A unit of China Resources Beer has agreed to acquire a 55.19% stake in Guizhou Jinsha Jiaojiu Winery Industry for RMB 12.3 billion (approx. $1.7 billion). Founded in 1951, Guizhou Jinsha Winery produces and distributes baijiu products under the brands Zhaiyao and Jinsha Huisha in China. Baijiu translates to white liquor and is made from wholegrain. The colourless liquor usually ranges in alcohol content from 40-60%. The acquisition of Guizhou Jinsha Winery is part of China Resources Wine's efforts to diversify its product mix and expand its revenue streams. The deal is expected to significantly enhance the group’s profitability and valuation. Hou Xiaohai, executive director and CEO of China Resources Beer, said: "The acquisition of Guizhou Jinsha Winery is a key initiative of the group’s strategic plans for the baijiu market. It reflects the results of the group’s focus on its alcoholic beverages business, as well as its efforts to facilitate the cooperation between the central and local governments and to expand its core business." He continued: "The acquisition also represents our steady progress in the development of non-beer alcoholic beverages. Guizhou Jinsha Winery has a long brewing history and cultural heritage, which features a unique sauce flavour, presenting extraordinary development potential. We believe... can revitalise Guizhou Jinsha Winery through talent team building, brand development, channel networking and lean management. "Looking ahead, we will integrate our existing baijiu business resources and further strengthen the group's competitiveness and brand value within the Chinese baijiu industry through a ‘dual empowerment’ model to develop both beer and non-beer businesses at the same time. Meanwhile, we will continue to stride forward to our strategy of ‘winning at premium segment’ and uphold our mission of ‘leading industrial development, brewing a better life’." The completion of the transaction is subject to approval from the relevant government authority.

Infant nutrition company Ausnutria Dairy has agreed to purchase a 50% stake in Dutch cheese producer Amalthea. Amalthea produces semi-hard goat and organic cow cheese, while Ausnutria specialises in infant nutrition based on goat’s milk. Ausnutria and Amalthea had already been working together prior to the deal; however, the acquisition will enable the companies to combine their strengths and provide more people with access to goat milk. The companies own the CleardMilk formula, which has been specially developed to break down goat's milk into separate components such as whey and cream using a sophisticated filtration system. Bart van der Meer, CEO of Ausnutria Dairy Corporation, said: “By combining optimal milk production with our joint knowledge, innovations and products, we, as Ausnutria, are able to seize new opportunities and reach new markets together with Amalthea”. Joop de Groot, CEO of Amalthea, added: “The intensified collaboration is in line with our mission to get all the ‘miracles’ out of milk. A logical step that contributes to our striving for a complete valorisation of the milk flows and to increase the flexibility in applications of the milk. The complete utilisation of all milk components is also important for the realisation of Amalthea’s sustainability agenda. At the same time, this collaboration offers our cooperative, suppliers and customers further growth opportunities.” Amalthea says it will remain active as an independent party in the marketing of semi-hard goat and organic cow cheese specialities, soft and white cheese and CleardMilk. The transaction is subject to approval by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets.

Heineken has recorded a 19.8% increase in Q3 net revenue before exceptional items and amortisation but cautioned that it is seeing “some signs of softness in consumer demand”. Higher prices and consumers trading up to more expensive products helped drive the net revenue growth, with beer volumes rising less steeply – by 8.9% on a like-for-like basis. This lagged behind the average market expectation of 12%, according to Reuters. In its half-year results, Heineken warned that mounting pressure on consumer finances could impact beer sales, and the company today said that it had seen signs of a slowdown in demand in some European markets over recent weeks. The world’s second-largest brewer benefitted from a strong recovery in the Asia-Pacific region from the Covid-related restrictions seen last year, with beer volumes up by 68.4% on an organic basis. Meanwhile, beer volumes grew organically by 1.3% in Europe, where sales were boosted by the warm weather seen in some countries during the quarter. “Our business delivered solid results in the third quarter across all regions, and in particular Asia Pacific has had a strong post-Covid recovery,” said Heineken CEO and chairman, Dolf van den Brink. “Our premium portfolio outperformed, led by Tiger and Heineken, including the rollout of Heineken Silver. We maintain our efforts to price responsibly, offsetting input cost inflation. We are well underway to deliver €1.7 billion gross savings on our productivity programme by the end of this year, while continuing to invest behind our brands and capabilities. “We increasingly see reasons to be cautious on the macroeconomic outlook, including some signs of softness in consumer demand.” The company’s full-year expectations are unchanged.

Kellogg’s has released a new mini blueberry-flavoured moon sphere cereal featuring a blue colour, and a fruity aroma which contrasts with the cereal’s crunchy texture. “Avatar: The Way of Water is one of the most anticipated films of the year,” said Laura Newman, senior marketing director at Kellogg All Family Cereal. “And now, Kellogg is providing fans and families with a cool and delicious way to celebrate the next chapter of this franchise with the drop of Kellogg’s Pandora Flakes cereal, an Avatar-themed spin on its beloved Frosted Flakes cereal!” The new cereal is Kellogg’s latest collaboration with the ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ film which premiers in December, replicating the fictional world of Pandora. Kellogg’s Pandora Flakes are available in US retailers at an SRP of $5.99.

UK-based English Cheesecake Company has launched two frozen cheesecake product lines, frozen cheesecake tubs and bites. The new formats have been crafted as part of the brand’s ongoing strategy to deliver creative indulgence and include five flavour varieties. The Frozen Cheesecake Tubs are available in chocolate fudge cookie dough or classic strawberries and cream flavour. The bites are available in Lotus Biscoff, cookies and cream or a vegan mango and passionfruit flavour. All of the brand’s products are made using 100% British dairy. The brand claims the frozen cheesecake bites and tubs are the first to be launched into major UK supermarkets. The new products are available nationwide in Tesco stores from 31 October, the tubs are priced at an RRP of £4.50 and the bites at an RRP of £4.00.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams has partnered with American whiskey brand Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey to announce the return of its Boozy Eggnog ice cream flavour. The flavour is made with grass-grazed milk for a salted egg custard base spiked nutmeg and Uncle Nearest Whiskey. According to the companies, "the super silky texture and rich flavour are complemented by the boozy warmth of the whiskey, which flavours the ice cream like a complex vanilla with notes of caramel for a sweet finish. Boozy Eggnog itself is inspired by Jeni’s grandfather, who always spiked his eggnog with whiskey." Boozy Eggnog will be available for a limited-time only from 27 October at Jeni's website.

Mondelēz International has entered the next phase of its Cocoa Life programme, backed by an additional $600 million through to 2030. A total of $1 billion has been invested in the programme since its inception in 2012. The programme's main objective is to increase cocoa volume at scale and support around 300,000 farmers by 2030. With this investment, Mondelēz hopes to "catalyse ground-breaking sector collaboration" to help address environmental and social challenges, and improve the lives of farmers and their communities. Dirk Van de Put, chairman and CEO of Mondelēz, said: “As one of the world’s leading snacking companies, it is a priority to continue making our most important ingredients, such as cocoa, right, and Cocoa Life sits at the heart of this strategy". He continued: "While we are excited about the promise of our investments, we are calling for more sector-wide effort and actions to drive greater impact, including new private-public partnerships, as we aim to catalyse ground-breaking collaboration to help move cocoa forward together”. A decade on, the programme has reached "critical scale" with over 200,000 farmers now signed up and $400 million invested by the end of 2022. Results of the programme so far include: an increase in farmers' revenue (~15% in Ghana and ~33% in Cote d’Ivoire); high cocoa yields, with double-digit percentage increases in farmers earning a living income; 61% of Cocoa Life communities in West Africa covered with Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation Systems; and more. Christine Montenegro McGrath, SVP and chief impact and sustainability officer at Mondelēz, commented: “As we celebrate the ten-year anniversary of Cocoa Life, we are excited to announce the next phase. While progress and impact have been made, cocoa farmers and their communities are still facing big challenges." She added: "We are passionate about helping to drive lasting change across the whole cocoa sector and are doubling down on Cocoa Life’s integrated approach because we know only a sector-wide long-term strategy, supported by action by all industry players, producing and consuming governments, and civil society will lead to lasting impact”.

The Coca-Cola Company has raised its guidance for the full year after its Q3 performance was boosted by higher prices. The beverage giant recorded sales of $11.06 billion – up 10% year-over-year – ahead of the $10.52 billion expected on average by analysts, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Meanwhile, the soda maker saw organic sales growth of 16%, driven by higher prices, while unit case volume rose 4%. Overall, hydration, sports, coffee and tea saw unit case volume grow 5%. Tea was stable, as strong growth in Brazil and Mexico was offset by a decline due to the company's suspension of business in Russia. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar grew 11%, while sparkling soft drinks overall grew 3%, driven by performance across all geographic operating segments. Unit case volume grew 9% in Asia Pacific, while Coca-Cola’s Europe, Middle East and Africa business saw a 1% decline, as growth in Spain, Germany and France was more than offset by the impact of suspending operations in Russia. “Our strong capabilities and consumer insights continue to help us win in the marketplace,” said James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “Our business is resilient amidst a dynamic operating and macroeconomic environment. We are investing in our strong portfolio of brands, which is a cornerstone of our ability to deliver long-term value for our stakeholders.” Coca-Cola has updated its full-year guidance and says that it now expects to deliver organic revenue growth of 14% to 15%, compared with its previous forecast of a 12% to 13% increase.

They are focused, purpose-driven and creative: women in the food industry. Three of them give a clear statement about why gender equality, building a personal network and female leadership are so important. For those who are looking for inspiration, the women´s networking breakfast on 7 December on-site at Fi Europe is a great opportunity. Tickets can be easily booked when registering to attend Fi Europe. The food/ingredients industry wasn’t a ‘natural’ fit for a journalism major. However, I was fortunate that my first role out of university was as an entry-level editor with New Hope – writing for Natural Foods Merchandiser and working on Natural Products Expo. Through the decades, that initial dive into the B2B market for food and nutraceutical ingredients has broadened and deepened, allowing me to learn and share more about the ingredients, applications and science. While the industry has changed through the years, it still has so much opportunity to expand to be more inclusive in every way. Considering women are the primary purchasers of household goods—including foods, beverages and food supplements – why not take the opportunity to bring those perspectives to the boardroom and the product development lab? The food/ingredients space is a dynamic one that offers the opportunity to find both professional fulfilment and insights that will impact a person’s personal health and life choices. It’s an industry that makes a tangible impact on the lives of your family and friends and impacts the health of our planet. For companies, hiring people with an understanding of the purchase motivations and personal passions can help in product ideation, marketing insights, go-to-market strategies and much more. Further, I believe the food ingredients industry must achieve gender equity and parity across the supply chain. This means companies must be proactive in driving change across their organisations, from their hiring techniques through mentoring and talent development, to management training and networking opportunities. To achieve gender parity in the food ingredients space, it is important that all people are welcome at the table. Building interconnected networks will ultimately lead to greater change than focusing on women alone. In fact, we have many opportunities to identify barriers and challenges, and then find ways to address them collectively. For example, across the nutraceutical space, there has been a conversation for years about perceived gender disparity. At the end of 2021, a group of motivated industry members came together to identify the challenges and set a path forward. I’m honoured to be the founding president of the non-profit Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN), which officially launched in September 2022. WIN is focused on gender parity in the nutraceutical space – from ingredient suppliers to finished CPG goods, and related services, with the goals of increasing the number of women in leadership positions, funding for women-led businesses and more women in science and research. I credit playing sports from an early age for inspiring me to go and have the career I always wanted in the food industry. Experimenting with the benefits of nutrition and food supplements, I developed a genuine fascination with the versatility of foods and how they affect the body. So, I graduated in human nutrition and dietetics. Right from the start, my first job was in the sports nutrition supplements industry. This all happened in Brazil, my home country, in the 2000s. The key to my early career was gaining as much practical experience as possible, learning from others and building a network. Also, keeping in touch with the growing international issues in nutrition, such as food security, environmental impact and mounting regulations, gave me tremendous confidence in the food industry as the platform in which to build a meaningful career in nutrition. I wanted to make a greater impact. With the help of a scholarship, I moved to Europe for my master’s studies in sports nutrition. Exciting work opportunities in the food industry have opened up to me, one leading to another, and a second master’s degree in food regulatory affairs. Today, as I reach the peak of my career, my main advice is that we must always be learning on the job, from the team and professional networks. In parallel, I regularly invest in continuing professional development to help me reflect on my practice and build new on-demand skills – so important in today’s rapid pace of change. Nutrition still is largely a female-dominated profession, where most graduates go on to pursue careers in research or in clinical practice. Individual motivations aside, I highly encourage women in nutrition to consider exploring career options in the food industry. I firmly believe that nutrition is still an expanding field within the food industry, rarely used to its best capacity. I observe that the food industry has superbly improved its food science and technology capabilities, but less so its nutrition know-how. A largely unfilled space still exists here for women to make an impact. There is still a lot to do to improve the nutritional profile of foods through nutrition-led innovations, creatively use nutrition at the core of marketing and communications initiatives, strengthen the legal health claims landscape, and foster more well-informed debates on issues concerning food and nutrition policy. There is a golden opportunity for women in nutrition to help develop a good reputation for the food industry on current issues concerning the best use of our food resources for optimal health. Networking events are extremely valuable to move women’s careers forwards in the food industry. They put energy and momentum behind the best ideas, as well as create the environment for professionals to coach each other on the skills necessary to realise the common goals that will take the industry to the next level. The truth must be said – nutrition schools rarely prepare professionals to thrive in business and commercial environments. But the beauty of the food industry is that it is highly interdisciplinary. Hence building a professional network is essential for everyone’s learning curves, as we are challenged by different points of view, exchange broad experiences and get inspired by other people’s skill sets. Working home-based, I take care to dedicate at least a third of my time to networking both internally with colleagues, and externally by visiting and socialising with customers and partners, as well as attending industry events and trade association meetings. I describe my work in the food industry as constructive, enlightening and, above all, purposeful. The one thing I wish I had known before embarking on my career was how an all-around professional we must be. So, my word of advice to any woman thinking of entering the industry is to keep a professional development plan that goes beyond nutrition science to investing in building good communication skills, business acumen and a diverse network. I have always been interested in food as one of the vital pillars of human survival. My undergraduate education was in clinical nutrition, where I got to learn about the importance of food and eating patterns in human health and diseases. To broaden my knowledge about global health-promoting food and nutrition policies and how science in the field can be turned into guidelines and practical applications, I pursued a master’s in public health nutrition. This was later followed by a PhD in medical sciences with a focus on how dietary choices can impact the development of brain-related complications later in life. With all respect for, and recognition of the value of academic science and research, the lack of tangible outcomes, or better to say application of those scientific findings in real life, was a moving-forward force for me to join the industry. I started my industry career as a nutritionist and then moved into being a liaison between technical/scientific and commercial. I have been long involved in educational and scientific communications, trying to raise awareness of food quality, as well as healthy and sustainable nutritional solutions. The undeniable role of food in health and wellbeing, along with ever-growing global food shortages, creates a need for smart and alternative food/ingredient sourcing. As a scientific affairs manager, I currently focus on science applications in developing new, more sustainable products and nutraceutical solutions to promote better-lasting health in humans and animals. One general challenge in today’s world is the gap between academia, research and industry. Misalignments between these sectors are a major hurdle to an efficient up-scaled implementation of science and innovation in the food and ingredients industry. To be honest, just after I joined the industry, I realised how much I previously underestimated such a gap. I try now to contribute to building and strengthening the bridge. Of course, there are scientists and academic researchers who believe in the efficacy of cooperation and are eager to help fill in the gap. Today, women are not merely the caretakers of children and older family members. They are actively present in every corner of most societies and keep fighting for equity. They are proven to be influential and successful in many positions and in most sectors, including the food and nutraceutical industries. In my opinion, the major characteristics leading to their success are that women are curious by nature, they pay attention to details, and this enables them to have a better understanding of a situation or a matter; they show more empathy. The latter ‘skill’ makes it easier for women to connect and listen with care to others, and that in return broadens their perspective which can be helpful in finding solutions to complex problems. Women are generally rated higher in interpersonal skills. Top executive, leading and management positions need such capabilities. I remember a while ago I read about research findings discussed by the Harvard Business Review, that showed “companies with more women in senior positions are more profitable, more socially responsible, and provide safer, higher-quality customer experiences”. Women are good at seeing and pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities in the food industry, even though they are still underrepresented. I think everyone agrees that most decisions about food purchases, meal preparations and planning within families are done mainly by women. Being in such close exposure to food on a daily basis and feeling responsible for contributing to a healthful meal for their families is a natural inspiration for many to be curious about food production and technology advancements. This is a key to success in this field. I would deeply encourage women to never set any limitations on their dreams. Dreams are our main force and motivation to move forward. As long as we believe in our own capabilities, we do not need to prove anything to anyone else but ourselves. In whatever career path we step in, we should never stop learning and pursuing more knowledge. Don’t be afraid of making your voice heard and your presence felt. Women’s networking breakfast 2022 This year’s women’s networking breakfast puts sustainability at the forefront, exploring the ways in which women are transforming the global food system for the sake of safeguarding the future of our planet and our people. The world is constantly changing, and the global food system is facing new challenges every day, from navigating the long-lasting impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, to supply chain issues fuelled by the Ukraine war and the looming climate crisis. These challenges require new and innovative solutions, demanding food system stakeholders to look beyond profit and incite purpose-driven action. From farm to fork, women are leading the way, by taking actionable steps towards improving the efficiency, sustainability, and resilience of the global food value chain. Showcasing the female food professionals who are making waves in the global food system and futureproofing our planet, the Women’s Networking Breakfast will consist of two panel discussions featuring a selection of the industry’s leading voices as well as a series of dedicated networking activities. The first session will focus on building a sustainable food system, highlighting the women who are trailblazing the future of food. While the second will advise on how to build a sustainable food business, arming food professionals with practical advice about how to build and run successful diversity and inclusion strategies. Attendees can expect to hear from and connect with a selection of the industry’s brightest minds and key stakeholders striving to build a more sustainable food system. The event is open to male and female professionals and will take place in person on the morning of 7 December 2022, on day 2 of Fi Europe 2022. Find out more. Running order 8:00 – doors open Arriving and coffee 8:20 – 8:30 – Welcome from sponsor Ten-minute opening speech from Isabelle Renault, regional vice president EMEA at DSM 8:30 – 9:10 Session 1 Roundtable Discussion Building a sustainable food system: Women trailblazing the future of food Speakers: Saskia Hoebée, senior associate, Five Seasons Ventures Mathilde Jakobsen, CEO and co-founder, Fresh.Land 9:10 – 9:30 – Networking session 9:30 – 10:30am Session 2 Roundtable Discussion Building a sustainable food business: Spotlight on inclusivity and diversity Speakers: Jon Poole, director, Step Change Development Isabelle Renault, regional vice president EMEA, DSM 10:30am – 11:00 am Closing // networking #FiEurope #FIE #Informa #women

Indonesia-based vitamin brand Youvit has raised $6 million in a growth funding round led by Unilever Ventures, the venture capital and private equity arm of Unilever. The Series B funding round – which was also joined by existing backer DSG Consumer Partners and several other new investors – will support Youvit’s expansion plans, which include growing its product offering and team. The company also plans to increase its omnichannel distribution and launch its full product range in Malaysia, as well as increase availability across Southeast Asia. Youvit co-founder and CEO, Wouter van der Kolk, said: "We aim to improve the health and wellbeing of hundreds of millions of customers and as a result grow into the number one vitamin brand for urban millennials in Southeast Asia.” The products are tailored to local markets, for example through vitamin dosages based on countries' recommended intakes, the inclusion of native ingredients like curcuma, and halal certification in Indonesia and Malaysia. The vitamins are formulated with health-conscious millennials in mind and feature nutrients to support immune function, brain development, energy, and the overall health of adults and children. "Youvit marks our first investment in the vibrant start-up ecosystem of Southeast Asia, a market which offers us immense opportunities to partner with visionary founders,” said Pawan Chaturvedi, partner at Unilever Ventures. Chaturvedi added: “With its innovative product formats and approach to distribution, Youvit is poised to disrupt the large vitamins and supplements market in Southeast Asia. We look forward to partnering with Youvit as they build out the wellness category in this exciting market.”

Abbott Nutrition has announced plans to build a $500 million nutrition facility in the US for speciality and metabolic infant formulas. On a call with investors, Abbott's chairman and CEO, Robert Ford, said: “We conducted an analysis of the US infant formula market and concluded that this country would benefit from more manufacturing capacity and redundancy. As such, we are moving forward with plans for a half-billion-dollar investment in a new US nutrition facility for speciality and metabolic infant formulas.” Ford added that the company is currently in the final stages of determining the site's location. The news comes amid continued shortages in the US baby formula market. Inflation and the Covid-19 pandemic had already put pressure on supply chains when an Abbott plant in Sturgis, Michigan, was temporarily shut down over contamination concerns in February and a number of infant formula products were recalled. In the investor call, Ford also gave an update on the Sturgis site: “We restarted production at Sturgis in July with a focus on our EleCare and other speciality infant formulas. And in September, we began production of several Similac products, which we expect will begin to reach retail store shelves over the coming weeks.” He added: “We also boosted production in our global network to increase infant formula supply to the US. In fact, we delivered roughly the same volume of formula to our US customers this past quarter as we did during the three months prior to the recall.” “Our number one supply priority was to the WIC – women, infant and children – federal food assistance programme to ensure that underserved participants would have access to infant formula.”

Ferrero-owned Fannie May has introduced two new chocolate offerings: Fannie May Premium Chocolate Bars and Chocolatier’s Mix Rocky Road. Fannie May Premium Chocolate Bars will be available in four flavours: milk chocolate pecan brittle, milk chocolate butterscotch with sea salt, dark chocolate mint and cookie, and dark chocolate sea salt almond. Meanwhile, the Chocolatier's Mix Rocky Road features a combination of crunchy pecans, almonds and fluffy marshmallows coated in Fannie May's signature rich milk chocolate. Rick Fossali, VP and general manager of Fannie May, said: "Fannie May is continuously working to balance our rich tradition of crafting classic, Americana-inspired confections and thinking of new ways fans can enjoy our offerings. With these two new innovations, we have done just that." Both of the offerings are made with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.