F+B Technology Magazine | April/May 2021 by Review Publishing Ltd

$ 10.95

A Sister Publication to SupermarketNews

May 2021

Vol. 2

No. 1

editorsnote Tania Walters Publisher

tania@reviewmags.com

n the Top Ten trends for 2021 from Innova Market Insights, “Transparency Triumphs” emphasising emergent technologies like invisible barcodes and near-field communication technology that assist brands in conveying creative product storytelling. The sustained plant-based revolution is branching out into more sophisticated alternatives in other spotlighted food and beverage product themes. At the same time, COVID19’s influence over omnichannel eating and bolstered interest in immunityelevating offerings remains prominent. The F&B industry is predominantly consumer-driven, and those consumers are rapidly changing what they want or need. The consumers’ desire for healthy alternatives drives these changes. Foods that are good for them, in packaging that is good for the planet. Last month’s Foodtech Packtech exhibition was a welcome event in times where most exhibitions have been cancelled or driven online. With a record attendance of 4000+ mainly

contents

food manufacturers at the biennial event, this year was collocated with the and MHL Expo tradeshow. Displays from more than 240 exhibitors across four halls represented the largest contingent of exhibitors in more than a decade. Over 80 exhibitors displayed materials handling related products, fulfilling the trade brief of completing

the “Pasture/or seabed to plate” story for food manufacturers. Check out insights on the show on page 18.

tania@reviewmags.com

F&B TECHNOLOGY launched to facilitate the connection between food and beverage suppliers of technology, ingredients and packaging across the food and beverage manufacturing sectors for fmcg and foodservice. Copyright 2021

ISSN No.

28 2

fbtech.co.nz

CHAIRMAN PUBLISHER GENERAL MANAGER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EDITOR EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE ADVERTISING SALES SENIOR DESIGNER GRAPHIC DESIGNER

PETER MITCHELL Tania Walters Kieran Mitchell Sarah Mitchell Caitlan Mitchell Sophie Procter info@reviewmags.com Raymund Sarmiento Debby Wei

Retail 6, Heards Bldg, 2 Ruskin St, Parnell, Auckland. PO Box 37140 Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 3040142 Email: edit@reviewmags.com

2744-3566 (ONLINE) - 2744-5895 (PRINT)

OUR PARTNERS: food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

news AMBITIOUS AGRICULTURE PLAN FROM PEPSICO

$1 MILLION REVENUE INCREASE FOR FISHERY A Maori-led fisheries company based in Rotorua has posted an increase in total revenue of $1 million. Te Arawa Fisheries shared their 2020 annual report with members at a recent AGM, highlighting the organisation’s key activities in the past 12 months, as well as its business strategy and financial position. Despite the impact of Covid-19 on retail operations, the organisation was able to retain all its frontline staff and deliver a net surplus of $591,000, nearly 30 per cent up on the previous year. Te Arawa Fisheries achieved total revenue of $4.5 million in 2020, up more than 20 per cent on its 2019 revenue. Chief executive Chris Karamea Insley noted that Te Arawa Fisheries has always been an efficient and successful Maori organisation, charged with the responsible management of the Te Arawa fisheries assets. “But it was also clear there were some significant challenges and risks confronting the global and national fisheries industry – even before the

arrival of Covid-19,” he states, whilst suggesting the revenue highlights how the company is in a good position to ward off increasing difficulties,” he said. “Climate change, overfishing, increasing pressure from lobby groups and changes in global demands are starting to collide in a perfect storm environment, resulting in a genuine threat to our current and future revenues.” Te Arawa Fisheries has historically had a relatively passive strategy, however the focus in the past year and moving forward is pivoting to a more active stance. “We have to change to survive and sustain our operation and our assets. Even before the world went into Covid lockdown, we had done a lot of work to pivot our organisation, future-proofing it from global trends and impacts.” This is aligned with the organisation’s reimagined business strategy - Ka pu te ruha ka hao te rangatahi (The old net is cast aside, and the new net goes fishing). Read more online.

BOLD SUSTAINABILITY TARGETS FROM DB BREWERIES To ensure environmental, social, and responsible sustainability across all its operations, DB Breweries has announced bold new sustainability targets. These include the targets of sourcing 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources, to reach zero waste to landfill in production, and to balance 100 percent of the consumed volume of water that the company uses by 2030. The announcement coincides with the launch of DB Breweries’ 2020 Sustainability Report, which outlines plans for further action and radical reform by the business on climate change. “Aligned with the draft advice of the Climate Change Commission, we believe that, as a brewer, we need to make meaningful changes to actively reduce our carbon footprint by taking real action and not just buying carbon offsets,” noted DB Breweries Managing Director, Peter Simons. “Having read and submitted on the first draft of the Climate Change Commission’s advice to

fbtech.co.nz

Government, we are encouraged that our approach is in several instances already ahead of many of the recommendations. But we want to be even more ambitious, particularly around energy and water.” In addition to environmental targets, DB has also set strong commitments around social and responsible sustainability. DB is committing to grow inclusive leadership through Inclusive Practices Workshops for all its people leaders, maintain its zero gender pay gap, maintain zero fatal accidents at work, and implement a meaningful social impact initiative every year. Read more online.

Designed to significantly shrink its carbon footprint, provide readily available access to food for global population and improve the livelihoods for more people, PepsiCo has laid out its impressive Positive Agriculture agenda. The snack giant said the effort will eliminate an estimated three million tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the end of the decade. It will also improve the livelihoods of more than 250,000 people in its agriculture supply chain and means the company will be able to sustainably source 100 percent of its key ingredients. “Any plan to tackle the urgent

challenges facing the global food system must address agriculture, the source of nourishment for billions of people and a key lever to address climate change and inequality,” noted PepsiCo chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta. The agenda is the next step in its ‘PepsiCo Positive’ journey and follows the company’s recent pledge to double its science-based climate goal, which targets a reduction of absolute GHG emissions across its value chain by more than 40 percent by 2030, as well as achieving netzero emissions by 2040. Read more online.

JAPAN TO DUMP TOXIC WASTE IN PACIFIC OCEAN The decision by the Japanese government to release diluted water from the Fukushima nuclear disaster into the sea is being met with scepticism and worry by some dependent on the waters for their livelihoods. According to local reports and officials briefed on the process, releasing the contaminated water into the ocean is regarded as the only viable option. Three out of six reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant suffered meltdowns in March 2011 when a tsunami knocked out their cooling systems. Thousands of tonnes of water were pumped into the reactors as coolant and groundwater has continued to flow into the damaged structures, becoming contaminated with radioactive nuclides. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power, known as Tepco, has

stored more than 1m tonnes of this water in tanks at the site but it is running out of space. Officials said that capacity would run out by 2022, and with around two years needed to build equipment to discharge the water, a decision on how to handle it was urgent. JF, an umbrella body for Japan’s fishing co-operatives, told ministers that they were “absolutely against” releasing the water into the ocean. “We recognise that the handling of this water is a pressing and important national problem, but if this water is released into the ocean, we will suffer inevitable damage to our reputation,” the co-ops declared. “Our fear is that it will have a severe impact and all the effort of fishermen [to recover from the Fukushima disaster] will go down the drain.” Read more online.

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY DESPITE SMALLER VINTAGE

According to New Zealand Winegrowers, a superb summer throughout most of the country means the industry is looking forward to a vintage of excellent quality, as the New Zealand wine harvest nears completion. “All reports indicate the quality of

the harvest so far is exceptional, and we are looking forward to some fantastic wines coming out of this year’s vintage,” commented Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers. While it is still too early to confirm final numbers, it is clear the overall crop size is

down on previous years. “There will be some variability across different parts of the country, but the industry is anticipating a significantly smaller vintage across several New Zealand wine regions this year.” The smaller crop is due to cooler spring weather and late frosts and comes at a time when the industry is facing increased production costs. Ongoing labour shortages, due to the closure of New Zealand’s borders and the restricted number of RSE workers, have also added pressure. “We have seen unprecedented demand for New Zealand wine in our key export markets over the past 12 months. This meant industry stocks were at low levels going into vintage, a situation that has now been compounded by the smaller harvest,” said Gregan. Read more online.

UPCYCLED FOOD FROM FISH SCRAPS According to Nofima, a leading, Norway-based institute for applied research within the fields of fisheries, aquaculture, and food research, ‘magnetic tongue’ technology could help industry identify compounds that affect the flavours that make fish offcuts unsuitable for human consumption. Reducing waste and loss in food production and extracting the maximum value from resources are two of the main ways industry can support a resourceefficient circular economy. Beneath the ocean’s surface, as much as 70 percent of aquatic resources harvested from the sea end up as low-value or waste products. In fillet production, for example, sometimes only 40 percent of the fish ends up on a person’s plate. Residual raw material is either further processed into feed products or disposed

as waste. According to Nofima Institute researcher Silje Steinsholm, a greater proportion of this raw material should be used for human consumption. The proteins found in filleting offcuts are difficult to process, as a result Steinsholm has used enzymatic protein hydrolysis to help convert these proteins

into water-soluble peptides. Aside from accessing the proteins, the other key challenge lies in the hydrolysates flavour, which has been described as unappealing and bitter – hydrolysate use is therefore limited. Steinsholm believes that knowledge about the production of hydrolysates with low flavour intensity will benefit the industry in relation to protein hydrolysate production for human consumption. “Fisheries and fish farming industries will benefit from this research by increased valorisation of the raw material,” she explained. “The use of hydrolysates based on fish offcuts are mainly limited to their sensory profile. As we produce them now, it may be possible to include them in a product of similar sensory profiles such as processed fish products.” Read more online.

team will now continue with their focus on creating value from our New Zealand farmers’ milk through new products, applications, and close partnerships with our customers.” The completion of the sale of Fonterra’s 85 percent

interest in its Hangu farm to minority shareholder Beijing Sanyuan Venture Capital Co., Ltd., as announced in October 2020, is progressing and is expected to be completed this financial year. Read more online.

FONTERRA COMPLETES SALE OF TWO CHINA FARMS Fonterra has completed the sale of its two wholly owned China farming hubs in Ying and Yutian. As announced in October 2020, the sale of the farms to Inner Mongolia Youran Dairy Co., Ltd (Youran) was subject to anti-trust clearance and other regulatory approvals in China. These approvals have now been received. “Fonterra has contributed to the development of the Chinese dairy industry by establishing these farms and we’re pleased to hand ownership over to Youran for the next phase of development,” said CEO Miles Hurrell. “The China market is fast moving and inspires us to keep innovating. Our China

A HOME COVID TEST IN A COFFEE CAPSULE An ordinary, aluminium, Nespresso-type coffee capsule has been transformed into a home test device for COVID-19 at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. The ‘CoronaEspresso’ is the brainchild of Dr Vittorio Saggiomo, Assistant Professor of the BioNanoTechnology group (BioNT0 and has been created in collaboration with the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). The test responds to the growing demand for decentralised COVID-19 testing methods. The CoronaEspresso can handle both LAMP and PCR tests. To do so, a paraffin-based phase change material is placed inside the capsule, which is then covered with a 3D-printed sample holder with enough space to hold four test samples at once. The entire unit is then placed in water just come off the boil for 30 minutes. The paraffin warms the samples to 65 degrees and keeps them at that temperature for 25 minutes. According to the researchers, this allows a ‘LAMP reaction” to occur. The result can then be read from a colour change in the samples. “The thin aluminium is perfect for the small increase of temperature for the amplification reaction to happen,” said Saggiomo, another big plus is that the test result can be determined without the need for another lab. Read more online.

May 2021

exponews

REUNITING THE FOOD INDUSTRY at AUSTRALIA’S LEADING FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURING EVENT, FOODPRO, IS COMING TO SYDNEY SHOWGROUND FROM 25-28 JULY 2021.

fbtech.co.nz

2021

oodpro is delighted to be able to reunite the industry this year, gathering the nation’s food manufacturing and processing decision makers and buyers for four days of collaboration, product launches, new technology and expert education. Following events including Australia’s devastating bushfires and of course, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever what we do matters. “What we do now really matters - not just for our own industry, but the growth of the entire country,” said Melissa Clendinen, foodpro Event Manager. “foodpro is where the industry’s brightest minds join forces and generate solutions that will take us towards a more sustainable and safer world. foodpro is a great opportunity for all stakeholders within the food and beverage supply chain to unite and learn how we can all work together.” The 2021 event will include a free speaker series, and foodpro is proud to be partnered with leading industry associations including the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) and Food Innovation Australia (FIAL)

to bring attendees the latest insights and trends from nation’s leading experts. “The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) is pleased to partner with FoodPro; the largest trade exhibition in Australia specifically designed for the entire food value chain. As the peak professional body for packaging training & education in Australasia we look forward to working with the FoodPro organisers and developing a unique educational offering for the visitors that covers Circular and Sustainable Packaging Design and more.” said Nerida Kelton, Executive Director, AIP The full seminar program will be announced soon, but visitors can expect to attend sessions on topics including traceability, food safety, COVID recovery and future food trends. foodpro is also excited to be partnering with the Annual Convention of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) who will be running their conference alongside this year’s event, bringing the latest thinking in food technology and processing. Major industry sectors covered at the exhibition include: Dairy: With a focus on running a cost-effective business that operates

at maximum efficiency, foodpro lets you stay up to date with processing machinery, packing technology, product testing and lab equipment. Beverage: Regardless of what type of beverage you manufacture, it’s always important to adapt to changing consumer needs and market pressures. Meat: Overcome industry challenges and remain competitive by keeping vurrent - from processing to packing

technology and product testing equipment. Packaged food: To remain profitable in an ever-changing market, you need to understand the latest trends in ingredients, as well as keep up to date with new processing and packaging technology. Bakery and baked goods: The key for business sustainability and growth is to develop new products and use

on-trend ingredients. Frozen food: The latest freezing technologies, combined with quality ingredients, texture, appearance and nutrition, are vital for processors of frozen foods. Fresh food: Keep your fresh produce business competitive and “in the green”, with the latest technologies, solutions, and information. Snack food: See the latest equipment

and technologies, and hear the latest knowledge, to stay ahead of the curve. If you are interested in exhibiting at foodpro please visit: foodproexh.com/ get-involved/exhibit/ Registration to attend is now open! foodpro is free to attend for all industry professionals: https://foodproexh.com/ register/ Read more online.

May 2021

grocery

AatGLANCE Grocery

The last 12 months have irreversibly changed the way we all do business, the pandemic has shifted the perspective of consumers everywhere and in the nation’s grocery aisles, there has been a significant shift in consumer behaviour, shaping the top trends of 2021 and beyond. Here’s what to watch.

fbtech.co.nz

THE HEALTH HALO

The pandemic has shifted health and well-being to the top of the list of concerns for shoppers across the country. Foods that boost immunity and those that are viewed as nourishing the body and the mind are expected to be the most sought-after. According to the 2021 Trend Report from United Fresh, over 20 percent of shoppers are actively seeking out immunity-boosting food and beverage options; fresh fruit and vegetables, with their natural ‘health halo’, are top of the list. New additives such as collagen and whey protein are likely to appear more frequently as well. The popularity of plastic wrapped produce has increased in the search for hygienically disinfected ‘low touch’ groceries despite the environmental concerns, this is an opportunity for packaging manufacturers to create eco-friendly packaging that also covers hygiene concerns.

LOVING LOCAL

The resurgence of the ‘buy local’ ethos has been one of the pleasant results of the pandemic. Kiwis quickly discovered the importance of locally grown food as bags of flour disappeared off shelves at record speeds. The unreliability of imports, growing costs and limited capacity have driven shoppers to seek out local alternatives. In their Trend Report, United Fresh note that buying local means a

THE BRAND CONNECTION

meaningful connection with the producers of food, a reassuring development of trust in confusing and uncertain times. Transparency of supply is a growing trend worldwide with as many as 60 percent of shoppers seeking greater knowledge about where their food is sourced from.

Consumers in 2021 will be increasingly critical of the brands that they support. Long term loyalty is increasingly important in the marketplace as is the perception of a brand’s performance during the pandemic. In the supermarket aisle, home brands are growing rapidly - as much as three times faster than other brands in some categories. Building trust will be just as essential for traditional brands as it will for new brands entering the market.

THE LITTLE THINGS

As is often the case in troubling times, shoppers are turning to small indulgences with their weekly shop. The trend towards buying one or two high quality ‘treats’ looks set to be a feature of 2021. Known as ‘the lipstick effect’, in an economic downturn, shoppers turn to affordable pleasures rather than more costly luxury items. Buying the best quality avocado or treating the kids to a punnet of fresh strawberries works well to boost morale, even when the purse strings are tight. With around 40 percent of Kiwi families feeling the financial effects of COVID-19, expect to see this trend continue well past 2021.

GOOD FOR THE GUT

Alongside the drive for immunity, the health trend for 2021 is the focus on the gut microbiome. The trillions of bacteria, fungi and viruses that

THE PLANET PROBLEM

naturally exist in the large intestine collectively form your microbiome and its vital role in overall health is becoming increasingly understood. While products such as Kombucha and fermented vegetables have been slowly growing in popularity, expect to see an upswing in offerings that cater to a healthy microbiome, particularly in the snacking category.

While our focus on 2020 shifted to saving people across the globe, 2021 will see us redirect energy towards saving the planet. Climate change has taken a backseat to COVID-19, but its effects have not gone away and the need to address issues of sustainability are just as pressing. Millennials and Gen Z are driving the move to sustainable practices with over 80 percent of all shoppers changing their purchase preferences based on the social responsibility, inclusiveness, or environmental impact shown by a brand. Consumers will continue to seek out food and beverages with an organic pedigree, with winegrowers likely to see significant growth throughout 2021 for wines classified as organic or natural. May 2021

ingredients-keytrends

F&B FOCUS: Ingredients - Capitalising on Key Trends Innova Market Insights is a global knowledge leader in the food and beverage industry. It has built a reputation for its extensive tracking system for new food and beverage product launches in more than 90 countries and can use advanced data analytics to convert industry-leading market research into meaningful guidance on present and future trends. Here are some key ingredient trends from Innova to keep an eye on throughout 2021.

Protein Projection The use of protein sources in food and beverage launches is increasing globally, featuring a +6% year-over-year growth when comparing 2019 and 2020 launches. In 2020, the top category of global product launches tracked with protein sources was Bakery (19%), with Wheat Gluten (21%), Milk Protein (17%) and Egg Yolk (10%) being the leading ingredients among all products with protein sources tracked. The top positionings of global products launches tracked with protein sources in 2020 were High Source of Protein (24%), No Additives/Preservatives (15%), and Gluten-Free (14%). This is inline with changes in consumer behaviour towards food and beverage products with a focus on health and wellbeing.

Indulging in Nutritional Desserts Speaking of frozen foods, about one out of three desserts carried a health claim in 2020, with half of the global desserts with a health claim being launched in Europe. Dairy-based Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt maintain the top position with 37% of dessert launches tracked with a health claim in 2020. Meanwhile, Non-dairy Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt is the fastestgrowing subcategory. While consumers continue to focus on their overall health, they still want the chance to treat themselves. Bringing health and wellbeing into products normally seen as indulgent is a trend that will continue to rise.

Feeling the Freeze

Frozen food launches are increasing globally, featuring a +20% year-overyear growth when comparing 2019 and 2020 launches. In 2020, the top category for global frozen food launches is Desserts

fbtech.co.nz

& Ice Cream (27%). The leading ingredient categories among the frozen foods tracked in 2020 were Salt & Salt Substitutes (63%), Sugar, Syrup & Honey Products (62%), and Thickeners (57%).

Frozen foods fit nicely into the increasing need for convenience (along with health) among consumers, particularly with the pandemic causing more consumers to cook and eat at home.

When Life Gives you Lemons

Sweet Sweeteners

There has been a steady rise in launch activity featuring citrus flavours with transparency claims featuring heavily. Soft drinks and bakery together account for more than 2 in 5 food and beverage launches with citrus flavours, while Sauces & Seasonings is the fastest growing market category (+15%). Energy/alert claims are also coming to

The use of sweeteners in food and beverage launches has increased globally, featuring a +13% year-overyear growth when comparing 2019 and 2018 launches. In 2019, the top category of global food and beverage launches tracked with sweeteners was Sports Nutrition (20%), with sucralose, glycerol and acesulfame K being the leading ingredients.

the fore, and citrus flavours pair well with the fast-growing immune health positioning.

SENSE THE DIFFERENCE

We are at home everywhere in the world

Brenntag New Zealand Limited Level 2, Building C 602 Great South Road Ellerslie, Auckland 1051 New Zealand Phone: +64 9 275 0745 info-nz@brenntag-asia.com

Brenntag Food & Nutrition is well positioned to cater to its business partners’ needs at a local level. Thanks to our strong infrastructure in 77 countries and 30 application & development centres, we are engrained in the local culture and business. You will benefit from this extensive market, industry and product know-how, including our understanding of regulations, policies, challenges and developments. We are passionate about Food & Nutrition. From bringing you the right ingredients and

innovative solutions, through to optimising your formulation and supply chain, our team lives and breathes the world of food. We are the partner who puts your needs in the centre of everything we do. We have a broad and deep product offering, and work with the best suppliers in the industry. We reduce your compliance burden with a dedicated quality and regulatory team and seek to lead the way in safety and responsibility, managing the many complexities of the food industry.

www.brenntag.com/food-nutrition

40680_BT_NZ_Food_210x150mm_Testtubes-En.indd 1

23.04.21 10:01

May 2021

I 11

plant-based

PLANT-BASED POTENTIAL

ADM Alternative Proteins Providing a Superior Eating Experience

The plant-based food market is booming. The surge of interest in plant-based options that arose during the pandemic will continue in a post-COVID world, as conscious consumerism and focus on health and wellbeing strengthens.

With 75 years of expertise in protein, ADM understands your consumer needs and formulationspecific challenges in plant-based protein applications.

OUR UNIQUE ADVANTAGE:

Leveraging our premium portfolio of plant-based proteins, in conjunction with expert taste, nutrition, texture, functional benefits, and colour considerations, bringing you our "ONE ADM" solutions - solving today's challenges.

fbtech.co.nz

o longer relegated to consumers who define themselves as vegan or vegetarian, the plant-based market is appealing to meat eaters as well. The flexitarian lifestyle is gaining prevalence and is likely behind the meteoric rise of plant protein innovation and acceptance of meat and dairy alternatives.

Flexitarians, who are they?

According to Healthline.com, more than half of global consumers incorporate meals without meat or fish, while noting they are not vegan or vegetarian. Kiwis and Aussies alike are seeking to eat less meat naming ‘health’ as the primary reason. This was closely followed by environmental sustainability, animal welfare, cost, and the increasing variety of plant-based options.

Colmar Brunton research from 2019 showed that one in three Australians is limiting their red meat consumption and that 20 percent of Australians define themselves as flexitarian, on top of that, six out of ten Australians are interested in trying a meat-free alternative. A 2020 study by Food Frontier and Colmar Brunton, showed that Kiwis have reduced their meat consumption over the past year, with an 18% increase in flexitarians.

The Plant Protein Pantry

Protein has enjoyed an evergreen ‘health halo’ among consumers who recognise its importance in their daily diet. As they embrace new plant proteins, the source of these ingredients is progressively important among ingredient savvy consumers. When it comes to plant proteins, those coming from mainstream plant sources are most well-known. These include traditional plant proteins like soy, peanuts, black beans, wheat, and rice, as well as newer options like almonds, oats, chickpeas, cashews, and sunflower seeds.

Wheat Protein’s Wow Factor

Wheat is not always recognised for its protein content, but wheat proteins, like ADM’s Prolite™ offers a “go-to” solution across many applications. Prolite™ adds better-for-you attributes like increased protein per serving, whole grain, vegetarian and low glycemic index credentials.

Cleaner taste

Blank slate colour base

High functionality

"According to Healthline.com, more than half of global consumers incorporate meals without meat or fish, while noting they are not vegan or vegetarian."

The Capital Pea

Pea proteins are now making an appearance in many alternative products, popularised for their non-allergenic, nutrient dense and sustainable package. ADM now offers an expanded portfolio of pea proteins including the newly launched Arcon® T 513 and 514 textured pea proteins, available in two forms: pea protein and chickpea blends, or pea protein with navy beans. ADM’s pea proteins differentiate through their cleaner taste, lighter colour, higher protein, and have been created with functionality in mind.

Cleaner taste

Higher protein**

Lighter colour

Created with functionality in mind

What’s Next?

The success of alternative meats has been driven largely by flexitarians looking for solutions to trim their meat consumption and add more plants to their diets. These consumers tend to be adventurous and crave variety and convenience, as well as products that taste good. While this is a tall order, it also opens the door to new innovations in the alternative meat category beyond the basic alternative meat burger. Product formulators are now creating alternative meats from chicken nuggets to sausages that are chilled, frozen, and shelf stable.

Poultry Possibilities – New Age Nuggets

More than six in 10 shoppers globally say they consume meatless meals at least once a week. Parents are looking for new plant-forward solutions that are familyfriendly and provide strong nutritional bona fides, according to ADM’s Outside VoiceSM. ADM has risen to this challenge! Its chickenless nuggets offer a fully vegan version of this family favourite, made with a combination of ADM’s Arcon® T 513 Textured Pea Protein and ProFam® 580 Pea Protein. The nuggets are packed with 14 grams of protein per three nugget serving.

A Culinary Conclusion

In addition to health and sustainability expectations, today’s plant-centric consumers also want their foods and beverages to provide convenience as well as a multisensory experience. Alternative plant protein applications increasingly fit the bill. What is clear is that plant-based diets, whether that's flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan, or ‘curious’ meat eaters are here to stay. Consumers are hungry for plant-based products for every occasion, and retailers are already capitalising on this. It's becoming a way of life for increasing numbers, and this culture shift is set to keep growing!

To learn more about ADM's forward-thinking, fast-to-market solutions that give customers an edge, contact us

Ph: +612 8879 4800 or NutritionANZ@adm.com for any enquiries.

May 2021

I 13

ingredients-keytrends

2021 Functional Ingredients: Food as Medicine While the idea that a mindful diet improves overall health is not new, last year, the COVID pandemic led more shoppers to consider the longterm health benefits of what they eat and drink.

help with their digestive health while also building immunity. Many immunity-focused functional ingredients saw strong gains in 2020, and they will continue to be popular with shoppers this year as well. Looking at percent growth versus the previous year, items containing zinc were up 161% and calcium antacid grew 122%.

Key Ingredients For: • Immunity Boosting (Immune function, antioxidants, antibacterial) – Elderberry, Echinacea, Camu Camu • Rest & Destress (Anxiety, stress, insomnia) – Melatonin, Theanine, Valerian • Adaptogens (Fight fatigue, immunity, mood enhancement) – Chaga Mushroom, Maca, Holy Basil

New Categories for Functional Ingredients

ith a strong immune system and good overall health considered important defences against getting sick, and something shoppers have control over, food with functional ingredients have become a type of medicine. Functional ingredients are ingredients that provide a health benefit to shoppers; they are often a bonus to a product’s primary purpose. Customers concerned with their overall health can reach for products like water enriched with vitamins or chips that include additional protein sources knowing that they’re staying hydrated or nourished while also getting an immunity boost. Fibre-related sales could see a lift, as probiotics offer shoppers

fbtech.co.nz

Food as medicine is branching out into more categories that allow shoppers to find new ways to stock their cupboards while fending off illness. Over the last year, shoppers have driven sales for these categories, with some seeing strong sales increases: • Plant-based foods are credited with reducing cancer, health disease, stroke, and risk of diabetes. • Low glycemic and unsweetened foods reduce sugar intake, which can reduce health risks and help consumers. • Microbiome (gut) health is increasingly linked to improved overall health, including immunity, anxiety, and diseases. • Nutrient-dense diets provide high doses of ingredients like proteins and ancient grains.

How to Make the Most of Functional Ingredient Trends

Evaluate your product offerings for items that offer functional ingredients and address shoppers’ immunity and wellness concerns. You might already be meeting their demand but haven’t messaged it to retailers or shoppers. This mindset is not disappearing anytime soon, so you have an opportunity to meet these needs immediately and in the long-term.

Prebiotics Tapping Into Current Demand with Prebiotics

ccording to Lumina Intelligence, prebiotics are trending on multiple fronts right now, creating rising demand for these sophisticated fibre ingredients, which have been shown to nourish beneficial microorganisms inhabiting the human gut. Lumina research shows that consumers are more engaged with prebiotics than ever before as they search for ways to improve their health. Let’s look at some of the key trends driving the prebiotics market and how these are likely to develop in the future.

Consumer Engagement Consumer interest in prebiotics remains high, as can be gauged by examining Google search trends. Lumina tracks shifts in online searches within the pro and prebiotics space over the last 12 and 24 months via its microbiome search trends analysis dashboard. At present, 1,633 keywords are tracked through English language searches worldwide with 11.5K average monthly searches between February 2020 and 2021, ahead of terms such as cardiovascular health, digestion and even immunity. What also emerges is that gut health remains a major area of interest, and prebiotics are highly relevant in this regard. Terms implicated in gut health, like constipation, gut-brain, IBS, digestion, gut flora, and diarrhoea, generated a significant volume of searches, and saw high growth. Within probiotic supplements, prebiotics as an ingredient also resonate well with the end-user. Lumina’s research on post-purchase review data found that prebiotics are among the top performing ingredients when it comes to the number of reviews generated by products they are used in.

Key Driver: Plant-Based Eating Consumers’ motivations for cutting

Climate Impact:

Is Sugar the Next Ingredient to Come Under Fire?

While meat and dairy are regularly targeted for their environmental impact, a report from AI data firm, Spoonshot, has warned that sugar may be next.

out or down on animal foods, like meat and dairy, range from environmental sustainability concerns to ethical considerations to personal health objectives. This shift opens opportunities for prebiotic fibres, since they are either already present or can easily be integrated into the plant-based products that are substituting animal-based foods. It also gives products, which were always plant-based, new leverage in terms of positioning. Breakfast cereals are a good example. Comet Bio’s Arrabina branded fibre is expected to hit the market in 2022. Arrabina is made from arabinoxylan, a constituent part of, for example, psyllium fiber. The company, which is based in North America with facilities in Europe, has found a way to isolate arabinoxylan on a commercially viable basis. Comet Bio is convinced of the superiority of its prebiotic ingredient

ugarcane, the source of most of the world’s sugar, is the most produced food crop in the world, produced significantly more than rice or wheat with the yield rising 15 percent over the last decade. The analysis from Spoonshot, which delivers food and beverage innovation intelligence by leveraging AI and food science, has noted that this increase has left an environmental mark. Sugarcane and sugarbeet are both water and land intensive crops. Spoonshot calculates that the global average water footprint of producing 1kg of refined sugar from sugarcane is about 1,782 litres of water – the equivalent of two years’ worth of drinking water for one person. The large tracts of land cleared to grow sugar crops also impacts local biodiversity and the crops require large amounts of fertilizer and pesticides when the soil’s natural supply of nutrients run low. On top of the emissions during processing, the chemical also pollutes land and water bodies, including groundwater and drinking supplies. “The long and short of it is that sugar crops are increasingly becoming unviable in an era when environmental and climate issues are at the forefront,” said the report.

Opportunities for Sugar Alternatives

over other kinds. It is, for example, tolerated in much larger amounts than inulin (from chicory root) without causing digestive discomfort, argues the company. Another attractive, on-trend aspect of Arrabina is that it is sourced sustainably from crop leftovers like straw, leaves and shells, as well as from “upcycled” spent grains diverted from the brewing industry. This is bound to appeal to the growing number of businesses embracing the circular economy model. Prebiotics are no passing trend. As research into the human microbiome progresses, providing optimum nourishment to one’s resident beneficial bacteria will become a mainstream health objective for many. This will spell growing consumer engagement with and rising demand for prebiotics.

environmental impact could open opportunities for sugar alternatives. “At some point, in the not-toodistant future, this scrutiny will turn sugar manufacturers, giving sugar alternatives a real leg up in promoting their sustainability credentials,” continued the report. “As ingredients used in the production of other foods, companies may look to them as a means to bring down their own carbon footprint, which in turn, can be communicated to consumers.” This is good news for new types of sugars, sweeteners and technologies that have emerged in response to growing calls to reduce the amount of sugar in diets to improve overall health. New solutions for sugar reduction include utilising new ingredients to make sweeteners, new technologies to make extraction more efficient, and methods to trick the brain into thinking a product is sweeter than it actually is. “What we expect to see in space of sugar reduction/replacement in the coming years is a move away from looking for a single alternative ingredient. Instead we’ll see greater acceptance of a combination of ingredients that will perform the functional and sensory roles of sugar.”

Revelations about sugars May 2021

I 15

supplychain

QUALITY ASSURANCE IN TRANSIT FOR PERISHABLES By Bruce Kohn, Kaptura Ltd

Assuring customer quality for perishable products in transit after dispatch for export or within the New Zealand-wide market demands the most modern digital technology providing real time advice while the products are on the move.

fbtech.co.nz

t is this need which inspired Aucklandbased Kaptura to bring to market an array of platforms and sensor-based systems that can give producers of such perishables as fish, fruit, meat, and flowers the capability to monitor conditions of travel in the journey from producers to customers. Forget “dumb” loggers that simply pass on location and route of your product and tell you after arrival whether the products have been tampered with, or temperatures within the pallet or

container have changed in a manner that may have caused spoilage. The Kaptura offerings can give you in real time the route to market your products are taking, their location at any given time, the temperature in which they are stored and signal you on disruption at any time on their way to market. Real time alerts will come direct to you when the security of the products is compromised, or a change takes place in the mode of transport. This real time advice system allows you to know when spoilage may be occurring, through temperature or tampering. You can take instant action to correct the situation or if a disruption is threatened to

unloading points at the product destination you can seek a change of shipping route to avoid it. You can make all this information available to your customer so that both you and he know the condition of the products is as it was when they left the packing house. If there is tampering or a decline or increase in temperature you can pinpoint when it occurred –

there is not much solace in knowing after the products reach your customer that it has happened. You need to know when it happens and who is responsible so that you can take instant action. Now old-style loggers which, when plugged into a USB port after arrival of products at their destination, can provide temperature details. But “after the fact” information cannot tell you under whose custody a breach

occurred – at source warehouse, in transport or at destination point? “It is this real time reporting which provides value to both producer and customer,” commented Kaptura Chief Executive, Mark Singh. “Cell phone or screen monitors can be used to follow your products every step of their journey. Just as refrigeration changed

the face of the New Zealand meat export industry so real time monitoring of perishable in transit adds a new dimension to quality assurance of the perishable products the country sells on global and local markets. That it covers condition monitoring within warehouses, at shipment and package/carton level plus humidity conditions is a big plus.”

POWERING

Intelligent Supply Chains Through digital platforms and Industry 4.0 technologies for . . . • Better decision making • Effectiveness of operations • Cost reductions

+64 9 363 7870 NZ or +61 2 8912 2150 AUS

May 2021

I 17

asseenatFoodtechPacktech

CONNECTION, DEVELOPMENT, AND INNOVATION: The Importance of Exhibiting at Trade Shows Trade shows can bring great benefits to your business. If your business is attracting new customers from advertising and word of mouth, it can be very tempting to write trade shows off as something that you don’t need to do to attract new customers.

fbtech.co.nz

hile trade shows are far from easy, they can be one of the most rewarding forms of marketing when approached with the right strategy. Trade show veterans will attest to the fact that the ROI achieved from a successful trade show is difficult to match using other forms of outbound marketing.

The benefits of exhibiting at a trade show include:

NETWORKING - trade shows are a great way to meet potential new customers, suppliers and to learn more about your competitors. LAUNCH NEW PRODUCT trade shows are a good place to introduce a new product or service. Being able to explain your offering in person and answer questions is ideal if your product is innovative. BUILD YOUR DATABASE meeting with potential customers at an exhibition helps you to start building your marketing lists and generate qualified sales leads.

RAISE AWARENESS - exhibiting at industry events is a good way to raise your profiles and generate brand awareness. As well as taking a stand at an event, there are usually other advertising and sponsorship opportunities. MEET IN PERSON - meeting face-to-face with potential customers is a great way to start building relationships.

One of the greatest advantages of exhibiting at a trade show is that it allows you to meet and connect with prospective customers in person instead of communicating with them over the phone. On the phone, you’re just another voice – in person, you become someone that they know, recognise, and want to connect with.

Trade shows are also one of the few environments where you have the same amount of access to prospective customers as your larger competitors do. This makes them a valuable opportunity not just for direct sales and marketing, but for strengthening your brand and positioning your business as a leader in its industry. Last year saw trade shows and expos up ended by the global pandemic, many were cancelled or postponed or moved to the virtual world online. We are lucky in New Zealand to be open enough to allow for trade shows to go ahead once again, and the recent exhibitors at FoodTech PackTech were excited to get back to face-toface networking. Foodtech Packtech (FTPT) is New Zealand’s largest food manufacturing, packaging, and processing technology trade show. Running strong for over 20 years this free to attend event brought

Take the hassle out of food safety monitoring in food production

industry professionals and decision makers together providing a forum for education, discussion and the sharing of knowledge and expertise, critical in the sustainability and growth of the industry. Held only once every two years FTPT is a must attend event providing visitors with the opportunity to come face-to-face with the experts and discover the freshest ideas, latest technologies and the newest developments entering the F&B manufacturing and packaging technology industries.

As seen at Foodtech Packtech 2021!

The Testo Saveris 2 WiFi Data Logging System takes the task of manual temperature checks off your hands, allowing for more efficiency in your day-to-day business. • Measurement values are transmitted directly to the Testo Cloud & stored.

• Alarm function allows you to receive

txt and email alerts immediately when limit value violations occur. Visit our online store www.testo.nz

• Access readings anywhere at any time using your smartphone, tablet or PC.

09 579 1990

sales@eurotec.co.nz

www.eurotec.co.nz

May 2021

I 19

asseenatFoodtechPacktech Safeguard Surfaces to Combat COVID-19

The emergence of the new SARSCoV-2 coronavirus and its rapid dissemination in all continents has led to high concern at the local and international health authorities’ level, in the scientific community and in the media and population.

n the absence of vaccine and specific treatment, the containment of the epidemics relies also on rapid identification and disinfection of potentially contaminated surfaces. Introducing the COV-Hygien Xpress On-Site Detection Kit. Combat COVID-19 with this completely self-contained kit. Designed to detect traces of SARS-CoV-2 on a wide variety of surfaces, it provides results in minutes, without the need for a laboratory. Available exclusively in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands from Fort Richard Laboratories, the COV-Hygien Xpress On-site Detection Kit from BioMire is a proven and effective tool for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in homes, offices, medical care centres,

restaurants, hotels, airports, and public transportation. Safeguard high-traffic environments through effective monitoring with this easy-to-use kit.

Kit advantages:

• Effective on-site tool for detecting SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces • Improves sanitation procedures by incorporating routine testing • Minimises time required for start-up, testing and results • Complete self-contained kit, no laboratory required • Simple 6-step testing process, no training needed • Easy to interpret results, just 15 minutes after testing • Detects specific SARS CoV-2 proteins; minimizes the risk of false positives

• Address surface contamination immediately with cleaning and sanitisation • Fast and economical compared to PCR-based techniques • Increased testing provides more monitoring data • Long shelf-life at room temperature This test is ready to use and is based on a membrane technology with colloidal gold nanoparticles. When the swab sample extracted solution meets the strip, the solubilised conjugate migrates with the sample by passive diffusion and the conjugate and sample material meet the anti-SARS antibody adsorbed onto the nitrocellulose strip. If the sample contains SARS-CoV-2, the conjugate–SARS-CoV complex will remain bound to the anti-SARS-

CoV-2 antibody immobilised onto the nitrocellulose. The result is visible within 15 minutes in the form of a red line that develops on the strip. In the analytical performance study, the reproducibility showed a betweenobserver disagreement of 1.7%, a robustness of 98%, an overall satisfying user friendliness and no crossreactivity with other virus-infected nasopharyngeal samples. Rapid results from on-site testing with COV-Hygien Xpress means sanitation can be swiftly implemented, reassuring workers, customers and the public that surfaces have been tested and sanitised for the live virus. For more information, visit www.fortrichard.com or ph 0800 369 369

Telepresenz: Creating a Connected Workforce

Telepresenz is an augmented reality solution that connects remote users in the field to the experts in your team, enabling quicker diagnosis and resolution of issues in real-time and facilitates remote auditing, assessments, and inspections.

he Telepresenz platform enables real-time, two-way communication between a base station expert and remote users who could be in any location, anywhere in the world. Imagine being able to provide cutting-edge training to any specialised segment without the restrictions of border, travel, or finance. “Distance can be a barrier and getting the experts eyes on the problem is always key. Telepresenz overcomes that, no matter where the expert is, and is super effective on a hands-free device like Realwear HMT,” noted Dion Davidson, Sales VP Australasia, Telepresenz.

fbtech.co.nz

Virtualise the Expert

Telepresenz reduces the costs associated with providing such expertise, making it not only possible but completely viable to work with individuals across the globe. Experienced subject matter experts connect from anywhere and provide firsthand guidance to workers as and when they need it.

Connect Teams Wherever They Are Create a connected workforce and extend the capability of your workers by enabling quick access to step-by-step digital work instructions and real-time guidance to help in diagnosis and resolution of critical issues as they occur, four times faster than traditional methods. Remote field teams leverage smart glasses and AR toolsets to visualise processes and obtain guidance from experts when needed. From the base station, experts can connect to multiple users at once. It is a convenient, elegant,

and cost-effective way to grow and improve upon your service offerings.

Other benefits include: • Consistent learning environment: one mentor, many endpoints. • Cost effective: eliminate or reduce travel costs incurred by bringing experts to field locations. • Encourage learning: improve technical knowledge for your teams. • Enable business growth: increase your field teams’ productivity. • Optimise service offerings: reduce service time and improve accuracy. • Always available: device-agnostic cloud technology gives you access anywhere, anytime. • Delight your customers: increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. “We have had a 65% reduction in problem resolution time using Telepresenz as a visual guidance tool driven by remote experts,” expressed Jim Shapiro, Operations Manager at Van Dyke Recycling Solutions.

Telepresenz helps you overcome time and space limitations, so no matter how challenging your field environment might be, your teams have access to the expertise they need to get the job done. The technology is easy to deploy with no learning curve, you can improve safety and productivity with hands-free devices, and improve efficiency with workflow automation.

Where Can Telepresenz Be Applied?

• Remote maintenance and servicing of manufacturing equipment. • Remote assessment and auditing for factory acceptance or installations. • Digitising maintenance and inspection rounds to aid reliability. • Knowledge capture and competency delivery platform. Provide your front-line workers with instant expertise, visit www.telepresenz. com or contact Dion Davidson, ph 021 2703177 or email dion@care4d.com

AIR. We can’t see it. It’s easy to forget about but it’s everywhere and it’s one of the greatest pathogen carriers. That’s why your HVAC system is the most important part of your factory to keep hygienic. This requires more than a filter change-out or standard maintenance. HVAC systems have many potential pathogen breeding grounds (including heat exchange coils) and pathogens love getting out and about in the air.

Our total air-care package focuses on the hygiene of your entire ventilation system, from the air intake to the air supply grilles in the factory. Our world-class technologies and trained service technicians ensure the air in your factory is pathogen-free. To find out more, visit www.prescoenvironmental.co.nz or to book a free consultation to discuss your pathogen hotspots and how to best manage them, call us on 0800 PRESCO (773726).

asseenatFoodtechPacktech WiFi Data Logging & Alarming

Take the hassle out of temperature monitoring in food production.

As a food producer, you are confronted with numerous regulations and standards which are intended to guarantee the quality and safety of food.

ne of the key requirements is continuous temperature monitoring along the entire production chain, including complete documentation of the measurement data. The HACCP International Approved Testo Saveris 2 WiFi Data Logging System takes the laborious task of manual temperature checks off your hands, allowing for more efficiency in your day-to-day business. With Saveris 2, readings are automatically collected and documented at all critical points and transmitted to the Testo Cloud, so you can retrieve them at any time via your smartphone, tablet, or PC. The reliable alarm function allows you to receive txt and email alerts immediately when temperature limit value violations occur. There’s also no need to worry about security or time-consuming software, all you need is an internet connection, wireless LAN and web browser.

The challenge: Temperature monitoring • To comply with limit values, • To comply with standards and guidelines (including HACCP), • To guarantee product quality and to increase customer confidence.

The solution: The Testo Saveris 2 WiFi Data Logger System

• For placement in production facilities, storage areas, transport vehicles etc. • Measurement values are automatically transferred to the cloud and stored there. • Data can be retrieved at any time via a web browser – also on a smartphone/ tablet. • Alert (SMS/e-mail) in the event of critical values.

Key benefits: How Testo Saveris 2 boosts efficiency

• Automated, reliable temperature monitoring. • No more manual read-out or documentation. • Easily assemble your own customised solution using the appropriate loggers and your ideal cloud licence. • All data can be viewed: no matter where you are! • Maximum flexibility with the Advanced licence. Testo Saveris 2 is suitable for a variety

VINIQUIP: Experts in the Process

Viniquip is one of Australasia’s leading importers and distributors of bottling, packaging, and processing equipment to the wine, brewing, distilling, cider, fruit juice, and general food and beverage industries.

stablished in 1991, this privately owned, New Zealand based company takes great pride in delivering market leading machinery, equipment, product, and expertise throughout New Zealand, Australia, and the South Pacific. Viniquip maintains offices in Hastings and Blenheim in New Zealand and in Sydney and Melbourne in Australia. Their exclusive portfolio of internationally recognised machinery brands includes the prestigious GAI, ABE Beverage Equipment, APE, Bucher Vaslin, and Kreuzmayr, among others. “We take great pride in delivering individual machinery and process solutions as well as turnkey projects on time and within budget, anywhere within the South Pacific.” Viniquip’s technicians are supplier trained and certified and are ready to provide service and support for all

fbtech.co.nz

the equipment they supply – be it in person, via remote connection or augmented reality, while service and support is backed up by a substantial spare parts inventory warehouse. Viniquip has been selling brewery equipment for over twenty years and can provide a full turnkey solution to complete the entire brewery process. This solution includes, but is not limited to, Brew Houses from 3BBL to 60BBL, fermentation tanks, brite tanks, filtration systems, glycol chillers, pumps, bottling lines, canning lines, labelling equipment, keg washer/fillers, fittings, and so much more. In 1996, Viniquip was founded to supply and service the wine industry. While they have expanded into other sectors, the wine industry remains a significant part of business. Viniquip supply equipment for receival, destemming, sorting, pressing, pumping, flotation, filtration, total

packaging, labelling, and bottle/case handling systems. At each step of the process, your grapes, wine, and finished goods are handled though world-class, state of the art equipment, ensuring the finished product leaves your winery as you desire. That’s not all though, Viniquip also has a long history in the juice sector and an in-depth knowledge of the juice creation process, from whole fruit to the final juice product and can supply a complete range of juice production equipment from receival, sorting, washing, milling, pressing, and pasteurising, right through to bottling. They also supply equipment to package everything from champagne, cider, edible oils and Noni juice and stock lab equipment and PakTech can holders. Your needs are covered just ask. Visit www.viniquip.co.nz for more information.

of applications and is expandable to suit your specific needs. Visit www.testo.nz to found out more or get in touch with us directly to discuss your requirements. 09 579 1990 or email us at sales@eurotec.co.nz.

asseenatFoodtechPacktech LEADING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Australasia’s largest rigid plastic packaging producer, Pact Group, has a clear vision for the future – to lead the circular economy through reuse, recycling, and packaging solutions. It’s a group commitment, designed to create lasting value.

his demands smarter ways of reducing waste by continually reusing and recycling resources to keep them in circulation well into the future. Since 2002, Pact Group has been at the heart of this, finding new and better ways to grow business, to give back to the environment and to enrich people’s lives every day. “Leading the Circular Economy through reuse, recycling and packaging solutions is more than Pact’s tagline – it is the group’s vision and future-driven commitment designed to create lasting value for all stakeholders,” noted Group Managing Director and CEO, Sanjay Dayal. “What differentiates us is that our core business capabilities work as one across the whole circular economy; it’s a complete closed loop approach.” Pact’s three core business capabilities are branded as Pact Recycling, Pact Packaging and Pact Reuse. Dayal explained that Pact Recycling operates to ensure a supply of locally sourced recycled material to feed the packaging converting business, Pact Packaging, which manufactures rigid plastic packaging for a wideranging customer base across the food, grocery, and industrial sectors. Pact Reuse has solutions that meet the growing need for alternatives to single-use packaging such as a produce crate pooling platform, and here Pact

has to date replaced over 150 million single-use corrugate boxes with five million reusable plastic crates. “We are also using recycled content in major infrastructure projects such as freeway noise walls that play a significant role in the Circular Economy as a home – or sink – for the plastics we recycle. Pact is already the largest plastics recycler in Australasia and also one of the region’s biggest user of recycled materials – but we have ambitions to go much further,” continued Dayal. “Our target is 30% recycled content across our portfolio, which means we will need more than 60,000 tonnes of recycling capacity by 2025 and we have many projects in the pipeline that we believe will enable us to significantly exceed this capacity.”

PACT RECYCLING At Pact Group, they don’t see materials as waste, they see its potential to create ongoing value. It’s a complete loop approach that demands both the responsible disposal of packaging and the inclusion of recycled content in packaging. To deliver this at scale, Pact Group partner with Government bodies and peak industry groups to continually boost post-consumer waste recycling capabilities. This ensures locally sourced recycled material helps feed

our packaging business. There’s no doubt that in its pursuit of a local circular economy model the Australasian packaging industry faces significant challenges. According to Dayal, the key word here is local. “The use of imported recycled content does not solve our domestic waste to landfill problems,” he stressed. “Pact has made, and continues to make, significant investment in locally sourced food-grade recycled content for our customers.” It is Dayal’s firm belief that by building a local circular economy, the Australasian packaging industry will be strong and profitable.

PACT PACKAGING Partnering with global brands to local dairy producers, Pact Group integrate supply chain efficiencies and sustainable practices into everything they design and manufacture. The circle starts with a life-cycle assessment to ensure customers can make sustainable decisions and processing local recycled material makes all the difference. In recent years, the company has brought millions of 100% recycled milk, shampoo, and personal care bottles into the world. Strategically, Pact completed the acquisition of Flight Plastics, a leading provider of packaging for the fresh

food segment and New Zealand’s only packaging manufacturer with integrated rPET recycling capability. “The ANZ fresh food segment is estimated to be a $600 million market,” said Dayal. “In this segment there is increasing demand for sustainable packaging. Flight’s integrated recycling and manufacturing capability, and wellestablished customer relationships, will significantly enhance Pact’s competitive position in this attractive segment.” The acquisition will give Pact access to more than 5000 tonnes per annum of recycled PET for use in food grade packaging in the ANZ region.

PACT REUSE The depth of Pact Group’s network and investment in technology ensure vital resources can be swiftly collected, sorted, cleaned, and redistributed at scale. Helping fresh food producers and supermarkets achieve their sustainability goals. To address the pressing needs of the fashion industry we’ve also recently acquired TIC to create a specialist global ‘Retail Accessories’ arm. This further boosts our retail accessories capabilities and helps recycle enough hangers annually to circle the earth more than three times. “We continue to work with our customers to transition them to alternative substrates which are more recyclable or made from recycled content,” concluded Dayal. “We are on track to have the capacity to recycle 60,000 tonnes per annum by 2025 to meet our target to use 30% recycled content across our portfolio.”

CONFOIL’S Commitment Keeps Customers Content

Confoil makes it the top priority to offer what the company describes as New Zealand’s largest selection of foil trays for all your local food packaging requirements. And because of Confoil’s commitment to quality, customers can rest assured knowing their food containers are made using professional, accredited quality production processes that are clean and hygienic.

akeaway containers, designed from single to catering size, can be frozen and then heated using gas, electric or microwave ovens (yes, you can microwave a foil tray). Easily stored, stacked and handled,

fbtech.co.nz

the range spans everything from a 48mm hors d’oeuvre, small tart pans to individual or family size pans, flans, pizzas and a full gastronome rectangular baking dish. For caterers, large trays for fresh or frozen food, platters for hors d’oeuvres, cakes, and snacks.

Recycling aluminium requires only five percent of the energy and produces only five percent of CO2 emissions as compared with primary production and reduces waster going to landfill. Aluminium can be recycled indefinitely, as processing does not damage its structure, hence keeping its mechanical integrity indefinitely. Confoil also offers the dual ovenable paperboard meal trays which can be sealed with a film or rigid recyclable plastic lid. A full range of

film and machines are available to these containers. These containers are 95% degradable and recyclable, specifically designed for freezer, microwave and conventional ovens. Printed Dualpak trays can boldly carry your brand for easy identification by consumers and any information which you may want to convey to end users. For more information, visit www. confoil.co.nz, ph 0800 107 620, or email info@confoil.co.nz

speaker columnFoodtechPacktech EXPORTS & COVID: Global Insights and Trends

It has been a challenging year for our exporters. Never has the tyranny of distance been so obvious. The world we live in was already growing more and more complex, with climate change driving food security concerns, consumers becoming increasingly more complex and focused on conscious consumption, artificial intelligence, robotics, block-chain, and geopolitical protectionism.

ERIN MAHER New Zealand Trade & Enterprise

o, as COVID-19 evolved into a global pandemic, New Zealand’s geographical isolation meant reduced connectivity to international markets caused several businesses to lose market share due to being unable to fulfil orders. Before the pandemic, about 80 percent of goods were carried in the belly of passenger planes – which meant they were effectively ‘subsidised’ by international travellers. Travel restrictions meant passenger numbers dropped to around 2 percent of pre-pandemic levels and airfreight costs subsequently rose to six times. The Government’s International Airfreight Capacity was crucial to maintaining air connectivity, ensuring both critical imports and exports could continue, alongside ensuring the sustainability of the aviation sector. In addition to air freight, sea freight issues also began to mount rapidly. Over 99 percent of New Zealand’s import and export goods move by sea, so the trade flow disruptions were felt strongly. As an example, only 35 percent of vessels arrived on time globally in December 2020, and Ports of Auckland have reported average delays of up to 8.9 days. We also have an imbalance of empty containers required to be brought into New Zealand to support our exports leaving the country. For every three containers, we ship, only one is returning. We also observed many changes in consumer behaviour internationally. Lockdowns heightened concerns around health, safety, and wellbeing as well as out-of-stock issues meant that consumers switched to buying more

online. Australia has experienced a 32 percent growth in online grocery sales, while the USA, with a mere 3 percent penetration before the pandemic, rose to 10-15 percent of total grocery spend. Leading global manufacturers are starting to develop ‘online only’ products that are smaller, lighter, and have stronger packaging for transit. Retailers are also investing heavily in warehousing with automated pick technology, which means packaging will need to be optimised for this new environment. Another growing trend is a growth in premiumisation. Because consumers have been spending more time at home they are eating more there. The cost savings are often being transferred to buying more luxury items and trying to replicate fine dining experiences at home, trading up in categories like wine and red meat. Similarly, another growing category is meal kits or heat-and-eat meals. Unsurprisingly, consumers have high levels of trust for products produced in their own country. NZTE recently partnered with Kantar and undertook a consumer insights report canvassing 14,000 food and beverage consumers across six key markets. The insights showed that, on average, less than 50 per cent of consumers trusted

international products. This was a particular issue in China with local media reporting on the transmission of COVID-19 through handling imported products. However, New Zealand still maintained a reasonably high level of trust amongst international products compared to other countries. The research showed that the view of our products as safe increased over a six-month period – with Australia and Singapore rating us particularly high. Perhaps counterintuitive to the sustainability push, the pandemic has driven up demand for food and beverage packaging that is secure and resealable as food safety and security concerns have risen – including tamper proof seals. The below pictorial from a recent McKinsey study also demonstrates this. The continued preference for sustainable products from external sources of data show that expectations of responsible business practices continue to rise. This could be used as evidence that sustainability is now an expectation of many consumers as opposed to a mark of premium quality. Consumers are having to prioritise between their health, sustainability, and cost right now, and sustainability does not always rank highest.

Another key trend has been the increased focus on health and immunity – and therefore an increased intent to purchase natural, organic, and fresh produce. As an example, we have seen manuka honey sales double in Japan. While indulgent products are still important, consumers are preferring more premium products packaged in smaller portions, or added nutrient density claims like ‘high protein.’ One of the biggest areas of growth is plant-based, and interestingly, Australian consumers connect veganism with being health and environmentally conscious – about 12 percent of the population is on a plant-based diet and the vegan market is projected to experience a 9.6 percent per annum growth rate. In the USA, plant-based sales were $7 billion in 2020. In parallel to the plant-based trend, lab-grown meat could be one to watch. Singapore was the first country in the world to approve the commercial sale of lab-grown chicken meat last year. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown up plenty of new challenges as well as heightening existing ones, particularly brand awareness and developing the right business connections, given there is no international travel. As part of the Government’s Trade Recovery Strategy, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise has really powered up its support for exporters. We have doubled the number of companies we work with intensively, from 700 to 1400; and we have increased the number of people in our overseas office to provide crucial inmarket support. We have also launched a global ‘Made with Care’ brand campaign to help food and beverage exporters and we would be more than happy to speak to businesses about what support we can offer.

May 2021

I 25

speaker columnFoodtechPacktech A Practical Guide to Boosting Productivity Through Tech

Implementing Industry 4.0 is often touted as a ‘must do’ to boost business efficiency, but without clear guidance it can feel unwieldy, leaving businesses unsure how to start. The answer, according to Callaghan innovation programme manager, Sandra Baresic is to think big and start small. Here’s how. technologies. These included a 1020% improvement in asset efficiency, a 10-35% improvement in quality, a 2-10% improvement in safety and sustainability and a reduction of 2030% in costs. So how do we demystify I4.0 to make it accessible and useful to more NZ businesses?

SANDRA BARENSIC Innovation programme manager, Callaghan Innovation

hen it comes to Industry 4.0 (I4.0) most New Zealand businesses will have heard the key words like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data and robotics. However, when it comes to applying those tools to their business to improve productivity, there seems to be a lingering reluctance, despite the potential benefits. A 2020 Deloitte Insights report on digital lean manufacturing found significant productivity improvements for businesses leveraging I4.0

THINK BIG, START SMALL, SCALE FAST

Adopting this simple methodology – envision the big picture, build a small pilot to solve a problem, then scale the results – to I4.0 makes the concept more applicable for a business, and helps stakeholders see how and where digital transformation can improve productivity. The vision should be bold but anchored in the business’s current reality. To achieve that vision, take it one step at a time. Start small with one measurable problem to solve in a supportive environment that allows for experimentation and pivots. If that pilot is successful, go back to the vision and look for ways to apply the lessons and findings to other parts of the business, modifying or

standardising to solve new problems or meet new opportunities. Each pilot project or scaled innovation moves the business closer to that big picture vision.

LOCAL SUCCESSES

Several key NZ businesses have already boosted their productivity and efficiency thanks to adopting I4.0 technologies. Meat manufacturer Silver Fern Farms, for example, adopted data analytics to better predict the offal yield from cattle. The business identified offal yield prediction as both a problem and a business opportunity through Callaghan Innovation’s Digital Lean programme, set up to help businesses make the most of I4.0 technologies and approaches. Without a precise way to estimate the amount of offal per animal, Silver Fern Farms’ yield targets were inaccurate. To tackle this challenge, the business teamed up with productivity experts LMAC Consulting and data specialists Litmus Datatech using data analytics and machine learning to achieve more accurate forecasting. Instead of impenetrable spreadsheets, visual dashboards now display dynamic yield forecasts with

user-friendly data for teams. Crucially, the business found the data modelling had the potential for significant impact on its bottom line. In one example, a 5% increase in yield gained for one type of offal equates to a gain of $300,000 over a year at just one Silver Fern Farms plant. Silver Fern Farms Continuous Improvement Manager, Dylan Marsh said the data modelling will have major benefits for the wider business. This includes increased awareness of real-time performance enabling staff to make changes, and increased confidence in how individual plants are tracking. The modelling is also scalable across plants, allowing Silver Fern Farms to scale up the benefits seen at the pilot plant. Marsh noted that Digital Lean has opened the business’s eyes to the potential of I4.0.

CONNECT WITH THE ECOSYSTEM As well as programmes like Digital Lean, there are many other useful resources available for businesses that want to start their I.40 journey: • The Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network • Callaghan Innovation’s Industry 4.0 Hub, which includes information about the Industry 4.0 Starter Service, Lean and Digital Lean programmes. As a country we should be building towards a tipping point where enough businesses become I4.0 success stories that they inspire others to follow suit, benefiting their own productivity and that of the whole country. For more information about New Zealand’s innovation agency, visit www. callaghaninnovation.govt.nz

product showcase FoodtechPacktech Industry events like Foodtech Packtech are the perfect place to get the first look at the newest and most innovative products on the market. Here are some of the new products showcased at this year’s expo. RAPID LABELS – FLOATING FOIL As label practitioners, Rapid Labels is always striving to find new and innovative ways to help its client’s labels stand out. Rapid Labels’ Floating Foil is one of the company’s most popular

fbtech.co.nz

embellishments. This awardwinning technique, exclusive in New Zealand to Rapid Labels, produces a striking metallic relief effect. Visit www.rapidlabels.nz

product showcase FoodtechPacktech EUROTEC LTD – WIFI DATA LOGGING AND ALARMING

GAPRIE LTD – P.C.NET

The HACCP international approved Testo Saveris 2 Wifi Data Logging system takes the task of manual temperature checks off your hands, allowing more efficiency in your day-to-day business. Readings are automatically collected and documented at all critical points and transmitted to the Testo Cloud so you can retrieve them at any time via your phone, tablet, or web browser.

P.C.Net, the award-winning alternative to plastic stretch wrap has been tested and proven to contain products whilst in storage or transportation. The benefits of positive change include more efficiency in daily operation, more productivity, and reduced costs, plus P.C.Nets have a great reusable lifespan. Visit www.gaprie.com

Visit www.eurotec.co.nz

MÄTT SOLUTIONS – LEAK DETECTION

Dansensor LeakPointer 3 and Dansensor LeakPointer 3+ leave no leaks unnoticed. They are highly accurate and able to carry out non-destructive leak detections of leak sizes down to 50 um – this makes them indispensable in Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) lines where undetected leaks can be costly and cause damage to customer relationships. Both have been approved for the food industry. Visit www.ffi.nz

WEDDERBURN SCALES LTD – DIGI IN-LINE CHECKWEIGHER

Wedderburn’s new WCW In-Line Checkweigher range can offer features that you normally see in machines twice the price. From smooth and quiet operation, onscreen live statistical data, a range of options for integrated or separate rejection types, lockable quarantine bins, removeable belts and a vast range of belt widths and lengths. Visit www.wedderburn.co.nz

May 2021

I 27

product showcase FoodtechPacktech BONSON INDUSTRIAL CO. LTD – RECYCLED PET

Using the latest in thermoforming technology backed with industry-leading exertise of over 35 years, Bonson turn recycled PET plastic into versatile packaging that delivers high functional performance and outstanding presentation to meet your requirements. Bonson is delighted to bring customers more choices to reduce, reuse and recycle. Visit www.bonson-savpac.co.nz

SPRAYING SYSTEMS LTD – VX NOZZLES The perfect blend of performance, versatility, and convenience. VX Nozzles eliminate quality problems, clogging, misting, time-consuming manual adjustments, and complicated maintenance. You will experience longer, uninterrupted production runs, reduced set-up time between batches, lower scrap rates and decreased maintenance downtime. Visit www.spray.co.nz

MITECH TECHNOLOGY GROUP LTD – MARKEMIMAJE 9330 PRINTER The 9330 has been specifically designed with SMEs in mind, providing a highly cost-effective medium duty inkjet printer, now available from MITech. Easy to install, use, and maintain providing quality coding with IntelliJet technology. Operating costs are kept low thanks to the latest generation hydraulic system, cutting additive consumption by up to 50% versus competitor models. Visit www.mitech.nz

CODEMARK – GX-SERIES Codemark is an industry leader in variable, on-demand printing solutions for industries that require methods to print best before dates, batch numbers, barcodes, product identification, serialisation, serial shipping container codes (SSCC), sequential numbering, metremarking and label print and apply systems. With the GX-Series you get reliable high resolution, high quality printing up to 50mm text printheight using multiple stitched printheads with remote connectivity. Visit www.codemark.co.nz

NDA EQUIPMENT – PATTYN RESPONSIVE BOX LINING As a pioneer and market leader in box lining solutions, Pattyn responds continuously to market demands. The recently developed ZIM-11, with a small footprint, allows you to line your containers from a roll of polyethylene film and automatically makes, cuts, and inserts bags into cases, crates or trays. Visit www.nda.co.nz

fbtech.co.nz

horticulturecolumn

FATE SEALED FOR THIS SEASON’S HARVEST

It is hard to avoid the fact that labour (or more correctly the lack of it) continues to dominate the season. ALAN POLLARD Chief Executive, New Zealand Apples & Pears

e are now well advanced with harvest, and there are numerous stories of labour not being available or not turning up, and crops not being picked. Members may have seen the recent media stand up, where several of our members, supported by the processing and meat sectors, invited media for an update on the season and to hear firsthand the consequences of the labour shortage. At the briefing, I noted that our revised national export crop estimate was now 3m cartons or 14 percent down on last season. Many say that even this is optimistic. A 14 percent drop equates to about $130m in lost export earnings, and a broader economic impact of somewhere between $390m and $650m for provincial New Zealand.

In my view, our fate is sealed for this season. There is no prospect of more RSE workers coming into New Zealand in time for our current picking/packing season, and it is likely that through various industry and employer programmes all backpackers and Kiwis who could be targeted have been targeted. Our focus has now turned to pruning and thinning, and next year’s harvest. The Trans-Tasman travel bubble may free up some MIQ space which could open up some opportunity for further workers from the Pacific, but the numbers will be limited and the costs likely to be similar to those that applied to the 2,000 border exception. Nonethe-less we are looking at options to support our growers through pruning and thinning. We have indicated to government, including to the Prime Minister when she visited Hawke’s Bay, that we cannot

survive nor accept another season next year like we have experienced this year. We have also indicated that our expectations are that we will be able to bring in over 10,000 workers for the next season. We do not accept that MIQ should be the vehicle for such worker movement, particularly given the COVID-free status of the Pacific Islands. There are a number of options that we are exploring, for example a vaccinated mobile pacific workforce; a pacific travel bubble; private regional isolation facilities. On a final note, I want to acknowledge the passing of Annie Aranui, the MSD East Coast Regional Commissioner. Annie touched so many lives in the Hawke’s Bay/East Coast region and was a strong champion for and supporter of our industry. Our relationship with MSD in this region strengthened under Annie’s leadership and she will be sorely missed.

May 2021

I 29

horticulturenews

NEW GROWER ADVISORY GROUP FOR JUST AVOCADOS Katikati-based avocado supply group, Just Avocados, has brought together a group of enthusiastic avocado growers from across the regions to provide guidance to their team on Just Avocados’ value proposition and operating policies. Andrew Cutfield, general manager of investor relations and supply at Just Avocados said the grower advisory group was formed out of Just Avocados’ former Grower Trust which was originally put in place to oversee the avocado pool rules. “The value of the Trust expanded beyond its core requirements to become a wider influencer and sounding board for Just Avocados in terms of our strategic direction,” explained Cutfield. “The value of having a group of proactive and commercially minded growers at the table was still important to the business and so hence the grower advisory group was created.” Currently the group has four representatives who are growers from Katikati, South Auckland

and the Far North. The role of the grower advisory Group is to act as a further conduit between growers and Just Avocados, acting as a sounding board for Just Avocados as well as representing the interests of growers and being another point of contact for suppliers to air key concerns with. Steve Smith, an avocado grower of four years and chair of the group is passionate about assisting growers and especially about sharing his knowledge gained through the journey of his own orchard purchase and its rejuvenation from a run-down state. “As a relatively new grower with a background in communications and primary production I would like to think I can be a useful point of contact for growers as well as providing Just Avocados with input to their programmes and strategies,” commented Smith. “Both parties are dependent on each other for success and the advisory group is a means to achieve this.” Read more online.

HORTNZ BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION 2021

SHORT AND SWEET HORTICULTURE COURSES LAUNCHED Industry groups and the tertiary education sector have teamed up to attract new people into horticulture at a time growing regions, including Hawke’s Bay, are experiencing a dire shortage of workers. New Zealand Apples and Pears, GoHort and eCampus NZ have joined forces, launching free online courses to attract Kiwis into horticulture industry roles. The ten short, online taster courses introduce learners to the career opportunities available in horticulture and cover a range of topics, from health and safety to leading a team in an orchard or packhouse. The self-paced courses are delivered on Learning Engine, eCampus NZ’s micro-learning platform. Learners are awarded a digital badge when they successfully complete each course, which

Five candidates are standing for the two vacancies on the Horticulture New Zealand Board of Directors. THE CANDIDATES ARE: • Bernadine Guilleux • Brydon Nisbet • Liarna White • Mike Pretty • Paula Kearns All active growers will receive voting packs either via post or by email. These packs include the candidates’ profiles, information, and voting papers. Votes can be

fbtech.co.nz

can be displayed on a resume and shared on social media and professional networking sites. The courses are being promoted through the MPI’s ‘Opportunity Grows Here’ campaign, which was launched last year to help New Zealanders find employment opportunities in the primary sector. “We see these courses as being the future of how we engage with Kiwis starting their pathway into our industry as well as being a resource for anyone curious and wanting to learn more about what goes on in the world of fruit and veg,” said Horticulture NZ capability manager Emma Boase. Anyone interested in taking the courses can visit www. gohorticulture.co.nz to sign up and start learning immediately. Read more online.

cast in one of two ways: e-vote or postal vote. Voters will be able to vote for a maximum of two candidates. Voting is based on a first-past-thepost system, so the two candidates with the most votes will be elected. The election will be run by independent election management company electionz. Voting will close at 12 noon on Tuesday 25 May 2021 and the results will be published the following week. You can view the profiles of each candidate at www.hortnz.co.nz. Read more online.

BILLIONS MORE IN EXPORTS TO BE FOUND AT THE TOP OF THE SOUTH Billions of dollars could lie waiting for exporters from the top of the South Island if they considered new markets or food products, a new report suggests. Infometrics report Food for Thought highlights opportunities for trade in Te Tauihi, the region which covers the Nelson-Tasman and Marlborough districts. The report said there was another $24 billion to be made in Te Tauihu by diversifying and identifying different markets. Kiernan said. “Our analysis has Kiernan said the profiled products export profile including peanut of the Tasman butter, ice cream, and Marlborough GARETH KIERNAN and mussel oil, which regions was quite all have potential for different from the rest growth that exporters in the of New Zealand, which tended top of the south can consider,’’ to be dominated by dairy, meat Infometrics chief forecast Gareth and food processing. Te Tauihu’s

top exports were wine, seafood and aquaculture, and forestry and wood products, regionally accounting for about 3 percent of New Zealand’s exports. Merchandise exports were growing strongly at the top of the South, averaging 9 percent a year since 2015, more than twice the rate of the national economy,

but diversification was key. Recent tariffs and import bans by China on Australian products such as wine, seafood, and timber had demonstrated the importance of securing and maintaining a range of international markets. Read more online.

NEXT GENERATION GROWERS

The regional competitions of the Young Grower of the Year are fast approaching. The competition is an amazing opportunity for young people working in the fruit and vegetable industries to test their knowledge and skills, grow professional connections and gain exposure in the industry. Since 2007, Horticulture New Zealand has run the annual Young Grower of the Year competition. Young fruit and vegetable growers from around the country compete in regional heats, testing their horticultural skills and knowledge. The winners of the regional competitions then compete in the national final. Young Grower pushes contestants out of their comfort zone and teaches them valuable new skills along the way. The competition provides exceptional professional development and networking opportunities, providing a massive career boost to all who enter. For more information, visit www.younggrower.co.nz. Read more online.

May 2021

I 31

meet the roaster

While I do still love roasting after 14 years, it is the travel to meet the producers and see how our trade impacts their life that is the most inspiring part of the job.

RENE MACAULEY

Head Roaster, People’s Coffee, talks Fair Trade, Co-ops and Coffee Seeds 32

fbtech.co.nz

have been travelling to producing countries for 12 years, visited ten producing countries, and some co-ops I have visited four or five times over the years. I don’t travel to specifically check we get the best quality for ourselves; it is not out of fear or to control the process. At People’s Coffee, we are interested in

documenting the who, how and why of our coffee, we are motivated to tell the growers story for their benefit. We visit co-ops to look in their eyes and hear the stories of how life as a coffee farmer is, how was the year, what went well, and what didn’t. We see the coffee industry and the supply chain as fundamentally broken, and many costs and burdens have been shifted on the producer. We want to understand what it took to produce this coffee we are selling, and for our trade to be a part of making that situation better in the ways that the community want. Peoples Coffee has always used coffee bought with fair trade contracts and has been 100% organic from the beginning. Part of the fair-

trade contracts which buy the coffee we use have an amount of money per kg set aside from the payment to the farmer, this is called the social premium. Co-ops are organised in regions and they are democratically structured and owned by members, there is no boss or single owner, but an elected and employed board. Each village or region meet and decide together on the projects they want to achieve with the social premium funds they have through their sale of coffee. This enables a whole village to reap the benefits of the trade, not just one rich owner. From what I have seen this unites a village, where usually they are in competition with each other to get their coffee sold. There are many adverse effects from divisions or political differences and tribalism are common where co-ops are not operating. With the fair trade social premium system, I have seen so many things achieved which have an ongoing impact on many people, but I have also seen and been told of whole communities changing from division to partnership through fair trade, and youth returning from university to work in these remote villages because they now see hope and a future in coffee which they want to make real. Of course, some trips are focused on finding new coffees and we might cup many groups of coffees in different regions in our decision. But we will also visit them to see who they are as a group, what they have been doing and what they plan to achieve going forward. I think about many things when visiting co-ops, is the manager a community leader, do they meet the needs of the members, do they have a good technical team, do they have women’s programs and women as board members and landowners? Coffee seeds (sorry it is not a bean) have many fruit acids in it like citrus (lemon) and malic (apple) and when it is picked ripe from the tree, and roasted in a specific way, fruit acids are the main flavour of coffee.

I like to use a toast analogy - if you have a quality bread with some pumpkin and sesame seeds, and you golden brown the toast you will highlight the flavours of these seeds, if you burn the toast, you won’t recognise specific seeds, but rather a general burnt seed flavour. This is what most people think coffee should taste like, but it is just burnt generic coffee flavour, that rich bitter flavour is not the flavour of coffee, but it is the flavour of over roasting coffee. I roast for as much sweetness as possible and to highlight the desirable fruit acids. Interestingly organic or inorganic coffee doesn’t really affect the consumer, there is usually no chemical residue in coffee. The reason we are 100% organic is to support the producers in the recognition that this practice of monoculture farming using chemicals is destroying the earth, water, air, animals and humans. Farmers should not be destroying their environment and harming their children for our drug addiction. Organic production requires coffee to be grown in a forestlike it did indigenously, which takes a lot of work. Organic farmers live high up in the mountains over 1000 meters, they make tons of compost and carry it around the steep hillside to young plants, they are expert worm farmers, and must carry around water for young plants. Without trying to tug your heartstrings, farmers very

often live with dirt floors, no mains electricity, no vehicle, no bank account but a year’s coffee income under their mattress. Power is usually supplied by an a4 sized solar panel and a motorbike battery which runs fluorescent lights and charges cell phones. But the biggest problem for coffee producers is that they can’t directly access the market because they are in the mountains. Anyone who can drive a truck (a middleman) might drive up into the mountains to buy coffee at whatever price he wants and drive it back down to sell it to someone with an export license at the port. This is how most of the world’s coffee reaches consuming countries. Fair trade enables producers to meet the market by combining to pool their resources to form a cooperative and build trade directly with importers. Our goal at People’s is to have long term trade relationships with these co-ops, so it is important we choose co-ops who can succeed. Fair trade has some inadequacies if you are wanting to use it with the wrong intention, for example, it can still be used as an imbalance of power for profit with little benefit for the producer, but this is true of any trade, it’s not perfect and I’m sure there are bad examples, but we have been very pleased with how co-ops operate, and how they use the social premium is very inspiring.

May 2021

I 33

meet the brewer

BREWING THE BES A SUSTAINABLE FU

fbtech.co.nz

ST FOR UTURE

Garage Project launched its first beers in 2011, brewing on a tiny 50 litre brew kit in an abandoned petrol station in Wellington’s Aro Valley.

PETE GILLESPIE

JOS RUFFELL

IAN GILLESPIE

he brewing company was started by Pete Gillespie and Jos Ruffell with help from Pete’s brother Ian. When they started, Garage Project wasn’t so much micro brewing as it was nano brewing, but what they lacked in size they more than made up for in agility and the ability to experiment. The choice to start on such a tiny scale was partly out of necessity and a shoestring budget, but it was also a conscious decision allowing a prolific and creative approach to brewing. Garage Project launched with what they called the 24/24, brewing twentyfour new beers in twenty-four weeks, serving each week’s precious 50 litre keg of beer at a local craft beer bar to a growing group of fans. “From the very beginning we tried to take a new and fresh approach to beer and brewing,” noted Pete Gillespie, founder, and head brewer. A good few years have passed and while the company has grown, their ethos has remained the same, particularly when it comes to environmental sustainability. The brewing industry has a significant impact on the environment for several reasons: as a manufacturing process it requires considerable use of natural resources like water and energy; the transport of raw materials and finished goods presents a challenge for finding efficiencies and opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint; waste is produced throughout the brewing process, and at the end of the products use. “We feel it is our responsibility to reduce Garage Project’s environmental impact as much as we can,” noted Steve Almond, Garage Project’s sustainability manager. For Garage Project, sustainability has three pillars: Community, People, and the Environment. Each pillar is important to the ongoing sustainability journey the brand has been on since their inception. “We provide ongoing support for a wide range of local causes and organisations, both in New Zealand and Australia. We’re proud to support the SPCA, Kaibosh Food Rescue, Sustainable Business Network, the

Wellington NZ Fringe Festival, OzHarvest, and many more,” noted Almond. “Brewing has a large environmental impact, so the bulk of the sustainability ambassador role is focussed on reducing this. We have done a lot of work to reduce waste to landfill at our production sites, such as swapping to reusable and recyclable packaging options, and moving to bulk malt shipments to largely avoid using smaller individual sacks of malt.” Garage Project has used only renewable electricity since 2017 and last year the company achieved Certified Zero Carbon Business Operations through Ekos. “Though the ultimate goal is to reduce our carbon footprint, not just offset it. There has already been significant change from our staff based in different locations meeting online rather than taking a domestic flight and avoiding air freighting goods as much as possible. The carbon audit really helped us to focus our reduction efforts.” Sustainability is increasingly something Garage Project considers across the entire business. The brand is constantly looking for new ways to do things, new materials, and technologies. “Often, we find there are barriers to making immediate change, due to availability, cost, and suitability, but this is constantly evolving and improving so we are going in the right direction.” The sustainability of the brand’s packaging is also crucial as it’s important that everything customer facing reflects the bigger sustainability goals at Garage Project. “It’s our responsibility to give our customers products which are easy to recycle throughout New Zealand,” explained Almond. Which is why Garage Project have been careful when selecting their packaging partners. “When we are looking for suppliers, we try to reach out to businesses who share our values. Thankfully, we have suppliers in New Zealand who share our environmental goals.” Of course, one of the aspects of the

Garage Project brand that helps it stand out among all the amazing craft breweries we have in New Zealand is the distinctive and catchy artwork that adorns its cans and bottles. “Great beer art only elevates the experience of drinking a beer,” noted Gillespie. “I’m a strong believer that every beer should tell a story. When you engage with a beer, the experience begins well before you open the can or bottle. The art draws you in, you want to pick it up and look more closely. A lot of our art rewards close attention with little ‘Easter eggs’ and fun hidden treats. Read the blurb on the label and it draws you in further, then finally, crack it open and pour it out (or drink it straight from the can). For us, it’s a holistic experience we take pride in.” At Garage Project we often say, ‘the beer is the star’, the artwork is really to complement the character of the beer. Ever since Garage Project started, we have engaged with local independent artists to create unique pieces for our beers. It’s important to us that the beers each have their own personality, rather than fitting them into a uniform brand.” May 2021

I 35

Partners in the road to recovery

TARGET YOUR MARKETING, DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE, HONE YOUR STRATEGY WITH US. Want to talk to CUSTOMERS? ! t s r i f s u o Talk t

(09) 304 0142 ext 703 caroline@reviewmags.com