Food and drink news in brief

The latest news from across the global food and drink sector

latest news

ABB helps China’s dairy sector overcome power quality challenges

Leading food and beverage companies in China are choosing ABB technology to help them improve productivity and efficiency. One of China’s largest dairy producers is the latest, installing PCS100 AVC-40 Active Voltage Conditioning systems at a major facility in Mongolia.

China’s dairy product market has grown to more than $70 billion as demand continues to rise strongly in urban areas. Maximising productivity is an absolute priority for producers and voltage sags are a common cause of production issues, even with the most modern of power networks.

Dairy production is particularly vulnerable to this issue as producers must precisely track milk temperature throughout the ultra-heat treatment (UHT) sterilization and filling processes. If a power system disturbance takes temperature sensors offline, an entire production batch must be discarded.

“One dairy customer was experiencing around 15 voltage sags per year causing regular production shutdowns and significant losses in their sterilization and filling processes,” said Kenny Huang, Product and Marketing Manager – Power Conditioning, China. “It takes more than four hours to get production back online and the estimated economic cost each time of the labour and lost produce can reach 200,000 RMB ($30,000), so eliminating these events was a real priority. We understood the essential importance of reliable power quality and offered the customer a way to take control of the situation.”

The solution: two 600kVA 400V PCS100 AVC-40 Active Voltage Conditioning systems to protect filling and sterilization processes.

ABB partnered with local specialist Beijing Qiyun Electronic Technology Co Ltd on the project. Hongru Lu, Beijing Qiyun’s Food & Beverage Sales Director, said: “ABB’s PCS AVC devices help end-users solve serious power quality problems. They are also very low maintenance, reducing workload for site engineers, operational costs, and the total cost of ownership.”

The PCS100 AVC-40 protects up-time and productivity with instant voltage sag and surge correction. The system is built on a proven and dependable converter platform that provides failsafe, worry-free operation, even in harsh environments.

Designed by ABB to meet the higher demands of industrial and large commercial applications, the PCS100 AVC-40 can handle conditions that conventional systems cannot. Its heavy-duty design and rugged overload capability are complemented by a redundant internal bypass system that ensures the utility continues to supply the load.

Its low operating and ownership costs help make the return on investment faster. The PCS100 AVC-40 leads the industry with efficiency of more than 98%: its very low heat rejection minimises electricity and cooling costs.

As the PCS100 AVC-40 draws the additional energy needed to correct voltage sags from the utility supply, batteries are not required, and the costs associated with their maintenance are removed. The system’s small footprint also makes it easy to fit into confined spaces, without the need to design and build added floor space.

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Colpac brings multi-food pot manufacture to the UK

Responding to market demand for quality, sustainability and secure supply, Colpac has launched its new range of FSC® certified multi-food pots which are manufactured at its UK factory.

Multi-food pots are a versatile food-to-go packaging solution which cater for a wide range of dishes. With a maximum of 7% plastic in the bases, Colpac’s new range of multi-food pots comfortably meets the OPRL guidelines for recyclability for 2023 and beyond.

As part of Colpac’s commitment to sustainability, the company has invested heavily in new machinery and processes to enable UK manufacturing. This aims to offer a more sustainable solution to customers as it removes the extra carbon footprint of importing finished goods.

The new range offers printed kraft and natural kraft options, both using FSC® materials. The multi-food pots are available in four different sizes from 470ml through to 1,300ml. Suitable for a multitude of dishes, from vibrant salads through to hot food-to-go, the pots provide flexibility to food service operators and retailers.

The multi-food pot bases have a PE coating which provides a barrier to moisture and grease. With a large surface area, each pot can be fitted with a clear, secure, anti-mist lid which provides excellent product visibility. The lids, made from rPET, contain more than double the 30% recycled content threshold outlined in the plastic packaging tax. The natural kraft range is sold separately to the rPET lids, offering the option to heat seal and label the bases instead.

The UK production of Colpac’s multi-food pots also reduces lead times and enables greater flexibility for bespoke printing to depict a customer’s brand and product messaging.

“With the launch of our new multi-food pots, we have created a solution that is quality-led and offers a secure supply chain. The new natural kraft range gives excellent on-shelf presence, appealing to environmentally driven consumers, and most importantly is manufactured in the UK,” said Kate Berry, Colpac’s Head of Marketing & Product.

Karakuri hires Kraft Heinz’s Kevin Garry to grow tech firm’s QSR business

Karakuri, the company revolutionising quick service (QSR) and fast casual restaurants with intelligent, robotic kitchen automation, has appointed Kevin Garry as its new Director of Global Business Development.

Mr Garry joins from Kraft Heinz, and according to Karakuri, will be pivotal in the tech firm’s drive to deliver intelligent kitchen automation to the global QSR market through the development of commercial partnerships for its latest range of kitchen robotics innovation.

Kevin will bring a wealth of QSR and foodservice industry experience to Karakuri, having previously held the role of UK Channel Lead for QSR and Leisure at Kraft Heinz, as well as foodservice roles with Kerry Group and McDonalds UK. In this new role, he will be responsible for fostering new partnerships with QSR and Fast Casual brands as Karakuri rolls out its new/FRYR™ automated fry lines later this year.

Barney Wragg, CEO and co-founder of Karakuri, said: “We have ambitious plans for Karakuri and our new /FRYR automated fry line. Kevin will play a pivotal role in building bridges between our tech team and our QSR and fast casual restaurant partners to deliver real change to commercial kitchens through automation.

“Our mission is to deliver the future of foodservice – built around people, innovative technology and great food. Kevin’s understanding of the QSR market is invaluable to our business as it will feed into our development of intelligent robotic systems that can deliver superior quality food, exceptional customer service and cost savings to the industry.”

Mr Garry added: “We have the rare opportunity to change the face of foodservice operations, putting tech and automation at the very centre of the kitchen. To make this happen, innovative, forward thinking players from the tech and foodservice worlds need to work hand-in-hand. This is why I am so excited to be working with Karakuri and to nurture these relationships, to truly make the future a reality.”

The latest news from across the global food and drink sector

latest news

Steakholder Foods announces Omakase Beef Morsels, a first-of-its-kind 3D-printed 100% cultured beef cut

Steakholder Foods Ltd, an international deep-tech food company at the forefront of the cultured meat industry, has unveiled Omakase Beef Morsels, a revolutionary, richly marbled structured meat product developed using a unique 3D-printing process.

Inspired by the marbling standard of Wagyu beef, Omakase Beef Morsels are an innovative culinary achievement elegantly designed as a meat lover’s delicacy for premium dining experiences.

The product is made up of multiple layers of muscle and fat tissue, which have been differentiated from bovine stem cells, and showcases the technology’s unprecedented control and flexibility. Each layer is printed separately using two different bio-inks – one for muscle and one for fat. The layers can be printed in a variety of muscle/fat sequences which affects the juiciness and marbling of the cut.

Steakholder Foods’ technology can print the product with any shape, width and marbling ratio and even exceed the marbling precision reminiscent of the Wagyu beef standard. It can also provide unprecedented product consistency at scale.

The company’s provisional patent, “stacked, multi-layered meatemulating consumable,” is the result of cutting-edge bio-convergence with intensive collaboration between its 3D-printing engineers and cellular biologists.

This technological achievement, which follows a series of ongoing advancements in the company’s development of printed whole cuts of meat, will likely position Steakholder Foods on the frontline of the market once a regulatory road map is established by the Food and Drug Administration.

Steakholder Foods’ CEO Arik Kaufman said: “This product marks a major breakthrough for us and for the cultured meat sector in general. It is the result of a lot of hard work and our desire to attain the highest standard of meat possible through bioprinting and cell cultivation processes. It also marks a significant milestone in our quest to perfect the “holy grail” of meat – steak.

“We see Omakase Beef Morsels at the intersection of food, technology and fine art. We want to inspire chefs around the world to create mouth-watering culinary masterpieces and unforgettable dining experiences.”

Steakholder Foods, formerly MeaTech 3D Ltd, maintains facilities in Rehovot, Israel and Antwerp, Belgium and has recently expanded activities to the US. The company is developing a slaughter-free solution for producing a variety of beef, chicken, pork, and seafood products – both as raw materials and whole cuts – as an alternative to industrialised farming and fishing.

Shlomi Arbiv

iF & D

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Heineken UK and Beavertown Brewery agree new ownership structure

Nestlé explores emerging technologies for animal-free dairy proteins

Heineken UK has purchased the remaining shares in Beavertown Brewery assuming full ownership of London’s largest brewery. As part of the agreement between the two companies, founder Logan Plant will step down as CEO and take on a new advisory role, with Jochen Van Esch taking on the new Managing Director role.

Heineken UK purchased a minority share in Beavertown in 2018, and since then has invested significantly, developing a new state-of-the-art brewery in North London. Beavertown will continue to be operated separately to Heineken UK with its own functional teams including sales, marketing, brewing and wider existing teams.

Logan Plant said: “Beavertown began in my kitchen, ten years ago. From brewing in a rice pan to one of the most successful British brewers in recent years, employing over 160 people and brewing 360,000 hectolitres of beer. Its success is something I could never have predicted back then, and I am extremely proud that we have agreed the deal with Heineken UK which is the natural next step for Beavertown, its brands, and most importantly, its people.

“The culture of Beavertown is incredibly important – our unique creativity in our design and marketing, our drive to brew the very best tasting beers, and the passion for excellence at the moment people order a pint – and this is something that will continue. With Heineken UK, we have a partner who provides support, advice and investment, and gives us the space to flourish. Without them, my dream of being a world-renowned brewery that began with that rice pan a decade ago, would have been impossible.”

It is expected that the new ownership structure will allow the brand to grow significantly and could see up to 50 new jobs being created.

Boudewijn Haarsma, Managing Director at Heineken UK said: “This is a hugely positive step, and builds on a partnership that will see Beavertown continue to expand and flourish, while remaining committed to its independent creativity. Heineken will fully support Beavertown’s brand position, inimitable creativity and huge growth potential, and will do so in a way that preserves its unique approach to beer.”

Jochen Van Esch has worked for Heineken for over 20 years, and has been at Heineken UK since 2014, when he began as Brewery Operations Director. Together with Logan Plant, he has created a unique partnership with Beavertown Brewery.

“I’ve worked closely alongside Logan Plant and the team for five years now, during which the new brewery has been built, we’ve opened the first Beavertown pub, and the brand has become one of the most popular super premium beers in the country,” said Mr Van Esch.

“Beavertown’s journey will not see huge change because the strategy is right – the brand is in growth, it has a fantastic culture and work ethos and people love the beers. We will support, invest and grow the company, and I am incredibly excited about the future.”

Nestlé is exploring emerging technologies for the development of animal-free dairy protein-based products. This move complements investments the company has made in plant-based meat and dairy alternative offerings over the years to meet the growing consumer demand for nutritious, more environmentally friendly diets that also taste great.

Nestlé will pilot a novel product through the company’s newly established US R+D Accelerator, bringing it to the US market later this year as a test-and-learn. The product is made with animal-free protein from Perfect Day. According to Perfect Day, the protein, made through precision fermentation, is identical to the whey protein found in cow’s milk, offers good nutritional and functionality benefits that is suitable for vegans and is lactose-free. The product was developed by Nestlé R&D teams in Switzerland.

Heike Steiling, Head of Nestlé’s Development Center for dairy products, said: “As the world’s largest food and beverage company, delivering foods and beverages that are good for people and the planet is a priority. We are exploring emerging technologies that can lead to animal-friendly alternatives that are nutritious and sustainable, without compromising on taste, flavour, and texture.”

The recently created US R+D Accelerator is focused on identifying opportunities and aims to bring highly differentiated product concepts to the market in only six months.

“We are excited to pilot Nestlé’s first animal-free dairy proteinbased products through our US R+D Accelerator,” said Joanna Yarbrough, head of the R+D Accelerator. “While this category is still very young, we know consumers are looking for products that have a reduced environmental footprint, and we are evaluating this avenue as a future growth opportunity for our business.”