Kraft Heinz has announced the launch of a new Philadelphia plant-based spread. Available in the brand's original cream cheese flavour, Philadelphia plant-based spread is made with "simple ingredients" and no added flavours or dyes. The new plant-based product is also gluten- and lactose-free. Robert Scott, president of research and development at Kraft Heinz, said: “The influx of flexitarian consumers has driven growth within the plant-based market, which is now more than 20x the size of the vegan population". He continued: "As the brand that has set the cream cheese standard for 150 years, we realised the current options weren’t meeting consumer expectations, and there was no trusted leader. Philadelphia plant-based spread not only provides a solution that mirrors the taste and texture of our iconic Philadelphia brand, but it also reinforces Kraft Heinz’s bet to bring plant-based offerings to the masses.” Philadelphia plant-based spread is sold at select retailers in Southeast US, with additional flavours planned for the national rollout in summer 2023.

Australian agricultural investment manager, Warakirri, has announced the acquisition of two large-scale vineyards for the Warakirri Farmland Fund. The deal with Australian Vintage includes over 1,300 hectares of land and a portfolio of water entitlements, with a combined value of AUD 62.5 million ($42.1 million approx.). The fund will acquire and lease back the two vineyards – Coldridge in South Australia and Grande Junction in New South Wales – on a long-term basis. Together with Australian Vintage, Warakirri will work on vineyard developments to “maximise production and promote sustainability”. Jim McKay, Warakirri Asset Management's managing director, said: “We’re excited to add these two quality assets and another best-in-class tenant partner to the Warakirri Farmland Fund. Australian Vintage’s commitment to quality grape and wine production, innovation, social responsibility and sustainability make them a great partner for our fund’s clients.” Steve Jarrott, portfolio manager of the fund, added: “The Australian wine industry retains strong fundamentals and good future growth prospects. With our strategy and investment philosophy, patient long-term perspective and a high-quality partner like Australian Vintage, this land- and water-rich vineyard investment is a great way for the Fund to gain exposure to this sector.” The two vineyards currently supply around 23,000 tonnes of grapes to the Australian Vintage winery each year. The company’s chief executive, Craig Garvin, said: “Warakirri are known for their world-class capability within the agricultural sector. They have committed to further enhance and develop the vineyards thereby improving yield output and we are really pleased to be able to work with them on this opportunity.” Launched in 2021, the Warakirri Farmland Fund was developed for institutional investors and aims to buy, develop and own a diversified portfolio of agricultural property and lease the assets to businesses as tenant partners.

Grace Foods has announced the launch of a new range of Caribbean-inspired chips under the brand name Grace Exotic Chips. Grace Exotic Chips is available in three flavours: cassava chips, purple sweet potato and tostones. The range is free of gluten, cholesterol and trans-fats, as well as being suitable for vegans. Giuseppe Vullo, brand manager for Grace Foods UK, said: "We are thrilled to launch the Grace Exotic Chips range with Sainsbury's. The cassava chips, purple sweet potato and tostones snacks are plant-based as all the flavours are sourced from fruit and vegetables." Grace Exotic Chips will be available to buy at Sainsbury's stores across the UK for a retail price of £1.60 per 75g bag.

Germany's Doehler Ventures has made an investment in Clean Food Group, a food tech business that has developed a sustainable, “bioequivalent alternative” to palm oil. Doehler Ventures is part of ingredient provider Doehler Group, which plans to support the scale-up of Clean Food's technology as part of an accompanying technical collaboration agreement between the companies. In addition to demonstrating production at commercial scale, the partnership aims to accelerate market approval of Clean Food's palm oil alternative. According to Clean Food, the solution will help reduce the detrimental environmental impact of palm-based ingredients, which “can be found in nearly 50% of all packaged products on our supermarket shelves”. CEO and co-founder, Alex Neves, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Doehler Group, a leading manufacturer and innovator within the area of technology-driven natural ingredients and ingredient systems. With Doehler Group’s support, we are excited to accelerate the scale-up of our groundbreaking technology, which will allow us to bring our sustainable palm oil alternative to market more quickly.” Financial details of the investment were not disclosed.

The JM Smucker Co is planning to construct an R&D facility on its Orrville campus that will support the growth of the Uncrustables brand. The 29,000-square-foot lab in Ohio will test new product innovation and examine opportunities to boost manufacturing productivity. “We are excited to support the momentum of our Uncrustables brand and our continued work to meet the unprecedented demand for the product through this new R&D facility, which we anticipate going live in the fall of 2023,” said Tina Floyd, senior vice president and general manager, consumer foods at JM Smucker. The project is set to receive up to $1 million from the JobsOhio R&D Center Grant programme, and up to $1.5 million from the Ohio Department of Development's Research and Development Investment Loan programme. J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO, added: “The new, cutting-edge R&D facility in Orrville will advance product development for Smucker while providing positive economic impact to the state”. JM Smucker has been ramping up capacity for the Smucker's Uncrustables brand with an expansion project at its facility in Longmont, Colorado, and a $1.1 billion investment in a new plant in McCalla, Alabama. The company expects the brand to generate $1 billion in annual sales within the next five years.

IHop has partnered with General Mills to release its new Mini Pancake Cereal featuring pancake-shaped pieces in a Blueberry & Syrup flavour. Kieran Donahue, chief marketing officer at IHop, said: “As a leader in breakfast and pancakes, IHop tapped another breakfast hero, General Mills, to help bring the long-awaited collaboration to life. After the viral moment in 2020, we knew guests had an appetite for Ihop cereal. We helped create this iconic cereal in hopes that our guests would look forward to it any time of day.” Brianna Menning, senior brand manager of Cereal Innovation at General Mills commented: “At General Mills we make food the world loves by creating moments that taste good and bring joy to families everywhere. We are delighted to collaborate with IHop and introduce the IHop Mini Pancake Cereal to bring fun and flavour to fans across the country.” The IHop Mini Pancake Cereal is made with 13g of whole grains per serving and provides vitamins and minerals in every serving. The cereal will be available for purchase at US retailers in January.

California Dairies has agreed to acquire DairyAmerica for an undisclosed sum, effective 1 January 2023. Dairy ingredient supplier DairyAmerica is currently co-owned by California Dairies, Agri-Mark and O-AT-KA Milk Products. With the acquisition, DairyAmerica will become a wholly owned subsidiary of California Dairies. Brad Anderson, president and chief executive officer of California Dairies, said: “This investment in DairyAmerica provides the opportunity for CDI to unlock significant synergies and represents another step towards improving efficiencies in providing world markets with high-quality dairy ingredients”. He continued: “Under the new structure, DairyAmerica will continue to market milk powders produced by Agri-Mark and O-AT-KA Milk Products. These marketing agreements will allow for the continued multi-origin and sustainable supply benefits currently enjoyed by DairyAmerica.” Patti Smith will remain as DairyAmerica's chief executive officer, and the company's office will continue to be located in Fresno, California. “As we continue to transform our business, this investment by California Dairies provides the framework to focus on our people and processes while strengthening our global competitiveness,” said Smith.

Diageo India has announced an “industry-first water stewardship initiative” in partnership with renewable water technology company, Source Global. The beverage producer will leverage Source Hydropanel technology – which uses the sun to draw pure water vapour out of the air – to produce water for single malt whisky brand Godawan. Source Global will construct a 200-panel water farm in Alwar, Rajasthan, which is expected to generate 9,000 litres of water within the first six months. The plan is to scale up the installation to produce around 27,000 litres of water per month after a year, helping to conserve groundwater. Operating off-grid and without electricity, Source Hydropanels help reduce carbon emissions associated with treating and transporting potable water. Hina Nagarajan, managing director and CEO at Diageo India, said: “We have a responsibility to grow our business sustainably from grain to glass. Last year, we set a vision and commitment to build our ‘Society 2030’ programme, aligned to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.” Nagarajan continued: “The innovative actions of our teams and partners will help us conserve groundwater considerably. Our partnership with Source is aligned to the craft philosophy of born good, made good and serve good. This is a step forward in our journey to be part of the solution in water-stressed geographies.” Neil Grimmer, brand president of Source, commented: “As the first company to use renewable water in an alcohol brand, Diageo India is serving the growing demand for premium, sustainable products in an incredibly unique and powerful way. The world, especially in already water-stressed regions like Rajasthan, is now facing the harsh realities of climate change, and Diageo is leading the way toward a more secure and sustainable future.”

Fullers Foods International, a frozen food business with a turnover of around £400 million, has been sold for an undisclosed sum. The deal was funded by a group of private investors backing the existing management team of the Leeds-based frozen food supplier. Kevin Smith, who has served as the company's managing director for the past five years and worked with the Fullers family for over 18, will take up the role of CEO. Smith is said to have more than 25 years of experience working in retail and food businesses. Jason Fuller commented: “In looking at who best to take over stewardship of the Fullers business and to ensure continuity of operations for our customers and suppliers, Adam and I felt the time had come to hand over Fullers to a younger generation who are excellently placed to take the company onto the next level of growth”. He continued: “We strongly believe that under Kevin’s sustained leadership Fullers will be in safe hands, will remain at the forefront of the food industry and will continue to thrive. The loyalty and dedication of the whole team here at Fullers has been first class and we would like to thank them for their unwavering support over the years.” Smith commented: “It’s been a privilege to work with Adam and Jason on the journey with Fullers Foods and to lead this business and our excellent team as managing director. It’s a real honour to do so now under this new ownership structure. “Fullers Foods is a highly successful business. The new investment will enable us to grow on its many strengths, building our supplier and manufacturing capability around Europe and the world and expanding our team here in Leeds. It’s very much business as usual, with a bright future ahead.”

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) Australia has launched a new can line at its production site in Moorabbin, Victoria. With the opening of the AUD 43.7 million ($29.7 million approx.) line, CCEP is aiming to scale up local can production, as it looks to deliver beverages more quickly to customers across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. Fully operational in time for the summer season, the line is able to make up to 1,700 cans per minute. This includes various formats and sizes across a range of popular beverages, such as Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite and Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling. Peter West, vice president and general manager of Australia, the Pacific and Indonesia at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, said: “This new can line at Moorabbin allows us to make a larger range of canned beverages, from across our portfolio of non-alcoholic and alcoholic brands, locally in Victoria, meaning our products are closer to the end-consumer. This minimises freight movements and, in turn, helps to reduce carbon emissions.” The new Moorabbin line is able to fill cans at room temperature – saving the energy that is typically required to cool the liquid as part of the filling process – and is also said to deliver considerable water efficiencies. According to CCEP, it is the most sustainable production line within the company's Australian operations. Orlando Rodriguez, vice president of supply chain – Australia, New Zealand and Pacific at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, said: “The requirement to move product between states in a country as vast as Australia contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and reducing this is a challenging task, but it’s not impossible”. “Our continued investment in more efficient infrastructure at our facilities will play a role in helping us reach our net zero targets.” The line is complemented by new infrastructure at CCEP's Mentone distribution centre, where the company has invested in an AUD 17.4 million ($11.8 million approx.) Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS). The ASRS provides 12,000 additional pallet spaces, ensuring the site is equipped to support the increased can production at Moorabbin. Rodriguez added: “Combined, the new infrastructure at Moorabbin and Mentone allows us to slash our inter-state freight by more than 1 million kilometres per year, cutting CO2 emissions by 830 tonnes”.

Royal DSM has launched a textured vegetable protein that contains the necessary levels of all nine essential amino acids to be a complete protein. Vertis Textured Pea Canola Protein has "unique textural benefits" and is free from soy, gluten and dairy. According to DSM, the solution will help producers create a more realistic and "nutritionally appealing" meat alternative and "plant-forward applications". DSM stated that the new ingredient was designed "to offer a complete protein with more of the meat-like texture consumers want from plant-based alternatives". With its short hydration time, good processing capabilities and support of low-fat and salt formulations, Vertis Textured Pea Canola Protein has a firm, rubbery bite that mimics traditional meat products. The company explains that the pea and canola proteins in Vertis work together to create a "meat-like texture with a firm and springy bite and an appealing mouthfeel". The canola ingredient is a blend of pea protein and Vertis CanolaPRO protein isolate. Vertis Textured Pea Canola Protein is available in a mince format – suitable for bolognese sauces, tacos and lasagna – and in a shredded format – to be used in plant-based burgers and meatballs. Samah Garringer, business unit director, proteins of the future at DSM, said: “It’s an exciting time for the plant-based alternatives market and I’m incredibly proud of the team for continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in this category. This world-first in textured vegetable proteins will help manufacturers create nutritious, delicious and sustainable plant-based food and beverages." "By providing a complete source of protein that is free from all major allergens, brands can appeal to the modern flexitarian consumer who wants to include a diverse range of proteins in their diet – without compromising on nutritional value. At the heart of all our initiatives at DSM is looking after people and our planet. This is exemplified throughout our Vertis plant proteins which are produced with minimal waste and environmental impact, making them a sustainable and, crucially, scalable solution.”

If you are planning to attend FiEurope this week (6-8 December), you cannot miss the opportunity to pay a visit to Faravelli – stand 7.1D52. In fact, there are at least three very good reasons to meet the Faravelli international team in Paris. The first reason is really ‘a scoop’: the company has chosen the marvellous stage of Paris to officially announce its presence in the French market with a dedicated subsidiary. Faravelli has been operating in the country for some time already, but now the French subsidiary has its own ‘official’ identity, an official website coming soon and an official LinkedIn social page (Faravelli France). In France, Faravelli’s activities focus on the food sector, especially the bakery market, but also on nutraceuticals and animal nutrition, offering its B2B customers a wide range of commodities and functional specialities at competitive prices. The second reason to visit Faravelli in Paris is even more international: in Paris, Faravelli will present itself as the official distributor of Natural Innovations Group, a company that “strives to develop environmentally friendly and innovative products that positively impact human health and wellbeing”. The result is the very best plant-derived ingredients sourced from different regions across Australia and the globe, addressing specific nutritional needs. The company name speaks for itself: Natural Innovations Group will help you fight innovation stagnancy, delivering a range of “revolutionary” solutions. So, after the US – where the cooperation started in September 2022 – Faravelli has, since the beginning of November, also represented the Australian company in Spain, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Last but not least, at FiEurope you can discover Fara functional systems, a complete range of stabiliser blends for the food industry, developed in Italy by Faravelli’s in-house Food Application Lab. These are just some of the reasons to meet Faravelli in Paris: for all the others, all you have to do is visit stand 71d52, where the international Faravelli team is waiting for you! Don’t miss the opportunity to discover a line of great raw materials and solutions that can help you find the perfect formulation, to your customers’ great satisfaction! Register here: https://lnkd.in/dfBkX6Gu. For more info about Faravelli, please visit: www.faravelligroup.com. Se non lo hai ancora fatto, registrati qui https://lnkd.in/dfBkX6Gu. E se vuoi fissare un appuntamento, contattaci! #bakery #FaravelliGroup #FIEParis #partnercontent