Co-founders of Honest Tea, Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff have announced their return to the bottled tea business alongside celebrity Chef Spike Mendelsohn with the launch of Just Ice Tea. The ready-to-drink iced tea brand is focused on sourcing simple ingredients and Fair Trade Certified teas and sweeteners. The tea line is the latest addition to Eat the Change, a planet-friendly snack and beverage company founded by Goldman and Mendelsohn in 2020. "Just Ice Tea is picking up where Honest Tea left off, but we are tripling down on our commitments to our core values - Fair Trade Certified, organic and just sweet enough," said Seth Goldman, co-founder of Honest Tea and Eat the Change. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to once again serve, and hopefully expand, the community of tea growers and retailers we assembled who were abandoned by the discontinuation of Honest Tea." "We didn't want to leave our loyal customers high and dry, either," said Barry Nalebuff, co-founder of Honest Tea and Eat the Change Board Member. Honest Tea fans will recognise new renditions of crowd favourites with Just Ice Tea. While similar to Honest Tea products, some key differentiators to note are: no cane sugar, glass bottles only, less sweet, and chef-crafted by co-founder Spike Mendelsohn who leads innovation at Eat the Change. "Teaming up with mission-driven leaders and innovators, like Seth and Barry, to launch the next generation of bottled tea is truly a milestone moment for me," said Chef Spike Mendelsohn, Co-Founder of Eat the Change. "Innovation is my favorite part of being a chef, and we're excited to introduce this new line of chef-crafted teas made with responsibly sourced ingredients from our trusted partners." Flavour names and varieties include Berry Hibiscus Herbal Tea, Honey Green Tea, Moroccan Mint Tea, Original Green Tea, Peach Oolong Tea and ½ Tea ½ Lemonade.

Merchant Gourmet has expanded into on-the-go with mini snacking chestnuts and into ambient pre-prepared with ready-to-bake stuffing, marking two sector firsts. The new chestnut snacks are available in lightly salted flavour, providing healthy snack packs containing 65 kcals whilst remaining low in fat and being a source of fibre. The HFSS-compliant chestnuts are roasted and lightly sprinkled with seasoning, offering a natural, plant-based on-the-go option. The brand has also launched ready-to-bake chestnut stuffing, the pre-prepared flavourful packs are made with onion, apple, sage and chestnuts and can be baked, added to other recipes or mixed with other stuffing ingredients. “Our latest NPD launches as a direct response to ongoing consumer demand for new and exciting ways to enjoy the traditional fruit. As we approach the festive period, a key moment for chestnut sales in the UK, the launch of our new snacking chestnut and chestnut stuffing offer delicious, plant-based options for all occasions”, said Richard Peake, managing director of Merchant Gourmet.

Opies launched three new varieties of pickles designed to transform menus, offering a range of culinary possibilities with no waste. The new silverskin onions with turmeric & mustard seeds offer an earthy, spicy flavour portfolio, ideal for a cheeseboard, while the silverskin onions with red wine vinegar bring a more fruity taste and can be added to a rich main dish. The final variety, pickled pears are warming and full-bodied, blended with cinnamon and clove, recommended as an accompaniment to cold meats or a stilton.

Zaxby's, a US fast-food chain offering chicken wings, sandwiches and salads, has partnered with popsicle brand Frios to introduce sauce-flavoured popsicles. The frozen product will feature two of Zaxby’s well-known sauces: Zax Sauce and Tongue Torch. Patrick Schwing, chief marketing and strategy officer at Zaxby’s said: "’Saucesicles’ were created for our most loyal fans that can't get enough of our signature sauces. The collaboration with Frios is built on flavour, bringing together two southern brands." The Zax Sauce-flavoured ‘Saucesicle’ features all the sweet and tangy and creamy flavours created by the secret blend of spices, black pepper and Worcestershire Sauce. The Tongue Torch ‘Saucesicle’ includes a mild heat of tomato with notes of garlic, paprika, turmeric and a hint of lime. Cliff Kennedy, CEO and founder of Frios commented: "Partnering with Zaxby's on this one-of-a-kind project has been a fantastic opportunity, bringing to life Zaxby's unique idea for a new offering of their sauces."

Utz Brands-owned Boulder Canyon has teamed up with US hot sauce brand Yellowbird Foods to introduce a limited-edition kettle-style potato chip. Boulder Batch Yellowbird Habanero potato chips blend Boulder Canyon's kettle chips, which are made with avocado oil, with Yellowbird's habanero condiment to create a chip that delivers heat. "We're very excited to work with Boulder Canyon; it's a great fit," said Erin Link, co-founder and creative director for Yellowbird. "Our sauces are made from simple ingredients but have complex flavours and varying heat levels. This habanero kettle chip combination is packed with flavor and offers a fiery, feel-good sensation we know spicy-food lovers will appreciate." "We are thrilled to collaborate with Yellowbird and bring the uniquely crafted Yellowbird Habanero Hot Sauce to life in a Boulder Batch limited-edition kettle chip," added Stacey Schultz, senior VP of marketing for Utz Brands. The new chips are available at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market while supplies last.

Waterloo Sparkling Water has announced the launch of a new Spiced Apple flavour variation, offering a calorie, sugar and sweetener-free Autumnal experience. “After 50 versions over nine months of development, we found the perfect balance of warm baked and fresh crisp apple flavours with cinnamon and spice notes, landing on an apple pie filling finish with hints of vanilla sweetness”, said Adam Price, senior vice president of operations and flavour development lead at Waterloo. The new beverage’s blend of apple, aromatic spices and cider notes can be consumed on its own or used as a mixer for cocktails and mocktails, and like all of Waterloo’s portfolio, the drink contains no calories, sugar or sweeteners. Waterloo drinks are made with non-GMO Project Verified natural flavours and purified carbonated water, providing a crisp and refreshing experience that supports healthy, active lifestyles.

Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) will receive a grant of up to $45 million from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reduce its methane emissions and develop "climate-smart," low-carbon dairy products. The funds were announced through the USDA programme Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities, which awarded 70 grants worth $2.8 billion for pilot projects "that will help build and expand opportunities for consumers to purchase food grown or produced in a climate-friendly way". Kevin O'Donnell, senior vice president of sustainability at DFA, said: "We're thrilled to receive a Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant from USDA and appreciate their support for accelerating adoption of innovative, sustainable agricultural practices on our member farms as well as developing and marketing low-carbon dairy products to meet growing consumer demand". He continued: "Given eco-efficiency gains and other leadership to date, we know that dairy is part of the solution to climate change. These funds will allow DFA to build on this foundation, using our cooperative business model to ensure benefits are captured at our member farms. This will allow us an opportunity to establish a more circular economy where we can increase crop resilience in dairy production, innovate more widespread climate and related product solutions faster, and better position us to continue providing sustainable nutrition to families around the world."

House Foods Holding USA has signed an agreement to acquire Keystone Natural Holdings (KNH), a North American manufacturer of tofu and plant-based foods, from Keystone Capital. The acquisition will expand House Foods' portfolio of tofu and plant-based food products, and accelerate its US market expansion plans. The combined company will have eight manufacturing facilities across North America. “During our partnership, we invested significantly to expand KNH’s brand presence, manufacturing capacity, product development capabilities, as well as the leadership team, in order to provide a broad range of healthy, innovative plant-based food products for grocery, club and foodservice customers," said Chaoran Jin, managing director of Keystone Capital. Kenny Sung, CEO of KNH, added: “Keystone Capital helped us successfully expand into additional strategic segments, which has positioned us to better serve our retail and foodservice customers in the ethnic and mainstream channel. We have integrated three add-on acquisitions, which has broadened our core market and accelerated our growth. We look forward to working with House Foods to continue our growth trajectory." The proposed transaction is expected to close by the end of the month.

Industrial gas company Air Products has launched a new digital intelligence system that allows food producers to monitor and control their freezers remotely, improving efficiency and reducing product loss. Air Products Smart Technology (APST) uses sensor and wireless communications technology to give food producers greater insight into the cryogenic freezing process. With real-time and historical advanced data analytics, the live digital dashboards allow production teams to monitor, assess and optimise freezer performance. APST offers convenience, efficiency and effectiveness to current cryogenic freezing processes. Supervisors can conduct effective performance evaluations remotely and make adjustments when needed to prevent under or over-freezing. The technology helps to optimise freezing process parameters, increasing overall equipment efficiency for higher yield and quality, minimising costs and improving the sustainability of operations by decreasing food waste and reducing nitrogen consumption. The new digital tool enables data to be accessed remotely by engineers, meaning customer enquiries can often be resolved without an onsite visit, helping to minimise downtime. “The insight and guidance that APST offers food producers can significantly boost productivity with direct impact on a company’s bottom line. Using smart technology will help to improve and maintain product quality and reduce nitrogen consumption, as well as maximise efficiency and up-time of their cryogenic tunnel freezer”, said Jon Trembley, technology manager for cryogenic applications at Air Products.

Health-Ade has expanded their kombucha line to include two new flavours, Ginger Pineapple Belly Reset and Citrus Immune Boost. The original Strawberry Glow contains biotin as well as bamboo extract. The latest addition, Citrus Immune Boost brings a source of Vitamin C and Zinc, with each bottle of Ginger Pineapple Belly Reset said to contain six billion CFU of living probiotics at the time of bottling. Daina Trout, co-founder and chief mission officer at Health-Ade said: "The Glow Up line is something that I am really excited about.” "A diverse gut microbiome makes a huge difference when it comes to overall health, including benefits in hair, skin and nails, immunity, and, of course, digestion. That's why we developed Health-Ade's Glow Up line – three kombucha flavours with functional ingredients that highlight and boost kombucha's existing benefits!"

Chocolatier Lily O’Brien’s has launched its new range of chocolate truffles, available in two flavours, Milk Chocolate and Salted Caramel. The truffles will be available to purchase at an RRP of £5 each in Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose. Speaking about the launch, Karen Crawford, marketing director of Lily O’Brien’s, said, “Lily O’Brien’s has experienced market leading growth in the past year, and we are continuing to invest in our brand through our new Truffles innovation, with a new marketing campaign leading us into the festive season – a key period for confectionery. “For us, craft and inventiveness are about blending contemporary trend-led flavours such as Salted Caramel with more classically traditional recipes such as indulgent milk chocolate – offering trusted premium quality without a premium price tag. Creating different gifting opportunities to enjoy our chocolate collections, and bringing more occasions into the confectionery category, will drive value and volume.”

Doughlicious – The London Dough Company has expanded its Dough Chi ice-cream portfolio with the launch of a cinnamon-flavoured cookie dough ice cream. Doughlicious' Cinnamon Churro Dough Chi is a cinnamon-flavoured ice cream covered in cinnamon cookie dough and finished with a cinnamon cookie crumb. Known for creating ready-to-bake sweet cookie dough, Doughlicious products are gluten-free, and all ingredients are said to be "sourced from reputable suppliers who adhere to the brands’ high standards of quality, animal welfare and sustainable production methods". Cinnamon Churro Dough Chi will be available at Waitrose stores nationwide this month for an RRP of £5 per six-pack.