Ferrara Candy Company’s brand Brach’s has launched a new limited-edition flavour of its jelly beans, inspired by sweet treats from around the world. Brach’s new Desserts of the World Jelly Beans contain five different flavours: chocolate macaron, strawberry mochi, churro, apple pie and lemon sorbet. Lauren Holtz Pezza, director of Brach’s and seasonal marketing at Ferrara, said: “We're constantly reviewing emerging flavours and cultural trends. More than ever, consumers are focused on making memories together over adventurous flavours and experiences and we're excited for our new Desserts of the World Jelly Beans to help satisfy those international cravings in a stress-free way this season.” In 2017, Ferrero Group acquired Ferrera Candy Company and its portfolio of more than 25 brands, including Brach’s, Laffy Taffy and Nerds. Desserts of the World Jelly Beans are available at major US retailers for a limited time.

Performance nutrition brand Exalt has announced the debut of a range of 'raw and fresh' juice shots. Available in two flavours – Ginger Ninja and Tur-Mericle – the shots were created to improve performance and recovery by reducing inflammation. The Ginger Ninja shot contains 18g of organic ginger. According to Exalt, the anti-inflammatory compounds, called gingerols, found in the shot are said to have been shown to reduce the formation of free radicals. Meanwhile, Tur-Mericle provides 730mg of curcumin, which is said to reduce muscle damage by decreasing the chance of inflammation. The shot also contains black pepper and flaxseed to improve absorption. Exalt co-founder, Charlie Wilson-Vaughan, said: “We are immensely proud to have added the raw, fresh, juice performance shots to our expanding range. The concentration of active ingredients is much higher than in most of the current shots on the market. Everyone can enjoy the benefits of the range whether you're a professional or everyday athlete or, like many of us, a time-poor super mum or dad – it’s the ultimate health kick.” The juice shots were created in collaboration with Emma Tester, who is the head of nutrition at London-based professional football club, Tottenham Hotspur.

PlantBaby is expanding its Kiki Milk portfolio with the addition of a macadamia nut variety. The organic, clean-label milk alternative is made using whole-food ingredients, including macadamia nuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, sprouted pumpkin seeds, oats, coconut sugar, coconuts and marine minerals. "Since launching Kiki Milk in December of 2021, we've seen a consistent rise in demand for products that are free of gums, inflammatory oils and fillers, while boasting whole-food and nutrient-rich ingredients," said Alex and Lauren Abelin, co-founders of PlantBaby. "We realised no true, all-organic and real-tasting mac nut milk has existed on the market so we wanted to change that and create a wildly delicious and nutritious product free of gums and fillers for everyone to enjoy." Mac Nut Kiki Milk does not contain seed oils, gums, refined sugars, or common allergens like soy and gluten, according to PlantBaby. It is also carbon neutral.

Condiment brand Hunter & Gather has launched a new sauce variant, made in the UK and with 100% natural ingredients, in line with the rest of its portfolio. The new Unsweetened Sriracha Hot Sauce is made from red pepper, apple cider vinegar, garlic, cayenne pepper, pink Himalayan salt and konjac root, with no added sugars or sweeteners. With this latest addition, the brand’s sauce range, which is 100% plant-based, has been re-packaged into fully recyclable squeezy bottles. Amy Moring, co-founder of Hunter & Gather, said: “With the increased consumer drive for health and value, we’ve worked hard to create a flavour-packed, great-tasting range of sauces with exemplary health credentials (100% natural ingredients, no added sugar or sweeteners, 72% less sugar than the leading brand) but in a 100% recyclable squeezy bottle that means less waste and more value for shoppers”. She continued: “As the first and only unsweetened sauce brand in the UK, our mission is to raise the bar for health across the category, as we move from challenger to mainstream. Whilst other brands might claim ‘no added sugar,’ the reality is that most contain added natural sugar in the form of fruit syrups or dates that coat the palate. “Our squeezy sauces really do stand up to scrutiny as they are handmade in the UK in small batches, using quality ingredients, absolutely no added sugar or sweeteners.”

SIG has announced plans to build its first aseptic carton plant in India. Located in Ahmedabad, the facility will supply the company's growing filler base, which now includes all leading dairy and non-carbonated soft drink manufacturers. With the investment, SIG is boosting capacity for the printing and finishing of aseptic carton packs. Approximately €60 million will be invested during the period 2023-2025, with the aim of reaching a production capacity of up to 4 billion packs per year. Additional investments could further increase capacity to up to 10 billion packs per annum. Angela Lu, president and general manager of Asia-Pacific South at SIG, said: “India is fast becoming the world’s most populous country and has a very low per capita consumption of entry-level packaged food and beverage goods. Since entering the market five years ago, we have grown exponentially. We are looking forward to further expanding our presence and driving our market share. An established local infrastructure will allow us to fast-track innovations and build strong and long-lasting partner­ships with our customers.” Vandana Tandan, head of markets for India and Bangladesh at SIG, added: “We are thrilled to announce that soon we will have locally produced 'made in India' aseptic carton packs. With this plant, we will be able to further develop the range of products available to Indian consumers. Our long shelf-life pack­aging increases access to vital nutrition and avoids food waste through an array of sizes to suit all consumption occasions at affordable price points.” Construction will commence in Q1 2023, with commercial production expected to start towards the end of 2024. SIG says that phase one of the build is expected to create around 300 jobs.

Alfa Laval has launched a new hygienic line of gasketed plate heat exchangers (GPHEs) to help food and beverage manufacturers maximise productivity and maintain high hygiene standards. Alfa Laval's new line is designed to maximise uptime for operators while meeting the industry's hygiene standards. The GPHE range is currently available in two sizes: H4 and the larger H8. It features an enhanced transfer area for more uniform heat distribution and efficiency, as well as a new cleaning-in-place (CIP) channel for improved cleanability. According to the company, these features together allow for longer operating times, "while the GPHE’s bespoke plate pattern ensures gentle treatment of delicate products". The unit is fully configurable, and it can be tailored to suit the specific needs of the operation without requiring the purchase of new exchangers. Colin Morgan, business unit manager for food heat transfer at Alfa Laval, said: “It goes without saying that hygiene has always been a top priority for food and beverage manufacturers, as cross-contamination between product batches has the potential to cause serious harm to end customers if left unchecked". He added: “The hygienic line has the potential to completely revolutionise the way manufacturers approach uptime. If we take cheese production as an example, operators might be looking at four hours of cleaning to every eight that the equipment is active in order to ensure there is no cross-contamination. With the hygienic line, this can be improved to just two hours cleaning for every 12 hours in operation, without compromising these standards. “The hygienic line is ready to deliver a step-change for food and beverage process lines. Together, improved efficiency, increased uptime and decreased chemical consumption mean that manufacturers can benefit from extremely short payback times – sometimes as low as a single week. Technology such as this will be key to harnessing productivity and ensuring that the wider UK manufacturing industry remains buoyant.”

Pembrokeshire Creamery (PCL) has acquired a development plot at Pembrokeshire Food Park as part of a £17 million investment set to create 80 jobs over the next three years. PCL is set to occupy 10.25 acres of the Food Park following its investment in the facility, which will source milk from local family farms and have an annual processing capacity of 70 million litres. The Food Park was established in 2021 after a multi-million-pound investment from the Welsh government and the European Regional Development Fund. Mark McQuade, managing director at Pembrokeshire Creamery, said: "Pembrokeshire Creamery Limited are grateful to the Welsh government for their support with this investment, which will deliver significant jobs and growth to the local economy. The new site will be the only BRC Certified facility to offer Welsh milk that is also bottled in Wales, and as such, the Creamery will shorten the supply chain in Wales.” Welsh government Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths, said: “We are committed to supporting Welsh farmers as well as our food and drink sector and the investment in Pembrokeshire Food Park is another great example of how we are doing this. Today’s news will see retailers supplied with milk from local farms, bottled in Withybush, creating a long-term and sustainable supply chain for Welsh consumers.”

Hostess Brands has expanded its snacking portfolio with the launch of Hostess Kazbars, a “first-of-its-kind” innovation within the snack cakes market. The bars combine layers of chocolate cake, créme and candy with caramel or chocolate fudge and are covered in a chocolate-flavoured coating. They are available in two flavour varieties: Chocolate Caramel and Triple Chocolate. Christopher Balach, general manager of Hostess Brands, said: "We know that consumers are craving multitextured snacks – and the variety of creamy, crunchy and rich layers in our new Kazbars will make every snacking experience a more joy-filled one. This new kind of snack delivers the familiar, moist Hostess cake consumers know and love with a new, delicious fusion of layers and textures." The bars will be available in major US retailers from mid-March in multipacks containing eight 1.25-ounce bars, or as single 2.75-ounce bars.

Novax has acquired French developer of speciality functional ingredients for artisans and food producers, Louis François. Louis François has over a century of experience in developing and providing ingredients and solutions to its customer base of gastronomic clients and chefs worldwide. Pär Warnström, head of future of food at Novax, said: “Louis François illustrates the traits of a true market leader – a fundamentally strong and competitive niche position, an unparalleled brand recognition well-known for quality and service, and a strong and experienced management team”. In connection with the acquisition, Novax has launched Ingå Group, a long-term initiative with a focus on healthy and sustainable ingredient solutions for the food industry. Warnström continued: “The launch of Ingå Group marks our long-term engagement in the ingredients space, forming a scalable platform for our commitment to positive impact on the food value chain. We remain determined to take an active part in driving the industry forward with innovation, health and sustainability in focus by developing novel ingredient solutions.” Ingå Group currently consists of Louis François and UK and Netherlands-based functional ingredient developer and supplier, Ulrick & Short. The Group’s ambition is to become the first-choice supplier of ingredient solutions for customers ranging from dining chefs to industrial-scale food manufacturers across Europe. Novax acquired a majority stake in Ulrick & Short in 2021. Adrian Short, co-founder of Ulrick & Short, will assume the role of CEO of Ingå Group. He said: “We’re delighted to formally launch Ingå Group and are excited to continue our investment in and partnering with businesses that have a long-term and sustainable future, going into sectors which will represent the future of food manufacturing and development”. Short continued: "We approach our investments with absolutely no exit strategy. Our sole focus is long-term development, respecting the already fantastic companies and brands and supporting them where we can add value.” Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) has acquired a majority share in Switzerland-based digital can printing company NOMOQ. Founded in 2021, NOMOQ follows a 'no minimum order quantity' ethos – from which the company derives its name. NOMOQ's flexibility allows larger producers to test new products, implement short-term marketing campaigns or run special editions without being constrained by batch size restrictions. AMP also acquired Canadian digital printing company, Hart Print, in 2021, aiming to strengthen its position in the North American market. The company's majority stake in NOMOQ will now enable AMP to roll out its digital printing technology to European customers. Oliver Graham, CEO of AMP, said: “This latest step in our investment programme is a perfect fit for us, especially following the successful integration of Hart Print in North America, which encouraged us to seek a similar model in Europe. NOMOQ’s offer is innovative, customer-centric, and extraordinarily flexible – areas in which AMP has established a great reputation. Their dedication to creating outstanding packaging for customers of all sizes will enhance our ability to serve early-growth customers in the European market and extend our offering to established customers too.” Peter Stein, founder and CEO of NOMOQ, commented: “We are excited to team up with AMP, a company which shares our focus on customer experience and innovation. Our ambition since day one has been to help create compelling and unique packaging for all, and to make it easy for customers to transform the sustainable and functional beverage can into an ingenious creative canvas even at the smallest batch sizes while delivering highest product quality. With the help of AMP’s unrivalled expertise and global reach, we can now take our mission to the next level.”

Pilgrim’s UK is investing £1.8 million in its Bodmin, Cornwall, site as it looks to maximise operational capacity and progress towards net zero CO2 emissions. The cash injection is part of plans to invest over £10 million into sustainability projects over the next year. It has funded new high-speed packing lines and a storage racking system – which has increased overall pallet size by 20% to 120 spaces. According to the meat supplier, the site is now able to process more than 400 tonnes of gammon per week and 80 tonnes of cooked bacon. In a bid to reach net zero CO2 emissions in its operations by 2030, Pilgrim's has also invested in greenhouse gas reduction projects to decrease electricity and gas usage on-site. The Bodmin factory uses LED lighting, sourcing 53% of its power from rooftop solar panels. Additional plans include adding panels throughout the site with the aim of being completely off-grid during generating hours. Daniel Inch, site director at Pilgrim’s UK, said: “Our Bodmin factory plays a vital role in the Pilgrim’s UK network. This package of investment forms part of our ongoing strategic focus on enhancing operations and increasing capacity across our UK business while taking important strides towards our net zero commitment.” He added: “Investing in state-of-the-art equipment and renewable tech like this, alongside nurturing our 270-strong team of dedicated people, while encouraging new talent into the industry, is key to ensuring a bright future for our Bodmin site”. Simon Taylor, commercial director at Pilgrim’s UK, commented: “This new investment has unlocked further potential and is attracting new customers keen to improve the quality of their cooked bacon range”.

Snack cheese brand Babybel is expanding its lineup of cheese offerings this spring with the introduction of Mini Babybel Monterey Jack, the brand's first new flavour since 2014. The new variety features a mild and creamy taste with a slight sweetness, offers over 4g of protein per serving and is made with 100% real cheese. Melanie Nemoy, brand director at Babybel, commented: "The adults and families who love Babybel products are our number one priority, and as their needs change, so do we by evolving our portfolio offerings". She added: "Consumers are at the heart of our business decisions, particularly when it comes to new product varieties or reformulations. We sought out their feedback to bring forward Monterey Jack and to improve the Mozzarella that you can try on shelves today." Mini Babybel Monterey Jack is made with no artificial growth hormones, colours, flavours or preservatives and can be found at many US retailers at a retail price of $7.99 for a 12-count net.