Cereals and bakery preparations

Crunch time? Danone in talks to sell biscuit biz Michel et Augustin to Ferrero ecosystem

07-Dec-2023 By Flora Southey

Seven years after first investing in Michel et Augustin, Danone is in ‘exclusive’ negotiations with potential buyer Ferrero-related company CTH Invest.

Butter’s time to shine? The innovations churning up traditional spreads

06-Dec-2023 By Flora Southey

After decades of ‘very little’ innovation by heritage brands, is butter (and its plant-based counterparts) having a moment? FoodNavigator investigates.

Domino’s innovation lead talks trends, nutrition and sustainability in pizza: ‘You couldn’t do this job if you didn’t love food’

05-Dec-2023 By Flora Southey

Innovation director at Domino’s Pizza Group, Louise Pilkington, talks us through the process of rethinking pizzas, sides and desserts for today’s consumer.

Bakery waste to be put to use as sustainable oils and fats in new partnership

29-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

How can bread waste products be put to good use? In a new partnership between UK-based Clean Food Group and Roberts Bakery, the former will use its fermentation technology to transform the waste products of the latter into oils and fats that can be used...

‘Until recently, LCAs have been costly and labour-intensive’: DSM-Firmenich brings environmental footprints to meat, milk and egg products

20-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

DSM-Firmenich and Sustained are collaborating to capture animal protein life cycle assessment impacts at the farm level, making it easier for food makers to assess and communicate the environmental footprint of their products.

Unilever unearths regen ag findings for Knorr and Hellmann’s: ‘The time for pilots is over. It’s time to go big’

02-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

The environmental impact results from Unilever’s first set of regenerative agriculture projects in Spain, Italy, and the US have been dug up, with findings suggesting boons for food resilience and environmental sustainability.

Is it time for the ‘outdated’ supermarket free from aisle to evolve?

27-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As free from brands spot long-term growth potential, a perpetual debate is reigniting: is it best for these products to be in separate or standard aisles?

Eight crops endangered by climate change

19-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

From staple crops like potatoes and maize, to cash crops for wealthier customers like cocoa and coffee, climate change is having a widespread impact on global agricultural production.

Identifying some foods as addictive could bring health benefits, scientists say

12-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

An international team of researchers, writing in the British Medical Journal, have called for a global rethink of food choices.

‘More than mylk’: Alternatives to coffee, cocoa, salt and sugar on the table at Mylkcubator 3.0

27-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

The Mylkcubator programme has largely focused on next-gen dairy innovation to date. But for the incubator’s third edition, dairy-major Pascual wants to expand its focus to alt coffee, cocoa, salt, sugar and more.

Organix eyes ‘window of opportunity’ to introduce new flavours and textures to kids

19-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Organix wants to help parents and carers introduce new flavours and textures to kids in the 6-18-month ‘window of opportunity’ prior to food fears kicking in.

Digital carbon labelling partnership aims to cut catering industry emissions over 30% by 2025

06-Sep-2023 By Oliver Morrison

UK food tech start-up Dynamify has teamed up with Swedish sustainability software specialist Klimato to deliver what it claims is the UK-first digital carbon labelling system enabling the catering industry to dramatically reduce carbon emissions.

‘Many businesses are not aware that there is a way to safely preserve these materials’: Trouw Nutrition on the business and environmental case for repurposing waste

01-Sep-2023 By Oliver Morrison

FoodNavigator caught up with Evelien van Donselaar at Trouw Nutrition to learn more about the ‘untapped’ opportunities for the food sector to explore circular production models.

Campaign targeting dramatic rise in global bean consumption eyes Kenyan consumers

31-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

A campaign aiming to double global bean consumption by 2028 will focus on Kenyan consumers and producers in a pilot effort for East Africa.

‘It’s brilliant the industry has stepped up’: The technology allowing partially sighted shoppers to ‘hear’ what’s on a product label

16-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Partially sighted consumers are a growing demographic. Solutions are coming aimed at allowing these shoppers to more easily access key on-pack product information and nutritional details.

Calls for removal of packaging that appeals to children from ‘sugar-laden’ cereals and yogurts

15-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Breakfast cereals and yogurts with packaging that appeals to children have unnecessary amounts of sugars, complains new UK research – with some products containing the equivalent of up to four teaspoons of sugar per serving.

‘A crucial step to decarbonize agriculture’: Green fertilizer cuts CO2 footprint of cereal production for baked goods

14-Aug-2023 By Sarah Rhynes and Flora Southey

A ‘green’ fertilizer with up to 90% reduced CO2 footprint compared to its conventionally produced counterpart is being rolled out in Germany. Contract farmers for Bindewald & Gutting Milling Group will use the fertilizer to cultivate wheat, which...

Ancient grain einkorn unlocks genetic secrets for making bread wheat more resilient

07-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Einkorn is grown as a relict or niche crop in Europe. But as heatwaves shrivel the region’s grain production, it may hold the key for helping crop breeders in Europe to develop bread wheat varieties with improved hardiness, enhanced disease resistance...

Specialised peanut variety unveiled for allergy treatment

27-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Scientists in Israel have developed a peanut strain to treat peanut allergies.

UK government keen to get gene editing approved ‘as soon as possible’: Minister

25-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The UK government wants to unleash the opportunities of gene editing as soon as possible, revealed Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

NPD Trend Tracker: From Arabic honey to watermelon kombucha

24-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

This week, we have a range of products aiming for sustainable packaging: from wine and spirits, to coffee, to ketchup. We also have kombucha made from watermelons grown in Italy, honey from the UAE, and bread from Danish bakery Ole and Steen.

Fears for further food price spikes as Russia pulls out of Black Sea grain deal

18-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The collapse of the Black Sea grain could deal re-ignite food price volatility in Europe and plunge food consumers in dependent countries into food shortages, it has been warned.

High-intensity sweetener uncovered in truffles ‘potentially game-changing’ for sugar reduction

17-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

MycoTechnology says it is ‘standing on the brink of a sweet revolution’ having discovered a sweet protein derived from honey truffle. “Proteins are widely recognised as the future of sweeteners,” says MycoTechnology CEO Alan Hahn.

'We were used to it, but we lost it...' Why Dr. Schär is reviving new varieties of ancient grain millet

11-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Italian gluten-free specialist Dr. Schär is investing in new millet varieties with improved nutritional characteristics and better adapted to changing environment, FoodNavigator hears.

Young consumers ‘partial’ to gene-edited crops as EU seeks revised GMO rules

05-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As the European Commission proposes allowing the use of new genomic techniques to grow climate-resistant crops with better nutritional value, young Europeans would be support genetically modified (GM) food if it gave them a health boost, new research...

How the cooperative model can ‘empower the people behind our favourite foods’

03-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Why cooperatives are key to unleashing African food sector potential, says ingredients supplier ofi.

Upcycled ingredients: Challenges and opportunities in securing side stream supply

20-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

How do upcycling innovators ensure they have abundant supply of side stream raw materials to develop new ingredients for the food and beverage industry?

Eastern promise: why the UK’s Norfolk and Suffolk are vying to unlock their agri-tech potential

19-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The two agriculturally important counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in the east of the UK are aiming to untap their ‘high potential opportunity’ in plant science for nutrition, FoodNavigator learns.

Making chocolate without cocoa: Inside the R&D lab

14-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

WNWN Food Labs is rethinking chocolate, without cocoa. FoodNavigator visits the start-up’s R&D lab to see how its dark and ‘milk’ chocolate alternatives are made.

Versatile high-fibre 'superfood' Madhūka arrives in the UK

12-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Found in the forests of South and South East Asia, the Madhūka flower provides a versatile ingredient that can be used as nibs for cereals, snacks and museli, as powder for coffee and milkshakes, and as tea. Now, ōForest, a new brand, is bringing it to...

Princes claims ‘industry-first’ human rights assessment on Argentinian pulses

08-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Napolina-owner Princes Group has completed what it claims is a first-of-its-kind Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) into pulses from Argentina – taking a major step forward in evolving its approach to human rights due diligence and supply chain transparency.

‘This opens up a new category’: Meet the start-up making a 'game-changing' low GI, quicker-cooking rice

07-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Spain’s Rice in Action is using innovative technology to produce a healthier, sustainable and easy to cook rice which can help boost productivity for food service providers and appeal to time-poor consumers lacking culinary skills.

UK project aims to grow ‘tasteless’ pea protein to solve ‘beany’ off flavour problem

31-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

A ‘ground-breaking’ £1 million project has been announced in the UK, which aims to both produce peas that are tasteless but retain nutritional value and have a significant impact on reducing the need for UK imports of soya.

Why on earth do Africans need ‘to get more excited about plant-based diets’?

30-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As ProVeg International, a group wanting to replace animal consumption with alternative protein by 50% by 2040, opens an office in Nigeria – where most people already follow a plant rich diet, and where greenhouse gas emissions are low compared to developed...

Electrifying crisp production: PepsiCo overcomes green energy storage issue with thermal battery tech

23-May-2023 By Flora Southey

In collaboration with energy company Eneco, and leveraging technology from German start-up Kraftblock, PepsiCo is electrifying the production of Lay’s and Cheetos crisps at its Broek of Langedijk site in the Netherlands.

Brand unveils first children’s biscuit designed to meet the criteria in allergy free school policies

22-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

With experts in the dark as to why numbers of childhood allergies are increasing, safe food options are critical, says Kirsty Dingwall, founder of Angelic Free From – a UK brand that has launched what it claims is the first dedicated kids' top 14-allergen-free...

How Cereal Partners Worldwide plans to achieve net zero emissions by 2050

19-May-2023 By Flora Southey

The joint venture between Nestlé and General Mills aims to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. How does the company plan to get there?

Weight loss no longer primary motivator for sugar reduction: consumer research

16-May-2023 By Flora Southey

In a post-pandemic world, consumer relationships with sweetness are changing, according to Kerry Group, who in new consumer research reveals that ‘sustainable health’ is the primary motivator for sugar reduction.

DSM and Firmenich complete merger to become ‘trailblazer’ in nutrients, flavours, and fragrances

09-May-2023 By Flora Southey

One year after DSM and Firmenich announced plans to combine their food, beverage, and taste businesses, the merger is complete. The new company, dsm-firmenich, launches today.

Why is the Netherlands’ adoption of Nutri-Score so controversial?

28-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

This week, the Netherlands announced Nutri-Score will ‘definitely’ be adopted as its official voluntary nutrition labelling scheme. The move is a controversial one, with nutritionists arguing the scheme contradicts its food-based dietary guidelines.

Consumers don’t know what ‘ultra-processed’ food is, but know they don’t want it

27-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

Fresh research suggests consumers struggle to distinguish between ultra-processed and other processed foods, but want to cut back on both. Is a lack of trust at play?

‘New sustainable frontiers’: CSM ramps up fats & oils development with microorganisms and plants

11-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

CSM Ingredients wants to uncover ‘sustainable frontiers’ in fats and oils – including plant-based oil replacements made from microorganisms – with the inauguration of a new Innovation Center in Delmenhorst, Germany.

The holistic nutrition opportunity in snacks: ‘Consumption is becoming more sophisticated’

31-Mar-2023 By Flora Southey

Consumers are talking less about ‘general health’, and more about cleansing, detoxing, carb-free, and cholesterol-free, according to Tastewise. How does this trend translate into opportunity for industry?

Carlsberg Group embeds regenerative agriculture into UK barley production

30-Mar-2023 By Nicola Gordon-Seymour

Carlsberg Group has recruited 23 UK farmers to supply 7,000 tonnes of regenerative barley for regional brands in 2023, as part of broader plans to expand regenerative agriculture across Europe.

Gluten-free products are still not usually nutritionally equivalent to those that contain gluten

15-Mar-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Research in Spain which concludes that despite improvements in the formulation of gluten-free products in recent years, their macronutrient profile maintains marked variation, and they cannot be considered nutritionally equivalent to their gluten-containing...

Food researchers employ botanical extract to unveil ‘super muffin’ with benefits

07-Mar-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Norwegian academics have demonstrated how using the tropical plant Hibiscus sabdariffa can contribute to increased nutritional value in everyday foods.

Erythritol and health risk: how much weight is behind the claims?

06-Mar-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Erythritol remains an important tool in long-term weight gain and disease risk, according to the international association representing the low- and reduced-calorie food and beverage industry, after research showed that the popular artificial sweetener...

Protecting against a ‘dystopian’ future: ‘Coffee, bananas, and chocolate could soon be much harder to buy’

28-Feb-2023 By Flora Southey

Climate change, coupled with ‘deeply unfair trade’, means that some consumer staples could soon be missing from supermarket aisles, predicts the Fairtrade Foundation. What challenges and opportunities exist in encouraging industry to support ethical trade?

A ‘significant step’ for food security in Africa: New sorghum hybrid with a 25% increase in yield released in Zimbabwe

23-Feb-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Zimbabwean farmers are poised for greater yield and income gains as a result of a recent agricultural innovation breakthrough – the release of a new hybrid of white sorghum (great millet) that also promises greater resilience to erratic rainfall.

How Mondelēz is sowing regenerative agriculture into European wheat production

23-Feb-2023 By Flora Southey

The snacks and confectionery major aims to grow 100% of the wheat volume needed for production of its European biscuits according to regenerative agriculture practices by 2030. We ask Marie Ellul-Karamanian, Harmony Program Lead at Mondelēz, what this...