Made with FlowPaper - Flipbook Maker
FEBRUARY 2025 • ISSUE 15 Advancing Air Quality in Food and Beverage Production: Clean Air Solutions Elevating Food Logistics with Modern Containers and Pallets Containers & Pallets Optimising Loading Bay Operations in the Food and Beverage Industry Loading Bays & Doors BUSINESS Microbiology & Testing Microbiology & Testing12 & 13 Feb 2025 | NEC Birmingham packagingbirmingham.com Immerse yourself in discoveries that fuel your packaging innovations Make connections that expand your network Share ideas that shape the future of your brand to attend, scan this QR code & Register Alternatively, Register with this code 1406Contents February 2025 4 News 10 Import & Export 14 Clean Air Solutions 18 Loading Bays & Doors 22 Pallets & Containers 26 Microbiology & Testing 30 Events Editorial: UK & Europe: editorial-ukeurope@foodandbeverage.business North America: editorial-northamerica@foodandbeverage.business Europe & Rest of World: editorial-eurow@foodandbeverage.business Sales: sales@foodandbeverage.business Events: events@roodandbeverage.business Finance & Admin: accounts@foodandbeverage.business Design: studio@foodandbeverage.business Where you see a QR code, it will take you to a longer version of that printed piece. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisherAs grocery retail evolves, intralogistics automation has become essential to meet consumer demands for convenience, freshness and sustainability. “Automation is not just a trend – it’s an evolution,” says Kai Tuomisaari, VP Corporate Sales at Cimcorp. Automation enables retailers to enhance speed, efficiency and reliability while achieving strategic goals like productivity and a more sustainable supply chain. Today’s consumers prioritise fresh, high-quality food and transparency about its origins. Automation supports these expectations by ensuring precise tracking and seamless delivery. Additionally, data and AI are transforming the industry, allowing retailers to adapt to localised trends, optimise inventory and reduce waste. By predicting consumer behaviour, retailers can stay ahead of demand. Sustainability has become a core business imperative, with automation playing a crucial role in reducing waste, conserving resources and minimising carbon footprint. “Automation aligns us with nature’s efficiency,” Tuomisaari explains, highlighting its role in supporting eco-friendly operations. The grocery retail sector stands at the crossroads of progress and sustainability. Automation and technology are redefining the industry, enabling retailers to balance consumer expectations with environmental stewardship. Explore how automation is shaping the future of grocery retail: www.cimcorp.com. The Future of Grocery Retail Demands Logistics Automation NEWS Eco Fit Lid Provides a Sustainable Drinking Solution Seda International has launched the innovative EcoFit Lid, designed to completely replace traditional plastic lids with a leak- and spill-resistant solution suitable for both hot and cold beverages. Seda emphasizes that an audible snap confirms the secure engagement of the lid with the cup rim, ensuring a tight fit that enhances safety during both in-store use and delivery. Engineered in line with Seda’s eco-design principles, the EcoFit Lid offers both flat and domed options. Each version presents a choice of triangular or oval sip holes, along with either a C-cut, cross-cut, or Push & Lift action. FOODANDBEVERAGE.BUSINESS • 4 DS Smith Creates E-commerce Packaging for Bfresh Spitiko Juice Brand Bfresh Spitiko currently offers three sets of juice products packaged in glass bottles, emphasizing quality and sustainability in the food and drink industry. In a strategic collaboration with DS Smith, Bfresh Spitiko has successfully transitioned from traditional wooden trays to innovative materials, such as polystyrene foam or air cushions. This change enhances the protection of their glass bottles during transportation while prioritizing eco-friendliness. The newly developed packaging features fiber-based corrugated cardboard, which not only boasts a robust and compact design but also presents a luxurious look and feel. This advancement aligns perfectly with the growing consumer demand for sustainable packaging solutions in the food and drink sector. Additionally, the corrugated cardboard casing incorporates a QR code that directs consumers to Bfresh Spitiko’s e-commerce platforms, seamlessly integrating modern marketing strategies with sustainable packaging.Food and Beverage Business, the leading B2B platform serving the food and beverage industry with timely insights, trends, and invaluable resources. Adding to the magazine we have monthly traffic of over 170,000+ visitors (Google GA4 verified) and a subscribed newsletter that reaches more than 14,000+ dedicated professionals, we offer a unique avenue for brand exposure within the industry. foodandbeverage.business Expand your marketing reach BUSINESS Expand your marketing reachNEWS Eco Flexibles has achieved Grade AA certification in the British Retail Consortium (BRC) Global Food Safety Standard audit. This accomplishment emphasizes the company’s unwavering commitment to quality, safety, and operational excellence in the realm of food and drink packaging. The BRC certification is globally acknowledged as the benchmark for food safety, enhancing Eco Flexibles’ role as a comprehensive partner in the food packaging supply chain. This milestone is especially significant given the rigorous certification process, which evaluates over 300 operational parameters, including hygiene protocols, quality control measures, safety standards, and production efficiency. This achievement aligns with the company’s growth trajectory, as Eco Flexibles has recently expanded its state-of-the-art production facility and augmented its capabilities with the acquisition of dual Fujifilm Jet Press FP790 digital presses and Karlville Swiss pouching machines. Notably, this food safety certification complements Eco Flexibles’ existing BRC packaging certifications, where the company has successfully maintained Grade AA status for the past three years. Eco Flexibles Achieves Prestigious BRC Food Safety Grade AA Certification Arla Foods Phases Out Jörd Oat Milk Brand in the UK Danish dairy major Arla Foods has officially confirmed the removal of its Jörd alt-milk brand from UK retail shelves. Arla launched Jörd in 2020, marking its entry into the plant-based milk market. This move sparked controversy, particularly as the cooperative, owned by dairy farmers, had executives publicly opposing plant- based alternatives to dairy products. While the company has refrained from elaborating on its reasoning, there will likely be questions surrounding Jörd’s performance in an intensely competitive sector. The Jörd range has reportedly been removed from UK supermarket chains, including Tesco, Asda, and Sainsbury’s. In a concise statement to Just Food, an Arla Foods spokesperson stated: “As a cooperative, we are constantly looking for ways to drive the greatest value for our farmer owners. We have made the decision to make a strategic shift and refocus the Arla Jörd product range for the foodservice channel. This means that we will no longer offer Arla Jörd as a retail product in the UK.” However, the barista variant of the product will still be accessible through the foodservice sector in the UK, albeit under a different brand name, as confirmed by the spokesperson. The Jörd brand will maintain its retail and foodservice presence in Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands, including its barista offering. Princes Secures Above- Inflation Pay Agreement with GMB Princes, a leading global food producer, has announced a significant development in its labor relations. The company has successfully reached a mutual pay agreement with the GMB Union, resulting in a 3% pay increase for its members across various sites in the UK. This agreement marks a resolution after months of intense negotiations. Princes emphasizes that this step reflects its “ongoing commitment to providing fair and reasonable remuneration for its employees, despite the challenging economic conditions currently prevailing in the UK and Europe.” By investing in its workforce, Princes aims to navigate the current economic landscape while maintaining employee satisfaction. FOODANDBEVERAGE.BUSINESS • 6NEWS Molson Coors Beverage Company Renews Partnership with DHL Tradeteam Molson Coors Beverage Company, renowned for its popular brands such as Carling, Coors, and Rekorderlig, has extended its distribution contract with DHL’s Tradeteam for an impressive additional 10 years. DHL’s Tradeteam operates as a specialist drinks logistics division, delivering both local and national beverage logistics solutions tailored for the on-trade and off-trade sectors. Under the new agreement, DHL’s Tradeteam will continue managing Molson Coors’ secondary distribution services, ensuring prompt deliveries to thousands of hospitality venues across the UK. Tradeteam is committed to enhancing customer service while maximizing operational efficiencies that involve stock management, warehousing, and transportation logistics. The partnership aligns with Molson Coors’ growth and sustainability objectives, focusing on the implementation of alternative fuels aimed at minimizing carbon emissions, along with optimizing the logistics network to accommodate increased delivery volumes. Mosa Meat Files Application with the EU Mosa Meat, a Dutch cultivated meat company, has officially submitted an application to the European Commission seeking regulatory approval for its innovative cultivated beef fat product. The EU’s stringent novel food framework is widely regarded as the gold standard in food and drink regulations. Over a span of two years, a dedicated team of ten Mosa Meat employees compiled a comprehensive dossier, which includes nearly 1,000 pages and required the processing of 450 samples. This substantial effort demonstrates the company’s commitment to adhering to food manufacturing trends that prioritize quality and safety. This submission follows the move by the French company Gourmey, which was the first to seek regulatory approval in the EU for its cultivated foie gras product. Nevertheless, Mosa Meat emphasizes that theirs is the first application for cultivated beef, a significant milestone in the evolving landscape of food and drink industry innovation. Tetra Pak proudly presents the Homogeniser 15C and the Homogeniser 20C as the latest innovations in its homogeniser portfolio. These state-of- the-art machines offer manufacturers seeking efficient and flexible solutions the performance they need without compromising quality. Traditionally, the homogenisation process required two separate devices, known as “first-stage” and “second- Tetra Pak Expands Homogenizer Line, Delivering Up to 25% Energy Savings FOODANDBEVERAGE.BUSINESS • 7 stage” homogenisers. However, Tetra Pak’s experts have reimagined this process by integrating both functionalities into a single, compact unit—the HD21 homogenisation device. This innovative machine allows for required homogenisation processes and pressure adjustments with just one simple pressure setting. Remarkably, the HD21 device achieves an energy reduction of up to 25% compared to conventional homogenisation systems.Tate & Lyle to Secure $588 Million via Debt Offering Tate & Lyle have announced its plans to make notes valued at $300 million and €275 million (approximately £288 million) available in the private placement market. The proceeds from this debt offering will partially refinance the bridge facility that Tate & Lyle utilized to complete its acquisition of CP Kelco in November 2024. The transaction is expected to finalize on 12 March 2025, with the following notes to be issued: $85 million in 5.56% notes due 2030, $65 million in floating-rate notes due 2030, $40 million in floating-rate notes due 2032, $110 million in 5.84% notes due 2033, €140 million in 4.03% notes due 2035, and €135 million in 4.13% notes due 2037. Sarah Kuijlaars, the Chief Financial Officer at Tate & Lyle, stated that the offering has garnered strong investor support and is “significantly oversubscribed.” “The notes will enable us to refinance the bridge facility we used to part-finance the acquisition of CP Kelco, which represented an exciting step in the acceleration of our strategy to be a leading speciality food and beverage solutions business,” Kuijlaars added. Wakefield Council has received plans for the installation of four Nitrous Oxide tanks, along with a Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) containerised generation plant, at the existing facility located on Kenmore Road. This initiative aims to modernize the existing infrastructure in the food manufacturing sector. The new tanks will differ in height, ranging from 3.7 to 7.4 meters. Meanwhile, the containerised generation plant will cover an impressive footprint, measuring 50.4 meters in length, 37 meters in width, and standing at a height of 35.6 meters. Additionally, a pipe gantry will be introduced to support the pipework over the site circulation road, maintaining a clearance of 5.4 meters to the underside. In a statement accompanying the planning application, CCEP emphasized: “As part of the manufacturing process, CCEP use Nitrogen which is delivered by tankers to the site from external CCEP Files Proposal for Nitrogen Generation Facility NEWS FOODANDBEVERAGE.BUSINESS • 8 FiberWise Provides an Eco-Friendly Alternative to Traditional Rigid Plastic Trays FiberWise is set to lead the sustainable packaging revolution with its innovative fibre-based trays, providing an eco-friendly alternative to conventional rigid plastic trays commonly used in the food and beverage packaging industry. This pioneering solution offers multiple benefits, making it the preferred choice for environmentally conscious producers of fresh meat and convenience foods alike. FiberWise will make its debut at Empack in Birmingham. With over a century of experience in rough moulded fibre technology, FiberWise delivers fresh food trays that minimize environmental impact without sacrificing the effectiveness of existing tray sealing packaging systems. suppliers. The proposed Nitrogen generation plant will reduce the number of deliveries, with obvious environmental and cost benefits.” “The proposed plant will incorporate sophisticated systems for the detection and warning of Nitrogen leaks.” In November, CCEP announced a substantial investment of £42.3 million into a new automated storage retrieval system warehouse at its Wakefield site, further demonstrating its commitment to innovation in food manufacturing.For over three decades, Gulfood has driven global food commerce — fueling innovation, collaboration, and the future of food. In 2025, it becomes the epicentre of a transforming food landscape. Be where the next era of food begins. Register today atgulfood.com # GULFOOD EDITION 17-21 FEB 2025 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRENext >