Plant-based energy bar maker, Quantum, has raised $2.5 million in a seed funding round.  Major League Soccer star Jozy Altidor has announced his investment in Quantum Energy Squares, alongside tennis players Sloane Stephens, Mike Bryan and Sam Querrey, and former president and CEO of Ballast Point and Cutwater Spirits, Jim Buechler.  Quantum Energy Squares are plant-based, coffee-infused snack bars with balanced macronutrients from fruits, seeds and nuts plus MCT oil which “helps slow caffeine absorption for long-lasting energy, with no spike and no crash,” a statement said.  Energy Square flavours currently include: Dark Chocolate & Pink Himalayan Salt, Caffe Mocha Almond Chip, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate and Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip. Quantum products are certified gluten-free, non-GMO, soy-free, dairy-free and kosher, and are available nationwide at Whole Foods and Sprouts Markets.

Ice cream manufacturer  Unilever has unveiled a portfolio of new frozen treats in the UK.  Under its Wall's brand , Unilever will release a soft-serve Cornetto featuring a 50% recycled plastic lid in three flavours – chocolate, salted caramel and strawberry.  Cornetto Soft Chocolatey is topped with chocolate sauce, served in a wafer cone and features the signature chocolatey flavoured tip. Multipacks are available in strawberry and salted caramel flavours.  A brand new flavour will also be added to the Twister brand, Twister Peek-A-Blue, which is made with fruit and contains a mix of melon, strawberry-lemon and apple-blueberry flavours. This product also joins Unilever's Responsibly Made for Kids range.  Also new from the Cornetto brand, Cornetto Go is an ice cream sandwich covered with rich cocoa biscuit and filled with vanilla ice cream and pieces of cocoa cookie. “In summer, treating yourself to an ice cream is one of life’s great joys. Whether it’s a day out in the park or down by the seaside, sharing an ice cream can bring you closer together and make these moments special,” said Jennifer Dyne, ice-cream brand experience director, Unilever UK&I. “We know shoppers are looking for innovative products and flavours but also expect these to make a positive difference to the world – with our new launches this year, ice cream lovers are going to be delighted with the choice that is on offer this summer season from their favourite brands,” she added.

Dunkin’ Donuts has teamed up with The Coca-Cola Company to launch a new line of ready-to-drink bottled iced coffees in Girl Scout cookie-inspired flavours. The bottled coffees are produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Companyas part of the companies' partnership that started in 2017. The three new iced coffee varieties are inspired by beloved flavours of Girl Scout Cookies: Thin Mints, Coconut Caramel and S’mores. Each bottle is made using Arabica coffee blends, with real milk and sugar. The cookie-inspired flavours join the line of Dunkin’ branded bottled iced coffee beverages that includes French Vanilla, Mocha and Original flavours. As part of the launch, Dunkin’ is offering a new limited-edition set of merchandise including the three drinks, clothing and an iced coffee tumbler. "We're thrilled The Coca-Cola Company is teaming up with Girl Scouts of the USA to offer three new ways to enjoy Dunkin' iced coffee on-the-go, while also surprising brand fans with crave-worthy, exclusive merchandise," said Brian Gilbert, vice president of Dunkin' retail business development. Barry Horowitz, chief revenue officer, Girl Scout USA, said: "We're excited to join forces with Dunkin’. Girl Scout Cookies are the vehicle for girls to learn important entrepreneurship and leadership skills that set them up for success in life, and our licensed products help carry that message across the country." The new Dunkin’ ready-to-drink iced coffees are available now at retailers nationwide.

US-based nut butter and snack brand Abby's Better has raised $1 million in a seed round, ahead of a Series A funding launch, with investments from professional basketball player Kevin Love and supermodel Kate Bock. Established in 2015, the female-owned, family-operated clean label brand is aimed at creating healthier snacks that are gluten-free, peanut-free, paleo and plant-based. Meanwhile, its nut butters and snack bites contain five or fewer ingredients and are sweetened with fruits or honey.  Abby's Better will use the funds to build brand awareness and scale its national distribution.  “I started Abby’s Better when I was 15 years old because I noticed the lack in variety of nut butter and healthy snack options that were both flavourful and nutritious,” founder and CEO, Abby Kircher, said. Love added: “Impressed by the company that Abby has built, and the products her team has brought to market, I’m excited to work with a food brand that leads with both taste and natural ingredients, along with Abby’s own strong entrepreneurial spirit”. “I’ve always been passionate about clean, healthy eating and that’s why I’m an advocate for Abby’s Better products,” said Bock. "There are so many delicious products to choose from, but the Coffee Almond Butter is my absolute favourite.” Abby’s Better can be found in grocery and big box stores throughout US states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts.

Moju has raised £2.5 million in a funding round led by Danone’s venture arm, marking the first UK-based investment for Danone Manifesto Ventures (DMV). The round also received participation from new and existing investors, including professional footballer Hector Bellerin, Butternut Box founders Dave Nolan and Kevin Glynn, as well as Tom Carroll and Roger Hassan, former COOs of Graze and Hello Fresh respectively. DMV has made a minority investment in the company, which plans to use proceeds from the round to accelerate the growth of its functional shots platform. Moju offers a range of functional shots that aim to provide “alternatives to refreshment-led formats that are heavily compromised by sugar and artificial ingredients”. The brand’s offerings come in a ready-to-drink 60ml shot format and 500ml multi-serve ‘dosing’ bottles, and include a recently launched prebiotic option. “The past year has been incredibly tough for the UK, its people and its businesses. We feel privileged to be in a position where, with the support of a new group of investor partners, we can invest across every channel of the business, to increase brand awareness, drive innovation and enhance sustainable sourcing,” said Rich Goldsmith, Moju co-founder and CEO. “We’re building on the momentum our awesome team generated in 2020, and we’re super excited to accelerate out of the other side of the pandemic where we can help people from all walks of life to optimise their health and daily performance through better nutrition, all whilst reducing our footprint through more sustainable ways of doing business.” Paul Chifflet, head of Europe for DMV, added: “Moju is a thriving omnichannel business with a smart and strong team that are addressing the fast-emerging consumer needs for natural functional and experiential products. We are excited to be partnering with the team on their next phase of growth.”

Mondelēz International  is continuing its expansion in the snacking sector, as it agrees to acquire UK performance nutrition company Grenade from its majority shareholder Lion Capital. The deal comes on the heels of Mondelēz’ purchase of premium cracker company Gourmet Food Holdings  and  plant-based snack brand Hu Products , as the business looks to strengthen its position in the snacking sector. Grenade manufactures a range of sports nutrition products including high-protein bars, shakes, spreads and cookies. Most recently, the brand added three new flavours to its energy drink line. Founded in 2010, the company has a growing presence in the UK and is also available across other regions including North America and Asia Pacific. Grenade is said to have a strong ecommerce presence with approximately 25% of its sales coming from online channels. Mondelēz says its recent acquisition will enable its expansion in broader snacking and fast-growing well-being segments. The company did not disclose the terms of the transaction – which is expected to be completed by the end of March – but Grenade has previously been valued at around £200 million.  “Grenade’s great-tasting, on-trend products are a great platform for Mondelēz International in the UK market and beyond,” said Dirk Van de Put, chairman and CEO of Mondelēz International. “This is another exciting opportunity to deliver on our strategy to be a global leader in broader snacking, including in the important area of well-being,” he added. Alan Barratt, co-founder and CEO of Grenade, said: “When Jules and I founded Grenade from our spare bedroom with a budget of $700, we dreamt of building an iconic brand available globally. “This partnership with Mondelēz International gives us access to enormous resource and capability to help make those aspirations a reality and I couldn’t be more excited about our future growth and continued innovation.” Following completion of the deal, Grenade’s current senior leadership will continue to run the business from its headquarters in the UK and will retain a minority equity interest in the company. Meanwhile, Mondelēz plans to operate the firm separately and will provide resources to support the international growth of the brand.

SeaPak has added a new addition to its line of frozen seafood: Coconut Cod.  The new product, which features crunchy coconut breading and 12g of protein per serving, follows the release of SeaPack's Jumbo Coconut Shrimp.    "When most people think of cod, they think of its mild, slightly sweet flavour. Cod is an excellent staple at the dinner table," said Kristen Beadon, director of marketing for SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Co. "With Coconut Cod, you're getting the best of both worlds – unmatched flavour and added crunch. Just grab your favourite dipping sauce for an extra burst of delicious," she added.

Amcor has partnered with a number of companies to produce Australia's first soft plastic food wrapper made with recycled content.  Together with  Nestlé , CurbCycle, iQ Renew, Licella, Viva Energy Australia, LyondellBasell, REDcycle and Taghleef Industries, Amcor has developed a KitKat prototype aimed at reducing plastic waste in the environment and closing the loop on recycling soft plastics.   Each company bought a wealth of experience to the project, from knowledge on collecting and processing soft plastic waste, to turning it back into oil using advance recycling technology, and creating the prototype KitKat wrapper.  "This is an exciting time for Amcor and our participation in this project is fully aligned with our commitment to ensure all our packaging is designed to be recyclable or reusable by 2025," said Simon Roy, VP and general manager Amcor Flexibles Australia and New Zealand. "As the global leader for consumer packaging we were proud to contribute our expertise in designing a structure which meets consumer needs and has a responsible end of life where it can be reprocessed and reused in food-grade packaging."  Roy continued: "Soft plastics create a strong consumer-friendly packaging solution with great barrier properties and are lightweight and cost-efficient. This collaboration shows how soft plastics can be part of the circular economy when stakeholders across the entire value chain work together and is a fantastic outcome for the environment and our communities." Sandra Martinez, CEO of Nestlé Australia, added: "Between us, we have shown there's a pathway to solve the soft plastics problem. Manufacturers like Nestlé will have a key role in driving demand for food-grade recycled soft plastic packaging and creating market conditions that will ensure all stakeholders throughout the value chain view soft plastics as a resource and not waste".

UK-based Purition has announced that it is adding a chocolate hazelnut flavour to its range of nutrition blends. Launching at the beginning of April, the new variant joins Purition’s portfolio of wholefood nutrition products made from seeds and nuts, as well as whey or plant-based protein. The brand’s offerings can be stirred into yogurt, added to ‘healthy bakes’, or used to make shakes, smoothies and porridge. Purition founder, Edward Taylor, said: “Almost everyone loves chocolate and hazelnut, but it often comes at the expense of a high sugar load. We wanted to offer consumers a healthier way to enjoy this classic flavour combo.” Purition is available from retailers including Ocado, Morrisons and Holland & Barrett, as well as online via Amazon and the brand’s website.

Mars Wrigley has announced a two-year partnership with Danimer Scientific, a manufacturer of biodegradable materials, which will see the companies develop biodegradable packaging from natural ingredients. The two companies will work together to design and manufacture home compostable packaging for Mars Wrigley’s products using Danimer’s PHA biopolymer Nodax.    Danimer’s signature packaging Nodax PHA is produced through natural fermentation processes using plant oils such as soy and canola, and has been certified as biodegradable in both soil and marine environments.  The companies intend to introduce Nodax PHA into flexible and rigid packaging, which they claim will break down in both industrial composting facilities and backyard compost units. Mars Wrigley will first introduce the biodegradable packaging to its Skittles brand in the US, with the new wrappers targeted to hit shelves in late 2021 or 2022. The confectionery giant intends to scale this sustainable packaging technology across its portfolio, but will start with smaller and single packs that it says are more likely to be littered and less likely to be recycled. The joint development agreement supports Mars’ Sustainable in a Generation planand its goal of 11% reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by 2025. "Collaborating with Danimer to advance this breakthrough technology represents a major step to creating positive societal impact and better environmental outcomes across the full lifecycle of small, flexible packaging,” said Alastair Child, Mars Wrigley VP of global sustainability. Stephen Croskrey, CEO at Danimer Scientific, said: "Expectations for sustainable packaging vary from market to market, making it essential for new materials to be adaptable in meeting different standards without sacrificing quality. "PHA provides a versatile platform for manufacturing material that is renewably sourced and leaves a minimal impact on the environment upon disposal. We look forward to working with Mars Wrigley in fighting the global crisis of plastic waste." In 2019, Danimer Scientific partnered with Nestlé to develop new biodegradable water bottles.

Red Bull has revealed that its latest summer edition energy drink is inspired by the exotic taste of dragon fruit. Launching in the US for a limited time, the new flavour is said to feature a “burst of red berries, with a hint of plum and notes of florals”. Each 8.4 fl oz can of Red Bull energy drink contains 80mg of caffeine. Previous Summer Editions include Watermelon, Beach Breeze and Coconut Berry. Meanwhile, the brand’s Editions line also includes the flavours kiwi-apple and açaí berry. Red Bull Summer Edition Dragon Fruit will be available in stores nationwide from 29 March, while stocks last.

Kellogg has announced a €30 million investment in its Pringles plant in Mechelen, Belgium, to boost sustainability and throughput. The facility – which is one of two Pringles plants in Europe – ships cans of the brand’s potato chips to more than 40 countries across the continent, North Africa and the Middle East. The €30 million investment will be used to upgrade production lines with a new fryer to increase throughput. Capital will also be invested in a new utility system at the plant that aims to make it more sustainable. With the new system, Kellogg will generate steam via natural gas consumption and by using the air that comes out of the fryer, in a more efficient way than today. The first phase of the project starts at the end of this year, with a second phase beginning in 2023. The Mechelen plant employs a workforce of around 650. In 2019, Kellogg began construction of a new manufacturing line at its other European Pringles factory in Kutno, Poland.