With beverage packaging under intensifying environmental scrutiny, Sidel has named Luc Desoutter sustainable development VP to formally spearhead solutions and environmental initiatives. Sidel’s recent innovation, NoBottle, support sustainable development. It is an ultra-light PET bottle; its FlexLine, the first bottling line designed specifically for ultra-light PET bottles; the Predis dry decontamination system; and a host of energy-saving options and upgrades for installed lines and equipment. * The right choice* In order to place sustainable development at the forefront for innovations at Sidel, the company has named Luc Desoutter sustainable development VP. He was selected for his in-depth knowledge of the packaging sector and his experience at Sidel. After four years working in production with Plastic Omnium, this ICAM (Institut catholique d’Arts et métiers) engineering school graduate joined Sidel in 1991 and held a number of positions. He worked on special projects management; led the Research & Development Department for expert evaluation and testing of packaging materials; provided technical sales support; and has represented Sidel at numerous international conferences. “We want to make sure that we meet the high expectations of our customers who are driven by consumer demands. Environmental impact is going to become a distinct factor in our decision-making process. Our solutions must be backed by indisputable data and possibilities for improvement,” explained Desoutter. “This is even more critical since sound environmental choices often mirror sound economic choices.” Analysing life cycles Luc Desoutter’s missions are to define concrete environmental objectives for Sidel’s Product innovation efforts; anticipate and respond to environmental regulations (Eco-Label, recycled materials for food applications); adopt industry standards to evaluate the environmental performance of proposed packaging solutions; and strengthen ties with partner organisations such as Napcor, Petcore, Plastic Europe, players in the waste collection and recycling industry, and trade organisations. The ultimate goal is to ensure a consistent message that does not demonize PET. In spite of the material’s environmental advantages and possibilities for improvement, it often comes under heavy scrutiny. Sidel has already initiated various ACV (life cycle analyses) on its equipment and packaging solutions. It plans to expand the use of this standardised method as a way to design greener solutions.****

Made with British grain and distilled in London, Bulldog Gin, founded by Investment Banker Anshuman Vohra, is proud to be returning to its land of birth after success in the US. Bulldog is a brazen breed that adds to its provenance, an assortment of rare, exotic botanicals including poppy and dragon eye. Dragon eye - said to boost skin vitality and promote sexual stamina is an ancient Chinese secret and just one of the many elements of Bulldog that makes its flavour stand out from other gins. The bottle design also attracts attention with its smoked grey tinted glass, broad shoulders and a spiked dog collar around its neck A London dry, quadruple distilled gin, infused with botanicals, using traditional copper pot stills, it has crisp fruit and citrus notes and is being touted as the world's first sippable gin. a Aiming to create the ultimate versions of his favourite cocktails, the Dry Martini and the Gin & Tonic Anshuman enlisted the help of David Kanbar, an industry veteran from Skyy Vodka with expertise in developing spirits brands. Vohra explained: "Being Indian, Gin is practically in my blood. Having lived all over the world, I developed a palate for exotic flavours, so I wanted to make a gin that satisfied this desire for the unusual, which improved my favourite cocktails. Now officially on the prowl Bulldog can be bought via the On-trade through International Spirits Brands. You can taste it at Bar 08 at Earls Court 2 on 17-18 June 2008.

Endorsed by Tiger Woods, the sports drink claims to provide golfers with 25% more electrolytes for advanced hydration. "Pepsi takes great pride associating itself with Billy Casper Golf, a company that is an industry leader," said PepsiCo foodservice national account manager David Biscan. "They are an ideal partner because we share a commitment to provide high levels of service and products to our customers and consumers. Casper's properties also offer an impressive proving ground for new products." "The joining of two formidable brands like Pepsi and Billy Casper Golf is very exciting," said BCG vice chairman Robert Morris. "This partnership is extremely advantageous to Billy Casper Golf, as our economies of scale result in even healthier bottom lines for course owners." As part of the agreement, BCG and Pepsi will jointly produce regional consumer marketing campaigns, and Pepsi has pledged support to the Hill-Morris Foundation. Established by company co-founders Morris and Peter Hill, the foundation is a means of improving the health and well-being of BCG employees and their families. BCG's programme with Pepsi is part of a burgeoning corporate initiative that aligns the company with brand-name vendors to optimally serve its courses and golfers.

Following the closure of call for entries on 30 June, a carefully selected panel of industry figures, specialists and editors will review all product entries on innovation, quality, originality and usefulness. Those selected will go on to be voted for in the independent consumer vote. Mike Nolan, CEO of Product of the Year, said: “We're proud and delighted that Mark has agreed to join us, and are looking forward to the next stage of the survey. Innovation in food and drink is something we particularly want to focus on for 2009, and Mark is an authoritative voice in that area.”

Visitors to the world famous amusement park at Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen in Denmark are in for a taste sensation at the new micro dairy that has opened at the new gourmet house in the park. Fresh organic milk milked a few hours ago, creamy yogurts that have been given the time to develop slowly and naturally, and homemade churned butter with special sun dried salt from France. These are just a few of the delicacies now available at the new micro dairy located at the gourmet house NIMB that also features a gourmet restaurant run by Thomas Herman - former chef at a number of Copenhagen’s most renowned restaurants, an exclusive deli shop and brasserie, an exquisite wine bar and 14 luxury hotel suites. Run by a respected Danish producer and importer of fine foods, Løgismose, the dairy uses ingredients from Chr Hansen’s collection of lactic acid bacteria. The dairy manager can compose exactly the yogurt, fresh cheese or butter he wishes, obtaining the distinctive taste the chef wants to present to his guests. The dairy also supplies the restaurants and the deli shops with fresh homemade dairy products every day: yogurt/Greek yogurt, soured whole milk, butter, buttermilk, cottage cheese, sour cream, fresh milk and chocolate milk Exciting new products are already being planned, such as fruity probiotic whey shots.

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