Lindt & Sprüngli has achieved an important milestone in its sustainability efforts, as the company announces that 100% of its cocoa beans are traceable and externally verified by non-profit organisation, Earthworm Foundation.  The chocolatier set up the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program back in 2008 with the aim of ensuring traceability and sustainability in its cocoa bean supply chain. The Program promotes the ecological and socially responsible cultivation of cocoa beans and aims to support farmers, their families and communities.  Initially launched in Ghana, the Program is now running in all five countries where the company sources its cocoa beans.  "The challenges in the cocoa-growing countries for Lindt & Sprüngli, as well as for the entire chocolate industry, are very complex," said Dieter Weisskopf, CEO of the Lindt & Sprüngli. "It is therefore extremely important for us to address the issues in a targeted manner with our own Farming Program to directly achieve sustainable improvements." "Reaching the interim goal of 100% traceable and verified cocoa beans is an important milestone for us. We will continue to pursue our path with great energy and continuously expand and improve the Program. It is clear – there is still a lot to do," he added.  The Farming Program focuses on four key pillars: traceability and farmer organisation; training and knowledge transfer; farmer investments and community development; and verification and continuous progress (internal control system and external evaluation).  In 2020, approximately $12 million were invested into the Program.

Kellogg's Pringles brand has joined forces again with Wendy’s to launch a new crisp flavour inspired by the restaurant’s original Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Available across the US, the new limited-edition flavour is said to replicate the fiery spicy blend and pack the savoury taste of Wendy’s spicy fried chicken. The new flavour marks the second collaboration between the companies, following the launch of Pringles Baconator last year. "Our partnership with Wendy's is a match made in flavour-heaven, so we're thrilled to have another collab with an equally talked about, fan-favourite menu item," said Gareth Maguire, senior director of marketing for Pringles. Each can features a code that gives consumers access to a free Spicy Chicken Sandwich at Wendy’s when ordered via mobile. Carl Loredo, chief marketing officer of Wendy's, added: “Wendy's fans can now enjoy our insanely flavourful Spicy Chicken Sandwich in their crisps to satisfy taste-buds until their next restaurant visit." The limited-edition Pringles Wendy'sSpicy Chicken variety will be available to purchase from retailers nationwide starting in June.

Häagen-Dazs has announced the launch of an exotic new cocktail-inspired ice cream collection across the UK, just in time for summer.  The General Mills-owned brand has combined ice cream and cocktails to offer an indulgent solution and grow the luxury ice cream category. The collection features two varieties inspired by iconic rum-based cocktails: Lime Mojito Sorbet and Piña Colada ice cream. The Lime Mojito Sorbet is a vegan lime sorbet infused with a touch of rum and mint; while Piña Colada features coconut and pineapple ice cream, with shavings of real coconut and a swirl of pineapple rum sauce. With its new cocktail collection, Häagen-Dazs aims to meet the demand for ice cream containing alcohol, following its line of spirit-infused ice cream productsthat includes Irish cream brownie and bourbon vanilla bean truffle. The new products also come shortlyafter the launch of Duo, a two-in-one ice cream range. "Just in time for summer, the new cocktail collection will open up incremental consumption occasions day-to-night, like social events, celebrations, or even an alcoholic substitute,” said Kat Jones, marketing manager at Häagen-Dazs UK. “With these flavours we’re directly responding to the trend of no and low alcoholic beverage intake. Consumers still enjoy the taste and occasional tipple, so we’re sure our cocktail flavours will go down a treat.” The new Häagen-Dazs collection is available exclusively in Asda stores from 23 May for an RRP of £4.99, as well as frozen wholesale through DWF & Consort.

Pladis has unveiled that its latest product launch fuses McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes with doughnuts. McVitie’s Jaffa Jonuts marks the biggest format innovation for the brand in two years and aims to shake up the biscuit aisles. Jaffa Jonuts will feature the familiar three layers of McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes (a sponge base, orange flavoured filling and a coating of dark chocolate) in a doughnut-shaped ring. The new mash-up will come in sharing boxes of four, as well as an individually-wrapped Jaffa Jonuts snack pack. “McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes are adored by households across the country – with 54.2% of shoppers buying them again and again – so we know there’s widespread appetite for alternative formats which incorporate the great taste of Jaffa Cakes,” said Emma Stowers, brand director for McVitie’s at Pladis UK&I. With the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, McVitie’s aims to tap into the resurgence of on-the-go snacking with its individual packs. Stowers added: “We have huge ambitions for McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes and in order to meet these, we’re going to continue to give Jaffanatics what they want – and that’s even more ways to enjoy this iconic product. McVitie’s Jaffa Jonuts are just the start and we’re confident that this launch will help us increase household penetration, by making McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes part of even more snacking occasions.” McVitie’s Jaffa Jonuts will first launch into Tesco stores from 16 May, followed by a further roll out in other retailers, convenience stores and wholesalers from the end of June. The sharing box will retail for £1.99, while the indvidual 43g packs will retail for 60p.

Mondelēz's SnackFutures venture hub has announced the nine snacking start-ups selected for its inaugural CoLab accelerator programme. According to Mondelēz, each of the selected 'better-for-you' snack brands will participate in a 12-week programme that aims to accelerate the growth of healthy snacking brands, with all participants receiving a $20,000 grant. SnackFutures will reportedly provide the participating start-ups with tools, technologies and access to networks and industry expertise to stimulate their growth. Meanwhile, Mondelēz will gain insights and prospective investment opportunities from the programme. The 2021 CoLab accelerator programme will begin in June 2021 with a number of virtual programmes. The selected 2021 CoLab accelerator in full: Better Bites Bakery : A producer of allergen-free bakery products founded by Leah Lopez to provide choices for her son who had life-threatening food allergies. Chasin’ Dreams Farm : A popped sorghum snack start-up founded by Sydney Chasin, which aims to bring more options and flavours to gluten-free snacking. Elite Sweets : Maker of keto-friendly doughnuts founded by Amir and Amin Bahari, who wanted to create low-calorie versions of their favourite snack. Love Corn : A producer of crunchy corn snacks made with non-GMO ingredients that was founded by family members Jamie, Gavin & Missy McCloskey. Numa : A 'better-for-you confectionery brand created by Jane Xie and Joyce Zhu, to introduce healthier versions of their favourite childhood candies from Asia. NuSkool : A low-sugar snacking platform co-founded by Joe Christensen and Kevin Healy after seeing friends and family members struggle with obesity and heart disease. Snacklins : A producer of plant-based crisps, including plant-based 'pork rinds' founded by former radio personality and chef Samy Kobrosly. Sourse : A vitamin-infused confectionery brand founded Jenne Moore and Andrew Remlinger to make supplements more accessible. 12 Tides : A kelp-based snacks brand founded by Pat Schnettler and Lindsey Palmer to create 'ocean-friendly' and nutritious snacking options. Brigette Wolf, global head of SnackFutures at Mondelēz International, said: “We couldn’t have asked for a better representation of what the future of snacking holds. “The founders are so inspiring and passionate about what they are doing. Working with them as part of the CoLab program is going to move the needle on their brands, support our innovation agenda, and ultimately help deliver on consumers’ desire for people and planet-friendly snacking.”

UK retailer Co-op has partnered with Unilever to launch a new smart ice cream vending machine in its Battersea Bridge Road store in London. According to the retailer, the machine is the UK's first and only consumer-facing smart ice cream vending machine. The Walls branded machine stocks a range of ice cream products including Co-op’s Fairtrade Choc Stick; Magnum Vegan Stick; Walls Twister; Solero and more. To buy ice cream products from the machine, consumers need to tap their phone on the “NFC” tag on the vending machine. Customers are then prompted to confirm their payment method, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. Once payment is confirmed, the freezer door unlocks to allow the customer to select their chosen ice cream, with a combination of cameras and sensors ensuring the machine charges customers for only the products they have picked once they close the freezer door. The launch of the machine comes as the retailer continues to explore ways to make shopping more convenient for consumers. Previous schemes included a trial of pay-in-aisle technology in 2018. Rebecca Oliver-Mooney, Co-op’s head of category for dairy & frozen, said: “We continue to explore innovative ways to provide access to our products quickly, easily and more conveniently helping to delight and inspire our shoppers. "With warmer, summer months now just around the corner, we are delighted to team up with Unilever to bring this smart vending machine to our store for shoppers to pop in for ices. Over the coming months, we aim to have more than 20 of the machines in selected stores or at outdoor events.” Neil Mirtle, Unilever customer business manager, added: “We are delighted to see the Walls Smart Vending Machine go live in Co-op. "Collaborating on this project started with the goal of making ice cream more accessible for shoppers and then testing and learning at pace. We look forward to partnering with Co-op on the further rollout”.

Unilever has revealed that an ‘overwhelming majority’ of its shareholders voted in favour of its climate transition action plan, according to Reuters. The company first announced that it would seek shareholder approval for its plan back in December, claiming that it was the first ‘major global company’ to voluntarily commit to putting its climate transition plans before a shareholder vote. The vote took place at a virtual meeting on 5 May, in which Unilever intended to strengthen its engagement and dialogue with its investors. According to Reuters, Unilever said that over 99% of shareholders who voted, backed its plan to become a net-zero business by 2039. The company’s climate action plan includes transitioning to renewable energy sources, eliminating fossil fuels from its cleaning products, as well as reducing corporate travel and refrigeration emissions. "Climate change represents a clear and present danger to our value chain," said Unilever CEO, Alan Jope at the virtual meeting, as cited by Reuters. "The overwhelming vote shows support to our ambitious emission reduction targets,” he added. Unilever first plans to become net zero within its own operations and halve the impact of its products across its supply chain by 2030.

UK fruit cider brand Brothers Cider is entering the alcohol-free category with the introduction of a new 0.0% ABV variant. Toffee Apple Alcohol Free is gluten free as well as vegan, and will be available via Morrisons, independent retailers and the Brothers online shop. The new variant offers an alcohol-free version of the existing Brothers Toffee Apple flavour and comes in a 500ml bottle.  Nicola Randall, senior marketing manager at Brothers, said: “At Brothers, we have always sought to provide meaningful innovation in the cider category, which not only has appealed to our core set of customers but piqued the interest of all consumers with our unique set of flavours.  “We’ve entered the alcohol-free category to ensure our customers can continue to explore and experience our exciting flavours and enjoy the quality and taste of a Brothers Cider whatever the occasion. Empowering consumers with the choice to go alcohol-free when they wish, will foster greater loyalty with our brand and further consolidate our position for long-term success.”

Global accelerator-VC Rockstart has announced the closing of its Agrifood fund at more than €22 million, exceeding its initial target.  The funds raised will enable Rockstart to further invest in agritech and foodtech start-ups, and continue to co-invest in its agrifood portfolio companies up to Series B.  Participators in the fund include Vaekstfonden’s Green Future Fund, as well as new informal investors such as Joke Pronk, longtime Rockstart investors Marcel Beemsterboer, Jasper de Rooij and Hans Maltha, and new investor global dairy cooperative Arla Foods Rockstart invests in the transformation to a regenerative and sustainable future by supporting innovative companies in the agrifood, energy and emerging technology sectors.  The company has already invested in 20 start-ups since its establishment in 2019.  "Rockstart is on a mission to empower the best in class founders to change the world for the better, which is why they are always at the core of our focus," said Rune Theill, CEO and co-founder of Rockstart. "Our passion is to create pathways and opportunities for talented founders and we do that with our domain focused fund and ecosystem. With the agrifood fund, we started a new chapter in empowering purpose-driven founders we invest in for the long-term." Mark Durno, managing partner AgriFood at Rockstart, added: "Our global food industry is poised for an overdue transition to more sustainable and regenerative practices. The fact that industry leaders, such as Arla, Vaekstfonden and many others, put their faith in Rockstart by investing further in our agrifood fund makes us even more optimistic that we can deliver on our mission - empower purpose-driven founders to drive positive change at a global scale."

Greek and Mediterranean fine food producer, Odysea , has launched two new products: Feta Cubes and Feta & Greek Yoghurt Spread.  Creamy Feta & Greek Yoghurt Spread is made by third-generation dairy, Roussas Dairy, using PDO feta and real Greek yoghurt made from sheep and goat’s milk. The company says its "smooth, tangy, deeply savoury spread is perfect for picnicking, dipping and dunking".  Meanwhile, Odysea Feta Cubes are made using the company signature PDO feta, they come in a ready-to-use format that is "perfect for when you need a sprinkling of feta with minimum fuss". Both new products are available for an RRP of £2.50 and can be found in Waitrose stores nationwide.

Unilever-owned Ben & Jerry’s has introduced its first limited-batch ice cream flavour of 2021, Totally Unbaked. The new offering features a mixture of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, with two unbaked components: chocolate chip cookie dough and brownie batter swirls. “It's a very simple but indulgent flavour," said 'flavour guru', Natalia Butler. “Those rich cocoa-infused swirls of brownie batter taste exactly like what you'd lick out of a brownie batter bowl,” she added. Totally Unbaked can be found at retailers across the US for $4.99-5.49 and will be available into summer.  Earlier this year, Ben & Jerry’s introduced a new Topped ice cream line in the US, featuring seven new flavours covered with a chocolate ganache.

Unilever has recorded underlying sales growth of 5.7% in its first-quarter results, as it continues to see high demand for foods consumed at home. The owner of Ben & Jerry’s, Marmite and Hellmann’s reported turnover of €12.3 billion in Q1, representing a fall of 0.9% on the previous year, driven by a negative currency-related impact of 8%. Following growth last year, e-commerce continued to perform strongly in Unilever’s first quarter, seeing underlying sales growth of 66% and representing 11% of turnover. Underlying sales grew across Unilever’s Asia/AMET/RUB and Americas segments in the first quarter, by 9.9% and 5.3% respectively. India and China both saw ‘strong-double-digit’ growth in Q1 2021, after last year’s results were impacted by strict lockdown measures, while North America saw underlying sales growth of 4.3%, driven by high demand for at-home foods. Unilever's Europe business witnessed a fall in underlying sales of 2.3% for the quarter, with volume declining 0.7% – in part driven by a decline in Unilever’s food solutions business and lower demand for personal care products due to ongoing lockdowns.   The company’s foods and refreshment unit grew its underlying sales by 9.8%, ahead of beauty and personal care (up 2.3%) and home care (up 5.9%). Out-of-home ice cream returned to growth, with strong performance in emerging markets offsetting declines in Europe due to lockdown restrictions. In-home ice cream grew double digit as demand for food consumed at home remained high. Overall, Unilever’s food solutions business grew low single digit, with growth in China countering declines in markets impacted by channel closures.   This time last year, Unilever recorded flat underlying sales growth in its first-quarter results, reflecting the impact of the pandemic on its foodservice and ice cream businesses. In Q1 2021, tea saw volume and price growth, and Unilever CEO Alan Jope said that “the operational separation of our tea business is on track”, in the wake of a strategic review process announced early last year. With consumers continuing to eat more at home due to coronavirus-related restrictions, in-home food sales in the quarter were up mid single digit. “Unilever has made a good start to the year. Our focus on operational excellence, innovation and purposeful brands is continuing to strengthen competitiveness and has delivered underlying sales growth of 5.7% for the quarter,” said Unilever CEO, Jope. “We are driving the evolution of our portfolio, with strong growth in Prestige Beauty and Functional Nutrition.” He continued: “We are confident that we will deliver underlying sales growth in 2021 within our multi-year framework of 3-5%, with the first half around the top of this range. We expect to increase underlying operating margin slightly for the full year, though with a decline in the first half driven by Covid-19 impacts, higher cost inflation and increased marketing spend over the prior year.”