Imperfect Foods has received a commitment to fund $95 million in a growth investment, as it seeks to continue expanding its direct-to-consumer grocery service.   The Series D financing will be led by Insight Partners – who also led the company’s $72 million Series C round last year – and Norwest Venture Partners. Founded in 2015, Imperfect Foods aims to reduce food waste by ‘rescuing’ imperfect or excess products, including vegetables, dairy, shelf-stable goods, meat and seafood. These are then distributed to consumers via its grocery delivery service. “This planned funding underscores the solid infrastructure, supply and customer experience upon which we've built this company,” said Imperfect Foods CEO, Philip Behn. “2020 proved there is a real and growing demand for the marriage of sustainability and convenience in retail food. As the leading direct-to-consumer online grocer with a coast-to-coast footprint and our own last-mile delivery fleet, we plan to continue improving the customer experience by doubling down on technology and building the 'perfect imperfect assortment' for our customers.” The Covid-19 pandemic has seen Imperfect Foods continue to prevent food waste by partnering with airlines to buy up first-class cheese plates and by packaging the popcorn kernels from underused cinemas. In 2020, the company says that it saw ‘triple-digit’ growth over the previous year and added hundreds of items to its catalogue. According to Imperfect Foods, the new investment will be used to double capacity and product assortment in existing facilities, improve the shopping experience and accelerate its private label programme, among other things. “Imperfect is delivering a 'mission with a margin',” said Adam Berger, Insight Partners' managing director and Imperfect Foods' lead director. “Their unit economics are exceptional, driven by their unique 'farm to fork logistics' that curates customised produce and groceries, with scheduled weekly deliveries to the customer's doorstep. Imperfect Foods’ supply chain is unmatched and quickly gets fresh groceries from producers to consumers with minimum intermediaries and waste, completing the last mile in their own vans.”

The UK’s Food Standards Agency has announced the appointment of Ruth Hussey as its interim chair, effective 1 February 2021. Hussey will hold the role for up to three months, to allow time for the process of recruiting a replacement for current chair Heather Hancock to conclude. Hancock will be standing down from the position at the end of this month, having been elected the master of St John’s College, Cambridge. She was appointed chair of the FSA board in April 2016. Hussey was an FSA board member for Wales and chair of the Welsh Food Advisory Committee from 2016 until she was appointed as deputy chair of the FSA in July last year. As part of a career in public health, Hussey has also previously served as Chief Medical Officer for Wales. “I am delighted to be able to step into this new role. The FSA is a progressive and effective organisation which works in an evidence-based and transparent way,” said incoming FSA interim chair, Hussey. “As the food system continues to evolve, I will strive to ensure that food safety and public health continue to be protected with confidence. “I look forward to working with my fellow board members to continue to protect consumers’ interests in relation to food.”

Huhtamaki has announced a €10 million investment in a new manufacturing site in Malaysia, in order to better serve its customers in Southeast Asia. As part of the investment, the company is transferring its Malaysia manufacturing base from Penang to Port Klang, Selangor State – the capital region of the country – as it seeks to better serve its customers and respond to future growth of the sector. Like its existing plant, the facility will initially focus on manufacturing paper cups, but Huhtamaki says the new site will allow it to expand its product range and introduce new sustainable paper-based technologies. The approximate €10 million investment will be used to improve the infrastructure and fund machinery investments and installations. According to Huhtamaki, its current employees in its Malaysia site – approximately 150 people – will be offered the opportunity to relocate to the new site. Eric Le Lay, president of Fiber Foodservice EAO at Huhtamaki, said: “By investing in a world-class facility in Malaysia we are creating a platform for future growth in Southeast Asia. “The new site is strategically located, it is close to our key customers and has easy access to neighbouring countries. We will also use the relocation as an opportunity to modernise our equipment and increase automation to improve efficiency.” The new site is expected to be fully operational by the end of the second quarter of 2021. Last month, Huhtamaki announced that it is establishing a new fibre packaging manufacturing plantat its existing site in Alabuga, Russia, after witnessing rapid growth of the retail and egg packaging sectors in the region. The Finland-headquartered company operates in 36 countries and 81 sites around the world.

Swedish coffee group Löfbergs has teamed up with 3D print company Sculptur to transform coffee production waste into new coffee stations.  The group claims their 3D printed waste-based coffee station is a "world-first", with one already in operation and a number of others underway. The collaboration, part of Circular Coffee Community (CCC), aims to reach the group's target of zero coffee waste by 2030.  “Our goal is to make all activities related to growing, processing and consuming coffee 100% circular, eliminating all waste throughout our supply chain by 2030,” said Lars Aaen Thøgersen, recently appointed chief innovation and circular transformation officer at Löfbergs. “Our new coffee station is a prime example of circularity, upcycling leftovers from the processing of our own primary raw material, coffee, to create a brand-new and related sustainable product,” he added. “We are very well aware that we cannot achieve our ambition of circular transformation and eliminating all waste by ourselves. We need playmates and partners for developing both ideas and products.” Löfbergs launched the CCC, inviting customers, suppliers, researchers and others to take part in the circular transformation of the coffee industry. The community will help to not only tackle important issues such as climate and waste challenges, but also create new revenue opportunities for struggling coffee farmers and provide new products for consumers.  Sculptur's CEO, Glenn Mattsing, said: “Using silver skin, which is a bi-product from the coffee roasting process and polypropene, we have been able to create a durable material and a cool design for the coffee stations. Further development will allow us to use polypropene from recycled coffee big bags making the coffee stations close to 100% circular.” The first circular coffee station is set up at the Lilla ICA Lindvallen supermarket in Sälen, Sweden.

A complaint against Silent Pool Distillers' Colorado High CBD-infused gin has been upheld by the UK alcohol sector’s Independent Complaints Panel. The Portman Group, the social responsibility and regulatory body for alcohol in the UK, received the complaint from a member of the public. According to the Portman Group, this marked the first complaint about a CBD product under its code of practice for the naming, packaging and promotion of alcoholic drinks. The Independent Complaints Panel found the product to be in breach of the rules prohibiting association of a drink with illegal drugs or with therapeutic qualities. The panel concluded that certain features of the gin's packaging created an indirect association with illicit drugs. These included the use of the word ‘high’, and the reference to Colorado, one of the first US states to decriminalise recreational cannabis which, unlike CBD, is an illicit drug in the UK. The panel noted that CBD was widely marketed as providing pain relief and other health benefits, and that consumers may assume that an alcoholic drink containing the substance had health benefits. The bottle’s product descriptor includes lines such as ‘A sensory infusion of wellness-enhancing CBD and refreshingly complex gin’, and the panel concluded that such wellbeing claims, combined with the description ‘CBD Gin’ on the front of the bottle, suggested the product had therapeutic qualities. The panel considered that producers should give consumers information about the inclusion of CBD as an ingredient, when present, but could convey that without referring to CBD in the product name. Following the panel’s decision on the gin, the Portman Group says that Silent Pool Distillers has decided not to work with its advisory service on revising the product. As a result, a Retailer Alert Bulletin (RAB) will be sent to more than 130 signatories of the code, including major supermarkets. It will allow retailers to sell any remaining stock but prevent them from re-ordering the product in its current form after 20 April 2021. Nicola Williams, the chair of the Independent Complaints Panel, said: “After careful consideration, the panel decided that Colorado High was in breach of two of the code’s rules. We would urge producers to think carefully about how they place a CBD descriptor on their product’s packaging. "It is important that CBD is viewed as an ingredient, rather than a suggestion of therapeutic or health benefits.” The Portman Group is currently developing guidance to aid producers in their use of CBD in alcohol products.

Swiss ingredients company Lonza has agreed to sell two lipid oral dosage facilities to NextPharma, as it looks to exit the softgel market. The included sites are located in Ploermel in France and Edinburgh in Scotland, which employ around 260 and 130 permanent staff respectively. Both facilities produce liquid-filled hard capsules including Licaps and softgels for the pharmaceutical and consumer health and nutrition markets. With the divestment, Lonza looks to exit both softgels and liquid filled hard capsules for the pharmaceutical market. While the company intends to exit softgels in the consumer health and nutrition space, it plans to continue offering Licaps-based products (lipid capsules). Lonza says capsules – including Licaps for nutrition – remain core to its offering and the company recently announced an investment of CHF 85 million ($95.9 million) to expand its capsule manufacturing capacity across eight sites. Gordon Bates, president and head of small molecules at Lonza, said: “We are confident that the capabilities and experience at the two sites are a complementary fit with NextPharma’s portfolio and that it is ideally placed to develop both to their full potential.” Following the acquisition, NextPharma plans to develop and broaden its technology offering into lipid finished dosage forms, in addition to offering high potency capabilities and new chemical entity development services to both its existing and new customers. Peter Burema, CEO of NextPharma, added: “At NextPharma, we are very excited at the prospect of adding two new centres of excellence, at Ploermel and Edinburgh, to our manufacturing network, allowing us to further broaden our technology offering for both our existing and new customers.  "These technologies, combined with the know-how and expertise of the employees at both sites, would provide additional solutions for drug formulations which will benefit patients across the world.” The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, has been made for an undisclosed sum.

Beyond Better Foods-owned brand Enlightened has added a new salty and sweet flavour to its light ice cream range in the US. Caramel fudge pretzel joins the brand’s light ice cream line that includes brownies & cookie dough, chocolate peanut butter and strawberry cheesecake. The new variety features a low-carb pint of vanilla ice cream with fudge covered pretzels and a salted caramel swirl. Each pint of the new flavour contains 400 calories and allegedly 60% less sugar than regular ice cream. This represents 130 calories and 11g of sugar per serving. Enlightened’s new caramel fudge pretzel pint is available to purchase now online and is coming soon to retailers nationwide including Sprouts and Walmart for an RRP of $4.99-5.99. The ice cream brand says it is also launching a new variety pack featuring the new pint.

Heineken has announced that it will cut 70 jobs and put investments on hold in South Africa, following the impact of alcohol bans amid the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Reuters. The brewer’s South African arm says there has been significant impact from bans on alcohol sales and Covid-19 trading restrictions. At the end of December, the country banned alcohol sales for the third time to help reduce the pressure on emergency services. According to Reuters, about 30% of local breweries have been forced to shut their doors permanently and some have abandoned planned investments. Several publications have reported that Heineken marks the first major company to make significant cuts as a result of the alcohol bans. With just under 1,000 full-time employees at Heineken South Africa, 70 will lose their jobs as the brewer looks to restructure its operations to build a future for the business. The news comes after Heineken announced in October that it will cut jobs at its head and regional offices in 2021, despite beer volume sales improving in the third quarter, relative to Q2. The South African market had been mentioned within previous financial results with references to poor beer volumesamid lockdown restrictions. “Prior to considering this action, the company implemented various cost mitigation measures throughout 2020,” said Heineken South Africa human resources director, Yvonne Mosadi, as cited by Reuters. “Unfortunately, given the ongoing challenging situation the company finds itself in, these measures are no longer adequate to manage and sustain the operating costs of the business.” Last year, Heineken South African cancelled plans to build a ZAR 6 billion ($403 million) brewery in KwaZulu-Natal after a second ban on alcohol sales was announced. Reuters reported that Heineken said other new investments will also be placed on hold. The owner of the Amstel and Sol brands will continue to review its cost and organisational structure to meet future needs of the business.

Hershey is expanding its Kit Kat portfolio with the introduction of a new thinner version of the classic chocolate and wafer snack in the US. The new Kit Kat Thins have only two light and crispy wafers, compared with the standard Kit Kat bar’s three layers of wafer. Individually wrapped, the new bars are said to be great for on-the-go snacking. Kit Kat Thins will be available nationwide in 3.4oz bags (RRP $2.39) and 7.2oz bags (RRP $3.89). Hershey recently unveiled a new selection of Valentine’s- and Easter-inspired products for 2021.  The new Valentine’s Day products include Hershey’s Hugs & Kisses Heart Box, Reese’s Peanut Butter Rose and Reese’s Big Box O’ Love, while Reese’s Mallow-Top Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey’s milk chocolate Pip Bunny are launching as part of the Easter offering.

Technology company Vertical Future has partnered with GreenBridge to accelerate the deployment of vertical farms in the Middle East. Based in London, Vertical Future specialises in controlled-environment agriculture and claims that its vertical farming technology offers a number of advantages over other systems. According to Vertical Future, its system allows growers to deliver nutrients via aeroponic or hydroponic means, and produces approximately 172% more per cubic metre, when compared with other leading providers’ vertical farming technology. The company has announced plans to deploy its vertical farming system across the Middle East, following “ongoing and advanced-stage discussions” with parties interested in using its systems.    The partnership with GreenBridge is expected to play a key role in the rollout, with the agriculture company supporting Vertical Future with local relationships, sourcing, logistics and linguistics. Once vertical farms are in operation, GreenBridge – which has reportedly been active in the Middle East region for the past 30 years – will offer ongoing services including the supply of seed, maintenance services and on-site support.

Olam Cocoa has announced the launch of a new division called Twenty Degrees, which will source premium quality cacao beans from around the world and supply them to craft chocolate manufacturers. Twenty Degrees – named after the cacao belt which ranges twenty degrees north and south of the equator – aims to respond to the demand in the premium chocolate market by bringing speciality cacao to craft chocolate makers. The business will source beans from ten unique regions, each hand-picked for their distinctive flavour and sensory profile. This includes cacao grown in the highland Simbu region of Papua New Guinea and the indigenous Esperara community in Ecuador’s coastal rainforest, accessible only by boat. Olam’s new unit hopes to offer opportunities for farmers by bringing their single origin cacao beans to market that are either too specialist or too remote to be sold to mainstream manufacturers, as well as provide customers with new levels of transparency. The Twenty Degrees business model intends to help farmers adopt sustainable farming practices, as well as invest in the growth and security of the communities. A team of agronomists will work with each community to make sure the quality and flavour of its cacao meets the highest standards, developing protocols for growing, harvesting, drying and fermenting. The speciality cacao business will be led by a new team that will utilise the expertise of Olam Cocoa and its flavour lab in the Netherlands. The Twenty Degrees range of premium cacaos beans is available now in the USA and Europe and can be delivered anywhere in the world. Leopold Palmer, business head of Twenty Degrees, said: “We’re exploring new territories and discovering fresh terroirs in established growing regions, uncovering unique cacao beans farmed to the highest quality with the greatest possible positive impact. And we’re doing this in a way that is transparent, traceable and delivers quality, consistency and taste to meet the needs of craft chocolate makers.” Gerard Manley, CEO of Olam Cocoa, added: “With Twenty Degrees, we are combining our knowledge of cocoa farming and our capability to source from distant and often remote communities with a greater focus on flavour differentiation. It will leverage our existing presence to drive sustainable farming practices and support livelihoods as part of Cocoa Compass, our sustainability ambition for the future of the industry.”

DSM has announced that Chris Goppelsroeder, president and CEO DSM Nutritional Products (DNP), will retire and leave the company, effective 1 April 2021. DSM co-CEO and COO, Dimitri de Vreeze, will step into Goppelsroeder’s DNP leadership role. Goppelsroeder – who is also currently a member of the DSM executive committee – first joined the company in 2003 when DSM acquired Roche Holding’s vitamins division. As president and CEO DNP since 2013, Goppelsroeder is said to have been ‘instrumental’ in the growth of DSM's largest business, organically as well as through acquisitions. This includes DSM's purchase of Danish HMO supplier Glycom in a €765 million deal that was announced early last year. In addition, Goppelsroeder has reportedly played a 'crucial role’ in DSM’s recent moves in the precision and personalised nutrition space, and in the development of big innovation projects. DSM co-CEOs, Geraldine Matchett and Dimitri de Vreeze, said: “Chris has been a key and valued leader for DSM and we are very grateful for his dedication and the contributions he has made in transforming DSM to where we are today. “We will be sad to say goodbye to a great colleague and friend who has built a fantastic leadership team. Chris leaves a tremendous legacy and, on behalf of the entire company, we wish him all the best for his well-deserved retirement.”