IFF has announced the opening of its new 'Nourish' innovation lab at the company's Union Beach, New Jersey, research and development centre. Located in the greater New York City area, the newly opened lab will integrate IFF's research and development projects with trending commercial applications, with a focus on wellness, sustainability and circular economy within food and beverage innovations. The 160,000-square-foot facility will house the lab, with flavourists and food designers leveraging tools, technologies and ingredient expertise to offer customers full product design. Nicolas Mirzayantz, president of Nourish at IFF, commented: "This new facility is a testament to how we pioneer innovation and drive speed to market and accessibility to our customers. We will nurture an innovation project from concept to kitchen table, under one roof." He contained: "Using our scientific knowhow, application excellence and full portfolio of ingredients, we’ll improve the taste and nutrition profiles of next-generation food and beverages. With our new culinary kitchen, we’re enabling technology focused on the consumer-eating experience, taking food development out of the traditional lab setting and into the kitchen."

Ben & Jerry's and Tony Chocolonely have collaborated to release chocolate and ice cream innovations with a fully traceable cocoa supply chain. The releases include Ben & Jerry’s Chocolatey Love A-Fair ice cream, which features chocolate ice cream combined with salted caramel and chocolate and caramel chunks, available in dairy and non-dairy varieties. The ice cream takes inspiration from Tony’s milk caramel sea salt bar. Meanwhile, Tony's Chocolate Love A-Fair is available in two variants – dark milk chocolate brownie and white chocolate strawberry cheesecake – inspired by two Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavours. The cocoa beans used in the new treats are sourced through Tony’s 'Open Chain' which helps companies to ensure a fully traceable cocoa supply chain and pay a higher price to address poverty. Ben & Jerry’s will begin converting its ice cream portfolio to Tony’s programme, prioritising the cocoa in the ice cream base mix and building on its partnership with Fairtrade. Cheryl Pinto, Ben & Jerry's global head of values-led sourcing, said: "We began this journey seven years ago, when we first partnered with Fairtrade co-ops in Côte d’Ivoire and this is the exciting next step in our cocoa journey as we amplify our commitment to farmers, equity and ethical sourcing". Pinto continued: "Tony’s Open Chain enables us to combine traceability with sourcing principles that naturally align to Ben & Jerry’s mission and supports cocoa farmers to meet high standards on social and environmental practices while strengthening their co-operative". The new releases will be available in retailers in early 2023.

Orchard House Foods, a provider of packaged fruit products in the UK, has announced plans to close its production facility in Gateshead. The company will relocate its UK production to an existing Corby, Northampton, operation, impacting around 430 employees. Orchard House Foods provides freshly prepared fruit, fruit drinks, fruit jellies, fresh fruit yogurts, compotes and granolas to major UK retailers, supermarkets and restaurants. Steve Corby, chief executive of Orchard House Foods, said: "We understand that this is an incredibly difficult situation for our employees and our priority now is to ensure that we do everything we can to support them. Despite making significant investments in our Gateshead facility over a considerable period in an effort to turn around its financial performance, it is unfortunately still making losses that make it unsustainable over the long-term." He continued: ...“This is not a decision we have taken lightly and comes off the back of an incredibly challenging period for the sector. Like many other businesses across the UK, we have been suffering from a series of economic and business challenges. They include rising energy, raw material, transport and labour costs. There has also been a shortage of available staff to work at our Gateshead site.” Plans are to consolidate production at its existing site by the end of November this year. The company expects a significant number of new jobs to be created at the Corby site as part of the relocation.

Tyson Foods will invest $200 million in its Amarillo, Texas, beef plant to expand and upgrade operations and enhance team member experience. The project will begin this autumn and involves the construction of a 143,000-square-foot expansion to the company's existing beef facility. The new area will include an upgraded team member site, complete with locker rooms, a cafeteria and office space. Tyson says the expansion will focus on streamlining operational activities and prioritising team member safety, ergonomics and food safety, by implementing enhanced automation and new technologies. This includes energy and water conservation technologies, such as water utility equipment, pumps and piping to automate and allow for a reduction in water usage. Shane Miller, group president, Tyson Foods Fresh Meats, said: “We’re committed to being the most sought-after place to work and while we’ve invested heavily in new benefits for our team, this project will improve the onsite work experience for our team members, while making our operations more efficient". The Amarillo plant produces fresh cuts of beef and speciality products, as well as ground beef products, which are packaged and boxed on-site for sale to retail land foodservice both in the US and internationally. The expansion is expected to be completed by 2024.

Spirit of Gallo has announced a strategic investment in the Tequila Komos brand, assuming US distribution rights effective immediately. The Tequila Komos portfolio is comprised of Añejo Cristalino, Reposado Rosa and Extra Añejo variants. The tequila comes in a handmade ceramic bottle, designed to be easily upcycled. US-based company Spirit of Gallo represents more than 20 brands, including New Amsterdam Vodka, E & J Brandy, Horse Soldier Bourbon and Camarena Tequila. Britt West, senior vice president and general manager for Spirit of Gallo, said: "Through refined artistry, innovation and commitment to quality, Komos is best-in-class in its category, allowing Spirit of Gallo to build on the momentum of consumer demand and propel the brand, along with the ultra-luxury tequila segment, into uncharted territory across the globe." Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

FoodBev Media’s Lauren Ford rounds up this week’s food and beverage news, including: Cooke agrees to acquire Australia’s Tassal for AUD 1.7bn; KDP in talks to buy Bang Energy drink owner – Bloomberg; Kraft Heinz recalls Wild Cherry-flavoured Capri Sun juice drink; and more. All this and more in this week’s podcast – click here to subscribe.

South-American plant-based brand Nature's Heart is launching a new savoury snacking range – Crunch. The line consists of six variants including Sweet Chilli Crunch; Salt and Vinegar Crunch; Sour Cream and Chive Crunch; Smoky BBQ Crunch; Sea Salt and Pepper Crunch; and Chilli and Lemon Crunch. The Crunch range is a blend of edamame, peas, broad beans and seeds and every 50g portion contains at least 12g of protein and 7g of fibre, counting as one of your five a day. Tom Benton, general manager of Nature’s Heart, said: "In developing our new Crunch range, we took on board the results of research which showed that when it comes to choosing snacking products, the nutrition-related claim most UK consumers look for is whether it contains one of five a day, with almost half (49.6%) saying it was the top claim for them." Benton added: "We have taken a huge amount of time and care in developing Crunch – and if we do say so ourselves, we believe we have scored a winner! Not only does the range provide a more nutritious way to snack, but it delivers on texture, variety and most importantly on taste. We can’t wait to hear what people think!" Nature’s Heart Crunch is available now through Ocado, Amazon, Holland and Barrett and WH Smith stores.

Popcorn Shed has launched seven new flavours this month, adding to its portfolio of over 20 gourmet popcorn flavours. The new flavours include: Red Velvet, made from red cocoa-infused caramel popcorn with white chocolate and cream cheese frosting; White Chocolate, caramel popcorn with white chocolate; Pink Gin & Tonic, with caramel popcorn and a fruity twist; Chocolate Orange, dark chocolate infused with orange; Maple Bacon; Gingerbread; and Toasted Marshmallow. Pink Gin & Tonic, Chocolate Orange, Gingerbread and Toasted Marshmallow are vegan. Each flavour is inspired by a famous movie - for example, Red Velvet takes influence from Alice in Wonderland, while Chocolate Orange is inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The new flavours are available on the brand's website and Amazon.

Swiss cultivated meat producer, Mirai Foods, has entered into a strategic partnership with Shiok Meats subsidiary Gaia Foods, to develop cultivated beef products in Singapore. The partnership will see the exchange of know-how and supplies to bring cultivated beef to Singapore. Mirai will supply Gaia with its bovine muscle and fat stem cells. The company says these are natural, highly pure, non-genetically modified cells "collected from premium cattle breeds". Christoph Mayr, CEO at Mirai, said: “We are excited to partner with one of the world’s leading cultivated seafood producers and their subsidiary cultivated meat company to extend the culinary choice for Singaporean consumers to premium, Swiss quality cultivated beef. Partnering with a Singaporean company is particularly interesting for us given the country’s strong distribution and partnership network across the Asia Pacific region, which has been showing a growing appetite for safe, high-quality beef.” Meanwhile, Shiok will provide Mirai with its regulatory information and expertise, gained from being "located in the first country in the world to approve the sale of cultivated meat and home to the largest cultivated meat facility in Asia". Sandhya Sriram, group CEO at Shiok Meats and Gaia Foods, added: “This partnership is the result of a strong relationship we have been building with MIRAI. We already started working with Mirai’s stem cells and are very happy with their performance. Whilst we will leverage our regulatory status and expertise to help Mirai accelerate its market entry in Singapore, we are also eyeing on potential production and distribution of our seafood products in Switzerland, a high purchasing power market with a strong first adoption mindset.” You may also like to read: Shiok Meats buys cultivated meat company Gaia Foods Mirai Foods secures $2.4m in funding Shiok Meats secures $12.6m in series A round

Asahi Beverages Philippines (ABP) is partnering with Universal Robina Corp. (URC) to launch a range of cultured milk drinks into the Filipino market. URC is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the Philippines and through the collaboration, the companies are addressing a "greater need among Filipinos for healthier food products". Goodday cultured milk drinks contain Lactobacillus Paracasei MCC1849 to help improve immunity and will be available in three flavours – original, strawberry and mango. Irwin Lee, URC’s president and CEO, commented: "Consumers have made health and wellness a priority over the past few years and URC’s joint ventures and product innovations in beverages are ready to address their needs. With our partnership with Asahi, we look forward to the addition of Goodday cultured milk drink to our portfolio of beverage brands to better serve Filipino consumers." "We strongly believe that Goodday will be made available in all of URC’s distribution networks across the Philippines, and in the hands of our loyal consumers as the demand for immunity-boosting health beverages continue to rise," added Hemalatha Ragavan, CEO of ABP. "My team and I are ecstatic as we look forward to establishing Goodday as a household Filipino brand like how URC has done for all its current brands". The beverages will be sold in two packaging sizes of 350ml and 80ml and will soon be available in stores nationwide.

The shortlist of finalists for the 2022 World Beverage Innovation Awards, sponsored by Ecolean, has been announced. The judging panel considered 131 entries from 21 countries across 22 categories. The winners in all 22 categories will be announced as part of a special awards ceremony hosted in association with drinktec on Monday 12th September. A full list of finalists in each category follows below. Best sparkling drink ikaffe partner co ltd – chillme  De La Calle – Tapache PepsiCo Design & Innovation – Bublybounce ALDI – exclusive Mimosa Best premium/ adult drink P.O.S.C.A. GmbH – Posca Romana Hunt and Brew – finally give Aussiecoffee lovers an Australian grown bean!  AB InBev – Corona Tropical PepsiCo Design & Innovation – Soulboost Brand Launch Best plant-based drink KINO BIOTECH PTE LTD – KINOHIMITSU WELLSURE ikaffe partner co ltd – chillme (apple & ruby black tea vinegar sparkling water)  Best packaging/ label design AB InBev Corona Crates – Maritime Industry Plastic and ‘Riptide’ Finish Graphic Packaging International – Dogfish Head Brewery Scratch’n’Sniff Hoppy Variety Pack Verve Coffee Roasters – Verve Whole Bean Coffee PepsiCo Design & Innovation – Pepsi New Year 2022 LTO Denomination – Wise Wolf by Banrock Station  Best new brand/ business CAMPO società cooperativa agricola – Canù (the first organic gluten-free and GMO-free pasta straw) CUPEX – reusable and reclosable lid De La Calle – Tapache Evangelion – Radio EVA Best metal design Ardagh Metal Packaging – H!GHEND  Crown Packaging – Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc Best marketing campaign PepsiCo Design & Innovation – Muhammad Ali x Gx Kit Collaboration PepsiCo Design & Innovation – PepsiTaste Challenge LTO 2021 Best manufacturing/ processing innovation Ardagh Metal Packaging – H!GHEND AB InBev – nFinity Flexible Packer CUPEX – Reusable and Reclosable Lid  Tasogare Coffee – Americano RTD Best low/ no alcohol drink AB InBev – Corona Cero Alcohol Free  POURA premium ginger essence – The new culture of drinking (GoodiegetterUG) P.O.S.C.A. GmbH – Posca Romana Juicy River – Bolle Oro Privatkellerei Schäfer GmbH – ApéroVino Best infusion/ botanical drink BPI – Dilmah Single Origin Handpicked Ceylon Ice Tea  Angel 8 Drinks – Jelly Infusions Best health/ wellness drink Clutch Cognition ApS – Clutch Cognition Ölgerðin Egill Skallagrímsson hf. – COLLAB Forestberries JoyBräu Functional Beer – Vitamin Beer  Bounce Back Labs Ltd – Bounce Back Best glass design Ardagh Glass Packaging – AbsolutVoices  Ardagh Glass Packaging – Belvoir Farm Botanical Sodas PepsiCo Design & Innovation – Mirinda Vintage Special Edition Ardagh Glass Packaging – Gordon’s Gin Best functional drink Renew Wellness Sdn Bhd – Dozoff Ölgerðin Egill Skallagrímsson hf. – COLLAB Forest berries  JoyBräu Functional Beer – Protein Beer Grapefruit Bounce Back Labs Ltd – Bounce Back Haelu Drinks – HAELU Best environment-friendly packaging AB InBev Corona – 20 Returnable Bottle Crates  Boxed Water Is Better® – Boxed Water™ CUPEX – Reusable and Reclosable Lid PakTech – Secondary Packaging Graphic Packaging International – Molson Coors Three Fold Seltzer  Best dairy drink sponsored by Sidel PepsiCo Design & Innovation – Opolie I am Nutri – Quinoa Wellness Beverage (PROBIOTIC)  Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co.,Ltd. – Changyi 100% Zero-Sugar Lactobacillus drink Best CSR/ sustainability initiative AB InBev – SORBA AI Utilities Consumption Reduction CAMPO società cooperativa agricola – Canù (the first organic gluten-free and GMO-free pasta straw) Boxed Water Is Better® – BoxedWater™  Best boxed drink design PepsiCo Design & Innovation – NeonZebra Brand Launch AB InBev – Chanel Extra-premium Secondary Packaging Best beverage ingredient African Originals Ciders De La Calle – Tapache LANXESS – Nagardo  Tasogare Coffee – Americano RTD Best beverage concept Buzzed Energy – Buzzed Energy  PepsiCo Design & Innovation – NitroPepsi De La Calle – Tapache African Originals Ciders Haelu Drinks – HAELU Best alcohol drink PepsiCo Design & Innovation – Soulboost Brand Launch Pals – Pals Tios Drinks – Hard Tea  DrinkWell – Lean Brew IPA ALDI – exclusive Zarita Margarita Best technology innovation AB InBev – Segue AI Line Balance Optimization Diversey Food & Beverage – IntelliCIP Best dispense concept Re-Cap Solutions – Christian Paul Sooth, Tobias Temmen, Christian Vorbach About The World Beverage Innovation Awards Now in their 19th year, the  World Beverage Innovation Awards , in association with  drinktec , are designed to celebrate excellence and innovation across every category of the global beverage industry. This trusted brand recognition highlights the contribution your company’s products and team are making to the industry.  About FoodBev Media Established in 2000, FoodBev Media is the food and beverage industry’s leading media and communication business. With a portfolio of international magazines, the website  www.foodbev.com and the industry’s largest social media network, FoodBev Media ensures you are continuously kept up to date with the latest trends and innovations. Since 2003, FoodBev Media has gained a reputation for organising successful international awards schemes in the food, beverage and dairy industries.

Diageo India has announced a Rs 45 crore (approx. $5.7 million) investment in a new craft and innovation hub in Ponda, Goa. The investment builds on the company's strategy to accelerate innovation and strengthen its craft and premium portfolio. The hub will span four acres and, when fully operational, will produce 20,000 cases a month and offer end-to-end capabilities for in-house malt, gin and rum distillation. The facility, which will employ 250 people locally, will also feature blending and maturation for spirits, an automated bottling and packaging line, and a warehouse for incoming and finished products. In line with Diageo's 2030 sustainability goals, the hub will use 100% renewable energy for distillation and more than 40% of the operations will be powered by in-house renewable electricity generated by its solar plant and steam turbine. Hina Nagarajan, managing director and CEO of Diageo India, said: “Goa is a hotbed for craft, demand for which is growing rapidly both in India and globally, among consumers who are keen to further discover and enjoy fine spirits. Today we celebrate another significant step forward; the launch of the craft and innovation hub in Goa, which builds upon our local insights and combines those with Diageo’s expertise to delight the next generation of consumers." She continued: "Our hub will serve as an incubator for select start-ups, providing them with sophisticated infrastructure to build their offerings. We are excited about the innovative possibilities this facility could bring not just for us, but the entire ecosystem as well.”