Gravity Drinks has launched light-up liqueur baubles for the festive period.  Each 5cl bauble is filled with winter berry-flavoured gin liqueur and contains 23 karat gold leaf.  The gin is said to be sweet, with notes of redcurrants, blueberries and cranberries.  Each bauble features a festive "snow globe" scene and can be used as a Christmas tree decoration. A button on the base turns on the light, which will automatically turn off after ten minutes.  The gin liqueur baubles, which come in a set of six, are available from Costco, Harvey Nichols and online.

Ardagh Group has announced that it will acquire African firm Consol Holdings for approximately $1 billion.  Headquartered in Johannesburg, and founded in 1946, Consol is one of the largest producers of glass packaging on the African continent.   The company operates four glass production facilities, serving a range of customers in the beer, wine, spirits, food and non-alcoholic beverage categories.  Under the terms of the transaction, Ardagh will purchase Consol for an equity value of ZAR10.1 billion ($635 million). The deal will also assume Consol's debt of ZAR5.7 billion ($358 million). Consol reported consolidated revenues of ZAR9.0 billion ($566 million) in the year to June 30 2021.  Completion of the purchase is subject to certain conditions, pending regulatory approval, and expected to be finalised in the second quarter of 2022.

Premier Foods-owned Batchelors has expanded its portfolio with the introduction of plant-based pots.  Available in three flavours – Smoky Facon Mac ‘n’ Cheeze, Chick’n Curry and Rice, and Sweet Chilli Chick’n Noodles – the meat-free range caters to the growing demand for plant-based options in the ambient aisle.  Naomi Shooman, brand director for quick meals, snacks and soup at Premier Foods, said: “At a time when plant-based options are currently under-represented in ambient aisles - when compared to chilled and frozen – the new Batchelors range is designed to help fill this white space and help grow the meat-free opportunity for retailers." She added: “Plant-based innovation is key to unlocking sales and attracting new shoppers to the quick meals category, through our Meat-Free Pots we are recreating familiar flavours that people love, but with tasty alternatives to meat. The range is low in fat, containing no artificial preservatives and provide a source of protein. Quick and easy to prepare in just five minutes, the pots themselves are fully recyclable. The products, made to a vegan recipe, are ideal for busy shoppers looking for quick and easy meat-free options, without compromising on great taste.” Batchelors meat-free pots are available in 65g packs, with an MRSP of £1.25.

Arla Foods Ingredients (AFI) has developed a patented method of separating milk into its different protein components.  AFI says the technology, called milk fractionation, will enable the selection of specific pure milk proteins, such as casein and serum whey proteins. The technology will also allow for the creation of next generation dairy products, for applications spanning infant formula and sports nutrition to hospitality and clinical nutrition. Arla's method bypasses the cheese-making processes – previously considered the only way to separate milk's different proteins from whey.  “The method has been several years in development and I’m delighted to see what was once a vision become a commercial reality with the power to completely revolutionise targeted nutrition for vulnerable groups," said Henrik Andersen, CEO of Arla Foods Ingredients. "As science-based innovators we are driven to invent and reinvent our processes to ensure we have the best possible products available and continue to lead the way in whey.” He continued: “Traditional cheese making demands significant quantities of organic milk to produce the volumes of whey we require to meet demand and now we’re not reliant on this we can significantly increase production and, at the same time, offer parents and guardians greater clarity of the provenance of the organic infant milk formula because just a few Arla farms supply the milk to our factory in Videbaek.” The process is currently being used for infant formula at AFI's dairy in Videbaek, Denmark.  Arla expects to launch its first organic private label infant formula using its milk fractionation technology in 2022.

General Mills has announced plans to sell its European dough businesses to Cérélia, a manufacturer of ready-to-bake dough solutions.   The proposed sale would include General Mills' branded and private label dough business in Germany, the UK and Ireland – with its Knack & Back and Jus-Rol brands included in the transaction.  Each of the transactions is expected to close by the end of fiscal 2022, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.  The deal marks another step in General Mills Accelerate strategy, which includes reshaping its portfolio for "sustainable, profitable growth by increasing its focus on advantaged global platforms, which include Mexican food, super-premium ice cream and snack bars".

Cargill has released a new Bright White chocolate solution, which the company says has an "extraordinary white colour".    “Nearly 20% of consumers state that the visual appeal of a product is the key factor influencing their purchase decision,” said Cathrin Simon, Cargill’s marketing manager for chocolate. “This reality gives new meaning to the saying that we ‘eat with our eyes.’” Matthieu Rouvillain, senior R&D manager at Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, added: “Historically, white chocolate actually meant cream-coloured chocolate. Our new Bright White chocolate reimagines what is possible with a whiter-than-white recipe that truly dazzles.” In order to achieve the bright white colour, the Cargill team selected ingredients and used patented, proprietary processes to lighten the colour profile. The team says the chocolate provides a "round, balanced taste with a subtle vanilla flavour, and smooth, indulgent texture". Bright white chocolate has multiple applications, including bakery, cereals, confectionery, dairy, decorations, cereals, among others. It will be available in solid, liquid and easy-melt formats.

PepsiCo has pledged to help 50 million people gain ready access to nutritious food options by 2030 (against a 2020 baseline). The commitment will be achieved through the company's Food for Good food security programme and by expanding its affordable nutrition offerings as part of its PepsiCo Positive (pep+) strategy.  This new goal will take place alongside PepsiCo's Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge, committing $100 million in positive agriculture and food security initiatives by 2030. The Pledge includes training farmers, helping strengthen agricultural production, increasing crop yields and supporting the journey towards a more resilient food supply.  Established in the US, Food for Good is a childhood nutrition partnership with local leaders focused on collaborative, community-centric activities. Through the expansion of this programme, PepsiCo hopes to advance long-term food security for people of all ages.  Investments include: a $1 million grant to World Food Programme (WFP) to develop partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa, focused on improving food security needs of "communities affected by climate change, conflict, natural disasters and humanitarian crises"; and growth of the She Feeds the World project, which aims to ensure "gender equality and economic empowerment" of women in agriculture worldwide (expanding into Colombia, Nigeria, Turkey, Thailand and Vietnam in 2022).  Meanwhile, Quaker is partnering with regional non-governmental organisations CARE and Un Kilo de Ayuda to combat childhood malnutrition through programmes like Quaker Qrece – "a holistic intervention that provides a specialised food product and education in at-risk communities in Guatemala and Mexico". "The world is facing a dire global hunger crisis, which has only been exacerbated by the pandemic," said Jon Banner, executive vice president, PepsiCo global communications, and president of The PepsiCo Foundation. "As a leading global food and beverage company, we have a critical role to play in realising a more equitable global food system to ensure the communities we serve are free from hunger and malnutrition." He continued: "We are proud to leverage our global capabilities in collaboration with local community partners in new ways, but it is just one step in a long journey toward realising zero hunger and ensuring a sustainable future for all".  World Food Programme USA president and CEO, Barron Segar, added: "We are grateful to PepsiCo for their decade-long partnership and steadfast support as we work to defeat global hunger. PepsiCo's critical investments in sustainable agriculture and building the resilience of small-scale farmers are helping us make great progress in addressing the root causes of hunger." You may also like to read:  PepsiCo posts 11.6% net revenue growth in Q3 PepsiCo pledges to be “net water positive” by 2030 PepsiCo vows to cut sugar levels in sodas and launch healthier snacks in EU

Israeli 3D-printed meat alternative company Redefine Meat has launched plant-based lamb and beef whole cuts, which the company says are comparable to high-quality animal meat.  The whole cuts, launched under the company's New-Meat range, will first become available in high-end restaurants in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Isreal.  The meat substitute is made from a mix of "soy and pea protein, chickpeas, beetroot, nutritional yeasts and coconut fat, it mimics flank steak, which is also known as bavette," according to Reuters .  The New-Meat range also includes burgers, sausages, lamb kebabs, and ground beef, which the company claims will allow chefs to achieve "culinary versatility to incorporate plant-based meat into their menus". Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, CEO and co-founder of Redefine Meat, said: “Over the past few weeks at COP26, we’ve seen world leaders commit to landmark goals such as the elimination of all deforestation by 2030, which requires a significant reduction in global meat consumption. Redefine Meat has its eyes set on the real problem – not meat, but the way it’s produced. We have a genuine solution that today, not in 2030, preserves all the culinary aspects of meat we know and love, but eliminates cattle as a means of production. “We’ve achieved a level of superiority in taste and texture that surprised even some of the most recognised chefs in the world, and our unique technological capabilities enable us to replace every part of the cow for the first time. By continuing our close collaboration with the top-tier culinary world, we will accelerate our product rollout in the coming months – beginning with Europe and followed by the US and Asia – and launch within multiple distribution channels next year,” he added.

Blended and snacking cheese brand Ilchester has partnered with Marmite to launch a new product, the Marmite Cheddar Cheese Wedge.  Available in a 180g format, the new product will be available in 224 Waitrose stores across the UK.  "A slice of cheese with a scraping of Marmite on toast; cheese and Marmite sandwiches; toasties; cheese and Marmite muffins… the list of cheese and Marmite combinations is endless, but a cheddar cheese wedge with Marmite has never been done before, and with consumer demand strong for such a product, we thought that now more than ever was the time to create this tasty combination," said Dorota Dziedzic, assistant brand manager for Ilchester.  "With more people still working from home, savoury snack options are as popular as ever and we believe that our new Marmite Cheddar Cheese will hit the right spot with homeworkers, particularly as the cheese toastie was named earlier this year as the most popular snack during lockdown. Also, our Ilchester Marmite Cheese Bites are in the top five of popular adult snacking nets, with an 8.3% growth in sales in the latest 52 weeks. She continued: "When it comes to pairings, our new Marmite Cheddar Wedge will give a modern twist to the traditional cheese muffins, or will work as a new addition to puff pastry pinwheels. It's also perfect grated into dumplings served with braised Beef and Ale, washed down with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. Or even just as a snack sliced off the wedge on its own!"

Barry Callebaut has launched a new dairy-free plant-based chocolate solution, Dairy-Free Compounds.  The new solution joins the company's range of dairy-free chocolates, nuts, cocoa powders and cacao fruit experience ingredients.  Dairy-Free Compounds provides a versatile solution that is 100% plant-based and dairy-free, offering a range of shelf-stable dark compounds suitable for the confection, snack and bakery categories, as well as dark low melt chunks designed for the ice cream market.  The new range includes:  Dark dairy-free EZ melt compound: For molding, enrobing, drizzling, bottoming, panning, and more Dark dairy-free compound chip/chunk: For baked goods Dark dairy-free compound soft chunk: For plant-based or allergen-free ice cream and frozen dairy  Dark dairy-free compound soft shaped chunks: For customised inclusions Dark dairy-free bulk liquid: For large scale molding, enrobing, drizzling, bottoming  “To support the plant-based revolution, we’re thrilled to introduce our latest offering, Dairy-Free Compounds,” said Laura Bergan, director, Barry Callebaut brand. “Recent successful plant-based launches met market demands with a flavour-first mentality, focusing on taste." She added: "At Barry Callebaut, we’ve taken the plant-based opportunity to a new level elevating products on indulgences that happen to be plant-based. We’re excited to see the industry expand product lines and introduce new innovative creations to cater to everyone’s lifestyle choice, across different generations.” You may also like to read:  Barry Callebaut to acquire Belgian-based Europe Chocolate Company Barry Callebaut debuts Van Houten ruby chocolate drinking powder Danone names Barry Callebaut boss Antoine de Saint-Affrique as CEO

Plant-based meat producer Future Farm has secured £42 million in Series C funding, as it looks to enter new product categories and advance its technology. Since launching in Brazil in 2019, Future Farm has rolled out its products internationally and the brand is currently available in 24 countries. Future Farm’s portfolio includes plant-based burgers, sausages, meatballs, mince, ‘chick’n’ and ‘tvna’, and the company says its next move will be into the plant-based drinks and dairy categories. The Series C investment – which was co-led by Rage Capital – will support Future Farm’s plans for rapid growth across Europe and the US. The brand will also use the funds to advance its True Texture Technology, bringing its products closer in look, feel and flavour to their animal-origin counterparts. Future Farm currently creates its plant-based products using 3D extrusion, enzymes and biotechnology. In addition, the funding will support progress towards Future Farm’s goal of 100% sustainable and plant-based packaging. “This investment ignites a new chapter in Future Farm; we are creating a robust 4.0 plant-based platform with meat, milk and dairy,” said Marcos Leta, Future Farm's founding partner and CEO. He adds: “12 innovations are now being developed to make slaughterhouses and dairy products even more obsolete.”

Mondelēz International  has reported a 7.8% rise in third-quarter net revenue, supported by price increases and the performance of its emerging markets business. The owner of Cadbury and Oreo posted net revenue of $7.18 billion, beating analysts’ average estimate of $7.03 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv, cited by Reuters . The rise in net revenue was driven by favourable currency, the impact of the company’s acquisitions of  Hu , Grenade and Gourmet Food , and organic net revenue growth of 5.5% – which in turn reflected volume and price increases. Mondelēz’s emerging markets business – which recorded net revenue increases of 6% and 19.6% in  Q1 and Q2 , respectively – continued to boost the snack giant’s performance in Q3, delivering 12.9% growth in net revenue. In the third quarter, Mondelēz’s Asia, Middle East and Africa business delivered 10.8% growth in net revenue, while the company’s Latin America region witnessed a 23.1% rise. Generating $2.71 billion in sales, Mondelēz’s Europe business recorded a 7.4% year-over-year rise in net revenue, while the company grew its Q3 net revenue by 1.4% in North America. “We delivered strong revenue and earnings growth in the third quarter with broad strength across both developed and emerging markets,” said Mondelēz chairman and CEO, Dirk Van de Put. “Demand for our categories and brands remains vibrant and volume growth is solid as we implement pricing to reflect higher inflation.” Mondelēz now expects organic net revenue growth of approximately 4.5% for the full year, an increase on its previous projection of upwards of 4% growth. The company has also announced it is committing to a 2050 target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its full value chain. Mondelēz says that it will take an end-to-end approach in its efforts to reach the target, encompassing areas including ingredient sourcing, packaging, transportation and manufacturing efficiencies. “We’re transforming how we do business across our operations and with the suppliers and farmers we work with – from seeking to improve cocoa farming practices in West Africa to promoting regenerative agriculture in wheat fields in the Midwest United States,” said Van de Put.