PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) has officially opened a new $8.5 million warehouse and distribution facility in Commerce, Georgia. The 172,000-square-foot site will distribute 6 million cases of beverages – including Pepsi, Mtn Dew, Gatorade, Bubly, Aquafina and Pure Leafe – annually across 26 routes to customers in 28 countries. The new plant will also create 50 new jobs, including product pickets, forklift operators, CDL-A drivers, inventory specialists and checkers. “This new facility is an integral next step in our recent expansion in the state of Georgia,” said Darcy Arata, senior VP of operations at PBNA south division. “Our Commerce facility will increase our capacity and productivity in the state, enabling PepsiCo to better service the needs of our customers across key counties in northern Georgia and give them the great beverages they love while creating job opportunities on the ground.” The news follows PepsiCo's $260 million expansion of the PBNA manufacturing facility in the City of Tucker earlier this year.

The Real Good Food Company has announced the launch of a new better-for-you product, called Real Good Foods' Crispy Tots. Real Good Foods' Crispy Tots are 100% grain- and gluten-free, containing 6g of net carbs and 10g of protein per serving. The company said that its new product does not use processed flours or grains, but instead uses ingredients such as cauliflower, eggs, lupin beans and cheese. "These Crispy Tots are the result of our mission to make our favourite comfort foods more nutritious and improve human health. A delicious low-carb tot with protein was not an easy product design..." said Bryan Freeman, executive chairman of Real Good Foods. "Unlike other food options on shelves today that are made with processed grains and are loaded with carbohydrates, our nutritious tots have a limited amount of carbs and are loaded with protein." The product is currently available in only one flavour, but additional seasoned flavours will be released later this year. Real Good Foods' Crispy Tots are available online and in select Walmart stores.

Artisanal plant-based cheese maker, Nuts For Cheese, has announced a CAD 5.35 million ($4.1 million approx.) funding round. Founded in 2015, Nuts For Cheese uses cultures to make its fermented cashew-based cheeses and butters, which are produced in a certified organic facility and sold in Canada and the US. The company’s latest funding round was led by Forage Capital Partners along with Sol Cuisine founder Dror Balshine and Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods co-founder, Mike Fata. The investment will support equipment and facility enhancements, and will also go towards key hires, innovation and marketing initiatives. Margaret Coons, CEO and founder of Nuts For Cheese, said: “From the early days I've worked hard to surround myself with the right partners. It's been such a journey, from a rented commercial kitchen to building out our current 25,000-square-foot facility. “What once looked huge to me is now quickly becoming ready for more expansion. This investment comes at a perfect time for us to be able to keep pace with our growth and I couldn't be happier partnering with a company like Forage, which has extensive experience in the food space and such an incredible team.” Nuts For Cheese says that it will also be implementing a board of directors, which will be led by Fata as chairman.

Mars Wrigley has partnered with Perfect Day to release the company’s "first-ever" eco-friendly and animal-free chocolate product to add to its portfolio. Mars' CO2COA chocolate sources Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa and the innovation will be enriched with Perfect Day's animal-free dairy protein, meaning it's free from lactose and cholesterol, as well as being wrapped in paper-based packaging. Perfect Day’s animal-free whey protein replicates the “real taste and nutrition of cow’s milk” but without any of the health and environmental implications of conventional dairy. Chris Rowe, global vice president of research and development at Mars Wrigley, said: "At Mars, we bring our consumer-passion to innovation, developing on-trend innovations that support a world where both people and the planet thrive". Rowe continued: "The creation of CO2COA is an inventive example of how we partner with technology innovators, like Perfect Day, to bring great new offerings to our consumers. We’re excited to collaborate with Perfect Day and continuing to explore the potential of alternative proteins to help create a more delicious and sustainable future." The new release is available for purchase online at www.co2coa.com while supplies last.

What is the tastiest new plant-based cheese? What is the most sustainable processing technique? What is needed to advance Europe to a more plant-rich diet? Bridge2Food brings together key leaders from all along the value chain, who are working to drive transformation in the plant-based industry. The Netherlands-based company is hosting its highly regarded Plant-Based Foods & Proteins Summit Europe in Ede, Netherlands, from 21-23 June. “The industry is at a crossroads: collaboration across the value chain as well as between brands will be essential to raising the bar and keeping the consumer engaged,” said CEO and founder Gerard Klein Essink. “At this Bridge2Food summit there is the unique opportunity to connect with decision-makers all along the value chain, including start-ups.” The 100 speakers and panellists at Summit Europe include: Isabelle Privat, head of plant and nutrition, Nestlé Henrik Lund, founder and CEO, Naturli’ Foods Vinciane Patelou, director, European Plant-Based Foods Association (ENSA) Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen, director, Danish Technological Institute (DTI) Friederike Grosse-Holz, director, Blue Horizon Kevin Camphuis, managing director, ShakeUp Factory Some of the companies attending include: Symrise, IFF, Givaudan, Dohler, DSM, EverGrain, Lallemand, GEA, Clextral, Pall, Flottweg, Improve, Poittemill, Alfa Laval, Wageningen University and Protein Industries Canada. There are four tracks during the summit to cover the full spectrum of discussions and the value chain: Consumer & Industry Challenges, Delicious Food Innovations, Sustainable Process Innovations and Value Chain Research Investments. All discussions will be overlaid with consideration of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Key innovation tours, developed in collaboration with Wageningen University and Symrise, will be hosted at Wageningen campus. Bridge2Food has been hosting summits since 2002 and we are excited to be celebrating our 20th anniversary in person with 400+ of the best in business and thought leaders focused on making a difference at all levels of the plant-based foods and proteins industries. For more information about the summit, and to arrange interviews or a media pass, please contact: Barb Wilkinson, communications and marketing lead: bwilkinson@bridge2food.com. About Bridge2Food Bridge2Food is an international network company, based out of the Netherlands, with a mission to inspire industry and organisations all along the agri-food value chain to collaborate to create innovative solutions for a healthier life and a sustainable planet. Our summits grow ideas into actions; our academy courses deliver hands-on education; and our ecosystem provides a space for fostering innovation. www.bridge2food.com #Bridge2Food #plantbasedfoods #plantbasedprotein #theNetherlands

Mars Wrigley is releasing a new addition to its Twix lineup with the introduction of Twix Cookie Dough flavour. The new release combines the classic Twix cookie bar with a cookie dough flavoured layer, sprinkled with chocolate cookie bits and coated with milk chocolate. Michelle Deignan, Mars Wrigley senior brand director, said: "Mars is thrilled to announce Twix Cookie Dough as our newest flavour innovation. Twix Cookie Dough is the perfect mashup of two fan favourites – our classic Twix bar and the nostalgic flavours of cookie dough – all wrapped into one." The bar will be available in single-size format (1.36oz per bar), share size format (2.72oz per bar) and a minis stand-up pouch (9.7oz per pouch). The official release of the new variant is scheduled for December but Mars has announced that the brand will be giving away 1,000 exclusive first-taste samples to consumers on 21 June. Fans can sign up to claim on the Twix website.

Science-based ingredient company Moolec Science and LightJump Acquisition Corp have entered into an agreement to combine businesses at a proforma equity value of $504 million. Moolec develops real animal proteins in plants using molecular farming. The company targets seed crops, such as soybeans and peas, that are designed to replace meat proteins. Its first two products, produced using safflower as a carrier crop, include the ingredient Chymosin SPC for use in plant-based dairy cheese applications and nutritional oil GLA. Moolec's technology also has the potential to modify and enhance a range of applications using animal proteins, including milk, eggs, chicken and fish alternatives, as well as other biomaterials and cosmetics. The alternative protein producer is backed by Nasdaq-listed companies Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp, Theo I and Union Group. Robert Bennett, CEO of LightJump, said: "LightJump Acquisition Corp is excited to be partnering with Moolec Science, a food tech pioneer in molecular farming. We believe Moolec’s differentiated technology platform will be able to address the worldwide growing demand for animal proteins while delivering them at a small fraction of the cost and environmental impact of existing approaches." Bennett continued: "We are committed to working alongside Moolec’s outstanding management team to support its expansion plans and its transition to becoming a Nasdaq-listed company". The transaction will support Moolec Science SA's research and development, regulatory approval efforts and the mainstream commercialisation of its two debut products. The deal is expected to be completed in the second half of 2022.

Crosta & Mollica has expanded its dessert portfolio with the launch of a new gelato range. Crosta & Mollica’s gelatos are available in three flavours – Amarena Cherry & Mascarpone, made with fresh mascarpone and Italian Amarena cherries; Gianduia Hazelnut & Cocoa Cream, a combination of cocoa cream and IGP hazelnut nibs; and Limoncello Sicilian Lemon, made with Primo Fiore Sicilian lemons and finished with a splash of vodka. The new offerings are made with fresh Italian milk and are said to have a lower fat content compared to other Northern European ice creams. The company said that the gelatos are slow-whipped in the traditional Italian process to achieve a light and smooth texture, before being finished with a swirl, "reminiscent of the sculpted waves of gelato spotted in gelateria glass freezers across Italy".

PepsiCo has announced the launch of a new limited-edition mocktail under its Bubly sparkling water brand. Bubly bellini bliss is the brand's "first-ever" mocktail, with tropical flavours of peach, pineapple and mango. The new drink contains no artificial flavours or sweeteners, as well as no calories. The mocktail is available from this week until 19 August in eight-count packs across the US. Last year, Bubly debuted a new caffeinated sparkling water drink called Bubly Bounce.

US foodservice redistribution company, Honor Foods, has acquired Sommer Maid Creamery for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition expands Honor Foods' dairy portfolio and provides the company with access to the southeast, where Sommer Maid has established partnerships. Based in Pipersville, Pennsylvania, Sommer Maid Creamery is a family-owned foodservice redistributor with dairy expertise. Honor Foods is also headquartered in Pennsylvania and is a Burris Logistics company. “This acquisition fulfils a longstanding strategic intent of Honor Foods — to build upon our dairy product portfolio as a way to provide competitive differentiation within the foodservice redistribution channel,” said Walt Tullis, president of Honor Foods. “Sommer Maid has an extensive offering of dairy products, including butter, cheese and creams — largely under their own brand and labels...Further, their significant presence in the southeast opens the door for Honor Foods to satisfy another goal — to expand south.” Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

FrieslandCampina plans to divest parts of its German consumer business to Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, including a portfolio of brands and three German plants. The transaction will include the Landliebe, Tuffi, Südmilch, Puddis and Mondelice brands, private label products in FrieslandCampina's white dairy range, foodservice brand Gastro, as well as three manufacturing facilities located in Heilbronn, Cologne and Schefflenz. The dairy giant will continue to market and distribute international brands within Germany such as Valess, Chocomel drinks and its Frico and Holland Master cheese businesses. Roel van Neerbos, president of FrieslandCampina’s food and beverage division, said: "The market position and results of FrieslandCampina Germany have improved significantly in recent years through targeted measures. Nevertheless, we are convinced that in the new owner, the Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, we have found a suitable successor who, through synergy benefits, will be able to further develop this company successfully." He added: "FrieslandCampina will continue to focus on selling its strong international brands in Germany which is one of our home markets". The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is anticipated to be completed before the end of 2022. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Costa Express will roll out what it claims is the "world's first" integrated hot and cold self-serve coffee machine in the UK, after a successful trial in Bristol last year. Over 1,100 machines will be available across England, Scotland and Wales. Customers will be able to choose from a wide variety of hot and iced coffee drinks, including hot or cold lattes and cappuccinos to iced fruit cordials and milk coolers. Costa Express has also launched a limited-edition Ice Salted Caramel Frappé as part of its Summer of Ice menu. Nick Orrin, Costa Express director UK & Ireland, said: “The technology used in these state-of-the-art machines is nothing short of a gold-standard level of innovation – a world’s first for the self-service coffee machine industry. What’s more, we are giving our customers what they have been asking for from us – their favourite crafted coffee, personalised for how they want it and when they want it.”