Inventor, Johan De Broyer (from Kiev, Ukraine) has conceived the idea for a re-sealable aluminium can that gives the option to feature hidden advertising messaging on the tab of the can. The idea was developed and designed by Robert Davis of Davis Advertising Inc in Atlanta, USA, while Advercan in Texas handles representation. The team has named their registered and patent-awaiting idea 'Soda Seal' and suggest that the 'novelty aspect' of using the technology could result in added beverage sales. Apart from imagery and text such as hidden codes, prizes, logos and websites it is also possible to use flavour and other messaging technologies. The Soda Seal top assembly is fitted to a standard aluminium can. There is no redesign, retooling or machining required for the the standard can, which resides beneath the Soda Seal can top assembly. The can provides a water and gas tight seal, that is useful during outdoor sport activities and driving.

Brussels based International Taste & Quality Institute (iTQi) has awarded Malmberg Original with two stars. The two stars from the jury denotes that the bottled water is a remarkable product in terms of taste. iTQi consists a jury from nine of the most prestigious culinary organisations including Académie Culinaire de France; Federazione Italiana Cuochi; Academy of Culinary Arts; Juenes Restaurateurs d´Éurope; Associaciones de Cocineros de España; Maîtres Cuisiniers de France Euro-Toques; Maîtres Cuisiniers de Belgique; Association de la Sommellerie Internationale; and Verband der Köche Deutschlands. The jury also featured an official from the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI). Malmberg Marketing Manager Nicklas Lindblad commented: "We are very proud to receive this award and it confirms, what we already know, that the taste of Malmberg Original is very good." Malmberg Original is pure artesian water from Sweden with gentle carbonation. Next year the company plans to send the still version, Malmberg Stilla, to Brussels in the hope of scooping another award.

One moment, bottled water was evidently refreshing British troops in Afghanistan, then it was being criticised for its environmental impact. Afterwards, the BBC devoted an hour to the environmental impact of floods in Britain last summer, acknowledging how bottled water had made life bearable for hundreds of thousands whose tap water supplies had become contaminated or cut off. The BBC had nothing really new to offer in the bottled water debate. Objectivity would have been improved if it had used the latest market statistics. It chose to use weak April figures because of colder weather, when May sales were much higher because of hotter weather. I guess that didn’t suit its argument. It concluded with the cost savings of a local council, my own in fact, from no longer buying bottled water. But most councils and government departments seem to be paying extra on expensive filters for their tap water. The Houses of Parliament decided to retain bottled water because water jugs and glasses cost far more to serve, replenish and clean. War and water need more care.

*Announced today at the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) Industry Lunch, the soft drinks industry’s sustainability strategy sets out a series of long term collective objectives developed to improve further the industry’s environmental performance. * The objectives focus on four areas: Climate change; waste and packaging; water; and transport (see below). The strategy outlines the industry’s position in each of these areas – its ambitions, the challenges and how the industry believes it can achieve its aims. These areas of focus also reflect the objectives laid out in the government’s Food Industry Sustainability Strategy and align the BSDA closely with the targets set earlier in 2008 by the Food and Drink Federation. Commenting on the launch of the strategy, Paul Moody, BSDA President and Chief Executive of Britvic plc, said: “This strategy represents a bold step forward by the soft drinks industry and will enable us to build on, and further improve our environmental performance. We believe that by working collectively as an industry, and with the support of national and local government, we can make a significant and positive impact on the environment.” BSDA Director General Jill Ardagh commented: “Sustainability is top of BSDA’s agenda and the development of this strategy will play a vital role in ensuring that it remains central to all activity moving forward. The objectives set will present the industry with many challenges as well as new opportunities to innovate and adapt to the changing climate in which we now operate.” BSDA members have agreed to the following collective industry objectives: Climate Change: In line with the aims of the Climate Change Bill, it is the sector’s ambition to achieve a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions from manufacturing by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. Waste and packaging: It is the sector’s ambition to: send zero manufacturing waste to landfill from 2015 and contribute to WRAP’s objectives by aiming to improve the sustainability of soft drinks packaging. Water: It is the sector’s ambition to reduce its waste water volumes (i.e. water not contained in the product) to contribute to a food and drink industry target to reduce water use by 20% by 2020 compared to 2007. Transport: It is the sector’s ambition to contribute to the overall food and drink industry objective to reduce the external impacts of transport by 20% by 2012 compared to 2002 by: Integrating environmental efficiency techniques in the sector’s own transport operations and working with suppliers and customers to address supply chain impacts.

Budweiser beer is being launched in Vietnam through an import and distribution agreement with Gannon Distribution Company. Through this deal, Budweiser will be available in Vietnam starting June 2008. “Vietnam is an exciting beer market and an important one for Anheuser-Busch to begin establishing and building the Budweiser brand,” said Tom Santel, chief executive officer and president, Anheuser-Busch International, Inc. “The country’s beer industry experienced double-digit volume growth for the past three years and already has a well-developed premium segment filled with consumers who will appreciate Budweiser’s clean, crisp and refreshing taste.” Budweiser will initially be available at upscale bars, restaurants and supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as select chain outlets across the nation. Budweiser is an American lager brewed since 1876 using a blend of US and European hops, and a combination of barley malts and rice. A centuries-old, European-ageing technique called kraeusening is also used, which involves adding a small amount of freshly yeasted wort to fermenting beer at the start of the ageing cycle to facilitate natural carbonation. Then, Anheuser-Busch’s exclusive beechwood ageing process helps create a crisp, clean taste. “Vietnam’s growing economy and large, young adult population make it an ideal market for Budweiser,” said Walter Blocker, chief executive officer of the Gannon Group Vietnam Ltd. “Consumers in Vietnam want new and different premium beer choices and will appreciate Budweiser’s reputation as a high-quality brew enjoyed around the world. By bringing the brand to Vietnam, we are responding to the demand created for this great-tasting beer.” Budweiser sold through the Gannon Distribution Company will be available in 355ml non-returnable bottles and 355ml cans. The beer will be brewed and packaged at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Los Angeles, US. Budweiser will be marketed as a premium international lager and supported by a variety of promotional programs and point-of-sale items. The brand also will use its official sponsorship of the 2008 Olympic Games and its support of football to build awareness with consumers. This includes using the official Olympic marks on Budweiser packaging in Vietnam as well as promoting the brand’s sponsorship of Manchester United, the English Premier League and the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Global packaging giant Tetra Pak has signed a landmark agreement with the Middle East Paper Company (MEPCO) to recycle used food and beverage cartons in Saudi Arabia. The agreement was announced at the weekend following World Environment Day on Friday (5 June). The partnership between Tetra Pak and MEPCO will address the issue of recycling thousands of cartons that are discarded by households and business premises across Saudi Arabia every day. The agreement was signed after successful trials were conducted to demonstrate the recyclability of Tetra Pak cartons by MEPCO. “We strive to be an eco-friendly company committed to the principles of conservation and sustainability,” said MEPCO Managing Director Abdullah Al-Moammar. “MEPCO partnered with Tetra Pak Arabia as they are serious about addressing the environmental issues within their industry and their imprint on the Saudi society. “We are very pleased to announce this partnership, and look forward to recycling the cartons and raising consumer awareness about environmental issues.” MEPCO will collect, sort and recycle cartons for use as raw material in manufacturing paper. Beverage carton recycling will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfill sites. An industry first Mohammed Angawi, Environment Manager of Tetra Pak Arabia, said: “We are excited about launching our recycling initiative, which is an industry first in the food and beverage carton segment, with the largest paper manufacturing company in the Middle East. “With MEPCO as our partner, we are confident that we can not only facilitate recycling, but also help drive environmental consciousness in the region. It gives Tetra Pak Arabia a great sense of pride to look after the community we operate in by bringing about positive environmental change.” Recycling and sustainability are key concerns for Tetra Pak, both worldwide and in the Middle East. The core ingredient of Tetra Pak’s packaging is wood fibre that comes from sustainable managed forests, a renewable resource. The Jeddah factory of Tetra Pak Arabia is ISO 14001 certified, and all factory waste is recycled. Globally, Tetra Pak recycles 21 billion cartons per year. MEPCO produces almost 340,000 tonnes of paper annually, and also collects and recycles more than 379,000 tonnes of waste paper. The company plans to add 275,000 tonnes to its existing production capacity by September next year, with the long-term aim of raising capacity to 1 million tonnes by 2013.

NSF International has announced that Radenska's Naturelle Water, one of the largest bottled water providers in the Balkan Region, has been certified by NSF's Beverage Quality Programme. Following NSF Certification, Radenska Naturelle was designated the official water of the current Slovenian Presidency of the European Union. Radenska Director Tomaž Blagotinšek commented: "When we launched our new non-carbonated natural mineral water Radenska Naturelle – the official water of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU – it was important for us to demonstrate our commitment to quality and safety by obtaining NSF Certification. Our ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 registrations further attest to this commitment.” As the 'official water', Radenska bottles are served by the host country at every official gathering, meeting and reception of the European Union, attended by ministers and officials of all European member states. Radenska plc. is a world-renown company with a long tradition of bottled water production, using its brand name Radenska perched on three red hearts. To become certified, Radenska's water, which is exported throughout Europe, Canada and Australia, was tested to ensure compliance with NSF Certification requirements and audited to ensure its facilities meet Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements. To demonstrate certification, every bottle of Radenska's Naturelle Water will bear the NSF Certification Mark on its label. Ongoing testing and annual unannounced audits will ensure continued compliance and allow continuous use of the NSF Mark. NSF Vice President Nancy Culotta explained: "Radenska is setting the example for other bottlers in the Balkan Region and throughout Eastern Europe to follow. When consumers see the NSF Mark on Radenska's bottle, they can rest assured that Radenska's water has met the industry's highest quality and safety standards.” NSF's Beverage Quality Certification Program provides annual, unannounced plant inspections covering every aspect of a bottler's operation, from the source of the water, through the disinfection and treatment process, and including the container closure process. As part of the certification process, NSF also performs extensive product testing for over 160 chemicals, inorganic, radiological and microbiological contaminants. For more information, visit www.nsf.org

"We have plans to make two or three acquisitions this year,” WBD Chairman David Yakobashvili told Reuters during the St Petersburg Economic Forum at the weekend. “We must show our investors we are actively involved in acquisitions. This is important." Yakobashvili would not reveal the businesses WBD has targeted, nor the countries in which they are based. The group currently operates in Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with almost 40 plants and a workforce of 19,000. WBD’s last significant acquisition was the purchase of dairy producer Georgian Foods in Tbilisi in October for an undisclosed sum. Georgian Foods is WBD’s first plant in the Caucasus region, and will serve the neighbouring markets of Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as Georgia. WBD is Russia’s biggest dairy company and third or fourth biggest producer of juice and nectar. Beverage sales include mineral water, and the group also has a growing baby food business. Key WBD investors include France’s Groupe Danone with an 18% stake. * ‘Solid’ start to 2008* On Friday, WBD reported it had made a “very solid” start to this year, with both sales and profits surging despite increased costs. Group revenue over the first quarter was 34.8% up at $731.9 million, with operating income up 23.2% to $63.4 million and net earnings rising 30.6% to $41.9 million. “We are pleased with the very solid performance we achieved this quarter, in particular our sales growth of 34.8% on a year-over-year basis,” said Chief Executive Tony Maher. “Our baby food business continued its impressive growth with sales increasing 67.1%, outpacing market growth and strengthening our leading market share position. “Our beverage business achieved 25.8% growth in sales, and our dairy business delivered 34.1% growth. Despite the challenging raw materials pricing environment that continued well into the first quarter, gross margin was relatively stable at 26.4% in comparison with 26.9% in the fourth quarter of 2007.”

Behind the scenes at PAS Grantham Ltd in the heart of Lincolnshire in the UK, Tim Wainwright is hard at work on the shop floor, as he has been for the last 32 years. In this fascinating insight into the potato products production line, Tim reveals the secrets behind the company's significant cost savings and increased reliability. The potato was first cultivated over 4,000 years ago in Peru. Today, thanks to companies like PAS Grantham Ltd (McCain), the potato is one of the world’s most widely eaten and enjoyed foods. For instance, it's said that the average American eats 140 pounds (63.5 kilograms) of potatoes a year, the average German eats more than 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms) a year, and the average person in the UK consumes 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of potatoes a year. PAS Grantham Ltd (McCain) produces a nutritious and delicious assortment of products, including oven chips, home fries, French fries, low-fat French fries, and have also entered into the mini pizza market. Its foods are made with quality in mind. Not only does it carefully select its ingredients, it also adheres to a strict manufacturing process. This manufacturing process helps the company increase equipment reliability and productivity, and decrease operating costs. Tim Wainwright, Mechanical Engineer at PAS Grantham Ltd (McCain) for the past 32 years, says that the greases it uses in its machinery play a big role in the manufacturing protocol, and in the company’s ability to increase productivity and decrease operating costs. PAS Grantham Ltd’s (McCain’s) Total Preventative Maintenance programme is a cornerstone of its business and Tim constantly searches for products that will enhance its capabilities to achieve quality improvement throughout the plant. *The lubricant trial * The production lines at PAS Grantham Ltd (McCain) run 24 hours a day, at least five days a week – sometimes even seven days a week. If a machine goes down, it can result in the entire line being shut down. “When the line goes down, it costs us £900 an hour – that’s the figure we use as our benchmark,” says Tim. “Productivity is everything, and proper lubrication plays an integral role. We're always looking for lubricants that will perform, protect and save us money by reducing downtime and increasing operational efficiencies.” Four years ago, Petro-Canada account manager James Ross suggested that PAS Grantham put “food safe” Purity FG Synthetic Grease to the test. In 2004, Tim ran a six-month trial using Petro-Canada’s Purity FG2 Synthetic Grease – an advanced food-grade grease specially formulated for the toughest food processing applications. He compared it to his existing product to see which grease provided better protection of gears, bearings and equipment. Tim also compared the difference in cost between the two products. The results and the switch “Lubrication improvements were noticeable. There was a decrease in actual volume used vs what we were using before, and our reliability was enhanced,” explains Tim. “Petro-Canada’s account manager James Ross ensured we achieved excellent efficiency results by ensuring that we had the right products for all of our applications.” “After this six-month trial of Purity FG2 Synthetic Grease, we quickly realised the benefits of the product. There wasn’t any need to do any further trials. We went ahead and switched to a full line of Purity products, including Purity FG2 Grease, Purity FG00 Grease and Purity FG AW Hydraulic Fluid 68.” Purity FG2 is now used on the company's standard conveyors, Purity FG2 Synthetic on its steam peelers and fryers, Purity FG AW Hydraulic Fluid 68 on its freezer chains, and Purity FG00 on the auto lube systems. Purity FG Gear and Hydraulic Fluids are also used throughout the PAS Grantham plants. *The products and savings * Purity FG Greases provide outstanding lubrication and pump-ability over a wide range of temperatures, exceptional equipment protection and resistance to water washout and water jet spray loss. Purity FG2 Synthetic Grease also maintains consistency and lubrication in the presence of demanding cleaning processes. Purity FG AW Hydraulic Fluid 68 is an advanced food-grade lubricant formulated to deliver enhanced, long-lasting protection. It resists oxidative breakdown better than leading speciality food-grade hydraulic fluids, and minimises the formation of sludge and varnish to ensure smooth and reliable operation. This can result in longer fluid life and reduced downtime. “Purity FG food-grade lubricants provide us with improved reliability and cost savings,” adds Tim Wainwright. Petro-Canada’s food-grade approvals are extensive, including, but not limited to, H1 registered by NSF International, certified by Star K for use in the preparation of kosher food, certified Halal by IFANCA. Selected products also fit perfectly in HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) plans.

By Mike Ramey Russia’s biggest juice maker, Lebedyansky, made a loss in the first quarter of this year. The company, which is in the process of selling its juice business to PepsiCo and the Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG), said Q1 sales rose 17% to $245.3 million despite a 1% dip in juice volumes to 230.2 million litres. However, Lebedyansky finished with a net loss of $5.4 million under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), compared with a profit of $24.2 million in the same period of 2007. Lebedyansky’s revenue growth was the result of higher selling prices coupled with strong volume increases in baby food and mineral water. But these gains were wiped out by higher costs for raw materials and packaging, as well operating expenses. Gross profit rose just 3% to $91.7 million – representing a margin of 37.4% compared with 42.3% in the first quarter of 2007 – while EBITDA plunged 62% to $15.9 million. Pepsi’s record purchase In March, PepsiCo and its major distributor PBG agreed to buy 75.5% of Lebedyansky for $1.4 billion, in a deal that excludes Lebedyansky’s mineral water and baby food operations. The price will make it PepsiCo’s biggest acquisition since the purchase of Quaker Oats and Gatorade for $14 billion in 2001, and its biggest ever outside the US. The deal is not expected to be completed until the third quarter of this year, and PepsiCo and PBG may then acquire the remaining 24.5% of Lebedyansky shares. PepsiCo is expanding strongly in Eastern Europe, and had been seeking for some time to secure a leading position in Russian juice. Lebedyansky is the world’s sixth biggest producer of juice and nectar, and heads the Russian market with a share of about 30%. Last year, the company’s juice sales topped $800 million, while its mineral water and baby food businesses added revenue of $18 million and $123.8 million respectively. European Coke bottler Coca-Cola Hellenic and The Coca-Cola Company already own Russia’s second biggest juice company, Multon, which has a market share of about 25%.

Vitiva, a Slovenia based nutraceuticals company, has launched a Ecocert certified versions of its all-natural rosemary preservatives, including its registered Inolens and Aquarox product lines. Products made with Vitiva’s Ecocert-certified Inolens and Aquarox rosemary protectors help processors attain organic labels while offering the same exemplary antioxidant and antimicrobial protection as conventional Inolens and Aquarox. Oil soluble Inolens offers protection against rancidity, taste change and colour alteration in meat and meat products, fish, ready to eat meals, bakery and confectionary products, nut and seed mixes, snacks and various savory applications. It also can be utilised in applications such as: fish meal, pet food and cosmetic formulations. Water soluble Aquarox is beneficial for protecting nutraceutical supplement and cosmetic formulations from oxidation that leads to product breakdown and development of off odours and colours. “The organic products market is growing rapidly due to increasing consumer demands for food, cosmetic and nutraceutical products that are not only allergen- and gmo-free, but also 100% natural and organic,” said Vitiva CEO Ohad Cohen. Ecocert-certified Inolens and Aquarox are non-GMO, kosher-certified and allergen-free.

The long-standing battle between Australia's independent grocers and supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles took another turn at a recent public hearing. The Melbourne grocery inquiry involved the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) which questioned whether the supplier of packaged goods for most independent grocers may be helping push up grocery prices. Together Woolworths and Coles account for around 80% of the country's food retail sector. The companies have been accused of avoiding competition with each other, of blocking new entrants to the industry through property agreements and of forcing smaller suppliers out of business. In 1999 a parliamentary inquiry into food retailing concluded that it was "heavily concentrated and oligopolistic in nature" but the market share of the two supermarkets has continued to expand. ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuel said at the hearing that he was at a loss to determine if there was competitive pressure on the two major supermarket chains, a recent report in the Australian newspaper The Age stated. He also said pressure was certainly not coming from smallershops, who matched, rather than competed with, prices at Coles and Woolworths (which operates as Safeway in Victoria.) "If you look at the lines on the (prices) chart between Coles and Woolworths, they're so close together it's barely discernible…" Samuel told the inquiry. "I'm at a loss to try and find where the competitive edge is coming from. It's certainly not coming from the independent sector, because the independent sector says we are really matching, on everyday items, the price of Coles and Woolworths." Samuel said evidence at a previous hearing suggested part of the reason independent retailers were matching prices was because they did not make much profit from packaged goods supplied by Metcash - the main supplier for independent IGA stores. Instead they made profits from other groceries, including fresh food. *National Association of Retail Grocers of Australia * According to The Age, John Cummings, the Head of the National Association of Retail Grocers of Australia (NARGA), which represents about 4500 independent grocery retailers, lashed out at the suggestion the independent supermarkets were not competitive because of small margins on packaged goods. He said Coles and Woolworths did not make much of a profit from the sale of dry good groceries either. Metcash Chief Executive Andrew Reitzer complained that the ACCC was not doing its job right saying that "because they haven't implemented the competition laws strictly and in the strongest possible ways, we now have one of the most concentrated markets in the world where Woolworths and Coles have 76% ." At the last public hearing (2 June), Reitzer agreed the independent retailers aimed to match the prices of the major chains but said there was competition in the form of promotions, which average 40% of sales. It was also revealed that NARGA is partly funded by Metcash, but Cummings said they were independent of Metcash in their opinions. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is currently undertaking a study of grocery prices in the country. The report is scheduled to be published in July.