Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

SIG relishes aseptic supply chain challenges

SIG Combibloc has outlined the challenges in attaining full supply chain sustainability of the major raw material for its Europe-made aseptic cartons and hailed the environmental and commercial benefits secured.

Krones posts H1 loss as year-on-year profits plummet €107m

Krones posted a €16m loss in the first half of 2009 as the continued global economic downturn triggered a slump in sales – compared to a €91m profit for the same period last year.

Green tea may protect against blood cell cancer

Drinking five or more cups of green tea per day may reduce the risk of blood- and lymph-based cancers by about 50 per cent, says a new study from Japan.

Wild identifies recession beating natural ingredients

Beverage sales have flattened out over the past year but healthy growth remains in the market for natural ingredients. Wild identifies the ingredients in the natural sphere it believes have the most potential to resist any recessionary fallout.

Red Bull hit with record fine for breaching packing regulations

Red Bull UK has been ordered to pay a record £271,800 for flouting regulations on the recovery and recycling of packaging waste over a period of eight years.

Wessanen reveals financial fallout from irregularities at beverage unit

Royal Wessanen is planning court proceedings against its former CEO and has revealed the financial fallout of accounting irregularities discovered at its subsidiary American Beverage Company (ABC).

Milk guzzling children may live longer, says study

Consuming plenty of dairy products at a young age may lower stroke risk and lead to a longer life, according to a 65-year follow up study.

Antioxidants from black tea may aid diabetics

Polysaccharides from black tea may blunt the spike in sugar levels after a meal more than similar compounds from green and oolong tea, and offer potential to manage diabetes, says a new study.

NAPCOR rejects joint recycling of PET and PLA

Combining recycling streams of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) containers could place the future of both in jeopardy, a leading trade body has cautioned.

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Coca-Cola China picks Bericap closure for sparkling PET packs

Coca-Cola China has chosen Bericap’s SuperShorty closure for its sparkling PET packages.

Rexam considers rights issue, market remains weak

Coca-Cola can maker Rexam is considering issuing new equity to service its burdensome debt pile, after market conditions failed to improve in the last quarter.

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Imagining a world where we eat less meat

Cutting back meat consumption is the new darling cause of pop stars. But if necessary environmental and health goals are to be achieved, the whole supply chain needs to be strumming along in tune.

Managing in China: Part two

Trust and cooperation with Chinese authorities

Dealing with the Chinese authorities requires trust and working together to solve problems, says Yossi Gohary, general manager of Solbar Ningbo.

Packing innovations protect aseptic cartons with screw caps

As the number of aseptic cartons employing screw caps increases, one company has developed new packing features to protect products during palletization and maintain security throughout the supply chain.

Bottled water association files lawsuit against Eco Canteen TV ads

The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is taking Eco Canteen, a manufacturer of stainless steel beverage containers, to court in the US, after its TV advertising campaign allegedly made “false and misleading” claims about bottled water.

Bioplastic bodies trade blows as row breaks out

A war of words has broken out within the bioplastics packaging industry with two trade bodies levelling a series of negative allegations about the different sectors.

New non-returnable keg promises cost savings

Schäffer is launching a new lightweight non-returnable steel keg that the company claims will cut transport costs and make exports easier.

New oxygen scavenging technology boosts PET packing performance

New oxygen scavenging technology for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers that allows for lightweighting and prolongs shelf life has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, said manufacturers Constar.

Commission rejects quota reduction pleas in dairy crisis report

The European Commission has rejected any reduction in milk quotas despite protests from dairy farmers struggling to cope with falling prices.

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo reveal fizz in flat sales

International sales have bolstered the second quarter performance of both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, indicating that there still fizz in the soft drink market.

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Evian signs rPET deal with French recyclers

Evian Volvic has signed an agreement to source recycled PET material from a newly opened plant owned by France Plastique Recyclage (FPR) in a bid to boost it green credentials.

Fructose linked to memory problems: Rat study

High consumption of fructose in the diet may lead to spatial memory problems, according to a new study with rats from Georgia State University.

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Asian beer and spirits market still bubbling: Euromonitor

Despite the global economic downturn, the Asian beverage market remains strong, and will continue its impressive growth, according to Reuters.

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Mainstream press ‘exposed’ for health claim sensationalism

Not again! As if industry is not struggling enough with the severity of the European Food Safety Authority’s nutrition and health claims rulings so far, the situation has not been helped by the kind of articles that appeared in the UK press today and yesterday.

Lowest-income shoppers embrace green product claims

Low-income shoppers are most likely to be willing to pay a premium for ‘green’ products, according to a new study from retail design and strategy firm Miller Zell.

Latest figures reveal opportunities in weak bottled water market

The number of new bottled water products hitting the market dipped in the first half of the year, but opportunities remain in the sector, according to Innova Market Insights.

Recession could put brakes on beauty foods: Datamonitor

The US market for beauty foods has grown significantly over the past five years, but the higher price demanded by products in this category could be putting the brakes on future growth, says market researcher Datamonitor.

Report examines branding potential of social networking

Facebook is by far the most popular social media network amongst US consumers, although the value of such networks for brand promotion has not yet been maximized, suggests a new survey.

Consumers prepared to pay for nutritional panel: Study

Spanish consumers are more willing to pay a premium for food products that carry a nutritional panel on packaging than for those that just make a ‘light’ claim, according to researchers.

Asda claims victory in aspartame ‘nasty’ case

A High Court judge has found in favour of Asda in its court battle with Ajinomoto over food and beverage ‘no nasties’ labelling, which listed aspartame as an ingredient not used. Ajinomoto plans to appeal.

Krones declares ultra-light PET bottle ready for supermarkets

Krones has conducted tests and declared its new ultra-light PET bottle ready for supermarkets.

World Food Processing expands soy operations

Iowa-based World Food Processing has purchased a stake in soy powder specialist, SoyLink Assets, for an undisclosed sum as the soy and pea player consolidates its soy operations.

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Lord Rooker to lead Food Standards Agency

Former Defra minister Lord Rooker has been appointed as the next chair of the UK’s Food Standards Agency, taking over from Dame Deirdre Hutton later this month.

BPA fears and green concerns trigger launch of carton water

Safety fears over controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) and environmental concerns have prompted one US beverage company to start selling water in cartons.

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Safety is no accident in food factories

Industrial accidents are not funny. Does anyone need a reminder? Apparently yes; judging by how some headline writers and bloggers made light of the plight of Vincent Smith who died last week after falling into a vat of liquid chocolate at a New Jersey processing plant.

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SABMiller cuts long run European growth forecast

SABMiller has cut its long-term forecast for European sales growth as the global recession eats into demand for beer.

Japanese brewing giants consider merger

Media reports have suggested that beverage giants Kirin and Suntory are close to a merger but Kirin insists that nothing has been agreed.

ECJ reduces ADM citric acid cartel fine

Archer Daniels Midland has had is fine for taking part in a 1990s citric acid cartel reduced from €39.69m to €29.4m by the European Court of Justice, as it was not a leader in the cartel.

Bottled water producers under scrutiny as regulatory gaps revealed

Neither the public nor federal regulators in the United States know enough about where bottled water comes from or how it is made safe, the chairman of a congressional oversight committee has said.

Private label peak has passed, says analyst

Branded food and beverage manufacturers are fighting back against private label, according to a Bernstein researcher, and after a switch caused by price ‘sticker shock’ many consumers go back to their favourite brands.

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Coca-Cola turns to packaging to boost beverage sales

Coca-Cola hopes that packaging innovation will help to differentiate its products and drive sales in the highly competitive US carbonated drinks market.

Beverage packaging firms to join forces

Two US film-producing companies serving the beverage packaging industry have forged a strategic alliance to exploit synergies between shared markets, customers and products.

Codex confirms “alternative approach” for listeria monocytogenes in ready to eat food

The Codex Alimentarius Commission has moved quickly to clarify a newly ratified standard on permitted levels of listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in ready-to-eat (RTE) food after being challenged by the UK’s Chilled Food Association (CFA).

Recession drives low-cost food packaging: New report

The trend towards low-cost food packaging over the past two years, driven by global recession and volatile energy prices, is the main finding of a new study conducted by UK-based analysts Canadean.

Ocean Spray gets anti-cancer patent for cranberry seed oil

Ocean Spray has received a patent for methods of use of cranberry seed oil in applications designed to “treat” or “prevent” cancer and a host of other disease.

NZ unpasteurised milk proposal moves closer to reality

New Zealand’s Food Safety Authority has received a dozen responses supporting a proposal to allow the manufacture, sale and import and export of unpasteurised dairy products, and which would open up a new global market.

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Tetra Pak inaugurates green Chinese plant

Tetra Pak has announced the inauguration of its €60m packaging plant in China that operates entirely on green electricity.

Sustainable packing an emerging consumer trend - study

The increasing importance of sustainable packaging as a consumer issue means companies need to constantly reassess the amount of packing they use, according to a new report.

The FoodNavigator team's take on IFT 2009

Last month, major industry players got together in Anaheim, California for this year's IFT trade show - and the FoodNavigator team was there to cover all the latest developments.

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Defining nano: Size does matter

The Atlantic Ocean separates continents; it also separates schools of thought on the definition of nanotechnology. In order to educate manufacturers and consumers on nanotechnology a definition is critical.

Codex issues new standards on bacteria and chemicals for food manufacturers

New guidelines and codes of practice on acrylamides, follow-on baby formula and listeria testing in ready–to-eat foods were just some of the 30 standards adopted by Codex this week.

News in brief

Chr Hansen uncorks website on wine cultures

Chr Hansen is boosting awareness of its wine cultures with the launch of a new website to demonstrate its offerings, expertise, and way of working.

Bemis can acquire Alcan for $1.2 billion

Bemis Company has announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire acquire the Food Americas operations of Alcan Packaging for $1.2 billion.

Dispatches from EUSTAS stevia symposium

Early harmonisation urged for stevia standards, methods

As the stevia industry is poised for wide take-up, harmonisation and recognition of the need for standards is crucial to securing a good reputation from the outset, according to ChromaDex CEO.

Wild introduces premium rooibos infusion concept

Wild is introducing a new rooibos infusion idea for ready-to-drink teas that complements its existing black, white and green tea offerings, and taps the market for caffeine-free kids' drinks.

One-shot energy drinks show bullish growth

Beverage makers are clamoring for market share in the nascent one-shot energy drinks market that is delivering uber-healthy premiums and attracting older consumers to the category, according to a US and UK-oriented report.

Cerilliant releases new Reb A reference standards

Cerilliant has introduced two new certified reference standards for assessing the purity of Reb A, the high intensity all-natural sweetener from the leaves of the stevia plant.

Symrise targets authentic natural flavours with new analysis tool

Symrise has developed a new tool for comprehensive flavour analysis which it says will enable it to produce more authentic profiles quickly and efficiently – and develop more true to life natural flavours.

International Paper launches commercially compostable cold cup with Coke

International Paper (IP) has expanded its beverage container range with the launch of a commercially compostable cold cup in conjunction with Coca-Cola.

News in brief

PepsiCo opens its first green plant in China

Beverage and food giant PepsiCo has pledged to invest $1bn in China and has opened its first eco-friendly plant in the western city of Chongqing.