Weekly Roundup: Azelis opens Polish meat alternatives center, “Climate friendly” snacks to emerge in 2023

30 Sep 2022 --- This week in industry news, Azelis opened its Regional Competence Center (RCC) for meat and meat alternatives in Poznań, Poland. As of next month, the sales and application activities of Müller’s Mühle Business Solution will be run by GoodMills Innovation in Hamburg. Meanwhile, sustainable snack brand Quinn will roll out the first ever on-pack “climate friendly” label on its snack products in 2023, and Chile looks to increase seafood consumption in the Northeast and Midwest of the US through a partnership with Giant Eagle.

In brief: Business moves
Azelis inaugurated its new center, dedicated to meat and meat alternatives in Poland. The center will enable Azelis to carry out production process trials, helping its partners to develop recipes and products that meet their needs. The RCC represents new opportunities to share knowledge and experience in food and nutrition with the company’s colleagues, customers and suppliers. Located between Warsaw and Berlin, the RCC will benefit local and regional partners, thanks to Azelis’ modern and sustainable technologies of smoking and browning. These technologies enable Azelis to design healthier and more efficient ways of adding flavor and color to meat, meat alternatives, fish, cheese, bakery and many more finished products. 

The sales, marketing and application technology activities for the legume flours of Müller’s Mühle Business Solution has become part of the GoodMills Innovation portfolio. The range of legume flours perfectly complements the extensive, predominantly cereal-based offerings of GoodMills Innovation. The legume flours thus increase the growth and development potential of the plant-based Quinn will begin to roll out the first ever on-pack Climate Friendly label on its snack products in 2023. (Credit: Quinn)alternatives, snacks and bakery markets. Although both companies are already under the same corporate umbrella, the merger and implementation of the B2B sales division “Plant-Based Proteins” means existing synergies can be exploited, along with the pooling of expertise in European sales, application technology and product development. 

Barry Callebaut celebrated the groundbreaking of its newest factory in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. It will be focused on sugar-free, high protein, and other specialty chocolate products. 

Prova unveiled its new industrial site in Bangkok, Thailand, after having recently strengthened its presence in France with the acquisition of the Montrichard site in the Centre-Val de Loire region. These industrial projects are part of a global investment and expansion plan in France and internationally. This corporate project is part of the company’s “Prova Tomorrow” strategic plan, which aims to strengthen its international development in high-potential areas such as the US and Asia and gradually empower the regions operationally.

In brief: Sustainability strides
Sustainable snack brand Quinn has achieved the Climate Friendly product attribute from its partner HowGood, an independent research company. Quinn will begin to roll out the first on-pack “Climate Friendly” label on its snack products in 2023. Products that receive the “Climate Friendly” attribute have greenhouse gas emissions lower than 70% of all products assessed by HowGood. Through its partnership with HowGood, Quinn can now measure further the impact of its ingredients and products, including its carbon footprint. HowGood’s assessment for the Climate Friendly attribute considers greenhouse gas emissions at the agricultural production and ingredient processing stages of the carbon life cycle and identifies those with significantly lower emissions.

ProChile, the institution in charge of promoting Chilean exports, has set up a partnership with Giant Eagle, a key food, fuel and pharmacy retailer, to boost seafood consumption in the Northeast and Midwest regions. The Chile on Board campaign will run until November 9 in Giant Eagle stores throughout Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia (US). The initiative will focus on two of the most relevant Chilean products, salmon and mussels, at the international level.

In brief: NPDKellogg’s has unveiled The Elf on the Shelf North Pole Snow Creme Cereal. (Credit: Kellogg’s) 
Kellogg’s unveiled The Elf on the Shelf North Pole Snow Creme Cereal, its first-ever cereal that “cools your mouth as you eat it.” For a limited time, consumers can bring the magic of the North Pole to the breakfast table with new Kellogg’s The Elf on the Shelf North Pole Snow Creme Cereal. Just in time for the holiday season, the company is delivering the limited-edition cereal that mixes a flurry of frosted star pieces and mini marshmallows.

Superfood supplement brand Ancient Nutrition is launching three savory, soup-inspired flavors in its best-selling Bone Broth Protein line of products, including Bone Broth Protein Chicken Soup, Butternut Squash and Tomato Basil. Ancient Nutrition’s patented Bone Broth Protein is a powdered, concentrated and convenient form of bone broth. It offers 15 g of protein, collagen types I, II and III, chondroitin, glucosamine, hyaluronic acid and amino acids. These flavors can be mixed with warm water and consumed as sipping broth but can be elevated by adding your favorite spices or fresh herbs.

Textured soy protein supplier Kansas Protein Foods introduced its Imagic Plant-Based Bacon Products, which are a flavored ready-to-eat textured vegetable protein made from soy flour – formulated to resemble crispy or chewy cooked bacon in flavor, aroma, texture and color. These are marketed as well-suited for a wide range of food systems and applications. Imagic Plant-Based Bacon, a shelf-stable flavorful topping/ingredient made to replace meat bacon items, is available in various forms of Bits, Chips and Crumbles and is an ideal choice for meat extension, meat replacement or protein enhancement.

Mission Foods unveiled its Zero Net Carbs Tortillas, which are Keto-certified, high in fiber and low in calories. They will launch this month and become available in stores across the US in the coming Ancient Nutrition has unveiled its new savory flavors of Bone Broth Protein: Chicken Soup, Butternut Squash and Tomato Basil. (Credit: Ancient Nutrition)months. They will be offered in two flavors: Original and Sundried Tomato Basil – packed with zesty sundried tomatoes and fresh basil flavors.

In brief: Miscellaneous highlights
The Coca-Cola Company named Evguenia “Jeny” Stoichkova as president of Global Ventures, a unit of the company that focuses on globally scaling acquisitions and brands, including Costa Coffee and Coca-Cola’s investment in Monster Beverage Corp. Stoichkova currently serves as president of the company’s Eurasia and Middle East operating unit. Prior to her current role, which she has held since 2021, Stoichkova was president of the company’s former Turkey, Caucasus and Central Asia business unit from 2017 to 2020. Stoichkova begins her new role January 2023, and will report to president and chief financial officer John Murphy.

TreeHouse Foods voluntarily recalled one lot of Restaurant Style Italian Dressing sold under the brand name Tuscan Garden. This recall is being conducted because the product is labeled as Restaurant Style Italian Dressing, while some bottles may contain Asian Sesame Dressing. The Restaurant Style Italian Dressing label indicates the allergens egg and dairy are in the product, while the Asian Sesame Dressing product contains the allergens soy and wheat. People with an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy or wheat risk a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The product was distributed nationwide this year through Aldi, between August 23 and September 23. 

By Elizabeth Green