World heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury has launched a brand new range of energy drinks, named Furocity. The new range is available in four flavours – Original, Black & Blue Raspberry, Sour Cherry Knockout and Sour Apple Punch. According to the brand, Furocity energy drinks contain less than half (4.3g per 100ml) the sugar of both Red Bull (11g per 100ml) and Monster (11g per 100ml) and are below the Government’s sugar tax threshold, as well as HFSS compliant. The drinks contain as much caffeine as a double shot of espresso and includes taurine, an amino acid that naturally occurs in the human body. The beverages are also full of vitamins, including vitamin B12 & B6. Tyson Fury said: "Unlike my opponents, Furocity packs a real punch, giving you the boost you need to be at your best. It’s all about hitting your day harder and making every moment count". The four flavours are available from 16 February at Iceland, The Food Warehouse, Amazon and the Tyson Fury website for an RRP of £1.50 each. The beverages will be available as single cans but will be available in multipacks and in sugar-free variations soon.

Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) has teamed up with Potager Farm to establish a new retail park-based vertical farm in Berlin, Germany. IGS will install two growth towers in the retail park, which is owned by Greenman Open, the largest fund of grocery-anchored real estate firm Greenman Group. Potager Farm – a subsidiary of Greenman Group – will operate and run the farm, which will provide local supermarkets, retailers and restaurants with produce. It is expected to open in the first quarter of 2023. According to IGS, the first crops that Potager Farm will grow include herbs, such as parsley, chives and basil, as well as rocket and mustard leaves and other leafy greens. Vertical farming uses minimal water and no pesticides, and offers water recycling capabilities that mean "the only water leaving the farm is contained in the crops". David Farquhar, CEO at IGS, said: “Potager Farm is a perfect example of how a business can bring sustainable, local food production systems to an urban setting, where the produce will be travelling, at maximum, only a kilometre or two before it reaches the supermarket or restaurant". Mario Gatineau, managing director at Potager Farm, added: “IGS’s modular towers will allow us to expand our vertical farming system as and when required, enabling us to upscale our farming abilities over time”. He continued: “Potager Farm is key to Greenman Group’s commitment to reducing its properties’ environmental impacts on their surroundings. The vertical farm will be located on a retail park owned by the Greenman Open fund, gaining a competitive advantage for its tenants. "The fund has committed to diversifying its income, stating that by 2025, 5% of its annual revenue will be generated from non-rent related activities (5by25). These activities include, among others, sustainable farming activities and promoting local and traceable food supply.”

An affiliate of private investment firm Peak Rock Capital has purchased Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food distributor, Ziyad Brothers. Headquartered in Chicago, Ziyad Brothers is a provider of branded Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods, with additional facilities in New Jersey and California. Ziyad Brothers owns a number of brands and partners with other companies to distribute their products in the North American market. Steve Martinez, president of Peak Rock, said: "Ziyad represents a unique opportunity to invest in an exceptional business and team that has differentiated itself as the unparalleled authority on Middle East and Mediterranean cuisine". He continued: "Ziyad’s history of service and dedication to its partners’ and customers’ success, coupled with its strong and consistent track record of growth, make it an ideal platform investment for Peak Rock. We are looking forward to partnering with the company to accelerate the execution of strategic growth investments." The acquisition of Ziyad represents Peak Rock’s 13th investment in the food, beverage and consumer industry in recent years.

Cleaning equipment supplier Kärcher has become the "lead investor" in Mysoda, taking a stake in the Finnish company, which manufactures sparkling water makers for the consumer market. Mysoda makes its sparkling water machines from a wood-based and renewable material, and uses no fossil plastic in production. The company also manufactures flavour concentrates and CO2 cylinders to go with its machines. Mysoda CEO, David Solomon, said: "Kärcher shares our conviction of putting sustainability first, and I get really excited thinking about our cooperation and opportunities. They have decades of experience in sustainability, brand building, marketing and expanding to new markets." He continued: "After all the start-up pains, it also feels really good to make the move from an underfunded start-up to a well-capitalised growth company. We compete with bigger companies, and thanks to this substantial minority investment, now we have the resources to stand our ground." Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Mysoda sells its products in a large number of markets, including the UK, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Austria and Italy.

Frozen baked goods company Griddle has introduced new frozen vegan toaster waffles, adding to its portfolio of easy baking products. The waffles are available in three variations – original, blueberry and chocolate chip. The products are HFSS compliant and contain 40% less sugar than the average waffle. They're made using 100% natural ingredients and also contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Ella Harland, co-founder of Griddle, said: "In the US, the market for toaster waffles is worth over $2.6bn, yet here in the UK there is a limited range of highly processed, ambient products which are poor quality and have a short shelf life. We believe that with the help of our retailer partners, we can bring something truly innovative to this market. The launch is also a key next step towards achieving our overall aim – to become the household frozen bakery brand." The releases are available for an RRP of £2.50 per 200g pack of six waffles. Morrisons will stock two products from the three strong range (original and chocolate chip) while Ocado will stock all three from 14 March.

US food tech company Benson Hill has announced the launch of TruVail, a new line of domestically sourced soy protein ingredients. The first products to be introduced under the TruVail brand include texturised proteins and high-protein soy flour, which Benson Hill says offers a less processed equivalent to soy protein concentrate (SPC). TruVail ingredients are derived from Benson Hill's proprietary ‘ultra-high protein’ soybeans, “reducing the need for additional processing steps typically required to concentrate protein levels”. The company claims that the non-GMO ingredients can require up to 70% less water and up to 50% less CO2e to produce compared with commodity SPC. The TruVail ingredients can be used for applications within the rapidly growing plant-based market, including meat and dairy alternatives, as well as in snacks, baked goods and meat products. "The nutrient density advantage of TruVail ingredients offers food manufacturers a seamless solution for multiple product development needs," said Kurt Long, VP, proteins, Benson Hill. “The application of TruVail ingredients as a less processed replacement for SPC delivers cost and environmental advantages while avoiding SPC supply constraints facing the rapidly expanding plant-based protein market.” Benson Hill recently acquired a soy processing facility in Creston, Iowa, providing it with the manufacturing capabilities to bring its new ingredient portfolio to market.

The Coca-Cola Company has reported a 17% rise in full-year net revenue to $38.7 billion, after its performance was boosted by concentrate sales and higher prices. For Q4, the company – which owns major beverage brands including Coca-Cola, Sprite and VitaminWater – posted net revenue growth of 10% to $9.5 billion, ahead of its 2019 performance. Operating income grew 15% for the year but declined 28% in Q4 – driven by currency tailwinds and higher marketing spend. Global unit case volume – a key indicator of demand – grew 8% year-over-year in 2021. Volume growth was strong across most markets, and particularly in China, India and Russia, as well as the developed markets of Mexico, the US and the UK. However, Coca-Cola warned that cost inflation was likely to continue this year. Global supply chain disruptions and surging raw material costs have squeezed the profit margins of companies across the packaged food and beverage industry, forcing them to respond with price hikes. In 2021, unit case volume of sparkling soft drinks grew 7%, driven by a strong performance across all geographic operating segments. Meanwhile, nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverages grew 12% for the year. Hydration, sports, coffee and tea saw unit case volume grow 7%. Coffee grew 15% for the year, primarily driven by the ongoing reopening of Costa retail stores in the UK. Sports drinks grew 13%, mainly on the strength of Bodyarmor's performance in the US market. “In 2021, our system demonstrated resilience and flexibility by successfully navigating through another year of uncertainty,” said James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “While the environment remains dynamic, we will build on the momentum from 2021 to drive top-line growth and maximise returns.” In its full-year guidance, Coca-Cola said that it expects to deliver organic revenue growth of 7-8%.

PepsiCo has reported “meaningfully accelerated” net revenue growth of 12.9% in its full-year results, giving the company "added confidence" in its investments. The owner of brands such as Doritos, Mountain Dew and Tropicana posted net sales of $25.24 billion for Q4, which is a 12.4% increase on the prior year. The food and beverage giant’s net income for the fourth quarter came in at $1.32 billion, down from $1.85 billion last year. PepsiCo recorded organic revenue growth of 11.9% in the quarter, with its subsidiary Frito-Lay North America posting 13% organic revenue growth. The Quaker Foods North America business saw its revenue increase by 9%, on an organic basis, compared with 1% in the previous quarter. The sector also saw its operating profit rise by 8%, reflecting "effective net pricing and productivity savings, partially offset by certain operating cost increases, including transportation costs". Meanwhile, the company's Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand and China region saw organic revenue growth of 13%, while operating profit decreased 25%, reflecting certain operating cost increases, and higher advertising and marketing expenses. Chairman and CEO, Ramon Laguarta, commented: "Our full-year net revenue growth meaningfully accelerated in 2021 versus the previous year and this gives us added confidence that the investments we’ve made in our people, brands, innovation, supply chain, go-to-market systems and digitisation initiatives are working". According to Reuters, PepsiCo finance chief Hugh Johnston says that the company could potentially raise prices later this year if costs climb more than expected. He also predicts that some product shortages could potentially happen.

Urban farming company Infarm has announced plans to establish a second US growing centre in Kyle, Texas. The new facility is part of Infarm's expansion plans, which include opening several additional locations across the US, increasing the total size of its growing facilities by more than 46,500 square metres. The company's existing US vertical farming facility is located in Seattle, Washington, and was opened in 2019. The new location will be equipped with several of Infarm's large-scale modular farming units. They produce the crop equivalent of land the size of a soccer field, using 95% less water compared with traditional soil-based agriculture. The vertical farming company is currently present in 11 countries worldwide and plans to establish 100 growing locations in 20 countries by 2030. Last year, Infarm announced plans to open a new farming facility in Bedford, UK, as well as establish new growing centres in Canada.

Beverage technology company Endless West has raised $60 million in a Series C funding round led by venture capital fund, Level One Fund. Other investors included UBS O'Connor, Horizons Ventures, SOSV, Casa Verde and Rage Capital. Endless West uses a technology-driven process to create molecular spirits, identifying key flavour and aroma molecules (or notes), which are then extracted from efficient sources in nature — including plants, fruits and yeasts. The funding will be used to launch a new business-to-business platform, Blank Collective, which will enable the company's molecular process to become available to external parties and offer product development and production services for partners. Alec Lee, co-founder and CEO of Endless West, said: "Since we founded the company we've been pushing the boundaries of what people thought was possible in the wine and spirits industry. I'm thrilled to announce this next round of funding that will help us take our incredible technology to the world and make it available for others looking to create their own great products." Last year, the company raised $21 million in Series B funding. The latest round will bring its total financing to $95 million.

US food and beverage distributor Ben E. Keith Foods has announced its acquisition of foodservice distributor Florida Food Service. The acquisition includes all assets of Florida Food Service, including its 86,000-square-foot distribution centre in Gainesville, Florida. Founded in 1948, Florida Food Service serves customers in northern and central Florida. According to Ben E. Keith Foods, the deal will create its ninth division, which will be named Ben E. Keith Foods – Florida Division. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Popcorn confectionary company Joe & Seph's has launched a new range of treats – chocolate popcorn slabs – available in two variations. The release comes in two options: vegan dark chocolate and milk chocolate. The slabs are both vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Joe Sopher, co-founder at Joe & Seph’s, said: "Following the success of our mouth-wateringly moreish chocolate popcorn bites, we are extremely proud to be launching our very first chocolate popcorn slab range. Our creative team are constantly pushing the boundaries to produce the best tasting popcorn in the world. We believe this new range, which can be enjoyed by both vegans and non-vegans, is sure to be a big hit with popcorn and chocolate lovers alike." The chocolate popcorn slabs have an RRP of £7.00 per 115g and are available on the brand's website.