Cargill and Continental Grain Company have completed their acquisition of Sanderson Farms through a joint venture between the companies. With the transaction, Cargill and Continental Grain have combined Sanderson Farms with Wayne Farms to form a new privately held poultry business. The deal, which was first announced in August last year, sees the poultry business purchased for $203 per share in cash. Clint Rivers, currently CEO of Continental Grain's Wayne Farms subsidiary, has been appointed CEO of the new combined company. The business – named Wayne-Sanderson Farms – will be headquartered in Oakwood, Georgia. Rivers commented: "I am honoured to lead the new Wayne-Sanderson Farms, which brings together a talented team with complementary operations and cultures and a strong commitment to employees, farmers and the communities where we operate. The new company is ideally positioned to continue to serve customers and consumers with high-quality and affordable products." Wayne-Sanderson Farms operates chicken processing plants and prepared foods facilities across Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas.

BellRing Brands has expanded its Dymatize range with the launch of new plant-based protein powders that feature a complete amino acid profile. Available in chocolate and vanilla flavours, Dymatize Complete Plant Protein contains 25g of complete protein, 160 calories or less, and 0g of sugar per serving. The new product can be enjoyed in water, smoothies or “macro-friendly” recipes, pre- or post-workout. Free from artificial colours and sweeteners, the vegan offering features a blend of five plant-based proteins. "Our new, unique plant-based protein blend is expertly crafted and engineered to help your body recover so you can continue pursuing your most challenging fitness goals," said Teal Axline, associate brand manager at Dymatize. She continued: "Forget what you think you know about plant-based protein powders because we're setting a new standard for taste, quality and mixability". Dymatize Complete Plant Protein is available in a 15-serving tub from US retailers.

Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) has completed the acquisition of Club Coffee for CAD 150 million (approx. $116.5 million). Club Coffee is said to be one of Canada's largest coffee roasters and packaging solution providers to the at-home sector. The company serves private label customers and retail brands from its facilities in Toronto. The acquisition is part of OFI's strategy "to deliver sustainable, natural, value-added food and beverage ingredients and solutions through a diverse channel mix, to customers across the globe". OFI's managing director and CEO of coffee, Vivek Verma, said: “I am delighted to welcome Club Coffee into OFI. Bringing together our respective expertise in sustainable sourcing and innovative packaging, we are well-positioned to meet the increasing consumer demand in these areas, we expect to bring these benefits to our customers through this exciting combination.”

Synergy Flavours has launched two new flavours designed to replicate the taste of traditional milk. The new flavours are fresh milk and UHT milk, both of which will allow manufacturers to recreate the taste of dairy in plant-based milk alternatives. According to Synergy, the offerings are expected to provide the "dairy-type profile that consumers increasingly expect in plant-based milks, adding creaminess, indulgence and sweetness across a range of bases, including soy, oat and pea". As part of the flavour development process, Synergy has examined a range of plant proteins to see how their taste characteristics differ from milk protein. The company said: "The differences between the aroma of cow’s milk and soy milk can be pronounced, which requires a specialist approach for flavour pairing. Soy protein has taste challenges such as bitter and hay-like notes that need to be overcome in order to deliver optimal taste properties that consumers now expect from plant-based alternatives." Natalie Sheil, category manager at Synergy Flavours, commented: “The plant-based milk market has been growing rapidly, and consumers are increasingly expecting products to have similar attributes to those of cow’s milk. People are opting for plant-based milks for a variety of reasons, such as following a vegan diet, lifestyle choices, or health reasons." She continued: "However, regardless of the driver behind their choice, they are still looking for manufacturers to provide products that have the same creaminess and dairy flavour of cow’s milk. Combining Synergy’s dairy heritage with our broad flavour expertise enables us to work with manufacturers to recreate a dairy taste experience in a plant-based alternative. We carefully consider every aspect of the eating experience, including mouthfeel, aroma, masking, depth, balance and flavour, to ensure that consumers can enjoy plant-based products as much as their dairy counterparts.”

Olive oil brand Filippo Berio is releasing two new vegan pesto variants to add to its sauce portfolio. The two new vegan varieties include Basil Vegan Pesto and Sundried Tomato Vegan Pesto. The pestos are made with ingredients such as Filippo Berio's Olive Oil, fresh Lugurian Basil and sundried tomatoes. The sauces are also dairy- and gluten-free. Walter Zanré, Filippo Berio UK managing director, said: "These vegan pestos really tick all the boxes when it comes to flavour, so they’re the perfect store cupboard essential for anyone who’s vegan or looking to reduce their dairy intake." Zanré continued: "We spent a lot of time in the kitchen developing the recipe to get the taste just right - so anyone who already loves our Filippo Berio pesto can be confident it is equally delicious". Both variants are priced at £2.75 per 190g glass jar and are available from Filippo Berio's website.

PepsiCo has announced the closing of a new $1.25 billion ten-year green bond, as it looks to accelerate its pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) agenda. The company will use an amount equivalent to the net proceeds from the offering to fund green projects that focus on two pillars of its pep+ agenda: ‘positive agriculture’ and ‘positive value chain’. The new green bond is PepsiCo's second since 2019, and $858 million in equivalent proceeds from the first are already allocated to eligible green projects across six continents. "We were one of the first food and beverage corporations to issue a green bond and that initial funding has played a critical role in our sustainable transformation so far," said Jim Andrew, chief sustainability officer at PepsiCo. "While tackling the climate crisis requires a collaborative effort, it is clear that the private sector must play a leadership role. Our new green bond will be pivotal to channelling investment into the critical areas required to build a more sustainable and resilient food system."

Sustainable drinking water technology company, Source Global, has raised $130 million in equity financing co-led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Drawdown Fund. The company’s patented Source Hydropanels create drinking water using sunlight and air. The system uses the sun to draw pure water vapour out of the air and convert it into mineralised drinking water. The Series D round included participation from Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, Fifth Wall, Wind Ventures, Harvard Management Company, and others. The company, which has raised $270 million and established a presence in over 50 countries to date, plans to use the capital to accelerate innovation in advanced renewable water technologies. Cody Friesen, founder and CEO of Source, said: “Clean, safe water is humanity’s most essential need, but at least 2.4 billion people on planet Earth don’t have clean water to drink, and by 2050, 6 billion people will suffer from clean water scarcity as a result of climate change. With this new round of funding, we will accelerate our work to make high-quality drinking water an endlessly renewable resource and move closer to our vision of bringing perfect water to every person, every place.” Erik Snyder, founder and CEO of Drawdown Fund, added: “Source is a truly singular company, powered by technology at the convergence of renewable energy and water, with the potential to scale exponentially faster than the market for solar photovoltaics. We are excited to be part of a solution that not only can help mitigate the significant climate impacts of extracting, treating, bottling and transporting drinking water, but also deliver water abundance and create climate resilience for people around the world.”

Beam Suntory, along with Edrington, has reached an agreement to sell the Maxxium Russia joint venture business to the local management team. Maxxium Russia is the Russian subdivision of the international alliance of Beam Suntory and Edrington. In a statement, Beam and Edrington said: "After suspending shipments to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in early March, we began reviewing approaches to the future of the Russia business". "We determined that the best way to exit the market was through a sale of the Russia joint venture to the local management team, and we wish our respected former colleagues the best with the future direction of the company." The companies say that shipments from Beam Suntory will remain suspended as it "continues to abide by all applicable laws including international sanctions". Maxxium Russia is Beam and Edrington's last jointly-owned distribution business, as last year the companies agreed to end their joint venture in the UK and Spain and shift to fully-owned structures.

The Coca-Cola Company has announced the appointment of John Murphy as president and chief financial officer (CFO), effective 1 October. Murphy, who currently serves as executive vice president and CFO, will take on the role of president following the retirement of Brian Smith. Smith has served as Coca-Cola's president and chief operating officer since 2019. He will remain with the company as a senior executive until February 2023. James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, said: "Brian has made innumerable contributions to the Coca-Cola system during his 25 years with the company. I thank him for his service and, on behalf of the company, wish him all the best." He added: "John has been a vital business partner and leader at the company. As president and CFO, John’s new role will be instrumental in driving critical, enterprise-wide imperatives across the Coca-Cola system."

Flying Embers, a producer of organic alcohol beverages, has announced a new line of canned, sparkling cocktails available in margarita and mojito-style beverages. Flying Embers' cocktail-style drinks are available for purchase in two six packs, which include: the sparkling margarita variety pack and the sparkling mojito variety pack. The sparkling margarita pack features three flavours: classic lime, blood orange pomegranate and strawberry guava. Meanwhile, the sparkling mojito pack includes lime, watermelon and mango. The new drinks are made with USDA-certified ingredients, including agave nectar and real fruit juices. Additionally, the sparkling cocktails are aged in tequila and rum barrels to infuse authentic flavours, allowing them to be free of sugar, as well as free of artificial flavours or colours. Flying Embers founder and CEO Bill Moses said: "We recognised the need to reimagine what a canned cocktail could be. In theory, it's great to envision a couple of shots of a spirit mixed with fresh juice in a can, but that's unfortunately not the reality. Many of the RTDs on the market positioning themselves as better-for-you are, in fact, full of syrups, colours, stabilisers and other junk because fresh cocktails simply do not hold up to being packaged." "We went back to our roots of working with plant-based ingredients and using our fermentation expertise to create the wildly delicious and complex flavours consumers are seeking while being brewed to be better; naturally free of sugars and carbs." The canned cocktails are available at select retailers across California, Texas, Colorado and North Carolina.

Nestlé’s Coffee Mate and Toll House have teamed up to launch a new limited-edition brown butter chocolate chip cookie-flavoured creamer. The offering is said to have notes of semi-sweet chocolate and buttery, caramelised brown sugar. The creamer will be available alongside a pair of returning "fan favourites", which include: Coffee Mate pumpkin spice-flavoured creamer and Coffee Mate peppermint mocha-flavoured creamer. The new brown butter chocolate chip cookie-flavoured creamer is set to roll out at grocery stores and mass retailers nationwide from next month, for an SRP of $4.39.

General Mills is expanding its Betty Crocker brand portfolio with the launch of new meal kits for both breakfast and dinner. The new releases include Betty Crocker Sheet Pan Dinner Starter Kits and Betty Crocker Potato Scrambles Kits. The new sheet pan dinner kits are available in three varieties: Mediterranean Style Balsamic, Lemon Garlic and Teriyaki. Simply season your choice of protein and vegetables with the marinade and drizzling sauce for an easy meal. Meanwhile, the potato scrambles kits are available in Southwest Style Queso and Ham and Cheddar variants and require consumers to mix the cheddar cheese sauce with diced or shredded potatoes and season with eggs and cooked protein. The Betty Crocker Sheet Pan Dinner Starter Kits and Potato Scrambles Kits are available across the US at Target, Publix, Meijer, Whole Foods, Ahold-Delhaize, UNFI and Albertsons/Safeway stores for an MSRP of $2.69 and $2.99, respectively.