Weekly Digest: ADM receives recognition for diversity, AB InBev develops energy-efficient brewing method

20 Apr 2018 --- This week in business, ADM was named by USG Corporation (USG) as its Diversity & Inclusion Supplier of the Year for 2018. The Supervisory Board of GEA Group and the Chief Financial Officer of GEA Group mutually agreed that Helmut Schmale would step down from the Executive Board before the termination of his appointment, which is due to expire at the end of March 2021. Meanwhile, Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, Ornua announced the appointment of John Jordan as Chief Executive Designate and Tate & Lyle appointed of Imran Nawaz to the position of Chief Financial Officer, and to the Board of Tate & Lyle, with effect from August 1, 2018. Mondelēz International has inaugurated its newest “Factory of the Future” in the Kingdom of Bahrain as it aims to meet the growing consumer demand and Bell & Evans will invest US$260 million in building a new poultry harvesting facility in Pennsylvania in its new expansion strategy in the US.

In brief: Recognition
Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) has been named by USG Corporation (USG) as its Diversity & Inclusion Supplier of the Year for 2018. USG, a leading manufacturer and distributor of building products and innovative solutions, presents the award to one supplier every year, using criteria including:

Commitment to a global supplier diversity program and the company culture that promotes diversity and inclusion on all roles/levels.
Senior leadership view that diversity and inclusion goals are within their responsibility.
Participation in diversity and inclusion initiatives.

In brief: Appointments & retirements
This week, the Supervisory Board of GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft and Dr. Helmut Schmale (61), Chief Financial Officer of GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, have mutually agreed that Schmale will step down from the Executive Board before the termination of his appointment due to expire at the end of March 2021. Pending the decision on his successor, Helmut Schmale will continue to perform his present tasks and responsibilities. This continues the changing of the guard that was already heralded by GEA’s CEO, Jürg Oleas. In a concerted effort, the Supervisory Board is seeking to appoint a CEO and a CFO shortly to ensure an orderly overall transition of leadership.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, Ornua announced the appointment of John Jordan as Chief Executive Designate. John Jordan will assume the role of Chief Executive on June 30, 2018 where he will succeed Kevin Lane who announced his resignation as CEO on December 12, 2017. John is currently CEO of Ornua Foods Europe, Middle East Africa and Asia where he has successfully developed long-term strategies to grow Ornua’s consumer sales portfolio. His role includes the regional development of Ornua’s iconic brand portfolio including Kerrygold and Pilgrim’s Choice, as well as working with Ornua’s retail partners to develop new opportunities in the private label sector of the market.

Tate & Lyle has appointed Imran Nawaz to the position of Chief Financial Officer, and to the Board of Tate & Lyle, with effect from August 1, 2018. He succeeds Nick Hampton in that role, who, as announced on January 16, 2018, was appointed Chief Executive of Tate & Lyle from April 1, 2018. Imran Nawaz joins Tate & Lyle from Mondelēz International where he has been Senior Vice President Finance Europe since 2014.

Dalziel Ingredients, a UK specialist in bespoke seasoning blends, cures and functional ingredients, has strengthened its new product development team with the appointment of Alex Ramsay and Ellen Brimacombe as NPD technologists. Alex Ramsay joins from Orchard House Foods and brings two years’ experience in process development, having previously graduated with a degree in food science and nutrition from Northumbria University. Ellen Brimacombe has joined from Symington’s after 14 months in the food industry, having graduated with a degree in food science and nutrition from Sheffield Hallam University.

Bösch Boden Spies is expanding its Management Board: As of June 4, 2018, Dr. Philipp Stradtmann will be responsible for Dried Fruit & Nut Sales and Retail as Managing Director and head the company alongside the Managing Directors and Partners Heinz-Ulrich Bösch, Michael Rund and Dirk Schmidt.

In brief: Other highlights
AB InBev has developed new energy-efficient brewing method that will reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 5 percent once the technique is utilized in its entire brewery network. The new way uses less heat and water than other brewing methods by generating gas bubbles needed to malt grains in beer thus does not require the brewer to boil water and hops to create bubbles. With the new process, AB InBev will be able to achieve boiling without emitting energy needed to heat the water to boiling point, thus cutting on these emissions without compromising on the taste of the beer.

Gerber Products Company revealed this week that it would move its US corporate headquarters from Florham Park, New Jersey to Arlington, Virginia, where Nestlé USA, Gerber’s sister company, recently moved its offices. The company expects to bring more than 150 jobs to the Washington, DC area with this transition, which will begin in January 2019. This decision does not impact Gerber’s manufacturing locations. It includes corporate functions such as marketing, finance and HR, among others.

Mondelēz International has inaugurated its newest “Factory of the Future” in the Kingdom of Bahrain as it aims to meet the growing consumer demand. The company invested US$90 million in the state-of-the-art biscuit manufacturing plant that produces iconic Power Brands, including Oreo cookies and Barni soft cakes. The 250,000 square meter manufacturing facility is expected to reach a production capacity of nearly 45,000 tons per year. This new plant is located alongside Mondelēz International’s existing manufacturing site, which has been producing Kraft cheese and Tang powdered beverages since 2008.

Finally, Bell & Evans, the US poultry production and wholesale company, will invest US$260 million in building a new poultry harvesting facility in Pennsylvania in its new expansion strategy in the US. The family-owned company investment will set up a new 560,000-square-foot facility, with four processing lines each capable of housing 600,000 birds a week, which will then be processed at the company’s poultry processing site in Bethel Township, Pennsylvania.

By Elizabeth Green