Oct-Dec 2020 edition of Food Business Gulf & ME

ISSN 1755-0 939

OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2020

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LESAFFRE GULF FZE OPENS A NEW BAKING FACILITY

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REDUCE ADDED SUGAR IN FERMENTED DAIRY PRODUCTS, NATURALLY

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HPP, THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY FOR THE INDUSTRY OF THE FUTURE

Eat better, live well.

Power up with functional ingredients.

Future wellbeing has become the common goal for consumers worldwide. Nutrition is the starting point in our journey towards the good life, even more so, it is an essential part of it.

Strong mental and physical health are the first line of defence and safety net to face new and everyday challenges. Formulate food and drinks that power consumers’ lives without compromising taste or health. Functional ingredients, like prebiotic fibre and slow-release carbohydrates, set them on their way to a fulfilled and healthy life.

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Contents Managing Editor Matt Matthews Associate Editors Jessie Jorge Megha Mary Matt Graphic Designer Aleena Susan John

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NEWS

PAGE 04

BAKERY

PAGE 26

PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY PAGE 30 PRODUCT RECOVERY

PAGE 34

PRESERVATIVES

PAGE 35

SUGAR REDUCTION

PAGE 36

INGREDIENTS

PAGE 38

FOOD COLORS

PAGE 40

US Office Matt Media (USA) LLC 1713 E. Morgan Court Gilbert, Arizona 85295

NUTS

PAGE 41

PROCESSING

PAGE 42

Middle East Office Al Saad Advertising & Publishing LLC P.O. Box 25694, Sharjah, UAE Tel: +971 656 39494 gulfag@emirates.net.ae

PRESSURE SENSORS

PAGE 44

BEVERAGES

PAGE 46

FRUITS

PAGE 47

KNIVES

PAGE 48

Contributors Neville J. Chandler P.K. James Shakeeb Kolakadan Registered Office Matt Media International Ltd. 12 Gateway Mews London N11 2UT, UK info@foodbusinessgulf.com www.foodbusinessgulf.com

Food Business Gulf & Middle East is designed to serve the fast growing Food, Fresh Produce, Ingredients, Bakery, Hotel, Hypermarkets, Restaurants & Catering industries in the Gulf and Middle East region by providing the expert information to our readers in our four comprehensive issues in a year. It is circulated throughout Middle East region and worldwide in addition to the extra distribution at various food, catering & hotel events, fresh and perishable shows. The magazine provides editorial coverage on a wide range of topics which are of interest to industry professionals.

Printed & published by Matt Media© Intl. Ltd. (U.K.) 2020

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Cover Photo Courtesy: Riverside Foods, USA

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BRAZILIAN FOODTECH COMPANY, FUTURE FARM, ENTERS THE UAE MARKET WITH PLANT-BASED MEAT PRODUCTS Introducing Future Farm, - a Brazilian FoodTech company offering plant-based meat products, now available in the UAE. Positioning themselves as a more sustainable, healthy and tasty alternative for consumers who want to live a conscious lifestyle, in just two months, Future Farm have not only gained more than 10% of the ‘vegan meat’ market share of a major retailer, but also solidified themselves as a strong competitor in the market.

First launched in Brazil in April 2019, the startup has already sold over five million burgers worldwide, including Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, within their first year of business.

With four products available, their current rate of growth is setting up Future Farm to be a global leader in the plant-based foods sector.

The FoodTech company’s latest $21.5million investment will allow them to accelerate their expansion into other markets including the USA,

Europe and Asia.

Future Farm create their products to appeal to the mass market. The plant-based food industry has achieved 29% growth in the past two years alone, when pairing this with the decline of conventional meat consumption, there is space for a new player in the market. Having already gained remarkable interest in Brazil – the world’s largest meat exporter, Future Farm are confident that they can achieve their aim in encouraging UAE consumers to live a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly lifestyle through their everyday food choices.

Their products come in four different varieties: burgers, mincemeat, meatballs and their new sausages. Made from GMO-free and gluten free soy, beetroot, chickpeas and other plant ingredients and with 11% less calories than the current global leaders. Their products are revolutionary with meaty and smoky flavours to give the mouthwatering taste that is often hard to find in plant-based foods.

Future Farm are not only targeting plantbased eaters, but cater to those who are seeking

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alternative food options with less fat, few calories, people who are trying to eat less meat, flexitarians, and more.

Now available in Carrefour hypermarkets across the UAE, as well as Choithrams and online retailers such as Instashop, and ShopKitopi and Organic & Real customers will see Future Farm’s competitively priced products in eye-catching packaging.

MARS GCC AND NOTIONS GROUP HAVE PROUDLY EMBARKED ON A NEW VENTURE TOGETHER The launch of Galaxy® Dates was made possible by combining the expertise and technology of Chocodate®, developed and introduced by Mr. Fawaz Al Masri in 1992, and Galaxy® signature chocolate.

Mars is continuously exploring ways to improve the nutrition of their products without compromising quality and taste. This new innovation not only builds on Mars’ efforts to offer

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alternative choices but also builds on the legacy of the Notions Group Chocodate® which will help further grow the Chocolate Date category.

Like Mars, the Notions Group is a family owned business based in the UAE. Working on similar ethics, principles and values this collaboration between the Notions Group and Mars creates a strong foundation to build a long term mutual partnership. This, in turn, will enable more innovations to address alternative wholesome products for the Middle East Markets.

Fawaz Al Masri, Founder & CEO of Notions Group, commented “I am flattered & excited to be entering into this association with MARS Inc. I’ve always been inspired by MARS and regarded it as a role model being a family owned company like our own, sharing how we both combine creativity, business ethics, and family values thus enjoying global leadership in our categories. Al Masri added, I feel proud and fulfilled that with Chocodate® having served consumers for 28 years around the world, MARS

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Castle Dairy® offers a wide range of dairy powder and powdered dairy blends for the following industries: Bakery, Ice-Cream, Cheese, Chocolate, Beverage, Convenience, Sports Nutrition, Yogurt, Vending, Sauce and Meat.

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decision to have us produce Galaxy® Dates comes as a testament to the uniqueness of the product.”

Karim Chabara, General Manager of Mars GCC added: “The launch of Galaxy® Dates into the GCC is an exciting milestone into the Health & Wellness category. We are proud of partnering with Mr. Al Masri and the Notions Group to make this possible. The collaboration and innovation as well as our shared vision of what is possible sets a strong foundation for future platforms.”

ALJAIED EXPANDS ITS PORTFOLIO WITH SIG’S FILLING AND PACKAGING SOLUTIONS Aljaied for Food Industries, a Libyan national company and a joint-venture with CO-RO, the leading provider of fruit-based soft drinks and

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

more, has expanded its product portfolio with the addition of evaporated milk. The company has opted for SIG’s filling technology and recloseable combifitSmall carton packs – a market innovation in the Libyan market. The carton packs will be offered in three different volumes: 180ml, 200ml and 330ml and will be fitted with SIG’s recloseable combiSmart closure.

Hussein Issa, CEO at Aljaied for Food Industries, said: “In order to achieve the highest standards of excellence and to meet consumers’ needs for daily food commodities, our aim is to establish local factories to supply the Libyan market with international competitive products.

This launch is the first to come from our partnership with SIG Combibloc Obeikan and we will add additional products to our portfolio as this collaboration expands. We are confident that evaporated milk in recloseable carton packs will offer our consumers a recognized added value. The carton pack is very easy to open and conveniently recloseable, differentiating it from the current products on the shelves.”

Abdelghany Eladib, Chief Operating Officer at SIG Combibloc Obeikan, one of the world’s leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging and filling machines for food and beverages, said: “Evaporated milk in carton packs with closures is an innovation for the Libyan market. Previously, evaporated milk was mainly available in metal cans. Products which consumers have traditionally bought in standard metal cans will now be offered in carton packs with a closure. It is principally the quality aspects, such as the gentle treatment of the milk using the aseptic UHT process and the superior flavour resulting from it, the convenient handling and ease of transport, that make the aseptic carton pack more than just an alternative to cans. With the closure Libya is following the trend in other markets. The milk can be neatly poured and conveniently portioned out directly from the carton pack.

After use, the carton pack can be reclosed, so the product remains protected for re-use. This is extremely convenient for consumers. We are very proud that we have marked the beginning of our partnership with Aljaied with such innovation. This is the first step to a long-term collaboration and we are looking forward to grow this partnership.”

The closure is applied to the closed and

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sealed carton pack by an applicator after the aseptic filling process has taken place. There is no need for pre-perforation of the cardboard – the cutting ring in the flange slices through the coated cardboard cleanly and effortlessly with a single twist.

ROYAL BAKERS REVEALS NEW PACKAGING FOR ITS RANGE OF BAKED GOODS Royal Bakers, the bakery brand from UAE-based National Food Products Company (NFPC), has revealed a complete overhaul of its logo and packaging in a move to refresh its presence in the market and increase appeal among the modern and savvy consumers of today, including existing loyal customers.

Featuring the slogan “Baked with Honesty, Packed with Love”, the redesign is a move to elevate Royal Bakers market presence and its appeal to appear as good as its quality standards.

The initial look was introduced with the brand’s inception in 2012, featured a largely blue palette. It has now evolved to a more minimalistic layout. The Royal Bakers logo has now left behind its traditional blue for a striking combination of white and golden-brown, aligning the brand with its current consumer preferences.

The redesign has been implemented across all Royal Bakers products which include a wide array of baked goods: Sliced Breads, Arabic Bread, Buns, Rolls, Croissants, Cupcakes and Sliced cakes.

Group CEO of NFPC, Iqbal Hamzah said: “At NFPC, it will always be our commitment to provide consumers with food products that reflect their mindset in terms of dietary and lifestyle needs. All our Royal Bakers products are freshly baked within the UAE, they contain 100% quality ingredients, and have zero trans-fats – a healthy addition to any meal.

“Moreover, the updated packaging also speaks of our consumer mindset and their preferences towards more modern aesthetics and transparent brand values. Royal Bakers’ proud values: ‘Baked With Honesty, Packed With Love’,” he added.

Royal Bakers is widely distributed across all Emirates. The brand’s plethora of products are available across leading groceries and supermarkets.

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WELCOME TO ISM – THE WORLD‘S LARGEST TRADE FAIR FOR SWEETS AND SNACKS

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EVERY CUP OF NESPRESSO COFFEE WILL BE CARBON NEUTRAL BY THE END OF 2022 Nespresso commits that every cup of Nespresso coffee, both for at-home and for professional customers, will be carbon neutral by the end of 2022. This new ambition builds on more than 10 years of work during which Nespresso has reduced its carbon emissions and compensated the remainder through agroforestry.

“There is no doubt that we are in a climate crisis. And our future depends on all of us doing our bit. Sustainability at Nespresso is far more than a desire to act responsibly, it sits at the core of our business. That is why we are accelerating our sustainability commitments to offer our consumers a way to drink a carbon neutral cup of coffee by 2022. A coffee, made from the finest and rarest beans, sustainably sourced. I truly believe that both our business and the coffee industry can be a force for good in the world and I hope that our commitment will encourage

others to follow,” said Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso.

Having already achieved carbon neutrality in its business operations since 2017, the company’s new commitment will now tackle emissions that occur in its supply chain and product life cycle.

Nespresso will achieve carbon neutrality through reduction of carbon emissions, planting trees in and around coffee farms where Nespresso source its coffee (insetting) and support and invest in high quality offsetting projects.

SALIC INCREASES ITS STAKE IN THE BRAZILIAN MEAT COMPANY, MINERVA FOODS, TO 33.83% The Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company, SALIC, fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, announced the increase of its stake in the Brazilian Meat Company, Minerva Foods, from 25.5% to 33.83%.

This move highlights SALIC’s eagerness to meet the objectives set by the Kingdom’s food

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security program.

The Saudi-based Company issued a statement saying, “Minerva Foods is one of the largest meat production companies in South America and the second-largest exporter in Brazil as it produces more than one million tons of meat annually.

Minerva Foods mainly serves the demands of foreign markets and during this year, it has already exported 750,000 tons of red meat to more than 100 countries around the globe.”

SALIC added, “SALIC’s partner, VDQ Holdings supports this investment and sees it as a sign of further support to the growth of Minerva Foods”.

SALIC further mentioned, “the Brazilian company, Minerva Foods, founded in 1992, operates 25 slaughterhouses and three processing plants in South America with revenues amounting to 19 Billion Brazilian Reals during the last 12 months ending on June 30th, 2020.”

The Brazilian company has been a public jointstock company since 2007 and is listed on the Brazilian stock market.

It is worth noting that the Kingdom consumes 550,000 tons annually of red meat, of which 70% is imported.

Since its inception in 2012, SALIC has been operating in the agricultural and livestock investment sector and working in countries that have comparative advantages, enabling it to meet the objectives set by the food security program through foreign investments, the provision of food products, and working with relevant government agencies to stabilize food commodity prices in the Kingdom. SALIC’s strategic goal is to secure imports for a specific group of basic food commodities for the Kingdom.

UNITED FOODS COMPANY TO ENHANCE SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS WITH 2-MEGAWATT SOLAR POWER PLANT United Foods Company (PJSC), a UAE based market leader in the food industry, has awarded a new large scale solar power project to Yellow

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Door Energy, a UAE-based sustainable energy provider for businesses. The contract covers the establishment of a cutting-edge rooftop solar power plant to supply power for United Foods Edible Oil and Fats factory in Jebel Ali Industrial Area in Dubai, UAE. The project marks an important milestone in United Foods sustainability strategy, which aims to ultimately reduce carbon emissions by 1400 tonnes. To achieve this goal, the 2,000 kilowattpeak rooftop solar plant is expected to generate 3.3 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy in its first year of operation. The plant, which will cover the entire area of the factory’s roof in Jebel Ali, will include over 4,400 solar panels, and will provide almost half of the factory’s energy consumption needs.

Commenting on this project, Fethi Khiari, CEO of United Foods, said: “The Solar Agreement is a true milestone in achieving our sustainability goals, in line with the UAE sustainability strategies. We are committed to building a better future for the next generations, by investing in sustainability and leading the way into an environmentally-conscious future.”

Rory McCarthy, Chief Commercial Officer of Yellow Door Energy, said: “We are proud to support United Foods’ sustainability leadership through the development of this solar plant.

We encourage businesses in the Jebel Ali Industrial Area to consider solar as a viable option to reduce electricity costs and switch to clean energy. Yellow Door Energy is honored to contribute to DEWA’s Shams Dubai Program and the UAE Energy Strategy 2050.”

United Foods has selected Yellow Door Energy to be responsible for investing in, designing, building, commissioning, operating, and maintaining the solar plant for the duration of the solar agreement. The selection came after careful consideration of experience and footprint in the region, and comes in line with United Foods’ quality guidelines and goals to reduce energy costs, while maintaining focus on their core business and enjoying the benefits of clean energy.

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XIX International Trade Fair for Savoury Snacks & Nuts

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KERRY TO REACH OVER TWO BILLION PEOPLE WITH SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION SOLUTIONS BY 2030 Kerry Group, the world’s leading taste and nutrition company, has announced that it aims to reach over two billion people every day

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with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030.

Kerry will achieve this by further enhancing and expanding its solutions portfolio across the nutrition spectrum. This goal was announced as part of the Group’s new sustainability strategy, Beyond the Horizon, along with a new brand identity which reflects Kerry’s evolution as it meets the changing needs of both customers and consumers. This is central to Kerry’s growth strategy as it continues to partner with its customers across the globe to create a world of sustainable nutrition.

Consumers want food and beverages that are healthier and taste great while respecting the planet. Kerry is at the forefront in anticipating and leading the industry’s response to this complex challenge through its consumer insights, world-class innovation, application expertise and a long history of creating taste and nutrition

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solutions in a sustainable way. The Group has developed a framework to track its progress towards achieving its goal of reaching two billion people with sustainable nutrition solutions which assesses its entire portfolio against a range of nutritional criteria. Through the Group’s sustainability strategy, Beyond the Horizon, Kerry will enhance and expand its solutions to create better food and beverages with its customers and industry partners.

Commenting on this announcement, Edmond Scanlon, Chief Executive Officer of Kerry Group, said: “The food industry plays a crucial role in society and has long recognised the need to transform to meet conflicting challenges such as obesity, malnutrition and food waste, all while facing a growing pressure on resources.

Supplying the right nutrition, in the right quantities, in the right way, is how we will collectively solve this challenge.”

“Kerry’s vision is to become our customers’ most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. This vision is underpinned by our industry-leading capabilities and global scale which is leading to significant opportunities across the globe. In recent times we have seen a step change in customer innovation and we will continue to play a leading role in responding to the global nutritional and environmental challenges and changing consumer demand by co-creating with our customers right across the nutrition spectrum over the coming decade.

Beyond the Horizon, our 2030 sustainability strategy, will help consumers eat better, improve our local communities and reduce the environmental impact, while also meeting both Kerry’s and our customers’ goals.”

TALABAT ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF OPERATIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ

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talabat, the region’s leading food and grocery delivery app, has announced the expansion of its services into the Republic of Iraq. The app, which operates in eight markets throughout the MENA region, will initially launch operations in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan in early 2021, before expanding into Federal Iraq in 2021.

Embarking on its new journey to serve local foodies, talabat brings along a unique blend of global know-how with a Middle Eastern persona.

Founded in Kuwait in 2004, talabat continues to revolutionise the food delivery ecosystem in

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the eight markets in which it operates, and has now set its sights on transforming food delivery in Iraq, helping restaurant partners grow through, while at the same time allowing customers to enjoy unparalleled affordability, variety and speed of delivery.

Tomaso Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer at talabat, says that the organisation is excited to be expanding into Iraq, a country with a rich culinary heritage and strategic importance in the region.

‘Iraq is a country with a definite love of food, which is why we cannot wait to enter the market.

We’re excited to enable that rich culinary heritage to be shared to the broader community by further developing the online delivery experience for customers, and partnering with local restaurants to fuel their growth through our platform, as well as creating employment opportunities for local talent across our operations.

‘The Iraqi market has massive potential and

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

talabat can help unlock that potential to get the country back on its feet after many years of turmoil when it comes to technology and digitisation of SMEs in the restaurant community.’

As the leading platform in the GCC, Egypt and Jordan, and with millions of active customers across the region, talabat is looking forward to redefining the way that Iraqi’s experience the love of food.

Iraqi customers will be able to download the talabat app on the IOS Appstore or Google Play from December onwards.

LEAN RESTAURANT CONCLUDES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH STC STC, one of the major leading telecom companies in the region and the Middle East, announced a new significant strategic partnership in the region, with Lean Restaurant, which provides the smartest next-generation management system, where STC became a strategic partner and certified reseller of Lean

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Restaurant system to its clients of restaurant’s owners and to potential customers.

Entering into this partnership, STC is headed toward a new phase of its business sector operations to encompass the restaurant’s market and invest in restaurant management solutions and systems by choosing the latest smartest restaurant management technology.

Lean Restaurant Operations Technology (ROT) manages every single operation within the restaurant with minimal human involvement.

Further, Lean Restaurant offers payment by installments on subscription plans and purchased devices to its clients.

“We strive to provide the latest solutions, services, and digital platforms with international standards to provide the best service to our current and potential customers.” Said Mr. Mashari Alhamd, STC’s Sales General Manager.

In addition, Mohammed Abu Radwan, Lean Restaurant’s CEO said: “After succeeding in being Samsung’s technology partner, STC-Lean partnership would be a powerful combination.

This partnership aimed at enhancing our company’s position in cooperation with reliable strategic partners in the region. As our partners will be focusing on sales services while Lean Restaurant team will focus on developing its solutions and systems to provide the best service to the restaurants.”

This partnership is a new step to take toward success in enabling digital transformation in restaurants and allowing our customers to bring more success to their restaurant business. Lean Restaurant is meant to let its customers take care of their customers’ experience while its technology manages all operations at discounted costs.

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BUNGE LODERS CROKLAAN ANNOUNCES THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF ITS FIRST SHEA BUTTER PROCESSING PLANT IN GHANA Bunge Loders Croklaan (BLC), the specialty oils and fats business of Bunge Limited (NYSE:BG), officially announces the opening of its state-ofthe-art shea butter processing facility in Tema, Ghana with the launch of the Where Life Grows campaign that celebrates the company’s efforts to build a resilient and sustainable shea supply chain in Africa.

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role in strengthening BLC’s global infrastructure for processing and supplying high-quality shea products to our customers around the world, while also bolstering the entire ecosystem of regional crushers and local shea collectors in the West African region,” said Aaron Buettner, President BLC. “The facility allows us to meaningfully support and empower the local shea communities through the transfer of knowledge of value adding processes and by investing in local skills development. We are proud to join forces with local communities to help build and advance the African shea industry together.”

Operational since 2019, the facility is BLC’s first shea processing plant in Africa and the largest of its kind on the continent. “The facility is a fully automated solvent fractionation plant that processes raw shea butter made from locally collected and crushed shea nuts,” said Antoine Turpin, General Manager West Africa at BLC. “Currently, the facility provides employment to 73 people from mostly the local community.

Its strategic location not only allows for a more efficient production process, it also delivers on BLC’s commitment to building a more

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

sustainable supply chain for shea.”

The campaign, a tribute to the long-standing shea legacy in the region, is designed to celebrate BLC’s ongoing commitments and efforts within its shea sustainability program.

The program was set up three years ago with the objective to empower shea collecting women, create socio-economic value in their communities, and conserve and regenerate the shea landscape in the region. Shea, also recognized fondly by the locals as the tree of life, has become a vital ingredient in both food and non-food products, driving up demand for shea butter with a CAGR of 6.27% by value and 7.9% by volume until 2024. 16 million women in Africa living in rural communities and their families depend on the shea industry to financially support their households and contribute to their communities.

MANE UNVEILS ITS BRAND-NEW RANGE OF ORGANIC COMPLIANT MARINADES MANE is launching a new range of organic marinades that are compatible with the new EU

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organic regulation 2018/848.

Within the meat segment, organic products have a growing market positioning in Europe.

Between 2015 and 2019, launches of organic meat products increased on average by 6% per year. Over the same period, launches in the overall meat segment only increased by 1% on average per year. In France, Germany and the United Kingdom, MANE found that organic meat appeals to at least 70% of consumers. In France, meat is also the organic product with the highest growth potential. Organic compliant marinades are therefore a key product for the company to be able to surf the organic wave and gain competitive advantage.

“The organic meat market is becoming more and more mature. Consumers that are now used to buying organic meat products are now searching for diversity in the organic meat section, and that is where our organic compliant marinades can play their part, bringing vivid colour, an attractive visual aspect and amazing flavour to any organic meat cut”, commented Fanny Dézert– Business Development Manager in EMEA at MANE. MANE’s flavourists have decided to use only organic-certified ingredients to give flavour to its organic compliant marinades in order to already be in line with the EU organic regulation 2018/848. “We are building this range little by little and want to offer organic compliant marinades to our European customers that will not require re-formulation. We are also putting in place various processes in order to be able to integrate more organic materials in our marinades’ formulas, keeping in mind the end consumer’s need for great flavour”, stated Olivier Katona– Head of MANE’s Meat Centre of Excellence in Noisiel.

MANE’s organic compliant marinades are being formulated using the company’s integrated sourcing capabilities to guarantee the best quality materials, full traceability for each component of the marinade, suitability with the upcoming EU regulation and extraordinary ingredients. With its renowned flavour capabilities, MANE is creating an everexpanding range of exclusive marinades in a variety of classic and ethnic flavours that are available in dry format. The marinades are then blended and certified organic in MANE’s organic-certified production plant located in

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France in Sablé-sur-Sarthe.

These are the reasons why MANE’s organic compliant marinades are so unique and provide a unique taste experience, and why re-formulations can already start within the company.

ALFA FORNI LAUNCHES THE STONE OVEN, THE WOOD AND GAS-FIRED OVEN The Stone Oven was born from a new Alfa Forni concept to meet the needs of a sector that is showing the highest growth rate in the postCovid 19 era. The outdoor kitchen market expands its offer with a freshly designed new product featuring a pretty stainless-steel front arch. This touch of style gives elegance to a sturdy and powerful oven, folded and polished by hand by Alfa’s craftsmen.

These subtle finishes are combined with topnotch performances: the Stone oven is not just design but it’s a first-rate hybrid oven running

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on firewood or gas which bakes every kind of food, from pizza to meat, passing through veg and desserts. The large glass door allows you to check the food while it’s cooking without opening, a new feature for this type of product.

The Stone oven exploits the ForninoxTM patented technology which made Alfa’s products famous; the oven floor is made of in-house refractory materials, while the stainless-steel 441 cooking chamber, resistant and elastic at the same time, ensures superior thermal performances. The innovative smoke-flow system reduces the fuel consumption and the pesky smoke emissions and the dome, powder-coated in 7 layers, better stands bad weather. The Stone Oven is definitely the great piece of furniture for your outdoor kitchen, ready to use in just 30 minutes and powerful enough to feed a crowd!

“The market is evolving at an unprecedented speed and our products must keep up by providing increasingly innovative solutions. The Stone Oven aims to revitalise the outdoor kitchen

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business by combining great performances, elegance and ease of use”, says Giulia Lauro, Product and Marketing Manager.

OPAALA’S SMART SERVICE PLATFORM REVEALS SUCCESS WITH REVENUE SPIKES AT PARTNER F&B OUTLETS AND RAPID EXPANSION Hospitality-tech startup, Opaala, is currently making waves in the industry as it proves to be the answer to the challenges hotels and food & beverage venues currently face by significantly boosting their revenue. The innovative, smart service system has come in as a solution to help the hospitality industry improve efficiency and guest experience. With its advanced platform which has been integrated into multiple venues across the UAE, and internationally, Opaala also perfectly suited to tackle the pitfalls the hospitality

industry pitfalls following the COVID-19 outbreak, providing a contactless experience that both guests and staff appreciate while helping venues grow their sales. Since its launch, the startup has successfully turned things around for all partner venues with significant increases in revenue.

Opaala was born out of the desire to bring a solution to the many issues hospitality venues face on a daily basis, be it lack of staff or highvolume of customers, which oftentimes leads to missed orders and results in loss of sales.

Opaala’s interactive menu platform changes the traditional ‘8-step service model’ by reducing staff costs, eliminating service wait times, and increasing revenue through a contactless, appfree, mobile-powered solution. With Opaala, customers can simply scan a QR code and browse through high-design, interactive menus where they can place orders, enter dietary requirements, request for the assistance of a waiter, and call for the bill all through their mobile browsers. Being browser-based removes the need to download a mobile application, can be seamlessly integrated into the venue’s POS system and can be customized for branding needs. Venues can also host daily and hourly specials on their interactive menus, and schedule them for future events, which allows venues to organically market their offerings at the time of ordering. Further simplifying the ‘going-out’ experience, Opaala offers automatic bill-splitting, making it easier for guests and venues to clear the cheque effortlessly. These unique features have been the core success of Opaala’s smart service system.

SAUDI ENTREPRENEURS HAVE THEIR EYE ON THE RESTAURANT SECTOR Research released by KEANE the international strategy and design company, in association with YouGov, has revealed the entrepreneurial spirit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 53% of the 1000 people polled said they were likely to invest in a café or restaurant in the Kingdom.

This entrepreneurialism was matched by 1 in 5 Saudi nationals saying that they would consider a career in the restaurant sector.

‘We undertook this research to support our work in developing restaurant businesses in the Kingdom and to get a better understanding of Saudi eating out behaviour’ said Stefan Breg,

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Group Strategy Director at KEANE. The survey also found a move towards healthy eating with over 60% saying that media reports on healthy eating would influence the way they eat out, 61% said they would eat less burgers and 41% will eat less meat.

The growth of coffee shops continues, and the survey revealed that international brands such as Starbucks and Costa were still popular but notably, local brands such as 12 Cups, were also listed as preferred brands.

MIDDLE EAST CLEANING TECHNOLOGY WEEK MOVES TO SEPTEMBER 2021 Middle East Cleaning Technology Week, the region’s leading exhibition for the commercial cleaning and hygiene industries, will be moved to September 2021 in Dubai, joint organisers Messe Frankfurt Middle East (MFME) and VIS have announced.

The 6th edition of the three-day event was originally rescheduled to run in January 2021, but will now take place from 28-30 September 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Shyam Parmar, Project Manager at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said the new dates come after careful discussion with exhibitors, associations, and trade partners, adding that the exhibition and conference will be an important platform for participants to showcase their innovations and contributions toward the fight against covid-19.

“Commercial cleaning and hygiene is hugely topical right now, and the industry has played a pivotal front-line role in restarting economic activity on a global scale,” said Mr. Parmar.

“Whether in hotels, hospitals, airports, office buildings or shopping malls, our community is providing sanitation and deep-cleaning services on a major-scale to restore public confidence and meet the requirements of major asset owners, so that life can gradually return to normal.

“We know that from now until September 2021, and beyond, there will be much to learn and many success stories to share, and Middle East Cleaning Technology Week will be the ideal stage for the industry to share experiences, address challenges, while also fostering valuable business partnerships.”

It will co-locate with two other MFME-

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organised shows: Light Middle East, the region’s dedicated architectural lighting design exhibition; and SPS Automation Middle East, a platform for innovative industrial automation solutions.

INTRODUCING THE SABA PLANTBASED PROBIOTIC YOGHURTS Saba Kombucha, the first all-natural brewed beverage in the UAE, is proud to announce its rebrand as Saba Plant-based and the expansion of its probiotic offerings- an allnatural probiotic yoghurt - for all health and wellness enthusiasts in the UAE. The new Saba plant-based probiotic yoghurt is 100% organic and will serve consumer’s daily needs for probiotics.

Handcrafted in Dubai, the Saba plantbased probiotic yoghurt is available in four different delicious flavors – Mango, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Natural flavor. They are each made from certified Sri Lankan coconuts that are slowly pasteurized and fermented to produce live, plant-powered probiotics.

“At Saba, we are always seeking innovative ways to create the best products for health and wellness enthusiasts, which has allowed our brand to remain at the forefront of the ever-changing kombucha market in the UAE. Consumers need probiotics that are essential for their gut health, hence why we are excited to rebrand as Saba Plant-based and introduce the new Saba plant-based probiotic yoghurt, says Vincent Vandenabeele, founder of Saba Kombucha.

The all-natural probiotic yoghurt is free from dairy, refined sugar, and preservatives.

They provide ample health benefits such as strengthening the immune system, aiding weight loss, reducing toxins in the liver, protecting the body against harmful bacteria, and improving digestion and gut health.

We rebranded and created the Saba plant-based probiotic yoghurt for people who want to make better choices in their everyday lives. Our four new flavors are bursting with probiotics and organic ingredients that deliver all the health benefits one cannot resist,” says Sabrina, co-founder of Saba Kombucha.

POPULAR AMERICAN BRAND DUCK DONUTS® OPENS FIRST INTERNATIONAL LOCATION IN DUBAI U.S. based donut franchise company, Duck Donuts, known for serving Warm, Delicious and Made-to-Order!® donuts, has officially opened its first international location in Dubai.

The opening signifies a major milestone in the brand’s growth as it represents international expansion for the company in one of the world’s fastest growing and most dynamic markets. Owned by Mohammed Albaqami, the store is located at R02A Silverene Tower, in the Dubai Marina near Pier 7.

“This is a project my team and I have been working on for over a year, and despite all the challenges we have faced as a result of COVID-19, I am beyond excited to introduce the UAE to the Duck Donuts’ made-to-order

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concept,” said Albaqami. “Pairing fresh and delicious donuts with the unique experience of customizing and watching your donut being made from scratch to finish, is the perfect combination of food and fun for all ages.

I am very happy to be bringing the brand 7,000 miles from its origins to offer the UAE a taste of the Outer Banks of North Carolina.”

To celebrate the opening, the first customer in line will won free donuts for a year. The 2,200 sq. ft. retail store reflects the franchise’s iconic beach theme and family-friendly atmosphere with limited indoor seating. In addition to donuts, the Dubai location also serves coffee, espresso, donut sundaes, unique OBX Donut Breakfast Sandwich, milkshakes, frozen beverages, select retail items and more.

The Duck Donuts Dubai location is the first store for Gold Peak Coffee Shop LLC, a local establishment focused on providing superior service through the creation of various types

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of handcrafted coffees and foods. In October 2019, Mr. Albaqami signed a master franchise agreement to open 25 units and begin sub-franchising throughout the United Arab Emirates over the next 10 years. Mr. Albaqami is an alumnus of UNCC’s Belk College of Business and has experience in both the public and government sectors with a concentration in financial counseling and analysis.

Duck Donuts specializes in warm, delicious and made-to-order donuts. Upon entering the store, customers are welcomed with the aroma of warm, light vanilla cake donuts. Customers can create their own donut combination by choosing from a variety of coatings, toppings and drizzles, including traditional favorites such as chocolate icing with sprinkles and more adventurous creations such as maple icing with turkey bacon. The family-friendly stores offer a viewing area where children and adults alike can watch their donuts being made.

World Class blends and juice compounds for the beverage industry SCP offers product solutions and innovation for the global beverage industry including: - Bag-in-box filler accommodating various pack sizes and fittings - Functional ingredients that support and benefit Gut health, increase immunity, energy, mobility and supplement protein intake - Diverse portfolio - 100% juice, nectars, drinks, ice teas, dairy blends and sports drinks - Flavour profiles to suit all palate’s - Syrups for the manufacture of SD, CSD’s and energy drinks SCP is now a business of AECI Food & Beverage and we have gained a reputation for consistent product quality, integrity and service excellence.

For more information visit www.scproducts.co.za

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A FSSC certified company / Co. Reg. No. 2001/003911/07

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THE ONE-DAY EVENT WILL ENABLE THE INTERNATIONAL FOOD, BEVERAGE, AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO COME TOGETHER VIRTUALLY, IN SPITE OF THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

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DNEC Group, part of ADQ, in collaboration with Comexposium, one of the world’s leading event organisers, have developed a unique one-day event that will bring together C-suite executives from the UAE and abroad to a virtual gathering on 23 November 2020. The event, titled F&B Networking Hub by SIAL Middle East – E-summit & Meetings, organised in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Date Palm Virtual Platform, held under the supervision of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, will enable entities working in the food, beverage, hospitality, and date palm production industries to continue to meet,

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engage, and do business.

The format of this year’s event comes in response to the impact of the global outbreak of COVID-19. ADNEC has specifically developed the unique format of the event in response to ongoing international travel restrictions. The event will include talks and meetings being held virtually, in order to adhere to ongoing health and safety measures implemented to mitigate against transmission of COVID-19.

In 2020, the virtual event will include live sessions for industry leaders focused on the challenges which the food and beverage sector and date palm production will face after the pandemic over the upcoming 24 months. In particular, discussions will focus on current strategies and policies required to maintain national effort toward the National Food Security Strategy 2051.

The virtual event comes as ADNEC Group and the global organiser of SIAL events, Comexposium, have decided to postpone the 11th edition of SIAL ME, which was due to take place from 8 – 10 September 2020. SIAL ME is a truly international exhibition which delivers a high level of economic impact. However, ADNEC has been in touch with exhibitors, partners, and suppliers to provide them with support in making this decision. The 11th edition of SIAL ME and the 15th edition of Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition will return on 7th – 9th September 2021.

His Excellency Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), commented: “As the world emerges from the impact of COVID-19, it is of national importance for representatives of the agriculture industries to continue to focus on the National Food Security Strategy 2051. The 38 initiatives and programmes contained within the strategy help implement rigorous farming and livestock management procedures which secure our national food security.

“In that context, it is critical for representatives of the global food, beverage, and hospitality industries to come together and collaborate on how the UAE can continue to forge ahead in our significant work of securing our national food security. Thanks to the innovative and groundbreaking work undertaken by ADNEC to develop this unique meeting format, the global industry is able to come together in a collaborative effort to

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ensure that global food security is maintained for all. ADAFSA is proud to work with our partners in ADNEC and Comexposium to accomplish this event.”

Speaking on the decision to host a virtual event, Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO at ADNEC Group, commented: “The safety of our partners comes as our foremost and forefront priority.

Our commitment to our partners and our stakeholders has led us to developing this unique meeting format that enables global co-operation in the food, beverage, and hospitality sectors while recognizing the impacts of COVID-19 on individual’s capabilities to travel. As such, we are pleased to launch the virtual event, in collaboration with our partners, Comexposium that will host some of the world top decision makers in this vital sector.

Al Dhaheri confirmed that ADNEC’s strategic investments in its technological infrastructure, innovative approach, and the flexible capabilities of its venue spaces, enabled it to still find a way for representatives of the industry to come together, during this critical time.

“We play a pivotal role in empowering our partners and stakeholders in these sectors by organising this event, allowing them to continue to perform business following the impacts of COVID-19, and help to fulfil one of our strategic objectives to transfer knowledge and expertise to the UAE.” He added.

Concluding, Al Dhaheri said: “SIAL ME is one of the most significant exhibitions that takes place on our calendar annually, given our commitment to furthering the National Food Security Strategy of the UAE. Our leadership has made sound investments in implementing rigorous practices throughout the UAE’s food and agricultural industries, and events such as SIAL ME help further development in this globally vital sector.

As such, we are proud to present this virtual event, and ensure that the food, beverage, and hospitality sector can continue to flourish both here in the UAE and across the globe.”

H.E. Dr. Abdeloahhab Zaid, Secretary General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, said: “Organising the Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition (Virtual Platform) 2020 arises from the cooperation between the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm

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and Agricultural Innovation and the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, alongside additional partners organizing this important event. The Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition is a highly prominent event in the food, beverage, and hospitality industry, held in parallel with the SIAL Middle East exhibition.

Following the challenges which have arisen from the outbreak of COVID-19, it is critical to facilitate communication between producers and manufacturers of the date palm in the Arab region. Major traders and investors across the world need to collaborate to secure their value chain and enhance food security measures, at both the national and international levels.”

Concluding, H.E. Dr. Zaid said: “The general secretariat of the award is keen to fulfil the vision of the United Arab Emirate’s leadership in enhancing food security through the date palm. The fruit’s properties enable long-term strategic storage, a key principle of food security which provides security and social stability in the long run.”

Speaking on behalf of Comexposium Group, Nicolas Trentesaux, CEO SIAL Global Network, said: “At SIAL, our aim is to help businesses recover quickly and contribute to rekindling agrifood trade. The 9 Shows of the SIAL Network have held extensive discussions with exhibitors and partners to seek for the best approach in light of the global spread of COVID-19.

They are scrupulously preparing in an effort to accommodate all its participants safely.

“Under the Sial ME brand, I am convinced that both the virtual format of this year event on 23rd November and the 11th edition of SIAL ME from 7 to 9 September 2021 will offer unique opportunities to connect our communities and support the food & beverage industry during this complex and challenging period.”

SIAL ME is co-organised by ADNEC, in collaboration with Comexposium and under strategic partnership of The Abu Dhabi Agriculture & Food Safety Authority. By attracting elite food companies, major food suppliers, and investors from all over the world, SIAL ME contributes to strengthening the UAE’s efforts to consolidate food security systems and opens up new and innovative food industries for future growth.

For more information, visit www.sialme.com/fnb-networkinghub/

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an der Linden Bakery Products was established in the old Dutch and Belgian tradition of chocolate making and artisanal biscuiterie. During the last 30 years, Van der Linden Bakery Products carefully developed fine Belgian chocolate recipes for Belgian pralines with delicious fillings. The Epicurea Fine Belgian Chocolate now is regarded as top-of-the-line and appreciated for its taste and quality.

The craft of Speculoos making was used to create products suitable for the bakery and confectionery industry. With Biskit Butter Speculoos spread and crumbles, numerous fast-selling recipes and products were developed.

Throughout time, Van der Linden Bakery Products increasingly manufactured diverse products together with our partners in various countries with a full range of high-quality European bakery, confectionery ingredients, and products for the food industry.

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TOP-OF-THE-LINE DUTCH BAKERY INGREDIENTS We ensure exquisitely picked ingredients from all over the world that match your taste.

Distribution is secured through HORECA, foodservice channels and retail distributors for Biskit Butter Speculoos spread creamy & crunchy, Speculoos crumbles 0-2mm, 2-6mm, Speculoos biscuits in 200g or individually wrapped to be served with a cup of coffee or tea and fine Van der Linden French Wafer Flakes Feuilletine.

Flavorful Biskit Butter Pistachio cream Premium with and without pieces of roasted and caramelized pistachio, the innovative Biskit Butter Dark Cookie spread, Dark Cookie crumbles for use in bakery and ice-cream and more

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raspberry, forest fruit, pineapple).

Also, including Van der Linden Colorama color sprays in 250ml with cocoa butterbased velvet color or metallic pearly shades, Van der Linden Baking Spray 600ml for your baking molds and trays, Lindaflex Croissant Margarine in plates, and Amrita Vegetable ghee are available.

For more information, visit www.vanderlindenproducts.com innovation in specialty spreads with Biskit Butter Raphaela Crunch Spread, Biskit Butter Hazelnut Cream with Wafer Flakes and roasted Hazelnut pieces, Biskit Butter Bonna & Rocha spread.

Based on best Belgian Tradition Epicurea Belgian Couverture chocolate in chips, chunks and bake-stable sticks, Creamy White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Dark & Very Dark Chocolate, Compound Chocolate in blocks (200g, 1kg, 2.5kg), Truffle Shells and chocolate cups.

Heavenella Biskit Butter Hazelnut spread, Hazelnut Gold Crunch with roasted& caramelized hazelnut pieces, White Milk and Dark Chocolate filling with real chocolate. French technology for Luscious Belgian Epicurea Caramel Brussels, Caramel Bruges sale, Dulce-de-Leche, Toffee Caramel.

Top of the cake Linda Cream whipping cream for baking and cooking, Nura sweetened nondairy cream, Fantasia vegetable cream, Linda Cream Real Dairy Cream 35% in 1L, 1.5L and 5L, Biskit Butter Ice-cream topping in various flavours like Speculoos, Pistachio, Strawberry, Chocolate and Caramel Toffee, European quality milk based Nura Cream Cheese, Nura UHT milk 3.6%.

Biskit Butter marshmallows micro, mini for cake and donut decorations, Biskit Butter Children letter biscuits, Nura Butter Ghee
in 1kg tins, Nura sweetened condensed milk with real milkfat in 397gram and 1kg tin, Nura Caramelised condensed milk, Nura Evaporated milk, Fritto mozzarella pizza cheese in blocks, Van der Linden fruit fillings in tins and glass jars (blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, apple,

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Caramel

Premium Belgian

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AZUCARERA AND BLENDHUB DEVELOP A MOISTURE-RESISTANT, PALM OIL-FREE BAKERY COATING

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zucarera has launched a pioneering product in the bakery segment: a moisture-resistant bakery coating that maintains its consistency and texture after defrosting and is the first on the market not to contain palm oil. This differentiating product is the result of a collaborative innovation strategy between Azucarera and Blendhub, an innovation technology platform for the agri-food industry.

“We were looking for very concrete collaborative innovation to improve product performance and at the same time to align it with today’s consumer demands. And we chose Blendhub because traditional solutions are not enough to differentiate in the food industry. We look for innovative solutions and for that we need the best in each segment”, explains Manuel Ibáñez, responsible for new products at Azucarera.

Blendhub is a platform that integrates a network of expert formulators around the world: “We identify at each moment and for each client the best formulators to guarantee unique and pioneering products in the market, with tailormade solutions for each specific demand,” says Sergio Bravo, director of Blendhub’s production

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center in Murcia, where this product has been developed.

“This product has emerged from the search for solutions to the problems of using sugar in the decoration of confectionery/pastry products, namely, moistening, agglomeration, dissolution with the heat of baking, etc. It is also more resistant to heat than existing products on the market and more environmentally sustainable, as it does not contain palm oil,” explains Paco Serrano, the product’s formulator.

Collaborative innovation is a growing trend in the agri-food sector, since it allows to share knowledge and emerging technologies applied to innovation and food safety and traceability, which helps to improve competitiveness and differentiation on the shelf, while being more efficient and profitable.

This product is especially suitable for decorating long-lasting pastry products (cakes, pies, biscuits and pastries, among others) and is ideal for making frozen and refrigerated cakes.

For more information, visit www.blendhub.com

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PEOPLE+TECHNOLOGY = Mindset & approach are just as important as technology when it comes to dealing across global markets. Trust underpins so many relationships, which can then be reinforced with class-leading secondary packaging technology.

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s a global supplier, Cama Group knows that there are two primary elements to any successful machine order. Technology and people!

Simply delivering powerful yet easy-to-use machines and helping companies to modernise their infrastructure– especially in emerging and growing markets – is just half the story.

Understanding local customs, cultures and business practices is just as vital!

And it is this deep appreciation of local demands and nuances that has helped Cama to grow and reinforce its share in many of the world’s markets, be they established, growing or emerging.

A case in point is a recent project in Saudi Arabia, which saw CAMA deliver three secondary packaging machines to DeemaH,

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part of United Food Industries Corporation Ltd. Co. In this instance, according to Renato Dell’oro, Cama’s Area Sales Manager for the Middle East: “We had to have a personal mindset and approach that was just as flexible as our machines!”

Cama is fortunate to have a team that has been working with the region for a number of years. “We have a sales and engineering team that is used to the market dynamics and the ways of doing business. And our personnel+technology combination is obviously paying off, as we already have four order with DeemaH and are currently negotiating a fifth.

I particularly enjoy working in this region, as it is all down to gaining confidence and building close and very open and honest relationships.”

The market itself is also in a state of flux,

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CONFECTIONERY SUCCESS seeing rapid expansion of existing home-grown companies and huge investment from many leading multi-nationals looking to gain share.

The influx of global companies is forcing many local companies to “up their game” in terms of packaging, to at least match the shelf appeal and larger-scale economies of foreign companies.

According to Wasfi Wadee Al-khawaja, Manufacturing Director at United Food Industries Corp. Ltd. Co.: “The Middle East region is rapidly evolving, especially over the last five years, and is becoming highly influenced by global trends.

In fact, the Middle East is rising as one of the fastest-growing markets. While some countries in the region are facing economic instability, the market still offers low taxation compared to the European market.

“In mature markets, such as Europe, specifications are high on the list of considerations in order to compare services & machines before making a decision. The Middle East, as an emerging market, is less concerned

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with specifications and instead is interested more in machine suppliers that offer high standards in terms of people, technology and machine building.”

For this project Cama supplied three machines for five of DeemaH’s confectionery lines. The first, for the company’s Kraky cracker line, is an IF315 top-loading monobloc packaging machine, which delivers box forming, product loading and box closing. “This is a very compact machine,” Dell’oro explains, “which uses an in-house developed delta-type robot which can deliver fast and efficient product loading based on any number of different packaging recipes.

In this case the machine has to cater for four different product formats and six different box formats.

“Extra flexibility was a key consideration too,” Dell’oro adds, “as the robot in the IF315 is capable of loading products onto the infeed conveyor of a downstream flowpacker, which creates flexible multipacks. From an upstream perspective, our IF315 integrates very favourably with other machines, including in this instance a machine from a company we have worked with in the past.”

The second line saw the installation of two IF296 top-loading monobloc packaging machines, both of which accept two in-feeds and package sandwich-style biscuits/cookies. In this application there is even greater variety, with seven flow-packed product formats and 11 box formats.

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The Cama IF series – based on the company’s award-winning modular Monobloc architecture – offers users a unique combination of integrated packaging machines and robotic loading units. Through tight integration of each of the primary modules (forming, loading and closing), Cama has developed a machine that delivers the incredible flexibility demanded by the confectionary industry, but within a reduced footprint.

Both machines are part of Cama’s Breakthrough Generation (BTG), which is setting the standard in secondary packaging.

They comprise modular, scalable frameworks that offer easy entry and access, coupled to a hygienic machine design. Within this framework, contemporary automation solutions, including advanced rotary and linear servo technology, is tightly coupled to in-housedeveloped robotics, to deliver the all-important flexibility and adaptability required by modern packaging operations.

According to Dell’Oro: “Servo technology is used throughout the machine, which is what gives it its excellent flexibility for format and packaging-count changes. The robot solution used has been developed in house

by Cama, which means we can deliver perfect robot/machine synergy. We are unique in the market in this respect. By removing thirdparty robotic controllers, we can also sidestep any potential communication conflicts that can affect output. The robot technology has been specifically perceived for secondary packaging applications and, due to this inhouse development, when our technicians install the machines or troubleshoot any issues, they are 100% capable of servicing the robot

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technology, too.

When asked why DeemaH chose Cama, Wasfi Wadee Al-khawaja explains: “We came to know Cama as a secondary machine supplier in 2018, when DeemaH CEO Mr. Abdulaziz Al Akeel visited CAMA head office for several days and recommended CAMA after this visit as a potential supplier for the secondary packaging technology, and we realised that the Italian company was an attractive source for technology, as it specialises only in secondary packaging machines, and can offer an extensive range coupled to a wide variety of packaging methods, which is essential for the FMCG industry. CAMA also closely coordinates with other reputable primary machine suppliers and, as a result, complete integrated packaging solutions and lines can be provided, from ingredients in the pallet out.

“The design of the machines and the know how that you get from the project team is also a major feature that any technical team will be looking for,” he concludes. “Cama’s machines are renowned to be some of the best machines worldwide; and knowing that the company’s CEO Mr. Daniele Bellante is involved in all technical solutions provided to the customers, gave us the feeling that we are involved with a strong partnership with CAMA. All these reasons will make any investment with Cama an opportunity to improving packaging processes in our plant with short payback. Our work environment is improved inside the plant and our customers satisfaction is increased in our products.”

For more information, visit www.camagroup.com

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INVERFORMTM – A NEW, SUSTAINABLE PAPERBOARD ALTERNATIVE TO PLASTIC FOOD TRAYS

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ade from pure cellulose fibres, Inverform has been specifically developed for pressed and folded trays used in food packaging. Inverform has an exceptional formability and is the ideal replacement for traditional solutions, such as plastic trays.

“Iggesund Paperboard has a long tradition of working sustainably and producing material that won’t harm the environment.

Inverform was developed largely in response to the plastic pollution problem,” says Stefan Söderberg, Sales Manager, Iggesund Paperboard.

The extensive use of plastic materials is linked to many serious problems, including: The large climate impact caused by the fossil fuels required to make plastic, Plastic collecting in the oceans and elsewhere due to the lack of biodegradability and Excess waste due to a low level (less than 40 per cent) of recycling.

Iggesund Paperboard is part of the Swedish forest industry group Holmen, a group that several times in the last decade has been listed as one of the world’s 100 most sustainable companies on different sustainability indices. All Holmen Mills have been awarded Platinum.

“We were determined to come up with a renewable and recyclable material for

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food trays that would be more environmentally friendly than plastic, while maintaining the same high packaging performance throughout the value chain,” says Stefan Söderberg.

Food and retail companies that are looking for more ways for their products to support a sustainable future can now ask for trays made of Inverform.

Trays made of Inverform with a plastic barrier have a substantially lower carbon footprint than the common plastic tray and can be recycled in existing paper packaging recycling schemes.

And, in addition to helping to lower the climate impact, Inverform packaging meets the highest standards for food hygiene and protection, ensuring longer life and less food waste.

Inverform is a Solid Bleached Board (SBB) made of pure cellulose fibres sourced from sustainably managed forests. A polymer barrier is added to Inverform making it ideal for tray forming and heat sealing. Inverform is a food grade material, without added optical brightening agents and it has all the required food safety certificates, including being safe for use in microwaves and conventional ovens.

For more information, visit www.iggesund.com

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

P R O D U C T R E C OV E R Y

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NEW UNPACKING MACHINE FOR BISCUITS FROM FLOW-PACKS

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any well-known producers in the food and confectionery industry are committed to “sustainable production” with all associated processes, which ultimately also includes the environmentally friendly recycling of re-work. Instead of the disposal or destruction of “good” products on the garbage or biogas plant, an international confectionery group has acquired a “tailor-made” PACKSAVER from the leading manufacturer of product recovery machines Leu-Tronic GmbH, 76307 Karlsbad.

The requirements and tasks were discussed at the customer’s site with the Leu-Tronic experts. This included also the partial integration of the PACK-SAVER into a previously installed, but unsatisfactorily working recycling system.

The amount of re-work or reject packs that are produced by several flow-pack machines are collected and sent to the central recycling department in special containers. By means of a hydraulic lifting and tilting device the

individual flow packs are loaded into an elevator for controlled transfer to the PACK-SAVER separation system.

The scope of delivery from Leu-Tronic included the feed elevator with storage hopper as a buffer.

The complete synchronization of the work processes is monitored by the ALLEN BRADLEY-ROCKWELL PLC control supplied by Leu-Tronic (was a customer request).

Another special feature is that a dust extractor in ATEX execution was also supplied.

The PACK-SAVER separates product and packaging material. While the emptied film is collected on a conveyor belt in a large container, the unpacked product is transported to the milling station installed on the 2nd floor via an existing transport system. The delivered system achieves an output of approx. 200 kg of biscuits per hour. The entire system is monitored by only 1 operator.

This means that the customer can return almost 100% of the scrap or re-work to the new production. The packaging material can properly be recycled.

The food company operates several PACKSAVER systems for various products worldwide.

This not only achieves enormous savings potential, but they can also refer to the sustainable processing of re-work. (SAVE FOOD).

In addition to the recovery of pastries, the PACK-SAVER is also used for chocolate products, candies, etc., but also for coffee, sugar, flour etc.

For more information, visit www.leu-tronic.de

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

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P R E S E R VAT I V E S

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TOOLKIT SYSTEM PROVIDES OPTIMUM PROTECTION FROM UNDESIRED MICROORGANISMS

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reshness is one of the most important quality criteria in meat products.

Growth of bacteria such as Listeria or Campylobacter in products can have devastating financial consequences for meat producers. With the Hydrolon range, Hydrosol provides a modular toolkit of highly effective preservatives, ranging from acetate to sorbate. The system extends the shelf life of fresh meat, cold cuts, cooked sausage und cooked cured meats. The products in the Hydrolon range can be used individually or in combinations as needed, and successfully limit pathogen growth. Their effectiveness has been demonstrated in independent testing by certified laboratories, using mixtures in realistic conditions. In one of these challenge studies, the protection provided by Hydrolon was tested using a pool of spoilage bacteria including Listeria. The institute came to

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the conclusion that “adding Hydrolon preservatives significantly extended shelf life and improved product safety.”

In these tests, the total bacteria count in ham products remained clearly under the defined limit values even after 35 days.

The shelf life of raw chicken meat was extended to a total of 19 days at a storage temperature of 4°C. In both tests, Hydrolon did considerably better than the reference product (liquid lactate). The Hydrolon toolkit system lets customers tune the function and dosage to solve specific problems. In addition to normal preservatives, Hydrosol also offers highly effective declarationfriendly products, with which manufacturers can meet the clean and lean label trends.

For more information, visit www.hydrosol.de

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

SUGAR REDUCTION

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REDUCE ADDED SUGAR IN FERMENTED DAIRY PRODUCTS, NATURALLY

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yogurt a day keeps the doctor away at least that is the healthy image that we would prefer to believe for dairy products. Unfortunately, the sugar levels in yogurts have reached levels where consumers compare yogurts to soft drinks and candy! An average pot of yogurt contains 12% sugar, and many of them contain even more. This creates concerns for the consumers, health practitioners and ultimately, the producers of yogurt.

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

Dairy manufacturers under pressure to reduce sugar Health organizations, governments and retailers are setting objectives to reduce sugar in foods while consumers are increasingly focusing on sugar content and looking for healthy, natural products that taste great. This means dairy manufacturers are experiencing pressure to reduce added sugar in their products, especially in yogurt.

But finding healthy and tasty solutions to

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reduce sugar can be challenging. Most alternatives have drawbacks; for example, artificial sweeteners are perceived to be unhealthy, and more recent development on natural sugar alternatives have issues with off-flavor.

attractive innovative enzyme solution that allows dairy producers to reduce or remove lactose - and simultaneously reduce added sugar in yogurt by at least 1-1.5 g per 100g of yogurt without impacting the sweetness of the final product.

Natural solutions for less added sugar

Working for a sustainable future

Chr. Hansen’s natural solutions enable dairy producers to create meaningful reduction of sugar and ensure delicious dairy products with an authentic taste.

• Sweety ® is a culture solution using only S. thermophilus and L. bulgaricus. It converts the existing sugars in milk, using more of the lactose and yielding glucose – which provides a greater sweetness intensity. This means that product developers can add less sugar and still get the same sweet-tasting product, resulting in a healthier product offering.

• NOLA ® Fit is a highly efficient, cost-

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In 2020, Chr. Hansen was ranked as the world’s most sustainable food ingredient company. “We are proud of this achievement, but we did not get here alone,” says Jehad Abuzahedeh, Business Manager, Food Cultures & Enzymes Division in Middle East. “We rely on our customers to bring our products to life within the marketplace, and we are eager to find solutions that can help them realize their strategic goals while improving food and health – not only for this generation but for the generations to come.”

For more information, visit www.chr-hansen.com

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

INGREDIENTS

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SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK IN LINE WITH THE LATEST FOOD TRENDS

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weetened condensed milk (SCM) is one of the most important milk-based ingredients for the confectionery industry and mainly used in the production of high-quality caramel fillings, chocolate bars, pralines, toffees, dessert sauces, ice cream and many other confectionery products. There it not only provides the typical caramel taste, but also influences the desired consistency and mouthfeel of the finished product.

Current food trends require new product solutions The basic trends of the last years like vegetarian and vegan products, products with organic label, clean label or food for certain faith groups, which e.g. correspond to the rules for Halal or Kosher, are increasingly in demand by today’s very informed consumers. Therefore, the request for suitable ingredients is also growing in parallel with the food and confectionery manufacturers.

These ingredients have to meet completely new requirements. WS Warmsener Spezialitäten GmbH, as a specialist for sweetened condensed milk, is reacting to the current market trends with new product varieties and packaging options.

“On the one hand, we are noticing a strong

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

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INGREDIENTS

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increase in demand for certified varieties such as organic and/or Fairtrade as well as Halal and Kosher. And completely new products are being added, such as sweetened condensed milk with the addition of vegetable fat, purely vegetable alternatives without milk or even replacing the sugar with certain sugar substitutes,” says Johannes Rother, Managing Director of WS Warmsener Spezialitäten GmbH, describing the rapidly changing requirements of his customers.

Specialist for sweetened condensed milk WS Warmsener Spezialitäten GmbH belongs to the Uelzena Group and is one of the largest manufacturers for SCM in Europe. The company reacted by developing new varieties and has certified its products for various standards to meet these new requirements.

The dairy in Warmsen is currently a pioneer in the market for organic certified sweetened condensed milk, as well as for Fairtrade-licensed condensed milk.

When using vegetable fats in the new recipes, the procurement of sustainably produced raw materials is a particularly important criterion; here the company uses RSPO-certified palm fat, for example. As a central organization, RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) promotes sustainable cultivation methods for palm oil in the producer countries and has defined several principles and criteria that must be met for sustainable palm oil production.

For more information, visit www.ingredients.uelzena.com

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FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

FOOD COLORS

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GNT EXPANDS RANGE OF EXBERRY® MICRONIZED POWDERS WITH BEETROOT-BASED FIESTA PINK

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XBERRY® Coloring Foods supplier GNT Group is highlighting the possibilities of its micronized powders after adding a new beetroot-based pink shade to the range.

Alongside its liquid, powder and oildispersible Coloring Foods, GNT offers a variety of micronized powders that maximize the visual intensity of color shades in certain applications.

Due to their reduced particle size, these specialized Coloring Foods can create a homogeneous color effect in solid mixes such as instant beverages and desserts, pressed tablets, and seasonings for chips and snacks, as well as chocolate for decoration and compound coatings.

The EXBERRY® Micronized Powder range already includes yellow, red, purple, blue, green and pink shades.

GNT has now added a further option with the launch of EXBERRY® Shade Fiesta Pink – MN Powder, providing a new pink shade with a hint of blue.

Made from beetroot and carrots grown by GNT’s own farmers, the new product is pH independent, offers good light stability and has a 24-month shelf life below 25 0C. Sonja Scheffler, Product Manager at GNT, said: “EXBERRY® Micronized Powders were developed to deliver optimal performance in applications such as solid mixes, where they can achieve more vibrant colors at lower dosage levels compared to standard powders. With the launch of our stunning Fiesta Pink micronized powder, manufacturers can now choose from an even wider range of shades.”

EXBERRY® Coloring Foods are made from fruit, vegetables and edible plants using gentle, physical processing methods and no chemical solvents, ensuring widespread consumer acceptance.

For more information, visit www.exberry.com

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

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NUTS

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STUDY LINKS EATING JUST HALF A SERVING A DAY OF NUTS, SUCH AS WALNUTS, TO A DECREASED RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD)

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ardiovascular disorders are amongst the leading causes of mortality, also accounting for 203 million disabilityadjusted life years and 31% of all deaths worldwide. Three decades of study has shown walnuts can support cardiovascular health. In line with the results from these studies, a recent research project supported by CWC examined the association between 4-year changes in nut consumption and risk of confirmed cardiovascular disease end points in the subsequent 4 years. The findings of the study then indicated increasing total nut intake (i.e., walnuts, other tree nuts, and peanuts) by half a serving per day (about 14g) was associated with an 8% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), 6% lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), and 11% lower risk of stroke. When looking at the impact of individual nuts or categories, walnuts were associated with the greatest reduction in stroke risk, showing a 20% lower risk with each increase in half a serving per day, compared to other tree nuts (9%), peanuts (8%), and all nuts (11%).

The study included the participation of 34,103 men who had also taken part in the

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Health Professionals Follow-up Study which was conducted between 1986-2012 and a total of 158,552 women who had formerly taken part in either the Nurses’ Health Study (19862012) or the Nurses’ Health Study II (19912013). The study assessed nut consumption every 4 years using validated food frequency questionnaires.

Today, CVDs are responsible for 34% of all deaths in the Middle East population. The number of CVD-related deaths in the MENA region alone is expected to increase from 17.7 million in 2015 to 23.6 million in 2030.

Majority of the research suggests that many of the risk factors associated with heart disease can be controlled with dietary and lifestyle changes. Research has explored how foods with omega-3 ALA, such as walnuts (2.5g/oz), may provide a beneficial role in reducing the risk of these conditions. Walnuts are the only nut with an excellent source of the plant-based omega-3 ALA (2.5g/oz) and are a versatile, easy, heart-healthy snack to grab on the go or to incorporate into a heart-healthy meal.

Source: AETOSWire

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

PROCESSING

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MEAT PROCESSING GIANT, TÖNNIES GROUP, IS USING HIGH EFFICIENCY AIR CLEANERS FROM CAMFIL AS PART OF THE PANDEMIC PREVENTION SCHEME

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amfil is in agreement with Tönnies Group, Germany for the successful implementation of a multi-level high care, high hygiene air filtration concept at the meat production facility at their headquarters.

The aim is to set high hygiene standards for the sensitive food area and focus on improved indoor air quality at the facility. In food production facilities, air is the invisible ingredient and better air quality can help the facility achieve operational excellence and great quality product along with employee health. Often, the lack of standards in the meat production industry around ventilation and limitations in the design of the facility can lead to poor airflow along with insufficient positive pressure in the indoor environment. Also, to achieve the temperatures of around 6 to 10 ° C required for meat processing, Tönnies uses convection coolers. They cool the circulating air and return it to the room for reuse. Scientific studies have shown, that airborne pathogens such as viruses can spread through this air recirculation. Germs packed in aerosols is 80 to 160 nanometers in size and can remain active in the air for up to three hours. These convection coolers can distribute the pathogens in the room and significantly increase the risk of infection for employees.

Due to the global pandemic, Coronavirus (COVID-19), Tönnies Group concluded that they want to protect their facility and employees from these harmful pathogens in the air.

They aim to provide healthy, sustainable food

with responsible production that meets high standards. The new multi-level hygiene solution consists of high-efficiency HEPA air cleaners, certified with EN1822:2019 from Camfil. These air cleaners (CC 6000 and CC 2000) with ProSafe HEPA H14 filters clean the indoor air from the circulating aerosols or viruses and provide clean filtered air to the cooling system for circulation. The systems were positioned at an elevated position so that the air cleaners can get a good flow of air through the production rooms and at the same time do not interfere with operations.

Initial measurements, which were carried out shortly after the installation, showed significant particle reduction by more than 50%.

The improved air treatment was tested for several days using cold smoke and particle measurements by a team of occupational hygienists and physicians from the Institute for Hygiene and Public Health at the University of Bonn.

“Hygiene is particularly important in the meat production facility to purify the indoor air using appropriate high-performance filters to protect employees, processes, and products. The CC 6000 and CC 2000 air cleaners, equipped with ProSafe HEPA H14 filters, ensure guaranteed performance using high-quality materials for maximum process reliability.” - Dirk Leinweber, Director Sales & Marketing, Camfil GmbH. Camfil’s air cleaners are successfully removing the airborne microbes and particles from the Tönnies meat processing facility. Air cleaners ensure a safe production environment for both the personnel and the processes involved. The tests proved the reliable and optimal performance of the air cleaners as part of the pandemic prevention scheme.

This system allowed the production facility to become operational again without the hazard of transmission.

For more information, visit www.camfil.com

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

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P R O C E S S I N G T E C H N O L O GY

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HPP, THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY FOR THE INDUSTRY OF THE FUTURE

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he increasing consumers’ demand on sustainable, safe and healthy products has compelled the food industry to look for natural and environmentally friendly processes.

With the coronavirus pandemic, the relevance of these items have significantly increased and HPP has moved into the market as the answer to its needs. Its main advantages are: • FOOD SECURITY. HPP guarantees food safety and brand protection thanks to the inactivation of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms.

Furthermore, it is applied to the final already packaged product, which avoids any kind of recontamination.

• EXTENDED SHELF-LIFE. High-pressure multiplies by 4 the shelf life of some products at refrigerated conditions, without adding preservatives.

• PREMIUM QUALITY. HPP preserves all the nutritional and organoleptic properties of the final product such as flavour, colour and texture.

High Pressure Processing (HPP) applies to a wide variety of products, being Hiperbaric the global leader in design and manufacture of HPP units, with 300 machines installed worldwide.

From traditional sectors such as juices and beverages, avocado products (guacamole), meat (sliced deli meats, dry-cured products) or seafood to more trendy categories like readyto-eat meals, plant-based dips (hummus), baby food or wet pet food, all of them can be processed by HPP. Most of companies are committed to this technology because they can reach distant markets, without the need to modify their recipes or use preservatives and technologies that could compromise their product quality. In this regard, many studies support that HPP is a suitable technology to increase the shelf-life in food and beverages

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thank to inactivate spoiling and pathogenic microorganisms. For example: • Raw chicken meat. Any preservation technology should inactivate the target microorganisms and avoid the growth of the survival microorganisms. Thus, it is necessary to trace the bacteria after HPP and throughout storage. The study done by Kruk and others (2012) evaluated the evolution of Salmonella Typhimurium in HPP chicken breasts for two weeks at refrigeration at different pressure levels (300, 450 and 600 MPa) for 5 min.

Increasing the pressure above 300 MPa improved instantaneous lethal effect of HPP on Salmonella. At 450 MPa and higher pressures HPP reached around 4-log in activation throughout cold storage, avoiding recover of bacteria.

• RTE Meals. Concerning the studies performed

by Rovere et al. 2006, HPP helps the producer to reach more than 45 days shelf life for a typical Italian dish made of cooked rice and mushrooms, called risotto ai fungi (pH: 5.82 & Aw: 0.98) stored at 4 °C (39 °F). In day 45 after HPP (600 MPa; 87,000 psi; during 5 min) the total microflora count stays below 1 log cfu/g.

For more information, visit www.hiperbaric.com

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

PRESSURE SENSORS

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COMPACT PRESSURE SENSORS ENSURE SAFE MILK STORAGE AT AL RAWABI DAIRY COMPANY Dairy products are very popular in the United Arab Emirates. Due to the high outdoor temperatures, every step in the production of these products is closely monitored. This requires continuous reliable measurement.

That’s why the new VEGABAR series of measuring instruments have been entrusted with this important task at Al Rawabi Dairy Company.

Germany, the company now has 13,500 cows on its own farm in Al Khawaneej. These supply the milk to produce 275,000 litres of milk products per day. A whopping 15,000 litres of juice are also produced on a daily basis.

Innovation is a state of mind at Al Rawabi The company meets all global requirements when it comes to quality and hygiene. It has also received several international awards for its innovations in this field.

One component enabling this success is reliable measurement technology. It is absolutely essential for being able to adhere precisely to recipes and measure levels in the various processes correctly. And this is why Al Rawabi Dairy Company and VEGA (the German expert in pressure and level measurement) met.

A patented technology to suit all process conditions

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l Rawabi Dairy Company is a leading dairy and juice company in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a wide range of products, which includes milk and yoghurt, the sour milk product Laban, as well as pasteurised juices and functional dairy products. At present, Al Rawabi Dairy Company products are available in more than 12,500 shops in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman and Qatar.

Starting in 1989 with 500 cows imported from

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

In one of the three, 5-metre-high tanks, which hold about 30,000 litres of milk, a VEGABAR 38 pressure sensor now carries out the level measurement.

With a patented ceramic CERTEC® measuring cell, the sensor can sustain temperatures up to 135 °C for 1 hour. It can thus withstand both sterilization and cleaning cycles in the milk storage tanks. What is more, the measuring cell has excellent long-term stability and high overload resistance.

In the Al Rawabi Dairy Company, the pressure sensors measure the hydrostatic pressure exerted by the milk in the tank, which in turn is used to determine the level.

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PRESSURE SENSORS

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Perfect cleanability The hygienic requirements of the dairy industry are in themselves extremely demanding.

That’s why the sensors are specially designed to meet the strict requirements of this sector.

These include materials with all the necessary approvals and properties according to FDA and EC 1935/2004 as well as hygienic design in compliance with EHEDG and 3-A Sanitary.

The sensors are especially characterised by their front-flush process fittings. An all-metal housing that meets the requirements of IP69K is available as an option. Even during operation they can be cleaned with almost any cleaning agent for up to one hour at 135 °C. With their reliably protected seals, all-metal housings and media-contacting surfaces with a surface roughness down to 0.76 µm, VEGA sensors ensure perfect protection of sensitive processes.

Configuration of all sensors with any smartphones Based on the innovations using Bluetooth, these devices can be setup using VEGA’s App on any smartphones instead of traditional bulky field communicators.

Learning how to use each and every manufacturer’s field communicator has always been a painful task in the industry. Using a simple smartphone to configure and access sensor parameters is a clear benefit for a maintenance team; facilitating the easy transfer of knowledge, saving time and money.

Pressure Sensor using the patented ceramic CERTEC® measuring cell.

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Sensors can be easily retrofitted onto existing fittings thanks to the process connexion adapters. It reduces installation effort, fast commissioning and leaner stockkeeping.

Process information at a glance Yet another feature helps avoid unnecessary physical contact with the production systems: the 360° status display on the VEGABAR 38– thanks to it, all switching states are visible from any direction. The operator can see at a glance whether the tank is empty or full, or if there’s a fault in the process.

After installation, the operators of Al Rawabi Dairy Company were very satisfied with the new sensors. Another plus: thanks to the reliable measured values, it is now very easy to check if the storage tank volumes match the readings delivered by the flowmeters installed on the tank trucks. This gives the operators additional certainty.

These high requirements apply not only to the milk storage tanks but to other areas as well.

Sensors from VEGA are now also used in the wastewater treatment plant of the dairy. Here, the previously used ultrasonic level gauges had often failed, moving the plant operators to look for a reliable replacement. VEGA’s 80-GHz radar measurement technology proved to be the solution. The compact VEGAPULS C 21 sensor delivers reliable measured values around the clock – completely unaffected by foam, which used to cause measurement errors and uncertainty time and time again.

For more information, visit www.vega.com

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

B E V E R AG E S

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ARLA FOODS INGREDIENTS TIPS HIGH-PROTEIN ICED TEA AS NEXT BIG BEVERAGE TREND

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rla Foods Ingredients has identified high-protein iced tea as the next big trend in beverages.

Demand for functional / fortified beverages is increasing rapidly. In the US alone, where sales grew by 51% between 2014 and 2019, the market is projected to be worth 819 million USD by 2024.

To meet this demand, both sports and mainstream brands are seeking to create new functional beverage products – and many are turning their attention to tea.

Iced tea has long been popular as a healthy beverage due to its antioxidant properties, and many products now carry superfood claims. One way to further boost its nutritional value is to add whey protein isolate (WPI). WPI’s benefits for building and maintaining muscle mass are well known and it has been used in RTD beverages for many years.

However, delivering on the promise of a protein-rich beverage while maintaining tea’s clean, refreshing taste can be difficult.

Arla Foods Ingredients offers three different processing-stable WPI solutions that can

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

overcome this challenge, allowing the creation of delicious, high-protein iced tea beverages: • Lacprodan®ISO.Water can be used to make UHT-stable beverages with a clean and water-like taste.

• Lacprodan®ISO.Clear can be used to make clear beverages with a natural and refreshing taste profile.

• Lacprodan®ISO.WaterShake can be used in a clear and water-like ready-to-shake iced tea that delivers 20g of protein and no sugar or fat.

Clean-label claims are particularly important in the iced tea segment, where there is strong preference for products that are natural and sugar-free.

Arla Foods Ingredients’ WPI solutions can help manufacturers develop high-protein iced teas with the following benefits: Zero taste of protein, Refreshing iced tea taste, Real tea extract, Highquality protein, Sugar-free, Fat-free, Lactose-free.

For more information, visit www.arlafoodsingredients.com

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FRUITS

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DURABILIS CONFIRMS HUGE EXPORT POTENTIAL FOR ETHIOPIAN PRODUCE Trial exports of Hass avocados have arrived successfully in the UK, Europe and Middle East

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urabilis – an international impact investment company, and the owner of fresh produce importer FairFruit in Belgium – is elated to announce the successful arrival of trial Hass avocado exports from Ethiopia; a game-changing milestone that demonstrates the huge potential for Ethiopian produce.

Thanks to the new Ethiopia-Djibouti-Europe cool logistics corridor via train-sea-truck, the landmark consignment presents buyers across the UK and Europe with a new window of availability for competitively-priced Hass avocados from mid-September to mid-October.

Importantly, it paves the way for a whole new range of produce exports from Ethiopia.

Two trial airfreight shipments have been received positively in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Evert Wulfrank, CEO of Durabilis, explains: “Considering the agricultural potential of Ethiopia, this successful test with avocados creates a whole new perspective for a series of Ethiopian products that qualify for export to Europe. The 750km refrigerated railway connection from Modjo Dry Port in Ethiopia to the Port of Djibouti means exporting Ethiopian

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produce by seafreight has become a real option. The train offers a regular, reliable service lasting 30 hours, compared with twoto-three days by truck. Overall, the transit time from Ethiopia to Europe is now less than 30 days approximately, and there is the potential to reduce that to 24 days in the future.”

Wulfrank adds: “This is important for buyers that are looking for new and competitive sources of fresh fruits and veggies, and who, so far, have disregarded Ethiopia as a feasible option because the country lacked seafreight connections. We are looking for more avocado buyers in the UK, Europe and the Middle East because our projected production volumes will grow substantially and we will have a range of sizes.”

Ethiopia has considerable agricultural potential thanks to its fertile soils, a temperate climate, competitive labour costs, and plenty of available water within the Koga region (south of Bahir Dar) where Durabilis is working with smallholder growers in conjunction with its local subsidiary Koga Veg Agricultural Development.

For more information, visit www.durabilis.eu

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

KNIVES

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COLTELLERIE MASERIN CELEBRATES ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY

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oltellerie Maserin began to produce knives in 1960 in Maniago, a city well known as “the city of knives”. Maserin Fervido, born in 1934, before founding the namesake cutlery, started working at the age of 14 in a factory that produced knives, scissors and tools for agriculture. Fervido was fully committed to his job working seven days a week. After his military service, he founded his company where he produced, as a subcontractor, components for large corporates. High quality products, including the famous and classic spring “stilettos”, typical of Maniago tradition. Since then many other models have been created by Fervido in 1985, following multiple successes achieved, Maserin Fervido built the current production site of 3,000 square meters area.

Coltellerie Maserin was the first company in Italy to start a collaboration with Italian and foreign knife makers and, most important, to have its own registered trademark for sport knives.

FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST

Coltellerie Maserin is a family business and Olga Mazzoli, Fervido’s wife, also contributed personally, supporting the growth of the company. Nowadays the business is led by his three sons Gianfranco, Maurizio and Claudia with the mission to expand the name of Maserin worldwide. The company has been able to improve constantly the series and the quality of the multiple Range of products. All our knives are made with high quality materials and tecniques and special design, typical of the made in Italy tradition.

Following the continuous improvements, the company achieved the NATO NCAGE AJ988 and UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 certification.

The wide range of products offer to the market a wide choice for any kind of need: Sport, Utility, Hunting, High-Tech, Collection, Rescue, Multipurpose, Kitchen.

In accordance with the tradition that has distinguished our family business since the very beginning, the entire production process takes place within the company; we personally follow the creation of our articles, from design to production, carrying out an accurate quality control of the finished product.

The company contributes to keep the prestige of Maniago knives intact using the most modern techniques (Laser, CNC, numerical control machines). Thanks to the experience gained in over 60 years of activity, and the continuous research of advanced materials for both steels and handles, today we produce a wide range of high quality products distributed all over the world.

For more information, visit www.maserin.com

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