Hochdorf Inside Englisch

Edition 1 Summer/Autumn 2014

hochdorf.com

Milk Derivatives

Baby Care

Cereals & Ingredients

Exclusively at Hochdorf Online

MILK POWDER

EARLY NUTRITION

LIMITED EDITION

NUTRITRITION

How the Swiss milk powder market operates

The first 1,000 days determine the future

FEMTORP® Apple Cinnamon Mousse – a success story

Milk demand increases globally

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Vitamin D in the limelight

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HUNGRY FOR TRAVEL

Felice Fauxpas stumbles on China’s food culture

HOCHDORF

News and reports in brief

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FIRST EDITION OF HOCHDORF INSIDE YOU ARE READING THE VERY FIRST EDITION OF HOCHDORF INSIDE. IN THE FUTURE WE AIM TO MAKE YOU A HOCHDORF “INSIDER” TWICE A YEAR.

W

e are proud to present the first edition of our customer magazine, HOCHDORF Inside. The publication will provide new insights, information and reports from the world of milk derivatives, infant formula and cereals & ingredients.

Less is more In keeping with the idea that less is more, we intend to both inform and entertain you with concise pieces about our industry. In the future we plan to produce an edition of HOCHDORF Inside at the end of February with a follow-up edition at the end of August.

Lucky lapses

Print or digital – you decide

Nutrition is a global issue. Our eating habits and table manners are nonetheless strongly influenced by our social environment.

Would you rather read a digital version of our customer magazine? No problem! If you visit our website at www.hochdorf.com, you will find a link to the digital version. Contact us if you would like to receive future issues of HOCHDORF Inside in electronic form only.

In a HOCHDORF exclusive in our “Hungry for Travel” section, Felice Fauxpas reports on his gastronomical experiences as he travels around the world.

We welcome your feedback and comments on the first edition of HOCHDORF Inside and wish you a pleasant summer. n Monique Inderbitzin and Christoph Hug HOCHDORF Inside Editorial Team monique.inderbitzin@hochdorf.com christoph.hug@hochdorf.com

In this edition we will explain the Swiss milk market from our standpoint as a milk powder producer. We highlight exciting new scientific findings about the development of our metabolism in the first 1,000 days of life. We also provide a fascinating insight into food marketing and explain the rationale behind special editions.

You can read our online edition at hochdorf.com

HOCHDORF Group Newsletter

MILK DERIVATIVES

MILK POWDER How the Swiss milk powder market operates

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he Swiss milk market is in a state of flux.

New organisations, guidelines and rules have come into effect that all influence the milk powder market. This article will attempt to explain current market conditions.

Daisy the cow couldn’t care less about market con­ ditions. She dutifully provides her daily milk: some­ times a little more, sometimes a little less; some­ times containing a little more fat and sometimes a little less. She doesn’t provide A, B, nor C milk; she just provides milk. The various milk segments may be meaningless to Daisy but they are of great importance to us as milk powder producers. They influence both our production and our strategy – and cause quite a few headaches in the milk industry now and again. But not for Daisy; she just keeps on chewing her sweet grass and producing the best Swiss milk.

An important player in the milk powder market Daisy also has little interest in what we make with her precious raw material and how the resulting products are used. In the HOCHDORF Group, for instance, we process around ten per cent of all Swiss milk into various milk powder products and cream. This makes us, along with Emmi and Cremo, one of the three key players on the Swiss market for milk powder. Of the three companies, however, we are the only one to focus our attention on the milk powder market itself. The production of various milkbased powders is one of our key areas of expertise.

Becoming an expert in specialised powders But let’s go back to the start again. In Switzerland around 550,000 cows produce approximately 3.4 billion kilogrammes of milk each year. This precious raw material is processed into milk powders, fresh milk products, cheese, butter and other products.

The HOCHDORF Group purchases milk from its dir­ ect suppliers and from various milk producer organ­ isations. But it is not a regular supply. The busiest time for the processing plants is between mid-March and mid-May, when the cows produce more milk, in large part due to the fresh and nutritious grass available at this time of year. The cows are all in the valley then because the Alps are still covered in snow. This time poses a significant annual challenge for the HOCHDORF Group, with man and machine both working at full capacity. But times have changed nonetheless.

The HOCHDORF Group is developing into a milk producer that operates its plants at full capacity all year round to create high-value products. We have been pushing the area of infant formula since 2006 to this end and are about to embark on lact­ ose and whey protein production. As a result we are also drying more products that contain little or no fresh milk. Nonetheless, the HOCHDORF Group will continue to play its part in the prompt processing of spring milk quantities in the future.

Edition 1 Summer/Autumn 2014

Around 550,000 Swiss cows reliably produce approximately 3.4 billion kg of milk each year, which has to be further processed – even in the high season.

A, B and C milk Dividing milk into the three segments of A, B and C milk, has nothing to do with quality; it relates entirely to marketing options. In times of surplus it is not possible to sell all the milk within Switzerland. In order to sell milk on the international market, it has to be purchased at competitive prices. If the milk fat is marketed in Switzerland, the milk producer gets the B milk price. If all the milk is for export – for instance as full milk powder – then the C milk price applies.

The milk industry organisation (BOM) was formed when the quota system came to an end. This body

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duce these figures. With an average of around 24 cows per dairy farmer, the chocolate industry pays approximately 850 milk producers for milk. The contractually agreed A milk price is paid for this. The chocolate industry can apply for export contribution support, known as Schoggi law funding, from the Swiss government.

This funding covers the price difference for milk powder (or for milk) between the domestic and the

The HOCHDORF Group is developing into a high-quality milk product processor.

brings together milk producer organisations, milk processors and retailers. Among other things, they have agreed a price calculation model that defines a non-binding recommended price for the A, B and C milk. The milk processors usually adhere to these prices because mutual competition would otherwise result in them receiving too little milk or none at all.

Important milk powder The milk powder produced by HOCHDORF is mostly destined for further processing by the food indus­ try. Our milk powder usually finds its way into Swiss chocolate; the chocolate industry is an important sales channel for Swiss milk. One of the reasons for the fine quality of Swiss chocolate is the whey milk powder used in the production process. In 2012 for instance, 17,243 tonnes of Swiss milk powder was processed into chocolate. This accounts for the substantial milk quantity of 140,000 tonnes of full milk. Around 20,000 cows are needed to pro-

export markets. This funding is not exclusively for exported chocolate; various food products made from Swiss milk or cereals receive raw material subsidies through this channel.

Market price support from milk producers This spring the largest milk marketing and producer organisations joined with the SMP (Swiss Milk Producers’ Organisation) to found Lactofama AG. This company focuses exclusively on the seasonal export of milk fat that exceeds domestic needs and supports the required milk quantities. This spring, for instance, the HOCHDORF Group successfully exported full milk powder with price support prov­ ided by Lactofama AG.

Monitoring by TSM Another important organisation in the milk industry is the Treuhandstelle Milch (Milk Trust Office). It acts on behalf of BOM, for instance, to monitor adher­

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MILK POWDER

As simple as that – or not quite?

ence to segmentation by processors. The HOCHDORF Group is also monitored by the TSM in this context.

High-value products – for export too Seen over the course of the entire annual production, the spring months are more abundant in milk production than other months, but the total milk quantity affected is relatively small. But this milk still has to be processed into useful, high-quality products. By processing and exporting this milk, the HOCHDORF Group plays an important role in ensuring that all the milk can be processed. Seasonal increases in milk quantities open the door to the international milk market. We make the “Pico” product – a “fat-filled powder” – for the Dutch company Hoogwegt, for example, replacing expensive milk fat by cheaper plant oil. This product is sold in many West African and Arab countries – for the local bakery industry, for instance.

So far so good. Daisy the cow and the milk producer are at the very beginning of the value chain. The producer organisations collect the milk and sell it to the processors. We dry the milk to make various milk powder products that are sold in Switzerland and for export. Depending on the market, various guideline prices apply (A, B or C), determined by the BOM. It all sounds fairly clear and simple in theory, although it remains a little complex at times in practice.

And Daisy the cow?

She still has a few more days to enjoy the juicy grass of the Alps before returning to the valley and, true to form, she keeps on producing milk for you, me, and everyone else. n

Werner Schweizer Managing Director HOCHDORF Swiss Milk AG werner.schweizer@hochdorf.com

The ABC of milk marketing channels How the Swiss milk powder market operates

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B segment: Milk protein is exported e.g. in the form of low-fat milk powder. The milk fat is marketed in Switzerland. Milk for special projects e.g. to compete against imports.

A segment: Milk products with border protection for the dom­ estic market and milk products with raw-material price adjustments (Schoggi law, cheese-making subsidy, industry solution)

23,500 milk producers with 550,000 Cows Producer organisations

Directsupplier

C segment: Milk products that are exclusively for export with no support (such as Schoggi law or cheese-making subsidy).

HOCHDORF Group

Sales to Swiss food producers (A milk)

Other milk powder producers: - Emmi - Cremo

Sales on the international markets (B and C milk)

Relevant associations in the milk market

BOM (milk industry organisation):

This body brings together milk producer organisations, milk processors and retailers. Among other things, it has agreed a price calculation model that defines a recommended price for A, B and C milk.

Lactofama AG:

Founded in 2014, this company deals exclusively with the seasonal export of milk fat that exceeds domestic requirements.

HOCHDORF Group Newsletter

SMP (Swiss Milk Producers’ Organisation):

Umbrella organisation for Swiss milk producers.

TSM (Milk Trust Office): The TSM’s key area of

expertise is the discrete handling of data. It records the agricultural completion data on behalf of the Federal Office for Agriculture, for instance. It also monitors segmentation on behalf of BOM.

VMI (Swiss Milk Industry Association):

The VMI incorporates the industrial miIk processing companies. Taken together, the members process more than half of the Swiss milk quantity into a varied product range.

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Baby Care

THE FIRST 1,000 DAYS DETERMINE THE FUTURE The “Early Nutrition” research project: vital for the products of the future

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besity is a hot topic. And it is a problem that is increasingly relevant to infants and children. The latest studies show a link between early nutrition and obesity in later life.

Leading research in this area has been undertaken by the EU-backed “Early Nutrition” project. It studies the important relationships involved in the first 1,000 days of life.

Baby fat is important – but when does it stop being a question of normal puppy fat and start becoming a battle against excess weight? It is striking that even the very young are now struggling with excess weight in their day-to-day lives with increasing frequency.

Statistics show that as many as 22 per cent of seven to eleven year olds in Switzerland are overweight. A north-south divide has been identified in Europe (see diagram). In Italy for instance, 36 per cent of this age group are considered overweight – in Germany the figure is just 16 per cent.

There are similar statistics from other continents. In Mexico, 28 per cent of boys suffer from obesity; in Libya it is 26 per cent and in India 21 per cent. Even China, at 6 per cent, is seeing rising numbers of obese boys. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, skeletal deformation as well as heart and circula­tory disease. It is for this reason that the WHO (World Health Organisation) has described child obesity as a global problem.

These are the circumstances under which the “Early Nutrition” research project was launched.

Its objective is to research the

“Early Nutrition” research project

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With EU support, scientists from twelve member states as well as Norway, the USA and Australia are investigating nutritional tendencies affecting the first 1,000 days of a child’s life i.e. from conception to the end of the child’s second year For more information, go to www.project-earlynutrition.eu

nutritional habits of young children from birth for the first 1,000 days of life.

Some important connections have already been established in the time since the project’s inception in 2012. We now know that the human metabolism is largely shaped and developed during pregnancy and the first two years of life. This makes it subject to external influences in the first 1,000 days – either by breastfeeding or by using appropriate – or inappropriate – formula for infants and toddlers.

The sooner children learn to appreciate the value of healthy eating and regular exercise, the fewer weight issues they will encounter in later life.

The possibility of change Given this context, the “Early Nutrition” project is looking both at factors that affect mothers during pregnancy such as lifestyle, diet and body mass and also considering the mechanisms that determine nutrition in the early years. The objective is to find ways of avoiding negative influences on the child. One solution is to prevent excessive weight gain in children in the first two years of life. Otherwise the metabolism grows accustomed to a high energy intake during this period

Nutritional experts now believe that our industry’s products can have a far more positive influence on programming the metabolism than previously thought.

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and develops a false feeling of hunger. Preventive measures such as breastfeeding are far more effective than attempting to change the metabolism at a later stage.

influence on programming the metabolism than previously thought.

Guidance on research, development and marketing

We are seeking to ensure that both mother and child receive the right food at the right time. In developing infant formula this currently means developing formulations with high-quality protein. With the exception of special milks, our HOCHDORF infant formula and

The results of the “Early Nutrition” project and the global knowledge transfer related to it are influencing the development of nutrition during pregnancy as well

Edition 1 Summer/Autumn 2014

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as the development of infant formula and foods for small children and young persons. Our research and development department is drawing on this scientific evidence and we place great store on attending international symposia and maintaining links with the research industry. Nutritional experts now believe that our industry’s products can have a far more positive

Infant formula – maintaining a balance between calories and nutrition

EARLY NUTRITION

Across the globe many children have a diet that is too rich in energy and too lacking in vitamins.

The traditional high-protein, high-fat cow’s milk does not offer the best solution for every child. And standard low-fat milk has the drawback that it fails to meet children’s nutritional requirements in regions where the diet is one-dimensional.

This explains the growing importance of junior milk: it serves as a supplement in countries where there is a nutritional need. The iron, vitamin A, vitamin D, iodine and special fatty acids contained in junior milk are important elements in the mental and physical development of infants and young children. Whereas children’s diets often contain too much protein and too few high-quality fats and vitamins traditionally, junior milks can even be adapted to regional circumstances.

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The same applies to milk products for expectant and breastfeeding mothers. During pregnancy, expectant mothers have greater energy and vitamin requirements. The additional calorie intake should be of a high quality so that the infant metabolism maintains its correct balance. Unlike the nutritional supplements commonly available on the market, milks for expectant and breastfeeding mothers are subject to the same strict regulations as infant and junior formulae.

In addition to high-quality vitamins and minerals, they contain healthy fibre and valuable lactose instead of sugar.

Increasing regionalisation of products for infants and mothers We all live in an environment that significantly affects our diet and therefore our metabolism. Research results from the “Early Nutrition” project show that milk products for mothers and infants are not available to everyone. Regional adjustments to formulations will become more common in the future. We therefore aim to tailor our products to specific needs and this means taking geographical and physiological differences regarding nutrition into account.

Conclusion There are two important points to bear in mind. First, by following a balanced diet an expectant mother gives her child the best possible start in life. Second, the baby should avoid excessive weight gain in the first two years of its life. The basis for this is a balanced diet where an appropriate range of foods is available.

If parents choose to use infant formula and milk products for expectant and breastfeeding mothers, our products support these two important areas for the baby’s development – and thanks to current research we can do this even more effectively. n

Janny Vedder Nutrition Marketing Manager HOCHDORF Nutricare Ltd janny.vedder@hochdorf.com

EINLAGE Facts relating to obesity

Dr J. Spalinger is a paediatrician and a specialist in children’s gastroenterology and nutrition. He has worked at the Lucerne Children’s Hospital for over 20 years.

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Since 1980 the number of people classed as overweight has doubled.

According to WHO statistics around

1.4 billion people (over the age of 20) were

considered overweight by 2008.

65% of the world population now lives in

countries where obesity is a bigger killer than malnutrition.

In 2011, 40

Dr Spalinger, research has shown an increase in obesity among babies and young children. Does your experience in your day-to-day work confirm this trend?

age of 5 were overweight.

Global statistics for child obesity

Dr J. Spalinger: We are observing an increase in weight problems and obesity at the hospital, mainly in young children, and it is giving us cause for concern. Many families are unaware that an overweight child has a far higher risk of suffering from obesity in adult life.

GIRLS BOYS

33.2% USA 35.1% 20.0% MEXICO 28.1%

4.5% CHINA 5.9% 18.3% INDIA 20.6% 9.1% PAKISTAN 7.6%

14.0% IRAN 14.4% 36.6% LIBYA 26.0% 20.0% ALGERIA 13.4%

27.0% NIGERIA 18.6%

What advice is given to overweight parents currently on to how to avoid possible obesity in their baby or young child?

Dr J. Spalinger: The information should be provided during pregnancy because the expectant mother’s diet is an important factor in subsequent weight problems for the child. As paediatricians we support mothers in breastfeeding where possible and also work together with counselling centres for parents on the importance and introduction of solid foods and regularly monitor the weight (and growth) of the young children.

What is your experience of the metabolic reprogramm­ing of young children?

Dr J. Spalinger: Unfortunately, a metabolic reprogramming is rarely possible because programming has largely taken place during pregnancy. However, we do know that the type and composition of nutrition in the first 12 months of life i.e. in infancy can have a significant impact on the possible development of obesity. Breastfeeding is recognised as the best form of prevention. High-quality infant formula is available if it is not possible to breastfeed an infant. The latest findings highlight how the quantity and quality of the protein content of infant formula significantly influences weight acquisition in the first year of life. Bottle­fed infants show a substantially greater weight gain than breastfed babies. Babies with increased weight are at greater risk of being overweight in later life.

Various studies have shown that a slight reduction in the protein content in infant formula arrests weight gain in the first year of life, making it more comparable to the weight development of breastfed infants. This means that a slight reduction in protein content in infant formula might lessen the risk of obesity in later life.

Dr Spalinger, thank you very much for the interesting discussion.

million children under the

Percentages of overweight children in Europe

18

10

15

20

18

12 18

16 17

19

22

12

26 17

34

18

36 31 35

HOCHDORF Group Newsletter

Source: www.worldobesity.org, as of April 2014

Milk products for juniors and mothers combat poor nutrition

Interview with Dr J. Spalinger

Source: ETH Zurich, MOSEB knowledge exchange

follow-on milks destined for the EU market are already low in fat-producing proteins and the protein is of the very highest quality.

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i Cereals & Ingredients

FEMTORP® Apple Cinnamon Mousse – a success story

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t’s no coincidence that our first limited edition with real apple pieces has been such a success. It’s a dessert classic and sure market hit in terms of natural taste, regional appeal and tradition.

The popularity of traditional and authentic products is booming. TV cookery shows such as “Landfrauenküche” are gaining high ratings. Magazines such as “Landliebe” are expanding their readership with classic recipes and gardening tips. Celebrities are casting aside their designer wear in favour of wellington boots and proudly inviting journalists to their weekend country retreats to show off their organic produce. They’re back in the city by Monday though – not many want to move to the country permanently.

Home cooking is back in vogue We are going back to our roots. We are cooking with herbs and miniature vegetables from our town balcon­ ies, serving meals straight out of grandmother’s recipe book and choosing to visit restaurants with regional dishes on the menu. Karin Bucher, Marketing Manager at Hochdorf Nutrifood Ltd, confirms the trend: “Industry-specific databases and specialist magazines are showing that there is a clear ‘back-toroots’ movement. Local dishes are becoming popular again. The consumer is turning back to simple and natural products once more.”

FEMTORP® Apple Cinnamon Mousse is an eye-catcher, with its raisin and cinnamon stick decoration.

The mousse can be further enhanced with a shot of calvados and whipped cream.

Trends for autumn/winter Instant ice cream and instant desserts

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- traditional recipes like Grandma used to make - natural dessert flavours (just like home made) - simple to use, easy to prepare - as natural as possible, free from E numbers - products low in sugar and calories

Source: Mintel GNPD April 2014; Julian Mellentin, New Nutrition, Nutrition & Health

Product development – the trade sets the schedule It is a highly complex task to develop a new dessert mousse that is ready for market. There are numerous factors that influence the formulation. Market analysis may indicate the direction that the new dessert pro­duct could take, for instance. This phase is followed by discussions on product features, raw material procurement and production processes. Next comes a race against time, with wholesale purchasers usually only deciding which new products to include in their range every six months.

Edition 1 Summer/Autumn 2014

Success with a classic recipe Almost a year since its introduction in Germany and Sweden, our limited edition is proving a huge hit.

Turnover figures for the first few months back this up.

Barbara Hoes, Managing Director of HOCHDORF Germany is delighted: “The sales figures for the first few months have greatly exceeded our expectations.

Customers seem to appreciate the aroma of apple and cinnamon because baked apple is an absolutely classic dessert where we come from.” Barbara Hoes also highlights the popularity of the dried apple pieces used in the Apple Cinnamon Mousse.

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important quality issues for FEMTORP® Apple Cinnamon Mousse. Using larger chunks of apple made the product more aromatic, but the large chunks were left at the bottom of the packet instead of blending in smoothly with the powder.

Limited editions – an important marketing tool

Today’s restaurant guests expect high-quality cuisine with a changing, seasonal main course and dessert menu. The FEMTROP® limited editions meet the need

Local dishes are becoming popular again. The consumer is turning back to simple and natural products once more.

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HOCHDORF Nutrifood has used dried fruit pieces for the first time in a mousse. Some product-specific issues had to be resolved prior to production, such as the shelf life of the dried apples (the greater the water content the shorter the shelf life); or technical issues such as the sieve size of the mixer. These were

for variety within a basic range as well as the regular introduction of new products to allow for spontaneous and additional acquisitions.

Karin Bucher, HOCHDORF Nutrifood Ltd Marketing Manager says: “Our customer can use our limited

LIMITED EDITION

FEMTORP® Dessert Specialities

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Our FEMTORP® desserts are convenience, powdered dessert products made with the best Swiss milk and selected ingredients for commercial consumers and restaurants as well as bakeries and confectioners. FEMTORP® Desserts are available in around 18 varieties. They are currently sold in Germany and Sweden.

editions to increase the variety of their range. Innova­ tive products enable them to improve their profile and set themselves apart from their competitors. Limited editions also open the door to acquiring new customers or to addressing a new clientele.”

Preparation: Simply stir the contents of the bag into cold water. Then whisk for three to five min­ utes with the mixer at the highest setting and leave in a cool place before serving.

Limited edition – a permanent feature?

Limited editions provide us with a useful way of evaluating the life cycle of a product and other information about it. Is the market taking to the product?

Is it sustainable beyond one season? How does it improve our portfolio? We need to address all these issues.

The mousses make ideal desserts or can be used as a filling for flans and sponges or as an ice cream. They can be enhanced to suit individual tastes e.g. with whipped cream, fresh fruit etc.

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If the demand is there and the figures tally there is no reason why a product that was launched as a limited edition shouldn’t be included in our range all year round or offered again the following season. Who knows? The Apple Cinnamon Mousse is looking like a slow burner and has the potential to stay the course.

The next range of limited editions is already in the pipeline, ready to be produced in the coming weeks. n Michel Burla Managing Director HOCHDORF Nutrifood Ltd michel.burla@hochdorf.com

Do you have ideas for new mousse flavours? Or recipe tips? Please e-mail us at nutrifood@hochdorf.com.

For more information and recipe ideas, go to www.femtorp.com

FEMTORP® Apple Cinnamon Mousse FEMTORP® Apple Cinnamon Mousse share in the overall volume of FEMTORP® fruit mousse sales

Interview with Roman Müller Development process for Apple Cinnamon Mousse Roman Müller: Head of Product and Application Development at HOCHDORF Nutrifood Ltd

(in packages sold)

material suppliers. What are the delivery conditions, the minimum order quantities, the delivery deadlines and raw material prices? We have to be able to work out if the idea is even economically viable. Only then can the practical work begin.

25%

What form does the practical part of the work take?

Roman Müller: I make mixtures by hand and trial the results first with internal and then with external testers from the relevant target markets. Each country has its individual preferences. In the north they like it as sweet as possible; we like it very light. Once we are happy with the recipe we undertake shelf-life tests that enable us to define the exact use-by date. If all goes well, we can start the first production, which we analyse very carefully. So far first productions have always run smoothly.

What were the greatest challenges in developing the Apple Cinnamon Mousse?

Roman Müller: The main difficulty was with the fruit pieces. To get the best possible results, I worked closely with experts from production and the packaging indus­ try – the size of the apple pieces influences the product shelf life, the packaging volume and the mixture of ingredients. Pieces that are too light float to the top and heavier pieces sink to the bottom of the package.

21% 18%

Is your job done once the first production is complete?

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Roman Müller: (laughs) Oh no! Another important aspect of my work is packaging design. I have to determine the powder density for the size of the bags, calculate the number of servings and their nutritional value, create the list of ingredients and work out the packaging design in accordance with legal requirements and in conjunction with various internal partners.

12% 9%

How do you develop a new product?

Roman Müller: As a developer, I create a basic formulation idea first. Then I get together with the purchasing department to evaluate possible raw

HOCHDORF Group Newsletter

Roman Müller studied Food Technology at the ETH Zurich and has worked at HOCHDORF Nutrifood Ltd since 2001 as Head of Product and Application Development.

*Projected over 12 months

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HUNGRY FOR TRAVEL

Clearing my plate at the round table

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few weeks ago I visited Shanghai for the first time. My Chinese hosts invited me to one of the best restaurants, where I baffled the locals with my Western table manners.

I’d barely entered the restaurant when I made my first mistake. Anxious to avoid later disruptions to the meal, I made a point of seeking out the toilets on the ground floor before we took our places at the table. It wasn’t until later that I understood the incredulous looks of my hosts. In China it is considered good form to reserve a table in one of the small single rooms in the upper floors: people like to dine and do business in a discreet setting, with each separate group enjoying its own, quiet space.

When I asked why all the tables were round in this restaurant my hosts were probably secretly questioning my sanity. Tables have only ever been round in China – edges and corners spoil the harmony and are therefore considered taboo.

Unlike us, the Chinese enjoy an incredibly varied diet so dishes such as battered scorpions, sea cucumbers and cow-stomach soup were completely novel

to me – and just a little suspect. I wanted to err on the side of caution and order something simple.

But that plan came to nothing. People don’t order individual meals in China. Instead, everyone orders for everyone else and everything is shared. So the most varied dishes were delivered to the table in unimagin­able quantities. To this day I still have no idea what some of the delicacies offered to me actually were.

To avoid offending my hosts, I took pains to ensure that I cleaned my plate regardless of what was placed before me. A fatal error. While my fellow diners took me for an incorrigible gourmand and immediately ordered me second, third and fourth helpings, I was up all night with indigestion. I just realised too late that it would have been a great source of shame to my hosts for me to leave an empty plate. Chinese etiquette dictates that por­­tions should never be considered too small.

I blew my nose, which was a little irritated by the smoke, the gleefully gobbling group fell abruptly silent. I had caused my fellow dinners to feel embarrassed. In Chinese society, blowing your nose in public is unacceptable and something you never do at the table – discreetly in the bathroom, if you must.

Fortunately my business partner has paid several visits to Europe and was therefore able to correct these errors and other lapses on my part – such as sticking my chopsticks in the rice – so that I escaped by appearing tactless and without suffering a complete loss of face. And why tactless? The way I used the chopsticks is only permissible at funerals.

I will soon be off on my travels again. I look forward to discovering new customs and I hope to have learned something from the many slips I made in Shanghai. n

Yours, The Chinese love to eat and take great pleasure in food. Hence the occasional slurping, burping and speaking with a full mouth. In contrast to Europe, noisy eating is not considered bad table manners.

The same goes for smoking at the table, but when

Impressum Edition – August 2014 Volume 1 Circulation: 2,600 (German) 500 (English)

EDITORIAL Michel Burla, Christoph Hug, Monique Inderbitzin, Werner Schweizer, Janny Vedder COPY EDITING SWS Medien AG Print, Sursee

PHOTOGRAPHS Stock images DESIGN/CONCEPT/LAYOUT W4 Marketing AG, Zürich Illustrations: Marian Schönfeld PRODUCTION SWS Medien AG Print, Sursee

Dr. Christoph Hug, Head of Corporate Communications Siedereistrasse 9, Postfach 691 CH-6280 Hochdorf Telefon +41 41 914 65 62 Fax +41 41 914 66 66 christoph.hug@hochdorf.com ©HOCHDORF Holding AG

Any extracts or copies are only permitted with the agreement of the Chief Editor.

Hochdorf Holding AG Siedereistrasse 9 Postfach 691 CH-6281 Hochdorf Tel: +41 41 914 65 65 Fax: +41 41 914 66 66