Cargill has announced that it is expanding its supply of segregated certified palm oil in North America to help customers meet sustainability commitments. With the move, Cargill aims to become one of North America’s first large-scale suppliers of segregated palm oil certified by the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The company’s new offering meets certification standards for RSPO, which verifies that forests are protected, and that social and environmental safeguards are met during the oil’s production and harvest. To carry the “segregated” certification, all products must be kept separate from commodity palm oil supplies and be traceable throughout the supply chain. The plantations and refinery facilities are RSPO certified and the RSPO ensures the palm oil is used by certified manufacturers. From December 2020, all palm oil production from the company’s Charlotte, North Carolina refinery will be solely dedicated to providing the sustainably-sourced product. By supplying North American food manufacturers with product, Cargill says the expanded supply means consumers may soon see the sustainable palm oil used in foods such as bakery, snacks, confectionery and dairy, as well as non-dairy creamers. Cargill has been supplying RSPO-certified palm oil since 2005, currently reaching customers in Europe, Mexico, Australia and Malaysia. However, the company previously offered its North American customers mass-balanced sustainable palm oil. “More than ever, brands and consumers care about the standards behind the products they buy,” said Reid Kinde, North American commercial leader for Cargill’s global edible oils business. He added: “People want assurance that the raw materials used are sourced in a sustainable, environmentally conscious way. By significantly increasing the supply of segregated certified-sustainable palm oil, we’re giving our customers and consumers’ confidence in our sourcing practices and reaffirming our commitment to supporting sustainable practices throughout our operations.”

Kellogg has expanded its Pop-Tarts line with the launch of a new flavour: Frosted Chocolatey Chip Pancake Heidi Ray, senior director of marketing at Pop-Tarts, said: "Now fans can enjoy the tantalising taste Pop-Tarts' Frosted Chocolatey Chip Pancake will be available at Walmart stores from this month, as well

A good number of them will be speaking at our Congress next month. Scale started off as a question and may become a question again. Will every home have one? In the 1990s, I started working closely with a brand that few had ever heard of, in a product category To pick up on the latest in the market and science, explore strategies and crops, and hear about forecasts and innovations, be sure to book your place at our Vertical Farming World Congress next month.

US vertical farming company AeroFarms said it has secured funding to continue operations, following the announcement of its closure last week. The company submitted a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice to the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement in early December, stating that it would be ceasing operations at its Virginia site and terminating the jobs of its 173 employees due to withdrawn financial support from its largest investor. However, in a U-turn move announced on 19 December, the indoor farming company revealed that it would now be continuing to operate and supply microgreens to customers and shoppers across the US retail market. While AeroFarms said it was previously provided with ‘sudden and unexpected’ notice that it would not receive the necessary funding to continue operations, the company’s circumstances have ‘evolved rapidly’ since. AeroFarms confirmed that an existing stakeholder has agreed to provide funding, enabling the company to remain in operation and explore further strategic investment options. In its statement, the company said: “AeroFarms is deeply grateful to its employees, partners, vendors, customers and stakeholders for their unwavering support of AeroFarms and belief in the power of its highly differentiated microgreens products”.

Lavazza North America has introduced a new smart brewer – Flavia Creation 300 + Chill Refresh – for the The unit features a built-in Flavia IQ smart system with a web-based digital interface to monitor consumption

Premier Foods-owned brand Mr Kipling is expanding its ice cream range with a Caramel Tart flavour, inspired "We expect the new Caramel Tart Ice Cream tubs to engage loyal Mr Kipling fans, whilst also bringing

Unfortunately, HVAC systems are also one of the largest consumers of electricity, accounting for up to According to the Carbon Trust, most businesses can reduce their energy consumption by up to 15% by implementing One which applies specifically to HVAC systems is the installation of gas sensors, a smart technology In fact, it has been found that a small continuous leak in a 300kW system, left unrepaired for three months Considering the rapid rise in energy prices, this can quickly add up to several thousand pounds.

Tim Foster As energy costs remain volatile and sustainability expectations intensify, food and drink manufacturers are being forced to rethink how they manage power. Tim Foster, director of energy for business at Conrad Energy, explores why the traditional 'fix and forget' approach to energy procurement is no longer fit for purpose and how businesses can instead use smarter, data-driven strategies to cut costs, reduce carbon emissions and build long-term resilience. Energy has long been treated as an unavoidable overhead cost for food and drink manufacturers, typically managed through fixed-price contracts and revisited only when renewal approaches. But in today’s market, that 'fix and forget' approach is rapidly becoming outdated. The sector is uniquely exposed to energy volatility. From refrigeration and cold storage to processing, bottling and packaging, energy consumption is both intensive and continuous. Even small fluctuations in electricity prices can have a material impact on margins. Simultaneously, businesses face mounting pressure to decarbonise, driven by retailer requirements, investor scrutiny and ESG commitments. Scope 2 emissions reporting is becoming standard practice, while supply chain transparency is increasingly expected by both regulators and consumers. The challenge, then, is no longer simply securing supply at a competitive rate – but rather managing energy as a dynamic, strategic input that underpins both profitability and sustainability. This is all the more important now with energy prices subject to such volatility, with the World Bank forecasting a 24% surge in prices this year due to the conflict in the Middle East. The limits of fixed energy strategies For many businesses, fixed-price contracts have long been the default approach. They offer predictability and simplicity, and a set unit rate over a defined period, typically one to three years. In volatile markets, that certainty can be appealing. However, this model comes with clear limitations. By locking in a price, businesses lose the ability to respond to market movements. When wholesale prices fall, they cannot take advantage. When operational demands shift, the procurement strategy remains static. Reinforcing a passive mindset, energy becomes something that is 'bought and forgotten,' rather than actively managed. Without visibility into when and how energy is consumed, opportunities for optimisation are often missed. In a market that is increasingly shaped by real-time dynamics, this lack of responsiveness can come at a cost. From passive procurement to active optimisation A growing number of food and drink businesses are now rethinking this approach – adopting a more active, integrated strategy; one that combines purchasing, consumption and sustainability objectives. At the centre of this shift is data. Half-hourly metering, real-time monitoring and advanced analytics provide a far more granular understanding of energy use. Businesses can see not just how much energy they consume, but when they consume it and the cost. This visibility enables a move from passive procurement to active optimisation. Rather than simply buying energy at a fixed rate, businesses can begin to align their consumption with market conditions, adjusting usage patterns to take advantage of lower prices and lower carbon intensity. Why granularity matters Granular energy data is particularly valuable in the food and drink sector, where operational processes often have some degree of flexibility. While certain processes must run continuously, others, such as cleaning cycles, batch production stages, or pre-cooling, can often be scheduled with greater precision. By identifying peak demand periods and understanding wholesale price signals, businesses can shift non-critical loads to times when electricity is cheaper. Increasingly, these periods also coincide with higher levels of renewable generation, meaning they are lower in carbon intensity. For example, a manufacturer might adjust refrigeration cycles to avoid peak evening demand, or schedule energy-intensive processes during periods of high generation, delivering meaningful savings over time. The principle is simple: use the right energy at the right time. But achieving it requires the visibility and flexibility that traditional procurement models do not provide. Power purchase agreements: More than a sustainability badge Power purchase agreements (PPAs) are becoming an increasingly important tool for food and drink businesses looking to address both cost and carbon. By securing electricity directly from renewable generators, PPAs offer long-term price stability while supporting the development of new clean energy capacity. For brands with strong consumer-facing sustainability commitments, PPAs also provide a credible, transparent route to reducing Scope 2 emissions. They can strengthen relationships with retailers and enhance brand value in a market where environmental credentials are under growing scrutiny. To maximise value, PPAs need to be integrated into a broader energy strategy, such as one that considers flexibility, demand patterns and complementary procurement approaches to ensure that energy use and generation are aligned with as high a degree of matching as possible. Aligning cost and carbon One of the most important developments in the energy landscape is the increasing alignment between cost and carbon. Historically, businesses often faced a trade-off: lower-cost energy options were not always the most sustainable, and vice versa. Today, that relationship is changing. Periods of high renewable generation, such as windy nights or sunny afternoons, tend to correspond with lower wholesale prices: shifting consumption to these periods can reduce both costs and emissions. By embedding flexibility into operations and aligning procurement strategies accordingly, food and drink businesses can turn sustainability from a requirement into a competitive advantage. Taking the first steps The first step to moving beyond 'fix and forget' is visibility. Access to detailed, half-hourly consumption data and the tools needed to interpret it is the foundation of optimisation. The second is a review of procurement strategy, moving away from fixed contracts towards flexible or blended approaches. The third is operational, identifying where flexibility exists within processes, and how they can be time -shifted to periods when energy is cheaper. Finally, partnerships matter. Navigating energy markets, structuring PPAs and integrating on-site assets requires specialist expertise. Working with providers who can bring these elements together into a cohesive strategy is critical. A strategic opportunity Energy has become a strategic lever for transformation. Food and drink businesses that embrace data-driven, flexible approaches will be better positioned to control costs, reduce emissions and build resilience in an increasingly complex market.

UK-based bar-strength RTD cocktail brand, MOTH (mix of total happiness), has launched three new cocktails Waitrose, commented: “The growth of high-quality ready-to-drink cocktails has been huge and I am sure that MOTH The three new drinks all have an ABV of 10% and complement MOTH’s existing range, including a margarita MOTH co-founder, Rob Wallis, said: “We’re so proud to be working with our award-winning spirit partners

KPM Analytics has announced the acquisition of Smart Vision Works, a specialised AI technology company Smart Vision Works’ proprietary machine learning algorithms can overcome machine vision problems, delivering Brian Mitchell, KPM Analytics CEO, said: "The addition of Smart Vision Works to our existing Sightline Smart Vision Works’ systems efficiently and automatically sort products by size and defect, allowing Chris Bryant, president of Smart Vision Works, added: "Since 2012, we have worked to fulfil our mission

Huayuan Food Group have entered into a joint venture to construct the “first” US-based edible fungus smart The smart factory will leverage advanced technical operations for the sustainable development of edible Finc says that its new smart factory will “alleviate this issue for the US, bringing production to the

addition to $3 million in cash), Hormel Foods (200,000 meals and $1 million pledge), McCain Foods (up