Food Manufacturing Africa Q4

NOV 2020 • FEB 2021 Vol. 10 • No. 4

Get ready Protein alternatives Take innovation beyond imitation

for a plant-based and alternative protein revolution!

Ready-to-drink

Line efficiencies that pack a punch

Rigid packaging

Reduce material consumption for a cleaner future

100 Years of baking and ingredient handling.

Bakery solutions from BĂźhler.

BĂźhler (Pty) Ltd Juice Street, 5 Star Business Park Honeydew, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Innovations for a better world.

CONTENTS NOV 2020 • FEB 2021 Vol. 10 • No. 4

14 Ingredient innovation that makes you sit up and take notice Bunge Loders Croklaan is a global pioneer in specialty and nutritional fats. The company is active in tracking changing consumer and product trends and aims to provide new solutions to adapt to these innovations.

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NEWS

Online shopping with BMG Food labelling should be clearer Tate & Lyle emission goals approved Alpla plant new HDPE recycling plant In memoriam: Miguel Pereira A first in food safety pasteurisation GNT loves red!

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MARKET TRENDS

Private labels soar during lockdown

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FATS & OILS

Ingredient innovation to make you sit up and take notice

Healthier cooking oil a reality

Making the case for sustainable palm oil

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PROTEIN ALTERNATIVES

Cheese analogues – all the rage A new centre of excellence for AAK Get ready for a plant-based revolution Taking innovation beyond imitation Make a splash with plant-based fish The science behind plant protein texture

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MATERIALS HANDLING & COLD CHAIN

GEA launches environmentally friendly refrigerant

Add value by saving time

23 PROTEIN ALTERNATIVES Get ready for a plant-based revolution

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READY-TO-DRINK

Innovative kegging line for East Africa Breweries Bottle inspection systems with a difference

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PACKAGING

How a circular economy will impact the future of packaging

TF-BOPE takes care of all frozen packaging needs

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX BMG...................................................................5............................www.bmgworld.net Bühler...............................................................IFC.........................www.buhlergroup.com Iberchem.........................................................IBC........................www.iberchem.co.za ISW Shrink.......................................................OBC.......................www.iswshrink.co.za Koelnmesse....................................................9............................www.anugafoodtec.com Krones Southern Africa...............................27...........................www.krones.com

Omron Electronics .......................................29..........................www.industrial.omron.co.za Polyoak Packaging........................................11...........................www.polyoakpackaging.co.za Savannah Fine Chemicals..........................15...........................www.savannah.co.za Syspro .............................................................12...........................www.za.syspro.com Vega Controls SA...........................................21...........................www.vega.com/vegabar

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

EDITORIAL Editor: Maryke Foulds +27 (0)11 715 8012 maryke.foulds@newmedia.co.za Layout & Design: Naresh Budraj ADVERTISING Sales Executive: Anita Raath +27 (0) 82 976 6541 anita.raath@newmedia.co.za Sales Executive: Carla Melless +27 (0) 83 260 6060 carla.melless@newmedia.co.za

The market expected to bounce back in 2021!

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OVID-19 HIT THE food and beverage industry hard. Even though identified as a priority sector during the pandemic the market is expected to decline from $3 606.1 billion in 2019 to $3 503.3 billion in 2020 at a CAGR of -2.9%.

The decline is mainly due to economic slowdown across countries owing to the COVID-19 outbreak and measures to contain it.

The market is expected to recover and grow at a CAGR of 8% from 2021 and reach $4 290.1 billion in 2023. This is according to a Food and Beverage Services Global Market Report 2020-30: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery, which has been added to the Research And Markets offering.

The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies.

It also traces the market's historic and forecast growth by geography – placing it within the context of the wider food and beverage services market and compares it with other markets.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the global food and beverage services market, accounting for 46% of the market in 2019.

North America was the second largest region accounting for 24% of the global food and beverage services market. Africa was the smallest region in the global food and beverage services market.

What the report does show is that organic and locally-produced are buzzwords for the future. In this edition of Food Manufacturing Africa, we look at product and ingredient innovation in protein alternatives - a key area of growth globally.

Dairy substitutes are dominating the global market for animal product alternatives and a key focus is formulating these products with yeast extract. On page 18, we look at this growing market and how it can assist your company to become part of this vital industry.

Kerry has released a must-read white paper entitled Unlocking the Power of Protein in Beverages. It outlines that major application of protein fortification in functional beverages. For the full story, turn to page 19 now.

On page 25 we also bring you an in-depth look at East African Breweries and how technology innovation from KHS during a period of cooperation spanning 45-years has benefited the brewing industry in that region.

I would like to wish all our readers and advertisers a very happy and safe festive season. I hope that the industry will be in a position to press the reset and fast-forward button in 2021 and grow our industry to unprecedented heights!

Until next time!

Happy reading

Sales Executive: Càndida Giambò-Kruger +27 (0) 71 438 1918 candida.giambo-kruger@newmedia.co.za

INTERNATIONAL SALES Germany/Austria/Switzerland: Eisenacher Medien Erhardt Eisenacher +49 228 249 9860 info@eisenacher-medien.de Italy: Ngcombroker Giacomo Rotunno +39 370 101 4694 g.rotunno@ngcombroker.com

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2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

March 6 – 8 Food Expo Greece Athens, Greece www. foodexpo.gr 14 – 16 Seafood Expo North America Boston, US www.seafoodexpo.com 16 – 18 Food Ingredients China Shanghai, China www.cantonfair.net

NEWS

BMG LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE SHOPPING WEBSITE THE COMPANY’S NEW online shopping platform, BMG Online, makes doing business in the industrial sector a lot easier. “Although the planning, development and execution for our e-commerce shopping portal goes back over two years, the COVID-19 lockdown had a material impact on BMG Online’s design and format. Benchmarked on international best practice, the new system is efficient, user-friendly and customer-centric. It is an easy-to-navigate platform that enables 24-hour browsing and ordering from a selection of over 50 000 BMG products,” explains Darryn Wright, group marketing executive, engineering solutions group (ESG), part of Invicta Holdings Limited. “Although this platform offers new opportunities for doing business, digital shopping is merely another channel and will not detract from the technical support and personal attention the company is known for.

“The online facility sees BMG leading the way, in a highly competitive sector. This platform will add value to our service offering and make shopping

for engineering components very convenient. BMG Online offers many benefits, including easy product browsing, selection and ordering; click and collect from the nearest branch; swift delivery for existing customers and a fair returns policy,” he explains.

Customers now have easy access to a comprehensive range of bearings, power transmission components and seals. Electric motors and electronic motion components are also now available online. BMG will soon be adding many more products to this electronic platform, including fasteners, tools and equipment, later in 2020. •

BMG unveils its new online shopping platform

COATING SOLUTION ENABLES RECYCLABLE PAPER PACKAGING

WHEN DESIGNING RECYCLABLE packaging that is also compatible with a circular economy, converters must ensure that adhesives and coatings

can accommodate alternative materials like paper for various food and non-food applications. “The main purpose of packaging is protection, and this is

still what underpins our strategy.

The scope also includes developing adhesives and coatings that help improve recyclability and allow new packaging designs,” explains Alexander Bockisch, head of global market strategy for flexible packaging at Henkel.

Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE is a versatile coating covering a large variety of applications, from hygiene products and tea bags to industrial hardware pouches and chocolate overwraps. Loctite Liofol CS 22-422 RE also covers applications such as collection cards, cereal bars, biscuit packaging, frozen foods and ice-cream. Both innovations provide excellent block resistance for better release in the reel, while eliminating the need for release lacquer and are compatible with all types of ink.

“We worked closely with our partners to design solutions that would be both recyclable and meet industry performance requirements,” explains Davide Coppola, European business development manager coatings. “Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE and CS 22-422 RE have been extensively tested and certified in terms of recyclability and food safety characteristics. We can offer coatings and adhesives for use on paper packaging in wideranging applications without cutting corners on performance or safety,” he concludes. •

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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NEWS

SASOL SET TO BE FIRST RAW MATERIAL SUPPLIER SIGNATORY OF OCS

THE ENERGY AND chemicals group is the first raw material supplier to the South African plastics industry to become a signatory of Operation Clean Sweep (OCS). This international stewardship programme is designed to prevent resin pellet, flake, and powder loss and help keep these materials out of the marine environment. Sasol is committed to providing chemicals and energy in a responsible way and respecting the environment by continually improving performance to minimise and avoid adverse impacts. Plastics|SA is the licensee and project coordinator for OCS in South Africa. Douw Steyn, sustainability director at Plastics|SA, says plastic items can make their way into local waterways, estuaries and the ocean and can be mistaken for food by birds or marine animals and could harm them if ingested.

As part of their plan of action to implement OCS in South Africa, Plastics|SA developed a detailed toolkit and a manual that contains guidelines to help plastics industry operations managers reduce the accidental loss of pellets, flakes and powder from the manufacturing facility into the environment. To date, more than nine local companies and producer responsibility organisations such as PETCO, Polyco, the Southern African Vinyls Association and Polystyrene Association of SA have taken the OCS pledge on behalf of their members.

Survey finds labelling

on food products still not clear enough MANY FOOD AND beverage products do not offer the clear labelling required by consumers.

In a survey of 1 000 adults in the UK and US, commissioned by Ingredient Communications and conducted by SurveyGoo, 50% of people said they are more likely to buy a product if they can recognise all of the ingredients listed on the label. Only 19% of respondents said they always recognise all of the ingredients on the pack. Demonstrating the risks of this, more than one-third of respondents (36%) admitted they are less likely to buy a product made with an ingredient they do not recognise. Conversely, 44% said they are happy to pay a higher price for a product when they recognise all of the ingredients it contains. The findings of the survey indicate that a large number of consumers consider clear labelling to be a priority but also raise questions about how successfully the industry is catering to their preferences. Richard Clarke, managing director of Ingredient Communications, explains, “Ingredients companies have taken big steps to

optimise their portfolios to include clean label ingredients that can be declared on-pack in clear language that most consumers will recognise.

Manufacturers of finished products should consider formulating – or reformulating – their products to include these ingredients, or they risk being left behind.” • Only 19% of respondents said they recognise all ingredients on a pack

Sustainable packaging solutions

to support circular economy

TETRA PAK CARTONS, manufactured as flat packs at the converting factory in Pinetown, South Africa are wound around reels that are now manufactured from recycled packs collected from post-consumer waste.

“Recovering fibre from used beverage cartons supports our strategy of a low-carbon circular economy as well as the sustainability goals we continually strive to achieve ourselves and in collaboration with partners,” says Rodney Reynders, cluster leader of sustainability for the Greater Middle East and Africa. The Tetra Pak converting factory in Pinetown uses thousands of reel cores every month, made from 100% recycled paper, at least 10% of which is fibre from post-consumer beverage cartons such as Tetra Pak. The process begins when Mpact Recycling collects used food and beverage cartons nationally for recycling.

After collection, the recycling business bales the cartons, which are then sent to the Mpact mill where, through a special hydro-pulping process, the paperboard is reduced to a pulp and separated from the polymer and aluminium (PolyAlu) layers.

The pulp is then used to make new paper-based products, specifically core board paper, which becomes paper cores. •

SBTI APPROVES TATE & LYLE’S 2030

EMISSIONS GOALS TATE & LYLE PLC announced that its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets have been approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Announced in May 2020, Tate & Lyle’s commitment to a 30% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 is in line with the Paris Agreement’s central aim to keep a global temperature rise this century well below 2°C. The company’s commitment to reduce emissions from the value

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chain (Scope 3) by 15% over the same period meets the SBTi’s criteria for ambitious value chain goals.

Tate & Lyle is one of approximately 65 food and beverage operators globally to have its environmental commitments approved by SBTi, a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute, and the World Wide Fund for Nature. “At Tate & Lyle, we are passionate about making our contribution to lowering greenhouse gas

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

emissions and minimising the worst effects of climate change. Inspired by our purpose of ‘Improving Lives for Generations’, we have set ourselves ambitious environmental targets that are aligned to what the latest climate science is telling us we need to do. We are committed to working actively across our supply chain to help improve our environment and shape a better world,” notes Nick Hampton, Tate & Lyle CEO. •

NEWS

ALPLA plans to build

new plant for recycling HDPE ALPLA’S CONSTRUCTION OF a state-of-the-art recycling plant commenced in late 2020, with its launch planned for the second half of 2021. The amount invested is roughly €15 million and 65 jobs will be created. The company will be run as a 100% subsidiary of ALPLA, while the facility will have an annual capacity of 15 000 tonnes of HDPE recycled material for non-food applications. The target markets are primarily Mexico, neighbouring countries in Central America and the US. Through this investment ALPLA is realising its global

objectives for the New Plastics Economy (an initiative of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation).

The company is also staying true to its regional strategy. “We have been demonstrating forward-looking action in the field of recycling for many years. We invest in regions where the demand for recycled material is not yet that high. In doing this, we give used plastics value and act as role models for the achievement of the circular economy,” explains Georg Lässer, head of recycling. • New recycling plant for HDPE in Toluca, Mexico.

YO-Mix Prime yoghurt

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences

takes home first prize

THE GROUP HAS been awarded the first prize, the Technology Progress Award, at the 26th Annual Conference of the China Dairy Industry Association (CDIA). The YO-Mix Prime cultures series was launched globally earlier this year, and developed to create ultimate mildness and premium texture for consumers and provide a new level of indulgence in yoghurt.

The cultures can help manufacturers save on formulation costs by reducing the amount of skimmed milk powder added to boost texture, enabling them to add less sugar while keeping the same sweetness perception, and maintain product quality throughout challenging distribution channels with variations in storage temperature. •

www.anugafoodtec.com

Internationa al sup pplier p fair for the he food and b bevverage industtry

COLOGNE, GERMANY 23.–26.03.2021

ONE FOR ALL. ALL IN ONE.

Food Processing | Food Packaging | Safety & Analytics | Intralogistics Digitalisation | Automation | Environment & Energy | Science & Pioneering

Be there on-site or online.

Find out more here!

Koelnmesse GmbH Messeplatz 1 50679 Köln, Germany Tel. +49 1806 578 866 Fax +49 221 821 99-1020 anugafoodtec@visitor.koelnmesse.de

AFT_2021_Anzeige_Food_Manufacturing_Africa_177x130mm_Int_Afrika.indd 1

10.11.20 15:04

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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NEWS

Symrise announces the

passing of Miguel Pereira

Miguel Pereira

IT IS WITH sincere sadness that we announce the tragic passing of Miguel Pereira, commercial director flavour at Symrise sub-Saharan Africa. Miguel’s career with Symrise spanned a wonderful 19 years of growth, leadership and inspiring his colleagues. During his time at the company, he led teams and initiatives both in South Africa and in Holzminden, Germany. He also built strong relations across the industry and ensured this collaborative mentality and way of working was passed down to his teams and colleagues. His passing is an immense loss to the business and to the flavour division in South Africa where he was a phenomenal leader, and also a great mentor and a key source of inspiration. His infectious enthusiasm and eye for opportunity leaves a legacy for his team to live up to. He leaves behind his wife, Cherise and their little daughter Chloe. •

ROTOLABEL S&N LABELS

REBRANDS TO S&N LABELS THE REBRANDING WILL allow the company to focus on its core offering and to grow market share. S&N Labels will remain part of the labelling division of the Bidvest Group. This follows the acquisition of S&N Labels by the Bidvest Group in September 2017 and the integration into the labelling division in March 2018.

“The return to S&N Labels acknowledges the strength of this brand, which was created over a 20-year period, and the reputation that it has achieved in the marketplace as a leader in the supply of quality labels

and accessories,” explains Simon Grisdale, senior executive at S&N Labels. S&N Labels will continue to focus on large-run blank VIP labels, full-colour product-ID labels, thermal-transfer labels, pricemarking labels, laser sheets, tools and accessories, the Inkanto range of ribbons, as well as global brands of printers from partners such as Honeywell and Zebra.

S&N Labels will focus on consolidating its business processes and expanding its services and customer base throughout sub-Saharan Africa. •

INTERROLL OPENS

NEW SHOWROOM IN JOZI INTERROLL SOUTH AFRICA has opened its new showroom to showcase its modular conveyor platform (MCP). The new facility, located in Spartan, Johannesburg allows existing and prospective clients to bring their customrs to experience how their products will be conveyed in various segments of a conveyor. This includes incline and decline belt conveyors, high speed

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diverts, 90-degree transfers, tilt tables, roller and belt curves as well as alignment modules. With this format of MCP and the entire controls used, the transition from gravity conveying to automated conveying has become a lot easier. The entire system is operated from the DC platform, which includes roller drives, multi-control cards and the new compact power supply. •

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

Simon Grisdale

Inkjet meets traceability

goal for Spanish egg producer THE HUEVOS GUILLÉN GROUP is using a coding solution from Markem-Imaje to mark 180 000 eggs an hour while cutting operational costs by at least 20%. The continuous inkjet technology allows the company to change consumables without stopping the printers and reduces the number of printhead cleaning operations, while still meeting its traceability obligations with a high-quality code on each egg. Under the European Egg Production Model, the EU requires all eggs to be traceable to source. Each egg must be coded, indicating the farming system of the laying hens, the country of origin and the identification of the packing centre. The group chose a specially configured version of Markem-Imaje’s 9450 continuous inkjet (CIJ) coder.

Capable of coding up to 250 000 eggs an hour, it uses a constant flow of ink, sprayed from nozzles directly onto the egg surface, at whatever angle is required. Intelli'Jet technology controls measures, and adjusts the speed of the jet, considering environmental conditions, to ensure perfect drop placement, quality and code consistency. Mistakes are avoided through the coder’s Intelli’Ink system, which uses a built-in sensor to prevent the insertion of incorrect ink cartridges. •

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NEWS

A first in food safety pasteurisation equipment GREEN FARMS NUT COMPANY has invested in the Swiss-engineered Napasol pasteurisation technology for its new factory in Mpumalanga, South Africa. “The strategic commitment is a long-term vision that will pay dividends to farmers in securing future market access for macadamias. It underpins confidence in sector growth and the South African agricultural industry,” enthuses Allen Duncan, CEO, GFNC. “Five of the expected seven containers are in port in South Africa, with the remaining two to arrive in November. A new building (at the factory in White River, Mpumalanga) to support

this infrastructure is ready for planned instalment and testing,” he explains. Although pasteurisation is not new, it is significant within the context of macadamias.

Napasol is custom-built and its process is unique and entirely chemical-free. The technology places South Africa, already the world’s largest producer of macadamias, firmly on the world stage as a reliable, quality-producer by branding South Africa’s macadamias as premium and deserving of the best prices. In its support to the industry, GFNC will offer a service to tollpasteurise for other macadamia businesses. •

The macadamia facility in South Africa

LIBSTAR THIRD-QUARTER TRADING UPDATE THE GROUP HAS incurred further COVID-19 expenditure of R16m since the release of its interim financial results. The group has therefore incurred R60m direct COVID-19 expenses during the nine months ended 2 October 2020. Libstar expects additional COVID-19-related expenses of R5m for the last three months to 31 December 2020 as the rate of expenditure normalises in line with reduced new COVID-19 infection rates nationally. Following the successful payment in September of the group’s dividend concerning the year ended 31 December 2019, cash generation has remained stable in the D011-3R.pdf 1 2020/09/16 11:46 third quarter. Although the group’s investment in

net working capital remains higher than last year (2019: 14.4% of revenue), it is not expected to exceed the upper limit target of 15% of revenue. Several costrationalisation projects are underway throughout the group, most notably within the Dickon Hall Foods, Lancewood and Libstar HPC divisions. These projects are expected to start yielding benefits from H1 2021.

The group supplies products in its five categories to the retail and wholesale channel. Total revenue from this channel increased by 26.6% during the third quarter and by 15.5% for the nine months ended 2 October 2020. The third-quarter revenue growth was mainly attributable to continued robust retail

demand, driven by increased at-home consumption.

Foodservice channel revenue reflected the easing of lockdown conditions, ending the third quarter 13.6% lower than the comparative period of the 2019 financial year. This was a significant improvement compared to the 63.2% year-on-year decline in the second quarter, and in line with the guidance previously provided to the market. The group expects trading at 80% to 85% of prior-year levels for the remainder of the financial year, as the quickservice restaurant and other hospitality industries slowly recover from the impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. •

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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NEWS

It’s a red alert for 2021 Red is set to shake up the food and beverage industry in 2021 thanks to its ability to spark powerful emotions, according to Exberry Coloring Foods supplier GNT Group.

R

ED HAS LONG been an iconic shade in the world of cosmetics, beauty, fashion, film and design. As we approach 2021, red is now ready to invigorate the world of food and drink.

The global pandemic has taken consumers outside their comfort zones, leading them to break free from old habits and search for something new. GNT believes red can connect with this desire for discovery and help signal the start of a new era.

Associated with sporting dominance, red is a shade that signifies power and energy. It is globally recognised as the colour of love, too, with the ability to fire up strong feelings of passion and desire.

GNT is also highlighting red’s ability to

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The range of red Exberry Coloring Foods is made from raw materials such as radish and elderberry

add a sense of excitement and exploration to food and drink, with its appeal among the Instagram generation providing another key reason for the shade’s growing popularity.

Maartje Hendrickx, GNT’s market development manager says, “Red was the natural choice for our new Love Color with Exberry campaign. It epitomises human vitality, creating energy, passion and positive action, and brings real excitement to food and drink products. Red is well known for its ability to command instant attention and it’s a colour you won’t be able to ignore in 2021.”

With consumers demanding clean and simple ingredients in their food and drink, GNT offers a range of red colouring foods made from raw materials such as radish,

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

carrot, sweet potato, hibiscus and berries including elderberry and chokeberry.

GNT’s red shades are made from fruit, vegetables and edible plants using physical manufacturing processes and no chemical solvents. As a result, they can provide the perfect clean-label replacement for colorants such as the azo dye Allura Red AC and carmine.

GNT also controls the entire supply chain, enabling the company to guarantee all products meet its rigorous quality and sustainability standards as well as ensuring year-round availability. •

GNT– www.gnt.com

MARKET TRENDS

Private label sales soar during lockdown

Private label products experienced startling double-digit growth during the initial period of South Africa’s lockdown. This was particularly evident during March, when a massive 27.2% increase in sales took place amidst pre-lockdown stockpiling, versus the same month in 2020.

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HIS POSITIVE PERFORMANCE continued throughout April (19.3%), May (18.5%) and June (18.2%), with broader year-on-year sales growth at 10.5% up to February 2020.

Private label’s (PL) positive trajectory was also evident in terms of its annual share of the South African FMCG basket at 20.4% (end of June 2020) and a particularly strong result for Quarter 2 of 2020 at 23.5%.

These findings stem from Nielsen’s latest State of Private Label report, which shows that the PL sector now commands R63bn in annual consumer goods sales, up from R55.4bn in 2019. However, this is relative to named brands, which continue to dominate with R245bn in annual sales.

Commenting on this overall positive performance, Nielsen director retail vertical Gareth Paterson says, “It is the value for money proposition as well as the availability of quality private label brands that ensured the growth of the sector during the lockdown period.

This allowed it to build on the momentum and innovation it has displayed in previous years.

“There’s no doubt that the gains made

by PL during the lockdown will continue based on the increased consumer exposure to quality retailer-owned brands. This will drive longer-term adoption for PL in many instances, as once consumers trial these products, they appreciate the quality and price competitiveness of these goods.”

PERVASIVE PRODUCTS When looking at an annual performance level, the Nielsen report reveals the pervasiveness of PL brands, with an average of 486 of these items per retail store in South Africa.

Interestingly, in the 13 weeks of lockdown, there was an average of 54 more private label

“It is the value for money proposition as well as the availability of quality private label brands that ensured the growth of the sector during the lockdown period”

An analysis of the performance of specific PL categories saw frozen and canned groceries along with personal care products emerging as winners, with 61% of consumers saying they are buying more of frozen and chilled foods versus 12 months ago, followed by 54% who are buying more personal care products in PL and 51% who are buying more PL products in canned and packaged groceries.

WHAT’S IN THE TOP 10?

Within the top-ranking PL products over the last year, ready-to-eat bread rolls showed the biggest increase with a 32% year-on-year growth in sales; while desserts, cakes and sweet products, and refrigerated dinners were the same in the third and fourth place.

Within the specific 13-week lockdown period, the top 10 private label categories ranked according to combined sales, market share and growth saw meat (raw and refrigerated) followed by milk and refrigerated dinners as the best performers.

Editorial credit: Sunshine Seeds / Shutterstock.com

items on shelf. Paterson comments, “These increased numbers reflect the investment that retailers continue to make into expanding their PL repertoires, which has driven innovation, product choice for consumers, and ultimately sales.”

Looking at evolving consumer relationships with PL, 71% of shoppers in 2019 said they compare the price of store brands with named brands, down from 80% in 2018 and 77% in 2017. This shows a decline in the pure price comparison factor when consumers choose between the two.

NO LONGER A BRAND WITHOUT A NAME In terms of South Africans embracing the so-called ‘no-name brand’, it’s clear that the lockdown period has had a visible and significant effect on accelerating the growth of these products.

Paterson states, “The quality of private label goods is no longer seen in a negative light. South African consumers now consider these products as worthy alternatives; even though this is one of the most trying and financially testing times they have ever experienced. Based on this deepening relationship, we expect a continued upward trend in the purchase of PL products and will see these items taking a greater share of consumer baskets.

“The perceived line between PL and branded goods is blurring. The key is to understand shifting consumer behaviour and providing shoppers with quality, value for money offerings that will help offset consumers’ growing financial challenges, no matter which sector you play in.” •

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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FATS & OILS

Ingredient innovation

that makes you sit up and take notice Bunge Loders Croklaan is a global pioneer in specialty and nutritional fats. The company is active in tracking changing consumer and product trends and aims to provide new solutions to adapt to these innovations.

"The new Couva range of fat provides a very clean, healthy label of nonhydrogenated, low transfat and reduced saturated fat, but also gives special functionality in making compound chocolate"

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HE COVID-19 PANDEMIC increased demand for food ingredients that are perceived as immunity-boosting; coupled to natural, plant-based and cleanlabel products.

Traditionally, non-tempering cocoa butter alternatives (CBA) were used for making chocolate compounds by hydrogenating vegetable oils like palm kernel oil, palm oil or soybean oil. This process results in the formation of trans-fats – reportedly very bad for human health.

To prevent trans-fat formation, most producers used full hydrogenation. This could result in an end-product with a very high level of saturated fat. Intake of high saturated fat in the diet is also considered bad for health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Most low transfat alternative fats available in the market contain a very high level of saturated fat.

Keeping innovation on the agenda, BLC developed a range of CBAs for confectionery application that doesn’t use a hydrogenation process, which won’t cause an increase of trans-fat and saturated fat. They are produced using special technology of

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interesterification, which doesn’t cause trans-fat formation. Furthermore, these products use special state-of-the-art technology like solvent fractionation, which is very unique in that it isolates special fractions of triglycerides that result in the production of these fats.

The new Couva range of fat provides a clean label of non-hydrogenated, low transfat and reduced saturated fat. It also offers functionality in making compound chocolate with fast crystallisation and indulgent taste and recently won the Most Innovative Health Ingredient Award at the Gulfood Manufacturing Industry Excellence Awards.

Another new category is plant-based meat solutions. With a strong technical team in place, BLC offers a one-stop solution with ingredients ranging from protein to specialty fat and emulsifiers that can help these plantbased products resemble a standard meat variant available in the market.

Non-hydrogenated and non-palm solutions have created curiosity among food manufacturers who are looking for premium, healthy and sustainable products in their meat analogues. With in-built application

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

support, BLC offers a variant of fat forms that could help customise specific end products like an analogue meat patty, pâtés and analogue sausages, etc.

As a prominent global producer of emulsifiers, this application further strengthens BLC’s status for nutritional and plant-based solutions. In conjunction with functionality and stability, there is a maximum focus on achieving the right sensory requirement to indulge customers.

BLC’s technical team offers customised and application-based solutions for a wide range of food categories, including cheese, ice cream, culinary, beverage, bakery and confectionery products that need plantbased solutions for vegan label claims. BLC’s range of products is supplied locally through Savannah Fine Chemicals. •

Savannah Fine Chemicals – www.savannah.co.za

FATS & OILS

Deal frosting and

filling shortening or bakery producers Bakery shops, chains and manufacturers are constantly innovating their bakery offerings with frosting. Also known as icing and fillings, these products give bakery goods its premium appearance while improving flavour and quality by acting as a protective coating.

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LEGANT AND DISTINGUISHING cake decorations are a prominent feature on special occasions and celebrations.

Bunge Loders Croklaan’s Icing Short range provides bakers and pastry chefs high-quality ingredients to produce premium baked food decorations and fillings.

These are sweet toppings and fillings commonly used for cakes, cupcakes, cookies and pastries. There are many variations of frostings/icings and fillings, but the most basic form is the combination of sugar, syrup and some liquid such as water or milk.

Flavourings and colours are also added contributing to the visual appeal.

One of the key trends in the food industry is the growing demand for premium, yet healthier products. To keep up with the demand, bakery producers and manufacturers' wish list for frosting/icing and fillings will include non-hydrogenated, virtually trans-fat free (<1%) and a clean label

option. Bunge Loders Croklaan can fulfil the requirements with its Icing Short range, a palm-based shortening for that applications.

The Icing Short range is an effective shortening that is able to achieve desired specific gravity, overrun, excellent creaming power, large volume and stable storage in a short period of mixing time.

This means less production time to achieve frosting/icing and fillings that will hold its shape for longer. Improved specific gravity and high overrun result in high yields increasing production.

For foodservice and industrial cake producers, the Icing Short 305 gives excellent creaming power with the ability to incorporate up to 15% water and also works with syrup.

It is ideal for cake topping, providing cleaner and faster meltdown.

The Icing Short 10831 works best with syrup and icing sugar. It has excellent creaming ability, with the capability to incorporate

a high volume of air in a short period of time, highly stable and has high mechanical tolerance. This makes it a fitting choice for industrial bakery producers. It gives good flavour release with a fluffy and light texture.

For tropical and hot climate countries, the ideal aerated frosting/icing and fillings can be achieved with Icing Short 500 due to its heat stable ability. It has excellent creaming ability and gives fluffy cream filling. Your consumers will appreciate the excellent flavour release, good meltdown and creamy mouthfeel.

The range is suitable for cake and sandwich bun filling, cream roll, macaron filling, biscuit sandwich and cake topping. The aerated filling is easy to store too because it is stable in ambient temperature.

Bunge Loders Croklaan www.bungeloders.com

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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FATS & OILS

Clariant enables production

of healthier cooking oils with bleaching agent Consumers are shifting towards healthier edible oil alternatives. This has resulted in an uptake of various edible oils by restaurants and home kitchens alike.

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RADITIONALLY, OLIVE OIL has always been regarded as a “healthy oil” for its richness of monounsaturated fats, some antioxidants and oleic acid. It is also known for its inflammation reducing properties.

However, olive oil has a relatively low smoke point, making it less ideal for cooking methods that require high heat as is the case when pan-searing and preparing stir-fries .

The higher heat can break down the oil and give food an undesirable taste or flavour.

Additionally, this can make the oil less healthy through the release of free-radicals as it breaks down from the heat.

For these types of cooking, there are better suited types of vegetable oil, like canola, corn, cottonseed, palm, palm-kernel, peanut, safflower, soybean, and sunflower.

When distinguishing between healthier cooking oils – for the purposes of high temperature food preparation, it is important to note that the healthier options involve refining with high-quality bleaching earths since they help to remove impurities from edible oils.

Particular attention is placed on minimising fatty acid esters of 3-monochloro-propane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and glycidol levels, currently under scrutiny in

the EU. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and several senior institutes are actively researching the presence of 3-MCPD in fully refined edible oils and fats, such as margarine, oil for frying, nougat spread and infant formula.

3-MCPDs are some of the most commonly occurring contaminants, induced by processing of fats and oils among other processes, with some being beyond the scope of fats and oils refinement. 3-MCPD esters are formed when lipids react with chlorine-containing compounds at elevated temperatures. While there are many harmful agents in the environment which we are constantly being exposed to, the idea is to limit ingestion or exposure to toxins by replacing them with better alternatives.

Clariant, a focused specialty chemicals company, provides a variety of custom solutions for its client base and is currently serving demand for better quality and refining of vegetable oils with a dedicated product portfolio.

The company supplies a broad range of activated bleaching earths which are based on a natural mineral known as bentonite. These are used in the processing and purification of edible oils, and other solutions such as treatment of biofuels.

Among Clariant’s range of products is Tonsil, which is suitable for a variety of purification methods in the mitigation of impurities like pigments, metals and other substances that can render the edible oils rancid. The use of Tonsil improves the quality of the edible oils and increases its shelf life.

“Clariant supplies Tonsil bleaching earth to a large number of vegetable oil manufacturers in South Africa. The value of sales of locally manufactured oils and fats derived from vegetables and animals amounted to R11.6bn in 2015. Of the approximately 1 million tonnes of soybeans, 664 000 tonnes of sunflower seeds, 100 000 tonnes of canola, and 60 000 tonnes of peanuts produced in 2015, more than 95% was processed into oils and fats.

“The vegetable oils sector employs some 15 000 people in processing, manufacturing and trading activities and supports thousands more oilseed farmers and farm labourers. Sales for 2019 was 2 500mt of Tonsil bleaching earth,” says Jaco Strijdom, regional sales manager, sub-Saharan Africa for BU functional minerals at Clariant.

Clariant is working closely with customers to develop application-specific solutions.

This has given the company insight into customers’ issues and allowed for the response of possible solutions. It is involved in a project of the German Food Industry to reduce 3-MCPD esters as well as glycidyl esters in fully refined edible oils and fats , and recently also added additional production capacities at its site in Yuncos, Spain, to provide an extended portfolio of advanced purification products for local customers.

“These initiatives are part of Clariant’s strategy to continue to boost the supply of high-quality activated bleaching earths to the edible oil and biofuel markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa,” Strijdom concludes. •

1 Source: Farrell, K. (2020, May 8). How to best use cooking oils according to their smoke points. Retrieved from US Today : https://www.10best.com/interests/ food-culture/why-to-know-cooking-oil-smoke-pointsolive-coconut-oil/ 2 Source: Clariant achieves significant breakthrough in lowering 3-MCPD values; 2013

Clariant – www.clariant.com

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

FATS & OILS

Setting the example for sustainable palm oil

As part of its campaign to advance the responsible production of palm oil, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) published over 30 case studies documenting industry efforts to transition to 100% sustainable palm oil.

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HE DUPONT NUTRITION & Biosciences (DuPont N&B) business was featured as a case study contributing to WWF’s mission. Recently, the need for sustainable palm oil has become increasingly critical, as demand for vegetable oils – particularly palm oil - continues to grow. In 2019, The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified palm oil volume increased by 13%.

Since 2004, DuPont N&B has been an industry leader in developing sustainable solutions to palm oil production. DuPont N&B was the first ingredient manufacturer to join RSPO and has since advocated for inclusive collaborations to transform the palm oil industry. By highlighting DuPont N&B’s efforts, the WWF aims to inspire the collective action required for responsible palm oil production, trade, and consumption.

In line with the WWF’s vision for the responsible production of palm oil, DuPont N&B achieved an industry first in 2017 with its offer of 100% RSPO certified palm-based emulsifiers globally, using a combination of Book & Claim, Mass Balance and Segregated.

DuPont N&B is now working towards its 2025 goal of achieving 100% physical certified sustainable palm of grade Mass Balance or above, alongside the phasing out

of RSPO credits globally. In 2020, DuPont N&B achieved a key milestone by sourcing 100% physical RSPO certified palm oil and derivatives for its emulsifiers produced in Europe and North America.

In addition to sourcing certified raw materials, DuPont N&B has achieved significant progress in developing transparent and responsible supply chains, striving for 100% traceability to the mill within the next five years and implementing supplier scorecards.

Last month’s discussions at the Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue Europe reinforced the power of collective action to achieve 100% RSPO in the European market. This message has been endorsed on the world stage through public calls for companies to further improve their global supply chains.

The RSPO, a global multi-stakeholder initiative, is the driving force behind responsible palm oil supply chains. RSPO is a full ISEAL member and has the vision to “transform the markets by making sustainable palm oil the norm".

A recent life cycle assessment conducted by 2.-0 LCA Consultants published in the Journal Of Cleaner Production, showed that the carbon footprint of RSPO certified

palm oil is 35% smaller than conventional palm oil. In choosing RSPO certified palm oil, companies can make a big dent in their upstream greenhouse gas emissions, which can be a key lever for companies whose climate goals are aligned with the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi).

DuPont N&B has joined with over 560 other companies as signatories of the Business for Nature’s Call To Action. This collective is calling on governments around the world to adopt policies to reverse nature loss in the next ten years.

“We are extremely proud of our longstanding collaboration with RSPO, and the achievements we have made in leading the industry towards more sustainable palm oil,” said Mikkel Thrane, global sustainability leader at DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.

“It’s fantastic to be featured as a case study by the WWF for our work in this field and we hope that our story will encourage the inclusive collaborations necessary for transforming palm oil supply chains across the globe.” •

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences – www.dupont.com

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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PROTEIN ALTERNATIVES

Yeast extract:

a key ingredient to develop cheese analogues Consumption habits are evolving – especially when it comes to animal-based foods. A growing number of consumers are replacing these items with plant-based alternatives and this shift represents a growing market where yeast extracts are a perfect solution for food formulators to build on taste.

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AIRY SUBSTITUTES ARE dominating the global market for animal product alternatives or substitutes. In 2018, this market was worth $17.3bn. It is forecast to reach $29.6bn by 20231. The cheese substitutes market is still at an early stage, representing in 2018 an average of 11% of the plant-based market ($445m).

Nevertheless, it is growing fast with an estimated CAGR of 8% (2015 to 2021)2, and the number of products launched each year gets bigger (134 vs 219)3. The two markets launching the largest portion of these products4 are North America and Europe.

WHY ARE CHEESE ANALOGUES SUCH A CRAZE? As consumers adopt special diets without lactose, or vegan and flexitarian options, many of them are looking at healthier diets. Consumers perceive cheese analogues, often based on oilseeds or nuts, as nutritionally interesting and healthier than regular cheese. Oilseeds, for instance, are a source of unsaturated fatty acids.

Additionally, cheese analogues can present other benefits such as being free from GMOs and/or allergens; lower in calories and/or salt and with a longer shelf life.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES LINKED TO DEVELOPING CHEESE ANALOGUES? Cheese may be one of the most difficult products to replicate since it has a wide variety of flavours and textures.

Depending on the type of cheese, its use, texture, smell, and melting ability will not be the same. This can be a real challenge to product formulators when developing cheese substitutes with these flavours and properties. Some raw materials such as soy can bring offnotes which must be neutralised.

Consumers expect the nutritional profile of the cheese analogue to be equivalent to dairy cheese, especially regarding calcium content. It also has to

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Cheese substitutes can represent a real challenge to food manufacturers, who need to address consumers’ expectation regarding taste, pleasure and end-product composition. With its multiple flavours, vegan status, and naturalness, yeast extracts are the perfect solution to answer these challenges – whatever the recipe or the type of application.

Dairy substitutes are dominating the global market for animal product alternatives.

perform with regards to naturalness and clean label in the ingredient list.

Depending on the country, the naming of cheese analogues can be challenging since the word “cheese” is to be labelled on products of animal origin, meaning the names of the substitutes have to suggest cheese without actually saying so.

ANSWERING THESE CHALLENGES WITH YEAST EXTRACT A key ingredient to help overcome these challenges in cheese analogues is yeast extract. With a wide spectrum of flavours, yeast extracts can be used in combination with one another to achieve the right taste.

Some will bring aged-cheese notes whereas others will bring specific flavours, improve smoothness or creaminess, increase the perception of savoury flavours and contribute to fat reduction. Yeast extract is known to provide umami-boosting and balances the flavours of the recipe, and is key to reducing salt.

Biospringer’s Springer Mask 101, a yeast-based fermentation ingredient, can help neutralise undesirable flavour notes from plant proteins.

Yeast extract, as a clean-label ingredient, helps in restricting the use of artificial raw materials to build taste.

In terms of composition, yeast extract contains proteins and is animal-free.

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

Yeast extract is a clean-label ingredient and helps in restricting the use of artificial raw materials.

Biospringer is a specialist in yeast extraction. It is recognised worldwide as a historical key player and global producer. With its team of food technologists, flavourists and expert tasting panels, the company can ensure total safety and high quality in its range of products. Its culinary centre is dedicated to finding technical solutions for its customers to bring good taste to their recipes in line with the current natural, vegan, and clean-label food trends. Biospringer is supplied in South Africa through DanLink. •

1. Markets and markets, Dairy Alternatives Market, 2019 2. Nutrikéo 2019, d’après Future Market Insights, Grand View Research, Technavio, Hexa Research & Markets and Markets 3. Innovadatabase, 2020 4. Innovadatabase, 2020

DanLink – www.danlink.com

PROTEIN ALTERNATIVES

Focused on

plant-based excellence In line with its strategic direction, AAK AB has decided to establish a Plant-based Foods Global Centre of Excellence on the company’s premises in Zaandijk, the Netherlands.

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nvesting in this centre reaffirms our commitment to grow our presence in this dynamic and fast-paced category,” explains Johan Westman, president and CEO, AAK Group. “Acting as a knowledge centre for our plantbased activities, we will develop and showcase our plant-based innovations to support customers across the world.”

To meet the fast-growing demand for plant-based foods, AAK launched its AkoPlanetTM by AAK portfolio with tailor-made vegetable oil and fat solutions for food and beverage manufacturers developing plantbased meat and dairy products for the retail and foodservice channels.

The three-story state-of-theart centre showcases AAK’s codevelopment process will feature two pilot plants, an analytical laboratory, a customer experience kitchen, and a sensory suite all under one AAK roof, allowing customers to bring greattasting food and beverages to market faster and with confidence.

“The long-term outlook for plantbased foods is strong with sales growth outpacing that of other foods,” notes Niall Sands, president Plantbased Foods at AAK. The centre is expected to be operational by the end of 2021.

AAK – www.aak.com

Get ready

for a plant-based revolution Kerry, the Taste & Nutrition company has announced an extensive expansion to its nutritional plant protein range.

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HE NEW OFFERINGS are all plantbased and allergen-free, with organic options - suitable for use in a wide variety of creative food and beverage applications. Containing protein from plant sources such as pea, rice and sunflower, these ingredients address the mounting need for organic, vegan and traditional choices while offering great solubility, dispersibility and neutral taste.

“By combining these new sources of plant protein with our established processing technology, technical expertise and flavourmasking capability, we have opened many innovation opportunities for our customers.

We keep a constant focus on developing new products and, for plant protein, are now working on exciting applications in plant-based yogurt, ice cream bars and clear beverages,” enthuses John Reilly, VP business development, proteins for Kerry Taste & Nutrition.

With the globe’s population set to reach nine billion by the late 2030s, a consumerdriven shift toward plant protein-based foods and beverages has been in evidence for some time. As rising numbers of consumers take health matters into their own hands, product developers have responded by increasing their efforts to elevate the taste and nutritional quality of plant-based offerings to the same level as their animal-based counterparts. One key strategy - introducing innovative plantbased extensions of recognised traditional products is gaining speed as companies seek to capitalise on the willingness of consumers to try vegan variations of their favourite foods and beverages.

With the exception of soy (a “complete” protein that contains all essential amino acids), there has been one continuing challenge facing the plant protein marketplace: the lower nutritional

quality of many plant proteins. It was to address this need that Kerry developed its complementary pea, rice and sunflower combinations. Featuring optimised Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) up to 1.0, and rivalling dairy in terms of providing enhanced nutritional, functional and taste value - in applications that range from infant nutrition to seniors’ protein beverages to vegan applications many of Kerry’s new proteins deliver clean taste and great texture in a complete protein profile.

FUNCTIONAL PROTEIN BEVERAGES ARE A MAJOR EMERGING MARKET Kerry's research white paper report, entitled Unlocking the Power of Protein in Beverages, outlines the major application of protein fortification in functional beverages. The report examines the growing functional beverage category within a $850 billion global industry that is expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2022. Over the last few years, and particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic, consumers’ mindsets have shifted to well-being as they embrace and explore the link between diet and health.

This shift in consumer attitude presents food and beverage manufacturers with a promising opportunity to tap into the feelgood factor by providing the healthy protein options consumers desire, in both plant and dairy formats, and which can be used in many new foods and beverages — juices, waters, smoothies, coffees and more. According to the report, protein now represents 30% of all functional ingredients used in the beverage market.

Kerry - www.Kerry.com.

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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PROTEIN ALTERNATIVES

Taking innovation

beyond imitation DuPont’s new Planit brand is designed for the co-creation of plant-based beverages, dairy alternatives, meat, fish and seafood.

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HE INITIATIVE MARKS the latest evolution in the company’s plant-based ingredient portfolio – a comprehensive range of functional ingredients and application expertise for food and beverages made with a ‘planetforward,’ sustainable approach.

The range offers food and beverage manufacturers one of the broadest selections of ingredients for plant-based product development in the industry, supported by expert application knowledge and insights into design products for the future. Customers leveraging DuPont’s innovation capabilities in the plant-based segment will be ahead of the curve in managing their global footprint.

“We named this new brand Danisco Planit as an acknowledgement that when scaling up this industry, it must happen in a sustainable way,” explains Birgitte Borch, VP of marketing, food & beverage, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.

DuPont has decades of experience in the plant-based sector, providing support at every step from conceptualisation to successful commercialisation of innovative, yet locally-relevant solutions and recipes.

“Our product offering is unique in the industry,” Borch says. “This is a significant launch for us. We offer a total ingredient solution with the ability to deliver taste, texture, nutrition and sustainability. We believe in co-creation and look forward to innovating new formats and categories with our customers to widen the food space and create great eating experiences for consumers wanting to increase their plantbased consumption.”

CAPTURING MAINSTREAM CONSUMERS In the past, the plant-based space has been a race to get on the shelves for foodservice

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and retailers. Now it’s about staying there and growing further by offering a greater variety of categories.

“The market innovation for products that allow consumers to eat a burger without eating meat or drink a milkshake without drinking milk is impressive,” Borch says.

“For the mass market consumer, we want to do more. Mainstream consumers are not only looking to avoid meat or dairy, they are looking for a great eating experience. To take plant-based mainstream, we must expand innovation beyond imitation. We want to support the shift to a more plant-based diet by creating multiple options, thereby enabling nutritious, plant-based food and beverages in every meal, every day – from early-bird breakfast to the midnight snack.”

“Market innovation for products that allow consumers to eat a burger without eating meat and drinking a milkshake without drinking milk is impressive”

Borch sees plant-based as an opportunity for the industry to meet consumers’ changing eating habits.

“We believe co-creation is the route to shape the market and capture fast-evolving consumer needs for every eating occasion.

We want to create sustainable consumer loyalty, ensuring that plant-based products are loved and tasty enough to become a

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

regular part of consumers’ diets, not just a try-it-once,” Borch enthuses.

PLANT-IN-IT IS KEY In plant-based products, as in all food categories, taste and texture are imperative.

However, in plant-based there are a variety of protein sources, and when combined with consumer requirements for health and nutrition, designing and formulating new formats that are top-performing in all sensory dimensions is a challenge. A great tasting product isn’t just about flavour, but the interactivity among sight, smell, touch and sound. Sensory expertise is at the centre of new product development for plant-based food and beverages.

“We can turn our insights into business opportunities and forge a new product development pipeline with formulation strategies that maximise consumer approval and meet the requirements on nutrition and ingredient lists,” notes Sonia Huppert, global marketing lead for plant-based health.

“We keep a constant focus on developing ingredient solutions for new products, and for plant-based food and beverages in particular, to offer to the plant-based industry innovative solutions for plantbased yoghurt, ice cream, drink, and meat alternatives, including full meal solutions.”

Danisco Planit has been launched globally and covers services, expertise, and an unmatched ingredient portfolio for plantbased food and beverages: plant proteins, hydrocolloids, cultures, probiotics, fibres, food protection, antioxidants, natural extracts, emulsifiers, and enzymes, as well as tailor-made systems. •

DuPont – www.food.dupont.com

PROTEIN ALTERNATIVES

Plant-based fish that makes a splash

Vegan-friendly seafood is quickly growing in popularity. Plant-based Exberry colours are the ideal way to ensure these products appeal to as many consumers as possible, writes GNT technical sales manager Richard Stenning.

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he plant-based trend is gathering pace all over the world, and African consumers are no exception. FMCG Gurus research shows 65% of consumers across the continent eat meat substitutes on a regular basis – far more than any other region.

With plant-based meat and dairy already well established, attention is now turning to plant-based fish.

While it still represents a tiny fraction of the global seafood market , everyone from Forbes to the BBC is suggesting vegan-friendly seafood is shaping up to be the next big trend.

Beyond vegetarians and vegans, there are plenty of reasons for consumers to explore seafood substitutes. Seafood allergies, concerns around overfishing, and health issues relating to methylmercury and microplastics are all leading

256 colours Individually selectable: Measurement in progress Sensor switching Process malfunction

shoppers to add plant-based fish alternatives to their diets.

As a result, the range of products is growing fast, from scampi and crabcakes to canned tuna and smoked salmon, and many are setting new standards in terms of quality. Manufacturers have found innovative ways to mimic the natural flavours and textures of seafood, while many of the substitutes are high in protein, too.

Colour is every bit as important. To ensure these products appeal to consumers, it’s vital that they look appetising. Nonetheless, with modern consumers increasingly demanding healthier, clean-label products, it is essential to use ingredients they can trust.

Made from fruit, vegetables and plants with no chemical solvents, Exberry Coloring Foods provide the perfect colouring solution for plant-based seafood. While vegan-friendly fish can create technical challenges for clean-label colours, GNT has developed solutions for a vast array of stunning seafood substitutes.

Many of the current analogue products are based on soy, pea, lentil and chickpea and they are mainly processed by extrusion or created by mixing proteins with stabilising systems and a heating step. Both of these processes, in combination with high pH values, need be taken into consideration to ensure a positive result.

GNT has vast experience working with similar applications including extruded cereals and

high-protein beverages, enabling us to apply that knowledge to fish-style products. For example, with extruded cereals it is important to avoid excessive processing and hold times as well as considering colour addition as late as possible in the extrusion process.

Our expertise has enabled us to overcome these technical barriers to ensure our plant-based colours can be used to perfect the appearance of everything from salmon fillets to tuna sashimi. In fact, the range covers the whole rainbow and is suitable for almost any food and drink application without compromising on the label. •

GNT - exberry.com

We bring colour into view!

Compact pressure sensors and switches with 360° custom-colour status display

www.vega.com/vegabar

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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PROTEIN ALTERNATIVES

Meat substitutes using twin-screw extrusion

Texturising plant proteins to make meat substitutes using twin-screw extrusion has advanced rapidly in recent years and enabled food manufacturers to capitalise on the surge of interest in plant-based eating.

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NTIL RECENTLY, MEAT alternatives made from texturised vegetable proteins (TVP) were aimed squarely at vegetarian and vegan consumers who avoid meat for ethical reasons. Shifting perceptions mean that these products now appeal to meat-eaters who are adopting plant-based eating for environmental and health reasons. This has not only expanded the size of the market but also driven the development of much more realistic meat analogues: although this new generation of customers want to reduce their consumption they are not willing to give up on the experience of eating meat.

Dry TVP produced by low-moisture extrusion cooking (LMEC) has been used as a meat substitute or extender for many years but does not offer meat eaters the firm, fibrous texture they are looking for.

Development of high moisture extrusion cooking (HMEC) has addressed this. It offers a much improved fibrous consistency reproducing both the texture and appearance of meat. These high-moisture meat analogues (HMMA) make plant-based products such as burgers, sausages and curries more convincing while also enabling meatfree alternatives to fresh meat such as chicken strips or beef chunks to be developed.

HIGH MOISTURE MEAT ANALOGUES The key characteristic of HMMA is the fibrous structure, which is achieved by developing the proteins in a twin-screw extruder then stretching and aligning them in an extended cooling die.

Moisture content is in the region of 60% to 70% by weight of the final product.

A range of protein ingredients may be used, typically pea, soy and wheat gluten, but there is a lot of interest in other bean and pulse sources.

Downstream processing such as mincing, mixing and forming can be done on standard meat processing equipment.

HMMA is widely used to make both ingredients and finished products. Ingredients for prepared dishes include mince, chunks and strips, typically for curries, pizza toppings, pasta dishes and soups.

Completely meat-free products using HMMA include burgers, sausages and meatballs.

LOW MOISTURE MEAT SUBSTITUTES Dry TVP uses similar protein sources to HMMA but in the form of lower-cost defatted flours, rather than isolates or concentrates. The process is less intensive so outputs from a given size of extruder are much higher.

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The Baker Perkins SBX Master twin-screw cooker extruder is used to form a melt that is extruded through a die and formed/cut into flakes, pellets or chunks before being dried.

These are normally supplied as bulk dry ingredients to manufacturers who rehydrate them before incorporating into meat-free products such as burgers, sausages, meatballs and prepared dishes. They are also often used as extenders for real meat Baker Perkins is working to develop dry TVP with a more fibrated structure and an improved texture, but still at a lower production cost than HMMA. RECIPE AND PROTEIN CHOICES For both processes, Baker Perkins offers standard recipes utilising a variety of different proteins

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

including soy, pea, wheat, beans, lentils and other pulses. The company develops recipes for customers’ own chosen protein, with full support including initial trials in the Baker Perkins Innovation Centre at Peterborough in the UK, process development, manufacture and equipment commissioning. We take into account taste and flavour profile preferences as well as local ingredient availability.

Baker Perkins anticipates continuous improvements in the appearance, taste and texture of TVP from a range of different protein sources.

Any protein source – seaweed, algae or insects for example - can potentially be turned into a meat analogue and this is the focus for future development.

Baker Perkins has marketed twin-screw extruders to produce a wide range of foods and ingredients for over 50 years. Today’s range of versatile SBX Master extruders provides continuous production at outputs from 250 to 2,300kg/hour, depending on the product.

Many dietary trends in recent years have been based on fashion rather than substantiated science or a real shift in consumer behaviour. The move to plant-based eating shows every sign of accelerating as awareness of the environmental impact of meat production grows. Where once increasing disposable income in developing countries inevitably led to higher meat consumption this is no longer the case, for younger consumers in particular. Improving the quality, and variety of plant-based meat alternatives will be an ongoing challenge and one that Baker Perkins is gearing up to meet. •

Baker Perkins – www.bakerperkins.com

MATERIALS HANDLING & COLD CHAIN

GEA Purger

ready for propane use GEA has launched the latest version of its Purger for refrigeration plants that uses the environmentally-friendly natural refrigerant R290 (propane).

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290 HAS A very low GWP (Global Warming Potential) ensuring that the technology fully complies with the new F-Gas regulations of January 2020. The ‘plug and play’ Purger operates independently from the main refrigeration system. It’s simple to install indoors or outdoors, requires the minimum of maintenance and benefits from maximum energy efficiency with minimum power consumption.

EFFICIENT VENTING WITH THE PURGER GEA's automatic air vent increases the efficiency of any industrial refrigeration plant. Non-condensable gases cause significant efficiency losses. Air and other non-condensable gases can dissolve in the refrigerant and enter the cooling system circuit, where they cause a significant increase in condensation pressure due to their different/higher partial pressures, even in small concentrations. Cooling systems must therefore be kept largely free of non-condensable gases. This is done most effectively with an automatic venting system, as this reacts immediately to the ingress of non-condensable gases into the system.

“The ‘plug and play’ Purger operates independently from the main refrigeration system”

After a time loop the purger operation starts as soon as the concentration of noncondensable gases in the liquid receiver is 2% or more. It automatically shuts off again when the concentration has dropped to 1%. The effective displacement of noncondensable gases ensures long-term efficient operation of the refrigeration system. Since the average concentration of non-condensable gases is much lower throughout the installation, this value

MAXIMISING REFRIGERATION CAPACITY - AT A GLANCE - Minimum energy consumption - Hermetic internal cooling system.

- Brings the capacity of the refrigeration system back to the maximum value.

- More safety for operators (no intervention in the system).

- Increased safety in the entire refrigeration system - Suitable for all conventional refrigerants - Plug-and-play installation with only one connection - Can be operated independently from the main plant - Guarantees a final concentration of noncondensable gases below 2% - Savings of over 95% refrigerant compared to manual venting - Suitable for refrigeration plants of all sizes; the GEA purger has proven to have sufficient capacity even in a 6 000kW installation - Operating hours counter for recording the effective venting duration - Suitable for ambient temperatures of up to 45°C - Your possibility to run your complete installation on natural refrigerants. represents an average concentration of less than 0.1%throughout the installation.

SHARE OF NATURAL REFRIGERANTS WILL INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY The extended use of the Purger is an important part of GEA's natural refrigerant initiative (www.gea.com/naturalrefrigerants) and fully complies with the new F-Gas regulation on 1 January 2020 on fluorinated greenhouse gases. From this date onwards, the use of all unused refrigerants (virgin) with a GWP (Global Warming Potential) value > 2 500 is prohibited for the marketing of new systems and for service and maintenance purposes. Refrigerants frequently used currently, such as R404A (GWP 3922) and R507 (GWP 3985), fall under the prohibition periods of the F-Gas Regulation (EU) No. 517/2014.

The new F-Gas Regulation will no longer permit commercial refrigerators and freezers to be placed on the market with the

The latest version of Purger for refrigeration plants uses environmentally friendly natural refrigrerant R290

refrigerant R134A (tetrafluoroethane).

For existing refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump systems, processed or recycled F-Gases with a GWP > 2 500 are permitted for maintenance purposes only until 2030. As a result of all these measures, recycled R404A refrigerants will also be phased out and there will be a noticeable shortage of supply.

As a result, many operators of R404A plants are switching to natural refrigerants such as ammonia or propane. Propane, also known as natural refrigerant R290, has a very low GWP factor of ‘3’ and is therefore environmentally friendly and above all represents an excellent thermodynamic performance. •

FAST FACT “Air and other non-condensablegases can dissolve in the refrigerant and enter the cooling system circuit, where they cause a significant increase in condensation pressure due to their different/higher partial pressures, even in small concentrations”

GEA – www.GEA.com

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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MATERIALS HANDLING & COLD CHAIN

How to add value by saving time

Interroll’s modular conveyor platform (MCP) offers great functionality during the conveying of products in the manufacturing and distribution industries. Ease-of-use allows for a smart, flexible, economical and reliable solution for materials handling.

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HE SWISS-BASED company is passionate about achieving value by saving time. In 2014, it introduced a conveyor platform, developed by using a holistic approach to designing each process level – from the ordering process through to planning and installation. Kerr Walker, managing director of Interroll South Africa, is convinced by the flexibility offered by this solution. “The robust and extensively tested design of the conveyor modules reduces the maintenance and ensures reliable operation of a conveyor system,” he explains.

“What makes it unique in our market is that everything comes from a single source.”

IT ALL STARTS WITH PLANNING Interroll provides an AutoCAD-based layout tool to design and select a system with integrated modules. These modules are delivered largely pre-assembled to accelerate the installation on-site while setting a high standard for reliable and solid technical performance.

“The platform offers a wide selection of modules and key elements for the efficient planning of material flow”

Side guides, adjustable supports, integrated electrical conduits and a universally applicable master gauge for holes to add components are only a few of the details. The system reduces the installation effort and ensures simple handling during assembly and expansion.

RELIABLE OPERATION The standard layout is geared for a smooth flow of products up to 50kg. Interroll also offers a special version of its MCP for chilled and deep-freeze environments, with a decentral controlled RollerDrive

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drive technology, thereby expanding the range of applications of the company’s conveyor solutions.

Deep-freeze logistics benefits from an efficient, zero-pressure- accumulation (ZPA) material down to minus 300C. This reduces manual labour in deep-freeze temperatures and leads to a better and safer working environment. Interroll also offers an MCP version.

Efficient drive solutions Customer requirements, conditions on-site and type of materials define the requirements for a system. Zeropressure-accumulation conveying can be implemented with proven DC RollerDrive.

For higher performance, these efficient DC drives can enable future-proof zeropressure-accumulation conveying - used in conjunction with roller conveyors with 400V at belt drives. Pneumatics, which creates high operating costs, is completely omitted, adding to the cost-effectiveness of the MCP. A feature that has stood out with customers is the energy savings experienced because of the EC310, 24V RollerDrive.

Compared with the 400-volt technology, a 24-volt solution achieves around 30% energy savings. When the accumulating function is concerned, energy consumption can be reduced by as much as 50%.

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

Initial outlay costs can also be reduced by using 24-volt technology for short conveyor segments. This helps when there is a lot of starting and stopping on the line. Quiet and efficient performance of the conveyors despite speeds of up to 3 500 units per hour is impressive.

New options available: As the centrepiece of the DC platform, Interroll introduced the EC5000 RollerDrive to individually drive the conveying zones of zero-pressureaccumulation conveyors. This acts in combination with the corresponding control systems, such as the MCP from Interroll.

“When compared to the Roller-Drive EC310, the new product family is impressive, in part to several new technical features.

The RollerDrive EC5000 is available in a 24volt version and a future-oriented 48-volt version. Customers can now choose between three power levels, namely 20-W, 35W and 50W for the motor rollers.

"With a 60mm diameter, these motor rollers are suitable for the transportation of heavy materials and are equipped with both an analogue and bus interface.

“Since October 2018, the MCP is produced at our Isando plant in South Africa. Interroll has been running a local production for just over 20 years. Our experience pays off in quick turnover for the customer,” Walker concludes. •

Interroll – www.interroll.co.za

READY-TO-DRINK

East African Breweries invests in efficient kegging line

East African Breweries Limited and its subsidiaries in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda brew and distribute products for markets in more than ten countries in Africa and other regions.

DIAGEO AND KHS: TRUSTED PARTNERS Diageo was formed in 1997 when Guinness merged with Grand Metropolitan. The British multinational employs 28 400 people and in 2019 yielded a turnover of approximately €12.87 billion with over 200 brands, among them Guinness, Kilkenny, Johnny Walker, Smirnoff, Gordon’s and Tanqueray. Even if its regional focus is North America, Diageo generates 12.4% of its business in Africa.

A close partnership between Diageo and KHS has since evolved on this particular growth market. It thus follows that in 2018 KHS dedicated a key account manager to Diageo Africa.

This executive coordinates activities at KHS’ different regional centres with an eye to the beverage group’s activities on the subcontinent. Performance-based SLAs give Diageo the best possible service and ensure that its machinery produces within a defined budget at a consistently high level of performance in the long term. Besides the key line in Kisumu, Kenya and other projects in South Africa the following larger systems have been installed for the group over the last 20 years: • Nairobi, Kenya: Returnable glass line (up to 66 000 bottles per hour), spirits line (up to 8 000 bottles per hour) • Ogba, Nigeria: Two returnable glass lines (up to 50 000 bottles per hour respectively) • Benin City, Nigeria: Canning line (up to 33 000 cans per hour) • Douala, Cameroon: Returnable glass line (up to 36 000 bottles per hour) • Sebeta, Ethiopia: Returnable glass line (up to 36 000 bottles per hour).

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ENYA BREWERIES GENERATES the largest share of EABL’s sales – close to 70% in the last financial year and its market is the largest. The group has been part of the British multinational Diageo, the world’s largest producer of spirits, since 2000.

KHS and Kenya Breweries have been working together for approximately 45 years.

Many KHS lines and machines are still in operation at production sites in Ruaraka near Nairobi and Kisumu in the west of the country.

In both 2005 and 2010, EABL procured a KHS kegging system that includes palletising and depalletising – the first with a capacity of up to 400 and the second for 480 50L kegs per hour. In 2016 the second line was given a general overhaul and its output expanded to 800 kegs an hour. The most recent acquisition from KHS is a new line comprising five Innokeg Transomats, an exterior keg washer and a pallet stacker and destacker that was commissioned at the end of 2018 in Kisumu. At this site, which lay dormant for several years, a completely

new plant has now been built to highly innovative standards for the equivalent of about €150 million.

“KHS designs the innovative keg systems and sets standards with its innovations,” explains Jacob Bett, site manager in Kisumu.

“Where safety and hygiene, consistency and energy efficiency and media consumption are concerned, KHS technology gets the best results.”

This means that the machines satisfy the high ecological and economic benchmarks that EABL also sets itself. “Every single drop of water counts in Africa. EABL is one of Africa’s pioneers when it comes to sustainability. All brewing and filling processes have now been optimised to cut the quantity of water used per litre of beer from three-and-a-half to three litres.

The company is also taking some actions to reduce its carbon footprint – from a photovoltaic system that generates energy to water recovery and treatment plant that keeps about 900m3 of water a day in circulation,” Betts points out.

At EABL, sustainability is chiefly understood to mean the company's responsibility towards society. The entire value chain from farmer to consumer is regarded and promoted under the motto of "from grain to glass". The African brewery campaigns for stable tax and regulatory conditions and is in constant dialogue with the Kenyan government. Ultimately, it's

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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READY-TO-DRINK

also greatly committed to people acting responsibly in their consumption of alcohol.

This includes programmes being devised to encourage people to drink in measure on the one hand and actively combating the illegal distillation of spirits and alcoholism on the other.

UPHILL BATTLE The Kenyan government has found that combating illicit alcohol, which often results in health issues for its consumers, remains an uphill struggle. In the 1990s it attempted to improve the situation by drastically raising taxes.

The price for legal alcoholic beverages rose so sharply that sales figures dropped from 400 million to 240 million litres between 1991 and 2001. There was no decrease in the amount of alcohol consumed, however. On the contrary: During the same period, the black market for privately brewed beer and illegal 'moonshine' boomed, especially in deprived areas.

This is where, for instance, ‘hooch known as chang’aa has been made of fermented sugar cane, millet and maize for many generations. In the non-industrial processes used to do so, the alcohol content can’t be monitored; this is frequently enhanced by chemicals such as methanol or jet fuel being added to the mixture. Consumption of the dubious brew can cause blindness – or even be lethal; every year, about 500 Kenyans die from drinking alcohol produced illegally.

A BEER FOR EVERYONE In 2003 irregular products accounted for a staggering 56% of all alcohol imbibed in Kenya. A year later EABL launched its distinctive Senator Keg to market, a beer that everyone could afford specially developed to cater for the previously neglected target group of low-earners.

A 300-millilitre glass of Senator now costs just a fraction – about a fifth of the price of EABL's flagship Tusker beer. The beverage is distributed according to the consumption habits of the country's poorest, namely from tens of thousands of small bars dotted along the roadside and in the most remote of villages. By instigating various qualification measures, the brewery ensures that customers are served a high-quality beverage under hygienic conditions. It's also helping to have more and more of the old twilight operations replaced by licensed, exclusive Senator Key sales points.

This low-price product has been made possible by the brewery exploring several new avenues.

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LOCAL SOURCING It decided to make a beer without hops as these are difficult to come by and thus relatively expensive. Sorghum grain is primarily used in Senator without the quality being compromised. Today, 80% of the raw ingredients are procured from 62 000 local farmers whom EABL has contracted for this purpose.

INEXPENSIVE PACKAGING These costs have been cut down to a minimum by the beer not being filled into glass bottles but only into 50-litre kegs – on KHS machinery. A hand pump had to be developed for this purpose to avoid costly tapping equipment having to be used. Less carbon dioxide was also added to the beer so that it can be drawn from the barrel when warm without too much foaming. This in turn allows it to be served without cost- and energy-intensive cooling systems coming into play.

"All brewing and filling processes have now been optimised to cut the quantity of water used per litre of beer from threeand-a-half to three litres"

LOW TAXATION The brewery petitioned the Kenyan government to reduce taxes on Senator Keg in the hope that the lower price would lure cash-strapped drinkers away from illicit liquor. The authorities accepted this line of argument and granted concessions on the payment of excise duty, initially of 100% (80% today).

RECORD EFFICIENCY On the market for close to 17 years now, Senator Keg has become one of Kenya’s biggest beer brands, even if growth hasn’t been as rapid as in the first few years of sales. Notwithstanding, the brand’s story of success is seen worldwide as a prime example of good marketing in accord with social responsibility.

The new factory in Kisumu is largely instrumental in providing the necessary capacity for this successful product. All told, 1 600 50 litre kegs or 800 hectoliters per hour can now be racked on the three kegging systems installed at Kenya Breweries. Thanks to the new kegging facility, the output of Senator Keg rose by

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

32% in 2019 compared to the previous year.

Jacob Bett emphasises how pleased he and his colleagues are with their plant engineering from KHS. "With its exceptional performance, KHS' ultramodern filling line is giving us record OEE levels of up to 100%.

This naturally has a very positive impact on our capacity. With figures like these, the system will pay off in a very short time indeed. Anyone would happily invest in a line that enables such good performance."

Bett also finds the partnership between the two companies wholly positive. "KHS is itself a very dynamic company and was thus able to easily adapt to our way of working," he praises. "So that we can also meet our targets under great time pressure, we required highly efficient teams who work quickly. Thanks to the open and straightforward culture of communication, we've achieved the various milestones in our joint venture with practically no effort whatsoever."

LOCAL SERVICE So that production also runs smoothly in the long term, EABL makes use of KHS' local services in Kenya. An SLA has been concluded with a term of eight years, under which KHS is to maintain line performance at the highest level in close cooperation with the customer. Part of the contract governs various service packages for maintenance, overhauls, spare parts, training and continuous monitoring. An embedded engineer initially assisted in the transfer of knowledge to the machine operators, thus making certain that the recommended, tried-and-tested processes involved in the running of the machinery are adhered to. Monthly technical visits to the factory and scheduled overhauls ensure the maintenance of the systems according to specifications.

Regular weekly meetings with the SLA manager are held and both parties are in continuous dialogue. More SLAs – especially valued by Diageo – are currently being drawn up for other sites in Africa is an expression of its close, long-term business relationship with KHS. “KHS’ local service engineers have proved to be a real boon,” Bett concludes. “They can quickly eliminate any problems that arise during production and carry out preventive maintenance measures on their routine visits. What’s most important to us is that they continue to train our operators and engineers during on-the-job courses.” •

KHS – www.khs.com

READY-TO-DRINK

Deep learning for empty bottle inspection Anyone who works with empty bottle inspectors knows that not every bottle that the inspector rejects actually has a defect. It might simply be water droplets or a bit of foam still clinging to the bottle after cleaning.

Linatronic AI employs deep learning technology for automatic image detection

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INCE CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS until it could accurately distinguish water thing of the past. The neural network doesn’t can’t always distinguish these from droplets from other anomalies – with a reliability require manual calibration to local conditions. contaminants or damage with 100% rate of over 99.9%. As a result, waste of material Instead, the Linatronic AI is delivered fully certainty, they tend to err on the side due to false rejects is no longer an issue. trained and ready to start work. • Food Manufacturing Africa, 132 x 200 mm, CC-en46-AZ416 11/19 of caution and reject the container. As a The time-consuming process of configuring Krones – www.krones.com result, in every production shift, countless the inspector during commissioning is also a perfectly usable bottles land in the trash.

Krones has taken the evolution of its inspection technology to the next level. The new Linatronic AI employs deep learning software to automatically detect and classify anomalies, making it much smarter and more efficient than its conventional peers.

Deep learning is a technology that enables machines to do what we humans do naturally: learn from example. But there is one big difference: a machine can use this ability many times more efficiently than humans can.

The foundation for deep learning is an artificial neural network (ANN). The ANN can be described as a complex system of multiple consecutive filters.

The images captured during the inspection process are fed through these filter layers, one after the other. Each layer extracts a different characteristic of the image. Since one filter’s output becomes the input for the subsequent filter, the complexity of an image’s characteristics can be increased almost infinitely.

The chain ranges from simply identifying dark or light pixels all the way to classifying very specific objects such as water droplets.

TRAINED USING THOUSANDS OF IMAGES To ensure that the Linatronic AI applies these filters with the necessary precision in practice, it is trained ahead of time with pre-classified example images.

In this way, its neural network learns to filter out and interpret the relevant image characteristics.

The same is true for machines that is true for us humans: the more intensively you train, the better the results. Therefore, the Linatronic AI’s neural network was continually fine-tuned using thousands of example images

Vision. Feasibility.

Cost-Efficiency.

We embrace a holistic approach to your beverage factory.

www.krones.com

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2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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PACKAGING

Swift change will enforce a circular economy

The Ocean Conservancy claims that every year, 8m m/t tonnes of plastics enter the ocean on top of an estimated 150m tonnes that is currently already circulating in the marine environment. It is estimated that up to 60% of sea birds and 100% of sea turtles have been found with some sort of ingested plastic, mistakenly eaten as food*. Food Manufacturing Africa asked Shyam Chirkoot to explain his take on fostering a green and circular plastics economy in South Africa.

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CIENTIFIC STUDIES REVEAL that microplastics are contained in drinking water, imposing long-term health hazards on human life. These concerns have been adopted into the sustainability goals of the UN and the AU. Environmentalists and concerned bodies are waging war on plastic packaging, with some countries banning single-use plastics and introducing other tough restrictions. Despite this, plastic has a very important role in the functionality of packaging, and the lack of a suitable green, economical alternative makes plastic a necessary evil, at least for the foreseeable future.

There is an urgent need for a radical change in manufacturing, particularly in the packaging industry. Many countries have adopted the circular economy (CE) model, which mimics the biorhythms of nature.

Waste is seen as having value and as a resource for another process. True economic circularity may resolve the problem as well as create other opportunities, but requires ownership by all players.

Accordingly, the South African government adapted its National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS), bringing in CE centrally to waste management, and introducing the requirement of Industry-Managed Waste plans, including the packaging industry.

Evident from the latest State of Waste Report (SOWR) and the NWMS, much is happening at the regulation level and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) level. Weak governance, an uninterested South African public attitude towards waste management, and inadequate budget provision are some of the recent challenges (SOWR, 2018).

Whilst the revised NWMS has included the circular economy model centrally to its strategy, it has also introduced new Industry Waste Management Plans, including paper and packaging, considered priority waste, amongst others. (DEA, 2019, National Waste Management Strategy, p.28-33.)

Clomark, a prominent manufacturer of printed packaging, and its top management

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is passionate about environmental initiatives and has been proactive in this regard for almost 20 years, thus becoming a front-runner in adapting to a CE model.

A FLURRY OF CHANGE Countries are adopting varied approaches, with many recently restricting or banning the use of “single-serve” plastic packaging.

Large corporates such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé and PepsiCo are under pressure to modify packaging to make it more recyclable, reusable or compostable. There is growing environmental concern in many countries, including South Africa, with some of our customers approaching us for alternative “green” packaging solutions and innovation.

There appears to be conflicting thinking on how to move forward. A typical example is a retailer’s recent change in packaging from a plastic tray to highly-absorbent cardboard. At face value, this appears to be a “green” move. However, it has moved from a 100% recyclable material to a board that, once contaminated with food residue, may not be recyclable, having then to be landfilled or composted. South Africa ranks very high globally in plastic recycling performance, whilst we do not yet have adequate composting facilities, and landfilled sites are near capacity. Hence this packaging initiative may not only have taken away the recyclability of its packaging but may place further pressure on landfilled sites as well as on further deforestation for board.

PLASTICS, THE NECESSARY EVIL? Packaging SA states that “packaging is an essential part of modern life, allowing people to consume fresh, uncontaminated food and beverages” (Packaging SA, 2017).

Plastics are highly environmentally-friendly when correctly disposed of. The alternatives to plastic require more energy to produce and could almost double greenhouse gases.

Economic and social needs drive recycling in South Africa. Recycling performance compares well with many developed

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

countries, largely due to an active, large informal waste sector. In 2018, 46.3% of plastic waste was collected for recycling, with Europe at only 31.1%, placing South Africa as one of the best global mechanical recyclers. The statistics show that recycling of plastics in SA has been steadily increasing since 2009. (Plastics|SA, 2019).

There is little separation at source (S@S).

Waste pickers perform the sorting, moving them to reclaimers or recyclers, at minimum cost.

Plastic is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. Plastic packaging preserves and protects its contents, providing tamper-evident properties, all of these important to consumers. It is much cheaper than alternatives, having high recycling rates in South Africa, and a source of recoverable fuel and energy.

Packaging designers and technologists need to make informed material choices, considering reusability or local recyclability alongside functionality, thus promoting economic circularity.

CENTRALISING SUSTAINABILITY: THE ISO14001 ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARD Clomark saw the need for responsible environmental practices and the modification of its manufacturing processes to support environmental sustainability as early as 2001. Accordingly, we included best practices into formal business management systems and became certified to the environmental standard ISO14001 shortly thereafter, along with our quality certification to ISO9001 and automotive standard IATF16949.

Every environmental aspect and related impact is carefully considered, quantified and supported by dynamic improvement plans to reduce the impact on the environment. Waste streams from manufacturing processes are segregated and handled individually, with emphasis on waste reduction. Plastics, paper (which includes board) and metals are recycled as much as possible. Hazardous chemical

PACKAGING waste inherent in printing processes is carefully handled and disposed of by certified waste companies. Inks and chemicals are handled in a compliant chemical store. Costly certainly, but it’s about doing the right thing after all.

We have been enthusiastic this year in striving towards “zero waste” on a personal level. Bokashi bins were introduced in the workplace as well as our homes to enable self-composting. This brought about a whole lot of awareness in the choice of packaging when shopping. More employees are showing interest in this initiative, and separation at source is growing, not only

by Clomark employees but also by related parties.

We are excited about our latest investment in solar energy, which would power a considerable portion of the plant, playing our part in the reduction of greenhouse gases. The sun is the best source of “free” energy, and our objective is to get off-grid as far as possible.

PACKAGING DESIGNERS NEED TO WORK THEIR MAGIC As far as possible, Clomark works directly with clients’ designers and brand owners to establish product designs that are environmentally-friendly. Key consideration factors are a reduction in the volume of packaging, cost benefits, and the use of recyclable materials. The packaging designer is crucial to the success or failure of the CE performance, as material choices and quantity (shape, dimensions, etc), will ultimately determine downstream success or failure. Packaging SA compiled and released the “Design for Recycling for Packaging and Paper in South Africa” in 2017, which provide technical information on the various materials used for packaging, recyclability information as well as material alternatives. It is, however, evident that many packaging designers are unaware of the document, and we encourage them to utilise these guidelines in terms of a CE effort. Whilst many types of plastics are recyclable in South Africa, many complex designs in terms of various different plastic layers coming together to form laminates then render them unrecyclable.

Designers need to consider this, alongside functionality.

Local R&D is close to making a breakthrough in a recyclable alternative to complex laminates.

We encourage our customers to relook

their product formulations that require complex packaging. A possible modification of active ingredients could very well simplify packaging design, as we have seen in the past. Microbeads used in body scrubs, a growing contaminant of water, have been successfully replaced by organic alternatives such as sugar, salt and wheat by many customers.

We work very closely with key suppliers in design initiatives. Release liners, for example, are largely landfilled in SA. However, should these be collated from the various packers, these may be recycled. We are in discussion with our key customers on the subject.

FUTURE OUTLOOK The circular economy concept is relatively new to South Africa and will require significant effort from all stakeholders to achieve true circularity. Recycling may not be the ultimate answer to CE, however being a South African strength, it makes total sense to maximise diversion from landfills.

Packaging SA states that “companies failing to address environmental performance in product design and development will find it increasingly difficult to compete in the global market”.

Packaging designers need to consider the post-service activities of the packaging, bearing in mind that recycling may not always be the best option, environmentally or economically. •

About: Shyam Chirkoot is the managing director of Clomark.

*(Ocean Conservancy, 2020).

Clomark – www.clomark.com

Superior image sensing speed and precision FH Series

• High-precision object detection • Ultra-high-speed searching • Flexible functionalities to provide high compatibility with manufacturing machines

Would you like to know more? +27 (0)11 579 2600 info_sa@omron.com industrial.omron.co.za fh_series_177x65_ad_enza_02_d01.indd 1

09-06-20 10:22

2020 Quarter 4 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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PACKAGING

Innovative TF-BOPE films for frozen food packaging

SABIC’s collaboration with Syntegon, Ticinoplast and Plastchim-T delivers market-leading sustainability through less material consumption

At SABIC, the TRUCIRCLE initiative encompasses the company’s circular materials and technologies, which include certified circular polymers from the chemical recycling of mixed plastic waste and certified renewable polymers based on bio-based renewable feedstock.

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ABIC, A GLOBAL leader in diversified chemicals, has launched a sustainable packaging solution for frozen food which combines a new polyethylene (PE) grade with innovative film production technology. Compared to conventional blow PE film solutions, it offers significantly higher throughput and also has potential for down-gauging, making it attractive from both a commercial and sustainability standpoint.

The solution is based on a mono-web TFBOPE film structure which has a thickness of only 20 micrometers – an unprecedented benefit in this market. This thin gauge provides a potential packaging material reduction of approximately 35% to 50% compared with incumbent blown PE film.

The reduced thickness of the packaging solution minimises environmental impact and supports brand owners and retailers who are aiming to reduce their packaging material consumption. The new packaging solution is also 100% recyclable and fits mono-PE recycling streams.

This innovative packaging solution for frozen food is the result of SABIC’s close collaboration with film suppliers/extruders Ticinoplast and Plastchim-T, as well as packaging machine manufacturer Syntegon Technology.

Stephan Eltink, SABIC’s business director for PE in Europe, explains, “At SABIC, we focus on delivering sustainable solutions and working collaboratively with our customers to help them achieve their ambitions and solve key industry challenges.

By working closely with Ticinoplast, Plastchim-T and Syntegon, and by leveraging our innovation together, we have been able to introduce a new solution to the market that allows for more sustainable packaging without any compromise on productivity and consumer convenience.”

Pierre Hamelink, Syntegon’s director of business, market and sustainability strategy, notes, “This innovative packaging solution demonstrates the true value of collaboration. Stakeholders throughout the supply chain have had to work together to bring this to life: sustainability cannot be achieved single-handedly.” He adds, “Our research and development efforts

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DID YOU KNOW?

Mono-web TF-BOPE film packaging

are driven by our mission to deliver sustainability – without compromise. Our new PHS 2.0 sealing technology can process thinner films whilst offering the same level of sealing quality, product protection and processing speed as conventional sealing technologies. When replacing composite packaging materials on new and existing Syntegon machines with films made of SABIC’s BOPE, brand owners benefit from even more material and cost savings.”

TF-BOPE film made of SABIC LLDPE BX202 material offers tear direction, low tear strength and provides an easy unidirectional opening. Compared to conventional solutions, it offers much better visibility of packaged products due to higher light transmission and lower haze.

Meanwhile, the high gloss delivers firstclass design and aesthetics.

The 20 micrometer thin film was successfully tested on Syntegon’s vertical form, fill and seal machines, which feature the newly-developed PHS 2.0 sealing technology. This technology reduces the amount of clamped film by 25% and increases packaging speed by up to 25%.

The thin TF-BOPE film also requires less cooling time, which increases packaging speed even more. During the evaluations, a constant speed of 130 bags per minute was achieved.

For packers, TF-BOPE film delivers a robust sealing performance and increased productivity resulting from improved packaging speed. The thin gauge results in increased film roll efficiency which

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2020 Quarter 4

reduces logistic handling, storage space and transport costs.

For converters and brand owners, SABIC’s TF-BOPE film material offers a wide range of benefits that include good printability, cost-saving opportunities, higher yield, less consumption of plastic materials and lower packaging taxes due to reduced material consumption. It further reduces the package weight to product weight ratio, resulting in a more optimised packaging design.

The TF-BOPE film is based on SABIC LLDPE BX202 grade, which is available globally.

TF-BOPE stands for Tenter Frame Biaxially Oriented Polyethylene. This is a PE grade that can run in tenter frame machines traditionally used to make Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film. TF-BOPE has the potential to be used in new applications and markets which support the circular economy, where mono-material solutions are required to enhance recyclability. TFBOPE can replace multi-material laminates into a mono-PE structure.

SABIC TF-BOPE polymer is part of “Design for Recyclability” under TRUCIRCLE solutions and supports easy and full recyclability through enabling mono-PE material structure in multi-layer tenter frame or flexible packaging, aiming to minimise waste. This new product can also be available as certified circular polymer from the company’s TRUCIRCLE portfolio. •

Sabic – www.sabic.co.za