Ceres, known for its natural fruit juices and nectars and international flavours, has introduced a regional blend in Taiwan. Formulated with sargassum, also known as brown algae, this has previously been seen in skin and hair care ranges. The juice also contains organic medlar, an acidic fruit consumed with cheese or used to make jelly or wine. Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine are known to use powdered sargassum to be drunk as tea in order to help remove excess phlegm.

Thailand's leading producer of beer and spirits, Thai Beverage (ThaiBev), has completed its THB420 million ($13.4 million) acquisition of the Wrangyer energy drink and Black Up ready to drink (RTD) coffee business from Wrangyer Beverage Co. The acquisition was made through ThaiBev’s Maharas Agri Co subsidiary, and represents a major advance by the group into the non-alcoholic sector. ThaiBev already produces still and carbonated bottled water under its dominant Chang brand. Wrangyer was launched a decade ago, and is now one of Thailand’s top three energy drink brands. The Wrangyer Beverage factory in Nakhon Pathom province has a capacity of almost 400 million units a year. “The acquisition of these well-known brands expands our range of non-alcoholic beverages and strengthens our overall position as a leading beverage player in Thailand,” said ThaiBev’s President, Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi. ThaiBev’s sales rose 3% to THB71.3 billion ($41.4 million) in the first nine months of 2007. The growth came from a THB547 million ($17.4 million) increase in spirit sales and a THB1.6 billion ($51.5 million) increase in sales of beer and water. Gross profit rose 4% to THB21.32 billion ($679.7 million).

Danish consumers can look forward to a new organic milk from Arla Foods with 40% less fat than semi-skimmed milk. Organic Harmonie Mille milk, launched on the Danish market, contains just 0.9% fat. “The new milk will help to further reduce the Danes’ intake of fat from milk,” says Jakob Nørgaard – responsible for milk at Consumer Nordic. “Since the launch of mini milk in 2001, many Danes have changed their milk drinking habits. Some, however, avoid mini milk because of the taste. Consequently, we wanted to develop a product with the same taste as semi-skimmed milk, but with less fat. Harmonie Mille is the result.” He regards the new milk as an excellent fat reduced alternative for families who go in for organic products and a healthy diet. As well as being a healthy choice for parents, the milk is also a good transition product for three year old children, who, according to the Danish health authorities’ recommendations, should switch from semi-skimmed milk to reduced fat milk products at that age. Besides offering a fat reduced alternative, Harmonie Mille is the outcome of Arla Foods’ ongoing work to develop new quality products for the organic market, a segment that is seeing strong growth. Over the past year, sales of organic milk in Denmark have increased by 7%.

This story was featured as part of an 'On-farm processing' special report in dairy innovation magazine issue 15. In Colorado in the USA, husband and wife Les and Sherrill Hardesty started Cozy Cow Dairy about three years ago as an opportunity to create a learning experience for urban consumer customers. Les says with only about 1% of the US population engaged in agricultural production our consumers are several generations removed from agriculture. “Cozy Cow offers an educational experience coupled with quality fresh dairy products, produced and processed on the farm - from the cow to the consumer. Our farm setting is becoming more urban on a daily basis with housing development and population increases. People want to enjoy the view of the Colorado Mountains and the sunshine, just as our dairy cows have for years. “Education of the consumer for the benefit of the entire dairy industry was the primary principle for the start of Cozy Cow Dairy. “As animal agriculture practices become the focus of consumers, it is important that we take some time to tell the story of all of the positive attributes that agriculture does for our communities. We were also very excited about the opportunity to offer fresh, wholesome dairy products that were produced and processed on the farm. Locally produced products, that consumers know where they are coming from. Making the rigth choices “Selection of the product line was fairly simple. Fluid milk for the bottle would produce excess cream that could be transformed into ice cream. A premium ice cream offered to the visitors after a farm tour would only enhance their learning experience. Our product line includes milk (both white and flavoured), ice cream (sold as cones and in small take home packages) and cheese (curds and an aged Cheddar). “Help came from many places. A general knowledge of the industry and having milked cows for 20 years, gave us the basic understanding of handling and packaging a perishable product. Dairy equipment companies helped with the design and layout of the facility. A consultant was engaged to help with the final formulations and practices employed to ensure that we had quality products to offer our consumers. “In keeping with our goal of education we felt it was necessary to market the products on the farm where they are produced. We have a retail store on site that sells our products. It is a short drive outside of town to purchase Cozy Cow products, but the consumer knows that they are getting quality at a reasonable price. They are more than happy to go the extra mile and support a local family farm. Unique challenges “Any new business venture comes with a unique set of challenges. Governmental regulations were the first obstacle. A non traditional use of the property caused some concern to the officials. Processing of dairy products and the surrounding health department regulations, testing and quality control techniques are burdensome but absolutely necessary. “There have been an awesome amount of rewards to starting our new dairy venture. The kids (both young and young at heart) that come to tour and learn about the dairy industry continue to be the strength to continue to work toward perfection. You cannot put a monetary value on a smile or a first encounter with an animal for some of the guests. “Seeing a great quality product that you produced with your own hands bring satisfaction to a consumer is unbelievably satisfying. And finally, to watch a business that you have built with a labour of love grow makes you sleep well at night. It is very gratifying to know that through your efforts you are making a difference that is impacting on the entire dairy industry around the world. Even with a small family dairy farm in Colorado, when we sell another unit of milk, ice cream or cheese, we affect the global consumption of dairy; by satisfying a consumer with quality nutritious dairy experience and help to create or maintain a life long consumer of dairy.”

*Greek Gods, a US company founded in 2003 by three friends to produce authentic Greek style products, has launched Greek Gods Baklava Pagoto Ice Krema. * The new product combines a honey cream base with a mixture of walnuts, almonds and cinnamon. Using organic milk, Greek Gods Pagoto Ice Krema is made the traditional Greek way, using wholesome ingredients and mastic resin. Mastic (also know as Chios Tears) comes from mastic trees grown in six villages (Mastichochoria) in the south of the small Greek island of Chios and is known for its health properties. People in the Mediterranean region have used mastic as a medicine for gastrointestinal ailments for several thousand years. Greek Gods has also introduced a reduced fat vanilla cinnamon orange yogurt. It is made with fresh pasteurised milk and cream to produce a velvety smooth and creamy textured yogurt, infused with vanilla and the subtle hint of cinnamon and orange zest. It is claimed to have all the smoothness and creaminess of traditional Greek yogurt but with less than half the fat and is packed in 170g tubs.

Red Bull energy drink has always been more than just a hot secret for the night owl and the non-stop party animal. Developed to improve performance, increase concentration and reaction speed, improve vigilance and stimulate metabolism, it is appreciated throughout the world by top athletes, busy professionals and drivers on long journeys. We spoke to Red Bull UK managing director, Nigel Trood. The original idea emerged in 1984 and was launched in 1987 with the slogans ‘Red Bull vitalises body and mind’ and ‘Red Bull gives you wings’. Sales in Austria doubled year to year and in 1994 the drink was launched in Germany with international rollout after that. It went full swing across Europe plus North and South America as well as Australasia. The next big focus was Asia with the Japanese launch. Various institutions attempt to determine the monetary value of Red Bull says its website. While that’s all very nice, Red Bull itself does not get involved in such speculation. What counts is the consumer concept of Red Bull when holding a can in the hand. And this, thanks to strong marketing efforts, sets Red Bull distinctly apart from competitors. Often copied, never equated sums up how Red Bull sees the competitive situation. Interview with Nigel Trood *How has your first year at the helm been? What were the highs and lows? * We have had a fantastic year. All consumer indicators reached new levels, with a record sales growth of +14% year on year. We also hosted the Air Race in London, an event nobody thought possible. Not only was the event a great success, but it also drove our biggest month of sales ever, as 32.5 million cans were sold in July. Luckily, lows are hard to think of. However, the one thing that is a challenge is ensuring customers understand the importance of availability and visibility in store to enable them to realise their maximum sales potential. Recent research shows that our consumers are very loyal, with as many as two in five going elsewhere or without, if our product is out of stock, resulting in lost sales for the retailer. How do you feel about the launch of Monster in the UK? We welcome new products to the category that truly are new developments, based on consumer driven insights and needs, and add value to the category. The launch of Monster is no different to any other. There has always been an abundance of competitor brands - they come and go. The Bedroom Jam is a great idea. How has it gone down? How many participants have there been? Why did it end on 8 January? Why open entry to under 19s only? Red Bull Bedroom Jam provides a platform for young bands and musicians to upload their videos and have the opportunity to have one of their gigs livestreamed across the internet. Red Bull Bedroom Jam was launched in September 2007 with a live gig online by Kerrang award nominees youmeatsix. This was followed by five performances by other young bands (Furthest Drive Home, Linchpin, Lyrikal Squad, Maveric, The Press and Area 15) from around the UK. The website is going through a minor change at the moment and will be relaunched on 7 February with a few amendments. Due to the popularity of the site, particularly the live performances, we have decided to put on live gigs weekly rather than fortnightly. The 2008 schedule will be divided into three seasons to fit in around school holidays and exam times. Red Bull Bedroom Jam is aimed at giving new, young and undiscovered talent the chance to gain exposure across the internet. Therefore we took the conscious decision to limit entrants to those people aged 19 years or younger. *How is Red Bull looking in motorsport for 2008? * We are looking forward to a year that builds upon the success we enjoyed in 2007, when Red Bull Racing finished 5th and Scuderia Toro Rosso finished 7th. *Are any more formats planned as far as packaging goes? How is the Big Can going? There are rumours of paper cups at some events. Who makes these? * The 35.5cl Big Can was developed in response to demand from our most loyal customers. It fulfils a unique consumer need for ‘more energy now’. It is now the top ten fastest selling soft drink SKU in impulse by cash rate of sale and one of the most successful sports and energy launches in 2007, delivering over £11 million in incremental value sales by December, just ten months since launch. We launched Sugarfree 35.5cl January this year. The bigger can variant of Sugarfree satisfies a gap in the market for consumers who want more energy now, but no sugar. Sugarfree 35.5cl looks the same as Sugarfree 25cl, has the same functionality and is also supported by Red Bull’s £24 million marketing campaign. Regarding cups, we have worked with the Eden Project in the past and Pronto Pack came highly recommended. As a result, we use biodegradable cups at many of our events. *What are the big issues for the company right now? * Health and wellbeing is an increasingly important issue for the soft drinks industry as, more than ever, consumers are trying to live balanced and healthy lifestyles. As a result, Sugarfree is a key focus for us right now. Launched in 2003 and containing just eight calories a can, almost one in five cans of Red Bull sold are Sugarfree. This presents a great opportunity for retailers to capitalise on. We’re supporting Sugarfree with a £1 million marketing spend and it will appear on TV for the first time ever as part of our brand TV campaign. Support also includes brand new point of sale and a heavyweight sampling campaign targeted at female consumers. Sugarfree is already growing at 20% each year and this media investment will help to raise consumer awareness, creating a strong desire to purchase. What’s next for Red Bull? Every year we invest in a huge worldwide marketing support programme and 2008 is set to be one of our biggest years ever as we boost our promotional spend to £25.3 million. The Flugtag is coming to London. The Flugtag is a contest to design and build the most outrageous flying machine you can possibly think of - then, and here’s the best part, fly it! The Flugtag is set to take place in June 2008 and will be televised on terrestrial TV. After its phenomenal success last year, we’re also bringing the Air Race World Series back to the UK. The Red Bull Air Race is an exciting competition in which the world’s most talented pilots are up against each other in a race based on speed, precision and skill. We recorded our most successful month in history during the Red Bull Air Race 2007, proving consumer events can have a direct impact on sales.

FoodBev brings you an excerpt of the interview that featured in dairy innovation (issue 15) when Editor Geoff Platt talked to Marketing and Sales Director Louis Loubser about the development of South Africa's Fair Cape dairy business. The Loubser family started farming in South Africa’s Western Cape more than 130 years ago on a farm 15 kilometres from Cape Town. In the 1950s Eduard Loubser Senior moved it from a small scale business and set it on the road to becoming a fast growing dairy company. After six generations, the current Loubser family consists of five brothers, all of whom have inherited their father’s passion for excellence; each responsible for an important aspect of this fast growing dairy business. Villiers Loubser (second on the left in the picture above) looks after wheat and wine farming; Melt Loubser (furthest right) is CEO; Eduard Loubser Junior (furthest left) is Financial Director; Louis Loubser (third on the left) is Director of Marketing and Sales; and Johannes Loubser (second on the right) looks after milk production. Interview Why was the decision taken to move forward with dairy in such a big way? How did it develop? Dairy farming was always a small scale operation until our father decided to upgrade this activity in the mid 50s. Today the business has a well bred, healthy, strong herd of Friesland cows producing milk of outstanding quality under optimal conditions. In the past, milk was supplied to the larger dairy manufacturers who monopolised the industry with low prices to the producer and high prices to the consumer. As a result, the family was faced with a decision to either close the dairy business or identify ways to add value to dairy – which is what we did. A relationship with one of South Africa’s premier retail chains, Woolworths, developed soon afterwards and has subsequently grown into a strategic partnership. This partnership was critical to our business, as Fair Cape had finally identified a customer that understands the buying needs of the public, as well as the ability to recognise and exceed the expectations of its customers. As a result of the strategic partnership which developed with Woolworths, the Fair Cape business expanded and a new company was formed, The Dairy Connection. The Dairy Connection’s facilities were constructed along technical specifications and guidelines provided by Woolworths. These were officially opened in December 1997 by Simon Susman, then Foods Director and currently Chief Executive Officer of the Woolworths Group. In 1998 Fair Cape Holdings Group acquired majority shareholding in a fruit processing plant - Fruitique. This acquisition ensured that the Fair Cape Holdings group could continue its quest for product excellence, having total control over the supply of fruit syrups and fruit preparation used in the production of yogurt. You work very closely with Woolworths. Tell us more about that relationship, how it works and how it has developed. Yes, we have regular meetings to ensure that we keep our product quality at the highest level and that we are always in tune with the market’s needs. We make 70% of the Woolworths yogurt nationwide. Its market share is estimated at around 9% of the market. We tie in very strongly with the Woolworths ‘Good food strategy’ of producing good food with no preservatives and only natural colours and flavours. The Dairy Connection has aligned itself to this philosophy through the process of major innovation. This has resulted in unique yogurts and other dairy products being manufactured free of preservatives and other additives and also using only natural flavours and colours. Furthermore, the company has aligned itself to further exceed this expectation of the consumer by ensuring food is manufactured in world class production facilities, enabling the complete removal of all hormones and other additions to the production of raw milk. We offer the consumer complete traceability of raw product by exclusively offering Woolworths production of the majority of Woolworths’ regular yogurt requirements from one production facility. Woolworths is also very committed to the triple bottom line - this includes environmental and social welfare considerations, not just financial ones. Fair Cape, with its unique environmentally friendly milk production facility - where not a drop of effluent is spilled into the environment - contributes materially to this. Tell us a little about the range of dairy products from Fair Cape, how these have developed and grown. Are there plans for more new products? Our range of products can be split into four groups: three principal dairy groups - milk, yogurts and desserts - and juice (which contains a fruit dairy mix). We launched a range of Fair Cape Free Range milks in PET bottles – available in full cream and low fat varieties in two litre, one litre and 500ml sizes. We also do milk sachets - but these are not marketed as Fair Cape Free Range. We have a wide variety of yogurts: including nine and six pack offerings of our Silky Smooth and Fruit Ful varieties; Fair Cape low fat yogurt (500ml & 175ml); 250ml drinking yogurt sachets; 150ml layered yogurts; Bulgarian and Greek yogurt. Our desserts include chocolate mousse, vanilla custard, crème caramel, chocolate dessert and caramel dessert. Our juice range includes Splash - a dairy fruit blend available in orange, pineapple, peach and apricot flavours in 2l, 1l and 35cl sizes. We are consistently looking for new product ideas and new potential categories within the dairy market. We have a detailed new product development plan which we are continuously rolling out, so you can definitely expect to see a consistent flow of new products from Fair Cape in the future. Where are Fair Cape dairy products available? Just in South Africa or beyond? In what sort of retail outlets are your products available? Are you planning to widen the list? Fair Cape products are predominantly available in the Western Cape, distributed through the major retailers - Shoprite, Checkers, Spar, 711, Makro, OK, BP Forecourts and various general dealers. We also distribute selected products to Gauteng through the Spar retail group and our yogurts are available internationally on South African Airways flights around the world. And we have national representation in Woolworths, for whom we distribute nationally on a daily basis. Our strategy as far as market penetration is concerned is to optimise current markets before expanding horizontally. Your website features school visits to the farm. Tell us about those. Our school outings are very popular. We have between 2,500 and 3,000 kids that visit us every year. The biggest number of the school groups are booked through the MySchool Woolworths project. Other open days are then booked with the tour guide at Fair Cape. The MySchool Project is aimed at improving the quality of learning in South Africa - one of Woolworth’s key focus areas. MySchool is an effective programme that we use to make a positive difference. The enhancement of teaching and learning in our schools is greatly hampered by a lack of resources at school level. MySchool is an innovative programme to address this need by raising funds for schools. How do you see the future for dairy in South Africa in general and for Fair Cape in particular? How are you dealing with the environmental challenges that are facing all dairy companies? The future of dairy, like many commodity products, is about adding value. More and more companies are coming to understand that they are not meeting customer demand by simply producing a commodity product and then trying to capture market share by discounting it to the market. With the dynamic growth of the South African middle class, people are looking for ways not only to enhance their own family’s health, but that of the environment. People are looking for ‘greener’ ways to live and make a difference. Companies will need to innovate in terms of their production, not only their product to maintain customer delight. Therefore Fair Cape has taken - and continues to take - strong steps to become increasingly more environmentally friendly in our production processes.

*Fredericks Dairies, the UK’s largest independent ice cream manufacturer, added to its extensive range of licensed Cadbury ice creams with a new Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons cone and a range of Cadbury twist cones to maximise profit opportunities for retailers over the Christmas period. * The Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons cone presents a classic kid’s confectionery favourite in a new 100ml format. Fredericks Dairies has invested in unique technology to give Cadbury cones their distinctive twisted top that replicates the classic ice cream cone you would purchase from an ice cream van. The new Cadbury Twist cones are available in three flavours and each is finished with a thick helping of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate and filled with smooth ice cream featuring a new twist top.

One of the UK’s top selling energy drinks companies, Boost Drinks, known for its large silver bottles sold in volume through retail outlets, has launched a new 50cl format for its cranberry carbonated energy drink. Boost’s existing 1 litre cranberry variant has proved such a success that it has introduced the new smaller size in a move designed to build upon the fashionable following that low calorie cranberry flavours have with consumers in the impulse sector. Appreciated throughout the UK by drivers and a growing band of teetotallers, Boost Drinks MD Simon Gray explained: “Our flagship energy drink product, Boost and sugar free Boost Light, work particularly well in 50cl and we believe that the low calorie cranberry option will follow this trend. “There is clearly a demand for this size and coupled with the current popularity of cranberry as a variant, particularly for female drinkers, it should be a big hit for us and our customers.”

AgroFarma, a US dairy product manufacturer, has introduced Chobani Greek Yogurt, a Greek-style yogurt that contains more than twice the amount of protein in traditional American yogurts. Chobani is also all-natural and made using traditional European straining methods. “Many of the popular American yogurt brands add artificial ingredients and fillers such as high fructose corn syrup and corn starch to enhance taste, or have the equivalent of a candy bar in sugar content," said nutritionist Sophie Pachella, founder of US nutrition performance business EatStrong. "That is not healthy eating." Chobani contains five live and active cultures, and is made with milk that contains no artificial hormones. Chobani is also high in calcium and contains active probiotics for healthy digestion. There are six non-fat varieties available: strawberry, blueberry and peach, as well as honey, vanilla and plain (which is also available in 2% and 10% fat varieties). Chobani’s cup-style packaging is available in three sizes: 6oz, 16oz and 32oz.

Jalna Dairy Foods of Australia has launched several new yogurts. Its Premium Café Latte Creamy yogurt is “the perfect blend of Jalna’s signature premium creamy yogurt and real coffee” and is available in 200g tubs. The new Jalna Premium Honey Vanilla, with a hint of cinnamon, is a creamy yogurt offering delicate honey, cinnamon and vanilla flavours without added sugar or sweeteners. This product is available in 1kg tubs. For Australian consumers who enjoy a classic Greek style natural yogurt, but are concerned about their diet, there is Jalna’s new Low Fat Greek Style Natural Yogurt. Packed in 500g tubs, it has the characteristic tartness of a traditional Greek style yogurt, but retains the creamy texture and is 97% fat free. Jalna’s Vitalize Heart+ and Immune+ yogurts in 200g tubs were so popular, the company has launched them in 1kg tubs. They contain Omega-3, vitamins A, C and E, plus pomegranate and blueberry real fruit puree. Besides the healthy probiotic aBc bacteria, Jalna Vitalize Immune+ has added vitamin C, Echinacea and the real fruit puree of açaí berry, raspberry and pear. Like all Jalna yogurts, the new varieties are all made in the traditional European style and natural tub set. They are all gluten free, have low GI and no added sugar, preservatives, gelatine or artificial sweeteners. Jalna has also launched Vitalize Breakfast+ and Immune+ Formulated Supplementary Food drinks. With newly increased nutrient reference values, it is even more challenging for every age group to meet their target for calcium. These new Jalna drinks help make it easier according to the company. Jalna Vitalize Breakfast+, available in 25cl and 1 litre bottles, provides 25% of the RDI for vitamin D and key antioxidant vitamins A and E, plus 50% of the RDI for vitamin C. Jalna Vitalize Immune+, packed in 25cl bottles, offers a combination of aBc cultures and vitamin C (50% of the RDI), plus echinacea and pureed acai berry, raspberry and pear.

*Yeo Valley Organic, one of the UK’s most buoyant organic food brands, has started the New Year with a major relaunch featuring new look packaging – with a simpler, cleaner, more modern look – and new products. * Among the new products are a mixed box of Yeo’s, the smooth and creamy children’s tubed yogurt launched in early 2007. This will contain three flavours – with raspberry and apricot being added to the original strawberry variety. There is also a four pack of whole milk yogurts called Summer Fruits, containing strawberry, raspberry, apricot and blackcurrent and two new fruity layered four packs, with a generous serving of fruit compote in the bottom, topped by Yeo Valley thick, probiotic natural yogurt on top. A final addition is the launch of a four pack of fat free yogurts with a choice of two new recipes – Madagascan vanilla and Sicilian lemon.