Weekly Roundup: Unilever resolves litigation with Ben & Jerry’s board, industry propels sustainability moves

16 Dec 2022 --- This week in industry news, Unilever has solved its litigation with Ben & Jerry to license its ice cream in the disputed West Bank territory, Kemin unveiled its immune support ingredient BetaVia product line, ADM was awarded for its environmental commitments, while Barry Callebaut was recognized for its leadership in corporate transparency and performance on forests. Meanwhile, Kellogg’s plans packaging to support visually-impaired people to some cereal brands.

In brief: Sustainability
Kemin is expanding its catalog offerings with its BetaVia product line, which offers an immune support ingredient that improves suspension applications such as drink mixes and sachets. The company underscores how it uses algae, which provides a “unique blend of nutrients and bioactive components” while being environmentally friendly. 

ADM has won the Environmental Initiatives category of the 2022 SEAL Business Sustainability Awards for expanding its regenerative agriculture programs supporting farmers across North America. Granted by a judging panel of renowned environmental and energy industry experts, the award recognizes exceptional programs or initiatives that push the frontier on environmental leadership and progress.

Barry Callebaut has been recognized for leadership in corporate transparency and performance on forests by the global environmental non-profit organization, CDP, securing for the second time a place on its annual ‘A List’. Based on data reported through CDP’s 2022 Forests questionnaire, Barry Callebaut is one of the 25 high-performing companies that achieved an ‘A’ rating - out of nearly 15,000 companies scored. 

Givaudan has been awarded a double A rating by the CDP for the fourth consecutive year, given to companies “who are going beyond awareness and management to showing environmental leadership and demonstrating best practice in strategy and action.”

Givaudan plans to be climate positive before 2050.

The US National Confectioners’ Association reveals non-chocolate candy is booming, representing 32% of all US confectionery dollar sales.In brief: Global food business
Tate & Lyle has published its Purpose Report 2022, which showcases how the company is Transforming Lives through the Science of Food and details progress against the targets and commitments set out in 2020 in areas such as sugar reduction, community support and tackling the climate emergency.

Unilever has announced it has resolved its litigation process with Ben & Jerry’s independent board over selling the branded ice cream under local licensee Avi Zinger in the West Bank settlements and Israel. Avi Zinger announced the agreement to acquire the rights to the ice cream stands and will produce and sell the ice cream under its Hebrew and Arabic trademarks.

Kellogg’s is bringing blind-friendly packaging to four of its cereal brands. The packages will feature NaviLens technology, which use optical smart codes consisting of high-contrast colorful squares on a black background, which can be read by the visually impaired using the NaviLens and NaviLens GO apps.

The Carlsberg Group has entered into a definitive agreement with Waterloo Brewing Ltd to acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Waterloo Brewing for cash consideration of CAD 4.00 per share or a total equity value of approximately CAD 144 million in aggregate (including options). The acquisition is expected to strengthen the Carlsberg Group’s market position in Canada with local production and Waterloo Brewing’s brands, and to deliver significant supply chain and revenue synergies. The transaction is expected to close early in the first half of 2023.

Also, The US National Confectioners’ Association reveals non-chocolate candy is booming, representing 32% of all US confectionery dollar sales, with growth outpacing that of all other segments. Non-chocolate candy is expected to reach US$20 billion in the US by 2027.

In brief: Financing and funding
Canada-based start-up Oatbox, a leader in products made from Canadian oats, has closed C$7.1 million (US$5.21 million) financing round from financial partners, including Desjardins Group, the Government of Quebec, through its representative Investissement Québec and Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. This funding will enable Oatbox to finalize the construction of its own oat-base manufacturing facility.

Green Bioactives has bagged £2.6 million (US$3.2 million) in a seed financing round to build its sustainable plant products biomanufacturing platform. The funds will be used to pursue commercial partnerships, increase marketing efforts and product sales and secure intellectual property, according to the business. 

SPACE-F Thailand, which situates itself as the first global food-tech start-up incubator and accelerator program, is accepting applications to join its programs that run for a maximum of half a year.  US Mars is jumping into the Performance Nutrition category with a high protein bar.

The program will help secure investments and collaborations with food-tech companies.

In brief: Miscellaneous
The US National Confectioners’ Association reveals non-chocolate candy is booming, representing 32% of all US confectionery dollar sales, with growth outpacing that of all other segments. Non-chocolate candy is expected to reach US$20 billion in the US by 2027.

Meanwhile, US Mars is jumping into the Performance Nutrition category with a high protein bar packing 20 g of protein. The company plans to bring more indulgent-tasting products to the market segment. 

Snickers, part of Mars, revealed Snickers Hi Protein bars, a brand-new performance nutrition bar. Snickers Hi Protein bars feature the same chocolate, caramel and peanut ingredients but now with twenty 20 grams of protein.

By Marc Cervera