Valeo Foods has moved its Rowse brand beyond honey with the introduction of a chocolate spread in the UK. Rowse ChocoBee is made from only two ingredients – 100% pure natural honey and UTZ-certified sustainable cocoa. The product contains no palm oil and all packaging is 100% recyclable. The chocolate spread joins Rowse’s wide range of honeys including manuka, organic acacia and Greek, and is part of the brand’s Hives for Lives programme; a group of initiatives that protects honey bees and supports beekeepers around the world. “We know consumers are looking for a chocolate spread that not only tastes great but delivers on their desire to choose sustainable products, meaning no palm oil and 100% sustainably sourced ingredients,” said Kirstie Jamieson, marketing director at Rowse Honey. “This is what Rowse ChocoBee delivers to the chocolate spreads category containing only 100% pure natural honey and sustainably farmed cocoa, certified by UTZ, a programme that’s part of the Rainforest Alliance,” she added. Suitable for both vegetarians and coeliacs, the new product can be stirred into porridge, added to hot milk or spread on toast as well as other breakfast favourites, such as muffins, croissants, crepes and brioches. “With Pancake Day around the corner, we really look forward to people trying it out for themselves and on top of our exceptional brand growth we are confident it will create incremental growth in the category,” said Jamieson.  Rowse ChocoBee is available to purchase now in Asda for an RRP of £2.49, with other retailers to follow this month.

The government of Canada and the province of Nova Scotia are investing more than CAD 44 million ($34.4 million approx.) in the fish and seafood sector through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund. The funding will support 11 projects in Nova Scotia focused on the adoption of new technology and partnerships to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the sector. The contribution comes from the Atlantic Fisheries Fund, which is investing more than CAD 400 million ($312.6 million approx.) over seven years to support Canada's fish and seafood sector. Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, said: “The projects we are supporting through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund will help our fisheries adapt to ever-changing markets and become even more sustainable and productive. And a stronger fishery means more jobs for coastal Canadians, and more prosperity in our coastal communities.” Keith Colwell, Nova Scotia Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, added: “Nova Scotia's seafood quality is world-renown and this support for our fishery sector will go to enhance equipment, innovation, productivity and Covid-19 protections. “It will help our seafood industry remain safe and sustainable, and provide top-quality seafood products to the world. We are excited to join with our federal partners, DFO, in these important investments.” Jointly funded by the federal government and the Atlantic provinces – with a 70% and 30% contribution, respectively – the Atlantic Fisheries Fund aims to help Canada's seafood sector transition to meet the growing demand for high-quality, value-added and sustainably sourced products. Eligible projects must focus on innovation, infrastructure or science partnerships, and a wide range of entities, from commercial fisheries to universities, may apply.

A group of investors advised by Rigeto Unternehmerkapital have bought a majority stake in German seafood group Crusta Nova for an undisclosed sum.  Based in Langenpreising near Munich, Crusta Nova breeds saltwater shrimp in a land-based aquaculture system and sells its products to restaurants and food retailers, as well as to end-consumers. According to Rigeto, Crusta Nova is the leading German shrimp farm and seafood brand. Founded in 2012, the company operates a B2B seafood platform and B2C ecommerce business (via Germany and Austria) for sustainable seafood and fish. With the support of specially-developed software-supported cycle technology, Crusta Nova says it is possible to bring the sea onto land.  Following the acquisition, Crusta Nova founder Fabian Riedel will continue to hold a significant stake in the company and work on its growth strategy. Together with Rigeto, the company is looking to expand its position in European shrimp farming – by increasing its house shrimp production – and accelerate the growth of its seafood wholesale business and ecommerce business internationally. This includes establishing a company headquarters with a brand store in Munich-Schwabing, expanding its workforce at both locations and further developing its retail range.  Fabian Riedel, managing partner and founder of Crusta Nova, said: “We have reached important milestones in the establishment of land-based breeding in Langenpreising. With Rigeto, I have the ideal partner at my side to expand the growth that has already been initiated and to initiate important steps, among other things, in the area of ​​new sales markets, range expansion and expansion of sales and marketing.” Rigeto pursues a long-term investment approach to the development companies it supports, representing a group of German and Swiss entrepreneurs. Wolf Hoffmann, associate partner at Rigeto Unternehmerkapital, added: “For Rigeto, the stake in Crusta Nova marks the entry into another sustainable growth market with innovative technology. “Changing consumer habits such as online grocery retailing as well as increased consumer awareness for ecologically or sustainably produced foods and healthy, protein-rich nutrition are current trends in the food market that are served by Crusta Nova.”

Bühler has announced the launch of PolyCool 1000, a new high-capacity cooling die for high-moisture plant-based meat substitutes. Together with an extruder, PolyCool 1000 reportedly provides an efficient and flexible solution for food producers creating sustainable plant-based meat or fish alternatives. For the first time, the PolyCool 1000 allows a throughput of more than 1,000kg per hour. According to Bühler, cooling dies work with extrusion technology to create structures and textures that closely resemble animal-based meat products such as chicken, fish or beef.  The company claims that its PolyCool 1000 cooling die – in combination with an extruder – enables the production of wet-textured proteins based on a wide range of raw materials, including soy, pulses, oilseeds, upcycled side streams like brewer spent grains, as well as newer ingredients such as microalgae. “Bühler has for many years supported food producers in developing innovative products that offer an attractive alternative to animal meat – products that are similar in terms of fibre structure, colour, texture, and taste,” said Christoph Vogel, head of market segment proteins & ingredients. “With the PolyCool 1000, customers can achieve high-capacity production, bringing down costs and making meat substitutes more affordable,” he added. The high-capacity cooling die can withstand pressures of up to 50 bar, as it cools down the extrudate from around 150 ºC to below boiling point. It also enables the production of products of different shapes and structures and the individual cooling circuits can each be controlled independently. PolyCool 1000 joins and completes Bühler’s range of high-moisture cooling dies including PolyCool 500 and PolyCool 50. With its new product, Bühler aims to meet the growing demand of plant-based proteins as a sustainable solution. "As the market shifts to a more plant-based diet, fuelled by consumers’ growing interest in health, sustainability and ethical concerns, the PolyCool 1000 supports food producers in grasping this opportunity,” said Vogel. Last month, Bühler announced a new partnership with the Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik (DIL) to advance the development of sustainable protein products.

Chicago-based food start-up Tovala has closed a $30 million Series C funding round to fuel the growth of its smart oven and self-cook meal service. Launched in 2017, Tovala pairs its countertop smart oven with ready-to-cook meals. The smart oven offers five different cooking functions – steam, bake, broil, toast and reheat – and the ability to scan-to-cook nearly 1,000 brand-name grocery items. The round was led by Left Lane Capital, with participation from previous investors Finistere Ventures, Comcast Ventures, OurCrowd, Origin Ventures, Pritzker Group Venture Capital and Joe Mansueto. It marks Tovala’s second fundraise in six months, bringing its total to over $50 million. In 2018, the company received an investment from Tyson Foods. With the capital, Tovala plans to open a new production facility, expand its team, improve the customer experience and continue developing its food and consumer technology brand. According to Tovala, its upward trajectory reached new levels in 2020 as consumers invested in at-home meal solutions that met demands for convenience and quality. Throughout the year, the start-up increased its employees by 40%, launched more than 400 new meals in its rotating weekly menu, rolled out meal customisation options and opened a new production facility. “During a year when normal life was impossible and we collectively faced unexpected hardships, the Tovala team rallied to provide our customers with a source of comfort: meals they could rely on,” said David Rabie, CEO of Tovala. “We are grateful to be a growing company during a difficult economic moment and we appreciate the partnership of Left Lane Capital to help our business reach more people in the months and years to come,” he added. Following the investment, Left Lane Capital – which has invested in HelloFresh – will work closely with the Tovala team as it continues to scale its business nationwide. Jason Fiedler, co-founder and managing partner at Left Lane Capital, said: “The pairing of a meal subscription with a connected device has enabled Tovala to achieve a customer retention rate that is a step-function better than anything else we’ve seen in food delivery.”

Nestlé has expanded its KitKat offering for the UK and Ireland with the introduction of a new marbled bar. KitKat Zebra features the brand’s signature crispy wafer on a dark chocolate base, topped with marbled dark and white chocolate. Like the rest of the KitKat range, the new four-finger treat uses Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa that Nestlé says has been responsibly sourced as part of its Cocoa Plan. KitKat Zebra is also said to be free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. Last year, Nestlé introduced KitKat Gold, a caramel-flavoured chocolate bar, to the UK market. Other recent UK launches include honeycomb and chocolate hazelnut spread two-finger KitKats. Callum Smith, assistant brand manager for KitKat, said: “Now over 85 years old, KitKat’s unique mix of heritage and innovation has helped to make it one of the UK’s most iconic confectionery brands. We know how much people love to discover new KitKat flavours, and we think Zebra is an innovation they will go wild for. “KitKat Zebra brings you the best of both worlds - combining deliciously rich dark and white chocolate with our crispy wafer – and we hope fans will agree that it tastes as good as it looks. All we can say is, stripes are definitely in this season.” With an RRP of £0.85, the 41.5g bar can be found now at major retailers and wholesalers, and will be available in convenience stores from next month.  Zebra will also be sold in a multipack exclusively in Tesco stores.

Vivino – an online wine marketplace and app – has raised $155 million in Series D funding to support its expansion and investment into smarter artificial intelligence (AI). The Series D round was led by Swedish investment firm Kinnevik with Sprints Capital accompanying as a new investor. Other participants include GP Bullhound and existing early-stage investor Creandum. Founded in 2010, Vivino claims it is the world’s largest online wine marketplace and most downloaded wine app. Through its platform, Vivino provides personalised recommendations, an unbiased rating system and a selection of wine from more than 700 marketplace partners worldwide.  With the capital, Vivino is looking to improve its core technology and AI platform in order to create better and more personalised recommendations for its users. The company also plans to strengthen its focus on select markets that offer the greatest potential growth including the US, Germany, the UK, Italy, Japan and Portugal. "This is a testament to the remarkable work that our teams around the globe have done to build an extraordinary business," said Heini Zachariassen, Vivino's founder and CEO. He added: “This round has raised important capital for our rapidly growing company and drawn some exceptional new leaders to our board. The funding will enable us to continue to build on our core strengths, expand industry partnerships drawing more merchants and wineries to our marketplace, and support our continued global growth." The latest round brings Vivino’s total funds raised to date to $221 million and comes at a time when alcohol ecommerce sales are rising amid a shift in consumer behaviour. "Our user retention rates are high, and we're seeing a steady conversion of app users to wine buyers. That's a good move in the right direction. By creating more value for our users, we also create more value for the company and industry at large,” said Zachariassen. Since its Series C raise in February 2018 led by the company's current board chairman Christophe Navarre – former CEO and chairman of Moët Hennessy – Vivino has increased its user base from 29 million to 50 million.

Unilever has recorded underlying sales growth of 1.9% in its full-year 2020 results, following a year of market volatility due to the impact of Covid-19. Underlying sales grew across Unilever’s Asia/AMET/RUB and Americas segments last year, by 0.4% and 6.2% respectively, while Europe witnessed a decline in underlying sales of 1%. Overall, Unilever says that ecommerce grew by 61% in 2020. The owner of Ben & Jerry’s, Marmite and Hellmann’s reported that its food and refreshment unit grew its full-year underlying sales by 1.3%, with ‘double-digit’ growth in Unilever's retail foods business. Meanwhile, the company's plant-based brand The Vegetarian Butcher grew over 70%. With extended closures of out-of-home channels, Unilever’s food solutions declined by 30% but ice cream – which accounted in part for Unilever’s flat first-quarter results – grew slightly overall as the company shifted resources towards the in-home business. Tea saw ‘low-single-digit’ growth and Unilever CEO Alan Jope said that the company “continue to work on separating out the tea business”, in the wake of a strategic review process announced early last year. Unilever reported turnover of €50.7 billion for 2020, representing a fall of 2.4%, primarily driven by a negative impact of 5.4% from currency-related items. In its last quarter, the company delivered underlying sales growth of 3.5% – in line with estimates, according to Reuters. Unilever CEO, Jope, said: “In a volatile and unpredictable year, we have demonstrated Unilever’s resilience and agility through the Covid-19 pandemic.” Jope continued: “Early in the year, we refocused the business on competitive growth, and the delivery of profit and cash as the best way to maximise value. “We have delivered a step change in operational excellence through our focus on the fundamentals of growth. As a result, we are winning market share in over 60% of our business in the last quarter, on the basis of measurable markets. “The business also generated underlying operating profit of €9.4 billion and free cash flow of €7.7 billion, an increase of €1.5 billion.” The results are Unilever’s first since the company completed the unification of its group legal structure, moving to a single parent company. Jope added: “While volatility and unpredictability will continue throughout 2021, we begin the year in good shape and are confident in our ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.”

Agtech start-up Pairwise has secured $90 million in a Series B funding round, as it looks to develop and bring genetically enhanced produce to North America. Pairwise aims to build a healthier, more sustainable world by combining its gene-editing capabilities, crop science expertise and data technique to cultivate better fruits and vegetables. The round was led by capital investor Pontifax AgTech and existing investor Deerfield Management, while Temasek and Leaps by Bayer also joined the round. Through addressing challenges with flavours, shelf life and availability, Pairwise aims to boost fresh produce consumption. Using its CRISPR technology, the company is working on cultivating better fruits and vegetables varieties, which have improved taste, enhanced convenience, increased shelf life, improved yield, simplified harvesting and lengthened season availability. The US start-up is currently developing new types of leafy green, berries and cherries and expects to launch its first gene-edited produce by 2022. “People see innovation all around them, except in the produce aisle. We will give consumers new options that make healthy eating easier and more exciting,” said Pairwise CEO Tom Adams. “With this additional funding from industry-leading investors, Pairwise is taking a bold step toward achieving our mission of building a healthier world,” he added. The funding follows Pairwise’s $25 million Series A round back in March 2018, which was led by Deerfield and what is now called Leaps by Bayer, to develop its gene editing platform and product portfolio. At the same time, the company announced a $100 million ongoing collaboration with Bayer Crop Science to advance gene editing tools in corn, soybeans, wheat and canola. Pontifax AgTech co-founder and managing partner, Ben Belldegrun, said: “Our investment in Pairwise reflects our thematic focus on the convergence of biotechnology and agriculture and the use of CRISPR technology to improve health and nutrition in food and agriculture. “We believe that the combination of Pairwise’s gene editing platform, plant breeding expertise, and consumer food understanding creates a powerful engine that will be a game changer.” In less than three years, Pairwise has grown to 100 team members across two locations in Durham, North Carolina, with additional growth anticipated for 2021.

BA Sports Nutrition has expanded its Bodyarmor portfolio with the introduction of Bodyarmor Edge, a new sports drink with natural caffeine. Containing no colours from artificial sources, the new offering comes in four flavours: Berry Blitz, Tropical Chaos, Power Punch and Orange Frenzy. Bodyarmor Edge claims to deliver the same hydration benefits attributed to Bodyarmor Sports Drink, combined with natural caffeine. Developed with the same coconut water-based formula as Bodyarmor Sports Drink, the new beverage provides more than 1,000mg of electrolytes plus 100mg of natural caffeine. Bodyarmor’s latest product is also said to contain antioxidants, natural flavours and sweeteners. Bodyarmor Edge is available now from stores nationwide in the US, as well as via Amazon. “Bodyarmor has transformed the sports drink category by providing hydration options that today’s athletes want and need – and Bodyarmor Edge is our most innovative product yet,” said Brent Hastie, president, Bodyarmor. “Bodyarmor Edge combines our proven sports drink formula with a boost of natural caffeine for consumers who are looking to get more out of their day. We are excited to launch Bodyarmor Edge, another game changer in sports nutrition and performance within our portfolio of active hydration products.” The Coca-Cola Company purchased a minority stake in Bodyarmor in 2018, as it looked to adapt its product portfolio to meet changing consumer preferences.

Frontier Nutrition, a manufacturer of affordable fortified snacks for the Bangladesh market, has raised $6 million in Series B financing. Headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut, in the US, Frontier Nutrition operates in Bangladesh under the brands Hashi Khushi and Nutri+. The company develops, manufactures and markets fortified snacks that it says treat and prevent malnutrition, and cost just $0.06 per serving. Frontier's fortified products, which include lentil butter, chocolates, powdered drinks and biscuits, are reportedly sold in more than 50,000 outlets across Bangladesh. The company’s latest financing was led by Adjuvant Capital, a life sciences fund backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the International Finance Corporation and other global health investors. Other supporters included DSG Consumer Partners, Great Point Ventures and Royal DSM’s investment arm, as well as Happy Family Organics founder Shazi Visram, Beyond Meat chairman and Eat the Change founder, Seth Goldman, and Novartis board member Bridgette Heller. Proceeds from the raise will be used to bring manufacturing of several products in-house and to launch a sales and marketing campaign to raise awareness of the Hashi Khushi brand. In addition, capital will be used to develop new products that can be used in research studies and international humanitarian efforts.    “Frontier's suite of micronutrient-fortified snack foods provides a unique solution to addressing malnutrition among mothers and children in Bangladesh,” said Adjuvant Capital principal Michael Chang, who will join Frontier Nutrition's board of directors. “The products are competitively priced, locally produced and, perhaps most importantly, tailored to the Bangladeshi palette, making them an attractive snacking alternative. “We couldn't be more excited to be part of Frontier's growth story as they work to scale distribution of these impactful products to women and children across the country.”

Anheuser-Busch has announced an investment of more than $1 billion over the next two years in its facilities and communities across the US. With its investment, the brewer is looking to drive economic prosperity in communities across the US, strengthen its connections with consumers and support the more than 2.1 million jobs related to the beer industry. The capital expenditure programme across 26 states will be used to expand its operations – in particular its hard seltzer production – support ongoing industry job creation and sustainable innovations. Anheuser-Busch is committing nearly $100 million towards sustainability projects including solar panel instalments, water treatments and other similar initiatives. “We need to build more seltzer capacity so we can attend the demand from consumers, which is a growing demand,” Anheuser-Busch CEO Michel Doukeris told Reuters, adding that the company’s new Michelob Ultra organic seltzer also requires “huge” investment. According to Reuters, nearly $400 million will be injected into 12 of Anheuser-Busch's major breweries, while more than $100 million will go towards new can manufacturing lines to meet demand for single-serve cans. The announcement of the investment comes during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the country looks to recover from job losses and economic decline. The brewer operates more than 120 facilities across 27 states. "We are committed to protecting peoples' livelihoods across our entire supply chain – from farmers and bartenders to truck drivers and team members in our own facilities," said Dave Taylor, US chief supply officer at Anheuser-Busch. He added: "By investing in these communities and their capabilities, we're ensuring that together, with all of our partners, we can brew and deliver great beer for many years to come." Michel Doukeris, CEO of Anheuser-Busch, said: "We are here to find a better way to lead a safe and strong recovery, and we're starting by investing across our US supply chain to protect the industry and the millions of people who rely on it for their livelihoods. These investments are immediate and happening now." Anheuser-Busch says it supports the US agricultural community, sourcing the majority of its ingredients from more than 900 American farms. Last year, Anheuser-Busch Foundation committed $530,000 to four US land grant universities to advance sustainable agricultural practices. The company has also announced its support towards the recovery of the bar and restaurant industry through various donations.