365 Retail Markets has announced the acquisition of Australian vending management software (VMS) company, Sentry, for an undisclosed sum. Sentry is a vending machine and micro market management platform that includes a full-featured web application and a driver and inventory management mobile app. The platform's features include "intuitive planograms and optimised merchandising, routing, market maintenance and picking systems," which are all supported by a "back-office system". The acquisition expands 365's product portfolio and supports its growth plans. 365 Retail Markets CEO, Joe Hessling, said: "Sentry is a perfect fit within our long-term strategy of turning the data from our vast point-of-sale fleet into actionable insights for our global customer base of over 2,000 operators". He continued: "We will continue to invest in VMS and other data-related technologies as the demand for self-service technology continues to rapidly expand...We intend to begin offering a 365 VMS product to the field within the summer of 2022." Late last year, 365 purchased Scottish catering software company, Spoonfed.

Kellogg's has expanded its Cheez-It range with the launch of limited-edition hot cheddar crackers. Made with 100% real cheddar cheese, Cheez-It Snap'd Scorchin' Hot Cheddar is a "perfect combination of spice and cheese," said the company. The baked crackers feature a spicy and garlic flavour. "With the debut of Cheez-It Snap'd Scorchin' Hot Cheddar, we're spicing up lunchtime and sending taste buds on a fiery, cheesy ride — making an unskippable lunch experience with a blazing kick," said Cheez-It's senior marketing director, Erin Storm. Cheez-It Snap'd Scorchin' Hot Cheddar is available for a limited edition at US retailers nationwide.

Taste and nutrition company Kerry has officially opened the "largest and most advanced" taste manufacturing facility in Africa. The new facility, which cost €38 million to construct, is located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and aims to produce sustainable nutrition solutions for consumers across the African continent. Located in the town of Hammarsdale, the 10,000 m2 facility features low energy usage equipment, solar power generation, waste heat capture and efficient water capture, reuse and reduction. Edmond Scanlon, CEO Kerry Group, said: “The opening of the facility in Hammarsdale is a significant step forward in helping to realise our vision of creating a world of sustainable nutrition. For 50 years, Kerry has focused on meeting local consumer needs grounded in great taste – one of the most important criteria in any food or beverage. He continued: "Our suite of world-leading technologies combined with our expertise and now this state-of-the-art manufacturing facility ensures that we can continue to work with our customers to produce great tasting, nutritious products that are respectful of our planet”. Speaking at the launch event today, South Africa’s deputy minister of trade, industry and competition, Nomalungelo Gina, said: “The project is recognised as a key strategic investment in the region of Kwa-Zulu Natal and within South Africa’s food manufacturing industry and has been included as part of the South African Presidential investment drive to stimulate sustainable, equitable and inclusive growth as the foundation for socio-economic transformation in the country. We are excited about this investment because it aligns very well with our re-imagined industrial strategy.”

Anheuser-Busch InBev's Corona brand has unveiled its first non-beer beverage release with the launch of a sparkling alcoholic fruit juice drink – Corona Tropical. The distilled spirit-based beverage is made with a hint of real fruit juice and will be available in several tropical flavours. The release contains no added sugar and has less than 100 calories per can. Corona Tropical has an ABV of 4.5% and is available in three flavours – Guava & Lime, Raspberry & Lemon and Grapefruit & Lemongrass – in the UK. In Latin American markets, Corona Tropical has an ABV of 4.2% and is available in four flavours – Lemon & Lime, Grapefruit & Lime, Pineapple Mango & Lime and Strawberry Cherry & Lime. Felipe Ambra, global vice president for Corona, said: "Corona is a brand that was born from the tropics and as we encourage consumers to embrace the lifestyle around the world, we’re excited to offer a new Corona beverage to those who love the brand but are looking for options outside of beer". He continued: "It is our mission to bring paradise to people everywhere and our newest innovation does just that. We created a more flavourful and very approachable alcoholic beverage so that everyone can enjoy the feeling of paradise done the Corona way". The brand's newest innovation will be rolled out globally across China, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Ecuador and the UK, with additional markets launching later this year, starting with Canada. The products are available now across the UK in selected Tesco, Budgens, Londis and Premier stores in 330ml single cans for an RRP of £2.75 and an eight-pack variety box for an RRP of £16.

Nestlé has launched a new coffee blend under its Starbucks brand in the UK: Breakfast Blend by Nespresso. The light, medium roast blend is said to be "lively and citrusy" with a clean finish. It comes in fully recyclable coffee pods compatible with Nespresso machines, so that consumers can enjoy the new blend at home. Breakfast Blend joins Starbucks' other profiles, including Blonde Roast, Medium Roast or Dark Roast. Amelia Crow, Starbucks brand manager at Nestlé UK said: “We are excited to expand our range of Starbucks at-home coffee by bringing Starbucks Breakfast Blend by Nespresso to our fans to enjoy from home. This beautiful blend is perfect for that first cup on a busy morning or those lazy Sundays we all love.”

Sustainable food producer OneFarm has unveiled approved plans to open the "UK's largest" vertical farm in Newmarket, Suffolk. The 6,400-square-metre farm will feature nine-metre-high growth towers and will be capable of growing up to 415 tonnes of food per year. A second phase has been proposed to increase the growing area to 13,000-square-metres, which will increase capacity by over 1,000 tonnes of crops each year. The farm will be constructed in collaboration with indoor agritech specialist, IGS Limited, and is funded by both public and private investors. The vertical farm will grow a range of herbs and salads on-demand to avoid unnecessary waste, with agreements already in place to supply selected retailers under its brand, Wholly Food. Mira Merme, CEO of OneFarm, said: "Consumers deserve locally grown, fresh, good quality food, grown without pesticides and with low water usage and OneFarm’s in-house brand, Wholly Food, provides just that, every day of the year. It’s truly local food for local people." She continued: "With the IGS technology we will deliver those commitments to our customers and consumers alike. Its levels of flexibility to grow a wider variety of produce is superior to all other competitors and we believe that its dedication to product innovation will bring even greater benefits to our farms as we expand in the future. We are excited to be at the forefront of this fast-emerging sector, which we strongly believe will play an important role in the future of food production." The farm is expected to be fully operational by early 2023.

Food and ingredients distributor Batory Foods has acquired Savannah-based Sweetener Solutions for an undisclosed sum. Sweetener Solutions provides custom formulation options, blending and pre-blending of sweeteners and dry ingredients for applications such as beverage, dairy and bakery. The company's proprietary process, Accublend, allows for precise and consistent blending and pre-blending, comprising both conventional and natural high-intensity sweeteners, as well as other dry ingredients. The acquisition will enable Batory Foods to expand its sweetener ingredient offerings and capabilities, answering consumer demands for trending applications in sugar reduction and replacement and use its expertise in sweetener formulation, blending and packaging. Vince Pinneri, president at Batory Foods, said: "With specialised, technical expertise in non-nutritive high-intensity sweeteners, Sweetener Solutions has proven itself to be a true leader in its field. We are pleased to complete this acquisition, which will further expand our capabilities and ingredients portfolio to provide sugar reduction and replacement solutions to the market." He continued: "We look forward to welcoming many of Sweetener Solutions’ expert associates to our team, combining our collective strengths and creating new opportunities together".

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) of Russia has permitted cheesemaker Multipro TC to acquire PepsiCo-owned entity Wimm-Bill-Dann Beverages. The sale of Wimm-Bill-Dann Beverages – which produces a wide range of dairy and non-dairy beverages – marks the end of PepsiCo's 11-year ownership of the group. Multipro TC is a Russian cheesemaker specialising in mozzarella, white-rind cheeses such as brie and camembert, as well as cheese products under its Alti brand. According to Reuters, PepsiCo said it made the decision to sell the business last year, commenting that: "PepsiCo decided to sell the production site in Ramenskoye, which has not been functioning since 2015 and does not make any products". Reuters also says PepsiCo's Ramenskoye site includes "administrative buildings, as well as storage, production and infrastructure sites, all of which will be taken over by the new owner". In March, PepsiCo stated it was suspending sales of soft drinks in Russia, amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. It said that sales of dairy products, baby food and formula would continue. PepsiCo also said it would no longer carry out investments and marketing activity in the country. You may also like to read: PepsiCo and others join list of companies suspending operations in Russia PepsiCo posts strong Q1 revenue growth, despite “complex” operating environment PepsiCo launches Mtn Dew Purple Thunder

Algaecore Technologies’ SimpliiGood brand has teamed up with IFF on the development of a commercial smoked salmon analogue made entirely from fresh spirulina. The plant-based alternative is said to have the appearance, texture and flavour of salmon, without the pollutants that living fish are often exposed to. Currently transitioning from lab to commercial scale, the clean label product is expected to hit the market by the end of 2023. Spirulina is a rich source of whole protein, as well as antioxidants, chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals. The analogue’s orange “salmon-like” hue has been created through identifying and isolating a native beta-carotene pigment naturally present in the algae.

The Kellogg Company has recorded a net sales increase of 2.4% in its first quarter, led by "snacks, international momentum and positive price/mix". The owner of Crunchy Nut, Coco Pops and PopTarts reported organic net sales growth of 4.2% to $3.7 billion (excluding the impact of currency), mirroring the same increase at the same time last year. In North America, the company's Q1 net sales declined by less than 1%, relating to supply disruptions, low cereal inventory stemming from last year's fire at one of its plants, and labour strikes across its Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Tennessee facilities. The cereal giant's Europe and Latin America divisions reported an organic net sales increase of 8% and 6% respectively, reflecting growth across sub-regions led by snacks. Kellogg's Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) division's first-quarter organic net sales increased by 17%, driven by growth across snacks, cereal and noodles. "We are pleased to report another quarter of solid results, getting off to a better start to the year than we had expected. The strength of our portfolio is evident, as we more than offset the sales and cost impact of supply recovery in North America cereal with sustained momentum in snacks growth around the world," said Kellogg's chairman and CEO, Steve Cahillane. He continued: "Our ability to execute with agility was also on display, as we navigated through a challenging supply environment and delivered productivity and price realisation amidst decades-high cost inflation. Our strong start to the year, coupled with good sales momentum, allows us to affirm earnings guidance even as the outlook has worsened for cost inflation and incremental business disruptions, including impacts related to the war in Ukraine. This is a testament to our strategy, our portfolio, and our people." The company has raised its full-year guidance for organic-basis net sales growth, reflecting momentum and revenue growth management actions.

AB InBev has posted a revenue increase of 11.1% for its first quarter, driven by "accelerated digital transformation" and higher beer prices. The company reported a 2.8% growth in its total volumes for Q1, with its own beer volumes up 2.2% and non-beer volumes up 6.0%. In Q1 2022, the drinks giant saw revenues of $13.24 billion, compared with last year's quarter’s $12.29 billion, with revenue per hl growth of 7.8%. Meanwhile, EBITDA grew by 7.4% to $4.49 billion. AB InBev recorded a 6% increase in combined revenues from its three global brands – Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona – outside of their respective home markets. The group said that its global brands and beyond beer business both grew by more than 30%. The brewer's US business saw revenue growth of 2.1%, with sales-to-wholesalers down by 3.8% and sales-to-retailers declined by 5%, which was impacted by the reappearance of Covid-19 in January. Reuters noted that: "Price hikes and consumers trading up to more expensive brews have propelled revenue, while higher costs for commodities and beer deliveries curbed profit". AB InBev's CEO, Michel Doukeris, said: “Relentless execution of our strategy and accelerated digital transformation drove continued momentum in the first quarter, delivering an 11.1% increase in the top-line through a combination of both volume and revenue per hl growth. Our teams continued to meet the moment in this dynamic operating environment to deliver 7.4% EBITDA growth.” The company announced last month that it plans to sell its non-controlling stake in its Russian joint venture AB InBev Efes, facing a $1.1 billion impairment charge.

Natural Balance Foods has expanded its Trek protein flapjack range with a peanut butter variant which will join the brand's existing offerings. The Trek Peanut Butter Protein Flapjack is made from gluten-free oats, soya protein crunchies and packed full of peanuts. The bar is made with only plant-based ingredients and contains 9g of protein, as well as being a source of fibre. Jessie Toohey, brand manager for Trek, said: "Peanut butter and protein are both strong growth areas within the category, with consumers looking for plant-based and no artificial ingredients options. We wanted to create an offering that ticked both boxes, as well as being super delicious. Introducing Trek Peanut Butter Protein Flapjack." The new variant is available now in Sainsbury’s as a single 50g bar or as a three-pack.