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.”

Packaging manufacturer Crown has announced that its Brazilian subsidiary Crown Embalagens plans to build its sixth beverage can plant in the country. The new facility will produce two-piece aluminium cans in multiple sizes and will have two lines, both of which are expected to begin production next year. Crown Embalagens’ new plant will be located in Minas Gerais state, southeast Brazil, to meet the growing demand in the region for beer and soft drink cans.  Djalma Novaes, president of Crown's Americas division, said: “Brazil is an important growth market for us and our partner, Évora S.A. This expansion will help meet the country’s increased demand for beverage cans and demonstrates Crown’s continuing commitment to grow with our customers. “The aluminium beverage can is perfect for the Brazilian market; it is recyclable and sustainable, is shipped easily and most efficiently preserves the quality of the beverage product for the ultimate consumer.” The facility will have an annual capacity of 2.4 billion cans when fully operational, expanding Crown's production capacity in Brazil to 13.3 billion cans per year. Last year, Crown announced plans for a new beverage can manufacturing facility in Kentucky to support increased demand for beverage cans in North America.

Danone has announced that it is focused on delivering shareholder value after a report revealed that Bluebell Capital Partners has bought a stake in the French company and is pushing for governance changes. A report by French business magazine Challenges has revealed that Bluebell bought shares in Danone at the end of last year and has since sent a letter to management calling for a review of the company’s governance and strategy. The London-based activist fund has asked for the chairman and CEO roles to be split and has called on current chairman and CEO Emmanuel Faber to step down. Danone did not comment about Faber’s position. In an emailed statement to FoodBev in response to Challenges’ report, a Danone spokesperson said: “We value constructive dialogue with all our shareholders. The leadership team of Danone is highly focused on delivering long-term sustainable value for our shareholders.” In order to deliver more profitable results, Danone announced a major reorganisation of the business and up to 2,000 staff cuts back in November. The company revealed plans to group its three businesses (dairy and vegetable products, specialised nutrition and water) by geographical area. The owner of Evian and Volvic had been witnessing declining sales in its waters unit, as it suffered during lockdown. “The first stage of this plan includes an ambitious adaptation plan to return Danone to profitable growth in less than 12 months, as soon as H2 2021 and for our recurring operating margin to return to its pre-Covid levels at more than 15% by 2022,” said Danone in an emailed statement. “On December 14th we also announced plans to reinforce our governance by creating a new Strategy and Transformation Committee to assist in overseeing the evolving strategic plan for the company.” The company also announced the departure of CFO Cecile Cabanis but has since reported her appointment to the newly-created role of non-executive vice chairman. Meanwhile, Danone told FoodBev that its “leadership team looks forward to sharing additional elements of the plan in subsequent investor updates.”

AR Packaging has announced its acquisition of Firstan Holdings, including the Firstan Limited subsidiary, as it looks to strengthen its position in the UK. The deal is said to broaden AR’s offering to UK food and healthcare customers through the addition of local folding carton production. With a factory in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, Firstan Limited is a manufacturer of folding cartons, supplying the food and pharmaceutical sectors, among others. Commenting on the acquisition, AR Packaging president and CEO Harald Schulz said: “This addition is of significant strategic importance to strengthen our position on the UK market. “Together with our existing two plants in the UK, Firstan provides an excellent platform for further growth in this important and fast-moving market.” Andrew Hartwig, former majority shareholder and managing director of Firstan Holdings, added: “Our strategically located and well invested facility will together with our skilled team add further capabilities to AR Packaging and we will together offer extended services to all UK customers.” The financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

UK ice cream brand Northern Bloc has secured a ‘seven-figure’ investment from Mobeus Equity Partners to expand in the plant-based sector. Founded in 2014, Northern Bloc offers a range of vegan and dairy ice creams in flavours such as hazelnut & tonka bean and vegan strawberry & yuzu. The brand has national distribution in the UK retail sector, as well as an international footprint, and also sells its tubs through the out-of-home channel. Northern Bloc says that it will use the new funds to increase its production capacity, strengthen its team and focus on its ‘brand experience’.  Dirk Mischendahl, who co-founded Northern Bloc with Josh Lee, said: “The appetite for sustainable eating has jumped forward five years in the space of just one. The result of our actions on the planet became very real in 2020, both in terms of the origin of the pandemic and the positive changes that were made to the environment during the global lockdown. “Plant-based is no longer a dietary requirement, it’s fast becoming a way of life, and Northern Bloc is proud to be at the forefront of bold, innovative, amazing-tasting products which suit this revolution. “Entering Veganuary, our aim is to continue to grow our business, building on our strong base in the retail market whilst maintaining our premium offering for the out-of-home sector.” Jane Reoch, investment director at Mobeus Equity Partners, added: “Northern Bloc is a true breakthrough brand, well positioned for growth as the plant-based movement garners global attention. “The products use all-natural flavours with no compromise on quality or taste. Dirk, Josh and the team have been a pleasure to work with throughout the transaction.” In January 2020, Northern Bloc introduced fully recyclable and biodegradable packaging, replacing the plastic coating on its paper tubs with an organic alternative.

Nestlé has announced a new partnership with Plug and Play, a global innovation platform for industry accelerators, as it looks to drive its innovation efforts in Indonesia. Through the partnership, Nestlé will leverage Plug and Play’s innovation expertise and ecosystem of start-ups, corporations and investors. As a result, the owner of KitKat hopes to accelerate its innovation capabilities for future food technologies and solutions. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Plug and Play is a global innovation platform that looks to bring together the most promising start-ups with the world’s leading corporations, in order to drive investment, foster innovation and secure collaborative partnerships. Since its inception in 2006, Plug and Play's accelerator programmes have expanded worldwide to over 30 locations, with over 30,000 start-ups and 400 official corporate partners. "I have witnessed the decline of many traditional and conservative companies because they failed to adapt to rapidly evolving industries. We are really proud that Nestlé Indonesia is partnering with us to embark on this pursuit of innovation and transformative excellence in the food industry,” said Halim Hartono, director of GK-Plug and Play. Plug and Play was invited by Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) back in 2016, in order to accelerate the country’s innovation efforts within its start-up ecosystem. Guy Kellaway, communication director of Nestlé Indonesia, added: "For over 150 years, we have continuously focused on innovating our brands, products, systems and technologies in order to remain relevant, and competitive. We look forward to this exciting partnership with GK Plug and Play which will drive our innovation efforts in the region." Nestlé Indonesia currently employs about 3,600 employees and operates three factories that produce milk, food and beverages under brands such as Dancow, Milow, Nescafé and KitKat.

Post Foods Canada has teamed up with fast-food restaurant chain Tim Hortons to introduce a new mocha-flavoured cereal. Post Tim Hortons Café Mocha Flavoured Cereal combines rich chocolate and smooth coffee flavours with mocha-swirled marshmallows. “Last year we partnered with Tim Hortons to launch Post Timbits cereal, and it was one of the most successful innovations in the history of our category,” said Tausif Hossain, senior brand manager, Post Foods. “We're thrilled to extend that partnership to Post Tim Hortons Café Mocha Flavoured Cereal. Coffee lovers can have their coffee and eat it too – or at least in the form of a cereal – with the roll out of the new Post Tim Hortons Café Mocha Flavoured Cereal.” Samuel Heath, head of retail at Tim Hortons, added: “Post captured the delicious taste of our café mocha in a crunchy and delicious way, and we hope Canadians will love it just as much as we do.” Post Tim Hortons Café Mocha Flavoured Cereal will be available from major grocery retailers starting this month. In the US, Post Consumer Brands is introducing on-the-go cereal snacks that are inspired by its Pebbles and Honeycomb brands.

FoodBev Media is delighted to announce the launch of The Plant Base, an exciting new magazine that will cover all aspects of the fast-growing plant-based food and beverage sector! Launching in March 2021, The Plant Base will be the first B2B magazine in the food and beverage industry that is dedicated solely to the plant-based sector, providing readers with unrivalled insights into the current developments across the area, as well as an essential guide to the future of the segment. The Plant Base will be a bi-monthly publication, covering compelling subjects such as plant-based meat and dairy alternatives; bio-packaging; the future of farming; and much more. Much like FoodBev Media’s existing publications – FoodBev and Refreshment magazines – each issue of The Plant Base will feature innovations, news, in-depth exclusive features, market research, expert insights, and more – keeping you abreast with one of the industry’s most exciting and fast-evolving markets. FoodBev Media’s Martin White will serve as editor of The Plant Base. Commenting on the launch of the magazine, White said: “The exponential growth of the plant-based sector in recent years has firmly established the area as one of the most fascinating and dynamic segments of the food and beverage industry. “With flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan eating habits on the rise across the world, this looks set to continue for the foreseeable future, with many major players across the food, beverage and dairy industries clamouring to establish a firm foothold in the area. “I am therefore thrilled to announce the launch of The Plant Base, which will serve as an essential resource for any business with an interest in the plant-based sector.” FoodBev Media marketing manager, Matthew Rushton, added: “The plant-based sector is dominating the food and beverage industry in terms of innovation and conversation these days. It is clear that the growth of the plant-based sector is not just a passing phase, it is a key focus area in the food and beverage industry and should be treated as such. “That is why I am so excited FoodBev is launching The Plant Base, the first B2B magazine dedicated to helping the industry, not only to better understand the plant-based market, but also to see how companies can adapt and be successful in this fast-expanding sector!” Alongside the launch of The Plant Base, FoodBev Media has launched a dedicated Twitter account for The Plant Base (@ThePlantBaseMag), and will also be creating a free monthly newsletter, both of which will cover the latest developments in the plant-based sector; covering industry news, innovations, events and more.  As an added bonus, every subscription prior to Issue #1 being published will receive an automatic early bird 10% discount! Find out more about The Plant Base magazine here.

UAE-based food and beverage company Agthia Group has acquired a majority stake in Nabil Foods, a regional producer of frozen and chilled processed protein products. Founded in Jordan, Nabil Foods specialises in manufacturing a wide range of frozen and chilled 100% halal products – from chicken shawarma sandwiches to kubbeh balls – that are distributed in more than 20 local and international markets through retail, restaurants and catering. The company has a processing capacity of 43,000 tons per year and a range of over 600 individual product lines. In the year ending 30 September 2020, Nabil Foods recorded revenues of AED 365 million (approximately $99.4 million). The transaction – which is subject to certain regulatory approvals – will see Agthia acquire an indirect 80% stake in Nabil Foods, including a 60% stake from ADQ in exchange for a convertible instrument and a further 20% stake from Ideal Holding Limited. The approximate price of the 60% stake in Nabil Foods from ADG has been valued at AED 394 million ($107.3 million). The deal marks Agthia’s first entry into the processed protein industry through a well-established brand and gives it further access to new markets, distributors and customers. With the purchase, Agthia says it will have immediate access to new revenue streams and significant cross-selling opportunities to support its growth strategy. Established in 2004, Agthia Group is an Abu Dhabi-based food and beverage firm and part of the holding company ADQ. Its portfolio of brands span beverages to fruit and vegetables to dairy and frozen baked products, including Yoplait and Capri-Sun. Alan Smith, CEO of Agthia Group, said: “The acquisition of Nabil Foods, once completed, would represent another step towards meeting our ambitions; it would be an accretive acquisition for both the business and our shareholders, an expansion into a growing sector with high-quality product offerings and a mutual commitment to innovation aligned with evolving consumer trends. “The coming period will see us leveraging our stronger portfolio of brands and products to boost revenues, while continuing to seek growth opportunities that align with our strategy and deliver shareholder value.”