Designer Whey has entered into an agreement to market its whey protein powders in the top 225 locations of 24-Hour Fitness health club in the US. Members who use Designer Whey protein powders before and after workouts will experience better strength, better power, better muscle recovery, better health and performance, according to US dietary guidelines.* “We're excited to team up with 24-Hour Fitness, the largest privately-owned health club chain in the world,” said David Jenkins, Next Proteins' CEO. “Designer Whey protein powders are ideal to help 24-Hour Fitness gym members reach their fitness goals, and we’re thrilled to play a part in their success.”

The American Water Works Association (AWWA), an authoritative resource on safe water, has kicked off Drinking Water Week, a celebration across North America. "Drinking Water Week provides a natural opportunity for all of us to pause and consider the immeasurable value that a safe, reliable water supply plays in our daily lives," said Gary Zimmerman, AWWA Executive Director. "We have some of the highest quality water in the world and this week we can all celebrate that achievement and also remind ourselves not to take it for granted." To commemorate the occasion, water utilities across North America will join with their communities throughout the week to celebrate what Only Tap Water Delivers with fairs, programs, contests, public service announcements, and other exciting events. As part of the festivities, water utilities will highlight the value of tap water service and the importance of conserving water resources. They will also provide their communities with important tips to help everyone play an active role in protecting our water supply. For more than 30 years, the American Water Works Association and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week - a unique opportunity for water professionals and the communities they serve to join together to recognise the vital role water plays in our daily lives. Established in 1881, AWWA is the oldest and largest nonprofit scientific and educational organisation dedicated to safe water in North America. AWWA has more than 60,000 members worldwide and its 4,600 utility members serve 80% of the US population.

UK retailer Tesco is the world’s first supermarket group to launch a major trial of carbon labelling on its own brand products. The Carbon Reduction Label developed by the Carbon Trust will soon appear on 20 Tesco products in four different categories: laundry detergent, orange juice, potatoes and light bulbs. Building on the experience of the Carbon Trust’s trial of the carbon reduction label, Tesco hopes the labels will help customers begin to make informed choices based on the carbon footprint of products and understand how they can best reduce their carbon footprint. Tesco CEO Sir Terry Leahy said: “We're delighted to be taking this major step with the Carbon Trust. We want to give our customers the power to make informed green choices for their weekly shop, and enlist their help in working towards a revolution in green consumption. We encourage all of our suppliers and competitors to support the Carbon Trust in this collaboration.” Carbon Trust Chief Executive Tom Delay added: “There has been a significant groundswell of interest from consumers in the carbon impact of the products they buy. And the collective challenge for businesses is to get meaningful information to them at the right time and place so they can begin to make informed low carbon choices. “Tesco is one of eight partners to commit to using the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction label and momentum on this important issue is growing week by week. We hope today’s announcement will further catalyse action from other manufacturers and retailers to drive more and more carbon out of their supply chains and products.” The label tells customers the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases produced during the life of each product, including use and disposal. On many products the new label will include hints and tips which will help customers understand the simple actions they can take to help tackle climate change (for example, washing clothes at a lower temperature). A number of other Carbon Trust partners are expected to adopt the label shortly. To help customers use the label, the launch of the trial is supported by online information on their ‘Greener Living’ website and, in larger stores, customers can pick up a booklet called “How can we shrink our carbon footprint?” As well as explaining what a carbon label is this information will help customers understand more about the issues of climate change and what they can do to help. The carbon footprint measurements revealed that different products have different “hot spots” in their life cycle. For orange juice, the production phase is the most carbon-intensive stage whereas, for light bulbs, the use phase is the greatest contributor to the carbon footprint. Steve Howard, CEO of The Climate Group said: “This is a great step forwards in making embedded carbon visible to consumers and suppliers alike. Consumers have been able to count calories for a long time. This scheme will now allow consumers to count carbon and to choose products that result in a low carbon diet. Suppliers will then start to compete for the cleanest, greenest supply chain.”

No financial terms were disclosed, but the deals will provide will relief to Carlsberg which swung to a 129m kroner ($27m) loss in the first quarter of 2008 mainly due to costs related to its acquisition of a stake in the brewer Scottish & Newcastle, which it bought together with Dutch rival Heineken NV. On the beverage deal, Coca-Cola said the companies had signed a letter of intent regarding the trademark and brand-owner rights for the Danish water brands as well as the soft drink Hyvaa Paivaa and energy drink Battery in Finland.

The lighter, shatter-proof bottle has been introduced to increase the appeal of Fuze to today’s on-the-go consumer, and make the brand more suitable for sale in schools, sporting events, concerts, vending machines, and in outdoor locations such as beaches. “Fuze has pioneered indulgently healthy beverage concepts for our consumers by combining the very best flavour and functional ingredients, served up in award-winning packaging,” said Bill Meissner, chief marketing officer of Fuze Beverage. “Our goal was to maintain consumer satisfaction while not compromising the iconic shape and appeal of our bottle.” As well as being lighter and more convenient, the PET bottles can be recycled to become fibrefill for winter coats, sleeping bags and life-jackets, or used to create more plastic containers for food and beverages. “I love the plastic bottles because they are lighter and I don’t have to worry about them breaking when I’m traveling or at the gym,” noted Harley Pasternak, creator and author of the New York Times bestseller, “The 5-Factor Diet.” All 18 flavours of Fuze will be available in the PET packaging, including the Slenderize, Refresh, Tea and Vitalize variants. All flavours are free of aspartame, preservatives and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The new packages will sell for a suggested retail price of around $1.79. Fuze Beverage was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company for an undisclosed sum at the beginning of last year.

The General Meeting of member dairy farmers of Friesland Foods and the Members’ Council of Campina approved the proposal to merge the two dairy co-operatives and companies on 7 May. The merger agreement is to be signed on 8 May by the company’s respective Boards of Management and Co-operative Boards. The approval of the member dairy farmers is a major step forward in the merger process. It will be followed by an advice of the works councils of the two companies and a decision by the European Commission. The Commission’s response is expected in the final quarter of 2008. An overwhelming majority of the General Meeting of member dairy farmers of Friesland Foods voted in favour of the merger. The Members’ Council of Campina accepted the proposal unanimously.A two-thirds majority in favour of the proposal was needed from both co-operatives for the merger to go ahead. In April, the Executive Boards and Supervisory Boards/Co-operative Boards of Friesland Foods and Campina adopted a merger agreement which will lead to the creation of a new dairy company and dairy co-operative, both called FrieslandCampina. In recent weeks, the proposal has been discussed with the member dairy farmers of the two co-operatives in more than a hundred meetings. The overall consensus was that the merger was an excellent initiative. The members supported the view that the new company would be better able to respond to developments in the dairy market and thus create more value for the member dairy farmers than if the two companies were to continue as separate entities. Challenge The chairmen of both co-operatives express satisfaction with the members’ decision. Kees Wantenaar, Chairman of the Board of Campina and Chairman-designate of the Board of the new dairy co-operative, issued the following statement: “I am proud that the member dairy farmers of Friesland Foods and Campina in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium recognise the benefits of the merger for their own dairy farms. Dairy farmers are increasingly dependent on global developments in the dairy industry. In a dynamic and competitive dairy market, they need a strong dairy co-operative. FrieslandCampina will fulfill that role, with its broad product range, its presence in many regions and its capacity to be distinctive and achieve further growth. This will need to translate into a trend-setting milk price for the members. Such a strategy and level of ambition clearly appeals to our members.” Sybren Attema, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Friesland Foods, said: “I am confident that we will create an excellent combination. That applies to the co-operative and the company alike. We must use our strong brands and innovative strength to deliver a good performance for our members. And by operating efficiently, we can achieve cost benefits. I have every confidence in the course we are setting ourselves.” Theo Spierings, member of the Board of Management of Friesland Foods, said he is pleased with what has been achieved in recent months: “We are creating a company with enormous potential in terms of manpower, markets and brands. FrieslandCampina will be very special in that it will be a multinational which is owned by the member dairy farmers themselves. Together, we have compiled a robust strategy that will anticipate and respond to current and future market developments. It’s a strategy that will optimally convert the milk our members produce into value for consumers, customers and employees, and hence for our member dairy farmers. The merger we are embarking on will inevitably affect some of our staff, but we will handle these developments in a responsible way.” Kees Gielen, Acting CEO of Campina, said: “Following the approval of our member dairy farmers and in anticipation of a decision by the European Commission, selected teams can now get to work on fully merging the two companies and preparing the launch of the new multinational. If everything goes to plan, FrieslandCampina can become fully operational by the end of the year. Until then, however, it will be business as usual. Friesland Foods and Campina will continue to function as two wholly separate, autonomous companies. As soon as we get a decision from the European Commission, we’ll be energetically starting out as a new, single company.” Formal merger The European Commission still has to make a pronouncement on the merger, and is expected to issue its response in the final quarter of 2008. Only then will the two companies and co-operatives be able to formally merge. Until then, Friesland Foods and Campina will continue to operate as wholly independent entities. The new FrieslandCampina company will consist of four business groups: • Consumer Products Western Europe • Consumer Products International • Cheese & Butter • Ingredients The full product range will include liquid milk, milk powders and concentrates, dairy drinks, yoghurts, desserts, cream, coffee creamers, baby and infant food, cheese, butter and ingredients. The annual turnover of FrieslandCampina is projected at €9.1 billion, based on the 2007 figures. The new company’s 17,000 member farmers will together supply 8.3 billion kilos of milk. FrieslandCampina will employ 22,000 staff and operate more than 100 production facilities and sales outlets worldwide. Cees ’t Hart, formerly employed by Unilever, is envisaged to become Chief Executive Officer of the new company. The head office will be at Amersfoort, the Netherlands.

Carbonfund.org and The Monarch Beverage Company have announced the release of four new CarbonFree energy drinks: Acute Fruit, CoMotion, NTrinsic and NTrinsic Sugar-free. This partnership highlights a growing trend of businesses bringing carbon-conscious food options directly to store shelves and the growing number of eco-conscious consumers who scrutinise food production methods and seek products that minimise climate impact. Carbonfund.org's CarbonFree label, which appears on all four energy drinks, indicates that the products' entire carbon footprint will be offset through the support of greenhouse gas reduction projects. CarbonFree food options enable consumers to make carbon-conscious buying decisions and take further steps to combat global warming while at the supermarket. The drinks are currently on sale at three convenience store chains: Mapco, Fas Mart, and Flash Foods. Carbonfund.org certified the four energy drinks CarbonFree after a rigorous life cycle analysis (LCA) performed by carbon management consultants, Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management. Carbon emissions associated with the energy drinks were calculated at each step based on the ingredients used in manufacturing, the ink and materials used for packaging, and the fossil fuel burned during shipping. Four main steps to CarbonFree product certification: • Determine the product's carbon footprint through a life cycle analysis (LCA) • Certify and register the product as CarbonFree • Offset the product's footprint through the support of greenhouse gas reduction projects • Conduct annual review and recertification "The partnership with Carbonfund.org is a valuable addition to our sustainable development strategy that will include a continued push for recycling, conservation and investment in renewable energy across our business processes," said The Monarch Beverage Company Chief Operating Officer Didier Arnaud. "We are committed to reducing the impact of our business activities on the environment and believe that offering CarbonFree products will also raise the awareness of simple ways to protect the environment among energy drink consumers." "If only the whole transition to a clean energy economy were as easy as popping the tab on a CarbonFree Acute Fruit energy drink!" exclaimed Eric Carlson, Executive Director of Carbonfund.org, just before having his first taste of the new drink. "Fortunately, now that these drinks are CarbonFree, Monarch Beverages is providing consumers with an eco-friendly option that moves us in the right direction. We're proud to partner with them in increasing carbon-conscious consumerism." A new study shows that roughly half of all consumers now consider questions of sustainability in their purchasing decisions, with particular focus on the food and beverage industry.

*Pan-European bottler Coca-Cola Hellenic made a strong start to the year, despite increased commodity costs and widespread economic uncertainty. Total volume sales by the Greek-based company reached 429 million cases in the three months to 28 March, 7% up on the first quarter of 2007, while revenue rose 9% to €1.37 billion. * Coca-Cola Hellenic’s operating profit meanwhile grew 10% to €67 million, with net earnings up 11% to €28 million or €0.08 per share. Carbonated beverage volumes increased 3% during the quarter, helped by the introduction of Coca-Cola Zero in a further 11 countries. The so-called “Bloke Coke” is now distributed in 19 of the company’s 28 markets, which range from the Irish Republic to the eastern-most parts of Russia, and from Estonia to Nigeria. Still beverage and water volumes grew in double digits. “I am particularly encouraged by the continued business momentum in key markets, and our ability to manage our diverse country and brand portfolio to deliver balanced growth,” commented Doros Constantinou, Managing Director of Coca-Cola Hellenic. Single-serve growth Constantinou continued: “Realisation of planned price increases, and growth in our profitable single-serve packages, helped offset persisting raw material cost pressures and higher investments in sales and marketing costs to support our new product launches. “While the first quarter is typically a small one for our business, and the macroeconomic environment remains uncertain, the solid start to the year and confidence in our plans provides us comfort in achieving our full year guidance.” In April, Coca-Cola Hellenic began rolling out new ready to drink (RTD) coffees in ten markets, through a joint venture with The Coca-Cola Company and illycaffé of Italy. Coca-Cola Hellenic expects to report volume growth of about 7% for 2008, with operating profit up 11-13% and EPS up 12-15% to €1.46-€1.49.

Larry Young, President and Chief Executive of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), rang the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange today (7 May) to mark the début of DPS as an independent company listed on the exchange. DPS was formerly the Americas Beverages division of the UK based Cadbury Schweppes group, but has now been spun off from Cadbury’s core confectionery business. The new company is North America’s third biggest producer of non-alcoholic refreshment beverages, with a market share of about 15%, behind major rivals Coca-Cola (43%) and PepsiCo (31%). In addition to its flagship lines, Dr Pepper and Snapple, the DPS portfolio includes a wide range of carbonated and still brands such as 7 UP, Mott’s, A&W, Sunkist Soda, Hawaiian Punch, Canada Dry, Schweppes, RC Cola, Diet Rite, Squirt, Penafiel, Yoo-hoo, Rose’s and Clamato. About 75% of the company’s volume comes from brands that rank either first or second in their category. Over the past four years, the unit was the only one of the big three US producers to increase its share of the carbonated soft drinks segment. Total revenue in 2007 was $5.7 billion. A new era ahead “Today marks the beginning of a new era for our business,” said Larry Young. “We have a strong and sustainable business model, and can leverage our integrated system for future growth. “We have confidence in the beverage industry, and we are looking forward to seizing the opportunities as a standalone company. Our CSD portfolio continues to grow, and our non-carbonated brands have regained momentum. “We have also made strategic bottling and distributing acquisitions that are improving our capabilities and protecting the equity of our brands. The success we are realising with today’s listing has been a lengthy process, and we are looking forward to solely focusing on the beverage business.” However, many analysts were sceptical about the company’s future prospects – noting that it was launching into independent existence at a time when the US economy is in trouble, and the soft drinks market is generally weak.

Gate Gourmet, the world’s largest independent airline catering and logistics provider and a member of gategroup, has agreed to purchase airline catering units in five cities from Air Berlin and SCK Sky Catering Kitchen GmbH. In addition, Air Berlin, Germany’s second largest airline and the third largest carrier in the European leisure market, has agreed to a new long term catering contract with Gate Gourmet in Germany and the rest of Europe. The flight kitchens included in the transaction are located at Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Münster/Osnabrück, Leipzig/Halle andPaderborn. The five facilities serve approximately 18,000 flights total a year, with Düsseldorf the largest single unit at approximately 10,000 flights annually. The five-city operation, which is formally named SCK DUS GmbH& Co KG Düsseldorf, is a joint venture between Air Berlin and SCK Sky Catering Kitchen GmbH Bordverpflegung & Co Service KG, Ulm. “We are very pleased to include these five facilities into the Gate Gourmet portfolio. They are an important strategic addition to our network, and we see them as a key acquisition in our long-term strategy to secure Gate Gourmet’s position in the German airline catering market,” said gategroup President and CEO Designate Guy Dubois, the umbrella brand representing Gate Gourmet and ten other brands. The transaction is subject to review by competition authorities in Germany. Terms of the agreement are confidential.

It's the second day of Vitafoods 2008, the global nutraceutical event held each year at the Palexpo beside Lake Geneva. We report on what's happening, who's there and what the future holds for the nutraceutical industry. Claire Phoenix (Managing Editor of beverage innovation), Medina Bailey (Features Editor of beverage innovation) and Claire Rowan (Managing Editor Food&Beverage International) guide us through day two. ** Wednesday 7 May 2008** life'sDHA Nutritional products company Martek Biosciences Corporation is showcasing its flagship DHA (docosahexaemic acid) omega-3, life'sDHA. The US company uses microalgae as a source of omega-3, which, unlike fish oil, is vegetarian, will not impact on a product's taste or smell, nor contain any ocean-borne contaminants. Featuring in many beverage products, including Coca-Cola's Minute Maid pomegranate and blueberry beverage, and Sunkist's Naturals Glorious Greens offering, DHA is said to offer eye, brain and cardiovascular health benefits. According to Martek's Executive Director of Industry and Commercial Relations, Philip C Fass, products to look out for in the future containing the ingredient include carbonated beverages and coffee. Extramel D Air Liquide group subsidiary Seppic is launching its Extramel D ingredient at the show. The melon pulp concentrate, which is naturally rich in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and other antioxidants, is in a hydro-dispersible form, making it suitable for beverages, dairy products and dietary supplements. The 100% natural substance is resistant to flash pastuerisation, offers high stability and has no effect on the organoleptic quality of final products. Lifenol French firm Naturex is highlighting its new natural formulation which aims to alleviate hot flushes during the menopause. Lifenol has been clinically proven to decrease menopause-associated symptoms in women, with no side effects reported when it was taken in scientific trials. The women's health ingredient is made using female hop cone extracts standardised in 8-prenylnavingenin, which offers natural estrogenic properties. Suntheanine Taiyo is showcasing its range of green-tea-derived ingredients. The Japanese company's range of clinically researched antioxidants, stress-reducing amino acids and soluble dietary fibres aim to provide high functionality from a natural source. The line includes Suntheanine, a pure form of the amino acid L-theanine, which claims to reduce stress by promoting relaxation without drowsiness, improve quality of sleep, aid concentration and alleviate the symptoms of PMS. Possible applications include juices, sports drinks and bottled waters. The Sunphenon portfolio, comprising catechin-rich green tea polyphenols, offers physiological benefits including strong antioxidant, antimicrobial and fat-burning activities. Its latest addition – Sunphenon TH-LC – contains 20% green tea and is available in powder form. Watson Inc. New fluorescent glitter flakes shone on the Watson Inc stand, which unveiled its brighter, more intense glitter in random or specific shapes for applications such as chewing gum, cakes, cookies and confectionery. Based on the company’s proprietary film technology, the flakes can be used to deliver colour to products in addition to flavour and active components, and are available in soluble or non-soluble options. “The latest thing we offer is the pearlescent effect that allows us to provide colours that look like gold or silver with a great intensity, and that maintain their bright colours even on dark surfaces,” said Marie Garnich, vice president of global business development & sales, film technology division. Kievit On its stand, Kievit is actively discussing its increased emphasis on custom solutions and collaborative development work in the area of spray drying and micro-encapsulation of active ingredients. “Manufacturers have fine-tuned their processes to ensure optimum production, and so need ingredients and dry mixes that perform well in that process,” said Rick Kirpestein, director innovation, who is heading Kievit’s new Ventures department that's focusing on long-term development into innovative micro-encapsulation solutions. “Our aim is to provide convenient solutions that perform in the finished product without altering our customer’s processing systems.” Mars Botanical The new scientific division of Mars Inc, Mars Botanical, highlighted its extensive research and development work into flavanols, the naturally occurring plant compounds or phytonutrients in cocoa. Already used in products produced by Mars Inc, including the newly launched CocoaVia range of chocolate beverage powders containing 200mg of flavanols, Mars Botanical's products are backed by 15 years of research into the impact of cocoa flavanols on vascular health. Mars Botanical will be looking to work with other commercial partners on the development of non-confectionery lines of products containing flavanols. Gelita On its stand, Gelita presented its joint health product, Fortigel, which has been shown to stimulate cartilage metabolism and enhance the synthesis of cartilage cells. Effective at levels of 10g per day, the functional ingredient can be used in sports drinks, cereal bars, powder drinks and dairy products. Taiyo A cost-effective, natural green tea extract naturally rich in L-theanine has been introduced by Taiyo. Taiyo has developed a system for extracting the theanin, which enables the company to offer natural extract at a lower price than alternatives, it says. Rousselot Rousselot is focusing on beauty, health and nutrition to demonstrate the qualities of its pure Hydrolysed Collagen, which are being demonstrated on-stand in four cocktails. The RHC Nutrition product range provides 97% of pure protein and can be used effectively in products for weight management, according to Caroline Brochard-Garnier, communication manager, Rousselot. The RHC Beauty range features the same collagen type as found in human skin and is designed to contribute to ensuring smooth and glossy skin; RHC Health; and the RHC Health range has been found to have a beneficial effect on joint health at intake levels of 10g per day. Lonza Lonza unveiled its new name for its DHA range of ingredients and highlighted the work it's doing to support manufacturers using Carnipure, the company's trademarked L-Carnitine range. DHAid is produced from microalgae without using fermentation and is very similar to a vegetarian source of DHA, according to Lonza, which is stressing the importance of sourcing ingredients from reputable suppliers in order to ensure quality and sustainability. "Lonza has produced articles that have been published in consumer magazines that highlight the benefits of L-Carnitine and the assurance that Lonza's Carnipure quality seal provides," said Ulla Freitas. "In this way, we support manufacturers who use the quality seal and ensure the quality of L-Carnitine for everyone." New products include ice cream with L-Carnitine and a caramel syrup with carnitine used as a coffee sweetener. Lonza produces products for sports and energy drinks as well as male fertility and heart health. Bernard Bekker MD of Intermed Discovery GmbH has the largest database of sources works closely with Cognis and other companies to develop exploratory projects.Cognis offers all round vitality including cholesterol reduction through its weight management body fat reduction product Tonalin. Beauty from within is now part of its core strategy using vitamin E and botanical extracts. Speaking at one of the Vitafoods Congress presentations - Dr Gertrude Bakker of TNO in the Netherlands spoke on how amino acids helps calcium to be more easily absorbed in the intestinal tract. However absorption from different calcium sources needs to be from a standard set of protocols to .compare bioavailability Apparently calcium is absorbed at a higher level when taken with a meal than without. Dr Brian Lockwood of the University of Manchester closed the second day of the Vitafoods congress spoke on soy isoflavones and bone health. He was able to communicate soy's health benefits particularly with reference to osteoporosis. Apparently soy stimulates bone formation. And clinical trials on those with the disease saw a 50% reduction in levels of deterioration. Chinese ingredients company Efong Pharmaceutical produce a number of teas with health benefits including beauty face tea and teas that help you sleep. Based in Guangdong the company also specialises in natural botanical extracts. *For fuller information on any of the products mentioned in this report, see the next issue of Beverage Innovation, Dairy Innovation and Food & Beverage International. Go to our subscriptions **page. *

Shoppers are being given five reasons to go nutty this Saturday on World Fair Trade Day (May 10) and celebrate the day by buying the delicious range of cashew and peanut snacks from Liberation, the world's first 100% Fairtrade nut company. The company has given the following five reasons: 1. Liberation nuts are baked using just a drizzle of oil which makes them a healthier choice than nuts which have been roasted in oil. 2. Because they are high in protein, just a handful of nuts will fill you up and stop you reaching for the biscuit tin. 3. Peanuts are full of vitamin B6 which is well known as a stress-buster and the magnesium in cashews can help deal with mood swings, anxiety and irritability. Cashews also contain oleic acid which is known as a heart healthy fat. 4. More than 22,000 farmers from co-operatives in Africa, Asia and Latin America who supply Liberation co-own the company and benefit from its success. 5. Thanks to sales, the loved ones of hospital patients in Mchinji, Malawi, who have travelled miles to get family members and friends medical care, have somewhere to sleep and cook next to the hospital. A special shelter has been built using Fairtrade premium money to provide them with much-needed protection from the elements. People who buy from the delicious Liberation range of mixed cashews and peanuts can choose from four flavours - lemon and a hint of chilli, a hint of smoked flavour, lightly salted and natural (no added salt).