Weekly Roundup: Sweet Earth Foods debuts new plant-based line, SVZ nets EcoVadis gold sustainability certificate

19 Jun 2020 --- This week, Nestlé-owned Sweet Earth Foods launched a selection of plant-based foods and US-based Edlong expanded its line of natural dairy-based flavors. In business news, Freshfel Europe urged EU and UK negotiators to provide businesses with “no deal” trading facilitations before the end of summer in a bid to tackle any repercussions in the sector following COVID-19. Also this week, SVZ achieved the EcoVadis gold sustainability certificate, while Raisio made further strides towards sustainability.

In brief: NPD and ingredient launches
Nestlé-owned Sweet Earth Foods has launched a selection plant-based meals. These two new burritos and six new entrée bowls are available in the frozen aisle of grocery stores, with distribution increasing in the weeks ahead. The new burritos and bowls all incorporate plant-based Awesome Grounds or Mindful Chik’n, making them a good source of protein and fiber. The new products offer consumers quick and flavorful plant-based protein options to fuel on-the-go lifestyles.

Mayorga Organics has released the first-ever organic specialty coffee “brick pack” into the market – containing 10-oz of fresh-roasted and ground organic Café Cubano. Mayorga is importing, roasting, grinding, and packaging this item at its new Miami, Florida, US, facility. The company is currently offering 10 oz. brick packs of espresso ground organic Café Cubano through its website as it prepares to launch distribution through its current grocery and retail clients in Florida, while strategically aligning with other Miami retailers and grocers. 

In the US, subscribers to CropSwap are available to pick up their CropBox locally or have it delivered directly from a nearby grower. CropSwap, the farm-to-phone app connecting consumers with local farmers and growers, has announced a new subscription service: CropBox. With the user-friendly CropSwap app, consumers can now subscribe to an assortment of CropBoxes filled with fresh local produce, honey, plants, seeds and more. Each available CropBox on the CropSwap app is curated by local farmers, growers, and creators, ranging from city vertical farm operations to homeowners with prolific fruit trees. In the US, subscribers are available to pick up their CropBox locally or have it delivered directly from a nearby grower. 

UK company THIS has launched its product range into 744 Tesco stores. Aiming to make plant-based food mainstream, THIS will continue to break down borders between real and plant-based meat, launching into Tesco’s meat aisle. In its first year, the London-based business experienced considerable growth in retail, for example in Waitrose, Ocado and Co-op, launching with wholesaler behemoth Brakes, as well as major chains including Honest Burger, Pho and Coco di Mama. 

In the same week, THIS launched product range into Milk & More – one of the UK’s largest online supermarkets. Milk & More began as a dairy distribution service and is now owned by Müller and is globally recognized for its yogurts. The pivot in direction and expansion into plant-based products signifies the rapidly rising demand for alternatives and sustainably produced food and beverages. 

Edlong has expanded its line of dairy-based natural flavors to include a range of high-intensity cheese and cultured profiles for use in sauces, dressings and dips. Sourced from real dairy, the line comprises authentic cheese, sour cream, and buttermilk flavor profiles with multiple benefits: low usage levels and heat-stable functionality, the option to reduce or replace dairy commodities for cost savings while increasing overall flavor impact, as well as potential natural labeling advantages.  

In brief: Recognition & awards
SVZ has achieved the EcoVadis gold sustainability certificate once again, meaning that it belongs to the top 3 percent of sustainable businesses within the international F&B industry. The EcoVadis sustainability rating is a process it has committed to since 2014, and six years on, it is continuing to spearhead sustainability. SVZ’s ongoing commitment to sustainable business practices ensures that environmentally and socially responsible processes are implemented throughout its business. SVZ aims to reduce its environmental impact and deliver high-quality, ethical ingredients to customers from sourcing and traceability to biodiversity and agricultural practices.

General Mills has been recognized as one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media for its outstanding environmental, social and governance (ESG) transparency and performance among the 1,000 largest US public companies. For the third consecutive year, General Mills received the top ranking among its food and beverage peers for its actions and third in the overall rankings. General Mills’ sustainability mission centers on promoting environmentally and socially responsible practices across its value chain to protect the resources and people upon which the company depends. General Mills is focused on initiatives to support climate resilience, regenerative agriculture, healthy watersheds, thriving ecosystems, and protecting human rights and animal welfare.

In brief: Business
Freshfel Europe is calling for EU and UK negotiators not to let the fresh fruit and vegetables sector down before significant changes are implemented for operators in EU-UK trade. In addition, a commitment is needed from both sides to clarify “no deal” trading conditions and temporary arrangements similar to those announced in 2019 by the end of summer at the latest to ensure some certainty for businesses in case they have to face a worst-case scenario. Freshfel Europe supports both EU and UK negotiators to continue negotiations toward a new ambitious partnership, despite the challenging context of COVID-19, to intensify talks in the coming months to ratify an agreement before the end of 2020. However, the sector remains deeply concerned about the limited amount of time left to reach a balanced EU-UK agreement to secure the continuation of long-established trade flows between the two blocs. As January 1, 2021, draws nearer, the long-feared “no deal” scenario is looming. Mayorga Organics is importing, roasting, grinding and packaging its specialty coffee “brick pack” at its new Miami, Florida, US, facility. 

Dairy.com has acquired Orbis MES in a move set to broaden the former’s portfolio of software solutions that deliver visibility, efficiency, and traceability across the entire value chain. Orbis MES has been a manufacturing execution systems provider to the industry since 1998. Orbis’s long-standing partnerships with European dairy clients include Glanbia, Dairygold and Arrabawn. In the US, Glanbia, Southwest Cheese, Dairy Farmers of America and Dean Dairy utilize Orbis to optimize plant operations. In the brewing and distilling space, the company partners with Guinness, Baileys, Captain Morgan Distillery, Johnnie Walker Distillery and The McCallan Distillery in Scotland. 

Meggle’s Business Group Food Ingredients & Solutions (FI&S) is expanding its product portfolio. The division of the traditional company based in Wasserburg am Inn, Germany, can also offer GMO-free products. 

Raisio is making further investments towards sustainability, making additional investments in its Nokia mill, one of the largest oat mills in Finland. Energy and water company Adven is implementing a new heating plant at the site, which will use the by-products generated in the mill’s production as fuel. With the new heating plant, Nokia’s mill will be carbon neutral in terms of energy production and at the same time, energy costs will be reduced. Raisio responds to the increased demand for oats and invests in the international market for the oats business. Previously, the company has made investments of approximately €8 million (US$8.9 million) in the Nokia mill, which manufactures flakes of the Elovena, Nalle and Nordic brands as well as rye flour for the bakery industry. Currently, Nokia’s mill’s energy production emits about 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year. With the new plant, emissions will drop to virtually zero.

In brief: Other highlights
Most of the hazards related to the welfare of pigs at slaughter are due to inadequate staff skills and poorly designed and constructed facilities. That was one of the main conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)’s latest advice on animals’ welfare during the slaughter process. EFSA highlights the lack of skills and/or training of the staff working in slaughtering as a serious welfare concern. The scientific opinion published recently is the latest in a series of updated assessments on animal welfare at slaughter requested by the European Commission. It proposes measures to address the welfare hazards most commonly associated with the slaughter of pigs for food production and follows similar opinions on poultry and rabbits. A further opinion on cattle will follow later this year.

By Elizabeth Green