Heinz has announced the launch of a vegan version of its sell-out Christmas Dinner Big Soup cans. The plant-based alternative is filled with vegan sausage, stuffing balls and vegetables. Bahar Kiransa, marketing manager at Heinz Soups, said: “We’ve been hard at work all year perfecting our recipes for both the meat and vegan versions. We are particularly proud to be introducing the vegan version this year, as everyone deserves to be able to try the delicious flavours of our much-loved Heinz Christmas Dinner Soup.” The vegan soup is available at Asda's stores for an RRP of £2 per can for a limited time only.

Nestlé will invest SAR 7 billion (approx. $1.86 billion) in Saudi Arabia in the next ten years to support business growth. It will begin with an investment of up to SAR 375 million (approx. $99.8 million) to establish a new manufacturing plant, set to open in 2025. The site will initially produce Nestlé infant nutrition products and ready-to-drink coffee, exporting to countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Khalid Al-Falih, minister of investment in Saudi Arabia, said: “This strategic plan was developed together with the Saudi ministry of investment’s food department, reflecting solid investor confidence in the Kingdom and its long-term prospects”. He continued: “We more than welcome Nestlé’s investments which will contribute to food security and the development of local businesses, fuel local innovation and create jobs for youth and professionals – all objectives of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 which the Kingdom is rapidly progressing with.” According to the company, Nestlé’s investments in Saudi Arabia over the next decade are expected to generate 3,500 direct and indirect employment opportunities in area. It also covers the establishment of the company’s first regional centre with an R&D programme. Yasser Abdul Malak, Nestlé chairman and CEO in the Middle East and North Africa, commented: “Saudi Arabia is a sizeable market with major potential for growth. We look forward to further expanding our presence in the country in ways that align with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and create shared value for its people, communities, and our company.” Nestlé SA is part of the company’s Middle East and North Africa region, which holds 24 factories in 19 countries.

The African Development (AfDB) Fund's board of directors has approved a $27.9 million grant to Ghana to support the development of agricultural value chains in the Savannah region. According to AfDB, the grant will increase the climate-resilient production of maize, rice and soybean, as well as support the poultry value chain and generate employment for women and youth. It will also boost farmers' incomes and support household nutrition. The capital will also be used to support the production of certified seeds by commercial farmers and work closely with the Savannah Agriculture Research Institute to assist smallholder farmers with equipment to improve planting and crop husbandry. The Savannah Agriculture Value Chain Development Project will be implemented by Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture from 2023 to 2027. The AfDB predicts that the project will benefit at least 150,000 people indirectly and 50,000 directly, as well as adding to the production of at least 8,000 hectares of new rice, maize and soybean, which will improve feed availability for the poultry industry. Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, AfDB's acting vice president of its regional development, integration and business delivery complex, said: "Building local capacity would help reduce imports and help Ghana to mitigate the negative impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on global food systems. It would also alleviate the impact of climate change, in line with the Bank’s African Emergency Food Production Facility." Martin Fregene, AfDB's sector director of agriculture and industry, added: "This builds on bank’s earlier investments in the savannah areas of Ghana, putting 20,000 hectares of maize and soybean under production using conservation agriculture practices and technologies. This project has come at a time that Ghana seeks to enhance domestic production and reduce imports. These are the key objectives of bank’s Feed Africa Strategy." Eyerusalem Fasika, Ghana country manager of the African Development Bank, commented: “The approval of this project is a significant addition to the bank’s active agriculture portfolio in the country with immense potential to contribute to sustainable food systems in Ghana. Furthermore, the project’s approval is an opportune time for the bank to support the government in its efforts to produce enough basic commodities to meet food security challenges and support industrialisation.”

Princes has released a duo of premium drinks, Princes Botanicals, made with botanical extracts such as lemongrass and cardamom. Its new line-up of flavours includes Apple, Pineapple and Lemongrass, featuring a light citrus aroma with a hint of floral notes, and Apple, Mango, Passionfruit and Cardamom, a blend of tropical fruits with a hint of cardamom. The range is made from not-from-concentrate juices and accounts for one of your five-a-day with each pack containing approximately 5 x 200ml servings. Princes Botanicals drinks are also packaged in fully recyclable cartons, making it easy to dispose of them responsibly. Simon Stokes, senior development chef at Princes, said: “At a time when shoppers are looking for alternatives to traditional beverages, Princes Botanicals are a must-try – especially for those who like the unique and authentic taste of botanical plants. He continued: “This announcement is another exciting one for Princes, as we continue to innovate and provide a broad range of delicious, affordable options for our customers.” Each drink has an RRP of £2.50 and can be found in selected UK retailers.

The Lancaster Spirits Company has launched two new products, English Grain Vodka and Firecracker Gin. The “grain-to-glass” distillery is a producer of small-batch gin and vodka. The gin features notes of evergreen, citrus, spices and timber while the vodka contains hints of wheat, peppery spice and tones of chocolate. Phil Simpson, MD of The Lancaster Spirits Company said: ‘’We’ve taken our time to get our spirits right. Eighteen months of recipe tweaks, plant investment, trials and blind tastings to create a gin and a vodka that exceed our stringent quality standards. “Every ingredient has been chosen with balance and harmony in mind. We are sure our customers will appreciate the great lengths we’ve gone to ensure the unique provenance of every element of the spirits we craft.” The Firecracker Gin and English Grain Vodka are both 40% ABV and available in 70cl bottles at a RRP of £38.00 and a RRP of £27.00 for a 50cl bottle.

Kyowa Hakko Bio – a subsidiary of Kirin Holdings – has completed its production facility for human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), located in Rayong Province, Thailand. The company first announced its plans to build the HMO facility back in 2020. Kyowa Hakko Bio built the Thai Kyowa production facility with the support of Kirin Group's engineering department. Products will be developed within the Kirin Group, aiming to expand its business globally. HMOs are complex sugar molecules found in breast milk and are said to rarely be found in cow's milk or milk of other mammalian origins. Yuki Kanzaki, president and CEO at Kyowa Hakko Bio, commented: “Kirin Holdings has made a major shift to the Health Science domain, an area ranging from food to pharmaceuticals, in order to achieve the Kirin Group Vision 2027 long-term management plan. In this context, Kyowa Hakko Bio should play a central role in the Health Science business.” She continued: “The role of Thai Kyowa is particularly important, and this new facility is an indispensable production line to meet the global demand for HMOs. Through the production and sale of HMOs, Thai Kyowa will continue to contribute to solving the health issues of infants and young children.” The production of HMOs will begin this year, with sales to infant formula manufacturers and other customers to start in 2023. Hiroshi Nagano, president of Thai Kyowa, said: “We believe that HMOs are an important breast milk component for infants and are a material that can help people's health and quality of life”. He continued: “In order to contribute to the healthy development and growth of infants around the world, we at Thai Kyowa are committed to the safe and stable production of high-quality HMOs. We will also contribute to regional revitalization by creating jobs in Thailand and aim to be a bridge between Thailand and Japan.” The project has also been granted investment incentive benefits by the Thai Board of Investment.

Grocery delivery service Modern Milkman has secured £50 million in funding to support packaging innovation, accelerate growth and deliver international expansion. The Series C round was led by existing investors Insight Partners and ETF Partners, new investors Praetura Ventures and Avery Dennison, in addition to a number of angel investors. Modern Milkman was founded four years ago with a commitment to reduce plastic waste. With 16 hubs across England and working with a network of independent suppliers, the brand claims to have saved over 55 million plastic bottles to date. Jeff Lieberman, managing director at Insight Partners, said: “Modern Milkman is at the forefront of combining a strong business model with an emphasis on supporting the environment, all while providing an accessible digital customer experience. We are pleased to work alongside them in the next steps of their journey.” New investor, Avery Dennison, will support these sustainability efforts, working with the brand to use radio frequency identification inlays and tags (RFID tags) to monitor and track the journey of Modern Milkman’s glass bottles. According to the company, this will be the first time RFID tagging technology has been used to identify the end-to-end lifecycle of returnable glass bottles in the UK. Hassan Rmaile, senior VP, EMENA and global innovation label and graphic materials at Avery Dennison, said: “Avery Dennison is committed to doing its part to reduce packaging waste, and strongly supports the development of innovations to achieve this. We believe our investment and future collaborations with The Modern Milkman can help drive new circular business models for consumers." Modern Milkman’s CEO and founder, Simon Mellin, added: “We’re looking forward to collaborating with and learning from leaders in the tech industry as we continue to revolutionise convenient grocery shopping, helping customers to be sustainable throughout a period of inflation – not only at home in the UK, but internationally too”.

Tazo has expanded its portfolio with the launch of its new Gingerbread Spice Latte, just in time for the holiday season. The spice latte is described by Tazo as a "decaffeinated blend of bold black tea with rich molasses, ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar and a hint of cookie crumb". Consumers can channel their inner barista by mixing equal parts of Tazo Gingerbread Spice Latte with the milk of their choice, and they are able to enjoy it either hot or cold. Gingerbread Spice Latte will be available at Target for an SRP of $4.99 per 32oz carton.

Online cake retailer, Sponge, has expanded its portfolio of baked goods with its first non-refined sugar product, maple and pecan cake. The new cake combines the brand’s classic maple and pecan bake with non-refined ingredients – maple syrup and crushed and whole pecans. Richard Fowler, head of Sponge, said: “Our first non-refined sugar cake follows feedback we’ve had from customers, asking for a range of non-refined sugar options to accommodate for those who need to keep an eye on their sugar intake. It’s taken several months of development to create the ideal balance of flavours and texture; it’s certainly not been straightforward, but we’re delighted with the outcome.”

Indian craft beer maker Bira 91, which is owned by B9 Beverages, has raised $70 million in a funding round led by Japanese company Kirin Holdings. A spokesperson for Kirin told FoodBev: "Due to the expansion of the beer market in India and the significant increase in demand for Bira 91, B9 Beverages is planning to construct new production site(s) and we believe that the funds will basically be used for that". According to Reuters, Bira 91 did not say what its valuation or Kirin's stake would be after the funding round but said it would use the funds to expand existing facilities and build new breweries, increasing its footprint across 550 towns in 18 countries. Last year, Kirin Holdings invested $30 million in Bira 91 and as part of the deal, Kirin acquired a stake of under 10% in B9 Beverages.

Unilever is set to explore “cow-free” dairy for use within its ice cream portfolio in the coming years. A spokesperson for Unilever told FoodBev that the company’s R&D team has begun looking at precision fermentation technology and how this could be used to create dairy products that are not animal-based. The spokesperson commented: “We are in the early stages of working with start-ups in this space… At this point in time, we’re not in a position to be able to confirm which brands or markets this technology will be applied to.” Discussing the company’s Climate Transition Action Plan in September, Roy Horne, head of climate action in Unilever’s ice cream business group, said: “We should talk about cows as they’re equally important...They produce milk and cream, which are great to use as raw materials in ice cream, but they come with a high carbon footprint attached… We are having a deep conversation in our brands now, about where we need to use dairy ingredients and how we can improve the carbon footprint of those ingredients.” Unilever’s representative said it hopes to share more on the company’s plans in the next couple of years.

Drinks company Go Mate has launched its new range of all-natural, sugar-free smart drinks. The new range features a smart drink system derived from the South American herb, Yerba Mate and full of nootropics and fruit juices. Among the founders were a 15-year-old gamer, former Coca-Cola Company senior executives, Guido Rosales and Frank Mertens, and former chief executive creative director, Russell Schaller. Guido Rosales, co-founder of Go Mate Drinks said of the launch: “We are incredibly excited to launch our first range of Go Mate drinks. After a long process of working with the ingredients to create the perfect blend of healthy energy, we are looking forward to hearing what our community has to say.” Rosales continued: “We believe that our approach to ‘Good Energy’ will be a great asset to the gaming industry and esports communities, offering an evolved alternative to energy drinks that can boost gamers to the next level of play.” Go Mate’s healthy energy drink alternatives are now available to order.