Global accelerator-VC Rockstart has announced the closing of its Agrifood fund at more than €22 million, exceeding its initial target.  The funds raised will enable Rockstart to further invest in agritech and foodtech start-ups, and continue to co-invest in its agrifood portfolio companies up to Series B.  Participators in the fund include Vaekstfonden’s Green Future Fund, as well as new informal investors such as Joke Pronk, longtime Rockstart investors Marcel Beemsterboer, Jasper de Rooij and Hans Maltha, and new investor global dairy cooperative Arla Foods Rockstart invests in the transformation to a regenerative and sustainable future by supporting innovative companies in the agrifood, energy and emerging technology sectors.  The company has already invested in 20 start-ups since its establishment in 2019.  "Rockstart is on a mission to empower the best in class founders to change the world for the better, which is why they are always at the core of our focus," said Rune Theill, CEO and co-founder of Rockstart. "Our passion is to create pathways and opportunities for talented founders and we do that with our domain focused fund and ecosystem. With the agrifood fund, we started a new chapter in empowering purpose-driven founders we invest in for the long-term." Mark Durno, managing partner AgriFood at Rockstart, added: "Our global food industry is poised for an overdue transition to more sustainable and regenerative practices. The fact that industry leaders, such as Arla, Vaekstfonden and many others, put their faith in Rockstart by investing further in our agrifood fund makes us even more optimistic that we can deliver on our mission - empower purpose-driven founders to drive positive change at a global scale."

Greek and Mediterranean fine food producer, Odysea , has launched two new products: Feta Cubes and Feta & Greek Yoghurt Spread.  Creamy Feta & Greek Yoghurt Spread is made by third-generation dairy, Roussas Dairy, using PDO feta and real Greek yoghurt made from sheep and goat’s milk. The company says its "smooth, tangy, deeply savoury spread is perfect for picnicking, dipping and dunking".  Meanwhile, Odysea Feta Cubes are made using the company signature PDO feta, they come in a ready-to-use format that is "perfect for when you need a sprinkling of feta with minimum fuss". Both new products are available for an RRP of £2.50 and can be found in Waitrose stores nationwide.

Unilever-owned Ben & Jerry’s has introduced its first limited-batch ice cream flavour of 2021, Totally Unbaked. The new offering features a mixture of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, with two unbaked components: chocolate chip cookie dough and brownie batter swirls. “It's a very simple but indulgent flavour," said 'flavour guru', Natalia Butler. “Those rich cocoa-infused swirls of brownie batter taste exactly like what you'd lick out of a brownie batter bowl,” she added. Totally Unbaked can be found at retailers across the US for $4.99-5.49 and will be available into summer.  Earlier this year, Ben & Jerry’s introduced a new Topped ice cream line in the US, featuring seven new flavours covered with a chocolate ganache.

Unilever has recorded underlying sales growth of 5.7% in its first-quarter results, as it continues to see high demand for foods consumed at home. The owner of Ben & Jerry’s, Marmite and Hellmann’s reported turnover of €12.3 billion in Q1, representing a fall of 0.9% on the previous year, driven by a negative currency-related impact of 8%. Following growth last year, e-commerce continued to perform strongly in Unilever’s first quarter, seeing underlying sales growth of 66% and representing 11% of turnover. Underlying sales grew across Unilever’s Asia/AMET/RUB and Americas segments in the first quarter, by 9.9% and 5.3% respectively. India and China both saw ‘strong-double-digit’ growth in Q1 2021, after last year’s results were impacted by strict lockdown measures, while North America saw underlying sales growth of 4.3%, driven by high demand for at-home foods. Unilever's Europe business witnessed a fall in underlying sales of 2.3% for the quarter, with volume declining 0.7% – in part driven by a decline in Unilever’s food solutions business and lower demand for personal care products due to ongoing lockdowns.   The company’s foods and refreshment unit grew its underlying sales by 9.8%, ahead of beauty and personal care (up 2.3%) and home care (up 5.9%). Out-of-home ice cream returned to growth, with strong performance in emerging markets offsetting declines in Europe due to lockdown restrictions. In-home ice cream grew double digit as demand for food consumed at home remained high. Overall, Unilever’s food solutions business grew low single digit, with growth in China countering declines in markets impacted by channel closures.   This time last year, Unilever recorded flat underlying sales growth in its first-quarter results, reflecting the impact of the pandemic on its foodservice and ice cream businesses. In Q1 2021, tea saw volume and price growth, and Unilever CEO Alan Jope said that “the operational separation of our tea business is on track”, in the wake of a strategic review process announced early last year. With consumers continuing to eat more at home due to coronavirus-related restrictions, in-home food sales in the quarter were up mid single digit. “Unilever has made a good start to the year. Our focus on operational excellence, innovation and purposeful brands is continuing to strengthen competitiveness and has delivered underlying sales growth of 5.7% for the quarter,” said Unilever CEO, Jope. “We are driving the evolution of our portfolio, with strong growth in Prestige Beauty and Functional Nutrition.” He continued: “We are confident that we will deliver underlying sales growth in 2021 within our multi-year framework of 3-5%, with the first half around the top of this range. We expect to increase underlying operating margin slightly for the full year, though with a decline in the first half driven by Covid-19 impacts, higher cost inflation and increased marketing spend over the prior year.”

Work has begun on a new £6 million facility at Branston's site in Lincolnshire, UK, that will be used to extract high-grade protein from potatoes.  Potato supplier Branston is working alongside agri-tech research and development company, B-hive Innovations, as part of a collaborative project which aims to improve potato crop utilisation. The new facility will convert low-value potatoes into clean-label functional protein that can be used in vegetarian and plant-based foods. The factory will also produce starch-based products for a range of manufacturing applications. According to Branston, the facility will be the first of its kind in the country and will incorporate bespoke technologies and capabilities to meet increasing demand for UK-grown plant-based ingredients. “We’re delighted to be working with B-hive Innovations on this new venture. Most people are aware of potato starch and fibre in potatoes, but they don’t consider the highly nutritious protein fraction,” said managing director of Branston’s prepared foods division, Richard Fell, who is heading up the project. “B-hive Innovations has been honing this technology for a number of years, working with a group of academic and industry partners and supported by Innovate UK. They have developed a process to gently extract and isolate high-grade proteins from potatoes. “This means we have the potential to meet the growing requirements from food manufacturers for 100% plant-based protein that is free from allergens and is fully traceable from our UK-grown crops.”

Mondelēz International  has reported 7.9% growth in first-quarter net revenue to $7.24 billion, and has witnessed improving performance in its emerging markets. The owner of Cadbury and Oreo said that the Q1 rise was driven by organic net revenue growth of 3.8%, favourable currency and the impact of its acquisitions of Give & Go and Hu . Following a 0.5% decline in 2020 , Mondelēz’s Asia, Middle East and Africa business delivered 16.2% growth in net revenue for Q1. In North America, Mondelēz saw 4.3% growth in net revenue for the first quarter. Meanwhile, the company's Latin America region witnessed a 7.9% decline, marking an improvement on Q4 2020 when it saw a 15.4% decrease in net revenue. Mondelēz’s Europe business recorded a 10.2% year-over-year rise in net revenue for Q1. The region also generated the largest amount of revenue for the company overall, with nearly $2.85 billion worth of sales. After witnessing a 2.5% decline in Q4 2020, Mondelēz’s emerging markets delivered 6.0% growth in net revenue in the first quarter of 2021. “Our first-quarter results demonstrate that we are emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic stronger, as we continue to build upon our track record of robust growth, profitability and cash generation,” said Dirk Van de Put, Mondelēz chairman and CEO. “We saw continued improvement across emerging markets, healthy demand in developed markets and another quarter of strong share performance. We remain squarely focused on accelerating growth by further strengthening our core brand and expanding our presence in high-growth channels, categories and adjacencies. Our strategy is working, and our business is better positioned than ever before.” Mondelēz has forecast upwards of 3% organic net revenue growth for 2021.

Unilever has agreed to acquire US supplements brand and lifestyle company, Onnit, as it continues to expand its consumer health offerings. Based in Austin, Texas, Onnit’s core focus is its range of supplements that aim to improve cognitive function, mood and relaxation, gut health and immunity support. Its portfolio also features protein powders, protein snacks, fats and oils, as well as coffee. Founded in 2010, the holistic wellness and lifestyle company also offers fitness essentials such as kettlebells and a digital content platform that provides advice and fitness programmes for its consumer base. The acquisition marks Unilever’s latest efforts to expand its activities within the holistic health market and comes a few months after it signed an agreement to buy SmartyPants Vitamins. “Onnit is a leading brand in the fast-growing nootropics segment. With its holistic health offering and digital-first model, Onnit perfectly complements our growing portfolio of innovative wellness and supplement brands that include Olly, Equilibra, Liquid IV and SmartyPants Vitamins,” said Peter ter Kulve, president of home care and health & wellbeing at Unilever. Aubrey Marcus, founder of Onnit, said: “Since day one, my vision has been for Onnit to become a global movement, empowering people with the tools and information to reach their highest physical and mental potential. I am so proud of what we have accomplished, and now, with Unilever’s scale and presence, we are one step closer to inspiring millions more to take charge of their health and wellbeing.” Following completion of the deal, Onnit will continue to be based in Austin and led by CEO Jason Havey. Founder Aubrey Marcus will remain a brand ambassador. The deal – which was made for an undisclosed sum – is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Food tech start-up Deliverect has secured $65 million in a Series C funding round, as it aims to simplify online food delivery management with its software. New investors DST Global Partners and Redpoint Ventures joined the Series C round, as well as existing investors Omers Ventures, Newion and Smartfin and Deliverect’s founders. Founded in 2018, Deliverect supports global restaurant chains, FMCG brands and local family-run restaurants to manage and grow their online orders, by connecting delivery companies directly to restaurants’ point-of-sale system. The platform supports over 10,000 establishments around the world including Pret a Manger, Taco Bell, Dishoom, as well as Unilever – which through Deliverect is able to integrate with Deliveroo and Uber Eats to deliver Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum ice creams directly to consumers. The Series C funding round brings Deliverect’s total fundraising to more than $90 million in three years. Since its Series B round in April last year, the team of 50 employees has grown to 200 and the company now operates in over 30 markets worldwide. Deliverect plans to use the capital to support further R&D and product development, solidify its position in the US and continue its international expansion. The Belgian start-up has reached a milestone as it surpasses 30 million orders processed in the last year, equating to more than $1 billion in order value. The company is averaging more than one million orders processed per week, representing an increase of nearly 750% since April 2020.  "The impact of this funding round goes beyond just Deliverect and our team. It's about the restaurants who are surviving and thriving despite the challenges of Covid-19. These funds will fuel our commitment to providing them with personalised technology to help them grow through their online sales and delivery channels,” said Zhong Xu, co-founder and CEO of Deliverect. “There is a significant need for a solutions-based company that can help restaurants overcome these challenges. Deliverect aims to become the global gateway for online food ordering and delivery, helping restaurants around the world to thrive online. This is a new category and we are proud to say we are the leading solution in the market."

Mars Chocolate Drinks and Treats (MCD&T) has launched a new variant of its Maltesers Biscuit line: Orange Maltesers Biscuit. Each biscuit has three "tangy orange, malty bobbles," covered in milk chocolate.  The latest addition builds on the success of original Maltesers Biscuits, which were launched in January 2020, and a mint variety that was unveiled in September.  “With continued category growth, increasing sales of orange SKUs and the fun format of these malty biscuits,  we are confident that the launch of Orange Maltesers Biscuits will add incremental sales and increase household penetration for the range,” said Michelle Frost, general manager at MCD&T).   Orange Maltesers Biscuits will be available in Tesco from April 25 2021.  RRP £1.49 for 110g pack containing ten biscuits.

One of the fastest-growing mezcal brands in the US, Madre Mezcal, has raised $3 million in a Series A funding round led by venture capital studio, Room 9.  The brand will use the funding to grow its product range and expand its distribution and marketing efforts in new markets (including other US states, countries and online).  “Beyond a great-tasting, easy-to-drink mezcal, Madre’s success has been a result of working closely with the communities that have driven word-of-mouth for the brand,” says Chris Stephenson, CEO of Madre. “For us to expand while continuing this successful path, we needed a partner that recognises the cultural authenticity that fuels our approach. With Room 9, we’ve found a partner that understands the growth opportunities through product, geography and digital expansion, and encourages the brand development through cultural engagement.” Room 9's portfolio spans the consumer, food and beverage, and tech sectors and includes brands such as Jot Coffee, Los Sundays Tequila and Cleancult.  Room 9 Founder, Anish Bhatia, commented: “Madre sits in the crosshairs of a cultural movement and an exceptional founding team. We feel the Company is poised to capitalise on the exponential growth of consumer demand in mezcal while building a brand that is authentic to its roots in Oaxaca.” “Shifting market trends all point to mezcal as one of the fastest-growing spirit categories, with Drizly recently reporting a 600% year-over-year growth in their mezcal sales. We’re excited to partner with Madre and believe the brand has the opportunity to become the first true recognised brand in the category.”   Madre Mezcal is currently available in selected bottle shops, grocery stores and online markets in the US, Canada, UK and Europe.

Dairy supply chain software provider, Milk Moovement, has closed a $3.2 million funding round. Headquartered in Halifax, Canada, Milk Moovement has developed cloud-based software that tracks milk shipments from producers to processing plants and delivers real-time quality and quantity information to stakeholders across the supply chain. Using its software, dairy cooperatives and processors can reduce administrative time by up to 85%, according to Milk Moovement. The round was led by Dynamo Ventures, with participation from Matchstick Ventures, Bread & Butter Ventures and Better Food Ventures, as well as follow-on investments from SOSV and Techstars. The company has also received investment from Richard Cargill, a member of Cargill’s board of directors. Milk Moovement will invest the new capital in product development, software enhancements and its international expansion efforts. The company has announced that it will be opening a new office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to further grow its US presence. “We’re excited to bring our solution to even more members of the global dairy industry,” said Milk Moovement CEO and co-founder, Robert Forsythe. He continued: “We have experienced tremendous momentum in our core software offering as clients see the benefits of digitising and optimising their dairy supply chains. At Milk Moovement, we are committed to helping the industry thrive by modernising the antiquated dairy supply chain to make it more efficient, sustainable and profitable for everyone.” Richard Cargill added: “The delivery of high-quality, more nutritious and even more efficient products is imperative for success in 21 century agriculture. “Milk Moovement is the dairy supply chain tool that will be at the forefront of the industry’s success. What separates this team from competitors is their empathy for the challenges faced by the industry and their relentless drive to create value for customers. It has been a privilege to mentor this team and I look forward to supporting them as they grow.”

Pladis has announced the expansion of its McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes portfolio in the UK with the launch of a new blackcurrant flavour. The blackcurrant variant will join the original orange Jaffa Cakes, as well as a pineapple flavourand recently launched cherry and passion fruit variants. McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Blackcurrant will feature the brand’s signature light sponge base covered in dark chocolate with a brand new ‘tangy’ blackcurrant centre.   Emma Stowers, brand director for McVitie's at Pladis UK&I, said: “The tangy berry flavour of our new Jaffa Cakes Blackcurrant flavour is the perfect addition to the Jaffa Cakes crew. “We're excited to continue to bring new tastes and experiences to Jaffanatics and can’t wait for everyone to try this new fruity, cool berry flavour. They're so delicious your sharing box may not last long.”   The new blackcurrant Jaffa Cakes flavour edition will be available exclusively from Tesco in the UK and Ireland from 25 April for an RRP of £1.20 per pack of ten cakes.