Oman expands food production, looks to Iran
Oman’s AATCO opens a new factory plant in Jeddah, as OFIC releases new details about its Dhofar dairy project, and the government considers investing in Iranian agriculture.
Archives for March 8, 2016
Alexia pledges all products to be Non-GMO Project verified in a year
Introducing new flavors and sourcing fully non-GMO ingredients for all of its products are part of Alexia’s agenda this year.
Love The Wild makes preparing fish easier, more sustainable for Americans
Boulder, Colo.-based startup Love The Wild wants to revolutionize how Americans approach eating fish by making it easier to cook at home and more environmentally sustainable to raise.
Domty announces $144m IPO details
Egypt’s Domty has released details of its forthcoming initial public offering (IPO), with plans to sell 49% of the company for up to US$144m.
South Asia radius
Salt content mislabelled in two-thirds of Indian processed foods
Most food labelling in India shows an inaccurate representation of the salt that packaged products contain, a major study has found. The research comes at a time when growth in salt-related deaths in the country is surging.
GCC plans Greek yoghurt expansion
Turkish food producer Pinar plans to grow its presence in the GCC with new facilities and products, building on the high market penetration of its labneh in the region.
Defining the salt taste may lead to enhanced alternatives, study predicts
Understanding the biological mechanisms responsible for detecting the salty taste will help create solutions to combat the health problems caused by overconsumption of salt, a study has determined.
Dispatches from GFSC 2016 in Berlin
Ecolab: Cleaning and sanitation focus should not vary by company size
The focus on cleaning and sanitation shouldn’t vary by the size of an operation, according to the VP of food safety and public health for Ecolab.
From ‘orphan crop’ to mechanized commodity: Professional cocoa sector to double by 2036, says ICCO
The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) predicts cocoa coming from commercial plantations will rise from 5% of the world output today to 10% in the next 20 years.
India
Soft drinks makers rail against Budget duty increase
India's INR140bn (US$2.8bn) soft drink industry has called on the government to reverse an increase in excise duty on beverages.
Dispatches from Food Vision 2016
Start-ups are inventing the future & big business needs to partner now: Unilever Foundry creator
Start-ups are changing the food industry from trailblazing new ideas to providing new growth models, and both big businesses and small start-ups need to collaborate to innovate. The benefits are mutual, says Jeremy Basset, founder of Unilever’s incubator...
True Foods Inc.'s explosive success shows healthy foods can lead to healthy profits
True Foods Inc. wants to make everyday foods “healthier, more delicious and better for our world” by packing them with more vegetables and less added sugar – an ambitious mission to which consumers are responding enthusiastically judging by the startup’s...
NFPC starts Kizad factory construction
UAE food producer NFPC has broken ground on its new 752,000m2 Kizad factory, and revealed the first phase will be dedicated to its Lacnor, Oasis and Milco beverage divisions.
Fonterra drops milk price again
Fonterra has reduced its forecast farmgate milk price for the 2015/16 season by 6% from $2.80 (NZ$4.15) per kgMS to $2.63 (NZ$3.90) per kgMS.
FDA analysing Salmonella contamination in retail packages of spices
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working through data from a two-year study on the presence of Salmonella in retail packages of spices.
Eurofins opens lab and updates on 2015 milestones
Eurofins Microbiology has opened an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory in Louisville, Kentucky.
Fijiana Cacao: Bean-to-bar chocolate from Pacific Islands eyes export growth after rebrand
Fiji bean-to-bar chocolate brand Fijiana Cacao hopes to enter Europe after rebranding and revitalizing the domestic cocoa sector.
Japan
Scientists find way to make sweetest sweetener taste sweeter
Japanese researchers have devised a method to make one of the sweetest natural sweeteners even sweeter in a development that will be seen as a breakthrough at a time when consumers are moving away from sugar.
India
Manpasand ties up with Baskin-Robbins in latest urban expansion deal
Baskin-Robbins India will now offer beverages in addition to ice creams after entering into an exclusive tie-up with fruit juice manufacturer Manpasand Beverages.
Kolé functional drink promises cognitive performance improvement
A brain scientist was challenged by his wife to create a functional drink that benefits the brain. Fast forward two years, the scientist is ready to launch his Kolé Food Life brand with four beverages.
Faragalla to continue expansion drive, says chairman
Egyptian food producer Faragalla will grow its milk, tomato and frozen vegetable lines this year, following US$200m of investment in 2015, its chairman told FoodNavigator.
Ministers deliver animal welfare verdict on antibiotics
MEPs have voted to adopt an EU regulation harmonising animal welfare rules, with a key goal of toughening up the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
‘For something to taste good, it doesn’t need to be sweet!’ Ugly water eyes up new opportunities for unsweet beverages
The founders of Ugly, an unsweet, fruit infused sparkling water brand, believe consumer palates will become less focused on sweet in the coming years. This can open up opportunities for beverages such as unsweetened iced tea, unsweetened cold brew...
EU regulators debate future of glyphosate
EU regulators are today debating whether to extend approval for Monsanto's controversial pesticide glyphosate.
UK offal exports on the rise
UK levy board AHDB Beef & Lamb has said its strategy to shift from exporting carcases to offal has been rewarded, as global trade of the latter rose by 8% last year.
US ‘disappointment’ at lingering KSA beef ban
US beef exporters are “bitterly disappointed” at Saudi Arabia’s continued ban of their products, even as other producers have bans lifted, according to a US Meat Export official.
FDA calls for info on produce treated with BSAAO
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is calling for help to create a risk assessment for foodborne illness associated with pathogens from produce.
Tough year for US pork ends on a high
Despite struggling for most of the year, exports of US pork ended a testing year on a good note trade growing by 3% in December, according to Pork Checkoff.
Good Thins: Mondelēz International unveils 'wholesome' savory snack brand
Mondelēz International is aiming to meet US consumer demand for “more wholesome” savory snacks with the launch of a new brand.
Golden State Foods builds meat plant, politician vows to eat more burgers
US meat processor Golden State Foods has started construction on a new meat plant in Opelika, Alabama, with the state’s secretary of commerce, Greg Canfield, vowing to eat more burgers to celebrate the new facility.
India
Report: Coffee-in-a-can manufacturers should broaden ingredient base
India’s burgeoning ready-to-drink coffee market will be worth over US$480m by 2020 after seeing annual growth of 3.2% since 2015, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence.
China celebrates International Women’s Day with meat snacks
China's Sentai Foods is celebrating International Women’s Day by selling a gift box of its new range of pre-cooked meat snacks.
Aster spathulifolius extract shows weight management potential: Human data
Twelve weeks of supplementation with extracts of Aster spathulifolius Maxim may reduce body weight by over 4%, says a new study from Korea.