France occupies a select place in world dairy, as a large producer of cow milk and its products, but also other small ruminant milks such as goats and sheep. It accounts for 16 per cent of total cow milk intake, but also 14 per cent of the total intake for sheep milk, and 30 per cent for goat milk, according to the report. The last number makes it the top EU country for goat milk production. While overall milk production has dropped for cow milk, both the sheep and goat milk production went up in 2023, according to the IDF.

PDO milk supply

The amount of PDO products shows its importance to the industry there, with 51 different dairy PDOs, including 46 cheeses, according to Benoît Rouyer, economic outlook director at CNIEL, the French Dairy Inter-branch organisation. It is also home to five mountain areas which amount to 13 million hectares of farming. Additionally, five large processors – Lactalis, Danone, Savencia, Sodiaal and Bel – have products that are known globally and operate in many countries.

In a way, President Macron, who last month noted that the young chefs of France should be heading out to the world to upgrade and move French cuisine forward (having been outdone by Denmark lately), perhaps should look at all the dairy giants that quietly and persistently spread their products globally.

• Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
  Keep in touch via email: suzanne@bellpublishing.com
  Twitter: @dairyindustries or LinkedIn: Dairy Industries International magazine

The post The French in focus appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

It is politically important for the président de la République to attend the popular SIA on its opening day, (24 February this year). With his entourage, Emmanuel Macron usually visits the hundreds of stands in Hall 1 where French dairy and beef farmers show their cattle. The president had an early breakfast with farmers’ leaders. Not long afterwards, a large group of angry farmers had been faced with the riot police within the show, and were dealt with strongly.

This meant that Macron did not meet later with farmers, retailers and food processors to discuss economic and bureaucratic woes, as the farmers’ unions refused to take part. This situation sparked endless TV debates in voluble French for days, and arguments about the deep-seated grievances from France’s agricultural community about EU rules, bureaucracy, green issues and their government allowing cheap imports.

Cows on show

Every variety of French dairy cow was represented live in Hall 1, in stalls manned by their handlers and farmers, ready for showing in the large ring, with a pop-up milking parlour at the rear of the hall run by Alfa-Laval. Dairy farmers were actively giving interviews about their difficulties, and the effect on their families. So much of life in France is still rural and the mood is desperate.

This contretemps delayed the opening of the show, which is not just a trade event, but attracts 600,000 visitors over two weeks, from Paris and beyond – including many families, as it is held during the French schools’ half term. It is, however, also a political fixture for all parties to engage with public and producers at the show and to make sure there are plenty of photographers. France’s prime minister Gabriel Attal said, “This agricultural show needs to stay as its always been, a national celebration… happy and peaceful.”

When I arrived early on Monday, I was expecting extra security, but judging panels were let in with very little delay, giving us a chance to have a coffee and croissant before our time in Hall 7 of the massive complex at the Porte de Versailles. The Concours Général Agricole is the professional section, and judges all the food and drink specialities of France. It is always exciting to be part of this 300-plus group, mainly French, who are going to spend the morning on tables of six, assessing and tasting the best of French dairy – regional and nationally produced cheeses, but also yogurt, butter, and milk powder. This Concours annually awards medals, and marketing incentives to France’s best-known food and drink products.

Take a table

Ushered through one small entrance after half an hour’s wait, the view was fabulous. A hall full of tables with cheeses that were large, such as Beaufort and Cantal; goat’s milk logs covered with ash; ultra white ewe’s milk delicacies, rind washed pungent Epoisses, large soft rinded Brie de Meaux, to blues of Bleu d’Auvergne, Roquefort and Fourme d’Ambert. The aromas were so appealing to anyone who loves cheese.

This year, I was on Table 131 and presented with five square, slightly golden Pont l’Evêques. Fellow jurors included three cheese makers, one chef, and a consumer, who had judged for years.

The cheeses were examined closely and matched to the official Pont l’Evêque AOP description, its qualities and faults are carefully noted, slowly and meticulously. Cheeses should be about three to four centimetres thick, with parallel sides. AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protegée) has its essential characteristics, including the colour of the rind; a leger duvet (light duvet) of white mould; the creamy pale yellow paste inside and a slight elasticity in texture. These are part of the heritage of production, important to the French consumer as well as the cheese maker.

Although I’ve had the privilege of taking part in these judging sessions for some years, I’m always slightly apprehensive, because I have to write my comments in French, including points out of 20. The most points go to the aroma and flavour. We are looking for “creamy, slightly nutty, a bit of ‘stable’, but intense, possessing a good rich taste which stays in the mouth.” The discussion was knowledgeable, and at times quite heated. The tasting was prolonged and very challenging.

Because there were only five cheeses in this class we could only award one gold medal, and it ended up being four judges for a slightly softer mature Pont l’Evḕque. Although not as firm as some, the taste was very full and traditional. Two argued against it, and it was great to listen to the Gallic discussion, although I’d already decided that cheese was our gold.

Having spent all the morning tasting five cheeses, there were another thousand or so to taste up in Hall 7.2 (25-27 February). The Salon du Fromage et Produits Laitiers is a show within a show, for trade only, every two years. This year, it was larger, brighter and very impressive. Registering 8,500 visitors, there were 290 exhibitors, with 60 per cent French and the other 40 per cent from 15 countries. Feedback has been very positive, with new products, professional seminars, latest trends, and conviviality. This is a great advantage of shows in France, as after midday most stands are opening bottles and welcoming distributors, wholesalers and restauranteurs.

There was so much to enjoy, but the colourful Bouchons illustrated the trend for small cheeses for starters or apéritifs, with the use of fruit, flowers and other garnishes (see photo). The larger French producers were very pleased with the number of visitors to the show, especially as Brexit has caused problems that can be addressed better face to face.

There were 7,233 judges for the two weeks – let loose on wine, eau-de-vie, dairy products, oysters, charcuterie, foie gras, honey and so forth. They awarded 649 gold medals, 784 silver and 413 bronzes, and demonstrating “a diversity of knowledge and experience, which have ensured the integrity and quality of the Concours results. Your expertise, your involvement and your passion have contributed to making this event a veritable success.” Merci. It was a privilege to be part of it.

The post Conflict at the Salon appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

Meanwhile, the French government has asked Danone and other French companies to cut their prices on consumer goods, according to Reuters. Like most other countries, consumers are seeing higher prices in the supermarkets in France, although ironically, British retailers have quickly gone back to their ways of involving milk in their price wars, Farmers Guardian reported in a recent blog by Liz Haines, a dairy farmer in the UK. (www.farmersguardian.com) 

That being said, optimism is the long term outlook, as more people continue to consume dairy. An Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) Export conference last week discussed the increasing demand for meat and dairy worldwide. Global fresh dairy production consumption is expected to increase by 2.53% to 2024, according to the OECD, and the UK government has added £2 million to the pot for global trade shows and missions, along with a £1 million bespoke export support fund for the UK dairy sector, which was announced in the government’s “Farm to Fork Summit” recently, Nicholas Saphir, AHDB chair noted. AHDB for its part has unveiled Beyond Borders, a strategy for delivering enhanced services for the agricultural sectors for international trading. (www.ahdb.org.uk) 

As they say in sports, it’s all to play for. 

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• Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
  Keep in touch via email: suzanne@bellpublishing.com
  Twitter: @dairyindustries or LinkedIn: Dairy Industries International magazine

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Bretagne Manutention, part of the Fenwick Group, specialises in the sale and maintenance of handling equipment such as forklift trucks, electric pallet trucks and aerial platforms. Its head office in Rennes, France and the eight branches spread across Brittany and Mayenne, comprise 200 people. Some branches employ lifting equipment specialists, from the time when Fenwick offered hoists, and work in partnership with Verlinde. This is the case of the Laval branch, which has been working for 30 years in a cheese dairy plant for the maintenance and equipment of handling products, which has around 50 items.

The Mayennaise cheese plant, which produces several varieties of cheese, is equipped with a brining room. This process consists of soaking the cheeses in a brine bath so that they absorb the salt. The room has seven dipping tanks, each equipped with a hoist that handles the cheese-filled trays. These are soaked in the brine baths in several stages, then sent to the maturing cellar.

The cheese plant used chain hoists from a rival manufacturer but had problems of corrosion on the lifting chains despite regular lubrication. This oxidation was causing numerous production stoppages. During a customer visit, Dominique Denou, sales manager at Bretagne Manutention Laval, recommended Verlinde Eurolift BH electric belt hoists to replace those using traditional chain hoist technology.

Verlinde Eurolift BH electric belt hoists meet the strictest hygiene standards in the food industry. The special feature of these hoists is that they are equipped with a high-strength, rot-proof lifting belt and a dirt-free guide system for use in all kinds of environments. The mechanically variable two-speed lift motor and the two-speed steering motor, together with a sealed gearbox, provide the movement of loads from 500 to 5,000kg.

The cheese maker asked Bretagne Manutention for a complete study, as it wanted to optimise the entire lifting solution to increase the load capacities of the hoists from 1,000 kg to 1,200 kg. Verlinde assisted Bretagne Manutention with these offers.

In addition to optimising the lifting part, the project also involved specific structural constraints: as a general rule, a Eurolift BH hoist moves on an IPN rail, but the configuration of the brine room did not allow the hoist enough travel with this type of rail. The existing structure had to be changed and the loads of the suspended structure recalculated, which was expensive, or the hoists had to be adapted. Verlinde proposed to move the hoist motor to a different location in order to gain height and thus reuse the existing galvanised hollow section rails.

The first Eurolift BH hoist was installed in 2020. Within three months, the test proved successful: maintenance and lubrication operations were reduced and corrosion problems were eliminated. The other six hoists were then replaced, reducing breakdowns and production downtime. The installation is maintained by Bretagne Manutention Maintenance. Monitoring is regular, with a visit every six months.

For more information, visit: www.verlinde.com

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The multi-year campaign aims to make Emmentaler AOP a versatile, varied and permanent part of the lives of young consumers. Analysis of the target groups previously carried out by Emmentaler Switzerland shows that the consumption and enjoyment habits are closely linked to lifestyle, sociability and well-being. Whether they are culinary foodies, lifestyle-oriented and health-conscious digital natives, travelers or family-oriented epicureans: they appreciate transparency, high quality and sustainability and love to share their food with friends and family.

“Share a Piece of You marks the start of the future for Emmentaler AOP,” says Urs Schluechter, director of Emmentaler Switzerland.  “A world-renowned brand with a centuries-old tradition not only shares its values with its previous consumers, but also with the younger generations – the millennials – who believe in the same values that have always inspired Emmentaler AOP. The strongest asset of this campaign is the chosen language and tonality and the ability to address the issues, which matter most to the younger generations. Much more than a repositioning, Share a Piece of You is a powerful and immediate call to action, which connects our brand with the modern consumer.”

In the coming months, the brand campaign will be launched in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, France, the Benelux countries and Spain. Depending on the country, the campaign can be seen in various online and offline media such as TV, online news portals, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and on the website, emmentaler.ch. The aim is to continuously increase awareness of Emmentaler AOP, especially among young people.

The campaign will tell that the cheese icon is a sustainably manufactured Swiss natural product. Whether pure or in combination with other fine ingredients, whether in cold or warm dishes, Emmentaler AOP is made to be enjoyed.

The Emmentaler Switzerland variety organisation is behind the campaign It promotes natural Emmentaler AOP made from raw milk in a long-term and sustainable manner in Switzerland and abroad on behalf of its members, and consists of three interest groups: milk producers, cheese manufacturers and trading companies.

The post Marketing for Emmentaler appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

It’s a good litmus test of how things are returning to some kind of normal, when one heads to a trade show and the aisles are busy with visitors. It must have been a balm to the organisers, Informa, to see Fi Europe, one of their flagship expositions, back up and running in a new venue in Paris 6-8 November –  Paris Expo de la Porte de Versailles.

Prinova was there in hall four with PlantGuard, which is a natural preservative for hindering microbial spoilage and extending shelf life for products. It can be used across multiple applications and only needs low doses to be effective, the company says. It is particularly effective against the formation of gram-positive bacteria, which is more prevalent in juices and dairy, but is also somewhat effective against some gram-negative bacteria, yeasts and moulds, noted Chloe Downs, the technical account manager for the UK & Ireland at Prinova. It offers a neutral tase, is non-GMO, heat stable, and can be used for a clean label on products.

At Myco Technology, also in the same hall, Lisa Wetstone, senior director of strategy and marketing, was discussing the exciting options for the firm’s ClearIQ flavour, a natural bitter blocker and flavour modifier derived from mushroom fermentation, which allows higher nutrient density and reduction of salt and sugar. The company has also embarked on a joint venture with IFF in the Asia-Pacific region to co-develop alternative proteins. The two companies have already worked together in the US and feature in a new collaboration in Europe, the firms say. “It’s really exciting for the market,” Wetstone notes.

ADM’s communications manager, Chris Saynor, says dairy trends have inspired the company’s plant-based spoonable snack, which was based on pea and soy proteins. For dairy, ADM’s range of products include ingredients such as tea and coffee, guarana and maca botanical extracts for use in yogurt and yogurt drinks.

Marie-Bénédicte Charpentier, head of EMEAI marketing and growth director, notes it is very important to be delivering solutions to customers. “Our formulations here are aiming to inspire customers with concepts that are specialised and adaptive.” Hendrik Freudenstein, the general manager for food at ADM, added that bitter flavour masking and indulgence were two of the trends the range of ADM ingredients was addressing. Meanwhile, consumers are also looking for diversification in taste trends.

Geographically, tastes were also somewhat divergent, as in places such as Africa, protein-based products were key, while APAC was interested in fibres and prebiotics. Products such as ambient yogurts were opening up new areas for ADM’s range as well in that region, they note. Iago Quintana, business development director probiotics F&B Global at ADM, says the metabolic and mental health aspects of products is a growing issue in the marketplace as well.

At Beneo, Rudi Wouters, head of its technology centre, was on hand to discuss nutritional values and how despite them, the product has to be tasty. “We have found that is the most important aspect of any product. Consumers will only re-buy a product when it’s tasty.” He noted the fava bean ingredients had a very neutral taste, which blended well with other ingredients. Palatinose, meanwhile is a slowly digestible and low-glycaemic carbohydrate. Due to being slowly absorbed, it provides energy in a balanced and prolonged way, as reflected in the curve representing its low and steady blood glucose response. It is derived from sucrose and has a very mild natural taste in addition to being non-cariogenic, according to the company.

Interest is growing for prebiotics as well in Europe, according to its surveys. The level has grown to 48 per cent from 38 per cent, the data shows. “There is a lot of confusion between probiotics and probiotics, but people are interested and they are seen as natural,” Myriam Snaet, manager of market intelligence and consumer insights at Beneo, observes. Influencers are also keen as prebiotics are seen as proven, natural ingredients, she notes.

Ingredia for its part was upholding the dairy sector, according to Séverine Lemoine, communications manager at Ingredia. “A lot of exhibitors are focusing on plant-based ingredients, but we want to show dairy as healthy, tasty and not dead! Our farmers work hard and produce good quality ingredients,” she says. In its marketing, Ingredia introduced its new mascot, the adorable Cowlaite, along with a new app that shows consumers via QR code as to where the milk came from, and where it was bottled and collected. Consumers can read about the biodiversity of the farms and the measures they take for sustainability and reducing emissions. José Luis Pinedo Rivera, product manager for Ingredia, showed how the information can change batch to batch on the QR codes.

Nexira for its part was highlighting the natural processing of its selection of ingredients, including Naltive locust bean, tara bean and guar gums as texturisers. Julie Imperato, marketing communications manager of Nexira, says there are so many developments in finished products, that the key is being understandable to the consumer on the product label. Tara gum is useful for preventing the growth of ice crystals in ice cream applications, while guar gum improves the taste in ice cream, and locust bean is useful for creaminess and mouthfeel for products.

Over at Rousselot, Pierre-Albert Thomas, global technical support director says there are new projects across the board at the company, and that it is extending its product lines, such as collagens. He did notice that while there was a sizeable attendee contingent from Asia, the Chinese visitors were absent, as they have been discouraged from travelling due to Covid-19 restrictions. Gelatine remains the firm’s core business, with recognised technical values and as milk protein prices increase, there has been quite some use with gelatine for use in products, he notes.

Cargill’s stand, as with many of the others, was very busy. The stand was separated into different sectors, so dairy had its own chocolate drink and ice cream mini-stand set around the edges of the larger booth. Joachim Cierbaux, associate application specialist dairy for Cargill was dishing out both plant-based and milk-based cocoa drinks, featuring Gherkins coca powders and a texturizing blend to prevent separation. The ice cream saw a 30 per cent reduction in sugar, in line with European rules on reduced sugars in products. It contained soluble corn fibre and coconut oil, along with a stabilising blend. The fibre was produced at Cargill’s new facility in Poland, using a process developed with Germany’s Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, Cierbaux says. “It offers a significant reduction without losing the sensory properties and mouthfeel,” he adds. “It also makes for a very simple recipe, with no off taste.”

Finnish dairy giant Valio was offering solutions on-stand, with protein enriched, sugar reduced dairy products, featuring clean label and digestive wellness options. These were made by employing Valio Eila Pro lactose-free and low lactose milk powders, in both SMP and WMP versions. Product concepts included a high protein dairy beverage in a chocolate-coffee flavour, with 20g of protein per serving and low fat, along with no artificial sweeteners and lactose free claims.

Vitalis Nutrition for its part, offered Canadian milk made into protein concentrates and isolates, and galacto-oligosaccharides. Applications include everything from yogurt and snacks to ice cream and pet food, the company says.

Kerry of Ireland used its stand to offer talks throughout the exhibition, regarding sustainable nutrition, as well as a discussion of nutrition legislation using its NutriGuide, which was a hot topic for most of the attendees. The firm also tackled sodium and sugar reduction and reformulating products, which fell under the same area. NutriGuide is an online tool can support brands in navigating the changing landscape, quantifying the nutrition score of products against over 10 global nutrient profile models and guiding users on how that score can be improved.

At stand D60 in hall 4, fruit and vegetable ingredient supplier SVZ announced its plans to inspire the food and beverage industry with fresh concepts and sustainable growth plans. Visitors were introduced to SVZ’s latest innovation: Carte Blanche white base solutions, designed to help manufacturers deliver vibrant flavours and colours with reduced sugar content. In addition to the new concepts on display, attendees can also discover SVZ’s vision for a fairer and greener future for the food and beverage sector via its c2030 initiative.

Equipment and testing

It wasn’t all ingredients. Industry giant GEA was on hand, detailing its separation and filling technology, along with its freeze-drying capacities, as well as its engineering capabilities.

Lab and pilot equipment maker Omve showcased its range of pilot scale spray drying units, which can process up to 10-20kg per hour and offers a pneumatic hammer to retrieve powders from the drying walls to increase the yields. Complete process plants were also offered, ranging from 10 up to 100 litres per hour, and with homogenisation, HTST/UHT and filling available.

On the testing side, the UK’s Centre for Industrial Rheology was on hand to discuss its laboratory for providing testing, training and consulting. These include rheology, surface and interfacial analysis, powder rheology and other analyses. Training on viscosity and rheology is also offered, along with consulting and advice.

The post Ingredients on fire at Fi Europe appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

Listeria monocytogenes is a psychrotolerant and halotolerant bacteria. As such, it can grow at low temperatures and has the ability to persist in food‐processing areas and equipment. Cheeses made with unpasteurized or raw milk are estimated to be 50 to 160 times more likely to cause Listeria infection
compared to those made with pasteurized milk. Although pasteurization of milk kills Listeria monocytogenes, products made from pasteurized milk can still be contaminated by cross‐contamination from the production process or the environment.

In order to answer the rising demand for a natural and safe solution to this critical issue, LSC now offers the Lalcult Protect LC1, a bioprotective culture composed of an exclusive Carnobacterium maltaromaticum strain patented by University of Lorraine, a renowned French university.
Tests carried out at the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) have confirmed the bioprotective effect of Lalcult Protect LC1 through significant limitation of the growth of Listeria monocytogenes concentration on different cheese technologies

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Now the Gruyère AOP organisation is looking askance at a new brand, Antoine de Fribourg, de la Gruyère/Glâne. The Internet shows that Walo von Mühlenen has registered the brand as a semi-hard cheese made at Mont Gibloux in France.

According to the Gruyère AOP organisation, it is a bit of a disaster that the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IGE) doesn’t do more to protect the Swiss Gruyère cheese identity. This is because IGE thereby also supports the legal opinion, which is widespread in the US that the name Gruyère is a generic term and does not stand for a very specific cheese – namely Gruyère AOP – which is supposed to be produced only in Switzerland in accordance with public-law specifications.

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The post Danone merges in DACH appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

To submit a news item for inclusion, please contact Suzanne Christiansen at suzanne@bellpublishing.com or Alex Rivers at arivers@bellpublishing.com.

• Danone has reformulated 100% of its children’s portfolio so that it meets the nutritional criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO) which, in the case of dairy, recommends a limited consumption of fats and sugars.
• Ingredient-solutions brand NZMP and Maypro have entered into an agreement in which Maypro will be an authorised reseller of NZMP’s BifidoB HN019 and LactoB HN001 probiotic strains in North America.
• Dairy UK recently brought healthcare professionals, researchers and the industry sector experts together to discuss the latest science showing the benefits of dairy foods in supporting healthy ageing and sustainable diets.
• Beneo has announced a quadrupling of the storage capacity for functional ingredients at its Offstein facility in Germany.

The post Roundup: Ingredients appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

With this decision, the company puts an end to having to choose between fun or healthy, between sugar or flavour. To achieve this, Danone has invested €1 million in the last five years and has worked hand in hand with a multidisciplinary team of more than 20 professionals, to nutritionally improve the profile of children’s favourite yogurts, with a focus on reducing added sugars. All yogurts of the brands Danonino, Actimel Kids and Danone yogurt for children already meet the nutritional criteria set by the WHO.

Specifically, in terms of total sugars, a total of 10g of sugar per 100g of product, maintaining the same flavour that the little ones love without adding artificial sweeteners. “In life, when you think you have all the answers, suddenly you have children and all the questions change you. But when you’re a parent, the hardest question you ask yourself: Am I doing it right? At Danone we want to answer that question. Our commitment is that all children have a healthy life, thus correcting the high rates of childhood overweight and obesity that worry families so much. This decision is even more visible today, reaffirms our commitment to the health of the new generations and, in short, places us as the first food company in Spain to apply this commitment in all its proposals aimed at children”, explains Natalia Berenguer, general secretary of Danone Iberia.

This announcement marks a new milestone in the reformulation process of added sugars that Danone began in 2014 in all its products. Currently, 90% of Danone’s portfolio in Spain corresponds to healthy products for daily consumption, about 50% of the references available in the market are without added sugars and, one in five, are natural yogurt (milk, ferments and nothing else), a growing segment for the company.

The post Danone reformulates for less sugar in children’s products appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

Over the next few years, a flexible production facility will be built in Dieue-sur-Meuse, France, where different types of milk can be processed into soft cheese, cream cheese, and hard and semi-hard cheese. The plant is set to become a best practice example in terms of sustainability throughout the group due to its processing of recyclable packaging and the reduction of carbon footprint, Hochland noted.

In 2021, not only were the milk receiving lanes renovated and the gallery for milk buffer tanks expanded, the soft cheese ripening rooms also underwent renovation, and the wastewater treatment plant was renewed. Finally, the construction of a new employee parking lot has been implemented.

In Schongau, German ground was broken in mid-March 2021 for the new, fully automated high-bay warehouse. It will be equipped with two climate zones and around 10,000 pallet spaces for refrigerated finished goods, non-refrigerated auxiliary and operating materials, more than tripling the existing storage capacities at the site. Completion is scheduled for July.

The production of Gervais cottage cheese was additionally relocated to Schongau last year. To this end, existing production facilities were converted, and new equipment installed. So capacities to produce white cheese will be expanded by 2023.

In Heimenkirch the preparatory work has begun on a new shipping building, a high-bay warehouse, and a parking garage with over 700 parking spaces, all part of an overall concept with which Hochland is taking its development into its own hands for the next ten years.

Hochland is not only investing in its sites. In the coming years, many millions will be used to further expand, for example in the areas of sustainability and animal welfare, the company noted. To ensure that this can be implemented effectively, Hochland farmers will receive appropriate supplements on their milk payments.

The post Hochland plans expansion in Europe appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

To submit a news item for inclusion, please contact Suzanne Christiansen at suzanne@bellpublishing.com or Alex Rivers at arivers@bellpublishing.com.

• IFE, International Food & Drink Event, has announced its line-up of industry speakers for its return to ExCeL London on 21-23 March 2022.
• Greiner Packaging to exhibit sustainable packaging offerings at Cfia 2022
• Enercon Industries Limited has announced Super Seal, the latest generation of its induction cap sealers.
• Sacmi is returning to ProPak Africa, an international packaging and processing fair being held in South Africa from 8-11 March 2022.
• Ornua Foods unveils greener packaging for its Pilgrims Choice grated cheese
• SIG has announced the launch of SIGNATURE EVO, the world’s first aluminium-free full barrier packaging materials for aseptic carton packs.

The post Roundup: Packaging appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

“For over 60 years, Greiner Packaging has produced innovative and sustainable packaging, designed to protect a wide variety of food products from yogurts to salads, for customers all over the world,” said sales director Cédric Fleury. “Today, Greiner Packaging is focused on producing sustainable plastic packaging, delivering innovative solutions developed through design for recycling and reducing the use of plastic, while increasing the amount of recycled material, and reducing CO₂.”

For 25 years, Cfia has provided the forum for the biggest players in the food-processing sector to meet and network with international suppliers presenting their latest innovations.

Visitors can pre-book one-on-one appointments with sales director Cédric Fleury and the French Greiner Packaging team by visiting the Greiner Packaging website.

K3 cardboard-plastic packaging

Greiner Packaging’s K3 cardboard-plastic packaging solution is one of the world’s most sustainable packaging choices. Dairy customers were the first to capitalise on its environmental benefits and added-value marketing features, but K3 has now also been widely adopted by producers in the food-on-the-go, and in-cup drinks markets.

K3 combines a lightweight plastic cup with a removable cardboard outer wrap. Plastic remains the most effective packaging medium for food products as it protects, extends shelf-life and reduces food waste. The K3 cup saves up to 50% plastic when compared to a direct printed cup of the same size, and as well as being fully recyclable, the plastic used to make K3 cups can also be made from recycled materials such as rPET.

A tear-tab enables easy and separation of the two parts by consumers, so that they can go to the correct recycling streams. To deal with the occasions when that does not happen, Greiner Packaging has now also successfully trialled K3 r100 – a solution in which the cardboard wrap separates itself from the plastic cup during the waste collection process, and therefore before the packaging arrives at the NIR (near infrared) detection in the sorting unit. This development makes K3 cups substantially easier to recycle, with the cardboard and plastic assigned to the correct material streams during the initial sorting process before being recycled.

IML and T-IML lightweight and thermoformed cups 

IML lightweight cups deliver a 20% weight reduction compared to standard IML cups. They offer a smaller carbon footprint thanks to reduction in materials, are made out of Polypropylene (PP) for filling with warm or cold products, and feature IML (in-mold label) decoration for optimal branding and premium look.

In the past, the in-mold labeling (IML) decoration method was only ever used in combination with injection molding production technology. But now, Greiner Packaging has built on its longstanding core competency in thermoforming to offer thermoformed IML cups (T-IML). The benefit of the technique is reduced material usage – less plastic is required for thermoformed cups, which saves resources while also making the cups lighter. As a result, T-IML cups are responsible for fewer CO₂ emissions during transportation. Both the cup and the IML label are made of PP, making for a monomaterial solution that is very easy to recycle.

Digital watermarks

“Visitors to Cfia will see how Greiner Packaging is working with the latest technologies to improve recycling through the use of digital watermarks to enable easier sorting,” said Cédric Fleury. “And they can be part of the process by scanning the digital watermark on our interactive K3 promotion cup with their smartphones. They can then enjoy the augmented reality experience as the cup comes alive and tells them how to recycle the packaging!”.

Find out more about Greiner Packaging at Cfia Rennes here.

The post Greiner Packaging to exhibit sustainable packaging offerings at Cfia 2022 appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

To submit a news item for inclusion, please contact Suzanne Christiansen at suzanne@bellpublishing.com or Alex Rivers at arivers@bellpublishing.com.

• Tetra Pak, in partnership with Elvir, a subsidiary of Savencia Fromage & Dairy – a global milk processor – has become the first carton packaging player in the F&B industry to launch a cap using certified recycled polymers.
• Easyfairs has announced that Packaging Innovations & Empack 2022, the annual event driving innovation and investment in the UK packaging sector, will be postponed from its current February 2022 dates to new dates of 25 & 26 May 2022.
• The decision by Morrisons to remove Use-By-dates from milk packaging to avoid food wastage is welcomed news for the dairy industry, according to the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF).
• The rectangular cups of the entire Tuffi Quark range from FrieslandCampina will be replaced at the beginning of January 2022 by round cups.
• Packaging specialist Serac has launched its new LINEA XS, an all-terrain filler for medium outputs.
• Elopak has been announced as a winner of a WorldStar 2022 Packaging Award for its Pure-Pak Imagine carton in the Packaging Materials and Components category.

The post Roundup: Packaging appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

Elle & Vire chose the HeliCap 23 cap solution to complement its cream products, which are distributed in Tetra Brik Aseptic one-litre, Slim carton packages. This one-step resealable screwcap is manufactured at Tetra Pak’s Châteaubriant plant in Loire-Atlantique, France, a site that has been awarded the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Advanced Products certification and boosted by a €100 million investment to accelerate the transition to the production of tethered caps. The HeliCap 23 cap offers consumers ease of opening and features a clearly visible tamper evidence ring.

Chakib Kara, managing director France & Benelux at Tetra Pak, comments: “We are extremely proud of the work being done alongside Elle & Vire. Together, we are contributing to making recycling more economically viable, while addressing increasing consumer preference for responsible companies. Comparative studies show that, already today, our paper-based carton packages have a lower carbon footprint than alternative options, such as glass, plastic or metal packages. Deploying cartons integrating attributed recycled polymers represents a key step in our journey towards the ultimate sustainable food package, one that is fully made of responsibly sourced renewable or recycled materials, fully recyclable and carbon neutral.”

Annick Renou, global marketing director at Elvir, adds: “By adopting caps which integrate attributed recycled polymers, Elle & Vire is a pioneer in circularity. Based on recent research, approximately three in four French consumers are concerned with environmental issues, and the same number say that their purchase intention increases if a brand is addressing sustainability issues. I am sure this will strengthen our position in the cream market, while meeting the increasing expectations of our consumers.”

The new caps using attributed recycled polymers are manufactured under the RSB chain of custody attribution method. This means that the plastics are made of a mix of recycled and non-recycled materials, with the corresponding mass of recycled materials tracked throughout the Tetra Pak supply chain. This is verified by a third-party auditor according to the RSB Chain of Custody Procedure, which forms part of the RSB Advanced Products certification.

Marco Marchetti, VP packaging materials, sales and distribution solutions at Tetra Pak, concludes: “As a signatory of the Ellen MacArthur New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, Tetra Pak has pledged to incorporate a minimum of 10% recycled plastic content on average across carton packages sold in Europe by 2025. Having listened to Elle & Vire’s demands and activated our ecosystem of partners, such as INEOS and RSB, who are helping us to move away from virgin, fossil-based resources, we are now one step closer to reaching this goal.”

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To submit a news item for inclusion, please contact Suzanne Christiansen at suzanne@bellpublishing.com or Alex Rivers at arivers@bellpublishing.com.

• Packaging specialist Serac has launched its new LINEA XS, an all-terrain filler for medium outputs.
• Gemak has been awarded the contract for “Project Dragon” to manufacture, install and commission a state-of-the-art whey processing and concentration facility and a cheese CIP plant for South Caernarfon Creameries.
• After five years of work and an investment of €45 million, Lactalis Ingredients was able to inaugurate its new whey drying tower on its Verdun factory (France).
• Asian dairy producer Yili Group is launching the Indonesia’s largest ice cream production base – click here to also watch our latest video on the launch.

The post Roundup: Processing appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

This new tower, equipped with the latest drying technologies, allows the production of 30,000 tonnes of whey powder intended for the food industry. It produces high fluidity sweet whey powder marketed under the Flowhey brand and manufactured through a technology designed by Lactalis Ingredients to optimise the drying of the whey.

According to Lactalis, the tower has benefited from the latest technical knowledge aimed to modernise and make more reliable the company’s drying process while minimising its impact on the environment.

The Verdun plant, which employs 140 people, now has an overall production capacity of 75,000 tonnes of whey products per year thus opening up new markets for Lactalis Ingredients. The very composition of the whey (80% lactose, 11% protein), coupled with an innovative technology, will allow Lactalis Ingredient to sell more whey powder in human nutrition (chocolate, dairy products, biscuits, processed cheeses, etc) while developing international positions.

Flowhey drying technology

This new technology aims to optimise the lactose crystallisation contained in the whey in order to avoid unstable forms that are more hygroscopic and risky to caking.

Flowhey High Fluidity powders is particularly advantageous in exports conditions known to be hot and humid – areas that often are critical for the storage of whey.

Its high fluidity characteristics also allow bags or big bags to be emptied two to three times faster than standard whey, while limiting the release of dust into the atmosphere in the workshops.

The Lactalis site at Verdun has long had a CSR programme in place, with a diverse approach based on pioneering technologies and human initiative. This approach includes:

• Reduction of carbon impact from transportation: the concentration of liquid whey transferred to the Verdun site has been increased in order to reduce the number of tankers on the roads by nearly 15% over the last four years.
• Reduction of water consumption at the Verdun site by 55% over the last 20 years. One of the key actions is the reuse of process water, amounting to 25% of total consumption at the site.
• Reduction of atmospheric emissions by 96.7% over the last 20 years. Increase of energy production yields on various production facilities.
• In collaboration with the Bordeaux company NewHeat, the largest solar thermal power plant for industrial use in Europe is going to be built next to the Verdun site in 2022. The hot water produced by this plant will reduce the site’s gas consumption by 10%. CO2 emissions will also be reduced by 2000T per year. Confirmation of this project has been possible thanks to the help of the Ecological Transition Agency (ADEME).
• In 2022, environmental efforts at the Lactalis site at Verdun will also take the form of enabling green mobility through the installation of charging stations for electric cars for staff and an electric bicycle charging station powered by photovoltaic panels.

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1) Fermented products for a natural and functional diet

Epi Ingredients, specialist in the production of yogurt powders, plays a role in the nutritional quality of the food industry’s products.

Epi Ingredients is a reference in the fermentation industry, a trend where tradition and technology are combined to reveal the best of nature. The dynamics of this sector are driven by eco-friendly awareness and clean labelling. According to the company, consumers are more than ever looking for natural products with intrinsic health benefits.

This demand, amplified by the health crisis, creates a space for dairy products with a beneficial effect on digestive, immune and mental health, with ingredients rich in proteins and lactic ferments.

The fermentation process adds beneficial bacteria and enhanced micronutrients to foods for better nutritional quality. Scientific research suggests that our digestive and immune systems can benefit from a balanced gut flora.

In parallel, for consumers looking for new culinary experiences, Epi Ingredients has developed fermented dairy powders such as Skyr and Kefir. The process makes it possible to obtain a mixture of milk and living cultures. These “ethnic” powders can be used in the formulation of fresh or long-life products that are positioned on authenticity and discovery.

In this ecosystem, Epi Ingredients has developed EPILAC: providing the health benefits of yogurt with added convenience.

EPILAC is a full range of premium fermented powders perfectly adapted to the development of products offering functional, nutritional and organoleptic benefits, without refrigeration constraints.

The company cites the benefits of this range as:

• Natural taste of yogurt: Epi ingredients makes a yogurt and then dries it, unlike a more acidic milk powder. It is easy to implement, and can be incorporated into a wide selection of food matrixes; thus providing strong but pleasant dairy flavors and natural acidity to the finished product.
• Controls fermentation to obtain active or inactive flora
• Quality: Clean label ingredients. Epi Ingredients can adapt formulations to comply with local regulations. Epi’s powders are made using an industrial machine which manufactures infant powder, thus a very high level of hygiene which allows for infant application.
• Originality: In 2019, a range of ethnic powders (Kefir and Skyr) was launched to join the finished product trend.

Visitors to the Fi Europe event will be able to get an idea of thepotential of these milk powders designed to be used as ingredients or fillings in a wide range of applications such as: Ice cream, Beverages, Infant Nutrition, Adult Nutrition, Bakery.

2) And tomorrow: how to innovate in other applications (snacking, confectionery…) with dairy ingredients?

Epi Ingredients is also able to develop new references quickly according to the specific needs of its customers. Epi uses the  example of confectionery, stating that this is a shrinking market that is heavily criticised, with sugar now the subject of particular attention.

To meet consumer expectations, industry players are vigilant about sugar and are looking for growth opportunities. Bringing more functionality and naturalness to the product is possible. After a difficult year in 2020, the confectionery industry is getting back on track. Naturalness is at the heart of innovation, says Epi.

“This is what Epi Ingredients is proposing with its So Candy concept, a comprehensive confectionery application presented exclusively at the FIE. Epi Ingredients offers a concrete opportunity to improve recipes using a nutritional approach with less sugar. In fact, it is interesting to associate the ingredients of confectionery, which suffers from a bad image, and those of yogurt, which conveys a good image to consumers driven by naturalness,” comments Mathieu Lucot, Epi Ingredients’ marketing manager.

Several other tasting models with yogurt powders will also be presented at the show, such as:

• Marshmallow with choco shell (with Yoghurt Powder 48 (Black Choco) and Kefir Powder (Ruby Choco) in the marshmallow and the choco
• Jelly candies in two flavours containing Yogurt Powder 48
• Berlingot containing Epiyog 47 and Skyr Powder.

The use of yogurt powders is not limited. Epi ingredients will also present an application in wafer fillings at FIE 2021.

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SIG’s filling technology provides an output of 12,000 packs per hour on its CFA 812 filling machine.

Noëmie Buffet, product and category manager at Triballat Noyal says, “This new 50/50 mix offers our consumers a great tasting yet healthy drink. The visually appealing packaging enables us to stand out in retail and offer the very best in sustainability for our consumers.”

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