US nut processor, John B. Sanfilippo & Son, has purchased “substantially all of the assets” of the Just the Cheese brand from Specialty Cheese Company. Just the Cheese is a baked cheese snacking brand, offering 100% real cheese snack bars and crisps. The products are sold online and in retail outlets. Jeffery Sanfilippo, CEO of Sanfilippo & Son, said: “The acquisition of Just the Cheese, which currently will not have a significant impact on our financial results, will provide us a product that expands our portfolio into new snacking categories”. He continued: “Additionally, the assets and capabilities acquired will be complementary to our existing product portfolio and are expected to lead to exciting innovation opportunities”. The purchase was funded through Sanfilippo & Son’s existing bank credit facility. Terms of the acquisition deal were not disclosed.

Mondelēz International has announced the sale of its gum business in Canada, the US and Europe to Perfetti Van Melle. The company will retain its emerging market gum business across Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The purchase price is $1.35 billion or 15 times equivalent to estimated current year EBITDA. The sale is set to advance Mondelēz’s portfolio reshaping strategy, announced in May 2022, which aims to accelerate growth and reinvestment in its core biscuit, chocolate and baked snacks categories, from which it plans to generate 90% of revenue. Dirk Van de Put, chairman and CEO of Mondelēz, said: “As we continue progressing our 'Vision 2030' focus and acceleration strategy, doubling down on our core snacking categories, we are pleased to transition our developed market gum business to a values-led, family-owned company whose portfolio is a strategic fit, and where our brands and people can thrive”. The sale includes manufacturing facilities in Rockford, Illinois, and Skarbimierz, Poland, as well as the gum brands Trident, Dentyne, Stimorol, Hollywood, V6, Chiclets, Bubbaloo and Bubblicious in the US, Canada and Europe, and the European confectionery brands Cachou Lajaunie, Negro and La Vosgienne. Egidio Perfetti, chairman of Perfetti Van Melle, commented: “Perfetti Van Melle will be an excellent home for the management team and employees of Mondelēz International’s gum business in North America and Europe”. The company’s vice chairman, Daniele Perfetti, added: “We have long admired the product and brand portfolio of the gum business and look forward to combining them with the Perfetti Van Melle brand family”. The transaction, expected to close in Q4 of 2023, is subject to customary closing conditions. The deal includes the business in the US, Canada and Europe, excluding France. The parties have entered into exclusive arrangements for the sale of the business in the latter market, Mondelēz said.

Next month, Sainsbury’s is set to launch a healthy food range with more than 65 products, including prepared meals, soups, smoothies and snacks to support a balanced diet. Nutritional food range Flourish features over 65 products, the majority of which are brand new. Flourish smoothies are packed with vitamins B1, B6 and B12c and are one of the recommended five a day. Flourish Pulled Beef Chilli is a high source of protein​ and two of your five a day. Middle Eastern Chicken is a nutritious alternative to a takeaway and the Vegan Italian Style Roasted Vegetable Pot is low in saturated fats and also counts as two of your five a day. The lineup also includes soups, like the Flourish Smoky Sweetcorn Soup, which provides two of your five a day, with other flavours that are either low in saturated fats or a source of protein. Flourish Sea Salt & Black Pepper Crunch Mix or Indian Spiced Cauliflower Crackers are savoury snack solutions that are high in fibre and protein. The new range will be available to buy in Sainsbury’s stores nationwide from 4 January 2023. The portfolio ranges in price from £1 to £4.

NuZee, a US-based producer and co-packer of single-serve coffee formats, has expanded its Coffee Blenders products with a new Coldpresso latte product line. Developed in Korea, the Coffee Blenders Coldpresso utilises methods of espresso brewing coffee extracted using a hybrid cold espresso machine. The line is packaged in recyclable glass with stainless steel lids. "We are excited to expand the Coffee Blenders brand into a ready-to-drink format as it gives our customers new ways to enjoy our products," said Sangyun Park, product development manager at NuZee Korea. Park continued: "We spent a lot of time developing the ready-to-drink coffee line to ensure the Coffee Blenders Coldpresso latte line would have a product that we believe just about everyone could enjoy." The Coffee Blenders Coldpresso line includes Coldpresso Dolce Latte made with Coldpresso concentrate and antibiotic-free milk and Royal Ceylon Milk Tea, a blend of Sri Lankan Dumbula black tea, unrefined Brazilian sugar with a floral aroma and smooth taste. Also featuring in the line is Royal Earl Grey Milk Tea which focuses on the taste of Earl Grey black tea, Earl Grey Milk Tea Café Latte with aromas of bergamot and non-GMO antibiotic-free raw milk and Coldpresso Café Latte, a blend of coffee and tea. The products are currently available to purchase in Korea online at Market Kurly and will offer consumers a convenient way to enjoy the benefits of cold-pressed coffee.

Mars has signed an agreement to acquire US-based whole-fruit snacking brand Trü Frü. Trü Frü was founded in 2017 by CEO Brian Neville, president Taz Murray and COO Brandon O'Brien, and is headquartered in West Valley City, Utah, with approximately 50 employees. The brand's snacks are available in frozen and shelf-stable formats in US retailers. Andrew Clarke, global president at Mars Snacking, said: "We are thrilled to welcome one of the most innovative fruit-based snacks in the US into the Mars family of brands. Trü Frü is a perfect complementary fit for our health and wellness portfolio, and our capabilities will help the brand strengthen its operations, broaden distribution and accelerate growth." He continued: “We want to be the preferred home for emerging and founder-led brands like Trü Frü. We are looking forward to working with the founders and the whole Trü Frü team to help them continue their long-term growth journey and bring the brand to even more people." Trü Frü will operate as a separate business within Mars and will continue to be led by current CEO, Neville. Neville stated: "We are delighted to be joining the Mars family of brands. Over the years, we have observed Mars' success in building a global better-for-you snacking platform with both KIND and Nature's Bakery. He added: “From the first moment we met the Mars team, we realised they were the right long-term partner for the company we had founded and invested so much of our time and energy in. They share our passion for healthier snacking, respect and admire the values that have made us successful, and have the capabilities we need to take our company to next level." The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Cypressa has launched a range of new pastes and tapenades in the UK. The range includes six variants: Smoky Tagine, a Moroccan-inspired paste with a blend of spices and herbs; Aubergine & Feta Mezze, a blend of roasted aubergines and creamy feta cheese; and Tomato, Feta & Kalamata Olive Tapenade, a Mediterranean-style tapenade made with a blend of kalamata, sun-dried tomato, capers and feta cheese. Additionally, the product line also provides: Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade, a rich tapenade made with a mix of red peppers and a fire-roasted paprika pepper; Rose Harissa Paste, a North African-inspired red chilli paste, made with red pepper and warm spices; and Rose Harissa Pesto, a smoother texture than the Rose Harissa paste, which contains a sweet and smoky taste. “We are very excited to be launching this new selection of pastes and tapenades, which really champions the sunshine flavours of the Mediterranean and Middle East,” said Harry Constantinou, commercial controller at Cypressa. “The new pastes are a brilliant accompaniment to so many dishes and are incredibly versatile. So, whether you are putting together an antipasti board for an evening with family or friends, or creating an authentic Mediterranean dinner, we have you covered with olives, olive oil, antipasti and now, great-tasting dips and pastes – many ingredients that my family and I have cooked with forever.” Cypressa’s new range of pastes and tapenades is available at independent shops nationwide for an RRP of £2.50 - £3. The Smoky Tagine and Aubergine & Feta Mezze variants are also available in Co-op stores.

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, an independent Coca-Cola bottler, has opened a new $10.2 million sales and distribution centre. Located in St Petersburg, Florida, the 22,000-square-foot facility will serve the company’s expanding customer base across the city, Pinellas County and surrounding areas. Thomas Benford, Coke Florida’s president and CEO, commented: “This is a significant step for Coke Florida - not only is this the first ground-up facility we have constructed, but it also represents a brick-and-mortar return to the St Petersburg community”. “Our associates, many... live in Pinellas, are better positioned to partner with their customers and build stronger engagement with the community.” Ron Brock, territory general manager for Coke Florida’s new facility, said that the area is not new to the company, having previously serviced the community from its Tampa facility. Brandi Gabbard, vice-chair of the St Petersburg City Council, said: “ is a shining example of what other businesses can do to emulate community support and collaboration”. “We want to welcome organisations like yours that share in a like-minded vision of sustainability, economic empowerment and workforce education.” Coke Florida employs over 4,800 associates across its 18 sales and distribution territories and four manufacturing facilities. More than 140 will work in the facility in various roles, including CDL drivers, sales account managers, sales merchandisers and warehouse staff.

Hain Celestial has completed the sale of its US canned food brand, Westbrae Natural, to Bush Brothers & Company, as it simplifies its North American portfolio. Known for its baked beans, US-based Bush Brothers produces a range of bean-based commodities. Westbrae Natural was acquired by Hain Celestial in 1997 and its products include soups, non-dairy beverages and canned beans. The transaction will allow Hain Celestial to focus resources on driving distribution and expanding innovation on “priority brands”. Hain Celestial’s president and CEO, Mark Schiller, said: “In our continuing journey to simplify the company and focus on the brands and categories with growth potential in line with our strategic direction, we are pleased to announce the divestiture of the Westbrae Natural brand to Bush Brothers”. “The divestiture of this non-strategic brand represents another important step in simplifying our North American portfolio while improving our future growth profile, margins and cash flow.” Last year saw Hain Celestial complete the divesture of its Dream and WestSoy brands to Sun Opta for $33 million. The group also sold its UK fruit business – which includes Orchard House Foods and associated brands – to private equity firm Elaghmore. The financial terms of the Westbrae Natural deal were not disclosed.

Unilever has announced in a statement that its litigation with Ben & Jerry's independent board over the sale of its Israeli ice cream business "has been resolved". In June, Unilever sold its Ben & Jerry’s ice cream business in Israel to its local licensee, Avi Zinger. The following month, Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit against Unilever to try to block the sale. According to Reuters, a lawsuit filed in September stated that Ben & Jerry's said it was seeking damages and wanted the trademarks returned. The company had also asked a judge to stop Avi Zinger from selling the ice cream in the West Bank due to it being inconsistent with its values. In a statement, the company said "Unilever is pleased to announce that the litigation with Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board has been resolved". Unilever has not provided additional details about how the litigation was resolved.

UK meat brand, The Jolly Hog, has launched two new limited-edition pigs in blankets flavours ahead of Christmas time. The Jolly Hog's Tipsy Pigs in Blankets are made with British, outdoor-bred, RSPCA-assured pork and flavoured with Bramley apple and cider. Each cocktail sausage is then wrapped in The Jolly Hog's black treacle bacon. Tipsy Pigs is available in Tesco and on Ocado for £4. Meanwhile, the brand's Posh Pigs use The Jolly Hog's Little Porker chipolata sausages. Available on Ocado for £4.25, they are also wrapped in black treacle streaky bacon. The Jolly Hog's co-founder, Olly Kohn, said: “I have been really looking forward to bringing these two new pigs in blanket flavours to the market...As a team, we go through a rigorous NPD process to make sure we believe in the product. We’ve tasted nearly every single pig in blankets out there to make sure ours are leading the way in taste and flavour." "Our Pigs in Blankets use the best British, Outdoor Bred, RSPCA Assured meat, which is really important to us.”

Fresh!Packing and Mondi have collaborated to create a new recyclable consumer cooler bag, called Fresh!Bag. Fresh!Bag is made from renewable materials that provide protective cooling properties, “offering consumers a durable cooler bag to carry chilled or frozen food at home”. The bag’s outer layer is made from Mondi’s durable kraft paper which encases its cooling element that is created using pulp. The paper has a high stretchability which allows for easy sewing of the different plies, creating a stronger bag structure that has a high resistance to tearing and can carry large weights and sizes. The bags can be reused multiple times and “provide retailers with good printability for branding and messaging.” Alexander Baars, international sales manager of speciality kraft paper at Mondi, said: “Fresh!Bag provides a genuinely exciting opportunity for retailers; it responds to the consumer demand for more sustainable packaging while delivering convenience and durability for frozen and chilled goods”. Kevin Hendzlik, general manager and Fresh!Bag product manager at Fresh!Packing, commented: “Mondi trusted in our idea and brought a wealth of additional expertise to the table. While developing Fresh!Bag, the team was able to easily identify the right opportunities and advise us throughout the process, helping us to achieve our sustainability goals of avoiding plastic waste and using material that contributes to a circular economy.”

Mondelēz International-owned brand Oreo has unveiled its new gluten-free addition to its line of biscuits, to be released in January. The Oreo Gluten-Free Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies will join the brand’s existing gluten-free portfolio of cookies and Double Stuf Cookies. The latest addition is made with real cocoa and a blend of gluten-free flour. They will be available on retail shelves in January 2023.