Coca-Cola has announced the release of Coca-Cola with Coffee and a zero-sugar version of the drink in the US, both of which will be available in the country from the end of January. The US is the 50th market to launch Coca-Cola with Coffee, which was initially piloted in Japan in 2018. A statement from Coca-Cola claims that each country tailors the Coca-Cola With Coffee recipe and packaging mix to meet local tastes. The US version will feature standard and zero sugar flavours, with five variants in total. Coca-Cola with Coffee is available in three flavours – dark blend, vanilla and caramel – and its zero-sugar counterpart comes in dark blend and vanilla. All five varieties feature a blend of signature Coca-Cola and Brazilian coffee, are shelf-stable and contain 69 mg of caffeine per 12-oz can. Brandan Strickland, brand director, Coca-Cola Trademark, said: “Coca-Cola with Coffee is a true hybrid innovation that provides the perfect solution for that mid-afternoon pick-me-up we all want, especially in today’s work-from-home environment. We’re fulfilling this need state and occasion in a uniquely Coca-Cola way." He continued: “While other categories including energy drinks have ventured into zero-sugar territory, RTD coffee hasn’t because many offerings are dairy-based. So we see this as a major whitespace opportunity.”

Swiss start-up Mirai Foods has raised CHF 2.1 million ($2.4 million) in the first tranche of its seed round, to accelerate the commercialisation of its lab-grown meat. Based in Zürich, Switzerland, Mirai cultivates animal cells in a lab to produce meat. The company, which was founded about a year ago, focuses on beef but aims in the long term to offer a variety of different types of meat. Seven investors participated in the funding, including Paulig Group’s venture arm and technology investor, Team Europe. “Our mission is to accelerate the world's transition to producing food that is environmentally, ethically and economically sustainable,” said Christoph Mayr, Mirai co-founder and CEO. “And we want to do it as cleanly and naturally as possible since this is important to many consumers and regulators, particularly in Europe.” Mirai is one of ‘the very few’ globally operating cultivated meat players that do not genetically or chemically manipulate cells, according to Paulig. The company will reportedly use the funding to accelerate product development and to transform its prototype into a commercial product. “Mirai Foods is a second-generation player in this field, and they have been extremely fast,” said Marika King, head of Paulig’s venture arm, PINC.   “It only took them six months to develop the first prototype and we are very excited to be part of this team’s journey. It is a great fit for PINC and Paulig; we want to actively support the development of new sustainable food.”

Fooditive and Frutco have teamed up to construct a new facility that will yield sweeteners from banana waste and bring the sustainable product to market. The companies have formed a new partnership to bring the Fooditive banana sweetener line to Europe, as they look to improve health and remove carbon emissions from the supply chain. Under the terms of the agreement, Frutco will use the Fooditive production methods for bananas and will industrially manufacture and sell the plant-based sweeteners. Through its exclusive partnership, the companies claim they are investing in a sustainable use of resources in the food industry, using affordable technologies and supporting its customers in minimising their CO2 footprint. To further strengthen its commitment to fight against food waste, Fooditive and Frutco are constructing a new multi waste- and residues-based biodiesel plant to process banana and other tropical fruits side streams into fruit extracts and sweeteners. The plant will use Fooditive’s technology that enables the processing of all types of fruits and vegetables side stream, including by-products from food processing and non-food crops grown on marginal land. “This project will be the leading future for better world, a world in which we use all types of plant-based side streams that can make and improve people life providing food ingredients that are healthy and sustainable,” said Moayad Abushokhedim, CEO of Fooditive. Claudia Lauener Hofer, COO of Frutco, said: “Years ago, we made it our mission to be 100% sustainable by 2030, making the world a better place bit by bit and doing our part. With Fooditive by our side, we are now expanding our product range and creating a new sweet world, but one that is resource efficient and healthier. “We are confident that this project will allow us to achieve another milestone in continuing to conserve resources, protect the environment and strengthen the health of many people.” The project will commence in January 2021 and the fermentation plant is expected to open in mid-2022.

Nature’s Bakery has introduced Baked-Ins to the US market, the brand’s first organic baked snack bar that is made with real fruits and vegetables. The launch comes over a month after Kind announced it had entered an agreement to acquire the snack bar brand, while Kind North America was in the process of being bought by Mars. Baked-Ins are made with whole grains oats, as well as hidden fruit and vegetables including sweet potato, kale, carrot and apple. The line comes in two varieties that are inspired by home-baked favourites: banana chocolate chip and chocolate oat. Both flavours offer 3g of fibre and 9g of whole grains, as the brand aims to bring healthier and organic snack options to families. Like its other varieties, Baked-Ins are plant-based, nut-free, soy-free and contain no artificial colours or preservatives. The better-for-you snack bar marks the newest addition to Nature’s Bakery’s portfolio of fig bars, brownie bars and other soft-baked options. It also comes after Kellogg’s expanded its W.K Kellogg by Kids range with new ‘healthy’ snacks bars made with real fruit and vegetables. "There's something about classic baked goods that provides us with a sense of comfort. When developing Baked-Ins, we wanted to make sure we packed in nature's greatest ingredients in every bite without compromising the familiar tastes we crave," said Vilma Livas chief marketing officer at Nature's Bakery. "It's a win for parents everywhere. The magic is that you can't even taste the secret goodness and that's what makes these snacks seriously good." Baked-Ins are available now at national retailers including Target, Kroger and Publix.

The Hershey Company is expanding its Whatchamacallit range with the introduction of a new chocolatey crisps and peanut butter candy bar. Whozeewhatzit – which marks the Whatchamacallit brand's first new bar in a decade – was named in a competition held last year. The new offering features an added peanut butter crème layer and rice crisps, all covered in a chocolatey candy. “The new Whozeewhatzit bar has all the wacky, crazy, chew-tastic perks that Whatchamacallit fans love, plus a few more,” said Jenna Hamm, Whatchamacallit brand manager. “There were lots of great submissions but none that captured the bar's irresistible characteristics while still paying homage to the beloved Whatchamacallit brand quite like the name Whozeewhatzit.” The new bar will be available in a 1.5oz standard size (SRP $1.11) and a 3oz king size (SRP $1.66) at retailers nationwide in the US, starting next month. Hershey recently unveiled Kit Kat Thins, a new thinner version of the classic chocolate and wafer snack.

Nestlé  has announced that it is reducing the amount of packaging used across its core cereal brands in the UK, as it aims to remove 618 tonnes of packaging in 2021. The packaging reduction will see the company’s Cheerios, Shreddies, Shredded Wheat Bitesize and Honey Nut Shredded Wheat packs use between 13% and 15% less packaging than before. As a result, the new on-shelf packs will on average save an estimated 618 tonnes of plastic and cardboard packaging every year, as well as 115,000 road miles and 180 tonnes of CO2 annually due to requiring less lorries to transport its products to stores. Next year, Nestlé Cereals plans to roll out the packaging reduction across a selection of other brands produced in its UK facilities. The move to transform its packaging portfolio is also a step towards Nestlé’s wider commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 . Gharry Eccles, VP of UK & Oceania at Cereal Partners Worldwide – a partnership between Nestlé and General Mills – said: “Our goal has been to create the ‘perfect box’ and I’m extremely proud we have achieved this huge milestone in our journey to reduce our impact on the planet. "This is all part of our mission to both reduce and improve our packaging and will complement our commitment to making 100% of our breakfast cereals’ packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 , which we are already well on our way to achieving. While the dimensions of our packs might have changed slightly, consumers can continue to enjoy the same breakfast cereals they know and love, while knowing excess packaging has been removed too.” The news comes after Cereal Partners announced the launch of Organic Honey and Chocolate Cheerios. Nestlé Cereals’ new on-shelf packs are now available in Asda stores and will be available in Morrisons from February, followed by Sainsburys in March and Tesco in April.

Ball Corporation has announced plans for a new €170 million aluminium can plant in the Czech Republic, as it looks to boost its output in the EMEA region. The company says that it intends to begin construction of the new facility in the spring of this year and to launch operations in October 2022. The plant, which will be located near Pilsen, in the west of the Czech Republic, is expected to employ up to 200 people and aims to meet rising demand for aluminium beverage cans. “This new facility is the next step in our commitment to the Czech Republic,” said Carey Causey, president, Ball beverage packaging EMEA. “In the Pilsen region we know we can find a skilled workforce close to our key customers, who will continue to benefit from our cutting-edge production processes, our commitment to the environment and a high-quality and sustainable beverage package.” With two production lines, the new factory is planned to occupy a site of more than 100,000 square metres in the Pilsen Digital Park, enabling further expansion when required. Gerhard Mayer, VP, operations, Ball beverage packaging EMEA, said: “We plan to install sophisticated automated equipment at the facility, leveraging the latest modern technologies to minimise environmental impacts, and strengthened by our recent commitment to 100% renewable energy to cover our operations in Europe.” Ball recently unveiled plans to boost its beverage packaging capabilities in the US with a new aluminium end manufacturing facility.

Vietnamese seafood processor Vinh Hoan Corporation (VHC) has announced a strategic investment in Hong Kong-based cultivated fish start-up Avant Meats. VHC will become a shareholder in Avant after agreeing to acquire Vinh Technology, which was incorporated in Singapore and holds a minority interest in Avant. As part of the deal, VHC will establish a strategic partnership with Avant to accelerate the commercialisation of cultivated fish proteins by enabling the start-up to utilise its global sales network and industrial manufacturing capacity. Last month, Avant raised $3.1 million in a seed funding round to accelerate research and development and bring its cultivated fish products to market in 2021. “VHC is a global leader in aquaculture and functional proteins. VHC’s knowledge of customer requirements will provide valuable guidance for our product development and commercialisation,” said Carrie Chan, co-founder and CEO of Avant. Under the terms of the agreement, VHC will also use the Vinh Technology division to access strategic opportunities in agri-tech, food tech and biotech-related to seafood and alternative proteins. Vinh Technology will join VHC’s three other divisions: Vinh Aquaculture, Vinh Foods and Vinh Wellness. According to the two companies, the strategic partnership demonstrates how Avant’s biotechnology platform can collaborate with industry players, as it looks to offer a sustainable model to produce alternative proteins. “We look forward to working with Avant to commercialise a new generation of cultivated fish proteins for food and functional applications,” said Khanh Truong, founder and chairwoman of VHC.   Tam Nguyen, CEO of VHC, added: “Avant offers a unique opportunity for us to diversify our future product portfolio to offer additional choices to address emerging consumer needs and trends.”

MGP Ingredients has agreed to acquire US alcohol producer and marketer Luxco and its affiliated companies in a $475 million deal. According to MGP, a supplier of distilled spirits and speciality wheat proteins and starches, the acquisition will increase its scale and boost its market position in the branded spirits sector. Luxco is a producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products, with a portfolio of brands that includes Ezra Brooks, Daviess County, Yellowstone, El Mayor and Everclear. Founded in 1958 in St. Louis, Missouri, Luxco remains locally owned and operated by the Lux family. The company owns or controls a stake in distilleries including Lux Row Distillers and Limestone Branch Distillery. For the unaudited 12-month period ended 31 October 2020, Luxco generated approximately $202 million in net revenues, according to MGP. The acquisition deal represents an enterprise value of $475 million, comprised of equal parts cash and stock. “Luxco presents a unique opportunity to take a material step towards realising our long-term strategy. It significantly expands our product line in the higher-value branded spirits sector and increases our sales and distribution capabilities across all 50 states,” said David Colo, president and CEO of MGP Ingredients. “We have enormous respect for the platform Luxco has built, and we’re excited to add its portfolio of fast-growing premium distilled spirits brands together with strong, cash-flow generating legacy brands.” The transaction is expected to be completed during the first half of this year, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Last year, MGP Ingredients expanded its textured protein offering with the addition of a gluten-free textured pea option.

The Pioneer Woman brand has partnered with Zavida Coffee Roasters to launch a new premium coffee line in the US. Food blogger and cookbook author Ree Drummond, known as The Pioneer Woman, has been growing her lifestyle brand into new categories. The new coffee line marks the latest expansion by the brand, which is also known for its colourful housewares. The coffee line comes in single-serve cups in both flavoured and non-flavoured blends. Using premium ground coffee beans, the three non-flavoured blends include Up & At ‘Em (breakfast roast), Saddle Up (medium roast) and Giddy Up (dark roast). Meanwhile, the variety of flavoured blends are inspired by Drummond’s popular recipes and features hazelnut vanilla, cinnamon rolls, caramel fudge brownie and pecan pie. “Coffee is one of my favourite things about rising and shining, and I love to sip it all day. My coffee line with Zavida Coffee Roasters includes both high-quality coffee beans and single-serve cups in both flavoured and non-flavoured blends that I think you will absolutely love,” said Ree Drummond. Charles Litterst, chairman at Zavida Coffee Roasters, added: “At Zavida, we’re all about great tasting coffee – and we’re excited to bring our passion for combining the world’s best coffees with unique flavours to the Pioneer Woman brand. Our team crafted these blends to be enjoyed both hot and cold-brewed, so Ree’s fans can indulge in her favourite treats one steamy (or iced) cup at a time.” The Pioneer Woman coffee single-serve cups are currently available to purchase online on Walmart, Amazon and Zavida sites and will be at retailers nationwide later this year. Ground beans will also roll out in late spring 2021.

Los Angeles-based digital bakery Sugar Lab has launched a new line of 3D printed chocolate truffles and bonbons for Valentine’s day. In collaboration with chef Melissa Walnock of the Culinary Institute of America, Sugar Lab has created rich chocolate ganache recipes that are complemented by 3D printed shells. Currently available on the company’s website, the Valentine’s line includes vegan strawberry-covered chocolate truffles and broken heart truffles in tahini and ginger varieties. Meanwhile, Sugar Lab’s bonbons are filled with chocolate ganache with s’mores and peanut butter and jelly profiles. As part of its Valentine’s line, the company has also developed candies, cupcake décor, cocktail garnishes and pastry shells that can be filled at home with mousse, ice cream or cake batter. With its offerings, Sugar Lab aims to demonstrate the potential for beauty and customisation of 3D printed confections. “Our goal at Sugar Lab is to pursue chef-led culinary innovations in partnership with our skilled digital design team, using 3D printing technology,” said Kyle von Hasseln, CEO and co-founder of Sugar Lab. Sugar Lab was founded in 2020, however the concept has been years in the making. Von Hasseln and his wife Liz invented the technology in 2012, which was then acquired by a 3D printing manufacturer. Co-founders Von Hasseln, Meagan Bozeman and William Hu became key members of the R&D team that allegedly invented the first food-safe 3D printer, in partnership with Brill. “After years of developing the Culinary Printer, we understand its potential better than anyone. Our goal is to make this amazing technology accessible to chefs and consumers around the world," said Bozeman. Von Hasseln added: “3D printing brings so much flexibility to the table for our customers. Equally significant, 3D printing allows for fast design iteration without the need for molds. This means we can quickly brand and personalise existing designs with something unique for each customer.”

Dutch food and biochemicals company, Corbion, has announced an investment to expand its lactic acid production capacity by around 40% in North America. The company is increasing its production capacity at its Blair, Nebraska plant, in order to meet the growing demand for natural ingredients in multiple industries in the region. According to Corbion, the use of lactic acid and its derivatives as ingredients in foods and beverages for safe preservation has increased steadily in the Americas over the past five years. Corbion offers a variety of lactic-acid based solutions for customers in the beverage and food sectors, such as the juice, confectionery and meat categories. According to Corbion, manufacturers of food, home and personal care products worldwide are finding the efficacy, consumer-friendliness and sustainability advantages offered by lactic acid-based solutions.   Corbion also operates lactic acid production facilities in the Netherlands, Brazil, Spain and Thailand. Early last year, the company announced plans to build a new lactic acid plant at its existing site in Rayong Provincce, Thailand to help meet global demand. “At Corbion, we enable brand owners to commercialise safe, high-performing products using our lactic acid-based products and technology,” said Marco Bootz, president of lactic acid & specialties at Corbion. He added: "Given the growth our customers in North America are experiencing, and the increased demand for our products, we believe this expansion is the right thing to do for our customers and for Corbion. We're committed to further strengthening those relationships by enabling more growth." In line with its sustainability commitments, the company says it will employ technology to enable a significant boost in efficiency while avoiding an increase in emissions.