Better-for-you fizzy tea brand, Teakoe, has launched a new Orange Ginger Punch flavour that blends tropical flavours with subtle ginger root and chilli pepper flakes. “In true Teakoe fashion, we blended a classic flavour profile with a twist of curiosity and the perfect amount of fizz to continually push the boundaries of what people expect tea to be,” said Teakoe founder Pete Jokisch. “Each sip keeps you coming back for more!” The drink is made using organic yerba maté and blood orange juice, helping to bring a unique flavour to the drink, with no added sugar and 10 calories per can. The new beverage is available at select US retailers or online at Amazon and on the company's website.

Orkla Confectionery & Snacks has agreed to acquire Swedish confectionery company Bubs Godis. Founded in 1992, Bubs offers a wide range of sweets, with a strong position in the Nordic's pick 'n' mix confectionery market. In addition, Bubs also sells products in bags under brands such as Skalle and Goody. Ingvill Berg, CEO of Orkla, said that the acquisition is "well-aligned" with the company's strategy to strengthen its presence in the Nordic markets. She added: "Bulk confectionery is a growing category, and even when it is sold as pick ‘n’ mix, consumers prefer well-known brands like Bubs". Patrick Axzell, CEO of Orkla, said: "Bubs is a robust company and a good brand that will complement the rest of our portfolio and give us a solid base for continued growth". Bubs will become a subsidiary of Orkla, with its current CEO, Niclas Arnelin, set to remain with the company. Axzell added: “To continue this growth journey, we will build further on the company’s strategy while also exploiting the advantages of the company becoming part of Orkla. In distribution, among other things, we see opportunities to make good use of our becoming a bigger company.” The transaction is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2023. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

UK healthy snack company Epicurium has expanded its Proper snacks portfolio with the launch of a healthy, on-the-go crisp range, Propercrisps. Lightly fried, the Propercrisps range is a vegan snack that is said to contain less grease. The crisps are available in three flavours: Thai chilli, cheese and onion and flame grilled steak. According to the company, the crisps contain 30% less fat than the other ridged potato crisps, as well as having the added benefit of being a source of fibre due to the addition of pea fibre and protein. The Propercrisps range is also gluten-free and contains no palm oil.

Japanese plastic film manufacturer, Gunze, has announced plans to launch GEOPLAS HCT3, a heat-shrinkable film with recycled resin, in January 2023. The polystyrene/polyethylene terephthalate multi-layered product uses 30% recycled raw materials and will first be launched in Japan before expanding into US and ASEAN markets. The product has both polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate, this multilayer technology has enabled Gunze to achieve “excellent shrink appearance, perforation suitability, heat resistance, content resistance and stiffness”. The new film can be used as shrink labels for bottled beverages, foods and other products such as cosmetics and personal care. The company will launch the shrinkable film with 30% recycled material in January and aims to increase the ratio to 50% by 2024 and by 100% by 2030.

Nestlé has begun testing its first animal-free milk product, Cowabunga, in collaboration with alt-dairy startup, Perfect Day. The whey protein is made in Perfect Day’s brewing tanks where microflora digest nutrients from plants and turn them into a milk protein. Perfect Day gives the microflora the precise DNA sequence that serves as a blueprint for how to make cow whey protein – getting the DNA blueprint does not require any animal involvement. According to Cowabunga, the animal-free protein used in its milk emits up to 80% less greenhouse gas emissions and up to 94% less water, compared to that of traditional dairy milk. Cowabunga currently offers two varieties of its animal-free milk, Original and Chocolate, that are naturally lactose and cholesterol free and are a source of protein and vitamins. The beverages are being trialled in Safeway stores across California, US.

IFF has entered into an agreement to sell its Savory Solutions Group to PAI Partners for approximately $900 million. Cash proceeds net of taxes and expenses will be used primarily to reduce outstanding debt. IFF's Savory Solutions supplies ingredients for prepared foods and foodservice, including products for butchers and plant-based solutions for the vegan and vegetarian markets. The group has several business units operating out of Austria, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Canada, Mexico and Thailand. With approximately 1,800 employees, IFF's Savory Solutions has served over 11,000 customers and generated nearly $475 million in revenue over the last 12 months. IFF CEO Frank Clyburn said: “A key aspect of our strategy is to continuously evaluate our portfolio to identify opportunities to maximise shareholder value. The sale of IFF’s Savory Solutions Group is an important milestone as it allows us to focus on our highest-return businesses, improve our capital structure and enhance our go-forward growth and return profile." He continued: "We appreciate the contributions of our Savory Solutions colleagues who have, for years, demonstrated their commitment to innovation, service and quality. We will work closely with PAI Partners to have a successful transition and look forward to Savory Solutions’ future under its ownership.” The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances.

General Mills has raised its full-year outlook, after reporting a 4% jump in Q2 sales and operating profit that “essentially matched” year-ago levels. The company’s net sales rose to $5.22 billion in the quarter, compared with analysts’ estimates of $5.19 billion, according to Refinitiv data, cited by Reuters. Following its “strong” first-half performance, the Cheerios cereal maker raised its full-year forecast for organic net sales growth, saying that it now expects a rise of between 8% and 9% in fiscal 2023, compared with its previous forecast of a 6% to 7% increase. General Mills’ biggest unit – North American retail – recorded an 11% net sales increase to $3.37 billion, driven by favourable net price realisation and mix, partially offset by lower pound volume and the impact of the sale of Helper and Suddenly Salad. Second-quarter net sales for the International segment were down 27% to $671.7 million, reflecting in part the impact of yogurt and dough divestitures and a Haagen Dazs ice cream recall. Meanwhile, organic net sales were up 5%, with growth in Brazil, Europe and Australia partially offset by the impact of the ice cream recall and a decline in China due to continued consumer mobility restrictions. Segment operating profit totalled $18 million, compared with $59 million in Q2 2021, reflecting higher input costs and lower volume. “We continued to execute well and delivered strong top- and bottom-line growth in the second quarter,” said General Mills chairman and CEO, Jeff Harmening. “Amid ongoing volatility in the operating environment, we remain focused on driving our ‘Accelerate’ strategy by investing in brand building and innovation, strengthening our capabilities and continuing to reshape our portfolio.” He added: “With strong first-half results and positive momentum on our business, we are increasing our full-year outlook for organic net sales, adjusted operating profit and adjusted diluted EPS growth”.

The Great British Porridge Co is set to launch a new flavour of its 100% natural, instant, plant-based porridge mixes, Oatrageously Original. Oatrageously Original focuses on the versatility of the oat, using a handful of “finest” natural ingredients, giving consumers the opportunity to get creative with the flavour profile or enjoy the original taste. Matt Hunt, owner of The Great British Porridge Co, said: “Smoothie bowls, bircher and overnight oats are becoming increasingly popular, so we wanted to offer porridge lovers across the country the chance to get creative with their breakfasts and design their own unique bowls of greatness using this delicious new launch. Our plant-based mixes are made using 100% natural ingredients, they are also high in fibre, so they’ll keep the nation feeling fuller for longer.” The oats will be available for an RRP of £3.20 per 385g pouch (eight servings) from January 2023.

Birmingham-based startup, Lifted Drinks, has launched an alcohol-free beer, enriched with ten grams of plant-based pea protein per can. Branded as a ‘sports recovery lager’, the 330ml cans contain less than 83 calories with 7 grams of carbs to help replenish the muscle glycogen burned during workouts. Husband and wife team Tony and Rebecca Robinson created the beverage to appeal to sports enthusiasts and athletes to help their bodies get the protein it needs after exercise. Co-founder Rebecca Robinson said: “Lifted Beer was born after a great workout when you know you need the functionality of protein shake but all you really want is an ice cold beer…We wanted to create an alcohol-free beer that tasted great and actually had post-workout benefits for your body rather than ruining your recovery. “After months of formulating, brewing and tasting with our head brewer, we finally knew we had created the perfect end to any workout…Whether you’re a professional sports person, a gym goer or an outdoor adventurer, you don’t have to compromise on those post sports celebrations. You can have it all with a crisp refreshing can of Lifted.” The beers are priced at £23.40 per 12-can case and are available to buy on the company’s website.

Those Vegan Cowboys, a Belgian animal-free dairy producer, has developed its first animal-free cheese made from microbial caseins by using the company's stainless steel cow. Those Vegan Cowboys owns a precision fermentation machinery named Margaret, which is a cow made of metal that embodies the company's vision for the future of dairy without animals. The business claims that the cheese was formulated using dairy-identical caseins obtained via its precision fermentation process. Those Vegan Cowboys CEO Jaap Korteweg. “When we started the lab after The Vegetarian Butcher, I gave it a 5% chance. But the lab team worked wonders, and now we have Margaret’s first cheeses. Now it’s a matter of scaling up, making the micro-organisms more efficient – in a way similar to the milk cow, an animal that has been pushed to its outer physical limits into giving 10.000 litres of milk per year instead of the natural 1000.” Those Vegan Cowboys' project director, Will van den Tweel, added: “Thanks to the caseins, the cheese of our stainless steel cow potentially has comparable texture and other properties dairy cheese has. And yet it is completely free from animal products. Any cow-free cheese is now possible.” The business explained that as the process is new, regulatory approval is required – which can take up to several years – therefore, there will be "no Margaret-made cheese in supermarkets yet".

Abbott Laboratories has announced that it will withdraw from the Chinese infant formula market by 2023 to focus on its "growing adult nutrition business". "Over the past several years, we have competed fiercely in a rapidly changing market in mainland China," a spokesperson for Abbott told FoodBev. "However, the demand for our pediatric nutrition products is changing and we have decided to focus on our growing adult nutrition business, which means we will exit our pediatric nutrition business in mainland China." "This decision reflects a changing market for pediatric nutrition products and that the market is well served by multiple other companies. At the same time, there is a growing recognition among adults in mainland China about the importance of nutrition, and we are committed to providing innovative science-based products to help people live full and healthy lives." Abbott will stop producing and selling products under the PediaSure, Eleva and Similac brands, as well as its sub-brands, Total Comfort and NeoSure. Abbott's spokesperson added: "We will work with local stakeholders to progressively discontinue and transition our local infant formula brands and PediaSure throughout 2023, and we will work with our partners to ensure a smooth process". During next year's transition, the company said it will still be possible for consumers to access Abbott's pediatric nutrition products: "Consumers will have continued access to our products online and offline during our transition. They can continue to confidently use our products and receive customer support." The decision does not affect any other countries nor Abbott's divisions in mainland China.

AG Barr has acquired the remaining 38.2% equity stake in Moma Foods from founder Tom Mercer and other minority shareholders for a total cash consideration of £3.4 million. This latest announcement follows AG Barr’s acquisition of a 61.8% stake in Moma in December 2021 when it entered into an option deed with the founder and other remaining shareholders and established an agreed path to full ownership in the following three years. The acquisition gives AG Barr full control of the Moma business, which will remain a standalone business within the company. Roger White, CEO of AG Barr, said: "We are delighted to bring forward the planned full ownership of the Moma business. This allows us to fully support the Moma business and brand, such that we can leverage the increased growth potential sooner than allowed for under the original acquisition structure. The completion of the acquisition is a further positive indication of AG Barr's growth ambitions." Earlier this month, AG Barr announced the acquisition of energy drink brand Boost for an initial consideration of £20 million on a debt-free, cash-free basis.