An industry group has warned that the carbon dioxide (CO2) shortage in the UK risks resulting in imminent meat supply issues, according to Reuters . A sharp rise in gas prices has forced a number of domestic energy suppliers out of business and shut multiple fertiliser plants, which produce CO2 as a by-product. The meat processing industry's lobby group has warned that companies will start running out of CO2 within the week and could be forced to halt production, disrupting supplies to retailers.  According to the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), "CO2 gas plays a critical and irreplaceable role in the food and drink manufacturing process and businesses can grind to a halt if they cannot secure an adequate supply". CO2 gas is used for a variety of purposes, including to stun animals before slaughter, vacuum pack products to increase shelf life and add fizz into alcoholic and soft drinks. CO2 is also used in its solid form – dry ice – in food deliveries. Cited by Reuters,  BPMA CEO Nick Allen told Sky News: "We're struggling to keep our plants running, we're struggling to keep the food supply chains running and this is going to be quite challenging for us". "We're two weeks away from seeing some real impacts on the shelves," he said.

PepsiCo is expanding its Mountain Dew offering in the US with the introduction of a new apple variant. Combining citrus and apple flavours, Mountain Dew Thrashed Apple will arrive in stores from 13 September in 20oz bottles and 12oz 12-pack cans. The new offering will be available exclusively from the Kroger family of companies – including Kroger, Baker's, City Market and others – in store and online. “Dew is thrilled to introduce Mountain Dew Thrashed Apple in partnership with Kroger, a long-standing partner who has embraced bold Dew flavour innovations,” said Pat O'Toole, vice president, marketing Mountain Dew. “With the perfect combination of tart and sweet, Thrashed Apple is a refreshingly bold drink that only Dew could deliver. We have created Mountain Dew Thrashed Apple with the confidence that it will become a quick favourite amongst Dew Nation.” PepsiCo, in collaboration with The Boston Beer Company, recently developed a hard seltzer product called Hard Mountain Dew, to be launched in the US early next year.

PepsiCo has announced a £24 million investment in its Walkers factory in Lincoln, UK, to meet growing demand for its Quavers snacks. The investment will see the company replace existing machinery at the site with new equipment, such as a compact packaging machine that will help PepsiCo to remove packaging from its supply chain. The project will also increase the factory’s capacity for Quavers – which PepsiCo claims are now bought by nearly one in three households in the UK – as well as make space for new production lines. The new equipment will be installed at Lincoln in the middle of next year, with initial work now underway. Meanwhile, more than £1 million has been committed to Walkers’ Coventry factory – which produces snacks such as Doritos, Wotsits, French Fries and Cheetos – for additional equipment to maintain production during the work at Lincoln. “For decades, our Lincoln factory has brought much-loved Quavers snacks to consumers up and down the country, and with this state-of-the-art technology, we’re confident that the site will continue to serve the nation for many years to come,” said Nigel Beilby, Lincoln site operations manager, PepsiCo. UK Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng added: “This investment will help to deliver on our plan to spread opportunity across the Midlands by future-proofing the jobs of the factory’s outstanding employees by training them to use state-of-the-art equipment, and further bolstering the workforce through their apprenticeship scheme”. In the US, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division recently announced a $200 million investment to further expand its Rosenberg site in Texas, which produces more than 117 million pounds of snacks per year.

Yasso, which creates frozen Greek yogurt bars, has released a birthday cake variant in celebration of its ten-year anniversary.  "When Yasso launched in 2011, we saw a white space to deliver great-tasting desserts with superb nutritionals and quality ingredients within the frozen aisle and we are proud and grateful, to still be here progressing that mission forward," said Yasso co-founder, Drew Harrington. He continued: "We wanted our newest flavour to commemorate Yasso's 10th birthday and be symbolic of the milestone itself - an awesome celebration of delicious fun". Co-founder, Amanda Klane, added: "While the mission behind Yasso has remained the same over the past 10 years, the products and branding have evolved to give consumers the best experience possible. We've continued to improve formulas, expanded categories and have created a way to give back to our community through our Game On! Foundation. We look forward to continued evolution over the next 10 years." The birthday cake variant is filled with rainbow sprinkles and chunks of cake dough, and features just 90 calories per bar, 5g of protein and no artificial ingredients.  The new flavour is available online and will roll out to selected Target stores from October.

Mars Food UK-owned brand Dolmio  has launched 7 Vegetables Pasta Sauce in three flavours.  Mediterranean Roasted Veg, Sun Ripened Tomato & Basil, and Sun Ripened Tomato & Chilli each come in a 350g jar and are packed with vegetables. Mediterranean Roasted Veg, for example, features aubergine, red and yellow peppers, basil and courgettes.  The sauces are made with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, and contain two of the recommended five daily portions of fruit and vegetables.   "We’re excited to launch Dolmio 7 Vegetables Pasta Sauce, a jar full of seven different varieties of delicious veg, designed to help the whole family pack more flavour, variety and vegetables into their diet," said Giulia Somma, marketing manager at Mars Food. "Our ambition at Dolmio® is to help more families enjoy drama-free dinnertimes together by providing healthy products which are quick to prepare and, of course, delicious. She added: "At the start of 2021, Mars Food committed to deliver 5.5 billion healthy meals globally by 2025 – including adding 4 billion servings of vegetables in the next 5 years across the world. Dolmio 7 Vegetables Pasta Sauce is a great example of some of the innovation we’re bringing to deliver on our goal and help the UK eat more fruit and vegetables as each serving contains two of your five a day.” Available in the UK with an RRP of £1.97.

Cargill has announced that it has expanded its global pectin footprint with a new $150 million processing plant in Bebedouro, Brazil. The new state-of-the-art facility will prioritise "sustainable production with advanced CO2 emission reductions and biomass reuse," a company statement said. It will also enable Cargill to meet increasing demand for clean label texturising ingredients.   Located in Brazil's citrus growing region, the new site provides a large supply of fresh fruit peels – the raw material used in pectin production. It will produce the full suite of Cargill's pectin offerings, enabling the global food corporation to expand its presence in South America and Europe.  "Demand for pectin is at an all-time high, fueled by global trends around sugar reduction and label-friendly formulation, as well as the popularity of fruit-flavoured dairy drinks," said Laerte Moraes, managing director for Cargill's starches, sweeteners and texturisers business in South America. "Adding a fourth pectin production facility to our supply network further secures our position as a reliable supplier of this sought-after ingredient." The HM pectin Cargill produces will be used to make products such as jams, fruit-flavoured beverages, acidic dairy drinks, yogurts, fruit preparations and confectionery, as well as personal care products. HM pectin fulfils a number of roles, including: a thickening and gelling agent, stabilising proteins in acidic environments and supporting the production of low sugar beverages. The facility will also help to meet Cargill's pledge to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions across its operations, using advanced technology and sustainably certified raw materials. The plant is powered by thermal energy generated from biomass and biogas.  "This new plant is the latest example of how Cargill is working to lower our environmental impact across operations," Moraes added. "Within the last five years, we've reduced the energy consumption of our European plants by 20%. Our Bebedouro plant will continue that commitment, using advanced technology to minimise our carbon footprint." Cargill says that initial shipments are expected to begin by the end of 2021.  You may also like:  Cargill teams up with vertical farming company AeroFarms for cocoa production-focused research Cargill and Continental Grain to buy Sanderson Farms for $4.53bn Cargill invests $45m into the production of soluble fibres in Europe

Little Moons, the popular Mochi brand, is launching a brand-new vegan Belgian chocolate and hazelnut flavour to add to its range. The London-based brand is introducing its signature gelato ice cream in chocolate with caramelized hazelnut chunks throughout. Free from artificial flavourings, colours and preservatives, this will be the third addition to its vegan range. Howard Wong, Co-founder of Little Moons, stated:  “Our goal was to create a rich and indulgent flavour that tastes so good you wouldn’t know it’s vegan, and judging from the reaction we’ve had from everyone who’s tried our brand new Belgian Chocolate & Hazelnut Little Moons we’re confident we’ve cracked it!” There is 14 flavours to choose from, including Vegan Tropical Passionfruit and Mango, Himalayan Salted Caramel, Creamy Coconut and Uji Matcha Green Tea.   This particular flavour will be available exclusively in Tesco for six weeks before being rolled out nationwide with an RRP of £4.50 per pack.

In the US, Dr. Kellyann is launching a new shelf-stable Classic Chicken Bone Broth, made with collagen.  The new product contains ingredients such as simmered chicken bones, organic vegetables and herbs, as well as 15g of protein and 5.5g of collagen per serving,  Dr. Kellyann’s Classic Chicken Bone Broth will be available in a 16.9fl oz carton in a shelf-stable tetra packaging from 1 September. The product will be stocked exclusively at Whole Foods Market nationwide, with a retail price is $7.69.

Tyson Foods has announced that it will invest $300 million to construct a new fully-cooked facility in Danville, Virginia.  The project aims to accelerate brand growth and is part of the company's commitment to meet the increasing demand for its products.  “As consumers actively look to add more protein to their diets, Tyson is uniquely positioned as a category leader to meet that growing demand,” said Noelle O’Mara, president, Prepared Foods at Tyson. “Our continued focus on consumer-driven innovation will accelerate this momentum and our investment in Danville-Pittsylvania County will help drive the long-term growth of the iconic Tyson brand.” The 325,000-square foot, state-of-the-art facility will primarily focus on the production of fully-cooked Tyson branded chicken products, including Any’tizer Snacks and Chicken Nuggets. Tyson has also pledged to buy 60 million pounds of Virginia-grown chicken over the next three years.  “When corporate partners reinvest in the Commonwealth, it is a strong endorsement of the many attributes that make Virginia the best state for business,” said Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. “Tyson Foods has been a major employer in Virginia for more than five decades and continues its growth trajectory with this new operation in Danville-Pittsylvania County, creating hundreds of quality jobs for the citizens of Southern Virginia. We look forward to many years of success.” “Our company has been successfully working in the Commonwealth of Virginia for decades,” said David Bray, group president of Poultry for Tyson. “We’re thankful for the invitation to become a part of the Danville and Pittsylvania County communities, the support from both state and local leaders, and the presence of such a strong workforce in the region.” Tyson Foods says that the new facility will provide nearly 400 jobs when production begins in spring 2023.

Danone-owned Horizon Organic has announced plans to terminate contracts with all its organic dairy farmers in Vermont and other parts of northeast US, effective next year.  Danone said that 89 producers across northeast US received a non-renewal notice, meaning they will lose their contracts by the end of August 2022. The company cited operational and transportation costs as a core reason for the termination.  "We greatly value our relationships with our farming partners and did not make this decision lightly," said a spokesperson for Danone North America. "Growing transportation and operational challenges in the dairy industry, particularly in the northeast, led to this difficult decision." "89 producers across the northeast received this non-renewal notice. To help facilitate a smooth transition, we are offering each producer the opportunity to enter into a new agreement for us to purchase their milk until August 31, 2022, to provide additional time and support." The spokesperson continued: "We will be supporting new partners that better align with our manufacturing footprint. We are committed to continuing to support organic dairy in the east, and in the last 12 months alone, we have onboarded more than 50 producers new to Horizon Organic that better fit our manufacturing footprint. This decision will help us continue providing our consumers with the products they love."

Young's Seafood has teamed up with children's food brand Annabel Karmel to create fish-based frozen meals, including Cheesy Fish Pie and Fish and Chip Shapes.  Designed for children under five, Young's hopes the meals will inspire healthy eating as well as support the UK government's recommendation of eating two portions of fish a week as part of a balanced diet.  Cheesy Fis Pie contains Atlantic cod and salmon fillets, which are naturally high sources of essential fatty acids, such as Omega 3. The meal comes with sweetcorn and a sweet potato and carrot mash. Fish and Chip Shapes are made with pollock, peas, carrots and mash in golden breadcrumbs. Marina Richardson, marketing controller at Young’s Seafood, said: “At Young’s we are driven by a belief that a nation that enjoys fish regularly is a happier and healthier nation, and this is something we want to pass on to the next generation too. We are excited to join forces with Annabel Karmel to launch dishes that will do just that. The Cheesy Fish Pie and the Fish and Chip Shapes are a great choice, and the convenient format is ideal for busy parents trying to fix their children a quick but healthy meal.” The frozen meals are being rolled out across selected Sainsburys, Tesco, Asda, and Booths stores from 2 September (rsp £1.75 200g).

Global cocktail and spirits provider Lucas Bols has announced the launch of Bols Ready to Enjoy Cocktails.  The latest addition to the company's portfolio will feature five signature cocktails: Bols Margarita Azul is described as "tangy and refreshing" (ABV 14.9%); Bols Espresso Martini is "rich and smooth (ABV 14.9%); Bols Red Light Negroni is "bittersweet and complex" (ABV 21.9%); Bols Very Old Fashioned is "aromatic and intense" (ABV 30%); meanwhile, Bols Pornstar Martini is "exotic and fresh" (ABV 14.9%).  Each cocktail comes in a unique 200ml tube made from sustainable packaging, as well as two larger sizes (375ml and 700ml).  Huub van Doorne, CEO Lucas Bols said: “Lucas Bols wants to inspire consumers by bringing the magic of cocktails home. With our Ready to Enjoy Cocktails, crafted with our famous Bols liqueurs, vodka and genever, we are tapping into the rapidly growing category of ready to serve cocktails. We prioritised superior quality, convenience and sustainable packaging to revolutionise the cocktail experience at home. Our Bols Cocktail Tubes illustrate our leading position in the development of the global cocktail market.” The new cocktails debut in the US and the company's native country the Netherlands this autumn.