Israeli food-tech start-up ChickP Protein has completed a Series A investment round, raising a total of $8 million. The round was led by a group of executive investors from Singapore's Genisys Capital, and backed by plant-based nutrition company Growthwell Foods with its leading investor Temasek Holdings. The company has also named Liat Lachish Levy as CEO. Levy is experienced in global corporations and specialises in both retail and foodservice sectors. "Over the past few months, ChickP has been planting the seeds for accelerated growth in the US, Europe and Asia," said Levy. "This investment will bring greater scale-up and commercialisation capabilities with our partners for our chickpea isolate ingredient, in multiple territories. Moreover, the expansion of ChickP’s team and opening of our new offices, including an R&D centre and applications lab, will support local commercial activities." This round follows earlier investments totalling $10 million. In 2020, ChickP announced that it had launched a native starch developed from chickpea for food and beverage applications.

Cashless payment platform Nayax has entered into "a binding term sheet" to acquire On Track Innovations (OTI) for $4.5 million. OTI, which operates in 55 countries, develops smart payment solutions for unattended machines such as automatic vending, self-service kiosks and payment terminals. The acquisition will support Nayax's continued expansion and will be completed in two phases. Nayax will first lend OTI around $5.5 million to repay its outstanding debts, which will be compensated in two years, bearing a 10% annual interest rate. In the second phase, which is expected to begin within 21 days of signing the loan agreement, OTI will be fully merged into Nayax. Nayax's CEO, Yair Nechmad, said: "This acquisition is an important step in our plan to gain share in our targeted markets and accelerate our growth opportunities in territories such as Japan". He continued: "OTI has an experienced workforce, a high-quality and loyal customer base as well as significant operations in the automatic refuelling system market. This transaction supports Nayax's strategic business plan, as we constantly explore potential acquisitions with complementary technologies that will support our continued growth."

Diageo has entered into an agreement to sell its Meta Abo brewery in Sebeta, Ethiopia to BGI, a subsidiary of Castel Group. BGI is a large-scale brewery and beverage production subsidiary of Group Castel, which operates in over 53 countries. BGI is the largest brewery in Ethiopia, with plants located all over the country. Diageo first acquired the Meta Abo brewery a decade ago. In 2015, the company invested $119 million into a bottling line expansion for the facility. The brewer has stated that it will "continue to service the Ethiopian market with its international spirits portfolio through its dedicated imported spirits channel". The sale is subject to approval by the Ethiopian Competition Commission and certain conditions. The deal is expected to be completed by early 2022.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has launched a brand-new mango flavour addition under its Nütrl Vodka Seltzer brand in the US. The new release is made with real mango juice. The alcoholic beverage is lightly sweet "with a burst of fleshy mango flavour, hints of ripe pineapple with a clean, refreshing finish". The 100 calorie vodka seltzer has an ABV of 4.5%, is gluten-free and includes no added sugar. Mango will join the Nütrl variety pack alongside Pineapple, Watermelon and Raspberry. In addition to the variety eight-pack, it is also available in individual Pineapple and Watermelon four-packs. All Nütrl flavours will be available nationwide across the US from 24 January.

US vertical farming company Fifth Season is building its second robotic vertical farm in Columbus, Ohio, in order to fulfil the demand for fresh greens and ready-to-eat salads. The company hopes to create a fresh food ecosystem using its proprietary end-to-end autonomous farming platform. This expansion will enable the team to develop a more sustainable fresh food chain. "Thanks to our modular design, no software work is needed to integrate bots into the new facility, they just start working together in their new configuration," said Fifth Season CTO, Brac Webb. "At the Braddock farm, we have just over 100 instances of our bots in use, and at the future Columbus farm we plan to have around 250 instances." The Columbus farm will also integrate renewable solar energy and use an onsite microgrid. In addition, the firm has announced three key leadership hires. Brian Griffiths will join as CFO; Varun Khanna as VP of food products; and Glenn Wells as SVP of sales. "We've proven the viability of our model, and we're pushing forward into high-growth mode with leaders who will use our scalable platform to innovate and increase distribution now, not five years from now," Fifth Season's CEO, Austin Webb, commented.

Pilgrim’s Food Masters-owned company Fridge Raiders has announced the newest limited-edition variant as part of its its World Flavours range. The new Peri Peri Chicken Bites will join the other flavour variations in the range, which includes Caribbean Jerk Chicken Bites and Katsu Chicken Bites. Beth George, Brand Manager at Fridge Raiders, commented: "As a nation, we love to snack, and as snacking occasions continue to grow we are seeing consumer’s look for more exciting options and flavours to keep snack times exciting. We are so excited to be offering a tasty product that responds directly to this trend by launching a brand-new flavour that’s sure to invigorate the meat snacking fixture." She continued: "The launch of Peri Peri Chicken Bites is a natural expansion of our limited-edition World Flavours range, catering to consumers actively seeking out new and exciting flavours to fuel their busy days". The new launch will be available exclusively at Asda from 24 January.

Kellogg's has released a new addition to its Special K line-up with a new Brown Sugar Cinnamon variation with added vitamins and minerals. Every serving of the new cereal launch contains 100% of the daily value of ten essential vitamins and minerals, including: Zinc, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin E, Iron, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Niacin and Folate. Special K Brown Sugar Cinnamon features crispy flakes made with whole grains and is layered with a sprinkling of cinnamon and brown sugar. Cindy Huntington, brand director at Kellogg Company, said: "At breakfast, we often face the decision of something delicious we want to eat versus something healthy we feel we should eat. That's a compromise and it takes the enjoyment out of breakfast. That's why we are thrilled to unveil Special K Brown Sugar Cinnamon with 100% daily value of ten vitamins and minerals, our first cereal with this level of nutrition packed into each delicious bowlful. We know it's easier to make healthy habits stick when they're simple and delicious, and this new cereal really delivers on that." The new launch is available in US retailers nationwide for an SRP of $4.19 per 2.5-ounce box and $5.29 per 18.3-ounce box.

Nelson Peltz’s activist hedge fund Trian Partners has acquired a stake in Unilever, according to the Financial Times. The $8.5 billion US hedge fund has taken a position in the UK business' shares, which marks Trian's latest investment in the consumer goods category. The acquisition of shares in the company comes after Unilever's £50 billion attempted takeover of GlaxoSmithKline's consumer health business last week, which resulted in three failed bids. The failed acquisition drove Unilever’s share price down by 11% although the company recovered part of the losses after it said it would not raise its offer any further. The Financial Times stated that shares in Unilever have dropped 17.7% over the past year – excluding dividends. Trian and Unilever have not commented.

Danone North America has launched its latest plant-based product offering to appeal to dairy-milk consumers, Silk Nextmilk. The new release is specially formulated for dairy consumers. The milk contains six key nutrients found in dairy, including calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, B12, riboflavin and phosphorus, as well as delivering four grams of plant-based protein per serving. The offering is also lactose-free, non-GMO Project Verified and has 30% fewer calories than dairy milk. John Starkey, president of plant-based food and beverages at Danone North America, said: “Some consumers remain skeptical about plant-based food and beverages due to taste and texture, but Silk Nextmilk is on a mission to change that. We deconstructed dairy to create this revolutionary product that delivers the taste and texture we think dairy drinkers will love. Thanks to Silk Nextmilk — a true category game-changer — we’re confident dairy lovers will want to cross the aisle." Silk Nextmilk is now available in whole fat and reduced-fat varieties for an MSRP of $4.99 per 59-oz carton in the refrigerated section at US grocery stores nationwide, including Target, Kroger, Publix and HEB.

The Kraft Heinz Company has announced the appointment of Andre Maciel as executive vice president and global CFO, effective 2 March 2022. Maciel, who currently serves as Kraft's US CFO and head of digital transformation, will succeed Paulo Basilio as part of the company's leadership review. Basilio – who has been with Kraft since 2013, serving as CFO and president of the US Zone – will remain with Kraft as a strategic advisor until August 2022. “I have had the tremendous pleasure to work with Paulo since 2019,” said Miguel Patricio, CEO at Kraft Heinz “I look back over these years in amazement on everything that the company has been able to accomplish. Paulo has been a critical part of our success. He executed an ambitious acquisitions and divestitures strategy and debt reduction plan. He drove the development of the company’s five-year strategic plan. He oversaw our return to sustained organic net sales and profitability growth and the strengthening of our internal controls. I could go on and on." He continued: “One of Paulo’s greatest accomplishments was in developing key talent within the finance team, including Andre Maciel, the individual I selected to be his successor. Andre’s combination of business and finance experience makes him a trusted leader. His most recent work on digital transformation sets the foundation for our company’s future. I look forward to his partnership in building on our momentum and continuing our focus on long-term profitable growth.” In addition, Yang Xu will become senior vice president and global head of corporate development. Xu, who is currently global head of treasury and M&A (mergers & acquisitions), will step into the new role effective March 2 2022.

Wellness brand Elavi, known for its collagen protein bars, has launched a new range of functional nut butters. Elavi Superfood Cashew Butter is created using creamy cashew butter, superfood powders and hempseed oil. The plant-based, nutrient-dense spread comes in single-serve packs to meet on-the-go demands. The butters come in three flavours – pomegranate beet, blue spirulina vanilla and dark chocolate – and each is vibrantly coloured to reflect the superfoods it contains. Pomegranate beet is bright pink from pomegranate and beet powder. It features undertones of vanilla and the company says it has a sweet finish that is reminiscent of the "nostalgic Fruity Pebbles cereal". Blue spirulina vanilla has a bold blue hue, derived from blue-green algae, which is full of nutrients and antioxidants. Meanwhile, dark chocolate is lightly sweetened with low-glycemic coconut sugar and monk fruit. “As an emerging brand, we have the advantage of having a strong pulse on what our consumers want and can move fast to meet them. Since we started Elavi in 2020 we’ve seen a growing demand in consumer requests for convenience, plant-powered superfoods, and functionality, so creating a line of on-the-go nut butters felt like a natural extension,” said Nikki Elliot, Elavi co-founder. “We are equally excited that a 100% plant-based line now allows us to tap into a new fan base and bring innovation to a category while simultaneously prioritising the planet with our integration of environmentally sustainable hempseed oil."

US vertical farming company Upward Farms has announced plans to expand its indoor farming network with a large-scale facility. The company claims its new 250,000-square-foot facility will be the "world's largest" vertical farm, and will provide fresh, locally sourced microgreens and sustainably raised hybrid striped bass to consumers throughout the northeast and beyond. The facility will conserve more than 100 million gallons of water and more than 120 acres of land on an annual basis, and eliminate 1.7 million food transportation miles per year. The indoor farm, located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, will be completed and fully operational by early 2023. Dennis Davin, department of community and economic development secretary, commented: "I am pleased Upward Farms has decided to make Luzerne County the home of their new vertical farm. The commonwealth has deep roots in the agribusiness industry and is known for having a spirit of innovation. This, along with our prime northeast location, makes Pennsylvania an excellent choice for the world’s largest vertical farm".