on the ground floor of the visitor centre.

This week, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with WHO, published its first global report on the food safety aspects of cell-based products. The report aims to provide a solid scientific basis to begin establishing regulatory frameworks and effective systems to ensure the safety of alternative proteins. Corinna Hawkes, director of the FAO's food systems and food safety division, said: “FAO, together with WHO, supports its members by providing scientific advice that can be useful for food safety competent authorities to use as a basis to manage various food safety issues”. In a statement, the FAO said: “Cell-based foods are not futuristic foods. More than 100 companies/start-ups are already developing cell-based food products that are ready for commercialisation and awaiting approval.” The report states that these spurring food system innovations are in response to “tremendous food challenges” relating to the world population reaching 9.8 billion in 2050. As some cell-based food products are already under various stages of development, the report says that it is “critical to objectively assess the benefits they might bring, as well as any risks associated with them – including food safety and quality concerns”. The report, titled Food Safety Aspects of Cell-Based Food, includes a literature synthesis of relevant terminology issues, principles of cell-based food production processes, the global landscape of regulatory frameworks, and case studies from Israel, Qatar and Singapore "to highlight different scopes, structures and contexts surrounding their regulatory frameworks for cell-based food". The publication includes the results of an FAO-led expert consultation that was held in Singapore in November last year, where a comprehensive food safety hazard identification was conducted – hazard identification being the first step of the formal risk assessment process. The hazard identification covered four stages of the cell-based food production process: cell sourcing, cell growth and production, cell harvesting, and food processing. Experts agreed that while many hazards are already well known and exist equally in conventionally produced food, the focus may need to be put on the specific materials, inputs, ingredients – including potential allergens – and equipment that are more unique to cell-based food production. Although FAO refers to “cell-based foods,” the report acknowledges that ‘cultivated’ and ‘cultured’ are also terms commonly used within the industry. FAO urges national regulatory bodies to establish clear and consistent language to mitigate miscommunication, which is crucial for labelling. The report suggests that a case-by-case approach to food safety assessments of cell-based food products is suitable as, although generalisations can be made about the production process, each product could employ different cell sources, scaffolds or microcarriers, culture media compositions, cultivation conditions and reactor designs. It also states that in most countries, cell-based foods can be assessed within existing novel food frameworks, citing Singapore’s amendments to its novel food regulations to include cell-based foods and the US’s formal agreement on labelling and safety requirements for food made from cultured cells of livestock and poultry, as examples. It adds that the USDA has stated its intent to draw up regulations on the labelling of meat and poultry products derived from animal cells. According to FAO, “there is currently a limited amount of information and data on the food safety aspects of cell-based foods to support regulators in making informed decisions”. The report notes that more data generation and sharing at the global level are essential to creating an atmosphere of openness and trust, to enable the positive engagement of all stakeholders. It also says that international collaborative efforts would benefit various food safety competent authorities, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries, to employ an evidence-based approach to prepare any necessary regulatory actions. It finishes by stating that besides food safety, other subject areas such as terminology, regulatory frameworks, nutrition aspects, consumer perception and acceptance (including taste and affordability) are just as important, and possibly even more important in terms of introducing this technology into the marketplace. For the expert consultation held in Singapore from 1 to 4 November last year, FAO issued an open global call for experts from 1 April to 15 June 2022, in order to form a group of experts with multidisciplinary fields of expertise and experience. A total of 138 experts applied and an independent selection panel reviewed and ranked the applications based on pre-set criteria – 33 applicants were shortlisted. Among them, 26 completed and signed a 'Confidentiality Undertaking and Declaration of Interest' form, and after the evaluation of all disclosed interests, candidates with no perceived conflict of interest were listed as experts, while candidates with a relevant background on the matter and that could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest were listed as resource people. The technical panel experts are: Anil Kumar Anal, professor, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand William Chen, endowed professor and director of food science and technology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (vice chair) Deepak Choudhury, senior scientist of biomanufacturing technology, Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore Sghaier Chriki, associate professor, Institut Supérieur de l'Agriculture Rhône-Alpes, researcher, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, France (working group vice chair) Marie-Pierre Ellies-Oury, assistant professor, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique et de L’Environnement and Bordeaux Sciences Agro, France Jeremiah Fasano, senior policy advisor, United States Food and Drug Administration, US (chair) Mukunda Goswami, principal scientist, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India William Hallman, professor and chair, Rutgers University, US Geoffrey Muriira Karau, director quality assurance and inspection, Bureau of Standards, Kenya Martín Alfredo Lema, biotechnologist, National University of Quilmes, Argentina (vice chair) Reza Ovissipour, assistant professor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, US Christopher Simuntala, senior biosafety officer, National Biosafety Authority, Zambia Yongning Wu, chief scientist, National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, China You may also like to read: Italian government moves to ban cell-based food in bid to protect culture Good Meat receives FDA clearance for cell-based meat Upside Foods gets FDA approval for cultivated meat

Bacardi-owned vodka brand, Grey Goose, has announced the launch of its newest innovation, the ready-to-serve Grey Goose Classic Martini Cocktail. The new ‘expertly mixed’ offering is crafted with three premium ingredients – Grey Goose vodka, dry French vermouth and a dash of orange bitters. Each 750ml bottle contains 8-10 servings, is ready after shaking or stirring over ice, and can be garnished with an olive or lemon twist. According to Grey Goose, this new beverage is “the only bottled martini cocktail of its kind on the market from a major vodka brand”. Grey Goose’s VP of marketing, Aleco Azqueta, said: "There is a strong demand to enjoy martini cocktails at home, but because of its cultural iconography, many drinkers find the cocktail too mysterious or difficult to "perfect" themselves. Similarly, we know home entertainers are often looking to serve martinis at their gatherings but find the batching process too fussy. This insight presented an exciting opportunity for Grey Goose to fill this desire.” He continued: "We knew we had to bottle the perfect Grey Goose martini cocktail that guaranteed a smooth, well-balanced pour every time. Furthermore, because the cocktail is notoriously personal, we wanted to ensure that drinkers could choose to shake or stir to their desired liking, and we encourage them to add the garnish of their choice." Grey Goose Classic Martini Cocktail is available at retailers across the US for an RRP of $29.99 per 750ml bottle.

Steakholder Foods – a deep-tech company that develops complex cultured meat using advanced 3D printing technologies – has announced its participation in a strategic investment round in Wilk Technologies. The financing round is led by Danone and includes participation from Central Bottling Company, also known as Coca-Cola Israel. According to The Times Israel, Danone Manifesto Ventures, the corporate venture arm of the French food giant, has funded $2 million out of the $3.5 million investment. A Danone spokesperson told FoodBev: “As the global leader in our categories, we are always exploring new and emerging science-led technologies. Wilk’s expertise is relevant to our dairy, plant-based and specialised nutrition offerings, and while it is early days, we believe their work in this area can contribute to our research, innovation and product development.” Founded in 2020, Wilk holds a number of patent applications on laboratory production processes that replicate the milk-producing cells of humans and other mammals in order to create 100% real milk and milk components in a laboratory environment. Steakholder Foods will purchase ordinary shares of Wilk for $450,000 at a 15% discount below their 45-day average closing price, resulting in a 2.5% ownership stake in Wilk. Additionally, Steakholder Foods said it aims to identify business opportunities with Wilk, including strategic cooperation on its proprietary biology and printing technologies. Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods, commented: "We're extremely excited to announce our strategic collaboration with Wilk. As part of our commitment to sustainable foods solutions, we see this collaboration as another step in expanding Steakholder Foods' growing contribution to the food-tech ecosystem and a strategic step in the optimisation of our investment and holding structure."

Vanmark has released new in-plant Vine Remover to remove vines from potato production flow. The Vine Remover separates dirt and vines from potatoes as they are fed into it before they move down the line, removing more than 80% of the vines Integrated with Vanmark’s Hydrolift Destoner vertical augers, Flume Systems, the Vine Remover aims to get the most debris-free product possible and continuous processing without stoppages. Jason Davis, general manager, Vanmark, commented: “Vanmark’s new vine remover machine is the first of its kind for us. Eliminating plugs and downtime caused by vines caught in the machinery should be a game changer for potato processors. For example, French fry processors process up to 175,000 pounds of potatoes per hour and need to do so as quickly and reliably as possible.” The machine is a useful tool for thoroughly prepping potatoes from crop to processing. It has single-machine flow rates of up to 130,000 pounds (65 tons) per hour and a flexible operation inline or offline, with tandem or multiple machines and at various pitches. The Vine Remover features a maintenance-friendly sanitary design with easy access panels, cover, and simple roll operation and changeouts. Additionally, it is custom urethane molded with hex tube and grit rolls.

Scotland-based premium spirits producer Edrington has announced that it has increased its shareholding in Wyoming Whiskey to 80%. The deal follows Edrington's acquisition of an initial 35% stake in 2018. The bourbon whiskey will continue to be produced in the town of Kirby, Wyoming, and Edrington will take on the company's 37 employees. Wyoming Whiskey founding shareholder, Brad Mead, said: "Our partnership with Edrington over the past five years has been extraordinarily productive. Edrington’s track record of creating iconic ultra-premium whiskeys and building authentic brands makes the company the perfect partner going forward. We’re excited about the future of Wyoming Whiskey and our continued association with Edrington.” Edrington is headquartered in Glasgow and employs around 3,000 people in its wholly owned companies and JV operations around the world, with brands including The Famous Grouse and Highland Park. Suzy Smith, MD of estate brands at Edrington, commented: “We are excited at the potential of Wyoming Whiskey and believe it will contribute to Edrington’s strategic vision and become a prestige American whiskey brand under our stewardship". The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Jo Roberts, director of content strategy at Circus Street, explores the must-have digital skills for senior leaders in the F&B industry, looking at where to invest time and resources to drive success. This coming year could be one that puts many food and beverage businesses under the microscope. The economic downturn means that budgets will be under pressure. At the same time, the commercial landscape continues to rapidly evolve as the digital bar keeps getting higher. The sheer speed, scope and impact of technological change are challenging businesses in fundamental ways, and companies that can’t keep up the pace risk falling by the wayside. Consumers and customers have higher than ever expectations of the digital capabilities of the businesses they use, and now expect a more personalised and instant service than ever. Businesses therefore need to look at how they can ensure they are positioned to take advantage of the technology available to them to best support their customers in 2023. Many F&B businesses typically lay the foundations of digital capabilities in technologies and third-party partners, but to truly scale this needs to be driven by leadership. While the industry is filled with talented specialists, it does not follow that they have the necessary digital skillset for this day and age. Employees need to be given the opportunity to gain the knowledge and tools to use advanced and ever-changing technologies to support them in the workplace. This can have an important knock-on effect on customers who quickly pick up on the competence of your people, and can make the difference between winning and losing a sale or contract. So, what are the critical digital skills F&B leaders should focus on in order to drive transformation, deliver success at scale in the business, and prepare for next-gen customer engagement? A data critic Data is vital for successful growth, and businesses desperately need the analytical skills required to effectively turn the information available to them into profit. At the root of this is the critical and rigorous evaluation of data. Success lies in considering the tasks that you want to perform, the data that you will need, how you will safeguard information, and how you will leverage it to build business cases and inform decisions. The more data expertise you can require the more future-proof and attractive your skill set becomes. At the very least, the leadership team need to have a basic understanding of statistics to apply data insights to their daily work thoughtfully. Getting to grips with AI We are living in a new age of AI and automation. The use of it will become increasingly common and ever more sophisticated, starting to really transform the way we do business. Businesses are increasingly adopting these technologies to aid and scale deep thinking and analysis. With this comes a requirement for businesses that want to be at the forefront of innovation to furnish their leadership team with a proper understanding of AI and new techniques such as machine learning, and the way it can support and empower a modern team. Colleagues need to be made aware of the possibilities that AI offers and its evolving changes, in order to understand potential AI applications in F&B. The power of social media More and more users are becoming aware of products, making purchasing decisions, and consuming brand media via social media. At the same time, the space is constantly evolving in terms of the relative popularity of platforms and how they are being used. These channels can not be fully understood simply by reading research or blogs - they need to be experienced. This means becoming an active user. Newer platforms, such as TikTok, Reddit and Instagram are drawing in a younger crowd, and whilst some marketers may be familiar, there will be another group of marketers who stick to old favourites like Twitter and Facebook. However, being a well-rounded digital expert means understanding every available social channel - even if you are not the target demographic. A digital leader To be an effective team leader it’s necessary to be able to adjust to the new digital environment that we work in, and the changing expectations of employees. Remote and flexible working is here to stay and this has brought about fundamental changes to the management experience. Understanding how to best use technology to manage tasks, monitor productivity and engage team members is critical. As is determining the best way to structure workflows, assess results and enable the equal development of remote and in-office workers. In short, to be a modern manager you need to be able to lead both in the office and digitally. An environmental advocate With the sheer volume of monumental news over the past few years, it can be easy to forget that we’re also in a major climate emergency. Environmental concerns are not going to go away and will continue to rise up the corporate agenda. In all likelihood, a combination of social and legislative pressure will eventually compel all businesses to act more sustainably. As a result, understanding factors such as sustainable sourcing, ethical supply chains, and carbon neutrality will be important for every marketer if they want to effectively protect their brand’s reputation. The more knowledge and practical experience you have in running green-focused marketing campaigns the better.

Jack Link's has teamed up with Frito-Lay to combine its meat snacks products with Frito-Lay's "fan-favourite" flavours. The partnership offers snackers the new Jack Link's Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili-flavoured and Flamin' Hot-flavoured Original beef jerky and meat sticks. Leslie Vesper, vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay, said: "We know our snack fans are loyal to the iconic flavours we've created across our Frito-Lay brands, so this is the perfect opportunity to bring bold flavours in a new form". Stephanie Leibke, vice president of marketing for the Jack Link's brand, added: "Jack Link's has always been about pushing boundaries and bringing bold experiences to our fans through our high-quality meat snacks. Through this legendary collaboration with Frito-Lay, we can take consumers on the next epic snacking adventure we know they are hungry for." The beef jerky and meat sticks are available online and at retailers nationwide.

‘India’s first’ animal-free precision fermentation start-up, Zero Cow Factory, has announced that it has raised $4 million in a seed round. The round was co-led by Green Frontier Capital, GVFL and pi Ventures, with participation from the investment arm of Spanish dairy group Calidad Pascual, Pascual Innoventures. Founded in 2021, the biotech company uses bioengineering microbes and precision fermentation to produce sustainable animal-free milk proteins and dairy products. Zero Cow Factory says the funding will enable the company to accelerate its R&D efforts, scale-up production capacity and obtain regulatory approvals in order to enter the market. It will also be used to accelerate work on building the company’s pilot facility in Gujarat to be ready for commercial production. Parini Kapadia, co-founder and CSO of Zero Cow Factory, said: "We are developing a technology to reproduce milk proteins to craft real dairy products that are ethical, safe, delicious, and identical to cow milk but without any animal involved”. The company has developed a patented technology to produce dairy proteins, such as whey and casein, and states that “it is highly focused on animal-free casein production which is the most complex protein and hasn't been commercialised by any company globally”. Shubham Sandeep, MD at pi Ventures, commented: "Zero Cow Factory's use of cutting-edge bioengineering and life science-based technologies to change the future of food production aligns well with our investment thesis of backing disruptive tech ventures". Zero Cow Factory’s aim is to be the first company to get global regulatory approval for its A2 beta-casein product, which can be used to formulate various foods such as cheese, yogurt and supplement powder. Sandiip Bhammer, co-managing partner and founder at Green Frontier Capital, said: "With cattle being the number one agricultural source of greenhouse gases, precision fermentation start-ups have the potential to disrupt the dairy industry globally…Zero Cow Factory, is working assiduously on developing its own proprietary A2 casein-based solution, a weakness which plant-based ingredients have not yet been able to address successfully." The company considers its animal-free 'Smart Protein' as a healthy alternative to cow's milk protein as it is free of lactose, antibiotics, growth hormones, cholesterol and saturated fat. It says that compared to conventional dairy farming, the technology requires 99% less land and 98% less water, reduces CO2 emissions by 84% and consumes 65% less energy.

What can we expect from this year's event? The WQA Convention & Exposition is the most comprehensive annual gathering of water treatment professionals in North America. More than 2,500 participants are expected to join us for the event, with nearly 200 exhibitors (one-third of which are international) showcasing the latest products and technology, as well as four days of stellar industry education and networking. Our keynote session will be a dynamic event with live entertainment, leadership awards, an industry update from our president and executive director and our keynote speaker, Mae Stevens, an environmental and water infrastructure policy expert who advocates for point-of-use and point-of-entry applications and will deliver a 'state of the industry' message. You can also anticipate some elements of surprise and delight. Every year, the WQA Convention & Exposition has a keyword – this year's being 'Momentum'. Could you tell us more about that and what 'Momentum' entails? The need for quality water is everywhere and becoming increasingly recognised, so the momentum in our industry is rapidly building. Our annual flagship event must match that momentum. Our members depend on our convention to stay up to date on the latest trends, water science, business best practices and legislative and regulatory affairs. So, the convention, with the pandemic in our rearview mirror, is also building momentum in the experience we deliver as we’re seeing growth in membership, exhibitors, international attendees and first-time attendees. Have there been any changes or updates to the event since the last annual convention and exposition? As the industry continues to build momentum, so does WQA. We just saw the EPA announce its new regulatory goals for PFAS, one of the emerging contaminants that’s getting so much attention. And PFAS will be front and centre at this convention. We’ll have a one-day PFAS symposium along with education sessions and discussions in our Dealers and Manufacturers Sections Meetings. In addition, we’ll discuss our 2023 Consumer Opinion Study, a survey of consumers’ awareness and understanding of water quality issues and treatment options. That survey is done every two years, so this will be very important as we put the pandemic behind us and see what consumers are thinking and saying about water. With less than a month to go, this must be a very busy time for the events team. What does it look like behind the scenes as you prepare for this year's event? With a new and expanded WQA events team representing three generations, we’re looking at all aspects of the 2023 convention and beyond with fresh perspectives. We’re excited to be keeping and improving upon tried-and-true elements while also infusing fresh ideas. We’re in the final push ahead of the event, putting in long hours dotting the I’s, crossing the T’s and packing the boxes. The teamwork is outstanding, and we’re excited to deliver an incomparable experience. Is there anything else about WQA Convention & Exposition 2023 you would like to share? Each year’s convention has its own unique vibe, and this year surely will as well. We know new relationships will develop, longtime friendships will be rekindled, new business opportunities will emerge, and we’ll move the industry forward. Avoid FOMO, join us!

Heinz has added four fiery additions to its portfolio with the launch of Heinz Hot varieties which include a new line-up of three Spicy Ketchup flavours and the first-ever Heinz Hot 57 Sauce. Heinz Spicy Ketchup offerings are available in three different, thick and rich varieties – Chipotle (medium), Jalapeño (hot), and Habanero (hotter). Heinz Hot 57 Sauce features a red jalapeño twist on the brand’s 57 sauce and marks the first product in the range in over 10 years. Lindsay Davis, brand manager, Heinz Innovation at the Kraft Heinz Company. “We know consumers are hungry for a wider variety of spicy sauces and flavors, and as a consumer-obsessed brand at the forefront of food culture, we saw an exciting opportunity to innovate around our fans’ evolving preferences”. She added: “Listening to insights gleaned from our audience showed us that a sauce’s heat source really matters to them,2 which served as a north star in creating new products with curated and flavourful, pepper-specific bases.” The new Heinz Hot varieties will roll out into major US retailers.