Category: Processing Equipment

Samyang Corporation has completed construction of Korea’s largest allulose plant and is accelerating its expansion of market share for alternative sweeteners both domestically and internationally.

The company held a groundbreaking ceremony at the specialty plant. The ceremony was attended by Ulsan City Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs Seung-dae Ahn, Ulsan City Council Member In-seop Bang, Samyang Corporation Vice Chairman Ryang Kim, Vice Chairman Won Kim, Samyang Packaging Vice Chairman Jeong Kim, and Samyang Corporation CEO Nag-hyun Choi, which proceeded with an opening declaration, a progress report, congratulatory addresses and a commemorative performance.

Located in Nam-gu, Ulsan, the specialty plant consists of two buildings: one for allulose production and the other for prebiotics. This facility, constructed with an investment of approximately KRW 140 billion ($105 million), spans a total floor area of 22,150 sq. mt. and has an annual production capacity of 25,000 tons.

Notably, the allulose plant has an annual production capacity of 13,000 tons, more than four times larger than the previous capacity, making it the largest in the country. The plant is equipped to produce both liquid and crystalline allulose, the latter being particularly advantageous for export.

With the completion of this facility, Samyang has solidified its position as the No. 1 company in the domestic allulose market. Given that there are only two companies in South Korea capable of manufacturing allulose, Samyang aims to strengthen its market dominance through swift market penetration.

Allulose, a rare sugar found in the natural world, is an alternative sweetener that is about 70% as sweet as sugar but contains zero calories. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) excluded allulose from the total and added sugars labeling on processed foods in 2019, as it has virtually no calories. It offers a sweetness comparable to fructose and has the added benefit of creating a flavor similar to sugar through a caramelization reaction when heated. As a result, it is considered a next-generation alternative sweetener.

Development of liquid allulose was accomplished with Samyang Corp’s proprietary enzyme technology in 2016, followed by the launch of mass production in 2020. In that same year, the company obtained the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) certification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Samyang Corporation plans to leverage the specialty plant as a strategic base to propose differentiated solutions by linking allulose and prebiotics, thereby expanding its market reach into North America, Japan, Southeast Asia and beyond. The company is already on the verge of securing Novel Food approval in Australia and New Zealand, signaling a tangible path toward market expansion. Through these efforts, Samyang aims to more than double the revenue share and overseas sales ratio of its specialty business by 2030.

“We have successfully completed the phased construction plan of the comprehensive specialty plant to strengthen our specialty business strategy,” Choi says. “With the establishment of the largest allulose plant in Korea, we are committed to enhancing our competitiveness in the domestic and international alternative sugar markets. This specialty plant will serve as a growth engine for the next 100 years of Samyang Group’s food business and will become a core base for providing health and wellness value to our customers both domestically and globally.”

Meanwhile, the prebiotics plant produces resistant dextrin and fructo-oligosaccharide powder. Resistant dextrin is a soluble dietary fiber and a health functional food ingredient known for its benefits in promoting normal bowel movements, controlling post-meal blood sugar spikes and improving blood lipid levels. Fructo-oligosaccharide, another type of health functional food ingredient, supports the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria and aids in bowel regularity.

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.

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 a​nnounced 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.

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.

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.​​

This new look for the brand will help make Birds Eye’s products more uniform, positioning the brand’s red leaf logo at the top of packs to serve ‘as a beacon’ in store for each category across the range.

Products will be described simply, displaying a clear hierarchy of claims which are a priority to shoppers – such as cooking times, nutritional information, recyclability guidance and sustainability claims.

‘More than visuals’

Jim Shearer, marketing director at Birds Eye, said: “A great packaging design is more than visuals, it’s about showcasing how frozen food can provide households with a convenient, nutritious and delicious range of food across multiple different meal occasions. ​

“Our new packaging design gives us a fantastic opportunity to communicate our quality and the benefits of the category even more clearly to our shoppers and to help them reappraise the frozen food aisle.”​

Bird Eye’s new packaging will also feature NaviLens technology on front of pack to help improve accessibility for the blind or partially sighted. Consumers can download a companion app that can get information from optical codes which is then presented both visually, audibly and though haptics – effectively though touch.  

New technology

The adoption of the technology follows fellow Nomad Foods brand, Aunt Bessie’s, who, in 2022 became the first frozen brand in the world to implement NaviLens codes on pack.

“Introducing NaviLens technology to our Birds Eye packaging is another important step in making our products more accessible to more people,”​ Shearer added. “We’ve seen the impact that the NaviLens app has made to our Aunt Bessie’s’ shoppers and we’re delighted that we have now been able to bring the technology to our Birds Eye brand.”​

This month has seen a number of food and drink manufacturers launch new looks for their brands​​ – Hobgoblin has a new brand identity, while Nim’s Fruit Crisps has been renamed as Nim’s…Naturally.

Meanwhile, Nomad Foods has confirmed the appointment of Steven Libermann as group executive president.​​

In just 6 months, Brewgooder has set up the world’s first Fairtrade-certified brewing supply chain for climate-resilient fonio grain – a native crop to West Africa.

Fonio is one of WWF’s 50 foods for the future. It is quick to harvest, doesn’t require fertilisers and uses much less water to grow than barley, meaning it can thrive in less fertile soils prominent in countries in West Africa.

Through close collaboration with fonio farming cooperatives in Guinea, the new supply chain, dubbed ‘Open Grain’, will ensure farmers are paid a fairer price for their produce, whilst promoting sustainable and equitable economic growth for the local communities.

So far 67 farmers have signed up and the hope is that hundreds more farmers will join them in the future.

The supply chain is accessible to all, with any UK brewer or business looking to utilise fonio able to tap into the Fairtrade-certified supply.  

The move has been made in conjunction with the Glasgow brewer’s launch of Brewgooder Fonio Session IPA (4.3%), which has already secured listings in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, the-Cop and with British Airways.

“Alone we can make a small but meaningful difference, but as an entire industry – even if only adopting Fairtrade fonio in small amounts – we can support farmers in Guinea make a game-changing impact on these communities while simultaneously bringing quality and desirable products to market. Enabling other beer producers to use our supply chain makes that possible,”​ commented Alan Mahon, founder at Brewgooder.

“We’re not adopting Fairtrade fonio to give ourselves a USP, but to show what can be achieved when you collaborate with farming communities for a fairer deal.”​

Brewgooder has seen its turnover rise by 74%, reaching £3.7m last year, and predicts its new IPA will add more than £2m in retail sales to the UK’s Fairtrade market annually.

UK consumer demand for Fairtrade products overall has seen a spike in recent years, with Kantar 2022 data revealing around 80% of consumers have chosen Fairtrade products over an alternative, with growth in retail sales of bananas, coffee, flowers and tea.

“We faced almost impossible odds in bringing this supply chain together in just six months, but we achieved it through the incredible effort, commitment, and drive of our farming and logistics partners. It demonstrates that a vision for a fairer, more equitable world can make seemingly impossible things happen,” ​he continued.

“There’s a huge appetite for Fairtrade products in the UK, and it’s absent in the beer category at present. People care about fair and just trade, and if they can achieve it through the products they buy, then they will make that choice.”​

Commenting on the news, LJ Loftus, deputy director of partnerships at the Fairtrade Foundation, added: “Let’s raise a glass to Brewgooder for introducing the world’s first Fairtrade certified fonio grain IPA onto the UK market, using fonio produced by smallholder farmers in Guinea. Every sip will not only be delicious, but means that farmers are getting a better deal.”​

In related news, Food Manufacture investigates whether labelling beer as vegan is a trend or turnoff.​​

Fresh Inset is introducing Vidre+ Complex, its technology that unlocks the full potential of 1-MCP (1-Methylcyclopropene) application across the entire supply chain, to the United States. 

Vidre+ makes every existing type of fresh produce packaging and label functional and adaptable into a smart version with adjustable protection against the negative effects of ethylene. Vidre+ Stickers, a flagship product, can be tailored to optimize size and dose rate, ensuring effective protection for ethylene-sensitive produce in any type or size of packaging, including cardboard boxes, bags, trays and clamshells. Branding and white-label opportunities are also available.

The patented timed and gradual release of 1-MCP in Vidre+ technology ensures a controlled application effectively extending the freshness, quality, appearance and nutrient values of produce. This approach provides optimal protection during storage, transport and retail.

“Research has proven Vidre+ is effective on cherries, blueberries, raspberries, table grapes, limes, tomatoes, avocados, leafy greens, broccoli, peppers and more,” says Tim Malefyt, Fresh Inset’s chief technology officer. “It can be used right after harvest as well as during transport or storage to provide days to weeks (depending on the crop type) of additional shelf life to freshly harvested produce, helping to keep its quality and nutritional value and remain fit for the market. We are excited to offer a solution that extends beyond apples and pears to benefit many other produce categories. This is a game changer.”

Vidre+ has received GRAS status by the FDA and is already revolutionizing 1-MCP delivery with the Vidre+ functional sticker. But there is more on the horizon for Fresh Inset. The company is disrupting and de-commoditizing the flexible and cardboard packaging industries with Vidre+ Complex by empowering PE, PP, PET films and paper cardboard that carry Vidre+ technology with the ability to extend freshness, without creating additional landfill waste.

“The use of Vidre+ to combat the negative effects of ethylene and extend produce shelf life is not new,” said Kevin Frye, Fresh Inset’s VP market development, North America. “However, Fresh Inset has taken it to the next level with dose rate flexibility and gradual release technology that is operationally simple, affordable and enhances profitability. This is an incredibly exciting innovation that is garnering unprecedented interest amongst growers, packers, shippers and retailers alike, as they can all easily incorporate it into their operations and benefit from it, while increasing their sustainability efforts toward food waste reduction. Packaging companies are equally excited about the ability to empower their existing bags, boxes and clamshells with a freshness function and deliver added value packaging to their customers that will actually improve the freshness and quality of their produce.”

Freixe has actually been actually selected ceo of business along with impact coming from 1 September as well as has actually been actually recommended as a prospect for the panel of supervisors.

Schneider’s shift coming from business complied with 8 years along with Nestlé where he has actually functioned as chief executive officer, guiding the business with whatever coming from the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit as well as the battle in Ukraine.

His substitute, Laurent Freixe, has actually been actually along with Nestlé due to the fact that 1986 supposing a variety of openings of enhancing task throughout various companies, markets as well as Regions.

New responsilibities

Commenting on his session, he mentioned: ” I am actually blessed to have actually been actually provided the chance to carry on structure as well as building up Nestlé, as well as I am actually thrilled to handle this task.

” There are going to consistently be actually obstacles, however our company possess exceptional toughness, like famous companies as well as items, an unparalleled international visibility, leading technology as well as punishment abilities, as well as most of all, awesome folks as well as crews. Our company may smartly install Nestlé to lead as well as succeed almost everywhere our company run.”

Freixe handled Region Europe coming from 2008 till 2014, when he consumed as chief executive officer of Region Americas. Adhering to the production of Nestlé’s brand-new Region design in 2022, Laurent Freixe was actually called chief executive officer Region Latin United States.

Leader of the panel Paul Bulcke included: “I have actually recognized Laurent for a number of years as well as extremely concern him as an accomplished forerunner along with critical smarts, considerable in-market expertise as well as knowledge in addition to a deeper understanding of markets as well as customers.

Delivering results

” He has actually displayed his capability to supply lead to tough market health conditions. Under his management, Nestlé is going to additionally enhance its own opening as a reliable, trustworthy business with regular as well as lasting worth production.”

Bulcke additionally gave thanks to Schneider for his payments to Nestlé, consistent management in stormy opportunities as well as his crucial task in the improvement helped make on the business’s durability schedule.

Smudge Schneider mentioned: “Leading Nestlé for recent 8 years has actually been actually an honour for me. I am actually happy of what our company have actually obtained, having actually changed Nestlé in to a future-proofed, ingenious as well as lasting service. I wish to give thanks to the whole Nestlé neighborhood of what our company have actually completed all together as well as prefer Laurent all the most ideal in his brand-new task.”

Meanwhile, Tate & & Lyle has actually declared the appointment of Sarah Kuijlaars as its own brand-new main monetary police officer.