Beyond The Headlines: Campbell’s sells noosa yogurt business, ofi’s sustainable cocoa transport

This week in industry news, Campbell’s agreed to sell its noosa yogurt business to Lakeview Farms and ofi bolstered sustainable cocoa transportation in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Tate & Lyle targeted renewable energy in its global operations and General Mills eyed a pet food acquisition worth US$1.45 billion.

Business highlights

Campbell Soup Company announced an agreement to sell its noosa yogurt business to US-based Lakeview Farms, which manufactures fresh dips, desserts and specialty products. Campbell’s purchased noosa as part of the Sovos Brands acquisition in March 2024. The transaction terms were not disclosed, and the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of the 2025 calendar year.

Israel-based alternatives protein company Steakholder Foods received a second-phase payment of US$270,000 from the Singapore-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD) based on the company’s formulation of plant-based 3D-printed fish and eel. The team is moving forward with new premix blends for the second phase of the project — 3D-printed eel. Until now, the company has received a total of US$490,000 from the US$1 million grant awarded by the SIIRD.

ofi’s e-pusher and four push barges will be operational from mid-December 2024.Kraft Heinz announced that it will remove its Lunchables meal kits from the National School Lunch Program in the US, which provides students with low-cost and free nutritionally balanced lunches. The company stated that demand not reaching its targets was the reason behind the move. The decision followed Consumer Reports’ findings of high sodium, lead and cadmium levels in grocery store snacks. The company says it plans to revisit the idea in the future.

General Mills announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Whitebridge Pet Brands’ North American premium cat feeding and pet treating business from NXMH, a Belgium-based private equity firm, in a US$1.45 billion deal. This is the fifth acquisition the company has announced or completed in the pet category, which includes Blue Buffalo (2018), Nudges, Top Chews and True Chews (2021), Fera Pets (2023) and Edgard & Cooper (2024). The transaction is anticipated to close in the third quarter of fiscal 2025.

Sustainability highlights

Ofi joined forces with maritime shipping companies Kotug and Jansma Shipping to implement a new electric E-Pusher and barge combination for sustainable cocoa transportation between the Port of Amsterdam and ofi’s Koog aan de Zaan and Wormer factories in the Netherlands. The move aims to reduce emissions and provide a cleaner and quieter transport of ofi’s cocoa. Additionally, retrofit push barges transformed by Jansma Shipyard from diesel vessels further enhance sustainability and contribute to a circular economy.

So far, GNT has achieved a 22% reduction in carbon intensity at its Exberry factories since 2020 and a 13% improvement in water efficiency.GNT received the EcoVadis gold medal for environmental and ethical activities, ranking the company among the top 3% in the food manufacturing industry. EcoVadis awarded 78 out of 100 points, placing GNT in the 97th percentile among food manufacturing businesses to have undertaken the evaluation. GNT creates Exberry colors from fruit, vegetables and plants that can be used in confectionery, dairy, bakery, soft and alcoholic beverages, cereals, snacks, sauces, savory, and plant-based meat, seafood and dairy.

Tate & Lyle announced it is set to deliver on its target of 100% purchased electricity from renewable sources and associated renewable energy credits for its global operations. The move is expected to reduce the company’s global Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25% from a 2019 baseline on an annualized basis. Tate & Lyle has also become a member of RE100, a global corporate renewable energy initiative led by the Climate Group in partnership with CDP, the climate disclosure charity.

Launches and innovation

Applied Nutrition, a UK sports nutrition, health and wellness brand, launched Sparkling Protein Water, a beverage containing 10 g of protein, zero sugar, electrolyte-rich coconut water powder and added vitamin C with 44 calories per can. The product is aimed at health-conscious consumers and active individuals and is available in three flavors: apple burst, orange burst and tropical burst.

Applied Nutrition’s protein water contains 10 g protein, zero sugar and coconut water powder.Pasta manufacturer Barilla unveiled its new Al Bronzo product line, which uses the bronze-cut production method called “Lavorazione Grezza” to achieve pasta’s rough structure for optimal sauce adhesion. The company also plans to design a different packaging line for the products based on three studies involving 1,900 consumers. The new packaging will include a red, deep and more intense color with a transparent window for better visibility of the pasta’s roughness for the consumers.

Research highlights

A cereal quality survey by the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board revealed low protein levels for wheat and low nitrogen levels in barley crops. The study stated the average protein level for UK Flour Millers group 1 wheat varieties in 2024 to be 12.5%, down from the 2023 average of 12.7%, while for winter barley, the nitrogen content averaged 1.57%, down from 1.70% in 2023. Meanwhile, the average moisture content across all barley samples in 2024 rose to 16.6% from last year’s 16.0%, led by Scotland at 18.0%.