Weekly Roundup: Amyris expands sweetener distribution, Firmenich hits renewable energy target

28 Feb 2020 --- This week in business news, Amyris expanded the distribution of its zero calorie, zero glycemic sweetener Purecane on Amazon. Firmenich achieved 100 percent renewable electricity worldwide and the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) was shortlisted for a US$100 million grant from the MacArthur Foundation. Meanwhile, S3FOOD opened a fund for digital change in the food industry and US wheat may now be shipped to Kenya regardless of state of origin or port of export. Finally, a pioneering move from KFC Netherlands will see one store in Rotterdam replacing all chicken with Quorn to mark the country’s Week Without Meat, which takes place March 9-15.

In brief: Business
Purecane, a clean sweetener brand from Amyris, is now available on Amazon.com in addition to its own direct-to-consumer e-commerce site. According to the company, Purecane is a revolutionary, zero calorie and zero glycemic natural sweetener fermented from sugarcane. For the first time, consumers can freely enjoy natural sweetness without the added calories of sugar or the noticeable aftertaste of artificial sweeteners or stevia. Available on Amazon and the purecane website are Purecane packets, which currently come in a 100-count box. Each packet is as sweet as one teaspoon of table sugar. Rather than mask flavors with sweetness the way added sugar does, Purecane complements and brings out the flavors, says Amyris.

Firmenich’s global operations are now powered by 100 percent renewable electricity. An industry first, this significant milestone builds on Firmenich’s second consecutive CDP Triple A ranking for Climate Change, Water and Forests, which it received at the CDP Awards Ceremony today in Paris, France. The group’s transition to green power is supported by RE100, a global initiative of the most influential companies committed to 100 percent renewable power led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP. An RE100 member, Firmenich reached 100 percent renewable electricity consumption ahead of schedule in all markets where it is currently possible to locally source renewable electricity in accordance with RE100 strict technical criteria. The Group purchased renewable grid electricity and collaborated with suppliers and governments to develop local availability of green power, including onsite solutions, such as wind power and solar energy.  

The Sustainable Rice Platform was shortlisted for a US$100 million grant from the MacArthur Foundation to improve the livelihoods of 500,000 rice farmers while reducing environmental impacts. The Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) – of which Olam International is a founding member – was shortlisted for a US$100 million grant from the MacArthur Foundation to improve the livelihoods of 500,000 rice farmers while reducing environmental impacts. The paradox remains that rice is vital to food security yet simultaneously has the largest carbon footprint of all food crops. By 2050, rice production will need to almost double to meet the population demand, which under current conditions, will require additional land equivalent to the size of Chile and add 300 billion kgs of CO2 equivalent emissions, says Olam. First conceived by the UN and the International Rice Research Institute, SRP is addressing the “rice paradox” through a framework for increasing production in a sustainable way. The multi-stakeholder alliance comprises 100 global public, private and civil society organizations, while promoting  resource-use efficiency and climate change resilience, both on-farm and throughout the rice value chain.

European food processors are gearing up for a digital future with support from the EU S3FOOD project, which launched its funding scheme this month. Successful small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that apply to the scheme can receive a grant of up to €60,000 (US$65,900) toward their transition to Industry 4.0. Digitalization, which is known as a “game-changer” for the food industry. Some forward-thinking producers are already using smart technology to improve quality control and efficiency in production in this space and are raising food safety and traceability standards to a new level. Funded by the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, S3FOOD supports SMEs in developing impactful digital solutions to specific challenges.

In brief: Other highlights
US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that US wheat may now be shipped to Kenya regardless of state of origin or port of export. This important step will allow wheat from Idaho, Oregon and Washington to be added to the list of states that can ship wheat to Kenya. For the last 12 years, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has worked closely with Kenyan officials to address plant health concerns that kept US wheat exports from the aforementioned states out of Kenya. The US-Kenya Trade and Investment Working Group, established after an August 2018 White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, provided the forum for APHIS, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and the Office of the US Trade Representative to finally resolve this long-standing issue with Kenya.

A so-called “pioneering” move from KFC Netherlands will see one store in Rotterdam replacing all its chicken products with meat alternative brand Quorn to mark the country’s Week Without Meat, which will take place March 9-15. KFC is one of many major chains to add a vegan burger to its menu in a bid to enter the growing market for plant-based alternatives. This vegetarian week could be seen as a signal of intent of KFC’s position in the shifting food industry. The news comes as the Eating Better alliance published a new report on the unacceptable costs of growing demand for chicken along with its declining nutritional profile.

By Elizabeth Green