US energy drink brand A Shoc Energy has raised $29 million in a Series B funding round, to support its growth and increase consumer awareness. The round was backed by existing investors, as well as celebrities and athletes, with professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau, baseball player Aaron Judge and racing driver Chase Elliott among the participants. A Shoc – which was founded in 2019 – says the new capital will be used to grow its national sales team, support its partnerships with Thrill One and Chase Elliott/Hendrick Motorsports, and create digital content. A Shoc CEO Paul Nadel said: “We’re extremely proud to be partnering with so many world-class names in sports, business and entertainment". He continued: "In just three years, A Shoc has grown to have a nationwide footprint with multiple products elevating the functional training of professional athletes and helping everyday people reach peak performance. We are so fortunate to continue our growth with this amazing group of investors who not only believe in our brand but also seek to empower people to live healthy and active lifestyles.”

Anheuser-Busch has introduced a new sparkling alcoholic beverage, Neon Burst, at convenience stores across the US. With an ABV of 8%, varieties include Neon Burst Punch Blast, featuring a blend of tropical fruit flavours, including pineapple, passionfruit, orange, raspberry, cherry and apple. Meanwhile, Neon Burst Grape Blowout combines grape flavour with "citrus tartness". “When you evaluate what’s happening at c-store, you’re seeing a highly engaged customer help grow full-flavored, 6-8% alc/vol beverages to a $1 billion category,” said Joanie Kwok, senior brand director, FMB portfolio at Anheuser-Busch. “We saw an opportunity to shake things up with this new product that’s exactly what this evolving consumer is currently looking for.”

Mikuna Foods has closed a $5.6 million seed round, as it looks to scale its production capacity and expand its distribution footprint. Founded by Ecuadorian Ricky Echanique, Mikuna claims to be the first company to introduce protein from chocho – a lupin species found in the Andes Mountains – to the US market. Athletes such as professional skateboarder Leticia Bufoni, professional surfer Mick Fanning, and professional snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg were among the backers of Mikuna’s seed round. The brand will use the funds to support retail and foodservice expansion, as well as product innovation beyond protein supplements, and to scale up its production capacity. Vuori Clothing founder and CEO, Joe Kudla, who has also invested in Mikuna, said: "The plant-based protein market is truly ripe for disruption, and Mikuna is leading the charge by introducing a clean, naturally regenerative, nutritionally packed plant protein with versatility that will allow for rapid market and product expansion”. Mikuna has also announced the appointments of Tara Kriese and Gary Doherty as CEO and CFO, respectively. Kriese commented: "Mikuna has identified an exceptionally promising white space in the growing plant-based protein market, and I'm excited to join the company at such a pivotal time of growth and innovation. Chocho is the future of plant-based proteins, and as we look ahead to the brand's product and innovation pipeline, Mikuna is poised to lead the plant-based industry back to its clean, whole food roots." Mikuna currently offers Chocho Superfood Protein, which comes in three flavours, each of which is vegan, gluten-free, keto, paleo and non-GMO.

Private equity firm Advent International has agreed to purchase Italian ingredient producer IRCA from Carlyle for an undisclosed sum. Headquartered in Gallarate, Italy, IRCA supplies speciality ingredients for artisanal pastries, cakes and gelatos to businesses such as patisseries, restaurants and confectionery manufacturers, among others. IRCA works with chefs in over 100 countries and employs more than 1,000 staff. The company has seven production plants and four innovation and demonstration kitchens in Europe, North America and Asia. Following the acquisition, Advent will support IRCA in scaling its business in Italy and internationally, and expanding its portfolio into adjacent product categories. Francesco Casiraghi, managing director at Advent, said: “IRCA’s long-term growth track record comes from a consistent focus on understanding customer needs, creative innovation and Italian excellence in high-quality food ingredients. We believe IRCA is perfectly placed for further expansion, reaching a growing number of chefs globally with increasingly innovative solutions.” Filippo Penatti, managing director of the Carlyle Europe Partners advisory team, added: “Through investment in its manufacturing capabilities, diversifying its product offering also through the strategic acquisition of Dobla, expanding the company’s global footprint with inroads into the US, and strengthening management, IRCA has achieved excellent and above-market growth”. The deal, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close later this year. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Pernod Ricard subsidiary Irish Distillers has announced changes to its management team, with the appointment of Nodjame Fouad as its next CEO and chairman. Fouad, currently president and CEO of Pernod Ricard Japan, will assume the role on 1 July 2022. Fouad will succeed Conor McQuaid, who is leaving the position to take up the newly created role of executive vice president corporate communication, S&R and public affairs at Pernod Ricard's headquarters in Paris. McQuaid commented: "Serving as chairman and CEO of Irish Distillers has been an honour and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved as a business over the past number of years, in particular, the remarkable success of our full portfolio of Irish whiskeys and the continued success of Jameson around the world". Fouad added: "Firstly, I would like to congratulate Conor for an incredible tenure as chairman and CEO of Irish Distillers and wish him well with his new role in Paris. I am deeply honoured to take up the proverbial baton as chairman and CEO, acting as guardian of some of the most-loved Irish whiskeys in the world. I look forward to joining Irish Distillers in July and working closely with the team to shape the business strategy to drive the continued growth of our whiskey portfolio."

UK bakery company Warburtons has announced the launch of a new line of sliced loaves, called Seeds and Grains, available in recyclable paper packaging. The three new 700g loaves comprise – Big 21, which includes 21 varieties of seeds and grains; Plant Power, a blend of pulses, grains and seeds; and Make It Grain, which contains Maris Otter barley malt grain. The loaves are 100% wholemeal, high in fibre and protein, and low in saturated fat and sugar. The range will be wrapped in recyclable paper packaging, which can be recycled with newspapers and cardboard at home, said Warburtons. Darren Littler, innovation director at Warburtons, said: “We’re delighted to introduce the new range into our portfolio. Consumers are always looking for new, interesting bakery products to make mealtimes more exciting, and these certainly do the trick. Not only do they taste great, but they also have a range of nutritional benefits, making them the perfect choice for a healthy balanced diet." He continued: “Making the packaging fully recyclable is also just another step in the right direction for us and we are thrilled that we are able to offer a more sustainable option to packaging that does not impact the freshness of the loaf”. The Seeds and Grains range will be available in Asda stores from 19 April, with an RRP of £1.85.

US vertical farming company Vertical Harvest has closed an $8.35 million Series A funding round, led by Nicoya and Raiven Capital. The investment round also included Oatly co-founder Björn Öste and Mike Krupka, a partner at BainCapital Ventures. Vertical Harvest – which is based in Jackson, Wyoming – is looking to create a network of local sustainable farms with an inclusive employment scheme. The company currently produces packaged salads, including microgreens and lettuces, as well as tomatoes and edible flowers. Nona Yehia, CEO and co-founder of Vertical Harvest, said: "We are changing the world by focusing on creating beautiful buildings in urban environments that provide community renewal, jobs and life training for people who are employment-challenged and nutritious food that is local, fresh and better tasting. We will do this all while generating good returns for our shareholders." The company is breaking ground on its second US location in Westbrook, Maine, this spring.

Packaging company Amcor has announced the introduction of two new applications for its AmPrima PE recycle-ready portfolio in Europe. The range includes packaging for coffee and dairy products "to offer brands a more sustainable packaging choice without compromise on performance," said Amcor. AmPrima PE PLUS solutions for roasted and ground coffee will launch first in Europe. The range is suitable for all coffee pack formats and sizes, available with both seal and peel options to protect freshness and aroma. According to Amcor, "AmPrima PE PLUS recycle-ready has the potential to replace over 200 current non-recyclable coffee packaging specifications". Meanwhile, the expansion to the AmPrima portfolio also includes PE and PE PLUS solutions for cheese in Europe. The new packaging will be available in various formats, including flow wrap for hard cheeses, pouches for grated and flow packs for "leak-prone" cheeses such as mozzarella. AmPrima PE and PE PLUS offer brands a complete PE solution with robust product protection that meets the requirements of most European PE recycling streams. Noemi Bertolino, VP of research and development for Amcor Flexibles EMEA, said: “The AmPrima range has already been proven to work for our US customers, and we’re happy to now offer it in Europe. For the latest applications in coffee and cheese, Amcor has run over 50 trials, and we are delighted to bring our customers a simple switch to more sustainable packaging." She continued: "Fitting a wide range of packaging needs, the versatility of AmPrima demonstrates our commitment to ongoing innovation and finding more sustainable solutions where they previously did not exist”.

Nestlé USA’s DiGiorno brand has expanded its portfolio with the launch of new variants of its Croissant Crust Pizza, as well as its Fully Stuffed Crust Pizza and small pizza line. DiGiorno is releasing its first breakfast-based range with its new line – Breakfast Croissant Crust Pizza. Available in three varieties, Eggs Benedict Inspired, Sausage & Gravy and Cinnamon Roll, the pizzas feature ingredients such as 100% real cheese, cage-free eggs, premium pork sausage and real cinnamon. The brand is also releasing two new variants of its Fully Stuffed Crust Pizza – Double Pepperoni and Ultimate Three Meat – featuring real mozzarella cheese sandwiched between two layers of crust. The small pizza line is expanding with two new Hand-Tossed Crust Style varieties: BBQ Recipe Chicken and Chicken Alfredo. The Hand-Tossed Crust Style and Breakfast Croissant Crust pizzas will be released nationwide across the US this month, while the Fully Stuffed Crust pizzas will be available in June.

Where breweries like Molson Coors’ Canadian facilities were once a fixed feature of inner cities, today more and more companies are abandoning their confined urban premises in favour of the surrounding countryside. Here, they have room for expansion – and for new, highly flexible filling and packaging technology from KHS. What’s crucial for a beverage bottler who wants to create totally new production capacities out in the countryside is state-of-the-art technology and a reliable partner that can be fully depended on during installation, commissioning and day-to-day operation. It was thus good that, in opting for KHS, the brewery had a partner at its side that has been trusted for many years. Because of the long-term partnership, it is only logical that the brewery has now procured three lines from the systems supplier. The heart of the setup is the Innofill Can DVD, a can filler that is used for a capacity of up to 72,000 cans per hour. It can fill containers holding between 236 to 473 millilitres, whether these be of a slim, sleek or standard format. Molson Coors has also invested in a KHS glass line and a keg line. To find out more, click here . About KHS Group KHS Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of filling and packaging systems for the beverage and liquid food industries. In addition to its parent company (KHS GmbH), the group includes various subsidiaries outside Germany, with production sites in Ahmedabad (India), Waukesha (US), Zinacantepec (Mexico), São Paulo (Brazil) and Kunshan (China). It also operates numerous sales and service centres worldwide. KHS manufactures modern filling and packaging systems for the high-capacity range at its headquarters in Dortmund, Germany, and at its factories in Bad Kreuznach, Kleve, Worms and Hamburg (also in Germany). KHS Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the SDAX-listed Salzgitter AG corporation. In 2020, KHS Group and its 5,085 employees achieved a turnover of around €1.13 billion. For more information on KHS, visit the website . #packaging #MolsonCoors #filling #expansion #KHS

Anuga FoodTec 2022 welcomes professionals from across the global food and beverage industry at the Cologne exhibition centre (Koelnmesse) in Germany this April, from 26-29 April. FoodBev will be attending this year's seminal event and we hope to speak with many of you about your latest innovations and exciting upcoming plans! Every three years, Anuga offers a central hub for the food and beverage industry and its suppliers. Around 50,000 trade visitors from 154 countries and around 1,700 exhibitors are expected to attend the event, showcasing their latest products and services and providing a chance to network with some of the most innovative companies. During this year's trade event, Anuga will host exhibitors from diverse fields, including manufacturers of machinery and equipment for the industry, and suppliers of packaging materials and ingredients. The event will focus on eight key segments: food packaging, processing, safety and analytics, automation, digitisation, environment and energy, science and pioneering, and intralogistics. Intralogistics deals with the internal flow of materials and includes, for example, product groups such as conveyors, large containers, storage systems or industrial trucks. All global producers of food and beverages need intralogistics solutions. Automation and digitalisation are closely related. Switching processes from manual to automatic operation (ie. machine operation) is an important challenge in the food and beverage manufacturing process. Digitalisation connects the automated processes through innovative technologies that can control and network all applications according to demand and product. Energy and environment is one of the core fields in the production process. Energy, freshwater, waste and reprocessing are important factors in every production process that can be used to control costs and effort. In addition, these issues are moving strongly into the focus of the public, which increasingly expects producers to have a clear attitude towards environmental issues. The area offers approaches to solutions and innovations at various levels across all process stages. Science and pioneering focus on the future. Here, the experts are expected to identify today which solutions will be ready for the market in the next 5-10 years and where the industry is heading. In addition to start-ups and young, innovative companies, research institutes and universities can also participate here in the discussion about the future. All segments will also be taken up by the event and congress programme, where they will be discussed by experts and presented with different approaches with a view to the future. If you would like to promote your latest innovations and upcoming plans, please contact sales@foodbev.com.

Industrias Tajín has announced the opening of its new manufacturing plant and Center for Research and Field Experimentation (CICE) in Jalisco, Mexico, following a $50 million investment. Founded in 1985, Tajín produces a number of seasonings and sauces, consisting primarily of chilli peppers, lime and salt. The 161,458-square-foot facility, located on around 20 acres, features three warehouses and ten production lines. The new plant will help increase Tajín's total production capability by 80% by processing up to 5.3 million pounds of product per month. With the establishment of the CICE, Tajín says that it aims to transform the local region into a "state-of-the-art zone" for producing high-quality chilli peppers. Javier Leyva, director of Tajín US, said: "The global consumption of chilli peppers and chilli-based products shows no signs of letting up. Currently, the US is our biggest market outside of Mexico and represents 50% of our global sales." He continued: "With Tajin's presence in more than 65 countries and expanding, our multi-million-dollar investment will allow us to meet this growing demand and increase our global footprint".