Beyond The Headlines: Müller UK & Ireland target British dairy collaborations, Alfa Laval’s R&D hub

This week in industry news, Müller UK & Ireland targeted enhanced dairy collaborations with a Dairy UK membership and packaged meat supplier Smithfield Foods filed a registration to sell shares of its common stock. Meanwhile, Nescafé unveiled its liquid espresso concentrate in the US and Alfa Laval targeted global food challenges by announcing an R&D hub in Denmark.

Business highlights

Müller UK & Ireland joined the processor-led organization Dairy UK to foster greater collaboration and leadership across the British dairy sector. The UK dairy industry faces a wide range of challenges and opportunities. Cross-industry collaboration and collective action will be key to promoting and protecting the consumption of UK dairy products, benefiting the entire supply chain, note the companies.

Smithfield Foods, a US food company specializing in value-added packaged meats and fresh pork, publicly filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to sell shares of its common stock in an underwritten initial public offering. The timing, the number of shares that may be offered and the price range for the proposed offering is not determined yet. The offering is subject to market conditions.

With the addition of the second evaporator, Galloway Company aims to minimize the risk of service interruptions for clients (Image credit: Galloway Company).Dairy ingredient supplier Galloway Company expanded its US industrial sweetened condensed milk capacity with the help of a custom-built evaporator. The move comes at a time of a highly constrained market for premium concentrated dairy ingredients in the US, especially for the bakery and confectionery segments, according to the company. This includes extended lead times and maxed-out production capacities.

European sweets and snacks manufacturer Valeo Foods Group completed its previously announced acquisition of I.D.C. Holding, which manufactures wafers, biscuits, confectionery and chocolate. The move strengthens Valeo’s position in the Central and Eastern European market and solidifies its position with international retail partners. The company’s portfolio includes over 80 brands including Balconi, Pedro and Carstens.

Specialty minerals company ICL Group extended its partnership with Plantible Foods with a follow-on investment in the company, building on its initial participation in Plantible’s Series A round. ICL received the Ingredient Idol award for its Rovitaris Binding Solution based on its Rubi Protein, which it launched with Plantible Foods in 2023 at the SupplySide West conference in November 2024.

Westfalia Fruit, a global leader in the avocado industry, acquired Syros, a Belgian-based manufacturer of avocado products serving the European food and service industry as well as retail sectors. Syros’s operations and brands, including the professional market brand Syros and consumer market brand Wonky, will now become part of Westfalia. The move is part of an ongoing strategy to expand the company’s global presence while supporting sustainable agricultural practices and responsible corporate citizenship.

Nescafé’s liquid espresso concentrate will be available in black and sweet vanilla variants in the US (Image credit: Nescafé).Launches and innovation

Nescafé launched its first-ever liquid espresso concentrate in the US, where the growth of global coffee consumption is being driven by younger generations. Two out of three youths regularly drink cold coffee. The product allows consumers to make barista-style, personalized cold espresso beverages at home. The concentrate is made with 100% Arabica beans and comes in a 300-ml bottle. It will be available in the country in February in two variations: Nescafé Espresso Concentrate Black and Nescafé Espresso Concentrate Sweet Vanilla.

Alfa Laval, a Swedish heavy industry company, announced it would establish a Food Innovation Centre in Copenhagen, Denmark to address global food challenges. The center will be located at the headquarters of Alfa Laval’s Food and Water business and will serve as a hub for cutting-edge research and development. It will focus on innovative solutions to enhance food production efficiency, sustainability and resilience. Work on the new facility has begun, with the opening planned for 2027.