Whatever Brands has partnered with Valeo Snackfoods to launch a new range of soft drinks under the confectionery brand, Barratt. The soft drinks are made with real fruit juice and taste like the brand's sweets. The fat-free range contains less than 5g of sugar per 100ml, which is said to be cutting any sugar tax. The company said: "For over 150 years, Barratt has been creating fun, wonder and excitement with their tongue-twisting range of sweets. Today they have a huge range of confectionery from their full-on fruity Fruit Salad creations to their super sour Wham bars". The 850ml soft drinks will be available nationwide in Home Bargains, B&M Bargains and Heron Foods from this month.

Smurfit Kappa has completed investments totalling more than €20 million in its manufacturing plants in Olomouc in the Czech Republic and Obaly Štúrovo in Slovakia. The two facilities have been installed with new converting equipment that is expected to expand capacity by over 100 million regular and offset printed boxes annually, to address the rise in demand for paper-based packaging solutions. The investments highlight Smurfit Kappa’s commitment to strengthening its operations in Central and Eastern Europe and will enable the business to further target specific industries. Zdenek Suchitra, CEO of Smurfit Central and South-East Europe, said: “Through these investments, which have created state-of-the-art facilities for our plants, we are excellently positioned to satisfy our well-established customer base, whilst also venturing into the fast-moving consumer goods, eCommerce and electro-technical sectors". He added: "We are in a strong position to continue to deliver our high-quality sustainable solutions, as well as a best-in-class efficiency to the market and to be a better place to work for our people".

Peanut-butter-flavoured whiskey brand, Skrewball, has launched a new limited-edition eggnog flavour variety. The beverage combines the brand’s nutty peanut butter whiskey with eggnog, made with 100% premium dairy cream. The drink blends Skrewball’s signature salty, sweet and savoury spirit with the festive-favourite creamy and spiced eggnog flavour, with notes of cinnamon and vanilla. Skrewball Whiskey president, Carl Carlson, said: "Skrewball Whiskey is known for breaking the mould with innovative flavours and premium ingredients, so we knew it was a natural next step to transform a seasonal classic and continue driving the flavoured whiskey category forward in unexpected ways”. Skrewball Eggnog is 14.75% ABV and is available for a limited time in select retailers across the US.

Upfield-owned vegan cheese brand, Violife, has launched Vegan Blue, a crumbly blue-cheese alternative with added spirulina “veins” for authenticity. Victoria Slater, head of Violife Northern Europe, said: “At Violife, we’re focused on helping our customers celebrate with new flavours and textures, especially during the festive period". "Our new Celebration Platter, including the innovative Vegan Blue, is a perfect addition to any Christmas cheese board.” The GMO, preservative and nut-free plant-based cheese block is available in Tesco stores for an RRP of £3.25.

New Zealand-based cultivated meat company, Opo Bio, has announced a NZD 1.5 million (approx. $924,682) seed round and plans to launch its first research product. Opo Bio is a B2B cultivated meat company, developing cell lines for the cultivated meat industry from New Zealand livestock. The company’s first product, primary bovine muscle cells (Opo-Moo), is available for researchers globally to purchase. Opo’s research cell lines will be available for companies to licence. Initially, Opo will focus on cell lines that form cow and pig muscle, fat and connective tissue. Its first product is aimed at researchers working in the field of cultivated meat. Opo’s primary cow cells are also available for researchers to purchase. The company says it hopes these products will accelerate research progress and transparency within the field. Opo Bio was founded in July 2022 by Olivia Ogilvie, Laura Domigan and Vaughan Feisst based on research developed in Laura Domigan’s lab at the University of Auckland. The seed round was led by Matū Fund, followed by Booster, The Inventors' Fund, Booster Innovation Fund and Angels.

Firmenich and DSM have launched an exchange offer as part of their merger process, which was first announced in May. The companies said that the acceptance period began today, 23 November, and will run until 31 January 2023 unless it is extended. Firmenich shareholders have already approved the transactions, while the DSM board has recommended its shareholders accept the offer. Geraldine Matchett and Dimitri de Vreeze, co-CEOs of DSM, said: “We are entering the exciting next phase as we look to bring together DSM and Firmenich’s complementary capabilities, likeminded and passionate people, and unite the heritages of two great and historic companies”. They added: “DSM-Firmenich is set to become the leading creation and innovation partner in nutrition, beauty and well-being, capable of delivering enhanced growth and shareholder value creation through strong growth synergies, as well as an enhanced customer offering and an even greater positive impact across the world”. Gilbert Ghostine, CEO of Firmenich, added: “This merger is a transformational moment for the history of both businesses. DSM-Firmenich will be a global-scale partner, uniquely positioned to anticipate and better address the evolving needs of consumers by unlocking opportunities for our customers and our people.” He continued: “Our two companies have an unrelenting commitment to their role in society with ESG at the core of everything we do and I firmly believe that DSM-Firmenich will have a positive and measurable impact on people, climate and nature.” Completion of the transaction is expected in Q1 2023.

Soli Organic has announced plans to build a high-tech, organic soil-based indoor farm in the Brooks community of San Antonio, Texas. The automated farm will increase growing capacity by 100,000 square feet, including six vertical layers of production capacity and an additional 40,000 square feet of processing volume. Soli Organic’s deep six-level tray structures facilitate a more efficient growth system, using horizontal and vertical space to drive higher yields. Leo Gomez, Brooks president and CEO, commented: “We are thrilled to continue the momentum at Brooks as we welcome Soli Organic to the thriving 1,308-acre campus. The company exemplifies innovation, environmental care and job creation, all of which further Brooks’ mission to promote and develop a dynamic, sustainable and inclusive community by serving as a catalyst for transformative economic development and regional prosperity.” Soli Organic strategically selected San Antonio as the site of its next farm with the hopes of furthering the company’s ability to serve retailers and customers across the southwest with more regionally-grown products. The soil-based growing system’s natural benefits, combined with space efficiency and targeted technology, enable Soli Organic to offer fresh, organic, sustainably grown USDA-certified herbs and greens at a much lower price point. Matt Ryan, CEO of Soli Organic, said: “As record-breaking heat, drought, wildfires and other extreme weather events take a mounting toll across the southwest and other parts of the country, we aim to ensure consumers throughout the region have year-round access to the best-tasting, freshest and most affordable organic produce on the market”. The announcement follows Soli Organic’s recent close of a Series D funding round where the company raised nearly $125 million to expand its national production footprint in the US.

Pop-Tarts has launched a limited-edition frosted gingerbread flavour variety of its toaster pastries, in time for the festive season. Enjoyed as a convenient treat or as a “mess-free, ultra-easy way to assemble a holiday house”, the frosted gingerbread flavour toaster pastries are available for a limited time at retailers across Canada.

Canadian celebrity chef David Rocco has announced the launch of his own line of Italian-made pasta and premium sauces. Launching under the same namesake, David Rocco's pastas include orecchiette, strozzapreti and fusilli pugliesi, while the premium sauces include pomodoro and basilico, arrabbiata, puttanesca and ricotta and pecorino. Rocco's said: "Inspired by 'restaurant meal kits' that increased in popularity over the pandemic, my family encouraged me to find a way to create that unmistakable Italian taste and experience it in our very own kitchens with the ease and quality of a restaurant meal, but at a fraction of the cost. The goal of producing this line was to create the same experience as when you travel to Italy and have your first meal at a trattoria..." The pastas and sauces are available in select retailers such as Loblaws, Metro, Fortinos, Longo's, Zehrs, YIG, Real Atlantic Superstore, Provigo, Valu-mart and others.

Plastipak has announced the opening of a recycling facility at its manufacturing site in Toledo, Spain. Founded in 1967, Plastipak provides packaging solutions to various industries, including the food and beverage sector. The recycling plant will see PET flakes converted into food-grade rPET pellets that can be used directly in new preforms, bottles and containers. It will produce 20,000 tonnes of food-grade recycled pellets every year and recycled resin transport-related emissions will be eliminated. In addition, the facility has incorporated advanced energy-saving technologies and equipment, including the installation of over 1,800 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on its roof, which is expected to generate over 1,339 MWh of electricity per year, saving more than 443 tonnes of CO2 annually. Pedro Martins, Plastipak’s executive managing director Europe, said: “The use of rPET is a key tool in reducing our customer’s scope three related emissions and forms an important part of their ESG-packaging related commitments. As well as supporting our customers to reduce their financial obligations under the planned Spanish plastics tax, the plant will also contribute to meeting the minimum recycled content levels mandated by the Single Use Plastics Directive.” Jack Pacente, VP of global sustainability, added: “We are delighted to open another world-class PET bottle-to-bottle recycling facility, complete with additional investment in emissions-reduction initiatives, demonstrating our leadership in the circular economy". "Already, 100% of the electricity Plastipak consumes in Europe originates from renewable sources, and the installation of PV panels is our second on-site renewable power generation project in the European region. Long-term emissions reduction is a core pillar of our ESG programme, demonstrated by our registered commitment to the Science-Based Target Initiative.” Plastipak has other recycling plants located in the US, France, Luxembourg and the UK.

Cargill will appoint Brian Sikes as its president and chief executive officer on 1 January 2023. The soon-to-be CEO, currently holding the chief operating officer title, has worked at Cargill for 31 years. Dave MacLennan, who has served as Cargill's CEO since 2013, will assume the role of executive chair of the company's board of directors. MacLennan said: "As Cargill continues to navigate dynamic global markets, both operational excellence and a clearly articulated vision driven by purpose and values will define the company's success, and there is no better person than Brian to lead Cargill". He continued: "He's a person of action and results, with a relentless passion for serving our customers and our people. Brian has the qualities we value in a strong leader– integrity, empathy, resilience and authenticity. Under his leadership, I am confident the best days for Cargill, and its greatest contributions, lie ahead." Sikes added: "I am honoured to succeed MacLennan as Cargill's president and CEO. Under his visionary leadership, Cargill has a solid foundation, business model and culture that positions us for long-term success.” He commented: “Our 160,000 employees across Cargill are the best in the industry. Together, we will grow with customers, strengthen our core and thoughtfully target new markets to ensure we are a reliable, sustainable partner for our customers – today and in the future." MacLennan joined the company in 1991 and served in multiple executive roles, including CFO and COO, before becoming the company's chairman and CEO in 2013. In his role as executive chair of the board, MacLennan will ensure a smooth leadership transition, serve as a trusted strategic advisor to Sikes and support Cargill's long-term strategic plan.

Natural drinks company Nix & Kix has launched Vitamin Vitality, a new range of sparkling drinks with added vitamins B6, B12, C and D. Available in two variations – Orange Passionfruit and Tropical – the natural sparkling drinks combine sparkling water, fruit juices, a zing of cayenne. Nix & Kix co-founder Julia Kessler said: “We founded Nix & Kix after we saw a gap in the market for a healthier soft drink with a twist. Our mission has always been to promote health and wellbeing through low-calorie, low sugar and high-juice-content drinks that do not compromise on flavour.” She continued: “We have launched Vitamin Vitality as consumers are seeking carbonated soft drinks with added health benefits that excite the palate and lift the spirits. It is a great functional drink that is tasty, indulgent and a healthier alternative to full sugar or artificial drinks.” Vitamin Vitality has 23 calories per 250ml can and is plant-based with no added sugar, artificial flavourings or additives.