DS Waters owned Kentwood Springs Water Company, based in Louisiana, US, has acquired Abita Spring Waters for an undisclosed sum. Abita’s water will retain its own brandname, but be produced by Kentwood Springs, which focuses on bulk water delivery, as well selling single serve bottled water in local retail outlets. Kentwood will assume management of Abita’s water delivery service. Vice President and General Manager at Kentwood, Glen Sanders, said of the move: “With the acquisition of Abita, we are able to both expand the reach of our bottled water delivery service and also ensure that we will be able to work within this vibrant community for years to come.”

Home and office delivery firm The Water Delivery Company has been named the only ‘New Star’ in industry analyst Plimsoll’s 2007 awards. The criteria for the New Star category is a company incorporated in the last five years that is performing well above the industry’s financial and service benchmarks. “We are very proud to be the only company within our industry to be awarded the coveted New Star title,” said Owner Robert Laughton, who set up the firm that services homes and business in the London area in June 2003. “It is great to have an external commendation verifying the hard work and focus committed by all staff over the last five years.” Having recently moved to a 6,000 sqft warehouse, the company is now focusing its efforts on the next five years in a bid to compete with longer standing members of the water cooler fraternity.

Anthony Mills, Head of Marketing for Savanna across Europe, said: "We have been sponsoring Afrika! Afrika! during its tour of Europe and it seemed only natural to continue the association in the UK, as it has been so well received and beneficial for all those concerned. The show is simply spectacular and reflects Savanna's African heritage, sense of fun and adventure. The marketing fit is perfect." The cider brand is available at all the bars and restaurants within the purpose-built big tops adjacent to The O2. There's also a well-branded and dazzling Savanna bar exclusively selling Savanna – chilled with a slice of lemon. On selected Saturdays, the audience is indulged with complimentary tastings of Savanna provided by models decked out in Savanna attire. Mills added: "Experiencing the brand in unique and eye-catching settings gives Savanna an edge, a sense of difference and uniqueness which brings the cider to life. We're always seeking out opportunities to give our target audience a taste of Savanna in the best environments. Sponsoring the spectacular Afrika! Afrika! is just one example." *About the show* Afrika! Afrika! is a spectacular and creative show – a kingdom of travelling entertainers from the African continent. The show is a non-stop display of unique performers, including acrobats, contortionists and jugglers, all complemented by singers and musicians that reflects the show's African traditions. Kofi Annan, The Secretary General of the UN, sent a message to the show that said: "Afrika! Afrika! gives us a dazzling display of a continent beyond the stereotype of the poverty and conflict, one in which a kaleidoscope of artistic and cultural expression exists. Through music and dance, it pays tribute to the extraordinary cultural diversity of Africa and of our world as a whole."

Czech non-alcoholic drinks producer Kofola had Kc4.553 billion sales in Central Europe last year, up 15.3% from 2006, and its sales in the Czech Republic jumped by 32.2% to Kc3.035 billion, the company told CTK. "We raised sales in all categories of products. The growth came mainly thanks to the product portfolio's expansion and innovation. Among strategic steps, start of a merger with Polish drinks company Hoop was very important for us. The merger continues as planned and will be completed at the turn of April and May," the group's CFO Simona Novakova said. The group invested over Kc670m last year, compared with Kc300 million a year earlier. Kofola had 1,370 employees in the year, 10% more than in 2006. Kofola, the flagship of the group with the same name, is second on the Czech cola drinks market. Its market share reached 25% last year, according to a poll of the AC Nielsen agency. In terms of sales, Kofola is number three on the Czech market, behind Coca-Cola and Karlovarske mineralni vody, and ranks among the most important non-alcoholic drinks in Central Europe. Kofola emerged through privatisation of Nealko Olomouc in 1993. It's operating in the markets in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, and is also exporting products to other countries.

Unilever has signed an agreement to acquire leading Russian ice cream company Inmarko for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition will further strengthen Unilever's position as the world's number one ice cream business. It will also strengthen Unilever's portfolio and competitive position in Russia, one of its priority countries. Inmarko, established in 1991, is the leading ice cream company in Russia, with a turnover of approximately €115 million in 2007. The company has a strong brand and product portfolio with clear market leadership in Central and Eastern Russia, and a fast-growing business across all regions of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan. It has an extensive supply chain network, including three factories in Novosibirsk, Omsk and Tula, and currently employs more than 4,500 people. Unilever President for Foods, Vindi Banga, said: "Inmarko is a great brand that is well recognised by Russian consumers. We will put Inmarko at the heart of our ice cream business in Russia and build on its successful strategy, powerful portfolio, and great talent and know-how. At the same time, we will be looking together for opportunities to enrich and strengthen its competitiveness with Unilever’s global scale and category expertise." Inmarko Chairman Dmitry Dokin added: "We think this deal will give our business development a whole new perspective. Unilever's experience and resources will provide significant impetus for Inmarko's brands." The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2008.

The January sales might have come to an end, but cooler distributor Apuro is offering a series of special deals on its ACIS range of floor standing bottled coolers. The reductions that will enable dealers to receive discounts off standard trade prices apply to the 700 Series models AWC 710D/C. “We’ve been able to negotiate temporary lower prices with our manufacturer, which we’re passing onto customers,” explained Nigel Alwick from Apuro. “Sadly the special deals are only available on the models we have in stock – once they’re gone, they’re gone.” Comprising two floor standing coolers that offer a choice of chilled and ambient or chilled and hot water, the ACIS line includes the A/SWC710D unit, which has a tank capacity of 3.9 litres of chilled and 1.9 litres of hot water. Its features include a built-in cup dispenser and single faucet outlet for increased hygiene and ease of use. Founded in 1997, Apuro imports and distributes a range of commercial appliances for the catering and hospitality industry and public sector. It is a division of the Cranham Group.

Purified drinking water systems provider Vivreau will be giving away chest coolers with the first 25 orders placed on its stand at the Northern Restaurant and Bar 2008 show this spring. In addition to showcasing its eco friendly range, the UK based company will be offering 25 of the complimentary coolers, which are worth £595 each and provide a 300 33cl can capacity for on and off premise applications. Vivreau’s Table Water Bottling System dispenses chilled, still and sparkling purified water into branded, reusable glass bottles, which can be served in meeting rooms and hospitality areas. According to Managing Director Stephen Charles, the system is increasing in popularity as firms are looking to address their carbon footprints. “Cost savings used to be the primary driver when companies purchased our mains fed water systems, but we are now seeing that the tide has turned and they are also looking for the green benefits,” he commented. “We believe our water provides the ideal alternative to bottled water in terms of the green issues, and it is also much more cost effective.” Vivreau can be found at stand 720 at the show on 7 and 8 April, where it will also be displaying its latest VR3000 and V20 water dispensing solutions.

*The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said it's worried about the amount of saturated fats in our diet because of its close links to heart disease. * The FSA claims that saturated fat consumption is too high across all social groups by roughly 20%, and is calling on consumers to become more aware of the fat in their diet as a matter of urgency, and to limit the amount they have, especially saturated fats. A new survey from LIPObind has found that this concern is echoed by the British public – two thirds of people are worried about the amount of fat they consume each day. And we're right to worry – the British diet comprises 34% fat on average, whereas the recommended daily intake is just 20g, and more than half of all adults in the UK are now either overweight or obese. *About LIPObind* LIPObind is a certified medical product made from dried cactus extract, which, when taken after food, creates a fat-fibre complex that’s too large to be absorbed by the small intestine, so is then passed through the body naturally.

A new series of ISO standards has been developed to offer the international community practical tools to address the global challenge of effectively managing limited water resources. Aiming to provide the world’s population with access to safe drinking water and sanitation, as well as meet the principles of sustainable development, the recently published guidelines relate to drinking water supply and wastewater sewerage systems. "These ISO standards will play a primary role in promoting access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation through improved governance at all levels," said ISO Secretary-General, Alan Bryden. "Their publication is a first step towards responding to the United Nations' concern in recognising that access to water is an essential human right. The UN has set ambitious goals to increase access to drinking water and wastewater services, particularly in developing countries." The guidelines include service-oriented standard ISO 24510 for the assessment and improvement of services to users; management-oriented ISO 24511 for wastewater utilities and assessment of wastewater services; ISO 24512 for drinking water utilities and assessment of drinking water services. The main objective of the international standards is to provide the relevant stakeholders with guidelines for assessing and improving services to users, and managing water utilities in line with goals set by the relevant authorities. Intended to facilitate dialogue between the stakeholders, the guidance will enable them to develop a mutual understanding of the functions and tasks that fall within the scope of water utilities. Their implementation will be monitored to provide feedback for further improvement.

It's highly likely that you're more than familiar with the term 'carbon footprint'. Now a group of water conservation organisations in the US are calling for people to address their 'water footprint'. [ H2O Conserve]<1> was developed as a result of the increased pressure that's being placed on Earth’s freshwater sources – a knock-on effect of climate shifts and rise in population levels. It aims to provide a one-stop-shop for Americans to gain advice and information about how to implement water conservation into their everyday lives. The first step, according to the site, is to recognise how much water you're using on a daily basis. Although it's common knowledge that taking a shorter shower in the morning or watering your lawn less at the weekend can assist with cutting back water use, less is known about how much water is spent on day to day activities and items. For example, it takes 24 gallons of water to produce a single pound of plastic, and more than 100 gallons to make a pound of cotton. The website’s 'H2O calculator' takes statistics such as this into consideration, enabling it to reveal how much water you're using up by answering a few questions about your lifestyle. According to its calculations, the average American citizen guzzles 1,189.3 gallons of water every day. "By allowing visitors to calculate their ‘water footprint’ – including the water they use at home, the water used to produce their food, energy and household products – we hope to encourage people to think about water in a whole new way," said Executive Director of Food & Water Watch, Wenonah Hauter. "This great educational tool incorporates actions people can take with broad informational resources on issues such as water pollution, our water infrastructure and bottled water." Food & Water Watch worked alongside the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, and environmental organisation GRACE to create the site. <1>: http://www.h2oconserve.org

Welch’s automatically springs to mind when anyone mentions grape juice. Not surprisingly, with over 400 products in its portfolio and exports to 35 countries across the globe. beverage innovation spoke with CEO Dave Lukiewski to discover how staying one step ahead of consumer needs has been the root of good ideas. New Jersey-based Welch’s has been producing juice for well over 100 years and now has 400 products in its portfolio. Ranging from refrigerated juices and cocktails, to frozen and shelf stable concentrates, sparkling juices cocktails and a variety of single-serve products, each designed to meet the needs of its myriad consumers. The company started in 1869 in the home of Dr Thomas Bramwell Welch in Vineland, New Jersey. Here, Dr Welch and his son Charles processed the first bottles of ‘unfermented wine’ for use with the communion service at their church. Today, Welch’s is the food processing and marketing arm of the National Grape Co-operative Assocation. Organised in 1945, it's an agricultural cooperative with 1,350 members. The association’s growers share a commitment to the highest standards reflected in the quality of the Concord and Niagara grapes used in Welch’s products. The fruits of their labour are sold throughout the US and in more than 35 countries. Claire Phoenix speaks to Welch's CEO Dave Lukiewski How has the drink sector changed over the years Welch’s has been in business? Change is happening more quickly. Fragmentation of customers is accelerating, the gap is widening between successful manufacturers and retailers versus others. This all necessitates a super-quick flow of information. Many years ago, we were the only grape juice around, and you’d find us in your one local grocery store. Now, consumers look for beverages in a wide variety of channels, and they expect to find an array of options to meet specific needs. *What are your volumes now in comparison to 50 years ago? * A good portion of our portfolio is in juices, but our consumer research shows that consumers agree we can expand into other fruit categories. Of course, we’re also known for Welch’s jams and jellies, but we have fast-growing platforms in areas such as dried fruit. Within juices, we’ve done a great job in following the consumer into the single-serve and refrigerated businesses. These areas didn’t even exist for us in the 90s, but today they’re reaching half our portfolio. In which sectors have you found greatest growth? In the US, the refrigerated business has been a large growth area, as consumers are looking for freshness and variety in that section. We’ve been able to consistently offer new flavours that appeal to the tropical flavour trend. We’ve also seen excellent growth in single-serve juices, as consumers are looking for convenient packaging that fits in with their busy lifestyles. We’ve greatly increased our presence in convenience stores, obviously with the 14oz bottle, and we’re continuing to offer new 10oz varieties of multipacks in grocery and club stores. How does Welch’s meet consumer concerns on obesity? For consumers concerned about calories, we have a line of Light juice products – with half the calories and sugar of regular Welch’s juices. A new flavour, Light Wild Berry, has just joined the existing flavours of Light Grape, White Grape and White Grape Peach. They're sweetened with Splenda for a natural taste. However, Light juices aren’t the only option. Consumers can still maintain a healthy weight and enjoy 100% Grape Juice, despite the fact that it contains natural sugars. Just 4oz counts as a serving of fruit and is less than 100 calories. In fact, an analysis of data from the <1> (NHANES 1999-2002) on people who drink grape juice showed no differences in weight, BMI, waist circumference or triceps skinfold measurements compared to non-drinkers. Welch’s has been in the media recently thanks to the antioxidant credentials of grapes. Can you outline some of the studies behind these reports and what can be claimed? Many of the benefits of drinking Grape Juice made from Concord grapes appear related, directly or indirectly, to its antioxidant effect. Welch’s 100% Grape Juice has a high concentration of polyphenols, natural plant compounds that function as antioxidants, which appear to promote and protect our good health. Three recent scientific studies point to the abundant antioxidant capacity of Welch’s 100% Grape Juice. Firstly, Grape Juice from Concord grapes ranked the highest in antioxidant capacity, with the broadest range of phenolic compounds, as well as the highest total concentration of phenolic compounds, among popular UK juices and juice drinks. Secondly, the USDA just published an updated database that provides the antioxidant capacity values of 277 foods, in terms of Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), which can be found at <2>. Finally, Welch’s 100% Grape Juice made from Concord grapes was ranked the number one antioxidant beverage among all juices and beverages tested, and number two overall in an independent study measuring antioxidant capacity per serving. Unlike in the US, Welch’s doesn't have the advantage of almost 140 years of heritage in the UK. Therefore, we need to look to our strengths. Purple Grape Juice is naturally high in antioxidants and polyphenols, it has a unique taste and it’s only available in the UK through Welch’s. So it makes sense to concentrate on Purple Grape Juice as our flagship product. Advertising and PR have concentrated on the antioxidant properties of Purple Grape Juice, and it has gained popularity as a result. However, it’s only available in one variety in the refrigerated section. We need to extend distribution of Purple Grape Juice to more consumers. As a first step, we’ve blended Purple Grape Juice with popular high antioxidant berries to extend the flavour range to Strawberry and Raspberry, giving consumers alternatives that still have high antioxidant properties. The next steps are to extend Purple Grape into the smoothie market, again with naturally high antioxidant blends based on Purple Grape Juice and other popular fruits. We plan to make Purple Grape Juice available in new pack formats, including single-serve, which will let us distribute in smaller stores and food services. In 2005, Welch’s introduced 100% Grape Juice in single-serve bottles for immediate consumption. This was the first time consumers could buy Welch’s 100% Grape Juice in convenience stores, and the response was overwhelming: 100% Grape Juice became a top-selling flavour in both our 16oz glass and 15.2oz plastic bottles. This success reflected changing consumer dynamics, as on-the-go lifestyles merged with increased demand for healthy beverages. To build on this success, in 2006 we entered a partnership with Amcor. The goal was to create a proprietary bottle design that would deliver groundbreaking shelf impact for Welch’s 100% juices. The joint development team met this challenge by creating a 14oz PET bottle that could withstand hot fill manufacturing, without the need for heat panels on the sides of the bottle. This revolutionary new bottle was then wrapped with a full shrink label that significantly increased the shelf appeal of the package. This played an integral role in the line’s success, as coolers in convenience stores are highly cluttered, and only the most bold and eye-catching packaging stands out. The 14oz line began shipping in January 2007. The initial line consisted of 100% Grape Juice and 100% White Grape Juice, as well as four additional 100% juice blends. Customer and consumer response was extremely positive, and we will introduce four more flavours in February 2008, bringing the total line to ten flavours. Our busy consumers can find Welch’s 14oz at Wal-Mart, 7-11, Walgreen’s, CVS, Target and thousands of regional and independent convenience stores. What are the big issues for Welch’s right now? Calorie concerns about juices have hurt the entire category, which is declining for the first time in memory. I don’t believe, however, that this is a long term trend. Consumers are constantly searching for healthy alternatives, and the goodness of fruit juices, particularly 100% juice, offers just that. We're constantly receiving good health news about the many benefits of Concord grapes and other 'purple' fruits and vegetables. Our goal is to ensure these studies are indeed correct and then communicate these benefits to the consumer. Having a unique, great-tasting grape juice like Welch’s is also a big plus. At the same time, we need to keep up with the fast pace of change in our industry by constantly evolving, making smart changes and being flexible. Where do you see Welch’s in five years’ time? In the next three to five years, we’re going to move from being a good company to a great company. That means we’ll be growing in terms of global reach, sales volume, profit and in value of the enterprise. We’ll be viewed inside and outside the organisation as an example of an excellent and successful company. The grape growers who own Welch’s will be profitable and satisfied that we’re also growing the value of the business that they own.

Tetra Pak has called on EU policy makers and the packaging industry to take concerted action to contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions. "Packaging has a key role to play in supporting moves towards a low carbon economy, as do European policy-makers in creating the right framework for effective business and consumer action," said Tetra Pak Environment Director Erika Mink, speaking at a conference hosted at the European Commission. "We need internationally agreed rules and scientifically robust standards for determining the carbon footprint of a given package or product in order to create the right policy support for business action and consumer behaviour," said Mink. Meglena Kuneva, the European Commissioner for EU consumer policy, opened the conference on "A Low Carbon Future: Releasing the Potential for Business," which was co-sponsored by Tetra Pak and the British Retail Consortium. Highlighting the 25 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent saved by the packaging sector in the last decade, Mink, said: "We believe the packaging sector has the potential to make further contributions to CO2 reduction by a combination of company commitments, voluntary agreements, and partnering with key stakeholders." As part of WWF’s Climate Savers’ Programme, Tetra Pak has committed to reduce its CO2 emissions between 2005 and 2010 by 40,000 tons world-wide, or 10% in absolute terms. Tetra Pak is also a partner of the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign supported by the Commission. A second priority for Tetra Pak is to use a maximum of renewable materials in its packages, a practice which further mitigates CO2 impact. Already an average 75 percent of Tetra Pak cartons are made from renewable wood fibres and the company seeks to increase this percentage by replacing non-renewable material with renewable material. "It is our aim to offer the packaging solutions with the lowest carbon footprint in our market segments," said Mink Recycling, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding landfill, is another key priority for Tetra Pak, which currently recycles 21 billion cartons each year. This is expected to increase by 1 billion each year." In Europe 30% of all beverage cartons are recycled into new paper products, saving some 300,000 tonnes CO2 equivalents from landfill every year. "With the positive response Tetra Pak is getting from retailers and other market stakeholders, our long-term commitments to reduce our carbon footprint now appear to be bearing fruit," said Mink. Beyond its own CO2 reductions, the packaging sector may also have a broader role to play. "Through the symbols and environmental information it can carry, packaging can help guide consumer and so spread sustainable consumption practices across the European market," she said. Company profile As a world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, Tetra Pak's motto ˜protects what's good"™ reflects the philosophy upon which we conduct our business in order to make food safe and available, everywhere. Operating in more than 165 markets with over 20,000 employees, Tetra Pak believes in responsible industry leadership, creating profitable growth in harmony with good corporate citizenship and a sustainable approach to business. We work closely with our suppliers and customers on preferred processing and packaging solutions to provide convenient, innovative and environmentally sound products to millions of people worldwide.