Beyond The Headlines: Nestlé debuts millet-based porridge in India, Lallemand marks 100 years yeast production in Montréal

29 Sep 2023 --- In industry news this week, Second Nature Brands plans to acquire Sahale Snacks from The J.M. Smucker Co. while Celanese Corporation completes the formation of Nutrinova, a food ingredients joint venture with Mitsui & Co. Lallemand also celebrated 100 years of yeast production in its production plant in Montréal, Canada.

In brief: Business highlights
Second Nature Brands, the US-based creator of premium, nutritional and better-for-you snacks and treats, has agreed to acquire Sahale Snacks from The J.M. Smucker Co. for a total consideration of US$34 million. With net sales of more than US$48 million, Sahale is a manufacturer and marketer of premium, branded nut and fruit snack mixes sold across the US and internationally under the Sahale Snacks brand. The transaction will include all trademarks, as well as the Sahale Snacks leased manufacturing facility in Seattle, Washington. Approximately 100 employees will transition to Second Nature Brands upon completion of the deal.

Sahale is a manufacturer and marketer of premium, branded nut and fruit snack mixes. Celanese Corporation, a global chemical and specialty materials company, announced that its formation of Nutrinova, a Food Ingredients joint venture (JV) with Mitsui & Co., is complete. Celanese contributed the assets, technology and employees of its Food Ingredients business while retaining a 30% stake in the JV. Mitsui acquired the remaining 70% stake at a purchase price of US$472.5 million.

This week, Lallemand celebrated a significant milestone: 100 years of yeast production in its production plant on rue Préfontaine, Montreal. 

Manna Beverages & Ventures, an affiliate of Manna Capital Partners specializing in the beverage industry, plans to acquire California-based Nor-Cal Beverage Company, an independent co-packer of teas, Ades, chilled juices, waters, and energy drinks. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The arrangement is subject to due diligence and normal and customary approvals.

In brief: Innovation
Nestlé is exploring opportunities to provide consumers with more diverse food choices that incorporate different types of ancient grains such as millet and sorghum. The company has launched a range of a+ Masala millet-based porridge in India tailored to local nutritional needs and tastes and are made with a blend of locally sourced ingredients including, bajra (pearl millet), barley, vegetables, and a variety of spices. They come in two variants: Tangy Tomato and Veggie Masala. Both flavors are high in fiber, free of preservatives, and contain 30% fewer calories compared to commonly consumed cereal-based breakfast recipes.

Lionel Hitchen, a manufacturer and supplier of natural flavors and flavor ingredients, has launched the Ginger Trail, an initiative exploring ginger’s untapped potential as a versatile flavor ingredient, delving into its complexities and taste profiles of fresh and dried ginger from different regions of the world. By exploring its diverse applications and understanding its unique flavor properties, businesses will gain invaluable insights into leveraging ginger’s versatility in product development, notes the company. 

In brief: Other highlights
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology and the Institute of Food Technologists have released an issue paper examining the development and use of various technologies to enhance food safety, source transparency, and consumer confidence. With an increased interest in food traceability around the globe, including a focus on complying with the FDA’s end-to-end traceability mandate for food and agricultural products, the issue paper is intended as a foundational resource for stakeholders across industry, academia, government agencies, and trade associations. It explores the technological infrastructure underlying food traceability platforms while touching on the history of those platforms, the current state of technology, ongoing US food traceability initiatives, as well as the future of commercial scale deployment. 

TNA Solutions, a food processing and packaging solutions company, has implemented a project for the Egyptian Army that delivers two complete production lines for potato products. Specifically designed for hash browns and rosti, the first line can produce two metric tons per hour, while the second line, dedicated to French Fries, wedges and disks, produces up to 10 metric tons per hour. 

The development program for Metsä Board’s white kraftliner mill in Kemi, Finland, has been completed in parallel with Metsä Fibre’s new bioproduct mill. Metsä Board and Metsä Fibre are part of Metsä Group. In addition to increasing the mill’s capacity by 40,000 tons per year, the development program will reduce the mill’s energy consumption by 5% and water consumption by around 40% per ton produced.

Brenntag announced the opening of its new warehouse in Moerdijk, the Netherlands, to optimize the site and meet the growing demands of customers. The warehouse will store chemicals and ingredients for many markets and applications, including the company’s Life Science business, especially for the Food & Nutrition industry. For products that require temperature-controlled storage, such as cocoa butter, a special refrigerated area has been invested in. The warehouse’s equipment also includes modern automated storage systems, including automatic picking and automatic forklifts.

By Gaynor Selby