There’s a new wave of leaders this year at some of the most notable public and private companies, as well as related nonprofit groups. Catch up on the latest appointments.
Category: Packaging & Equipment
Stay informed on the latest innovations and technologies in packaging and processing within the food and beverage industry. This category covers the companies, equipment, and materials that are transforming how products are packaged, processed, and delivered to consumers. From sustainable packaging and smart technologies to advanced processing equipment and automation, explore the solutions that are driving efficiency, safety, and sustainability across the entire value chain.
Goodway Technologies Launches DIB-2500 Dry Ice Blaster
Goodway Technologies has launched the DIB-2500 dry ice blaster, a chemical-free and completely dry method for difficult cleaning applications in food and beverage production facilities.
Dry ice blasting technology uses frozen dry ice crystals – that instantly vaporize on contact – to quickly and easily remove very difficult-to-clean soils such as polymerized oil, baked-on carbon and heavy caked-on debris, leaving the surface clean, dry and residue-free.
Ideal for dry cleaning and chemical-free environments, dry ice cleaning technology is a completely waterless, non-abrasive, non-toxic and non-corrosive solution to clean equipment surfaces and leave them and their surroundings clean and dry. Propelled by compressed air, the DIB-2500 fires tiny dry ice pellets at super high speeds to instantly remove debris from surfaces. The pellets turn from a solid into a gas form on contact, a process called sublimation, leaving the surface clean and dry.
“Developing dry cleaning technologies for food and beverage cleaning and sanitation needs has been a strategic focus for us in recent years,” says Tim Kane, president and CEO of Goodway Technologies. “Adding dry ice technology will be a game changer for customers looking to increase their cleaning ability without the need for water or any moisture. The feedback has been extremely positive.”
The DIB-2500 unit is fully portable and can easily be used across multiple production lines or facilities.
How NotCo’s Giuseppe AI Has Evolved Over the Past Decade
Almost a decade ago, while others experimenting with AI focused on algorithms for trading, diagnostics, or digital advertising, a company called NotCo was experimenting with AI by the name of Giuseppe to create plant-based foods that could match the taste and texture of their animal-based counterparts.
According to Aadit Patel, SVP of AI Product and Engineering at NotCo, the company’s founders (Patel would join a couple of years after the company was founded in 2015) realized early on that, in order to build an AI model that could help create plant-based products mimicking the taste, texture, and functionality of their animal-based counterparts, they would need a whole lot of data.
The problem was, as a startup, they didn’t have any.
When I asked Patel in a recent interview how the company overcame the infamous “cold start” problem—the challenge many embryonic AI models face before they have built large datasets on which to train—he told me they found the solution in a very public place: the U.S. government’s website.
“In the early days, when we had no money, we literally scraped the USDA website,” said Patel. “If you go to the USDA website, there’s a bunch of free data materials for you to use. And I guess no one had actually joined it together to create a comprehensive dataset… So the first versions of Giuseppe were built on that.”
This cobbled-together dataset formed the foundation for Giuseppe’s recommendations, leading to the creation of products like NotMilk, which uses unexpected combinations like pineapple and cabbage to replicate the taste of dairy milk.
As NotCo grew, so did Giuseppe’s capabilities. New analytical labs in San Francisco and Santiago, Chile, gave the company a wealth of new data on which to train its AI. Over time, the model’s ability to create innovative food products also improved.
One of the biggest hurdles in food development is the fragmented nature of the supply chain. Data is scattered across various entities—ingredient suppliers, flavor houses, manufacturers, and research institutions—each holding critical information that contributes to the success of a product. Over time, the company realized that to create an AI capable of building innovative products, it couldn’t rely solely on NotCo’s datasets. Instead, Giuseppe would need to integrate and analyze data from across this complex web of partners.
“What we’ve done with Giuseppe is figure out a way to incentivize this very fragmented ecosystem,” Patel said.
According to Patel, pulling together these disparate datasets from across the product development and supply chain would result in a more holistic understanding of what is needed for a successful product that is better aligned with market realities.
“We realized that if we just made an AI system that’s specific to CPG, we’d be losing out,” said Patel.
Generative AI and Flavor and Fragrance Development
One recent expansion of Giuseppe’s capabilities has been the exploration of new flavors and fragrances using generative AI. While GenAI models like ChatGPT have become infamous for creating sometimes strange and off-putting combinations when designing recipes and new food product formulations, Patel explained that the company has been able to overcome issues with general LLMs by creating what he calls a discernment layer. This layer filters and evaluates the multitude of generated possibilities, narrowing them down to the most promising candidates.
“Discernment is key because it’s not just about generating ideas; it’s about identifying the ones that are likely to succeed in the real world,” Patel said. “With generative AI, you can prompt it however you want and get an infinite amount of answers. The question is, how do we discern which of these 10,000 ideas are the ones most likely to work in a lab setting, a pilot setting, or beyond?”
The discernment layer works by incorporating additional data points and contextual knowledge into the model. For instance, it might consider a formulation’s scalability, cost-effectiveness, or alignment with consumer preferences. This layer also allows human experts to provide feedback and fine-tune the AI’s outputs, creating a process that combines AI’s creativity with the expertise of flavor and fragrance professionals.
Early tests have shown positive results. When tasked with creating a new flavor, both the AI and the human perfumers receive the same brief. When the results are compared in A/B tests, Patel says the outputs of Giuseppe’s generative AI were indistinguishable from those created by human experts.
“What we’ve built is a system where AI and human expertise complement each other,” said Patel. “This gives us the flexibility to create products that are not just theoretically possible but also market-ready.”
CPG Brands Still Have a Long Way to Go With AI-Enhanced Food Creation
Nearly a decade after building an AI model with scraped data from the USDA website, NotCo has evolved its AI to create new products through a collaborative approach that results in a modern generative AI model incorporating inputs from its partners up and down the food value chain. This collaborative approach is being used for internal product development and third-party CPG partners, many of whom Patel said approached the company after they announced their joint venture with Kraft Heinz.
“Ever since our announcement with Kraft Heinz and signing a joint venture, there’s been a lot of inbound interest from a lot of other large CPGs asking ‘What can you do for us?’ and ‘What is Giuseppe?’ They want to see it.”
When I told Patel I thought that big CPG brands have come a long way over the past twelve months in their embrace and planning for using AI, he slightly disagreed. He said that while there’s a lot of interest, most big brands haven’t actually transformed their business to fully create products with the help of AI.
“I would say there’s strong intent to adopt it, but I think there hasn’t been put forth like a concrete action plan to actually develop the first AI-enabled R&D workforce,” said Patel. “There is room, I think, for new AI tech for formulators, and room for best practices and lessons learned of adopting AI.”
You can watch my full interview with Aadit below.
The NotCo team will be at the Food AI Summit talking about their new efforts using generative AI to develop flavor and fragrance, so make sure to get your tickets here.
Related
Krispy Kreme appoints new president
Meakin joins the company from Pret A Manger where he has served in a number of senior roles over the past seven years, most recently as shops and franchise director.
Prior to his time with Pret, Meakin has held a number of senior sales roles across retailers Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s, as well as desserts manufacturer Gu Puds.
Extensive experience
Commenting on Meakin’s appointment, Krispy Kreme president international Matt Spanjers said: “[Meakin] has extensive experience in the QSR industry … he also has strong relationships with many of our customers and partners.
“We recently launched a new doughnut line-up of fan favourites, best-sellers and some new trending flavours and we look forward to having him lead our amazing brand through its next phase of profitable, nationwide expansion.”
Meakin’s appointment follows the departure of Jamie Dunning, who has decided to leave the business after two and a half years.
In his time with the business, Dunning has overseen a period of double-digit revenue growth through the continued expansion of Krispy Kreme points of access and digital e-commerce development, including the flagship store on Oxford Street earlier this year.
‘Time for a new leader’
Dunning said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time leading this great brand to continued revenue growth through an unprecedented period of change. I believe it is time for a new leader to take the business through the next phase of its journey and wish Guy all the best.”
The former managing director and president of Mars Retail Group, Dunning took over the reins of Krispy Kreme from Richard Chesire in 2022, who stood down from the role after 20 years of working in leadership roles at the company.
Meanwhile, brewer Timothy Taylor’s has announced the appointment of Andrew Carter as chief executive to replace current boss Tim Dewey. Carter will continue in his current role as winemaker Chapel Down’s CEO through its ongoing strategic review.
Brynwood Partners Acquires Miracapo Pizza Company
Brynwood Partners IX L.P. announced that it has acquired Miracapo Pizza Company LLC from an affiliate of CC Industries, Inc. The transaction includes the company’s three manufacturing facilities located in the Chicagoland area. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Miracapo is a contract manufacturer of frozen pizzas for convenience stores and branded customers serving the retail channel. The company owns three state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities located in the Chicagoland area totaling 175,000 sq. ft. The company is headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Ill., and employs approximately 385 employees.
“We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Miracapo,” says Henk Hartong III, chairman and CEO of Brynwood Partners. “We look forward to the prospect of adding to our successful track record in the pizza space, with our prior portfolio company, Richelieu Foods and our current investment in the space, Great Kitchens Food Company, which primarily serves private label retail customers in the take-and-bake pizza space. We are impressed by what the company has achieved since its founding in 1984 and plan to build Miracapo’s commercial capability.”
The Brynwood Partners portfolio also includes Harvest Hill Beverage Company, Carolina Beverage Group, Hometown Food Company, Great Kitchens Food Company and West Madison Foods. Miracapo increases the total Brynwood manufacturing network to 19 facilities, approximately 4,700 employees and more than $3 billion in annual sales. Four of our six companies have corporate offices in Chicago and six of our 19 facilities are Chicago-based.
St. Ewe Free Range Eggs announces foodservice packaging updates
Fondly known as ‘the chef’s favourite eggs’, St. Ewe Free Range Eggs said it continues to select only the finest free-range medium eggs for culinary professionals.
Alongside changes to the packaging, St. Ewe Medium Egg has shifted its name to St. Ewe Signature and St. Ewe Rich Yolk moves from ‘mixed weight’ to a guaranteed ‘medium’ size of eggs following chef feedback.
With these added touches, St. Ewe said it guarantees that only the best of the best make it to professional kitchens.
‘Signature’ has been adopted for these eggs, in a nod to the journey for St. Ewe Free Range Eggs founder, Rebecca Tonks – anchoring the quality of their British-Free Range Medium Eggs.
The updated St. Ewe Signature Egg brand will be arriving in foodservice depots from mid September.
Following the launch of its mixed-weight Rich Yolk eggs, feedback found that egg size consistency was the most sought after requirement.
St. Ewe Free Range Eggs now offers their multi-award winning eggs as a medium size guaranteed.
St. Ewe Free Range Eggs adopts colours that not just match aesthetics but reflect the premium quality and care that goes into producing some of the best eggs available in retail stores and in foodservice. T
he easily recognisable boxes not only make handling and storage efficient, they offer a visual testament to the quality found within the product.
As a nod to St.Ewe Free Range Eggs work with the industry’s top accreditors, the brand has incorporated its accolades on pack, both front and back highlighting their partnerships and accolades with the Craft Guild of Chefs and Roux Scholarship.
How Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Can Combat Honey Fraud
Valued for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, honey is one of the most likely foods to be targeted for economically motivated adulteration (EMA). The emergence of large quantities of adulterated honey is driving prices down through an abundance of cheap imitations. It is a widespread issue, with investigations by the European Commission estimating 46 percent of collected samples of honey imports are suspected to be adulterated with syrups.
Honey fraud presents a huge challenge to the industry as it not only affects the global beekeeping community but overall food safety as substitutions such as high-fructose corn syrup can contribute to Type 2 diabetes, inflammation and obesity. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an established, definitive analytical technique to enable testing laboratories to quickly and reliably identify multiple types of adulteration.
Honey adulteration and its consequences
EMA is the adulteration of food for financial advantage and typically describes when an ingredient is intentionally left out or substituted. The high value of honey and perceived cachet surrounding its provenance makes it a vulnerable target, whether through fraudsters claiming false geographical origin, declaring false botanical variety or diluting it with cheaper sugar syrups.
Large-scale adulteration and falsification of honey are two main causes of falling honey prices. This in turn is accelerating the decline of the beekeeping industry and bee populations, which, without their pollination of trees, crops and flowers, could have a devastating impact on the world’s ecosystem.
The lack of international standards for honey production, import and export has led to the prevalence of its adulteration, which is concerning for beekeepers, honey producers, retailers and consumers alike.
Enforcing honey standards
Significant amounts of imported honey are suspected of being adulterated and remain undetected on the EU market. In April, the European Parliament voted to improve consumer information on breakfast foods, including more transparency on the origin of honey.
The new rules, which are aimed at combating food fraud, stipulate that honey blends must now show the countries of origin and the percentage of each honey blend on the label to help provide better information for consumers and guide them in their choice.
Although this is a step in the right direction for honey imported and exported into the EU, it is not sufficient to tackle adulteration with syrups. There are still many tons of adulterated honey entering other markets around the world that are going undetected.
Current testing methods
Several targeted methods currently exist for the detection of sugar syrups in honey. These methods are based either on the detection of foreign enzymes used to change the starches into sugars or on specific markers of syrups. However, there is evidence that deceptive techniques are being used by fraudsters to bypass these methods, so the adulterated ‘honey’ is going undetected.
The Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) international method based on isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS)/stable carbon isotope ratio analysis (SCIRA) is only able to detect sugar syrups from C4 plants, such as corn and sugar cane, and is unable to see sugar syrups from C3 plants, such as rice and corn. Fraudsters have exploited this and amended their methods to include corn and rice syrup to increase product volume.
The ongoing challenge of identifying novel adulteration methods further complicates the issue. The cost of targeting specific adulteration markers, coupled with the need to keep pace with evolving fraudulent practices, has resulted in a significant rise in honey adulteration over the past decade with the amount of adulteration detected by these methods decreasing. As a result, non-targeted and multi-marker methods, which are not specific to a certain type of adulterant, are increasingly adopted.
A powerful technique for honey analysis
While traditional methods like SCIRA exist for honey quality control, they possess limitations. Newer techniques have emerged to address these deficiencies, but they often lack standardization and consistent application, and are unable to detect unknown syrups. In addition, they may require experienced personnel for method development and application.
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy offers a significant advancement in honey analysis. NMR is a non-destructive technique that can detect a vast array of components in a sample, ranging from high concentrations of hundreds of grams per kilogram (g/kg) to low amounts in parts per million (ppm). This comprehensive analysis generates a unique “fingerprint” for each honey sample.
This fingerprint provides definitive information about the sample’s molecular composition, revealing the presence of adulterants such as foreign sugars. Additionally, NMR can distinguish the geographical origin and botanical source of honey based on its specific chemical profile.
By comparing the fingerprint to a comprehensive reference database containing honey samples from around the world, NMR offers a rapid, fully automated, cost-effective and highly reliable method for routine quality control. NMR’s ability to identify atypical profiles allows for deeper investigation of any discrepancies to uncover new and unknown methods of honey adulteration.
Case study: Estonia works toward a stronger honey industry
In 2019, the Estonian government adopted NMR as the official testing method for honey. The tests revealed that adulterated honey sales had reached a level greater than those of authentic honey. As a result, beekeepers could no longer charge a fair price – and were being forced out of business. Beekeepers have called on the government to lead the honey industry in taking combined action to put an end to fraudulent practices.
As a result, the government has been working with local beekeepers, food testing laboratories, honey packers and retailers to clear the Estonian food market of fake honey, whether locally produced or imported.
The impact on the Estonian beekeeping industry has been positive, with producers of genuine honey moving towards selling at a fair price in the local market, helping to maintain their beehives – and their livelihoods.
NMR testing of honey means that samples identified as adulterated can be removed from the shelves. This is evidenced in the import market. Before the adoption of NMR, approximately 400 tons of honey in Estonia came from outside. The new testing has cut this to approximately 100 tons, which is due to better analytical methods preventing the spread of adulterated products.
In the export market, things are less clear cut. Prices are still very low, as other countries are yet to catch up on better testing – and Estonian producers cannot compete with cheap, honey-like products that continue to flood the global market.
Major Estonian retailer Selver lists 83 different honey products, with 80 of those produced by local suppliers. Selver uses NMR testing to ensure all the products that it sells to consumers are pure honey. Since NMR testing was made compulsory in Estonia in 2019, counterfeit products are no longer an issue as Selver, and its customers, have the guarantee that only authentic honeys are on the shelves. Tackling the issue head on has had major advantages for retailers, consumers and honey producers across the country. Selver believes that standardizing the usage of NMR testing worldwide would help to tackle the global challenge of honey fraud.
New Vertical Bagger for Coffee
Syntegon has announced the launch of the PMX 4001 vertical bagger for ground coffee and whole beans. The new model comes with a smaller footprint and processes both conventional and recyclable packing materials, according to the company.
Syntegon says sustainability was a key aspect in the development of the PMX 4001. It is capable of processing alternative packaging at outputs of up to 65 bags per minute with a pack weight of 500g. It’s designed for gentle product handling, has integrated valve application, and uses gas flushing of the coffee to minimize residual oxygen The machine reportedly achieves a high-quality product appearance with extremely precise sealing seams. With a height and footprint of 2.6 by 2.1 meters, it is also useful for manufacturers with limited space.
The Industry 4.0 solution Synexio Empower, which is installed as standard in the PMX 4001, monitors all machine functions as well as energy and resource consumption in real time.
The Compleat Food Group names new chief product officer
Howgego joins the manufacturer from Bighams, where he has spent the past seven years leading the company’s branded and own-label product strategies as commercial and sustainability director.
Prior to this, Howgego was commercial director at Higgidy, where he was responsible for the company’s commercial strategy.
His new role will see Howgego tasked with accelerating The Compleat Food Group’s growth by ‘maximising quality’ across its categories, focusing on affordable and sustainable food at every price tier.
Opportunity for growth
Commenting on his appointment, the new chief product officer said: “The Compleat Food Group is home to exciting branded and own label products across such a diverse range of categories, and there is so much opportunity for further growth.
“With an ongoing commitment to quality and creating exceptional food, The Compleat Food Group felt like an ideal place to take the next step in my career, and I am looking forward to working with the company as it enters the next phase of its journey.”
Formed in October 2021, The Compleat Food Group was created from the merger of Addo Food Group and Winterbotham Darby. An acquisition of Wrights Food Group followed in December 2021, and earlier this year the group also acquired SK Foods and Zorba Foods.
Investment in quality
Howgego’s appointment was heralded as a ‘major investment in quality’ by the business as it works to establish itself as the UK’s top chilled prepared food category.
Chief executive Nick Field added: “Our ethos at The Compleat Food Group has always been to create great quality, tasty and affordable food that people love to eat. Our growth to date has been testament to this ongoing commitment, but we are always striving to go further and to continuously improve our branded and own label offering to develop the very best food for our customers and consumers alike.
“Mark’s wealth of experience and his passion for creating great products will be incredibly valuable as we continue in this mission, and we are delighted to welcome him to our team.”
Meanwhile, leading potato supplier Branston has announced the appointment of a new general manager at its Lincoln site.
Rapid Prototyping Capabilities for Motors
Parvalux by maxon announced that it has designed and manufactured a series of modular components that are easily mixed and matched so that users get a paired system from one manufacturer rather than piecing together components such as motors, gearheads, brakes and encoders from various manufacturers. In a three-step selection process, designers can purchase a motor that is built to order using the company’s online configurator.
Using a modular system provides a range of options that allow designers to determine their required output performance and make a quick selection. Once this is done, users of the online configurator can fine tune their selection using a range of accessories including brakes, encoders, shaft extension kits and controllers.
As part of the company’s modular drive systems, Parvalux offers a line of motors that includes PMDC (permanent magnet DC) motors, BLDC (brushless DC) motors, and single-phase or three-phase AC motors, all of which are available with inline or right-angle gearboxes. The company’s line of AC/DC motors are available in series-wound or shunt-would versions. Accessories, such as encoders and brakes are easily selected.