Weekly Roundup: ADM debuts “aggressive” sustainability goals, Azelis signs Indonesian distribution agreement

22 May 2020 --- In sustainability news this week, ADM has revealed its aggressive new goals to reduce water intensity and landfill waste. The Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) released the first-of-its-kind standards for the labeling of plant-based yogurt in the US and Atlantic Natural Foods and plant-based meat start-up from Thailand called Let’s Plant Meat each announced new launches following the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Azelis signed an agreement to acquire the distribution assets of the Indonesian company PT Primaditha Jaya Mandiri. Finally, BGG World (BGG)’s manufacturing site in Xinjiang, China, has become the first licorice production facility in the world to obtain GMP+ FSA certification.

In brief: Sustainability
ADM is making further strides to reduce its water usage by 10 percent and achieve a 90 percent landfill diversion rate by 2035 as part of an aggressive plan to reduce the company’s environmental footprint. The commitments were announced as part of the company’s Corporate Sustainability Report, which includes updates on ADM’s overall sustainability journey. “The importance of these commitments becomes even clearer amid an unprecedented challenge such as the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Chairman and CEO Juan Luciano. “Companies like ADM are playing a critical role in supporting and maintaining the global food chain. While we are focused on operating safely and effectively today, we cannot lose sight of tomorrow. Despite these global challenges, we are continuing our work to ensure that ADM and the natural resources on which we depend remain strong and vital in the years to come.”

Tate & Lyle has announced a set of new environmental targets and commitments. These targets are aligned to the delivery of Tate & Lyle’s purpose, Improving Lives for Generations, a key pillar of which is to care for the planet and protect its natural resources for the benefit of future generations. Tate & Lyle’s environmental targets are, by 2030, to deliver 30 percent absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 CO2e emissions, with an ambition to reach 20% reduction by 2025. A 15 percent absolute reduction in Scope 3 CO2e emissions and 100 percent of its waste to be beneficially used, with an ambition to reach 75 percent by 2025, as well as a 15 percent reduction in water use. To demonstrate its commitment to the new environmental targets, Tate & Lyle has linked the pricing of its US$800 million revolving credit facility, extended in May 2020, to the delivery of its new Scope 1 and 2 CO2e emissions, beneficial waste and water reduction targets.

In brief: Plant-based news
The PBFA has released new standards for the labeling of plant-based yogurt in the US. The goal of the voluntary standard is to promote consistency in labeling across the plant-based yogurt category, which grew by over 31 percent last year in retail sales, notes the association. “As consumers increasingly seek out plant-based yogurt options, the PBFA is leading the way by promoting a labeling standard that suggests clear labeling terms that consumers understand,” says Michele Simon, PBFA’s Executive Director. PBFA released voluntary description standards for plant-based milk in 2018 and plant-based meats in 2019 and will continue to release additional standards for other categories. PBFA’s plant-based yogurt standards recommend the use of qualifiers indicating that the food is plant-based (“plant-based”, “dairy-free” and “non-dairy”) in a prominent position on the principal display panel. 

Atlantic Natural Foods (ANF), a manufacturer of shelf-stable, plant-based foods, has announced the company is preparing to launch two new meal solutions – Hawaiian Bowl and Ultimate Vegetarian Chili – under its Loma Linda brand. The latest products were developed in collaboration with Costco and will start rolling out over the beginning of summer with the Hawaiian Bowl. Additionally, the company is increasing its production in its joint venture operation in Thailand with Pataya Food Group under Healthy Life Foods Co., while enhancing production in its North Carolina facility to meet increased product demand. 

Let’s Plant Meat, a plant-based meat start-up from Thailand, has launched its first burger patty into the country’s major supermarkets. Let’s Plant Meat, a plant-based meat start-up from Thailand, has launched its first burger patty into the country’s major supermarkets. Let’s Plant Meat is confident that consumers will begin exploring healthy alternatives to cook at home during the recent pandemic. Let’s Plant Meat is planning to expand more items such as plant-based minced meat, sausages and skewer meat. The start-up is also looking into exporting at some point this year.

In brief: Business
Azelis has signed an agreement to acquire the distribution assets of the Indonesian company PT Primaditha Jaya Mandiri, specialized in import and distribution of food ingredients for processed meat, beverage and savory segments in the greater Jakarta area of Indonesia. The acquisition of Primaditha will enhance the position of Azelis on the Indonesian food market and will provide a platform for accelerated growth in this industry. As part of Azelis, Primaditha will benefit from an increased geographic market coverage in Indonesia. Indonesia’s food and beverage segment is driven by the growing purchasing power and increasing access to premium products in the country, making it a strategic market for Azelis. The transaction, consistent with Azelis’ corporate strategy of complementing organic growth with strategic acquisitions, is expected to be completed within the next two months.

San-Ei Gen F.F.I. has agreed to exclusively distribute Lycored’s tomato lycopene for the beverage segment in Japan and to jointly develop new tomato color products to expand the use of tomato color in new applications. Tomato color is obtained by extracting lycopene from the fruit of solanaceous tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum MILL). It delivers a rich red color and is not affected by variation of pH in foods and beverages. In Japan, tomato color is widely used in drinks, desserts and fish and meat products. San-Ei Gen has promoted the use of highly stable tomato color formulations from Lycored tomato products. To expand the use of Lycored’s tomato color into beverages, the cooperation between Lycored and San-Ei Gen provides San-Ei Gen with distribution exclusivity for this segment. 

In brief: NPD
The makers of Hormel Natural Choice premium lunch meat have launched a new line of slow-smoked products called Natural Choice hardwood smoked lunch meats. The products – smoked in netting over real wood chips for over four hours – include flavors like applewood ham, applewood turkey with garlic and herbs, pecan wood ham with sweet black pepper and pecan wood ham with brown sugar.The makers of Hormel Natural Choice premium lunch meat have launched a new line of slow-smoked products called Natural Choice hardwood smoked lunch meats. 

Laird Superfood, a creator of plant-based superfood products, has added Dark Roast and Medium Roast Ground Coffee with Functional Mushrooms to its line-up of organic Peruvian coffees. Laird Superfood’s latest coffee blend is infused with the extracts of threeorganic functional mushrooms: Cordyceps, Chaga and Lion’s Mane. Emerging science reports functional mushrooms may help support overall wellness. The Peruvian Arabica coffee beans are grown at a high altitude of more than 4,000 feet so that with lower oxygen levels, the beans grow slower and denser. A dense bean provides a dynamic flavor profile, the company notes. “The organic coffee beans that we use are from a trusted Peruvian coffee grower in the Andes,” says Laird Hamilton, Co-Founder. “The opportunity to go to the coffee farm and see how they grow the beans, how they harvest them, and how they dry them was an amazing experience. Each farmer farms by hand in this incredibly fertile environment high in the Andes. It proved to me why they are rated as the best beans in the world. They pair epically with the power of functional mushrooms to create a powerful morning cup.”

In brief: Other highlights
BGG’s manufacturing site, Xinjiang Jinshuo Plant Additive Co., Ltd. in China, has become the first licorice production facility in the world to obtain GMP+ FSA certification based on GMP+ C6 of the GMP+ international standard. GMP stands for “Good Manufacturing Practices” and the + stands for the integration of HACCP (“Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points”), while FSA signifies Feed Safety Assurance. GMP+ FSA certified companies demonstrate that they meet all requirements and conditions for the assurance of feed safety. BGG’s Xinjiang plant is 100 percent dedicated to the manufacture of licorice extracts and licorice derivatives, including food, flavors and cosmetic ingredients, and with this new registration, also feed ingredients. “We are very proud to include this certification and to help advance our animal health business,” says Christian Artaria, CEO of BGG Europe. 

Neogen Corporation has launched an enhanced version of its Igenity Beef profile, a genomic test for commercial cattle. Last fall, the company announced a partnership with International Genetic Solutions (IGS) to put even more power behind Igenity Beef by leveraging IGS’s platform that ranks as the most extensive multi-breed beef genetic evaluation in the world. Those updates are now live and available to cattle producers. This latest advancement is possible through Neogen’s strategic alignment with the many beef breed associations that form the IGS collaboration. With over 250,000 genotypes and more than 18 million phenotypes across a subset of popular cattle breeds, the Igenity Beef profile provides commercial beef producers with accurate and powerful results to measure their herd and empower mating decisions. 

By Elizabeth Green