Jack Link's-owned meat snacking brand Peperami has launched new chorizo five-packs to add to its extensive snack portfolio. The new chorizo sticks are made with 100% pork, packed with protein, contain 99 calories and are unpasteurised to maintain a fuller flavour — providing a shelf life of over six months. Laura Trivulzio, marketing director at Peperami and Jack Link’s, said: “With health riding higher on the consumer agenda than ever before, there is no better time to launch our new chorizo variant, in a bid to attract younger adults to the category. The British appetite for chorizo is building at a fast pace and as Peperami is cementing its position as an iconic brand in the savoury snack market, we wanted to tap into the growing trend with our new, authentic chorizo variant." She continued: "The chorizo sticks are a more sophisticated lunchtime and mid-afternoon snack offering, adding to our expanding snack portfolio and providing a better-for-you snack with distinctive flavours to help maintain excitement around snack times". The chorizo five-pack will RRP for £2.30 and is available in Tesco, with further roll-out expected into other retailers. The chorizo single sticks will also be launching at a later date.

Puratos has announced the acquisition of Profimix, a Czech supplier of improvers, bakery mixes and confectionery. Founded in 2007, Profimix has built a strong position in the Czech market through its brand 'Pekaruv Mlyn', and has a turnover of more than €4 million. According to Puratos, Profimix has "an organic-certified production manufacturing unit and specialises in flour parameters knowledge and analysis". The acquisition helps Puratos to extend its reach in the health and wellbeing category, as the company's latest Taste Tomorrow research found that 79% of consumers ranked grains and seeds as the number one contributor to health and taste in bakery products. Puratos Czech Republic general manager, Tomas Novak, said: “The acquisition of Profimix will allow us to offer customers greater flexibility, services, speed in innovation and access to healthier products”. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Puratos recently announced its acquisition of Belgian probiotics company THT for an undisclosed sum.

Ingredients manufacturer Lycored has opened a processing facility in Branchburg, New Jersey, to expand the company's production capacity. The new plant will process Lycrored's portfolio of carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and real food ingredients. The Branchburg facility will enable the company to maximise the purity, efficacy and shelf-stability of its ingredients, while increasing output capacity. It will provide advanced capabilities for milling, blending, drying and coating, with large-scale opportunities for customisation. Shirley Cohen, CEO at Lycored, commented: “Our Branchburg facility boasts formidable milling and blending proficiency with state-of-the-art technology. It allows us to optimise nutrient efficacy and bioavailability while providing innovative formulations perfectly tailored to our customers’ requirements.” Measures to reduce waste and preserve resources have also been integrated into the new plant.

UK fruit lager company Jubel has announced that it has raised £2.7 million in an investment round to support its expansion. The round included Nigel Wray, Stephen Hemsley, a former CEO of Domino’s Pizza Group, and CEO of Primary Health Properties Harry Hyman, as well as further backing from drinks distributor C&C Group. The brand produces craft lager cut with fruit, which is brewed with British hops and barley as well as fruit extracts sourced from a sustainable, organic British farm. The alcoholic beverages are also vegan, gluten-free and have an ABV of 4%. Jubel's fruit-infused craft lager range includes peach, elderflower, grapefruit and mixed variations. Michael Saunders, agency brands director at C&C Group, said: "The Jubel team have done a fantastic job of growing the brand significantly since we first invested back in 2019. It was a no-brainer for us to invest further in the brand and we're very excited to continue supporting the growth of this new category space between lager and fruit cider that Jubel is pioneering." The brand is sold in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Whole Foods, with the retail channel making up 25% of its revenue.

Patco Brands-owned brand Rancho La Gloria has expanded its agave-based alcoholic beverages portfolio with the launch of a new wine line, called AgaVida. The new range is derived from 100% Blue Agave nectar and is infused with natural fruit flavours. AgaVida is available in four flavours: AgaVida Strawberry, AgaVida Mango, AgaVida Peach and AgaVida Green Apple. Patco Brands COO Russell Stanley said: "Rancho La Gloria is known for agave-based products, and with AgaVida, we have the opportunity to introduce new consumers to the category through a flavorful yet approachable wine. At 5% abv and with four familiar flavours to choose from, AgaVida is an easy to drink table wine that can be sipped throughout the day or night and tastes exceptional all the while." AgaVida, which contains 80 calories per serving, will be available nationwide at Walmart for an SRP of $12.99 per 750ml bottle, with plans to launch at additional retailers throughout 2022.

Pepperidge Farm, a division of Campbell, has expanded its Goldfish cracker snacks lineup with the introduction of Goldfish Mega Bites. Goldfish Mega Bites come in two flavours: Sharp Cheddar and Cheddar Jalapeño. The new additions, which are geared toward adults, are 50% larger than regular Goldfish. Campbell Snacks chief marketing officer Janda Lukin said: "This is the first time Goldfish has created a snacking experience specifically with 'Grown Up' tastes in mind. We're at the start of a new chapter for the brand and are expanding our offerings and appeal to all age groups...while remaining a snack for all families." Goldfish Mega Bites will roll out at major retailers for an SRP of $2.69 per 5.9oz bag.

UK dairy company Yeo Valley has re-launched its organic creams in a new fully recyclable and practical bottle format for ease. The bottles will make Yeo Valley's single and double-creams easier to pour and store. They're also made from 50% recycled plastic and are 100% recyclable. The new bottled creams are available in 220ml sizes for an RRP of £1.50 for the double cream and £1.30 for the single cream. These will be launching in Waitrose and Sainsbury's this month. The release will join the company's extensive dairy range which includes organic yoghurt, cream, milk, butter, cheese, ice cream and compote.

Royal Unibrew has acquired full ownership of Norwegian brewery and beverage company, Hansa Borg Bryggerier. Royal Unibrew already had a 25% stake in the company and is acquiring the remaining 75% holding for NOK 2.5 billion (approx. $286.3 million), based on an enterprise value of NOK 3.3 billion (approx. $377.8 million). Together with Solera Beverage Group, which Royal Unibrew purchased last year, this acquisition is expected to create a strong multi-beverage market presence for Royal Unibrew in Norway. Hansa Borg Bryggerier is Norway’s second-largest brewery and beverage company with four breweries and one bottling plant in the country. The company's products include beers, ciders, soft drinks, waters and wines. Lars Jensen, CEO of Royal Unibrew, commented: “I am very pleased to announce that we have entered into an agreement to acquire Hansa Borg Bryggerier and we look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to Royal Unibrew. We have been minority shareholders in Hansa Borg Bryggerier since 2002 and have for a long period of time wanted to expand our partnership for mutual interest. I am happy that it has finally succeeded and look forward very much to developing Hansa Borg Bryggerier into the leading multi-beverage provider in Norway." Closing of the transaction is pending approval from the Norwegian competition authority.

Canadian dairy company Saputo has announced Kai Bockmann is stepping down as president and chief operating officer (COO) ahead of his retirement on 4 March. Saputo says that Carl Colizza, its president and COO North America, and Leanne Cutts, president and COO International and Europe, are set to report to Lino Saputo, the Montreal-based company's CEO. According to Bockmann's LinkedIn page, he joined Saputo in 2012 as president and COO of the dairy products division (international) before being promoted in 2017. He then relocated from Lincolnshire, Illinois, to Montreal, Canada, to take on the role of Saputo president and COO. Prior to Saputo, Bockmann held several roles at McCain Foods, including managing director of McCain Foods Asia, president of McCain Foods international and director of global accounts. “Kai has contributed to building a strong and diverse leadership team and we thank him for his dedication and involvement over the last ten years," said Lino Saputo.

Kellogg's has introduced three new flavours to its Nutri-Grain portfolio in the US, including two new soft-baked breakfast bars and a new bite-sized snack. Nutri-Grain Strawberry & Squash and Apple & Carrot soft-baked breakfast bars are made with fruit and veggie flavours and contain eight grams of whole grains. The bars will be offered at an SRP of $3.99 for an eight-count box. Meanwhile, Nutri-Grain Chocolatey Banana Bites contains a chocolatey banana-flavoured filling and whole grains. The portable snack will be available at an SRP of $3.69 for a five-count box and $5.79 for a 10-count box. "We're always looking to create fresh flavour combos at Kellogg's, and Nutri-Grain never stops innovating to offer parents new ways to serve breakfast and snacks their kids will love and that they can feel good about," said Sarah Reinecke, senior marketing director at Kellogg Company.

Weetabix has released a new addition to its Oatibix cereal portfolio with a new variation of the oat-based cereal. The new launch, Nutty Crunch, features honeycomb pieces, honey-coated corn flakes and caramelised nuts. It's also 100% wholegrain, naturally low in salt, high in fibre and HFSS-compliant. Gareth Turner, head of marketing at Weetabix, said: "Oats are a signpost for healthy eating and this innovation offers great health nutritionals, as well as performing incredibly strongly in our taste tests. As the whole Oatibix range is HFSS-compliant, we can put our full support behind the brand refresh, through online and in-store shopper marketing, the upcoming TV advert and on social media." Nutty Crunch will be available from 28th February across UK grocery and convenience stores in 450g packs for an RRP of £3.29.

US food technology company Benson Hill has announced its acquisition of ZFS Creston, a food-grade white flake and soy flour manufacturer, for approximately $102 million. The deal enables Benson to convert its proprietary soybeans into soy protein ingredients, with applications including plant-based meat, meat extension, bakery, cereal, snacks and fermentation. The acquisition will also allow Benson to deliver a portfolio of non-GMO ingredients that are less processed, sustainable, traceable and domestically sourced. Creston is well equipped to produce soy meal and oil, as well as "food-grade" soy white flake, flour and grits, which can be used as ingredients or as a raw material for developing concentrates, isolates and textured protein products. “The acquisition of ZFS Creston, combined with our proprietary ultra-high protein soybean varieties, positions Benson Hill to deliver a portfolio of improved ingredients as an innovative unlock to bottlenecks in the rapidly growing but capacity-constrained plant-based movement,” said Matt Crisp, CEO of Benson Hill. He added: “This acquisition advances our integrated business model as a more efficient route to market with a smaller footprint that better aligns with consumer preferences, enabling us to harness the genetic potential of plants and help scale the growth of plant-based markets”. “The ZFS Creston team has done a terrific job optimising the facility and working with customers, suppliers and the Creston, Iowa community to create a successful, value-added food ingredient business,” said Eric Meeuwsen, ZFS Creston co-president and COO. He continued: “We are grateful for the hard work of everyone at ZFS Creston. We are confident Benson Hill will provide excellent opportunities for employees, local farmers and the community through the commercialisation of their innovative, higher nutrition, soy-based food ingredients.”