FoodBev Media’s Lauren Ford rounds up this week’s food and beverage news, including: Kraft Heinz and NotCo unveil joint venture for plant-based innovation; Wildtype secures $100m in funding; innocent ad banned over ‘misleading’ environmental claims; and more. You’ll find all this and more in this week’s podcast – click here to subscribe.

Multivac has begun an expansion of its manufacturing site in Bozhurishte, Bulgaria, in a move to boost its production capacity. The investment will amount to around €5 million and include the construction of new production and assembly facilities, as well as offices, on an area covering around 5,000 square metres. The site originally opened in 2018. Christian Lau, executive vice president of manufacturing at Multivac, said: "The factory in Bozhurishte has progressed very successfully since it was put into operation three and a half years ago and its capacity is now fully utilised. It comprises a factory building with the latest manufacturing technology and pre-assembly areas, as well as a shared services facility – and it delivers to various companies within our group. We are very pleased that this new building will enable us to significantly expand our production capacity at the site." Completion of the project is planned for autumn 2022.

Barry Callebaut-owned brand Callebaut has launched a new plant-based range of chocolate, designed specifically for chefs and artisans to create "the next generations of chocolate gourmets". Callebaut NXT is a 100% plant-based dark and milky tasting chocolates that are guaranteed to be free of any trace of dairy, without compromising on taste and indulgence. The chocolates are also nut- and allergen-free, rich in fibre and contain no artificial additives, flavourings or colourants. According to Barry Callebaut, the range is made with an extract from the chufa plant and is considered to be better for the environment, as growing milk from chufa has lower carbon emissions compared to cow's milk. Xuan-Lai Huynh, global brand leader of Callebaut, said: “It took Callebaut experts and research and development (R&D) teams three years to bring this unique innovation to life. What makes it even more special is that the whole concept is being fuelled not only by our R&D team but even more by passionate chefs and artisans." She continued: "Creating vegan, plant-based and dairy-free recipes stirs up all the know-how chefs have been applying for generations. For many, it’s like starting over. NXT will help ambitious chefs to re-invent the traditional pastry and chocolate recipes and elevate dairy-free, vegan, plant-based chocolate delights from a ‘niche’ segment to a global movement.”

Diageo-owned Guinness has announced it is embarking on a three-year regenerative agriculture programme that will produce barley for its beverages. Ireland has been selected as the location for the pilot, which aims to benefit both the planet and farmers. The programme will initially include at least 40 farms across spring and winter barley sowing. The outcomes of the pilot are expected to include improvements in soil health and its carbon sequestration potential, enhanced biodiversity, a reduction in synthetic fertiliser use, enhanced water quality and improved farmer livelihoods. John Kennedy, president of Diageo Europe, commented: "This pilot is the first such programme being implemented by Diageo, and the outcomes will help inform other potential opportunities, not just in Ireland, but in other countries where we source raw materials". Guinness will collaborate with Irish farmers and suppliers, including Boortmalt, Glanbia and Comex McKinnon, in order to understand the most effective regenerative agriculture practices, altered for the specific needs of Irish barley production.

Beverage start-up De La Calle has closed a $7 million growth round to expand its product portfolio and national retail footprint. Founded in 2021, De La Calle produces tepache, a Mexican fermented probiotic beverage. The company's drinks are certified organic, contain less than 40 calories and are low in sugar. The funding round was led by private investment firm KarpReilly, with participation from Here Studio and beverage manufacturer DrinkPak. The capital will be used to launch four new flavours – watermelon jalapeño, cactus prickly pear, grapefruit lime and chamoy – and expand into five Whole Foods store regions, including Southern and Northern California, the Northeast, and the Rocky Mountain and Mid-Atlantic regions of the US. "Our new flavours, like watermelon jalapeño and chamoy, will help us reach even more tepache lovers as we enter 2022," said Rafael Martin del Campo, De La Calle's co-founder. "Celebrating the rich Latin heritage of tepache is number one for us, so we're glad to have a great partner to help us in this mission as we continue to grow as a brand through exciting product innovation and retail expansion."

Givaudan has launched PrimeLock+, a patent-pending encapsulation system that mimics the membrane of animal fat cells, enabling manufacturers to deliver juicier plant-based meat products. According to Givaudan, maintaining juiciness in meat alternatives can be challenging “as a high proportion of oils are often released during cooking,” resulting in a drier mouthfeel. The company’s new integrated solution protects flavour and encapsulates and locks in fat in plant-based meat substitutes, releasing it gradually during cooking and consumption. The vegan-friendly solution is said to allow an up to 75% reduction in fat, while enhancing the eating experience. Visual appeal is improved “with a marbled, fat-like appearance,” while PrimeLock+ also helps boost stability during a product's shelf life by separating flavours from proteins. Sylvain Jouet, global product manager for meat substitutes at Givaudan, said: “Givaudan is committed to helping its customers create delicious plant-based products that consumers enjoy. To do this, we have built wide-ranging expertise and a growing suite of integrated solutions and technologies in the alternative protein space. “In 2019, we asked ourselves how we could improve the eating experience of plant-based burgers; today, after extensive research and development, we are excited to launch PrimeLock+, a unique solution that delivers multiple benefits.”

Producer of better-for-you breakfast products, Mikey's, has released new plant-based breakfast pockets in collaboration with Just Egg. The new launches are available in two variants – Breakfast Scramble and Tex-Mex Breakfast – and are certified gluten-free and contain no dairy and soy. Breakfast Scramble is filled with scrambled Just Egg alongside plant-based cheese and vegetables. Tex-Mex Breakfast features scrambled Just Egg with black beans, vegetables and taco seasoning. Just Egg, developed by Eat Just, has around the same amount of protein as an authentic egg but with zero cholesterol and less saturated fat. Michael Tierney, founder and CEO of Mikey’s, said: "We continue to see opportunities to stay true to our core values while expanding into more plant-based offerings. We are equally excited about another great brand partnership for Mikey’s, this time with Just Egg. Their plant-based eggs are a delicious addition to our convenient handheld breakfast offerings. It’s my hope that our new plant-based breakfast products will be as much of a staple to your morning routine as they have become for me and the Mikey’s team." The new products have an RSP of $6.99 and will be available in the US at Giant Food Stores as well as select grocery stores and on the Mikey’s website in April.

Tim Hortons has partnered with Canadian ice cream producer Shaw's to launch a line-up of ice cream flavours inspired by the brand's most popular snacks and beverages. Tim Hortons Ice Cream, which are made with 100% Canadian dairy, are available in five flavours: salted caramel iced capp, double chocolate donut, birthday cake Timbits, apple fritter and fruit explosion. Sourabh Malik, vice president of CPG at Tim Hortons, said: "Canadians are going to love Tim Hortons Ice Cream and how we've brought our unique, only-at-Tims tastes to a new dimension. These new ice cream pints are bursting with inclusions like caramel, apple and chocolate donut pieces." The ice creams will be sold at several major grocery stores across Canada, including Co-op, Loblaws, Longo's, Metro and Walmart.

Danone has expanded its Volvic Touch of Fruit sugar-free portfolio with the launch of a new flavoured water with added vitamin B6. Volvic's Touch of Fruit Peach & Raspberry Vitality with added vitamin B6 combines white peaches with floral raspberry notes. The new addition is sugar-free and contains less than four calories per serving. Gemma Morgan, category marketing director at Danone, said: "The Volvic Touch of Fruit range has been delivering strong growth across the market in the last year, and the launch of this popular flavour combination is a tasty way to help even more people stay hydrated”. She continued: “Consumers are looking to make more mindful food and drink choices, and we believe flavoured water has a key role to play in offering a refreshing alternative to soft drinks, that won’t compromise on taste. As the category continues to evolve, we’re seeing greater uptake from retailers for our market leader, Touch of Fruit, with the sugar-free range particularly driving continuous growth for the brand.” Volvic's Touch of Fruit Peach & Raspberry Vitality is available in a 1.5-litre bottle in Asda stores until March 2022, before being rolled out to other large supermarkets and impulse channels.

AB InBev has reported that its total volumes grew by 9.6% in FY2021, compared to the coronavirus-related drop of 5.7% the brewer reported last year. The Budweiser and Stella Artois owner saw its revenue increase by 15.6% on an organic basis. For 2021, AB InBev’s reported revenue was $54.3 billion, compared with 2020's $46.88 billion. The company's EBITDA grew by 11.8% to $19.21 billion. AB InBev saw a 23.5% increase in the combined revenues of its core global brands – Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona – outside of their respective home markets in Q4, and a rise of 22.9% for the full year. In Europe, the company's top-line recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Compared to 2020, "revenue grew by low-teens with mid-single-digit volume and revenue per hl growth". In the US, revenue grew by 3.4%. Meanwhile, EBITDA declined by 0.9%, mainly due to increased selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses. In Brazil, total volumes grew by 7.3% with beer volumes up by 7%, while EBITDA declined by 6.4%. “This year was an important step in our journey to create a future with more cheers," said AB InBev's CEO, Michel Doukeris. "Relentless execution of our strategy drove continued momentum to deliver over 15% top-line growth, EBITDA at the top end of our outlook and another year of strong cash flow generation.”

Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) has reported an increase in full-year net sales of 9.2% to $12.68 billion, citing growth for its cold beverage portfolio as a driving factor. The company's fourth-quarter net sales rose by 8.7% to $3.39 billion, compared with the $3.12 billion recorded the previous year. This increase reflected the company's growth in packaged beverages, beverage concentrates and Latin America beverages. In KDP’s coffee systems unit, 2021 net sales came in at $4.72 billion – a 6.4% increase on the previous year – driven by volume/mix growth of 6.5%. Packaged beverages saw a 9.7% increase in full-year net sales to $5.88 billion, compared with $5.36 billion in 2020. The unit's fourth-quarter net sales grew 17.1%, due to "continued strong in-market execution and market share expansion across the portfolio". According to the beverage giant, its brands Canada Dry, Dr Pepper, Sunkist, A&W, 7UP and Squirt CSDs, Mott's and Snapple led the Q4 net sales performance, as well as growth in Polar seltzers, Core Hydration, Vita Coco, Clamato, Yoo-Hoo and Bai. Meanwhile, KDP’s beverage concentrates unit saw its full-year net sales rise by 12.2% to $1.49 billion, driven by increased marketing investments and the foodservice market improving, as consumers were able to dine out more in restaurants and other hospitality locations. The company's Latin America beverages unit witnessed a significant increase in its full-year net sales of 20.5% to $599 million, with brands Peñafiel and Clamato leading the strong performance. "We finished 2021 with exceptional top-line momentum, driven by robust consumer demand across our portfolio and our third consecutive year of double-digit adjusted EPS growth. Despite ongoing macro and Covid-related challenges, we successfully delivered our merger commitments on or ahead of the targets we set four years ago," commented chairman and CEO, Bob Gamgort. "We head into 2022 with confidence in the stronger, faster-growing business we have built, poised to continue to drive outsized long-term value creation in an environment that we expect to remain challenging for some time."

Cultivated seafood company Wildtype has raised $100 million in funding to expand its production capacity as it prepares for a US market launch. Led by L Catterton, the round also included investments from Leonardo DiCaprio, Bezos Expeditions, Temasek, S2G Ventures Oceans and Seafood Fund, Robert Downey Jr's FootPrint Coalition and Cargill. Wildtype, which produces sushi-grade cultivated salmon, is on course to scale its production capabilities, and for an impending consumer launch. DiCaprio tweeted: "Wild fish populations are threatened more than ever before. I’m pleased to be an investor in the clear leader in cultivated seafood, which will give us the chance to protect our oceans while creating the cleanest seafood on the planet." According to Wildtype, consumers can "expect to see cell-cultivated, sushi-grade salmon alongside wild and farmed varieties" in the future. Last year, Wildtype opened a pilot plant in San Francisco.