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The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has unveiled a list of companies shortlisted for its annual Community Partnership Awards. Celebrating its fifth anniversary, the Awards showcase UK food and drink companies' widespread activities in Corporate Social Responsibility. The companies shortlisted for the 2008 Awards are: The Authentic Food Company Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd Coca-Cola Great Britain Dunbia General Mills UK Gibsons Foods Ginsters, Kellogg's Kettle Foods Ltd Loch Fyne Oysters Ltd Mars UK McCain Foods Musgrave Retail Partners (NI) Nestlé UK Ltd PepsiCo UK & Ireland Reading Scientific Services Ltd Schwans Consumer Brands UK Ltd Scotherbs Ltd, Tate & Lyle Plc Tyrells Warners Retail Ltd William Jackson Food GroupThe Wrigley Company Ltd Commenting on the judging of the Awards, Sir Don Curry, Chairman of the Community Partnership Awards expert judging panel, said: "The judging panel was bowled over by the breadth and depth of initiatives being carried out by companies across the food and drink chain. We were highly encouraged to see such a committed level of engagement, with so many companies taking community initiatives seriously – and ultimately making a real difference to local communities throughout the country." The companies have been shortlisted for the following categories: Local Community : activities specifically located in your local community Workplace Community : initiatives which specifically target or benefit employees of your own company Culture, Media and Sport : culture, media and sport related initiatives which work for any community around the UK Education: local or national education specific initiatives. The judges selected a Gold, Silver and Bronze winner for each category and the winners will be announced at a prestigious luncheon at the Winston Churchill Museum, London on Tuesday 28 October 2008.

Brussels must not undermine the UK cheese industry as part of any deal in the world trade talks, according to Dairy UK. Shortsighted concessions at this late stage could affect a vibrant, innovative and growing UK industry that sustains thousands of jobs. Speaking ahead of a crunch World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting beginning in Geneva on 21 July, Dairy UK Director General Jim Begg said: “We’ve written to tell both the UK government and the European Commission that offering import quotas for cheese would be a huge slip up. Quota plans have been mooted and would inevitably result in tens of thousands of tonnes of imported, non EU Cheddar hitting the UK market, potentially disrupting the UK cheese industry. “The pressure comes not from developing nations but from major dairy exporting countries chasing profits. Since most of these countries make Cheddar, any concession on quotas would effectively target the UK cheese market. “This market is one of the centres of growth for the UK dairy industry and the focus of a great deal of product innovation and investment. An explosion of consumer interest in cheese has sparked the launch of a wealth of new products. The sector’s growing confidence could be undermined by a move to boost cheaper imports.” The WTO Mini-Ministerial meeting aims to reach agreement on the principles of any final package around which WTO members would prepare their final binding offers. One proposed avenue for reaching a deal is to nominate so called “sensitive products” for special deals on tariffs. Sensitive products would be subject to smaller tariff rate cuts, but, in exchange, countries would have to open import tariff quotas for these products, giving them access to the EU market. For cheese, the quota could be up to 80,000 tonnes, nearly doubling current EU imports of 100,000 tonnes. By way of context, the UK produced around 380,000 tonnes in 2007. Whilst the decision on which products would be nominated by the EU as sensitive products should only be made when countries prepare binding offer schedules, the politics of the negotiations may require the Commission to make informal commitments to WTO members at the forthcoming discussions.

The viral ad is an example of utilising mobile technology to promote brands, and the popularity of the 'iPint' (available as a download via iTunes) is sure to rise as more people switch to the iPhone as their business device of choice. Source: Carling

The Co-operative Group has become the first UK retailer to roll out 100% recycled PET (rPET) plastic bottles across its entire range of own-brand carbonated soft drinks and mixers, thanks to the Silver Spring Mineral Water Co of Kent, the county’s oldest drinks manufacturer, which produces the Co-op drinks. The move to 100% rPET plastic bottles for these drinks, as well as the retailer’s own-brand 330ml sportscap juice drinks, will reduce CO2 emissions by 1,212 tons and save 808 tons of new plastic per year – equivalent to the weight of 180 African elephants. rPET bottles are made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles saved by consumers for recycling. The bottles are cut into small pieces at recycling centres, washed and then melted into plastic granules ready to be made back into plastic bottles. As well as being made from recycled plastic, the bottles are fully recyclable and can be collected and recycled alongside regular PET bottles. David Hanlon, Operations Director at Silver Spring, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be working in partnership with the Co-operative Group to bring rPET bottles to market before its competitors. “There is a great deal of enthusiasm from consumers and retailers for a greener product, and Silver Spring with its state-of-the-art manufacturing and bottling plant is well placed to deliver this. “Silver Spring has strong relationships with suppliers of rPET, and is easily able to meet the high demand for it from its customers.” Customer support Iain Ferguson, Commercial Packaging Manager for the Co-operative Group, said: “Our members and customers have told us they want to see action on packaging, so we are delighted to be the first major retailer to roll out 100% rPET bottles across our carbonated drinks and mixers range. “This follows similar initiatives by the Co-operative, such as the launch of the world’s lightest whisky bottle and the introduction of ‘naked’ cucumbers last year, when our whole cucumbers were stripped of their plastic wrapping.” Silver Spring, which has been in business since 1870, has produced drinks for the Co-op for the past six years, and has helped the retailer develop new products and flavours. The switch to rPET follows the launch of the Co-operative’s Food Ethical Policy earlier this year, based on a massive consumer poll. More than 100,000 Co-op members and customers said that action to safeguard the environment was one of their top priorities, and 97% supported the group’s aim of reducing waste and increasing recycling. The Co-operative was voted the UK’s most ethical brand in a GfK NOP poll conducted for the Financial Times earlier this year. The group was also voted “greenest grocer” in an opinion poll commissioned by the Times. Last week (16 July) it was announced that the Co-operative Group had agreed to acquire the Somerfield store chain for £1.56billion (€1.97billion). Somerfield operates about 880 outlets across the UK. After the acquisition, the Co-operative will operate more than 3,000 stores in total, with annual sales of about £8billion (€10billion).

US-based Smith Dairy Products, a leading regional maker of dairy products, beverages, and ice cream, has announced that all flavours of its popular school milk will follow guidelines recommended by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation by August 2008. “We want to provide healthier, more nutritious and delicious milk choices in the lunch line,” said Smith Dairy Director of Marketing, Penny Baker. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has called for all flavoured school milk to have 150 calories (or less) per serving by August 2008. All Smith’s flavoured milks will comply, including the new, low-fat Cappuccino Twister flavour, which will be introduced for the 2008-2009 school year. Cappuccino Twister is a delicious blend of coffee and low-fat milk, and will be available for a limited time only from August through December. The flavour will be packaged in pint and half-pint yellow plastic bottles. Smith Dairy re-energised its school milk product line in 2007 after National Dairy Council and American School Food Service Association research showed that milk consumption rose dramatically when kids were offered multiple flavours of milk in plastic bottles that were highly visible and readily available in several campus locations and in vending machines, so they could drink milk throughout the day.

Tesco has been given the go-ahead to build Britain's first straw-powered Combined Heat and Power plant to meet the electricity and heating needs of its Goole Distribution Centre, according to an AFN report. The new plant will generate enough power to run eight Tesco Superstores. And because straw is a renewable material rather than a fossil fuel, the CO2 emitted is equal to the amount absorbed while growing, which effectively makes it carbon neutral. Tesco estimates that it will have recouped the £12m set-up costs within six years, and has set itself a target to halve the carbon footprint of its estate (as at 2006) by 2020. “We’ve set ourselves stretching targets to reduce the carbon intensity of our business, and energy from renewable sources is a key part of our strategy,” said David North, Community and Government Director. “We’ve identified five sites that would be suitable for further biomass technology, and are making big investments in wind turbines, too.”

US-based hiOsilver, inc. has announced that Mariel Hemingway has agreed to serve as spokesperson for O2Cool Oxygen Water, the bottled water that hiOsilver originally sold as hiOsilver Oxygen Water. In Ms Hemingway's most recent book, 'Healthy Living from the Inside Out,' Mariel listed hiOsilver (now O2Cool) Oxygen Water as the first product in the book's Index of Products. hiOsilver noticed an increase in sales, especially online where the water is available in the entire US, soon after 'Healthy Living from the Inside Out' went on sale. This led the company to contact Ms Hemingway and suggest the spokesperson arrangement. Howard Hoffman, CEO and founder of hiOsilver said: "We could not think of a better person to represent O2Cool Oxygen Water. Mariel is a leading advocate of healthful eating and drinking, in addition to exercise, yoga, body awareness, and stress reduction. Our water has mostly been available only in the Western US and a few cities east of the Rocky Mountains. Now we are planning to add distribution to cover the entire country." hiOsilver recently changed the name of its water to O2Cool Oxygen Water in response to confusion from consumers as to whether or not the water contains silver. O2Cool does not contain silver. O2Cool Oxygen Water includes eight times the oxygen of ordinary water for fresh breath and oral health. Made from natural spring water, with a natural pH of 8.4, O2Cool contains a naturally high level of magnesium, a mineral which is well known as vital to cardiovascular health.

Jolt Energy expects to broaden consumer appeal with the introduction of what it claims as the world's first 16oz resealable cap can. Wet Planet Beverages President CJ Rapp said: “Jolt is not just a means to an end. You no longer have to suffer through the taste to get the desired effect. Jolt Energy delivers an enjoyable, effective, and long-lasting experience. The new resealable cap is user-friendly and allows hours of carbonated energy, unlike the competition who fall flat after opening.”

UK organic dairy company Yeo Valley Organic has put sustainable transport at the top of its green agenda with sponsorship of the first ever SolaRola Adventure – a fundraising event promoting climate change and sustainable transport. The SolaRola Adventure, which took place in May 2008, involved a fleet of solar-powered vehicles called SolaRolas travelling from London to the Bath and West Showground. Yeo Valley Organic sponsored one of the SolaRolas, driven by West Country wheelchair athlete, Sarah Piercy, who won the London Wheelchair Marathon in 2000 and also completed it in 2007 and again this year. After the Adventure, Yeo Valley Organic donated the solar-powered vehicle to the Calvert Trust on Exmoor, an activity centre for people with disabilities, and a charity that the company has supported for many years. Yeo Valley Organic Communications Director Graham Keating commented: “At Yeo Valley Organic we are always looking for initiatives to get involved with that raise awareness of topical green issues and ultimately help to improve the environment. Our sponsorship of the SolaRola Adventure fits in perfectly with the company’s ethos of reducing our carbon footprint and increasing awareness of sustainability in the local area, especially eco-friendly transport.”

Calypso is appealing to the growing appetite for locally sourced goods and low carbon ‘foodprints’ with the launch of Peckforton Hills Cheshire Spring Water and Diferyn Natural Welsh Water. The two local waters come from the company’s own approved sources at Tattenhall in Cheshire and Abenbury in North Wales. Supplies will be targeted on Cheshire for Peckforton Hills Spring Water, and Wales for Diferyn Natural Welsh Water. “Sales of bottled waters are predicted to resume growing by between 3% and 4% after the blip caused by last year’s poor summer, but we believe consumer preferences are moving away from global brands and towards ethical and locally-sourced waters,” said Calypso Sales and Marketing Director Richard Cooke. “Despite all the old arguments in favour of tap water, the fact remains that bottled water is unrivalled for convenience – particularly in school lunchboxes and for people on the move – while purity, hygiene and taste are other important considerations. “Having said that, it’s difficult to justify flying in bottled water from up to 10,000 miles away when the UK has some of the world’s finest natural water sources on its own doorstep.” Both Peckforton Hills Cheshire Spring Water and Diferyn Natural Welsh Water are supplied in outers of 24x500ml bottles and carry a recommended retail price of 40p to 50p per bottle. The two local waters further expand Calypso’s bottled water offer, which includes Umbro Water as well as its own brand of natural mineral water in cuplets, cups and bottles.

PFM Packaging Machinery has launched a new piece of equipment, the BG2800 Zip, a high speed multi die flowrapper for producing zip packs. This latest variation of the popular BG2800 machine – aimed at the food industry – represents a major advance for the UK flow packing industry and has not gone unnoticed by the cheese industry where several leading UK cheese producers have already placed advanced orders for it. Ideal for meeting increased demands for product differentiation and improved point of sale appearance from supermarkets, the BG2800, produces three side hermetically seal packs with longitudinal zips as well as standard ‘pillow packs’ and ‘easy packs’. Purpose built for high speed packaging – with speeds of up to 150 packs per minute, the BG2800 Zip flowrapper produces gas flushed packs with airtight seals, which retain product freshness, whilst creating an aesthetically pleasing pack appearance. This mechanised zip feature allows different types of readily available laminate wrapping materials to be used increasing the versatility of the style of packs that can be produced. BG2800 Zip machines all have state of the art electronics for accurate control, a rotating multi die crossways sealing systems, with prolonged sealing times and a longitudinal linear sealing assembly, which provides smooth sealing.