Tyson Foods is investing $180 million to expand its Caseyville, Illinois, plant by 170,000 square feet. The expansion will also create more than 250 new jobs. The expansion, which will see the introduction of seven new production lines, will help Tyson increase on-site automation and meet consumers' growing demand for its prepared foods brands, such as Hillshire Farm and Jimmy Dean. It will also allow for greater production of on-the-go snacking and breakfast offerings. Noelle O’Mara, group president, prepared foods at Tyson, said: “We’re thrilled to celebrate the expansion of our Caseyville prepared foods plant, creating new job opportunities for those in the community and keeping ease and efficiency in mind for our current team members. With automated warehousing and robotics at the heart of the project, we’re looking forward to its full completion." Tyson says the first line is expected to begin production this fall, with the expansion set to be completed in the summer of 2023.

Met Foods-owned Cocos Organic is launching the "UK’s first" organic coconut milk yogurt tubes, designed for children over six months. The new offering is available in strawberry and banana variants. It is made from pure organic coconut milk, fortified with live bacteria including Bifidobacterium BB-12, real strawberry puree and natural banana flavourings. The tubes are free from dairy, gluten, refined sugar, nuts, additives, preservatives and fillers, containing less than 60 calories and 3g of sugar per serving. The release is available for an RRP of £3.00 for a five-pack of 40g tubes, launching in September in Waitrose stores and online on Ocado and Abel and Cole.

Molson Coors Beverage Company has reported a 0.6% decline in its second-quarter net sales, as consumers curb spending on beer due to inflation. Meanwhile, the drinks giant posted a 2.2% net sales increase in constant currency, with positive net pricing and a favourable brand and channel mix more than offsetting lower financial volumes. The company – which owns brands such as Miller Lite and Carling beer – reported an 87.8% decrease in net income to $47.3 million. Brand volumes decreased 1.8%, primarily due to a 2.2% decline in the Americas segment as a result of "softer" industry performance and the impact of the Québec labour strike. The company also saw a 0.7% decline in EMEA&APAC due to the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Molson Coors expects to achieve full-year targets for net sales and other financial metrics, although it cites continued cost inflation and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as factors that could affect its financial performance. Molson Coors CEO, Gavin Hattersley, said: "After growing the top line for the first time in a decade last year, we have now generated net sales growth for five straight quarters for the first time in over a decade on a constant currency basis. On an aggregate basis, we outpaced the industry in our three largest markets and continued to grow the top line globally in the quarter." Hattersley continued: "We believe we have the portfolio to compete and win across all segments and a strong backstop in challenging economic times. This is our revitalisation plan at work, and I am incredibly proud of our teams around the world who are working to deliver these results."

Louis Dreyfus Company Agricultural Industries (LDC) has announced the opening of its new soy liquid lecithin facility in Claypool, Indiana, US. The site will integrate soybean processing, biodiesel production, and glycerin and lecithin refining operations, as well as a food-grade packaging line and canola oil distribution terminal. Lecithin has a wide range of applications in food manufacturing, and is used in products such as confectionery and prepared foods. Louis Dreyfus describes the ingredient as a "versatile emulsifier, dispersing agent, antioxidant and flavour enhancer". Louis Dreyfus US head of grains & oilseeds, Gordon Russell, said: "This development is part of LDC's strategic plans to diversify revenue streams through value-added products – in this case, by expanding our presence in the ingredients value chain and diversifying our food and feed solutions portfolio. Lecithin is a natural extension of our existing operations in Claypool, where we have also increased our edible oils and refined glycerin origination and production capabilities." "Thanks to rigorous controls at every stage of the production process, laboratory enhancements and ISO level seven food grade packaging operations, our facility offers customers product quality assurance, as well as a range of packaging options in bulk trucks, totes and drums."

Saputo is investing CAD 45 million (approx. $35 million) to convert its cheese facility in Wisconsin, as it looks to streamline its footprint in the US. Through its capital investments and consolidation initiatives announcement, the dairy giant revealed plans to convert its mozzarella cheese facility in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, into a goat cheese manufacturing plant. The investment will increase capacity and expand Saputo's position in speciality cheese categories. Meanwhile, Saputo also plans to close its existing goat cheese manufacturing facility in Belmont, Wisconsin, impacting approximately 200 employees. Both initiatives will begin in the second quarter of fiscal 2023 and are expected to take up to 18 months to implement. Lino A. Saputo, president and CEO of Saputo, said: "The latest series of investments and consolidation activities will strengthen the competitiveness and long-term performance of our cheese operations in our USA sector, while increasing efficiency and productivity". He continued: "The initiatives we are announcing today will allow us to enhance our manufacturing footprint and drive organic growth. We have been increasingly focused on accelerating our global strategic plan initiatives, identifying new opportunities to streamline the operating model and further improve our cost structure."

Bel Group has acquired a 70% stake in Chinese cheese producer, Shandong Junjun Cheese Co, as it aims to accelerate its growth in China. Founded in 2017, Shandong Junjun Cheese is based in north-eastern China and primarily operates as a co-manufacturer. Its portfolio comprises a wide range of cheeses, and has achieved "over...100% annual growth since 2018," according to Bel. With the deal, Bel acquires "state-of-the-art" manufacturing and innovation capabilities in China, that will support its aim to strengthen its international footprint. Bel CEO, Cécile Béliot, said: “With the acquisition of majority stake in Shandong Junjun Cheese, we are pursuing our growth strategy by expanding our product portfolio and strengthening our manufacturing footprint. Our will to accelerate in new territories is at the heart of our growth strategy, as well as our re-balancing around the dairy, fruit and plant-based segments of healthy snacking." "We have chosen Shandong Junjun Cheese, a company with huge industrial capabilities and innovation potential. This will enable us to increase our scale in the Chinese market and compete for leadership. We warmly welcome the more than 300 Shandong Junjun Cheese employees to the Bel Group.” Shandong Junjun Cheese founder, Zhao Lu, added: “With over 150 years of experience in cheese, Bel will enable the further development of Shandong Junjun Cheese by strengthening R&D and production capabilities. Meanwhile, our company will help accelerate the deployment of Bel-branded products in China through its state-of-the-art R&D and production facilities, supported by a strong team of experts and entrepreneurs.” Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

First We Feast's Hot Ones brand has expanded its partnership with John Soules Foods and FoodStory Brands to debut five new flavours of Boneless Chicken Bites. The new Hot Ones Boneless Chicken Bites come in 18.6oz resealable bags, each paired with an official Hot Ones sauce packet. The five new variants include: Original paired with The Classic Sauce; Spicy Garlic paired with The Classic: Garlic Fresno Edition Sauce; Smoky Sweet paired with Los Calientes Verde Sauce; Smoky Habanero paired with Los Calientes Rojo Sauce; and Barbacoa paired with Los Calientes Barbacoa Sauce. Chris Schonberger, general manager of First We Feast, said: "We are excited to expand our flavour assortment for the Hot Ones Boneless Chicken Bites with five of the most popular Hot Ones sauces that have been used on the show. It's our goal to make the Hot Ones experience as accessible as possible to fans and to introduce new shoppers to flavours they won't find anywhere else in the frozen aisle." The expanded line is available in US Walmart's freezer aisles, with further rollout expected soon in other retailers across the country.

Frozen food producer Real Good Foods has expanded its portfolio with the launch of two new chicken breaded offerings – chicken nuggets and strips. The breaded chicken products are available in four varieties: original lightly breaded nuggets, lightly breaded strips, buffalo nuggets and buffalo strips. The offerings are 100% grain- and gluten-free, and contain 3-4g of net carbs and 23g of protein per serving. Bryan Freeman, executive chairman of Real Good Foods, said: "These craveable nuggets and strips are a result of our mission to make our favourite comfort foods more nutritious and improve human health. Our delicious chicken nuggets and strips are made without all the added sugar, carbohydrates, and processed grains found in other food options, and are instead packed with protein and have a limited amount of carbs." Real Good Foods' breaded chicken products are currently available at Walmart, Stop & Shop, Giant Eagle and Safeway Albertsons stores.

Kellogg-owned Rxbar has expanded its portfolio with the introduction of a limited-edition chocolate cinnamon brownie-flavoured bar in the US. The new flavour features 12g of protein, no added sugar and "simple ingredients," which includes: dates, egg whites, almonds and cashews. "Rxbar consumers seek variety, so we're constantly innovating to deliver delicious new flavours made with only simple ingredients," said Eileen Flaherty, senior brand manager at Rxbar. "Adding chocolate cinnamon brownie to our portfolio of no B.S. bars allows us to surprise and delight our fans while offering them something new to enjoy for a limited time." The chocolate cinnamon brownie flavour is available now through December at select retailers nationwide.

Nestlé has posted organic sales growth of 8.1% for the first half of 2022, after its results were boosted by higher prices. The company raised prices by 6.5% to "reflect significant and unprecedented cost inflation," while it says real internal growth (RIG) was "resilient" at 1.7%. In H1, the company’s total reported sales increased by 9.2% to CHF 45.58 billion (approx. $47.42 billion). By product category, Purina PetCare was the biggest contributor to organic growth. Meanwhile, sales of coffee rose at a high-single-digit rate, supported by a strong recovery of out-of-home channels. The company has just opened a $340 million Nescafé facility in Veracruz, Mexico. Nestlé's vegetarian and plant-based food offering continued to see double-digit organic sales growth, led by the Garden Gourmet brand, while the company's confectionery and water businesses also recorded double-digit growth. Meanwhile, growth in infant nutrition reached a high-single-digit rate, and dairy saw mid-single-digit growth. Prepared dishes and cooking aids posted low-single-digit growth. Nestlé Health Science's sales grew by 6.6% on an organic basis. Earlier this year, the unit agreed to acquire Brazilian nutrition and health lifestyle brand, Puravida, in a move to expand Nestlé's consumer health portfolio in Latin America. By channel, organic growth in retail sales remained strong at 6.7%. Meanwhile, organic growth in out-of-home channels reached 29.6%. Nestlé’s Zone North America unit posted a 6.8% rise in sales to CHF 12.14 billion (approx. $12.64 billion). On an organic basis, sales grew 9.6%. The business's Europe unit recorded organic sales growth of 7.1%, reflecting increased pricing, further recovery of out-of-home channels and innovation. On an organic basis, sales grew by 8.2% in Nestlé’s Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa (AOA); 13.6% in Zone Latin America; and 2.3% in Zone Greater China. The food giant expects full-year organic sales growth in the region of 7-8%. Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider said: “In the first half of the year, we delivered strong organic growth and a significant increase in underlying earnings per share. Our local teams implemented price increases in a responsible manner. Volume and product mix were resilient, based on our strong brands, differentiated offerings and leading market positions. We limited the impact of unprecedented inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints on our margin development through disciplined cost control and operational efficiencies. At the same time, investments behind capital expenditure, digitalisation and sustainability increased significantly."

Firmenich has announced the opening of its Taste & Beyond pilot plant in Anaheim, California, which aims to help customers prepare for scaled-up production. The facility is designed to turn around multiple prototypes and create small-scale application samples in a short period of time, helping brands to accelerate their speed to market. It will serve customers in a variety of markets, including savoury, beverages and nutrition. Firmenich says that the Californian site strengthens its position as "a trusted innovation partner for visionary food, beverage and nutrition customers". Sherry Xian Linert, VP of Firmenich West Coast ventures, said: “The food and beverage industry is quickly evolving globally, and at an even faster rate here on the US West Coast. This sheer pace makes speed to market absolutely critical. I’m excited to leverage our West Coast innovation centre and new pilot plant, combined with our expertise in plant-based proteins and nutrition products, to work with customers on rapid prototyping." Chris Perkins, president and SVP, taste & beyond North America, added: “Following the very successful opening of our innovation centre last year, our fully equipped pilot plant is a powerful next step in our vision for the West Coast, allowing us to partner even more impactfully with customers to create the next generation of consumer food and beverage experiences that are good for people and the planet”.

Morrisons says that it has become the first British supermarket to launch its own line of carbon neutral eggs. The new Planet Friendly Eggs come from Morrisons farms where hens are fed a soya-free diet of insects, which are in turn fed on food waste from the supermarket's bakery, fruit and vegetable sites. The ‘circular waste’ feeding scheme is powered by Better Origin technology and reduces deforestation and carbon emissions caused by the production and transportation of soya. The carbon-neutral eggs are part of Morrisons' commitment to be directly supplied only by zero-emission British farms by 2030, and the University of Cambridge has reportedly confirmed the egg line's carbon neutral status. Sophie Throup, head of agriculture at Morrisons, said: "This is our first carbon neutral product and there will be many more to come. It’s all part of our drive to be directly supplied only by zero-emission British farms by 2030. We know our customers consider the environmental impact of the food they eat and want affordable zero-emission produce. Eggs are a regular weekly purchase for most households and so we’re thrilled that after 18 months of hard work with our farmers – these eggs are finally hitting our shelves." Morrisons Planet Friendly Eggs cost 30p each or £1.50 for a pack of six. They are initially available in 50 Yorkshire stores and the retailer's new lower environmental impact store in Little Clacton, with a nationwide rollout planned for 2023. The announcement comes after a move by the supermarket chain to scrap ‘use by’ dates on 90% of its milk to help reduce waste.