M. Dias Branco has entered into an agreement to acquire the Brazilian division of French health food provider, Nutrition & Santé. The Brazilian division, known as Jasmine Alimentos, produces healthy foods including snacks and gluten-free products, such as granola, gluten-free bread and wholegrain cookies, with a portfolio of over 140 SKUs. "Jasmine is a company that was born with the DNA of offering products aimed at wellbeing and a balanced lifestyle. This is a global trend and a strategic acquisition for our company," commented Ivens Dias Branco Júnior, CEO of M. Dias Branco. Gustavo Theodozio, VP of investments and controllership at M. Dias Branco, added: "With the national distribution capillarity of M. Dias Branco, the brand has great potential to develop in other regions...It is yet another demonstration of the great potential for developing the brand and its product portfolio." This marks M. Dias Branco's second acquisition in the healthy food market in less than a year, when, in September 2021, the company acquired Latinex, and enveloped brands such as Fit Food, Smart and Frontera. The acquisition is subject to conditions. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

US-based brand Cleveland Kitchen has raised $19 million in a Series A funding round as it looks to accelerate its growth in the fresh-fermented foods category. The capital will also support the completion of the brand's acquisition of premium pickle manufacturer Sonoma Brinery. Cleveland Kitchen will be able to serve West Coast-based retailers and customers thanks to a new facility in Santa Rosa, California. Drew Anderson, Cleveland Kitchen's co-founder and CEO, said: "Sonoma Brinery's capabilities align perfectly with Cleveland Kitchen and help to increase speed to market, by adding West Coast manufacturing support and providing proprietary fermentation science information". He continued: "The brand also provides a suite of ultra-high-quality and delicious fermented products. This acquisition drives our mission of building Cleveland Kitchen as the fermented culinary platform brand, leading product innovation and category growth by producing delicious, fermented and pickled foods with a halo of health." All Sonoma Brinery employees will join the Cleveland Kitchen team, including the company's founder and president, Dave Ehreth. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Swedish better-for-you snacks company, Nick's, has partnered with DJ and music producer Zedd to launch a limited-edition ice cream flavour. Chilly Mango combines mango ice cream with spice and strawberry. The new offering, which is keto-friendly, is made with no added sugar and contains 9g of protein and 240 calories per pint. Nick's CEO Carlos Altschul said: "Our partnership with Zedd was extremely organic, which reflects in the unique and authentically adventurous Chilly Mango flavour, a refreshing mango ice cream with the perfect amount of spice and a swirl of sweet strawberry". Nick's x Zedd Chilly Mango is available at various US retailers for an SRP of $9.99.

Land O'Lakes has launched a new butter format designed to help make cooking at home easier – Land O Lakes Butter Balls The pre-portioned, half-tablespoon butter balls were "inspired by consumers who picked up cooking during the pandemic," said the company. "Innovation is core to Land O'Lakes, and we see this product as the answer to the convenience consumers crave while staying true to the great product they rely on – sweet cream butter," said Heather Anfang, US vice president of Land O'Lakes Dairy Foods. "While the pandemic created unprecedented challenges across all industries, our commitment to innovation never wavered."

UK oat milk producer, Minor Figures, has received minority investments from Danone Manifesto Ventures and Green Monday Group. Founded in 2015, Minor Figures produces plant-based beverages using natural ingredients with few additives. The company's portfolio includes barista oat milks and a line of ready-to-drink coffees and teas, and is sold in 16 countries. Minor Figures has offices in the UK, US and Australia. “We are excited to partner with Danone Manifesto Ventures and Green Monday Group,” said Stuart Forsyth, co-founder and CEO of Minor Figures. “The team at Danone Manifesto Ventures – the first corporate venture unit to be independently certified as a B Corp – shares our core vision to create a sustainable future for humanity. We are confident they are the perfect partner to help us optimise and grow our multi-geo, multi-channel business.” He continued: “With Green Monday Group, we have a like-minded partner who is focused on constructing a multi-faceted global ecosystem of future food that combats climate change, food insecurity, public health crisis, planetary devastation and animal suffering. We look forward to building on our distribution relationship across Asia as Minor Figures works to meet the increasing needs of plant-based consumers globally.” Financial terms were not disclosed.

Ferrero North America, part of confectionery giant Ferrero Group, has announced plans to invest $214.4 million to expand its chocolate processing and manufacturing plant in Bloomington, Illinois. The 169,000-square-foot expansion will be dedicated to the production of Kinder Bueno confectionery and will become one of the largest production lines built by Ferrero outside of Europe. The expansion will fuel the company's continued growth in North America while also creating up to 200 jobs over a four-year period within the community. In 2020, Fererro announced plans to invest $75 million in its Bloomington facility to build a chocolate production centre, which is set to be operational by 2023. Todd Siwak, president and chief business officer of Ferrero North America, said: "The investments we're making in Bloomington are fueling continued growth for Ferrero in North America and are also creating important job opportunities in the community. We are thrilled to continue growing here with the invaluable support of the city of Bloomington, McLean County and the state of Illinois." The expansion is expected to be operational by 2024.

Better-for-you cereal brand Magic Spoon has raised $85 million in a Series B funding round, supporting the company's expansion into retail. The round was led by private investment firm HighPost Capital, with participation from Siddhi Capital, Coefficient Capital, Constellation Capital, Carter Comstock and celebrity investors including Shakira and Amy Schumer. Magic Spoon reimagines popular childhood cereals with the added benefit of being high in protein and low in calories and carbs. The cereals are also free from gluten, grain, sugar, soy and artificial ingredients. Proceeds from the raise will be used to fuel growth and expand into retail markets. The brand plans to make its debut in Target and launch into additional retailers over the next few years. Greg Sewitz, co-founder of Magic Spoon, said: "Our focus on a direct-to-consumer model when we launched was key as we were growing and establishing a presence in a tired category, but we are beyond ready and excited to be able to reach even more consumers across the country through our brick-and-mortar retail launch". The brand is launching three existing cereal flavours – Fruity, Cocoa and Peanut Butter – into Target stores nationwide across the US this month.

Firelli has expanded its hot sauces portfolio with the launch of two new flavours in the UK – Firelli Truffle and Firelli Extra Hot. The hot sauces are low in calories and sodium, gluten-free, vegan and free from cholesterol, fat and GMOs. Firelli Truffle and Extra Hot sauces join the brand's original Firelli Hot Sauce, which launched last year. Firelli's founder, Elwyn Gladstone, said: “We decided to launch these expressions because chilli sauce and the pizza occasion are both growing globally, and we identified a gap in the market for a delicious hot sauce to go with every food occasion". He continued: "There is also an increased demand for all-natural products and exportable Italian cuisine. Firelli Truffle and Extra Hot Sauces make pizza taste unforgettable and act as a healthier replacement to chilli oil.”

Cirkul, a beverage company known for developing patented flavour cartridges, has raised $70 million in a Series C funding round. The round was led by private equity firm SC Holdings. According to Cirkul, the company has seen a growth of over 150% per year since its launch. Founded in 2018, Cirkul produces over 50 flavour cartridges that can be inserted into its water bottles. Cirkul's bottles, cartridges and accessories are available at Walmart stores across the US. Co-founder and CEO, Garrett Waggoner, said: “Today, consumers are driving major shifts in the beverage industry, increasingly focused on health and reducing their environmental impact but aren’t willing to compromise on convenience or delicious flavour...This fundraiser will help us continue to capitalise on the strong customer demand for our products which are tailor-made for today’s consumers." The money raised in the round gives Cirkul a pre-money valuation of $1 billion.

Brown-Forman Corporation and The Coca-Cola Company have announced plans to collaborate on the release of a pre-mixed Jack & Coke cocktail. The RTD cocktail will be made with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Coca-Cola and have an ABV of 5% which will vary depending on the market. A zero-sugar version of the alcoholic beverage will also be available. Lawson Whiting, CEO and president of Brown-Forman Corporation, said: "This relationship brings together two classic American icons to deliver consumers a taste experience they love in a way that is consistent, convenient and portable". "Brown-Forman has been a leader in the ready-to-drink category since we launched our first Jack Daniel’s RTD more than 30 years ago. Coca-Cola perfectly complements Jack Daniel’s and our existing RTD offerings, enabling us to accelerate expansion and continue to grow our business around the world," continued Whiting. "We keep consumers at the centre of everything we do as we continue to develop our portfolio as a total beverage company and that includes new products with our iconic Coca-Cola brand. We are excited about our new relationship with Brown-Forman and look forward to the introduction of Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola," added James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. The beverage will be available globally with an initial launch planned for Mexico in late 2022.

Tropicana Brands Group – a joint venture between PAI Partners and PepsiCo – has appointed Rogier Smeets as CEO of its European business, effective today. Prior to joining the company, Smeets held several leadership positions at Upfield between 2018-2022. He has worked at Unilever from 2004 to 2018, where he held various marketing and commercial positions across the US, Europe and Asia. Smeets said: “As someone who’s helped carve out a business before, I know how much potential comes with the chance to be singularly focused on one category and drive for growth through things like innovation and expansion”. Additionally, Tropicana has also named William J Kelley Jr as CFO. “I’m thrilled to welcome both Bill and Rogier to Tropicana Brands Group,” said Glen Walter, global CEO of Tropicana Brands Group. “I’m confident we will benefit greatly from the addition of them both, given their deep knowledge of and experience in the food and beverage industry and their shared commitment to operational and executional excellence that we are striving for as we continue to stand up for our organisation.”

Standard Meat Company has announced its acquisition of Syracuse Sausage, a meat manufacturer based in its home state of Texas. Syracuse Sausage supplies national restaurant chains, grocery stores, meal kit companies and other foodservice companies. Its products include a variety of sausages, hot dogs and meatballs. Standard Meat Company, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, originally partnered with Syracuse Sausage almost a decade ago to increase production and expand distribution. Food industry "veteran" Chris Horan will lead the new Standard Meat division. Ben Rosenthal, CEO and co-president of Standard Meat Company, said: "Syracuse’s capabilities and product offerings dovetail beautifully with our current operations and will open doors for new sales opportunities with current and target customers. Chris is the right leader and the employees at Syracuse Sausage are a tremendous asset as we join forces."