Caravan Coffee Roasters has partnered with Momo, a certified organic kombucha brewer, to develop the Gesha Coffee Kombucha. The fermentation involved in coffee processing and brewing kombucha creates a natural synergy between the two. Gesha Coffee Kombucha brings together Momo’s unfiltered organic kombucha made from light green sencha tea with Caravan’s cold brew Gesha coffee, with juicy pink fruit notes. The beverage features rich caramel, ripe strawberry and red apple notes, completed with a tart kombucha hit. Momo x Caravan Gesha Coffee Kombucha is best served chilled and can be drunk as a pick-me-up to beat the afternoon slump thanks to the uplifting benefits of Caravan’s single-origin craft coffee and gut-healthy probiotics from Momo’s naturally brewed kombucha. To preserve the delicate flavours and juicy acidity of the Gesha coffee, a specially developed “hot-bloom” cold brew method was used. The result is a bright and fruity coffee with floral notes that combines with the tart kombucha. Josh Puddle, Momo co-founder, said: “We are so grateful to have partnered with Caravan and to have been able to combine their expertly roasted Colombian Gesha with our kombucha. The result has really surpassed our expectations, with the kombucha amplifying the fruity notes of the Gesha.” Momo x Caravan Gesha Coffee Kombucha is available in a 330ml bottle, priced from £4.50. From 24th April, the product will be available to purchase from Selfridges, Planet Organic, select independent retailers in the UK and Caravan restaurants and brew bars.

Carabao energy drink has expanded its offering with new Carabao Sport drink, available in two fruity flavours: Orange and Mixed Berry. Designed to aid hydration, the carbohydrate-electrolyte drink with added B vitamins launches this spring in a 500ml bottle. Carabao Sport is a flavoured still isotonic sports drink with sugars and sweeteners – Sucralose and Acesulfame K. The new fruit-flavoured formulas contain 4.4g of sugar per 100ml and 113 calories per bottle and are free of aspartame. John Luck, chief marketing officer at Carabao, said: “We’re delighted to expand our offering of great tasting fruit-flavoured drinks with the launch of Carabao Sport – a new isotonic sport drink, designed to aid hydration.” He added: “Carabao Sport includes the carbohydrates and electrolytes required to support prolonged exercise that you would expect to find in a sports drink, but it is our unique combination of aspartame free, added B vitamins, 100% natural colours and flavours and fantastic flavour that makes our drink special.” Consumers can find the new Carabao Sport drinks at UK retailers and petrol stations.

Japanese food company Nissin Foods has unveiled its latest innovation under its Cup Noodles brand, the limited-edition Cup Noodles Breakfast. Designed to “stir up morning appetites”, the new product blends ramen with common breakfast flavours including sausage, eggs, pancakes and maple syrup. Nissin Foods refers to the new product as “the first ramen product for the most important meal of the day”. Cup Noodles Breakfast is ready to eat in four minutes and comes in the brand’s classic convenient cup packaging. Priscila Stanton, SVP of marketing at Nissin Foods USA, said: "We know our products are a go-to meal any time of the day. Saucy, soup-based, spicy, sweet or savoury, we even added rice to some, so by adding Cup Noodles Breakfast to our line-up we are truly feeding cravings around the clock - morning, noon, night or late night." This latest innovation marks the brand’s second limited-edition flavour, following the launch of Cup Noodles Pumpkin Spice in 2021. Cup Noodles Breakfast is available for an RRP of $1.18 at Walmart stores across the US.

International Delight has released a cinnamon churro-flavoured coffee creamer, as the company taps into emerging food trends of international and dessert-inspired products. Kallie Goodwin, VP of marketing for International Delight, said: “The team at International Delight is deeply connected to food and beverage trends, in search of what internationally inspired flavour our core consumer will be most excited to try next". She continued: "From Churrerias popping up across the US to recipes trending on TikTok, it was clear churro is a trending flavour, and we are proud to be the first creamer brand to bring it to life, adding more joy to coffee cups across the country”. International Delight Cinnamon Churro creamer is currently available at retailers nationwide for a limited time only. Last year, the company launched a cinnamon churro-flavoured iced coffee, available in 64oz cartons.

SIG has announced the opening of its second bag-in-box and spouted pouch manufacturing plant in Palghar, India. The new plant is “a short drive” from the company’s first plant in Palghar and houses production assets used to manufacture components and finished packaging. These include blown film extruders, injection molding cells, bag-in-box manufacturing machines and a mold-making facility for packaging fitments and closures. Samuel Sigrist, CEO of SIG, said: “The Indian market is a key growth market for SIG. Our expertise in aseptic packaging and our ability to provide sustainable solutions that benefit customers, consumers and the environment are making a difference and increasingly becoming the focus of food and beverage manufacturers in India”. According to Ross Bushnell, president of SIG’s bag-in-box and spouted pouch business, the new facility will feature 15,000 square metres of vertically integrated production capacity for use within aseptic processed fruits, beverage concentrates and fruit puree markets, as well as aseptic dairy for foodservice channels. Dhandutt Shah, managing director, India, for SIG’s bag-in-box and spouted pouch business, commented: “The second production plant in Palghar is an important addition to our manufacturing footprint in India. Combined with our existing plants in Palghar…and Pune, where horizontal form-fill-seal machine equipment is built, we will offer “Total Packaging Solutions” ensuring SIG provides the market with a significant differentiator by offering finished packaging in-country.” He explained that when complete, the facility will open up 150 new jobs for production and engineering professionals. SIG expects the new plant in Palghar to be fully commissioned by the end of this month. You may also like to read: SIG to construct aseptic carton plant in India SIG invests in PPAs to power its carton packaging production SIG signs five-year partnership with WWF Switzerland

Swiss dairy manufacturer Emmi has opened a new spray-drying facility for the production of goat's milk powder in Etten-Leur, the Netherlands. The company has also announced it is bundling its goat’s milk powder activities under the umbrella of the newly established Emmi Nutritional Solutions (ENS). According to Emmi, around 30 new jobs will be created at ENS, in line with the company’s long-term growth plans. Emmi commissioned a new energy-efficient spraying tower for the production of goat’s milk powder at the site of its two subsidiaries, Goat Milk Powder and Bettinehoeve, as it invests CHF 40 million (approx. $43.57 million) into the market. The facility relies on an electric heat pump – instead of a gas-powered steam system – which Emmi says reduces annual CO2 emissions by more than 6,000 tonnes. Additionally, it uses residual heat from Bettinehoeve’s nearby speciality cheese production facility and has air compressors to recover the energy used for cooling. The new facility reduces water consumption by 20% due to a system that recirculates the condensate from the steamed milk back into the water cycle. ENS brings together all procurement, production and sales activities and is a consolidation of AVH dairy trade, a goat and sheep’s milk powder trader that has been part of the Emmi Group since 2013, and Goat Milk Powder, a goat milk’s powder producer in which Emmi has held a stake since 2016. According to the company, the consolidation will mean that “synergies can be leveraged more effectively and growth initiatives can be driven forward with focus in a dynamic market environment”. Ricarda Demarmels, CEO of the Emmi Group, said: “Thanks to the great commitment of the teams, we can commission our new, resource-efficient facility for goat’s milk powder as planned. The increased production capacity and the facility’s technological design enable us to further strengthen our position in this attractive niche with the newly established Emmi Nutritional Solutions and to tap into new markets and segments.” Emmi states that pure goat’s milk powder can improve or prolong people’s quality of life, from infancy and childhood to the elderly, due to its high tolerance and nutritional quality. It is a source of protein, minerals, vitamins and trace elements and has a nutritional value comparable to human breast milk. This has led to a steady increase in global demand for high-quality pure goat’s milk powder, especially in the form of baby formula.

Promoted: KHS has brought low-feed palletisers up to speed – whether they process cans, PET or glass. For fillers, this means easier operation & efficiency.

Sensient Savory Flavors France, a division of Sensient Technologies Corporation, has launched a new Nacre umami booster extract portfolio, offering multiple benefits to food manufacturers. According to Sensient, Nacre, which is extracted from plant protein, "qualifies for clean, vegan labelling as a more transparently sourced vegetable umami flavour solution". The ingredient is a sustainable extract, which is naturally produced with an upcycled raw ingredient, minimal processing and low carbon impact. Nacre can reduce salt use in meats, snacks and bread products, eliminates undesired tastes in meat-alternative offerings and improve base taste stability and notes in sauces, stocks and bouillons. “At Sensient, we pride ourselves on delivering natural ingredients to provide deliciousness in any food application,” said Michel Salles, general manager of Sensient Savory Flavors France. “Nacre’s neutrality means that it enhances product taste rather than altering it, keeping product flavours clean and simple, with a pleasant, juicy mouthfeel.” Salles explains that Nacre is also neutral in taste compared with other ingredients used for umami and savoury flavourings, which he says is a "major benefit for multiple reasons". Sensient states that Nacre is currently available in Europe and can be used in other countries by adapting labelling to local regulatory requirements.

Dairy cooperative Hochwald is set to buy the Tuffi brand from Müller after securing the approval of Germany's competition authority. Müller committed to divesting Tuffi, which was included in its acquisition of part of FrieslandCampina's German consumer business, in order to get the green light for that deal from the Federal Cartel Office. The brand makes products including milk, milk-based drinks, kefir, buttermilk, curd and cream. Tuffi has a long history in North Rhine-Westphalia, where it was created to market the products of the Milchwerke Köln-Wuppertal dairy enterprise. Detlef Latka, CEO of Hochwald, said: “For us, as a company structured as a cooperative, the acquisition of the regional brand Tuffi is a good opportunity to optimise our sales concept”. He continued: “With our milk catchment area, we cover the states of Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, with our regional brands now the same area except for Hesse. This is how we ensure short distances from the milk supplier to the consumer.” Müller is also granting Hochwald the licence to produce and sell rice pudding under the Landliebe brand – another prerequisite of competition authority approval for the deal with FrieslandCampina.

The UK has struck a deal to join an 11-country trans-Pacific trade bloc, as it looks to deepen ties in the region and boost its economy. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) includes Japan, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The deal to join, which the UK government says is its biggest trade agreement since Brexit, follows two years of negotiations by the Department for Business and Trade. The UK – which will be the first new member since CPTPP was created and the first European member – will bring the combined GDP of the trade bloc to £11 trillion (about 15% of the global total). According to the UK government, the bloc – home to more than 500 million people – could boost the UK economy by £1.8 billion a year in the long run. More than 99% of UK goods exports to CPTPP countries will now be eligible for zero tariffs, including products such as cheese, chocolate, machinery, gin and whisky. However, the economic gains of joining the bloc are generally assessed to be modest. The country already has free-trade deals with nine of CPTPP's 11 members, and the government itself estimated that the deal would add just 0.08% to GDP in the long term. In this context, strategic and diplomatic motivations are of considerable importance. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak previously said that China poses an "epoch-defining challenge" to the world order, and the deal is also about increasing the UK's influence in a region increasingly dominated by the East Asian economic powerhouse. Nonetheless, the government emphasised the benefits for trade. Sunak said: “We are at our heart an open and free-trading nation, and this deal demonstrates the real economic benefits of our post-Brexit freedoms. As part of CPTPP, the UK is now in a prime position in the global economy to seize opportunities for new jobs, growth and innovation.” He added: “Joining the CPTPP trade bloc puts the UK at the centre of a dynamic and growing group of Pacific economies, as the first new nation and first European country to join. British businesses will now enjoy unparalleled access to markets from Europe to the south Pacific.” Sunak said that the agreement will protect the UK’s vital industries and entities, including agriculture and the NHS (National Health Service). Dairy farmers can expect to benefit from lower tariffs on exports of products like cheese and butter to Canada, Chile, Japan and Mexico. Business and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, said: “This is an important moment for the UK. Our accession to CPTPP sends a powerful signal that the UK is open for business and using our post-Brexit freedoms to reach out to new markets around the world and grow our economy.” Badenoch continued: “Joining CPTPP will support jobs and create opportunities for companies of all sizes and in all parts of the UK. It is about giving British businesses improved access to the countries that will be a gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific region, which is projected to make up the majority of global growth in the future.”

SVG Ventures has partnered with Tel Aviv-based nonprofit, Start-Up Nation Central, to create an Israel – North America bridge to support both countries' agrifood tech ecosystems. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding which will see long-term programmes implemented in Israel and the USA, pursuing opportunities to build closer links between the two agrifood innovation ecosystems – through events, co-marketing initiatives, ecosystem access and business opportunities. The collaboration with SVG will enable Start-Up Nation Central to solidify relationships with the global agrifood tech community, particularly in North America, to help Israeli start-ups scale faster in international markets and increase access to Israeli innovation technology. Emma Vardimon, director of global partnerships at Start-Up Nation Central, said: "We are happy to team up with SVG, a leading partner in the AgriFood tech innovation ecosystem, to promote joint initiatives for this sector. This partnership will allow us to expand our global connections for the benefit of Israeli tech and propel deal flow opportunities to the SVG innovation platform." She continued: “The mutual commitment to promoting the agrifood ecosystem and finding opportunities will allow us to promote leading Israeli technological solutions to address a common global challenge". The collaboration will enable both companies to leverage their platforms to drive innovation and create access for entrepreneurs to scale globally – helping to solve challenges facing the food and agriculture industries.

Lactalis has expanded its Président brand in the UK & Ireland with the launch of Président Lighter Slightly Salted Spreadable Butter. The new product – which is the first NPD from Président in the UK since 2018 – contains 50% less fat than standard butter. The company says that it is the first lighter spreadable butter on the market with no added vegetable oils. Héloïse Le Norcy-Trott, group marketing director for Lactalis UK & Ireland, said: “Like all our NPD, this launch has been grounded in consumer insights. We know that shoppers are increasingly concerned about their health, with low-fat content ranking highly in consumer purchase decision-making. Despite health being a top priority for shoppers, they still want products to meet their taste and quality expectations, and we know that our new Président Lighter Spreadable is sure to delight”. Président’s Lighter Slightly Salted Spreadable Butter is produced in Brittany, France, with “the finest milk and cream…offering a rich, creamy and indulgent taste experience”. The new lighter spreadable butter is available now in Waitrose stores for an RRP of £2.90 per 250g pack. You may also like to read: Lactalis closes all operations in Argentina Fonterra and Nestlé to sell DPA to Lactalis for BRL 700m Lactalis Canada adds Khaas yogurt brand to portfolio