Weekly Roundup: Nestlé recognized for gender equality, Ferrero eyes full traceability for hazelnuts

29 Jan 2021 --- This week in industry news, Nestlé was recognized in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender Equality Index. Ferrero partnered with Sourcemap for the tracing of its hazelnut supply chain, and IMCD launched an ultra-high temperature (UHT) pilot facility in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Kraft Heinz appointed DKSH as a foodservice partner in Hong Kong and Macau, and The Craftory invested US$50 million in Hippeas, the organic chickpea snack brand.

In brief: Gender equality
Nestlé has been recognized in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender Equality Index (GEI) for its transparency in gender reporting and advancing women’s equality in the workplace. The reference index measures gender equality across five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies and pro-women brand. Nestlé was included in this year’s index for scoring at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect a high level of disclosure and overall performance across the framework's five pillars. The GEI also recognized that Nestlé had made significant progress in fostering an inclusive culture at the company and advancing gender pay and equal pay parity.

Hippeas Organic Chickpea Snacks has raised US$50 million from The Craftory Limited.In brief: Sustainability Sourcemap, a supply chain mapping provider, traceability and transparency solutions, has partnered with Ferrero to achieve full traceability of its sourced hazelnuts. Sourcemap’s technology provides a comprehensive platform to visualize supply chains and enhance traceability, further strengthening Ferrero’s efforts to achieve greater transparency. Through Sourcemap’s platform, Ferrero cancollect key data on social and agricultural practices, validate the value chain through data science and ensure that performance is continuously improving. The hazelnut supply chain has specific challenges, highlighted by the fact that, for example, in Turkey, there are currently around 470,000 officially registered hazelnut farmers. Using advanced technologies for traceability will further strengthen governance and mitigate the potential short-term impact on Ferrero’s progress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In brief: Business highlights
Hippeas Organic Chickpea Snacks has raised US$50 million from The Craftory Limited. The brand iwill use the funds to boost innovation, expand production, increase distribution and amplify its positive impact. The financing consisted of direct investment and secondary purchases of shares from existing Hippeas shareholders, including CAVU Venture Partners.

DKSH Business Unit Consumer Goods and the Kraft Heinz Company have signed an extension of their existing full-service partnership for retail, also including foodservices in Hong Kong and Macau. To reduce operational complexity and close distribution gaps for Kraft Heinz, the two companies have further cemented their regional relationship. Leveraging DKSH’s expertise, extensive network and foodservice channel know-how, Kraft Heinz will grow in the competitive Hong Kong and Macau markets while simplifying its operation.

As part of the strategic move to increase its regional technical footprint, IMCD launched an ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurization laboratory in Jakarta, Indonesia. The facility is designed to support complex ingredient formulations in the application of dairy, beverages and soups. The facility can manage a wide range of viscosity from beverages to sauces and soups. It is equipped with an external chiller allowing cold filling temperature down to twenty degrees Celsius. It has an enclosed homogenizing system for both upstream and downstream processing, and it is equipped with a multi sample preparation batch allowing for different formulations to be prepared simultaneously. 

Germany-based technology supplier for food processing, GEA recently signed a contract to supply olive oil extraction lines for the new Olibest oil mill in the Alentejo region of Portugal, in the district of Serpa. The order, worth more than €4 million (US$4.8 million), is the largest in the history of GEA’s Center of Excellence for Olive Oil, further strengthening GEA’s reputation as one of the leading suppliers for olive oil production, and is an important milestone for the sector.IMCD has launched a UHT pilot facility in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In brief: Appointments
DouxMatok, a food-tech company pioneering flavor delivery technologies, has appointed Lorraine Niba as vice president of sales in North America and Jim Schulok as vice president of applications to its US-based team. Niba and Schulok join as DouxMatok readies to enter a phase of accelerated growth with Incredo Sugar's introduction – a sugar reduction solution based on real cane sugar – to the North American market. 

In brief: Other highlights
UK-based Mediterranean foods supplier Dina Foods has expanded its flagship Paninette flatbreads range to include a Paninette pizza base. Dina Foods’ new eight-inch white-bread Paninette pizza bases, supplied in a pack of four and are vegan-friendly. The packs have a 90-day shelf life due to the modified atmospheric packaging used. The new concept will be launching across supermarkets, convenience stores and foodservice, nationally and internationally. 

Lakeview Farms, a manufacturer and marketer of refrigerated desserts, dips and specialty products, has revealed that its Señor Rico rice pudding and flan products are now free from artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. “Demand for clean label foods is one that continues to grow. It has evolved from being an added benefit to something consumers across all demographics look for as they seek out foods with easy-to-recognize and no artificial ingredients,” says Jennifer Yunt, Señor Rico brand manager. 

The popularity of plant-based diets is continuing to soar. For the California Prune Board, it’s an opportunity to showcase its products’ versatility, and the power prunes can offer retailers hoping to appeal to health-conscious consumers. In addition to plant-based foods, natural products that can help maintain a healthy immune system are gaining traction. At the same time, gut health remains another area seen as essential to overall health by consumers. For retailers looking to turn these trends into sales, the versatility of California Prunes as both a cooking ingredient and a snack, combined with their nutritional profile, could be the answer, notes the company. 

By Elizabeth Green