Weekly Roundup: Kellogg forms companies focused on global snacking and US cereal, Brenntag expands operations in China

17 Mar 2023 --- This week in industry news, Kellogg Company unveiled its names for the global snacking and North American cereal businesses following a planned separation. Brenntag commenced commercial operations at a  site in China. Meanwhile, Syngenta launched an agricultural innovation collaboration and accelerator platform and Kemin Food Technologies Asia unveiled a line of improvers for instant noodles.

In brief: Business moves
Kellogg Company unveiled its future companies created through  planned separation into two public companies. Focused on global snacking and North American cereal, the names will go into effect in connection with the spin-off of the North American cereal business, which Kellogg Company intends to complete by the end of 2023. The business will be named Kellanova, designed as a global snacking powerhouse with a portfolio of iconic brands. Meanwhile, the North American cereal business will be named WK Kellogg Co, a food company in the US, Canada and Caribbean.

Crush Dynamics (CDI) revealed that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a patent for the company’s US Patent Application No.: 16/882,317, System, Method, Process and Nutrient-Rich Product Derived from Wine Derivatives. The company’s proprietary food ingredients enable its customers to launch food products with superior taste and texture more cost-effectively while delivering on Nestlé pilots refillable vending machines in Indonesia for Milo and Koko Krunch.consumer demand for increased sustainability and nutrition.

Brenntag will commence commercial operations at a new site in Zhangjiagang, China, outside of Shanghai. The new location expands Brenntag’s operations and reduces the current complexity of moving products among several external warehouses, strengthening the ongoing supply chain optimization efforts. Including the new site, Brenntag now operates four sites providing full services from North (in Cangzhou, Hebei Province) to East (in Zhangjiagang), South (Dongguang, Guangdong Province) and Southwest China (Chongquing). These facilities form a good foundation for Brenntag China and Hong Kong to grow its business in China in the coming years.

Ardent Mills announced a US$3.5 million gift to Kansas State University’s Ag Innovation Initiative tosupport the grain science department’s growth, research and development capabilities through 2026. Ardent Mills will work with the university’s College of Agriculture leadership to establish baseline metrics and goals associated with total student enrollment, recruitment and retention of diverse students and leadership development opportunities within the milling and baking science programs.

Syngenta Group launched “Shoots by Syngenta,” a platform designed to help tackle agriculture’s most complex challenges, increase innovation and advance more sustainable agriculture. The platform will connect scientific discovery and creativity, bringing together academics, research institutes, start-ups and cross-industry sectors to collaborate with Syngenta’s global network of over 5,000 scientists.

Catalina Snacks of Lebanon is recalling more than 300,000 certain ready-to-eat cereal packages and snack mix packages because of foreign material in the products, specifically metal. According to the details posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recall was initiated last month and is ongoing. Recalled products were distributed to New York, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Oregon, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Virginia, Nevada, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Connecticut and online. Products have best buy dates ranging through to August 2023.

In brief: Sustainability efforts
Splenda and its parent company, Heartland Food Products Group, opened Splenda Stevia Farm, the first ever fully integrated, US-based stevia farm. Now operational in Central Florida, the Farm aims to produce superior-tasting stevia sweetener while building an emerging US agriculture industry and decreasing environmental impact by eliminating unnecessary CO2 emissions caused by current global stevia supply chain operations.

The Djéké Triangle, 9,500 hectares of forest area in northern Congo, has been integrated into the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park through the collaborative efforts of Olam Agri, the Congolese government and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). WCS has played a crucialrole by providing technical support, scientific expertise and funding, working closely with the government and local communities to ensure the project was sustainable and aligned with the local cultural practices.

Corbion has been recognized for its leadership in corporate sustainability by global environmental non-profit CDP. After assessing data reported by Corbion through CDP’s 2022 climate change, water and forest questionnaires, CDP commended the company’s continuing actions for cutting emissions, mitigating climate and water risks and strengthening its forest-related policies. Receiving an A score earned Corbion a spot in the top 8% of companies on the 2022 CDP Supplier Engagement Leaderboard for its work with suppliers to mitigate climate change. 

Givaudan has also been recognized for its global leadership in engaging its supply chain on climate as part of CDP’s latest Supplier Engagement Rating Leaderboard. The company’s efforts were awarded an A rating, again earning Givaudan a place on the leaderboard.

Novozymes invested in an energy-saving UV filtration system from Lyras, a Danish company specializing in sustainable pasteurization technology. Following rigorous testing, the group purchased its first UV-based Raslysation system to replace its existing, labor-intensive filtration processes. Novozymes’ investment in Lyras’ Raslysation technology will help the group reduce energy consumption, bolstering its sustainable strategies while providing a safe working environment for employees and improving control of unwanted microbial activity during the filtration process.Kemin Industries developed VALTEQ, a line of quality improvers for instant noodle manufacturers.

Valio, A-Rehu, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) and the University of Helsinki are researching the potential for reducing ruminal methane emissions using a feed additive; the “Climate smart feeding solutions for Finnish milk production sector” project is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Bovaer feed additive can reduce ruminal methane emissions by 30% and thus promotes climate resilience in agriculture. In the joint project, the methane-reducing feed additive is piloted with 3,100 dairy cows at 43 farms. 

Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods) is eyeing the “precision nutrition” approach in animal feed development to create better dietary feed formulas that meet the needs of animals of all ages aiming to deliver a positive impact to consumers and the environment adhering by “One Health” principle. 

In brief: Launches
Nestlé is piloting refillable vending machines for Milo and Koko Krunch to explore novel solutions that help eliminate the need for disposable packaging. Working in collaboration with two start-ups, Qyos and Algramo, the innovative machines will be available at two local retailers in Indonesia during a four-to-six-month trial period. Consumers can bring containers, or they can buy provided containers that are available at each of the locations. Through a QR code, they can digitally access product information typically found on the packaging, such as ingredients, nutritional values and shelf life.

Kemin Industries developed VALTEQ, a line of quality improvers for instant noodle manufacturers. The liquid product line uses emulsifier solutions to increase consumers’ overall instant noodle-eating experience by addressing some of the everyday challenges facing manufacturers.

Trilliant, parent company of Victor Allen’s, a coffee brand, launched its newest flavor innovation, Victor Allen’s Snickers and Twix Ready-to-Drink Iced Coffees. Victor Allen’s Snickers and Twix Iced Coffees are made with real cream and sugar to deliver the perfect mix of the classic Snickers and Twix flavors fans love with a subtle undertone of coffee, while also providing a boost of energy.

In brief: Awards 
Start-up company Meatless Kingdom was chosen as the winner of Asia-Pacific Scale It Up! Innovation Challenge, an innovation challenge to help plant-based protein start-ups in Asia accelerate bringing their products to market. The challenge included 30 companies competing in a six-month-long contest, of which Meatless Kingdom emerged as the winner. 

In brief: Other highlights
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed an effort to expedite protections on some high-risk uses of four organophosphate pesticides. The agency is releasing its updated occupational and non-occupational spray drift exposure risk assessments for these four pesticides – diazinon, ethoprop, tribufos and phosmet – several years ahead of the scheduled completion of EPA’s work on these chemicals to seek early mitigation before completing the standard registration review process.

By Elizabeth Green