Fresh fruit distributor Unifrutti has expanded into the vegetable sector after finalising its acquisition of Dimifruit in Almeria. The deal forms part of Unifrutti’s global strategy as it looks to expand and diversify its product offering across Europe and establish itself “as a producer of vegetables”. It follows the purchase of Oranfrizer, an Italian producer of blood oranges. Dimifruit harvests vegetables such as tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and courgettes in greenhouses in Almeria. According to Unifrutti, the company’s location offers a unique microclimate, where natural ventilation and the lack of humidity limits the spread of fungal diseases. Dimifruit’s controlled production takes place for the most part in winter, starting in September and ending in April. The company employs around 400 workers to harvest the produce. “Dimifruit vegetables are all produced using the integrated pest management system and are already widely known by large-scale European and Italian retailers for their quality and low environmental impact," said Dimitri Calabrese, Dimifruit CEO and founder, who will become Unifrutti's sales manager in Italy. Gianluca Defendini, CEO of the Unifrutti division based in Italy, added: “Following the group’s global strategy, we in Europe believe in production companies that are well-established in their territory of origin…and which practice advanced farming methods with an increasingly low environmental impact. We are creating an offering that is valuable, diverse and responsible."

PepsiCo's Bubly water brand has announced the launch of a new caffeinated sparkling water drink called Bubly Bounce. Bubly Bounce sparkling water will initially be available in five combo flavours: mango passion fruit, triple berry, blood orange grapefruit, citrus cherry and blueberry pomegranate. According to PepsiCo, all five zero-calorie flavours feature no sweeteners or artificial flavours. The drinks will be available in 12oz and 16oz cans, providing 35mg of caffeine per 12oz can and 47mg of caffeine per 16oz can. Zach Harris, vice-president, water portfolio at PepsiCo Beverages North America, said: "Bubly sparkling water was created to bring more smiles into the sparkling water category, and new Bubly bounce takes it to the next level with caffeine. "As more individuals seek out sparkling waters with added benefits, Bubly bounce delivers all of the delicious flavour and hydration of the original, now with just a kick of caffeine." The new Bubly Bounce range is now available from major retailers across the US.

Major chocolate manufacturers including Nestlé, Mars and Mondelēz International have been accused of profiting from child slavery in a US lawsuit lodged on behalf of several former child labourers. Nestlé, Mars, Mondelēz, Cargill, Barry Callebaut, Olam and Hershey have been named as defendants in the lawsuit, which has been filed in Washington DC, US by the human rights organisation International Rights Advocates (IRA). The legal action has been launched on behalf of eight former child workers from Mali, who claim they were forced to work without pay on cocoa plantations in Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) for 'one or more of the defendant companies'. The lawsuit is based primarily on the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, and one of the central allegations of the lawsuit is that the defendants 'knowingly profited' from the illegal work of children – though they did not directly own the plantations in question. The eight plaintiffs are seeking damages for alleged forced labour and further compensation for unjust enrichment, negligent supervision and intentional infliction of emotional distress. A statement from IRA alleges that the issue of child labour in the cocoa industry is intensifying: "In 2001, they (the defendants) signed the Harkin-Engle Protocol in which they explicitly promised consumers and regulators they would stop using child labour by 2005. Instead, they have given themselves numerous unilateral extensions of time and now claim that by 2025 they will reduce by 70% their reliance on child labour.  "Rather than make progress, their use of child labour is actually getting worse. In late 2020, a study by NORC at the University of Chicago and funded by the US Department of Labor concluded that 1.56 million child labourers were working in cocoa-growing areas of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana in the 2018/19 growing season, an increase of 14% since a 2015 study, and 1.48 million child labourers engaged in hazardous work during this period."Responding to the allegations, cocoa manufacturer Cargill told The Guardian: “We are aware of the filing and while we cannot comment on specifics of this case right now, to reinforce we have no tolerance for child labour in cocoa production. Children belong in school. They deserve safe living conditions and access to good nutrition. ”In an additional statement also provided to The Guardian, Nestlé said that the lawsuit “does not advance the shared goal of ending child labour in the cocoa industry” and added, “child labour is unacceptable and goes against everything we stand for."Nestlé has explicit policies against it and is unwavering in our dedication to ending it. We remain committed to combatting child labour within the cocoa supply chain and addressing its root causes as part of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan and through collaborative efforts.”

Innovative plant-based food systems company, Puris Holdings , and Livekindly Collective have announced two new joint ventures with the aim of tackling food waste and delivering cleaner products to consumers worldwide.  Puris will bring its expertise in plant-based food development, while Livekindly Collective will offer its global network of leaders in the plant-based space.  Through this collaboration, the two companies aim to accelerate the adoption of plant-based nutrition by solving major issues within the supply chain – with the ultimate objective of making food systems more sustainable.  “The plant-based food industry is experiencing unparalleled growth, on track to hit $85 billion by 2030, and the full supply chain must scale along with it,” said Nicole Atchison, CEO of Puris Holdings. “Joining forces with Livekindly Collective allows us to push all parts of the industry forward, ensuring it scales sustainably and affordably. Both Livekindly Collective and Puris believe in a future where our food system is a force for good – benefiting people and planet.” The first of the ventures will aim to deliver innovation to improve plant protein waste streams, developing "simple, clean, plant-based foods for like-minded brand partners that create food consumers want to eat and feel good about buying," a statement said. To achieve this target, the two companies will invest in disruptive solutions to maximise usage of all parts of the plant.  The second will focus on accelerating the global adoption of soil-enhancing protein-rich crops. The teams will foster agricultural wealth and social inclusiveness by leading a "measurable shift from degenerative to regenerative farming practices". Part of this mission will include work in Southern Africa, where Puris' pea variety had its early trials.  “What got us here won’t take us where we need to go,” added Mark Hassenkamp, chief agriculture operations director of Livekindly. “We are facing an existential question of how to feed ourselves in the face of growing demand, diminishing resources and the need for sustainability. Together with Puris, we can accelerate the growing global plant-based food conversion by realizing seed to silo cost efficiencies, leveraging unique germplasm, digital tools and operational scale to grow more clean, affordable, high-quality food.”

London-based craft brewing company, Fourpure , has completed its £2.5 million expansion, with new state-of-the-art kegging and canning lines.  The new lines will help Fourpure to fulfil consumer demand for craft beer, which the company says has doubled since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, due to more people drinking at home. The brewery – part of the Lion Little World Beverages craft beer portfolio – has transitioned to an automated keg operation that will help to improve safety, quality and productivity at its site in Bermondsey. The new keg system features advanced cleaning equipment capable of sterilising kegs using pressurised steam at 130 oC. It also guarantees high precision results, while the switch to automated alleviates the need for intensive labour, by assisting staff in the heavy lifting of kegs, enabling 60 kegs to be filled every hour.  Meanwhile, its new canning line will give the brewery more flexibility for in-line labelling of cans, as well as accelerated speed and optimised performance. In order to complete the upgrade, the company took over new units at its industrial site, allowing for the creation of a purpose-built packaging area.  “The new, completely bespoke designed kegging and canning facilities will form a crucial part of our continued expansion and future success,” said Steve Morris, head of operations at Fourpure . “The demand for our canned beer has doubled since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the improved facilities mean we can fulfil this increase in sales, while still meeting world-class hygiene and safety standards.” He continued: “Carrying out this update in current times has obviously brought its own challenges and I am incredibly proud of the excellent safety standards our team met throughout. We were also really happy to be able to support a number of contractors during this process, many of them smaller businesses and many brewing specific.”

Lactalis Ingredients has expanded its Pronativ native whey protein range with a new micellar casein isolate targeted at consumers who are proactive about healthy ageing. Pronativ Native Micellar Casein contains 88% protein and is suitable for food and beverage enrichment, in particular as a nutritional solution for healthy ageing and medical applications. With its new ingredient, Lactalis aims to meet the rising demand for functional products among an ageing population, as well as younger consumers looking to support an active lifestyle. Lactalis says its new micellar casein is heat-stable and a good source of micellar calcium, while offering low viscosity, low spores and a neutral taste. The minimally-processed protein is extracted directly from milk using gentle processing with no added ingredients or chemicals – a non-denaturing process which enables Lactalis to obtain a native protein, which it claims is very close to the conformation of the protein present in the milk. Pronativ Native Micellar Casein is suitable for a range of food and drink applications, such as ready-to-drink beverages and cream desserts. Lactalis emphasises that protein’s benefits for muscle growth, recovery and weight management make them ideal for food and drink fortification. Last year, Lactalis Ingredients unveiled a new clean-label whey protein range made with sunflower lecithin.

UK dairy co-operative Omsco has announced the appointment of Arla Foods’ executive David Williams to the newly-created role of CEO. Williams – who is the current global head of finance, members, milk and trading at Arla Foods – will take up the role as Omsco CEO at the start of April. Williams has over 25 years of experience working in the dairy industry including several board and senior executive posts in major UK and European farmer-owned dairy co-operatives. Prior to joining Arla Foods, Williams held the role of corporate finance and strategy director at Milk Link for seven years, where he supported the UK dairy co-operative’s transition into a progressive farmer-owned dairy processing business. Neil Kennedy, chairman of Omsco, said: “I am delighted to announce David’s appointment as chief executive of Omsco. He has proven leadership skills which are complemented by his having a deep knowledge of the dairy industry and a significant track record of working with leading farmer-owned dairy businesses.   “I believe the combination of both his dairy industry and co-operative experience makes David ideally positioned to lead the business as we enter the next phase in our growth and development.” As Omsco’s new CEO, Williams will oversee and drive forward the development of the company’s value-added strategy based on investing in processing, products and brands. Commenting on his appointment, Williams said: “Omsco has clearly made good progress in moving from simply being a broker of organic milk to establishing a strategic presence in value-added processing and more premium markets, both in the UK and overseas.   “The challenge now is to build upon these strong foundations and create evermore valuable and sustainable outlets for our members’ organic milk – a challenge I’m incredibly excited to take on.” Following the new CEO appointment, Omsco’s current managing director Richard Hampton will focus on commercial and business development. Omsco is currently owned by over 200 members nationwide, produces over 50% of the UK’s organic milk and has a global market for its dairy products and ingredients.

US meal delivery service Freshly has announced that it will open its largest dedicated order-assembly facility to date in Austell, Georgia. The announcement comes after a year of growth for the company amid the popularity of at-home convenience food. In the last 12 months, Freshly has surpassed its goal of delivering one million meals per week. The 134,000 square-foot facility – which will begin operating in mid-February – is excepted to increase Freshly’s assembly and distribution operations capacity by 40% this year for an additional 450,000 meals distributed weekly. By being centrally located in the southeast, Freshly says the distribution centre will reduce the order-to-delivery cycle time to its growing consumer base. Most recently, Freshly was acquired by Nestlé in a deal that values the prepared meal delivery service at $950 million. "Joining Nestlé has allowed us to scale bigger and faster, getting us to this next stage of growth,” said Mike Wystrach, Freshly founder and CEO.  “We are thrilled to continue in 2021 by expanding operations in the southeast and have plans to add even more facilities this year that will help further our mission of delivering nutritious and convenient meals." The Georgia centre will mark the company’s fifth facility and comes a few months after it announced it was opening a facility in Commerce, California. Freshly also has facilities in New Jersey, Maryland and Arizona. Freshly says the new centre will bring over 250 jobs to the greater Atlanta area. During the initial launch phase, the company will hire 150 people for operations, support staff, warehousing and maintenance roles, with plans to hire 250 by the end of 2021. Rick Stoecklein, Freshly's senior vice president of operations, said: "Our new Georgia facility creates opportunities to bring innovation to the direct-to-consumer distribution channel with added capacity for efficient assembly and distribution of fresh prepared meals. We are excited to expand Freshly's footprint and to join the Austell community.”

Heineken  has announced that it will cut 8,000 jobs as part of a strategy to restore its operating margins to pre-pandemic levels. The Dutch brewer saw its net revenue fall by 11.9% to €19.72 billion in 2020. Operating profit for the full-year was €2.42 billion, representing an organic decrease of 35.6% as all regions witnessed declines amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Loss in operating profit was in particular driven by performance in Europe – due to on-trade closures – Mexico, South Africa and Indonesia. Operations in Mexico were suspended throughout most of the second quarter, while South Africa experienced a Covid-related suspension of all alcohol companies in Q2 and a ban on the sale of alcohol. Indonesia suffered from lockdown impacts throughout most of the year and the absence of international tourism in the key Bali region. Heineken first announced that it would cut jobs at its head and regional offices in 2021 during its Q3 results last year. Under CEO Dolf van den Brink’s EverGreen plan, the company says it will save €2 billion over the three years to 2023. The company's consolidated beer volumes declined organically by 8.1% for the full-year. Premium beer volume outperformed the broader portfolio in the majority of its markets with a mid-single digit decline overall. In Africa, Middle East & Eastern Europe, volumes fell organically by 9.2%. The Americas recorded a 7.5% decline, while Asia Pacific saw a 7.9% drop and Europe an 8.2% decline. Meanwhile, the Heineken brand grew double-digits in 25 markets including Brazil, China, the UK, Poland, Singapore, Nigeria and Germany. The non-alcoholic variant Heineken 0.0 – which has now rolled out in 84 markets – grew strong double-digits with growth in all regions and a significantly good performance in Brazil, Mexico and the USA.  While the second half of the year benefitted from a good summer with some easing of operating constraints including in the European on-trade, the fourth-quarter reflects the impact of renewed restrictions in all regions, particularly in Europe with closure of the on-trade. Cider volume declined in the high-teens to 4.6 million hectolitres due to pub closures in the UK and alcohol sales restrictions in South Africa. Strongbow grew double-digits in Mexico and Russia. All together, Heineken’s direct-to-consumer platforms, Beerwulf, Six2Go and Drinkies tripled the number of orders from consumers in the year. Heineken expects the pandemic to continue to impact its business in the first-half of 2021 and market conditions to gradually improve in the second part of the year. The company expects revenue, operating profit and operating profit margin to stay below the level of 2019.

New dairy-free brand SweetPea has launched a range of plant-based frozen desserts made with chickpeas, which it claims are still ‘unbelievably creamy’. The new US brand says its plant-based ice cream alternative contains half the calories, half the fat and all the taste of dairy ice cream. SweetPea’s line of dairy-free frozen desserts comes in nine flavours: vanilla, peanut butter, cold brew, mango peach, cookies and cream, salted caramel praline, chocolate, cookie dough, and raspberry and pie pieces. "We're excited to finally share SweetPea with ice cream lovers everywhere," said SweetPea co-founder Heather Romens. She added: "It was important for us to provide a non-dairy frozen dessert that is both delicious and can be enjoyed by everyone. It took us a number of years, a lot of hard work, experimentation and taste tests to get SweetPea just right. I'm happy to report that it has been well worth the wait.” SweetPea is now available to order online for nationwide delivery and the brand anticipates in-store availability later this year.

The Coca-Cola Company has recorded a 11% decline in net revenue for the full-year, following ‘incremental pressure’ amid the pandemic during Q4. The company posted full-year net revenues of $33 billion and operating income of $8.997 billion, representing an 11% drop since the same time last year . Coca-Cola says that while volumes broadly remained resilient particularly in at-home channels, it experienced incremental pressure in December and into the early part of this year due to a resurgence of the coronavirus in many parts of the world. The company witnessed its net revenue drop by 5% in Q4, which is less steep than previous quarters. Global unit case volume declined 3% in Q4 and 6% for the full-year, as continued strength in at-home channels was more than offset by coronavirus pressure in away-from-home channels. Sparkling soft drinks fell 4% for the full year due to pressure in the fountain business in North America and away-from-home channels in Western Europe. This was partially offset by growth in China, Brazil and Nigeria. During 2020, Coca-Cola says it prioritised its core brands which resulted in Trademark Coca-Cola volume growing 4% for the year, led by Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. Despite a ‘solid performance’ by its Simply and Fairlife brands in North America, the company's juice, dairy and plant-based beverages were offset by a decline in Minute Maid in the fountain business, resulting in a 9% drop in 2020. Water, enhanced water and sports drinks declined 11% for the year, while tea and coffee fell 17%, primarily driven by coronavirus-related pressure on the company’s Costa retail stores. Coca-Cola’s global ventures unit saw its revenue decline by 22% due to Covid-19 pressure on Costa retail stores; nevertheless, Costa Express machines in the UK performed well.   For the full-year, Europe, Middle East & Africa net revenues fell 14%, Latin America declined 15%, North America 4%, Asia Pacific 11% and bottling investments 16%. The owner of Sprite and Smartwater says it has continued to make progress in establishing its networked organisational model, which became effective 1 January 2021.  James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, said: "The progress we made in 2020, including the actions taken to accelerate the transformation of our company, gives us confidence in returning to growth in the year ahead. While near-term uncertainty remains, we are well-positioned to emerge stronger from the crisis, driven by our purpose and our beverages for life ambition." While there are still uncertainties related to the pandemic, Coca-Cola has reinstated its guidance and is providing its 2021 outlook as it expects to record high-single-digit organic revenue growth.

Conagra Brands-owned Snack Pack has partnered with Mondelēz International's Sour Patch Kids candy brand to launch new 'sour and sweet' Juicy Gels. The new offering is available in Redberry and Blue Raspberry flavours, and is made with real sugar and no high-fructose corn syrup, according to Conagra Brands. The gels are also said to be gluten free and kosher, and contain 0g of fat and 100 calories per serving. “When it comes to snacking, consumers are looking for fun new ways to enjoy their everyday favourites,” said Audrey Ingersoll, brand director on Snack Pack. “The partnership between Conagra's Snack Pack and Mondelēz's Sour Patch Kids leverages famous attributes from these iconic brands to deliver an unexpected and truly fun snacking experience." Mili Laddha, associate director of marketing at Mondelēz International, added: "At Sour Patch Kids, we're all about showing up for our fans in new and exciting ways. "We know how much they love the 'sour then sweet' taste so we are always looking to provide them with unique experiences outside of candy that help continue fuelling that fandom. “We can't wait for them to now be able to find Sour Patch Kids in the pudding and gels aisle through our partnership with Conagra.” With an SRP of $2.79 per pack, Snack Pack Sour Patch Kids Juicy Gels are rolling out to grocery stores and mass retailers in the US, as well as select online retailers.