Weekly Roundup: Home baking trend gives rise to Real Bread Campaign, Iconic Cadbury bars get new look

17 Apr 2020 --- This week, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll on industry, the Real Bread Campaign launched a UK initiative which aims to support home bakers, following widespread shortage of key ingredients. Cadbury unveiled a new look for the iconic Cadbury and Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bars, as Farm Rich launched its latest plant-based line in response to the growing demand for meat-free alternatives. Meanwhile, Soylent Nutrition relaunched in Canada and Fiberstar launched a new texturizing citrus fiber for meat alternatives.

In brief: Home-baking ingredients
Widespread reports across traditional and social media suggest that many consumers have started baking bread at home more often. This is supported by weeks of supermarket shelves being stripped of flour and yeast, and millers temporarily suspending their online shops. The Real Bread Campaign has launched #LockdownLoafers which features recipes and tips for using less or no bread flour; recipes and tips for using less or no baker’s yeast; and advice in answer to the question, “Where can I find flour?”

Cadbury has unveiled a fresh new look for the iconic identities of Cadbury and Cadbury Dairy Milk. In brief: NPD and ingredients launches 
Cadbury has unveiled a fresh new look for the iconic identities of Cadbury and Cadbury Dairy Milk. The new identity celebrates the brand’s “inherent goodness and generous spirit with a distinctive and modern twist,” according to the chocolate maker. Created by design agency, Bulletproof, the new look and feel which includes a redrawn wordmark, new iconography and typography aims to reinforce the unique Cadbury Dairy Milk assets and product story at a time when consumers are looking for more natural, authentic and higher quality offers. 

Farm Rich has launched its Garden Inspirations line, which offers options for flexitarians, vegetarians and meat-reducers. The range includes appetizers, snacks and meal solutions made with plant-based meats and other plant-based ingredients. “Many of us are taking little – and some big – steps to limit how much meat we consume and expand our daily diet choices, and this innovative new line gives shoppers more plant-based options to choose from at the grocery store,” says Ciera Womack, Farm Rich Senior Marketing Manager. “The Meatless Meatballs and BBQ Sliders are just a taste of several new plant-based foods planned this year from Garden Inspirations by Farm Rich.”

Soylent Nutrition, Inc., the makers of Soylent beverages, powder and bars, has relaunched in Canada. The move comes at a time when many people are looking for shelf stable, nutritious products that can be ordered online and delivered directly to their homes. Soylent is bringing three 14oz ready-to-drink (RTD) flavors – Original, Chocolate and Cafe Mocha, as well as with two powder flavors –  Original and Chocolate to the Canadian market. “We have been taking a number of steps to refocus our business and renew our commitment to core consumers and core products, and this is a big step forward,” says Soylent CEO, Demir Vangelov. 

Fiberstar has launched a new texturizing citrus fiber, Citri-Fi TX, which creates meat-like texture and provides cold binding in meat alternatives. And this new citrus fiber gives formulators the ability to remove gluten and other gelling and/or water absorbing ingredients to improve food labeling, the company reports. Today, meat analog manufacturers continue the search for clean label ingredients to improve the eating qualities of their food products. However, some of the challenges they encounter include soggy or mushy texture, lack of juiciness and sub-par quality. Fiberstar is working closely with customers to understand the formulating pitfalls. As a result, the team has launched the new texturizing citrus fiber to the meat-free category, as plant-based foods continue to boom. 

In brief: Business news Soylent is relaunching in Canada with three 14-oz ready-to-drink flavors - Original, Chocolate and Cafe Mocha, as well as with two powder flavors - Original and Chocolate.
Against the background of the coronavirus, the bioethanol produced at Agrana’s site in Pischelsdorf (Tulln District), Austria, has recently been approved for use in the manufacture of disinfectants. Besides supplying high-proof alcohol to major customers in the downstream disinfectant manufacturing sector, Agrana  has also started making surface and hand disinfectants. A share of the disinfectants manufactured will be distributed free-of-charge to care and social organizations in Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Styria. More specifically, these disinfectants, which will be distributed by the relevant site managers, will be donated to institutions located in the vicinity of Agrana facilities.

The trade and industry sector and research parties – Wageningen University & Research (WUR), the Northern Foundation for Arable Farming Trial Operations and Delphy – have joined forces in the public-private cooperation Climate Adaptation Open Cultivation. This public-private cooperation (PPC) strives to mitigate the adverse income effects of extreme weather circumstances for arable farmers. In the period from 2020-2023, they will work on a combination of improved soil quality, cultivation measures, eliminating subsoil compaction and smarter and better irrigation.

In brief: Appointments 
Hormel Foods, the maker of Applegate brand, has announced that Stefan Oellinger will assume the position of Senior Director of raw supply to lead the growth and development of the company’s highly differentiated supply chain. Oellinger most recently led meat and poultry procurement for Fresh Direct, a leading online grocer serving the Northeast corridor (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC). 

By Elizabeth Green