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A Taxing Question 64A major problem among consumers is alack of understanding over what can berecycled, alongside a lack of incentives forthem to recycle properly, says RichardMcKinlay.

Fanta Rejuvenation 66Sidel recently partnered with Coca-Cola tohelp develop a new iconic design in PETwith a modern twist.

Circle of Life 68Joanne Hunter visited Novelis and Ardaghto gain an understanding of the practical-ities of incorporating ‘design for recy-cling’ and the ‘permanent nature ofaluminium’.

Lubricants 70The switch to natural refrigerants pre-sents a number of new challenges thatoperators must face – not least when itcomes to lubrication, claims AlessandroDi Maio.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 1ConTEnTS

Europe 4Africa 8Middle East 12Asia West 16Asia & Pacific 19Americas 24

Ingredients 30

Juices & Juice Drinks 34Waters & Water Plus Drinks 36Carbonates 40Sports & Energy 44Functionals 46RTD Teas & Coffees 48Dairy & Alternatives 50

Processing 72Packaging 76Environment 80People 84Events 87

Responding to ConsumerPreference 54The U.S. liquid refreshment beveragemarket grew again in 2017, with retail salesincreasing about 3% and volume byaround 2%, reports Roger Dilworth.

Red Fruits and Vegetables 56Not only does their vivid colour evoke ahealthy ‘halo’, but they are also helping toexpand product portfolios and create anatural, appealing look that stands out onretail shelves, comments Johan Cerstiaens.

Beverage Trends 58According to Döhler, food and beveragesnot only have to taste good, but alsoimpress with healthy, natural added value.

Sokpol’s Success 60Sidel helps this family business to be thefirst to introduce sensitive beverages with-out preservatives in PET bottles to thePolish market.

Fruitful Investment 62Rather than just mimic what their com-petitors are doing, drinks brands shouldpush the boundaries of what’s possiblewith a label, explains Stuart Kellock.

news

regularsComment 2BSDA 83From The Past 92Buyers’ Guide 94Classified 96

features

The leading English language magazine published in Europe, devoted exclusively to the manufacture, distribution and marketing of soft drinks, fruit juices and bottled water.

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2 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

Soft Drinks International (1997), formerly Soft Drinks Management International (1988),was originally founded as the Soft Drinks Trade Journal in 1947, incorporating The British &Colonial Mineral Water Trade Journal (1888) with the Soft Drinks & Allied Trade Review, formerly the Mineral Water & Allied Trade Review (1873).

The entire contents of Soft Drinks International are protected by copyright and no part may be reproduced without written permission of the publishers. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in Soft Drinks International is accurate, the editor and publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent thoseof the editor or publisher. The fact that product names are not identified as trademarks is not to be taken as an indication that suchnames are not registered trademarks.

CoMMEnT

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EditorPhilip Tappenden

News Editor:Kelvin King

Correspondents:EuRoPEGerard o’DwyerASIA & PACIFICKelvin KingRovInGDavid Hayes

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When Coca-Cola Japan announced it was working on a beverage containing alcohol,news media the world over tut-tutted about the association of a global soft drinksbrand with alcohol. In fact, the link has been there for centuries.

The only thing different with the Japanese offering was that it directly involvedthe Coca-Cola name.

That brought some reasoned observations from elsewhere in the Coca-Colanetwork – the first I saw was from CCEP Nederland – explaining that Japan was,well, Japan and offbeat drinks were not unusual, catering to a local affinity withinnovation.

Goodness only knows that it is true. But more than a few of the flavours oncelaughed at by non-Japanese have become mainstream in later years, cucumber beingan excellent example given the number of cucumber options now being offered,including among elite mixers.

Bottom line, however, is that Coca-Cola isn’t planning a worldwide crop ofalcoholic beverages.

Coca-Cola has been served in bars since its inception, has maintained its age-oldpopularity as a spirits mixer even as the elitist battalions strengthened theircompetitive attack, and is part of a product portfolio, along with other soft drinkcategories and brands, encompassing beer, spirits and ciders in some territories suchas Australia.

For the most part we’ve seen off those sweet RTDs which presented themselves asde facto alcoholic soft drinks in the 1980s and 1990s. Alcohol RTDs nowadays aremuch more attuned to named spirits branding and clear explanation of the mix.

The evolution of high-end mixers can but assist this clearer delineation of what isnon-alcohol and what isn’t. Those mixers might be edging increasingly into thetake-home segment to the concern of some retailers but they are a force for good inour trade, boosting image and status while not seeking to erode the mainstream.

Some companies, as we have reported, are shedding soft drinks interests but notbecause of any cross-over worries. They’re identifying their strengths and focusingon them in a marketplace where you can’t afford to be all things to all people.

Public criticism of any perceived relationship between soft drinks and alcoholwill likely never let up, rational thought and facts yielding to false news delights.

Some years ago I came under attack for referring to Bundaberg ginger beer – amainstay line in Australia and New Zealand – as ‘brewed’. “You’re making youngpeople think it is real beer,” said the critics. Rubbish, brewed is traditionalnomenclature for the production process.

And every so often some jurisdiction rules that ginger beer must be rangedalongside its alcohol-based cousin. Or that non-alcoholic beer, growing solidly inmany markets, must be retailed only under hard-and-fast liquor sales regulations.

- Kelvin King

Soft drinks andalcohol: it’s not acase of never thetwain

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4 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

EuropeInDuSTRY nEWS

Icelandic Glaciallooks to homepotentialPrEMIUM water Icelandic Glacial www.ice-landicglacial.com has partnered with Coca-ColaEuropean Partners Iceland www.ccep.comto expand the brand’s footprint in its homemarket.

“We've made significant efforts to growthe Icelandic Glacial brand globally and arepleased to now be able to expand ourreach at our home base,” said Jon olafsson,chairman and co-founder of IcelandicGlacial.

CCEP Iceland has high hopes for IcelandicGlacial as part of its portfolio.

“With the growing number of tourists in

Olafsson (left) and Cruz.

Iceland, we see a huge opportunity to addpremium spring water to our portfolio tobetter serve our customers and be betterequipped to offer solutions to consumers,especially in HorECA and tourist outlets,”said country director Carlos Cruz.

“We are proud to list a carbon neutralbrand in our portfolio which supports our'This is Forward' sustainability strategyextremely well.”

Icelandic Glacial's naturally alkaline springwater is sourced and bottled locally at Ice-land's Ölfus Spring. The water is exception-ally pure, being naturally filtered by the lavarock through which it flows. Nothing isadded or taken away.

Icelandic Glacial is currently available in24 countries worldwide.

It promotes itself as the world's first cer-tified carbon neutral bottled water brandand maintains a commitment to using 100%natural green energy to fuel its productionin addition to fully recyclable packaging andsustainable shipping methods.

SvZ boosts f&vprocessingProCESSEd fruit and vegetable ingredientssupplier SVZ www.svz.com is undertaking athree year investment programme at its facil-ity in Almonte, Spain.

Beginning with the commission of a newpuree concentrate line and improvements toSVZ Almonte’s filling area, the company hasnow completed the installation of additionalfreezing capacity in time for the summer2018 strawberry season.

Strawberries constitute a large percentageof SVZ’s red fruit portfolio and are sourcedfrom a network of growers in the Huelvaregion. The premium fruits are processedquickly at source into purees and puree con-centrates, which are then supplied to cus-tomers all over Europe.

With burgeoning demand from the foodand drink industry, especially beverage mak-ers and dairy processors, SVZ embarked ona three year plan to increase its Almontecapacity from 12,500 to 20,000 metrictonnes annually.

The development will also support the

company as it expands Almonte’s productrange to include raspberries and blackberriesas well as vegetables like bell peppers,cucumbers and zucchinis.

“demand for natural and sustainable fruitand vegetable ingredients is growing expo-nentially throughout Europe and we con-stantly invest in our capacity, expertise andgrowers to ensure we remain at the fore-front of the industry,” said Anouk ter Laak,SVZ’s chief executive.

“We have been processing in Almonte forover thirty years, meaning we have an envi-able supply chain and superb knowledge ofthe region, and its unique characteristics,which we can leverage to serve our cus-tomers even better in the future.

“our facilities are obviously vital in max-imising the freshness, nutritional quality andtaste of our ingredients as well as our abilityto deliver quickly to customers throughoutEurope and beyond.”

AroUNd a decade after the acquisition ofSources Minérales Henniez www.henniez.ch,bottlers of mineral water in Switzerlandsince 1905, Nestlé Waters is investing CHF25 million in the Henniez production site.

Called H2orizon 2020, the project willimprove efficiency by modernising equip-ment and processes, as well as stimulateinnovation and reduce ecological impact.

during the past 10 years Nestlé Watershas put some CHF 48 million into its Swisssites and the Henniez water source, work-ing closely with the local administration ofthe Brove region in the canton of Vaud.

The key elements of H2orizon 2020,which will be implemented between 2018

Swiss waters overhaul

and 2020, include the installation of a newproduction space for the preparation offlavoured waters and fruit juices.

Efficiency will be significantly improvedwith the replacement of two ageing bottlinglines by one modern, more efficient line.Ecology is the watchword for the planned2019 relocation of production from thecompany’s secondary site, in the village of

Henniez, to the principal factory in theTreize-Cantons industrial zone.

Moving these operations 2.5 km away willsignificantly reduce road traffic in the villagecentre. Upwards of 25,000 cubic metres ofwater per year is likely to be saved thanksto more efficient machines and processes.

The Henniez village site will be closed inearly 2020. This reorganisation will notresult in any personnel layoffs.

The municipality of Henniez is very satis-fied with the project, issuing a supportivestatement: “The investment that NestléWaters has committed for the Treize-Can-tons site is a strong signal for our regionand for the sustainability of jobs.”

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Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

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BIELEFELd-BASEd dr. oetker www.oetker-group.com and Bavariandairy producer Molkerei Gropper www.gropper.de are setting up ajoint venture to pool production as the two companies plan a strat-egy of substantial sales growth. Each will have a 50% stake.

While dr. oetker will be contributing its chilled products plant inMoers to the new company, Molkerei Gropper will be effecting acapital increase of the same value, to be used for investing in build-ings, infrastructure and new production facilities.

The joint venture will be overseen by an advisory board consistingof an equal number of members from each of the two partners. Atoperational level, the new company will be managed by a joint exec-utive board appointed by the advisory board.

Production will include product lines from both partner companieswhich will be marketed in Germany and internationally via therespective sales companies.

“In the new partnership, the two companies – which positionthemselves very differently in the market – will continue to producetheir own products independently,” explained Martin reintjes, head ofsales at dr oetker.

“But both companies strive for more efficiency in productionwhich will be possible in the future by working together under theumbrella of an ultramodern production facility in Moers.”

For Molkerei Gropper, the JV is an important milestone in itsdevelopment. Commented Heinrich Gropper, the company’s ownerand manager: “For us, the new location is a positive response to oursustainable growth. The joint activities will take the strain off our mainplant in Bissingen.

“With the Moers plant, we will also be optimising our supply chainfor the north of Germany and neighbouring European countries.”

dairy and non-dairy beverages will be amongst the product port-folio handled by the new plant.

Dr. oetker and MolkereiGropper Jv

EUroPEAN dairy cooperative Arla Foods www.arla.com haslaunched an internal transformation programme called ‘Calcium’which is set to deliver more than 400 million euro of savings by theend of 2020 through improved efficiency in all areas of the company.

The programme looks to boost Arla’s performance to the benefitof its farmer-owners and further strengthen the company’s invest-ment capability

With Good Growth 2020 Arla has a strong strategy in place thathas been growing the company’s business successfully and remainsright for the trends that are driving the global food and dairy market,the cooperative’s board believes.

The internal Calcium programme, which is already underway, willdeliver a run-rate of at least 400 million euro of savings by the endof 2020, and the profit impact will build throughout the life of theprogramme.

Arla’s Calcium

6 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018EuRoPE

Britvic trade siteoperationalTHE new trade website launched recentlyby Britvic under the Sensational drinks ban-ner www.sensationaldrinks.com has got offto a good start, with positive feedback fromthe foodservice and leisure trade customersit is aimed at.

This is to be an evolving project.Initially it offers support and advice includ-

ing tools such as a profit calculator, to helpoutlets understand the financial impact ofthe Soft drinks Industry Levy.

Customers can also order dispense con-version kits that will help them makechanges to their range to offset the levyeffects by optimising their sugar-free offer.

In the longer term the website will be

expanded beyond levy advice, featuringwider information about the category, itsbrands and the opportunities available toFS&L operators.

“Looking ahead, the website will evolve tooffer operators essential category informa-tion and advice on one easy-to-access plat-form, enabling them to take full advantage ofthe incredible sales available through servingsensational soft drinks to their customers,”said russell Goldman, Britvic’s director ofleisure.

Factory of thefutureNESTLé Waters’ brand in Italy, Levissima,www.nestle-waters.com/brands/levissimaheld a fun-filled ‘Sharing Factory’ day for theirworkers, dedicated to creating the idealfuture factory.

Workers were invited to come with theirfamilies and enjoy a day filled with sharing,socialising, trying new things and making cre-ative contributions to what they consider tobe their ideal future factory.

The event boasted seven unique areaswith their own fun activities: The Informationcorner was to welcome attendees to theevent, offer more information on the activi-ties and provide everyone with a sample ofthe water of the day.

The Experience corner was for theadventurous kids and adults who wanted tolearn how to mountain climb with a profes-sional instructor on a climbing wall equippedwith five panels and boulder walls and twomoveable walls.

The Participation corner was whereattendees could share their ideas and leavecomments on what they wanted their

employee space to look like. They had aprinted map of their new employee space,which they were able to personalise by leav-ing Post-its with their suggestions and ideas.

The Social corner was where memories

Mega investmentin MannheimCoCA-CoLA European Partners Germanyis investing tens of millions in the company’sMannheim location, creating a new produc-tion line for drinks in PET disposable depositbottles.

“I am very happy about this positivedevelopment. The new line is one of thelargest investments of recent years,” said

plant manager Wolf-dieter Bethlehem.other recent investment has been in stor-age areas and the conversion of a produc-tion line.

“With the new line we will producedrinks for the trade. As a result, we willincrease local supply and supply the south-west in future largely from Mannheim,” saidBethlehem.

The line has a capacity of up to 60,000bottles per hour. It is suitable for the pro-duction of beverages in 330ml, 500ml and1.25-litre disposable PET bottles.

Bischoff extremeambassadorGErMAN heritage beverage brand Sinalcowww.sinalco.com will sponsor extremesportsman Pierre Bischoff throughout 2018.The 33 year old German competes in long-distance international road and mountainbike races and has a strive-to-succeed repu-tation compatible with Sinalco’s market posi-tioning.

Bischoff hit the extreme sports headlinesby winning the 2016 race Across America, a4800 km event from the west to the eastcoast of the USA, in 9 days and 17 hours,sleeping for just 10-11 hours over the entireduration of the race.

Last year he came second in the Trans-Siberian Extreme, a 9200 km event fromMoscow to Vladivostok. The tour is regardedas the hardest in the world.

This year he will again race in the Trans-Siberian Extreme and has his sights set onfirst place.

Also on the 2018 calendar is a trainingtour of Europe from duisburg, whereSinalco has its headquarters to rhodes,where Sinalco is produced in Greece.

And proving his commitment as a brandambassador, Bischoffis looking to a pro-motional tour of16,000km from theend of the Trans-Siberian Extreme inVladivostok back toGermany.

were made. Guests could get a Polaroid pic-ture taken with their family and friends toremember the day with a fun souvenir.

The Kids corner was where childrencould let their creative juices flow. The activ-ities were led by two entertainers whoworked with the youngsters on designingtheir own future factory with poster paper,markers and Post-its.

The Snack corner had buffet tables withsnacks, dried fruit, drinks and the water ofthe day for everyone to try, served by twostudents from the Hospitality Institute andtheir instructor.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 7EuRoPE

Red Bull GamingSphere opensLoNdoN has now become the secondlocation for a red Bull Gaming Sphere withthe opening of the UK’s largest public e-sports studio in Shoreditch.

This largely follows the successful modelof the inaugural gaming sphere in Tokyo.

Both professionals and amateurs can chal-lenge themselves, take part in tournaments

and attend workshops. Plus enjoy a red Bullor two, of course.

The facility has 16 Play Station 4 Pro, 16Xbox one, four Nintendo Switch and fourNintendo Wii U.

dota and League of Legends fans are ableto compete, train and coach using top-of-the-line ASUS PC rigs and enjoy immersiveVr gaming with two HTC Vive headsets.

The Friday Night Brawl tournaments givegamers the chance to wind down at the endof the week alongside the rolling in-houseleader boards.

Photo: Greg Coleman, Red Bull Content Pool.

Tigers roar forCoco Fuzion 100LEICESTEr Tigers have joined forces withnatural rehydrating coconut water drinkCoco Fuzion 100 www.cocofuzion100.co.ukwho have become the club’s first-ever rehy-dration partner.

The new partnership will see CocoFuzion 100 branding across Tigers rehydra-tion equipment including team water bottlesand water carriers, as well as branding withinthe home changing room and around thepremises at oval Park training ground.

Alongside this, the squad will also getinvolved across social media and the websiteas well as product sampling for fans.

Coco Fuzion 100 will also be supportingthe club’s work in the community, providingproducts for Tigers Matchday Coaching Clin-ics, Tigers rugby Camps and the JuniorTigers Club.

“Leicester Tigers takes great pride inbuilding partnerships with strong and uniquebrands, and we’re sure that all involved withboth the club and Coco Fuzion 100 will seethe benefits,” said Simon Cohen, chief exec-utive at Leicester Tigers.

Lifestyle eventstargetedrEFrESCo www.refresco.com is ramping upa major sampling of its sugar levy-free drinksin the UK, targeting over a million con-sumers at high-participation lifestyle events.

Samples of del Monte, Sunpride, Cherry-good, Welch’s and UmBongo will be dis-tributed with discount voucher books. Theprogramme will also introduce new pre-mium adult soft drinks currently in develop-ment.

The calendar runs from May through todecember, covering Pub in the Park, BBCGood Food Summer, The Great Yorkshire,The royal Welsh, Country File Live, BigFeastival, Chatsworth Country Fair, Pub inthe Park (Knutsford), The royal Berkshireand The Southport Flower Show.

Last on the itinerary will be BBC GoodFood Winter.

The big campaign draws on past experi-ence.

“This is our fourth national sampling cam-paign,” explained refresco commercial direc-tor James Logan.

“These lifestyle shows are a great way toshowcase our ‘better for you’ drinks and to

Short story contesta Spanish traditionTHoUSANdS of early teens (13-14) havetaken part in the written tests of the 58thYoung Talent Short Story Contest, a high-profile junior literary event promoted bythe Coca-Cola Foundation in Spain.

The contest enjoys the enthusiastic sup-port of the royal Spanish Academy.

Starting from a compass as a creativestimulus and several phrases according tothe area of participation (“The first thing Ifound was a strange compass”, “The com-pass will give you the necessary help”) theyoung writers had two hours and twopages to give free rein to their imagination.

Venues across the Spanish mainland,Balearic and Canary Islands and the NorthAfrican autonomous cities of Ceuta and

Melilla included universities, education cen-tres, libraries and – an annual tradition –Madrid’s Teatro de La Latina.

Judging is undertaken on a provincial andautonomous community basis.

Finalists are invited to attend the Coca-Cola Experience of Young Talents in rome.

Since its creation in 1961, more than 10million young people have competed cre-atively in the short story contest.

get consumer feedback on them and on theexciting new adult soft drinks that we’relaunching this year.”

Subscribetoday!Subscribe online

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8 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

AfricaInDuSTRY nEWS

SoUTH African FMCG giant Tiger Brandswww.tigerbrands.co.za has presented 500homes in the Mohlakeng area of Gauteng,close to randfontein, with home gardenstarter packs.

This follows the training of 20 commu-nity educators and over 100 other peopleon natural farming methods with a view tocreating and sustaining vegetable gardens.

The starter packs include a variety ofseeds, tools, watering cans and compost.

Tiger is undertaking this project in part-nership with the NGo Food and Trees forAfrica. It is part of the group’s efforts tocreate food-secure communities in SouthAfrica through a dual support system offood provision and capacity building.

Although the shift in recent times to sus-tainability is a key component of Tiger’ssocio-economic development agenda, thegroup’s nutrition support programme con-tinues to meet the immediate need ofhunger and malnutrition by providing nutri-ent-dense and fortified foods to more than30,000 impoverished South Africans eachmonth.

Tiger is one of South Africa’s largestFMCG groups whose beverage brandsinclude Energade, oros, Hall’s and rose’s. Itis also active in over 20 other African coun-tries, the Middle East and Europe. Its headoffice is also in the Gauteng region, in leafy(renowned for its jacarandas) Bryanston

Food sustainabilityproject gains pace

within GreaterJohannesburg.

“We want tobuild capacity inthe communitiesthat Tiger Brandssupports so thatcommunity mem-bers can engage insustainable farmingand improve theirnutrition andaccess to food,”

said Charissa Jaganath, Tiger’s group man-ager of socio-economic development.

In the spirit of sustainability, Tigerlaunched the Tiger household and commu-nity food garden initiative in July last year,she explained. “Permaculture – which isessentially a system of agricultural andsocial design principles centred on simulat-ing or directly utilising the patterns and fea-tures observed in natural ecosystems – hasbeen incorporated in the initiative toensure the long-term sustainability of theseprojects.

“Ultimately, the intention of this initiativeis to promote food sovereignty, healthylifestyles and basic sustainable practices.”

The project also includes the planting offruit and shade trees.

“Shade trees improve soil fertility in thehomestead gardens, and fruit trees will adddiversity to the harvest once they start tobear. Homes were identified to receivetraining and resources to start their ownfood gardens based on the survival rate ofthe trees distributed.”

Charissa Jaganath, TigerBrands.

PepsiCo supportfor women’s rightsTHE Nelson Mandela Foundation www.nel-sonmandela.org and PepsiCo www.pepsico.com have embarked on a multi-year partner-ship, focusing on alleviating poverty andadvancing the rights of women and girls inSouth Africa.

The partnership was announced at theNelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburgduring an evening celebrating women in lead-ership hosted by Nelson Mandela Foundationchief executive Sello Hatang. Special guests inattendance were Graça Machel and PepsiCochairman and chief executive Indra Nooyi.

“Women remain at the centre of both

poverty and inequality and in terms ofracism,” said Hatang. “The intersectionaloppressions felt by women from the board-room to the farm to the homestead remaina concern. Thus the NMF in its capacity hasmade gender a cross cutting issue across allour programmes.

“We cannot achieve our goals alone and itis by working closely with partners like Pep-siCo that we are enabled to move forwardand build a better society for all. Tackling gen-der inequality is a priority for us this year andI wholeheartedly welcome PepsiCo’s com-mitment to working with us.”

Left to right: Graça Machel, Indra Nooyi andSello Hatang.

Indra Nooyi said that “all of us at PepsiCohave profound respect and admiration forMadiba, for Graça Machel, and for the workof the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and weare thrilled to help advance the foundation’smission as its newest legacy partner.

“We thank Sello Hatang and everyone atthe Nelson Mandela Foundation for theopportunity to share in the year-long celebra-tion, and look forward to working togetherto honour Madiba’s memory by lifting upcommunities in Johannesburg and acrossSouth Africa, with a focus on raising confidentdaughters, encouraging and inspiring women,and developing the next generation of strongfemale leaders.”

one of the first projects supported by thenew partnership will be the Imbumba Foun-dation’s Caring4Girls initiative, which providessanitary towels and feminine hygiene educa-tion to help ensure that young girls don’tmiss a single day of school during theirmonthly period. The programme focuses oncreating awareness about puberty and ado-lescence and helps debunk myths about men-struation.

Caring4Girls will also be supported byPepsiCo’s Basadi Network, a female-ledemployee resource group in South Africafocused on peer networking, mentorship, andadvancing women within the company.

Pepsi bottler goes privateNIGErIA’S Seven-Up Bottling Co www.sev-enup.org has delisted voluntarily from thenational stock exchange following the buyoutof minority shareholders by its majorityshareholder.

Trading had been suspended earlier, withthe buyout well publicised and approved byshareholders some time back. Courtapproval was also given.

The share purchase was effected byLebanese company Affelka and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sparkplexi. Affelka is aninvestment entity of the El-Khlalil family.

It was driven by the need to restructurefollowing trading losses.

The Nigerian soft drink sector is huge butincreasingly competitive and in the past twoyears has been hit by sluggish demand dueto economic recession and problems causedby restrictions on the importation of rawmaterials.

Seven-Up Bottling is a major producerand distributor. It has nine bottling plantsand a substantial distribution network whichincludes more than 200 distribution centresspread across the country.

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10 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018AFRICA

CoCA-CoLA Beverages SA www.ccbsaco.com has dedicated 30% of its procurementspent to black-owned organisations over thenext three years, with major opportunities forcompanies and other organisations owned byblack women.

“our new approach breaks down the bar-riers in the way of business growth and eco-nomic development,” said Velaphi ratshefola,managing director of CCBSA.

“We’re laying the groundwork for an envi-ronment in which opportunities are available– equally – to all businesses, and where col-laboration across businesses builds a thrivingand vibrant economy that benefits us all.”

He was speaking at the company’s annualSupplier development Conference, whichhosted more than 1000 delegates, including220 SMME exhibitors, 750 SMME attendees,five corporate exhibitors and 150 corporateattendees at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg.

The conference targeted specific commod-ity categories, including fleet maintenance,manufacturing plant spares and machinery,engineering and logistics, and packaging suppli-ers to maximise opportunities to enter thesupply chains of participating corporates.

ratshefola indicated the new procurementprocess will catalyse transformation for itsexisting suppliers and open new opportuni-ties for black-owned small and mid-sized busi-nesses.

“We have recognised that large enterpriseslike ourselves are not always geared to col-laborate with small and mid-sized suppliers,”said CCBSA financial director Walter Leon-hardt.

He said some of the global best practiceprocurement guidelines that organisations likeCCBSA adhere to, made it very difficult forsmall and mid-size businesses to participate inthe supplier ecosystem.

CCBSA would accelerate effective changein this space while balancing this with fiscal

nestlé CSv PrizeTHEY didn’t win the big prize, but fourGhanaian social enterprises did their countryproud by reaching the semi-finals of theNestlé 2018 Creating Shared Value Prize.over 1000 entrants applied this year, with 56being short-listed.

The eventual joint winners were ‘Mumm’from Egypt and ‘Fishers and Changemakers’from the Philippines who demonstrated theiroutstanding work in nutrition and rural devel-opment.

The four Ghanaian semi-finalists were Igni-tia Tropical, Saha Global, Moringa Connectand Farmerline.

Ignitia Tropical aims to improve farming inrural communities by providing highly accu-rate 48-hour forecasts to small-scale farmers

daily via SMS, thus helping them reduce lossand increase yield.

Saha Global seeks to set up entrepr-

Saha Global, Ghana.

Coke-infused ‘jig’AN outside-the-square marketing campaignwhich originates from South Africa has beenput into action by Coca-Cola’s SoutheastAsia Business Unit and will be seen else-where around the world.

Called ‘Jig’, it encourages young people todance a Coke-infused ‘jig’ and showcases thebeverage as an antidote to Generation Z’sso-called post-lunch fatigue.

The campaign is anchored by an anthemvideo, which opens with a group of friendssitting in a cafeteria. They are all drinkingice-cold Coca-Cola, except for one boywho is clearly battling the mid-afternoonslump. As a friend pops the top off a bottleof Coca-Cola under his nose, the boywakes up, takes a sip and immediatelysprings to his feet to do a little ‘jig’.

This moment is captured and shared, andthe meme speeds around the globe –within seconds – coming full circle to finallyarrive on the phone of the boy who just‘jigged’.

“Importantly, the campaign needed to berelevant to Coca-Cola's core target audi-ence: teens, the head-down generationalways on the smartphone, always con-nected and always looking for the next

thing to share via myriad social networks,”said Pratik Thakar, head of creative contentand design excellence for TCCC Asia.

“As a result, the launch commercial takesinspiration from the speed with which any-thing visual and entertaining can go viral.one second, you're torpid and dull. Thenext, you're sipping a Coca-Cola, on yourfeet and animated. The next, the meme yourfriend shared has close to one-and-a-halfmillion shares. That's the power of theCoca-Cola antidote.”

The purpose of the campaign is to fur-ther entrench Coca-Cola's position as anafternoon-consumption beverage.

“In a nutshell, The Coca-Cola Companywanted a new campaign for Coca-Cola, toposition it as the antidote to the lurgy orlassitude that typically affects people in theafternoon,” explained Thakar.

The fully integrated campaign will roll outover 8-12 months in several key markets,including those in the Caucasus, russia andCentral Asia; Pan Africa; Turkey; and South-east Asia (Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore/Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand andIndonesia; as well as others.

Black suppliers toget 30% of spend

responsibility and accountability to all thecompany’s stakeholders.

“We have therefore invested significantfinancial and skills resources to developingviable, sustainable new approaches to enter-prise and supplier development,” said Leon-

hardt.“These models responsibly yet innovatively

set us up to dealing more effectively withsmaller suppliers. To support these efforts, wehave launched new supplier development andsupplier funding initiatives, and created a teamdedicated to working with smaller suppliers.”

In addition, 250 small to mid-size black-owned businesses will benefit from CCBSA’sskills development initiatives, business acceler-ators and new procurement opportunities.

“These ambitious programmes aredesigned to radically change the way enter-prise and supplier development is done inSouth Africa, and become the new best prac-tice benchmark for the country.”

eneurial local women in remote communitiesto help provide clean and affordable water.Moringa Connect helps empower farmerseconomically by integrating supply chain toimprove farmers’ livelihood and turn theirunderutilised moringa seeds into beautyproducts.

Farmerline seeks to improve rural develop-ment by connecting farmers to financial ser-vices, information and quality input toincrease their yield and income.

“In the past years, most winners of theNestlé CSV Prize have emerged from Africa,”said Freda duplan, managing director ofNestlé Ghana. “It means that this continent isfast becoming part of the world’s power-hubof innovations.”

For this year’s prize, Nestlé is partneringAshoka, a global network of systems-changingsocial entrepreneurs.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 11AFRICAJuicing equipmentmandatedIN a bid to boost small-scale commercialjuice production in Tanzania, the Tanzania Engi-neering and Manufacturing design organisa-tion has been directed by the government todevelop and manufacture juice processingequipment for sale to communities at reason-able cost.

Setting up farmers in small-scale industrieswas important for economic wellbeing andTEMdo was well placed to supply this andother processing equipment said StellaManyanya, Tanzania’s deputy minister for

industries, trade andinvestment.

TEMdo couldalso potentially man-ufacture brick-makingmachines and otherneeded equipmentshe said.

The governmenthas indicated not

only that it wants to support rural communi-ties towards economic wellbeing but also thatpublic-funded agencies such as TEMdoshould be generating more income and ifpossible making a profit.

Manyanya said that TEMdo and otherorganisations would be helped to designequipment for manufacture.

“With the current industrialisation trend,the government will initiate competitionamong technological institutions that are pub-lic-owned so as to establish those make gooduse of funds offered to them.”

TEMdo has responded positively, saying itwould undertake research in rural areasbefore moving into equipment production.

Stella Manyanya is herself well placed togive advice and direction on equipment man-ufacture. Before she entered politics in 2005she worked as an electrical engineer for thecountry’s national electricity supply company,supervising planning, line construction andoperations. She holds degrees from Norwe-gian and Tanzanian universities.

Stella Manyanya.

Milo RTD plantopensNESTLé Nigeria www.nestle-cwa.com hasinvested heavily in a new Milo rTd plant inogun State, Nigeria. The facility has been cre-ated within the group’s Agbara factory whichhas been operating for 37 years.

“This new plant is a reflection of the con-tinued confidence the industry has in therobustness of our economy,” said Nigeria’sVice President Yemi osinbajo at the openingceremony.

“We are grateful to Nestlé for these signif-icant investments, particularly for locating itsfactories in rural communities and sourcing itsraw materials from local farmers contributingto the sustainable development of Nigeria.”

The plant is dedicated to Nestlé Milo rTdproduction in 180ml packs and has a yearlyproduction capacity above 8000 tonnes. TheMilo rTd variant was launched in Nigerialate last year.

“The NestléMilo rTd is com-plementing theexisting range ofofferings of ouriconic Milo brand,”said Mauricio Alar-con, managingdirector and chief

executive of Nestlé Nigeria.“This new production plant is a true reflec-

tion of how Nestlé creates shared value forall, by providing good jobs, sourcing 80% ofour inputs with local farmers and investing inthe development of rural communities.”

Nestlé has been present in Nigeria since1961. With a staff strength of over 2300direct employees, three manufacturing sites,eight branch offices and a head office locatedin Lagos, Nestlé is nowadays a major opera-tor in the country.

As well as Milo, its brand portfolio in Nige-ria includes Maggi, Golden Morn, Nescafé andNestlé Pure Life.

The deal sees Al Safishareholders owning 38.8%of NAdEC. The kingdom’sPublic Investment Fundholds a 20% stake inNAdEC and the remain-

der is publicly traded.The buy-out was encouraged by the KSA

government as part of its strategy of diversi-fying the economy, diluting the effect of oilrevenues.

NAdEC is not the biggest player in theKSA dairy and juice sector. It is slightlysmaller than Saudia dairy & Foodstuff Com-pany but Almarai is some 17 times bigger inmarket capitalisation.

“The combination of NAdEC and ASdmarks a milestone as the first major consol-idation in Saudi Arabia's dairy industry, aswell as being one of the largest transactionsannounced this year,” said Karim Nassar, wholed the riyadh-based Baker McKenzie lawteam acting for Al Safi Holding.

“It reflects the consolidation trends weare seeing across all industry sectors in theMiddle East, and underlines the continuingdevelopment of Saudi Arabia's private sectorin line with the nation's economic vision.”

12 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018InDuSTRY nEWS

Middle East

Send your news tonews@softdrinksinternational.com

Al Safi Danone to nADECTHE Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s NationalAgricultural development Co www.nadec.com.sa has bought the full shareholding of AlSafi danone Company, a joint venturebetween Al Safi Holding and an Indonesiansubsidiary of the danone group.

Both NAdEC and Al Safi danone pro-duce portfolios of dairy and juice products,enjoying many synergies.

NAdEC was keen to acquire Al Safidanone to strengthen its market position inthe KSA and also extend its geographicreach in the region.

PepsiCo careeroppportunitiesIN keeping with its competitor Coca-Colaand many other soft drinks producers, Pep-siCo is heavily attuned to supporting careerdevelopment, both specifically for its ownneeds and as a core philosophy reflected intraining events, sponsorships, scholarshipsand other hands-on activities.

The company’s own needs in the UnitedArab Emirates were to the fore at therecent UAE Career Fair, held in the dubaiWorld Trade Center.

PepsiCo offered summer internships tograduates as well as seeking young talent tojoin the Tomorrow’s Leaders Program, aplatform designed for Emirati studentsseeking to jumpstart their career.

opportunities ranged across several sec-tors, from science and technology to mar-keting and design.

“We are very impressed with the youngEmirati talent and PepsiCo is committed toproviding opportunities for young Emiratisto join our company,” said Pavan Bhatia,SVP and chief human resources officer atPepsiCo Asia, Middle East and North Africa.

“We want to play a key role in the UAEVision 2021 to develop a knowledge-basedeconomy. We aim to elevate talentednationals to leadership roles by providingthe training and guidance needed to realisetheir full potential.”

Yasmin Alawadhi joined PepsiCo’s Tomor-row’s Leaders Program in 2017 as a man-agement trainee.

“PepsiCo has given me so many oppor-tunities to grow my capabilities. The journeysince joining has been an incredible one ofdiscovery and learning. There are careerpaths in PepsiCo that will appeal to anyone,whether they want to work in public rela-tions and communications, like me, or inany number of alternative roles.”

vitamin deficiencyaddressedAGTHIA Group gathered health and nutritionexperts in dubai for a scientific seminar onone of the Middle East’s prime health prob-lems, that of Vitamin d deficiency.

The Abu dhabi based Agthiawww.agthia.com, a major beverage producerwith a large portfolio of key brands, haslaunched Al Ain Vitamin d Water as a contri-bution towards overcoming this deficiency.

“At the core of the UAE Vision 2021’shealth agenda is a society of people who livelong lives in good health,” said Tariq Ahmed AlWahedi, Agthia’s chief executive. “We atAgthia have been working for years to sup-port the government in addressing healthissues that affect the country.

“In line with this, the prevalence of Vitamind deficiency in the UAE has led to thelaunching of the Al Ain Vitamin d water.”

While the same health issue is prevalentacross the world, around eight out of 10UAE residents are found to be deficient inVitamin d, according to the dubai HealthAuthority.

dr. Ayesha Salem obaid Al dhaheri, actingdean of the United Arab Emirates University’sCollege of Food and Agriculture, said at theseminar: “In a country that enjoys year-roundsunshine, a deficiency in Vitamin d, a nutrientthat the body produces through ample sunexposure, is a cause for consideration.

“This is why it is important to take adeeper look into UAE residents’ lifestyles andunderstand why this is happening and whatcan be done about it.”

dr Al dhaheri talked about the studies she

has conducted on Vitamin d deficiency in theUAE. other speakers were dr Gamal HamedIbrahim, rheumatologist at dr Sulaiman AlHabib Medical Centre and dr Wafaa HelmiAyesh, director of the Clinical Nutritiondepartment at the dubai Health Authority.

Sharing her nutrition experience on forti-fied food and beverages, Wafaa explained:“We have to make sure that everything weeat and drink nourishes our body, and we cando that by planning our meals carefully andchoosing our product intakes wisely.”

Al Ain Vitamin d water, which was threeyears in the making, is just one of the manyinitiatives that Agthia has lined up in support-ing the UAE vision 2021, according to AlWahedi.

“We are committed to work hand in handwith the government and the private institu-tions to uplift the quality of lives of UAE res-idents through innovative products, and wewill continue to work very hard to deliver onour commitment.”

Tariq Ahmed Al Wahedi.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 13MIDDLE EAST

and American companiesaccount for some 34% ofthe total at present.

“Participating in one ofthe largest internationalfood and beverage exhi-bitions, especially forinvestors from Europeand the Mediterraneanregion, represents astrategic step for us,”

explained Amna Lootah, assistant directorgeneral in the dAFZA innovation and futureunit. “We aim to introduce attendees todubai's unique business opportunities andinvestor-friendly environment.”

Lootah said dAFZA “decided to sponsorthe Alimentaria 2018 Halal section due tothe experience and expertise we have inthe industry, and the Islamic Economy sectorin general. our sponsorship and participa-tion is in line with our strategy to attractmore foreign direct investment to theIslamic economy and Halal sectors throughstrategic initiatives such as the Halal IndustryGuide.”

DAFZA on show atAlimentariaTHE dubai Airport Freezone Authoritywww.dafza.ae – usually known simply by itsdAFZA acronym – is exhibiting at Alimenta-ria 2018 in Barcelona as it continues a mar-keting drive to build its already successfulinvolvement in the beverage, food and gas-tronomy sector.

It is showcasing its wide range of servicesand offerings, especially in the Halal marketand is underlining this by sponsoring Alimen-taria’s Halal section.

The dAFZA presence is presented underthe banner of ‘Gateway to Growth’. This willbe furthered by hosting a seminar entitled‘dAFZA, a gateway to growth and prosper-ity in the Middle East’.

The authority is being supported in thisby sector leaders from dubai, including rep-resentatives of companies already usingdAFZA. About 7% of the companies cur-rently in dAFZA are in F&B, while European

Amna Lootah.

Pepsi Jordan reaffirm supportAQUAFINA will be to the fore again for thenext year in Jordanian football thanks to areaffirmation by Pepsi Jordan of its supportfor the Jordan Football Association, continu-ing a long and fruitful relationship.

“We are proud to renew our partnershipwith JFA for the ninth consecutive year, play-ing a role in supporting football locally andcontinually aspiring to elevate Jordan’s posi-tion worldwide, by helping JFA to make itsmark on the global sports map,” saidMotassem Salameh, director-general ofhuman resources for Pepsi Jordan.

“This step goes hand in hand with ourwell-established belief in encouraging localsociety members to practice sports and

Sobar (left) and Salameh reaffirm Aquafinabacking.

Thumbs up forDubai Drink TechThe 10th dubai drink Technology Expowww.drinkexpo.ae has been judged a suc-cess, based on feedback from exhibitors andtrade visitors.

Theme this year was ‘Circle of the Bever-age Industry – opportunities, Mobility andSustainability’.

Speaking at the expo opening HE Sami AlQamzi, director general of dubai’s depart-ment of Economic development, said that“processing, production, and packaging offood and beverages has evolved into a sig-nificant industry sector in dubai and acrossthe UAE, owing to domestic demand aswell as growing export competitiveness.

“The dubai drink Technology Expo andits focus on innovation as well as sustainabil-ity will bring greater international attention

to this sector and promote industry adop-tion of global best practices, which will inturn accelerate dubai’s integration intoglobal food value chains.”

Said Anas Al Madani, vice-chairman andgroup chief executive of INdEX Holding

Group whose INdEX Conferences andExhibitions organised ddTE: “The 10th edi-tion of dubai drink Technology Expo thisyear explores how the growing beverageindustry embraces technology on a largerscale. Producers are focusing on the envi-ronmental and sustainability aspects of bev-erage production systems and solutions.

“We see how advancements are reshap-ing the industry landscape. This, in turn, con-tributes to sustainability, which has becomea strategic part of the business operations.For example, the increased automation ofdrinks manufacturing and processing linesincreases safety, which is part of sustainabil-ity. Besides, with resources scarcity, climatechange and increasing populations, optimalutilisation of resources can ensure sustain-ability.

“In order to set a successful strategy ofsustainable production, mobility, consump-tion and recycling in the beverage supplychain, the involvement of every participantthroughout the entire product lifecycle is anintegral part.”

ddTE was held at the dubai Interna-tional Convention and Exhibition Centre. Itwas supported by the International FoodBeverage & Technology Association IFBTA,the American Beverage Association, the TeaBoard of India, the Arab Asian BeveragesFederation, the UAE Chamber of Com-merce and Industry and the dubai Cham-bers of Commerce and Industry in theUnited Arab Emirates.

See also, SdI’s event review on page 92.

DDTE 2018 opening.

adopt a healthy lifestyle.”Signing the agreement on the JFA’s behalf,

association secretary-general Cesar Sobarexpressed the appreciation of the JFA, underthe leadership of HrH Prince Ali bin Hus-sein, for the efforts exerted by Pepsi Jordanin supporting JFA and providing support innumerous forms, whether to the Prince AliCenters or the national league, by supplyingthem with Aquafina water.

“Pepsi Jordan is a long-standing partner,and has witnessed the historic achievementsof JFA over the past few years. The signing ofthis agreement came to coordinate thecooperative efforts between JFA and PepsiJordan, consolidating the strong relationshipbetween the two parties, which has existedfor many years.”

14 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018MIDDLE EASTIndian heritagedrink hits uAEINdIAN FMCG group Hamdard Laborato-ries www.hamdard.in is moving its FMCGportfolio into the UAE market, startingwith the launch of roohAfza, its flagshipbeverage brand and a long-time majorseller in India and elsewhere.

Several other brands, including more softdrinks, are lined up for subsequent release.

roohAfza is already very familiar to theIndian diaspora in the Gulf, providing a solidfoundation for market development.

“roohAfza enjoys a 45% market share inIndia within its category,” said Mansoor Ali,chief sales and marketing officer for Ham-dard India. “With Multiplex International asstrategic partners for UAE, we have alreadymade inroads into the market by forgingcritical relationships with the modern and

general trade. “Consumer activation and awareness

through sampling will be key, as we intendto have a large chunk of the UAE popula-tion actually experience the magic of IndianroohAfza.”

Ali reckoned “the sensorial experienceand the refreshment coming from the ther-apeutic essence of the herbal ingredients ofroohAfza are unbeatable” and generate asort of nostalgic feeling when consumed.

despite being a long-established heritage

AMoNG the soft drink advertising andmarketing creativity recognised at this year’sdubai Lynx awards, Pepsi did particularlywell. But another of the campaigns high-lighted was one undertaken by Coca-Colain Egypt because it was unable to link itsbrand overtly with the African Cup ofNations. reason: it was (cough, cough)sponsored by their ‘blue rival’.

‘To disrupt this disadvantage we had, wewent far from the games and players,’ saidCoca-Cola’s dubai Lynx submission, explain-ing the efforts it made to support the Egyp-tian team which had qualified for the firsttime in six years.

‘To a ping pong hall in central Cairo. Andfirst created a song that shared the newnational team. And its line-up. The Coca-Cola “Line-Up” song became the mostplayed song from a brand in Egypt. Fanstook over, sharing the line-up song. Theyplaced “forbidden” faces on our content.Video bloggers made spoofs and parodies.Songs after each game thanked the players,echoing the line-up song.’

The whole thing turned into somethingof a cult affair with massive media coverage.

Even Pepsi is said to have taken it in awryly positive, sporting way.

And Pepsi certainly did well with at the

Good sports atDubai Lynx

Lynx awards, notably with its campaign forthe Sting energy drink brand in Pakistan.

The #StingChallenge saw Pepsi/Stingmove in to revitalise UK boxer Amir Khanwhose career of 31 wins and the title ofworld’s youngest olympic boxing medallisthad stalled.

Sting invited him to Pakistan and show-cased an entire city as a gym. The Mughalcity of Lahore stepped up. In a digitally ledcampaign, residents got involved in challeng-ing and training Khan.

Said the dubai Lynx presentation: ‘Thecampaign was one of the most successfulones that PepsiCo has ever run.’ An onlinefilm alone gained a cumulative of 13 millionviews online and was the fastest to reach10 million in PepsiCo's history. Total cam-paign views were over 16 million. Totalimpressions of the campaign crossed the100 million mark.

‘In a complete knockout of the competi-tion, sales increased by an incredible 30%during and following the campaign. Thebrand's efforts also brought back Amir Khaninto the boxing ring.’

Amir Khan, #StingChallenge.

drink, roohAfza is still increasing its sales inIndia, said Ali: “roohAfza has been growingat a phenomenal rate of 20% year-on-yearwhen the FMCG industry itself is onlygrowing in single digits. Moreover roohAfzacontrols nearly half of India’s concentratedsyrup market.”

Some of the growth has come from thesuccessful release of roohAfza Fusion, ablend with fruit juices.

“We may soon be launching our Fusionline in UAE and Gulf region too as thepopulation here looks for conveniences, on-the-go and healthier alternatives,” said Ali.

According to the traditional Indianmedicinal system of Ayurveda, rooh Afzahas therapeutic and nutritional qualities thatwork on the body particularly well in sum-mer. Ali said it supplies essential electrolytesand corrects the function of the heart, liverand kidney. These qualities have also maderoohAfza a popular way to break theramadan fast for Muslims during the HolyMonth.

Apart from mixing it with water anddrinking, the popular concentrate can bemixed in milk, fresh lime or yoghurt, plus ithas other uses such as being an ingredientin home-made ice cream, sorbet, slush,smoothies and sundaes.

Abu Dhabi DesertChallengerEd Bull was very much in evidence duringthe Abu dhabi desert Challenge, contestedacross tricky sand dunes across six days ofstrenuous action.

Sam Sunderland from the UK andPoland’s Jakub Prygonski, sponsored by theenergy drink brand, both came second intheir respective bike and car categories.

red Bull KTM Factory rider Sunderlandfinished five minutes and 11 seconds downon Pablo Quintanilla from Chile withArgentine Kevin Benavides rounding outthe top three.

Australian Toby Price, who finished sev-enth, was hugely praised for sacrificing hischances of a podium finish when hestopped to help UAE rider MohammedBalooshi who crashed badly.

Przygonski and Belgian co-pilot Tom Col-soul finished 13 minutes and 30.2 secondsbehind Czech Martin Prokop to boost hischances in the FIA Cross Country rallyWorld Cup with three out of 11 racescompleted.

Sam Sunderland, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.Photo: Kin Marcin. www.softdrinksinternational.com

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16 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

Asia WestInDuSTRY nEWS

Integrated Punjabplant for varunMAJor Indian bottler Varun Beverages is tobuild a greenfield plant in the Pathankot dis-trict of Punjab for production of Tropicanafruit juices, Quaker oats milk-based bever-ages and Gatorade.

It will be the group’s first plant to manu-facture the complete range of these prod-ucts while also having the capability tohandle CSds and other beverages.

The plant is a major undertaking, spreadacross more than 40 acres.

It will join 20 other Varun manufacturingplants in India: Gr. Noida 1, Gr. Noida 2,Kosi, Sathariya 1, Sathariya 2, Bazpur, Jainpur& Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh, Bhiwadi & Jodh-pur in rajasthan, Nuh & Panipat in Haryana,Phillaur in Punjab, Kolkata in West Bengal,Guwahati Unit 1 & 2 in Assam, Goa, Man-dideep in Madya Pradesh, Bargarh & Cut-tack in odisha and Jamshedpur inJharkhand.

Some of these are currently being refur-bished or expanded.

Varun Beverages www.varunpepsi.comalso has manufacturing facilities in Nepal, SriLanka, Morocco, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying cer-emony for the Pathnakot plant, Varun Bever-ages’ founder and chairman ravi Kant Jaipuria

said “the juice mar-ket in India isexpected to showstrong double-digitgrowth. The settingup of this produc-tion facility is in linewith our endeavourto strengthen ourpresence in fastgrowing categories.”

Varun Beverageshas been working with PepsiCo to expandthe portfolio of beverage brands it handlesin India and elsewhere.

“The addition of these product cate-gories to our portfolio will result in betterasset usage, as the seasonality in these cat-egories is relatively lower and will augmentour return ratios and profitability metricsgoing forward,” said Jaipuria.

outside of the United States, Varun is thesecond largest PepsiCo beverage franchisee.

Jaipuria is regarded as one of the pio-neers and most inspired entrepreneurs ofthe modern Indian beverage sector. He isthe only Indian to have received PepsiCo’sInternational Bottler of the Year Award.

Jaipuria’s rJ Corp group is a diversifiedbusiness conglomerate with interests inareas such as fast-food restaurants, dairyand healthcare as well as property invest-ment.

Among his current projects is develop-ment of TWG Tea Salons in the UK, undera franchise from the Singaporean brand.

rJ Corp also holds the Indian franchisefor TWG Tea but is currently moving cau-tiously with Jaipuria feeling the time is notyet right for substantial retail development.

Ravi Kant Jaipuria.

new pavilion fordrink tech IndiaAMoNG the many highlights of this year’sdrink technology India (dti) will be an ‘oil-tech Pavilion powered by oils+fats’, sup-ported by the oil Technologists’ Associationof India (oTAI).

oTAI will also be holding a conference atthe show.

dti 2018 www.drinktechnology-india.comwill be held at Bombay Exhibition Centre,Mumbai, from october 24-26, in conjunc-tion with indiapack and pacprocess.

“We are very pleased about our newpar tnership with oTAI,” said BhupinderSingh, chief executive of Messe MuenchenIndia, the shows’ organisers. “This will offervaried solutions and learning opportunitiesto our attendees.”

rajeev Churi, president of oTAI, wasequally positive: “oTAI is extremely happyto join synergies with drink technologyIndia. our collaboration will prove to bebeneficial for the sector and we look for-ward to working closely with MesseMuenchen India on this initiative.”

From next year dti is expanding its reach.In the future, the trade fair will be held

twice during odd-numbered years: in thespring in Bangalore (February 28–March 2,2019) and in the winter in New delhi(december 5–7, 2019). Mumbai will remainthe meeting place for the industry duringeven-numbered years.

Focal topics will be set for the segmentsat the three venues and aimed at the mar-ket potential of the regions.

India is a huge country,” Bhupinder Singhpointed out. “By applying the new local

approach to dti, we will reach relevant visi-tor groups in the regions in a more system-atic manner.

“Tapping this potential is a key value-added factor for our customers.”

Mumbai is the international hub forIndia’s beverage and liquid food industry. Ineven-numbered years, explained Singh, visi-tors from all parts of India will continue tosee the latest innovations developed bycompanies from India and many otherparts of the world, in areas that range fromthe production, filling and packaging of alltypes of beverages to liquid food.

In New delhi and Bangalore, Indianexhibitors will primarily meet visitors fromthese metropolitan areas. The trade fairsheld in these two cities will also cover theentire product chain of the beverage andliquid food industry.

But a focus will be placed on particularsegments in a reflection of the differentpresence of individual industries. The focusof the New delhi metropolitan region isbeer, CSds and dairy products. Bangalorewill more closely highlight juices, beer, hardliquor and food.

World Tea CoffeeExpo in MumbaiTHE sixth edition of the World Tea CoffeeExpo will be held at Nehru Centre WorliMumbai from November 29 to december 1.

WTCE www.worldteacoffeeexpo.com isIndia’s only international trade show for thissector.

More than 90 exhibitors from eight coun-tries, including government pavilions, will beoffered to the 4000+ trade visitors.

With rTd tea and coffee variants prolifer-ating worldwide this aspect of the industry isexpected to be addressed extensively duringthe show.

Another driver is the high-end evolution ofcafé culture.

Said Priti M Kapadia, director of the organ-isers, Sentinel Exhibitions Asia: “In addition toshowcasing the latest products, technologies,solutions and certifications, WTCE identifiesmarket trends, global drivers, challenges, con-straints, threats and investment opportunitiesof the rTd tea and coffee market and cre-ates awareness on market penetration strate-gies – both local and global.”

For new entrants, the expo has become asingle sourcing avenue for all their require-ments. In India, a number of tea and coffeeestate owners are in the process of launchingtheir own brands for which they seek latesttechnology and packaging.

As well as exhibitor stands the event willinclude B2B match-making, workshops,championships, a two-dayconference featuring indus-try leaders, export/importguidance kiosks and aknowledge zone.

www.fi-india.com/2018

30 Aug - 1 Sep 2018Greater Noida, Delhi-NCR, India

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18 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018ASIA WEST

WITH a wide-ranging line-up of food andbeverage outlets in Indian airports, railwaystations and other transport hubs – many ofthem, like the Flying Bites kiosks, heavily ori-ented to selling waters, juices and other softdrinks – Travel Food Services www.trav-elfoodservices.com is already a major retailerof products across most soft drink cate-gories.

over summer it is extending its hospitalityservices at Mumbai Airport by launching theVending Man concept of vendors right atthe gate, as well as a Summer Coolers Fiestaoffering 42 different drinks.

Vending Man merchandisers are sellingboth soft drinks and food as well as a lim-ited range of other items such as tissues.

The Summer Coolers line-up are on offerat lounges and bars operated by TFS.

They include mocktails, cocktails, mix-your-self options, shakes, frappes, fresh juices, icedteas, lemonades, smoothies, lassi, cha andfaloodas, a hugely popular Indian dessertdrink which can be readily customised.

TPM to Tetra PakIzmirTETrA Pak’s plant in Izmir, Turkey, has won aWorld Class Total Production Maintenanceaward from the Japan Institute of PlantMaintenance www.jipm.or.jp.

That this is an accolade of remarkable sig-nificance is seen in the Izmir site being onlythe 22nd factory worldwide to win theaward in more than 40 years.

The TPM is presented to facilities thathave achieved outstanding levels of produc-tion quality, reliability, efficiency and environ-mental performance.

“The TPM Award is tremendous recogni-tion for the hard work, dedication and focusof our Izmir team,” said Eric Baudier, execu-tive vice president, supply chain operationsat Tetra Pak.

“The commitment they have shown toensuring our customers receive products ofoutstanding quality, while maintaining thehighest standards of operational perfor-

mance and sustainability, is truly reflected inthis achievement.”

Baudier pointed out that “Izmir is astrategic location for our global supply chainnetwork. In the last five years alone, thecompany has invested more than 60 million.”

With a capacity of more than 10 billionpacks, the Tetra Pak Izmir factory produces20 different packaging products. Last year, of

the 8.2 billion packages produced, 50% wereexported to customers in 36 countries inEurope, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, with adelivery lead time of less than one week.

This is the second time in two years thata Tetra Pak www.tetrapak.com facility hasreceived TPM recognition, following the 2016success of its Gornji Milanovac factory inSerbia.

Summer CoolersFiesta

Flying Bites outlet, Travel Food Services.

Aluminium closureplant operationalALUMINIUM roll-on closure specialist clo-surelogic – formerly Alcoa, CSI – has set upa Turkish subsidiary and opened a new plantin the greater Ankara region, its first outsidethe company headquarters in Worms, Ger-many.

Creation of the subsidiary and its produc-tion facility reflect the success closurelogicwww.closurelogic.com has enjoyed in theTurkish market over the past nine years.

The plant has got off to a good start withalmost complete order books for calendar2018.

Baris dilsiz, commercial director of clo-surelogic Eurasia (‘closurelogic ambalaj vekapak sistemleri’), says the Kahraman Kazanplant will meet the rapidly increasingdemand in the region for high-quality alu-minium screw cap closures such as euro-logic’s Talog. This combination closurefeatures a plastic tamper evidence band.

“In terms of sales, we went from 0 to 100in no time at all.” Among the company’s cus-tomers are most of the region’s largest andbest-known beverage bottlers, notably min-eral water.

The Turkish and Eurasian aluminum screwcap closure market has grown exponentiallyin recent years, following an increaseddemand for beverages in premium bottles.Since 2009, the premium segment has beensteadily moving away from PET and glassbottles with crown corks towards high-endglass bottles with screw tops.

In 2009, a leading Turkish mineral waterproducer became closurelogic’s first cus-tomer in Turkey to use the Talog closure.That one order was enough to give theproduct instant high visibility in the marketand more bottlers in the region followedrapidly.

Javier Muñoz, closurelogic chief executive,

said that solid demand plus the company’sconfidence in sustainable long-term growthdrove the decision to build the first plantoutside Germany.

Because of the technology involved, con-siderable emphasis has been put on stafftraining.

“due to the uniqueness of our technicallyhighly sophisticated product, the design andoperation of our systems requires a greatdeal of specialised knowledge in our com-pany”, said Muñoz.

The knowledge transfer is reported tohave gone very smoothly, largely because ofstaff commitment.

Javier Muñoz (front, left) and Baris Dilsiz (front,right) with staff at the plant opening.

Talog closure from closurelogic.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 19

Asia & PacificInDuSTRY nEWS

INTrodUCTIoN of sugar reduction to theChina market is the mission of a joint ventureagreement between Bayn Europe and theChinese group HuaHe International Assetmanagement.

Bayn Europe www.bayneurope.com is anindependent formulation developer of cuttingedge and healthy sugar reduction solutionsfor the food and beverage industry. It willhold 65% of the new entity.

Further to rolling up a sugar reduced con-cept store under Bayn Europe’s trademarktakk!, Bayn China have ongoing discussionsregarding a sugar reduced industry park withChinese government stakeholders.

“Sugar reduction means a system changeand the food chain is broken when theadded sugar is replaced. This is also true for

Growing for GoodA BEVErAGE joint venture has been set upin Thailand by Suntory Beverage & Foodwith PepsiCo under the unsurprising bannerof Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand)Company.

Its general manager, omer Malik,described it as a new chapter for our Pep-siCo brands in Thailand.

“The alliance is intended to combine thestrengths of both global powerhouses, withan ultimate goal of achieving the No.1 lead-ership position in Thailand’s Bt50-billion val-ued carbonated soft drinks category,” as wellas “creating new growth opportunities byexpanding our beverage portfolio to meet

consumer demands, ranging from hydrationto sports drinks, ready-to-drink teas and cof-fees, bottled water, and juices to a variety ofinnovations in the future,” he said.

The new company is handling PepsiCobeverage brands such as Pepsi-Cola, Mirinda,7up, Mountain dew, Sting, Lipton rTd teas,Gatorade sports drink, and Aquafina hydra-tion drinks.

The JV partners intend it will also be thevehicle for beverage offerings from Suntoryand for new product development aimed atThai consumers.

Sanitarium dropsKosher certificationdESPITE extensive efforts by Kosher Aus-tralia to continue Kosher certification of San-itarium foods, including the big-sellingUp&Go liquid breakfast range and So Goodsoy drinks, the arrangement has lapsed aftermore than 40 years of what has beendescribed as ‘a mutually respectful and coop-erative relationship’.

This has caused some angst and disap-pointment among those in the AustralianJewish community who eat Kosher. Whilespecific numbers of these are unknown, it isbelieved to be a sizable market.

Kosher Australia said in a statement itwas disappointed that it would not be able

to continue certificationbecause the relevantproduct and processingdata would not be avail-able.

“We understand theimpact that this announce-ment will have on theJewish community and thedecision has only beentaken after every effort toseek a reversal of Sanitar-

ium’s decision has been rejected,” it said.“Accordingly, we have been left with no

other choice but to withdraw the approvalof their products.”

Many people in the Jewish communityhave been lobbying Sanitarium to resumethe certification link and the matter hasbeen addressed in Jewish-Australian media.

Korean juice corevitalisesCHUNHo N Care www.chunhofood.kr isthe new name for the Korean health foodcompany previously known as ChunhoFood whose portfolio is strong in wellbeing-oriented juice products.

While that might not sound like a majormove it is more than symbolic. The com-pany wants to stress the health aspect of itsproducts and to align more closely to thetrend for healthy beverages.

Chief executive Lee Seung-woo explainedthe ‘N’ stood for the company’s vision of“nature, nutrition and next”.

Chunho has been in business since 1984.Now it is eager to rejuvenate and revitaliseitself, especially in reaching out to con-sumers in their 20s and 30s via social mediachannels, convenience stores and discountchains.

The company has already renewed pack-aging with a move towards more attractivecolours and additional information.

Included in the Chunho range are redginseng, blueberry, balloon flower, onion,black garlic and dandelion/thistle juices, for-mulated for men, women and children.

Sales have slowed in recent years andLee Seung-woo was hired last year to leada turnaround in the company’s own health.He comes from a strong food and beveragesector background.

Chunho has offices in Seoul and Busanwith a factory in Yangsan, South GyeongsangProvince. It also has a US presence.

China presence forBayn Europe

the Chinese market,despite having 110million diabetics anda very large childobesity problem due

to unhealthy lifestyles with excess sugar con-sumption,” says Lucy dahlgren, chief executiveof Bayn Europe.

“We are glad to now have a strategicagreement with a partner, outside the foodsystem, who pursues the real need for sugarreduction.”

Beijing-based Huahe International is a hold-ing subsidiary of Hede Holdings which spe-cialises in assets management and equityinvestment. Huahe provides whole productchain service of strategic positioning, planningconsultancy, industry introduction, integrateddesign, project and construction management,assets management and operation and equityinvestment in commerce and health care.

Bayn Europe was founded in 2009 inStockholm and is a publicly listed company.

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email: advertising@softdrinksinternational.com

or call+44 (0)1202 842222

20 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018InDuSTRY nEWS

Big buyer turnoutfor ProPakTHE organisers of the recent ProPak Viet-nam 2018 and Plastics & rubber Vietnam2018 report extremely positive feedbackfrom exhibitors and trade visitors alike.

ProPak Vietnam www.propakvietnam.comis organised by UBM-SES Vietnam ExhibitionServices www.ubmvietnam.com

The 2019 event is now in planning – itwill be held from March 19-21, again at theSaigon Exhibition & Convention Center inHo Chi Minh City’s district 7.

This year’s show recorded 8618 tradevisitors from 31 countries, up 8.1 per centon the 2017 edition. They included a good

turnout from the beverage sector, includingsome groups.

one such was from Nestlé Vietnamwhose internal trading leader, Nguyen HieuNghia headed a group of 17.

“All of them, who either have visited theexhibition before or not yet to visit, havebeen extremely surprised with the scale andquality of ProPak Vietnam 2018,” he said.

“We are primarily interested in gainingmore insights and knowledge about thepackaging technology and lubricants usedfor our manufacturing operations. By andlarge, the exhibition has met the needs ofour visit and hence, Nestle Vietnam will cer-tainly send more delegations to ProPak Viet-nam in the coming years.”

Another group was from noodles pro-ducer and soft drink giant Uni-President.

Tea sales help disaster preventionJAPANESE bottler Ito En www.itoen.co.jphas signed a partnership agreement withthe Japan red Cross Society which will seefunds from the sale of some rTd teadonated for disaster prevention education.

Ito En will also have some hands-oninvolvment in the education project andwill continue its policy of donating drinkstocks, funds and emergency supplies in theevent of a disaster.

The red Cross is stepping up its pro-gramme to prepare Japanese people forthe possibility of disasters, several of whichhave hit the country in recent years, includ-ing earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons andnuclear plant catastrophes.

It believes that improved preparationcould alleviate the impact of many suchevents on communities and also help withpost-disaster response.

The Ito En suppor t agreement wassigned by company president daisukeHonjo and Yoshiharu otsuka, vice-presidentof the Japan red Cross Society.

Among hands-on support, Ito En is help-ing organise ‘tea ceremony’ classrooms fordisaster prevent education sessions.

rTd teas generating funds for the pro-ject carry a ‘Japan red Cross Society Sup-port’ mark.

Daisuke Honjo (left) and Yoshiharu Otsuka.

Chiba baby leafgardenKAGoME www.kagome.co.jp, whose fruitand vegetable mixes and smoothies haveseen exponential growth in Japan over thepast decade, not only sources raw materialsfrom its own gardens, orchards and farmsbut also helps contract suppliers improvetheir plant strains and growing conditions.

This extends to community support, aswe have reported, notably in sharing r&dfindings on tomato growing – Kagome isone of the world’s biggest tomato produc-ers, using the vegetable for juices, saucesand fresh stock sales.

It also undertakes a series of educationprogrammes for youngsters, mostly throughschools, with the aim of encouraginghealthy consumption.

one of Kagome’s last ventures is thedevelopment of a new growing facility forChiba Baby Leaf lettuce in Hokuto City,

Yamanashi prefecture.Kagome already has a

major greenhouse pro-duction investment inthis area which isrenowned for its horti-cultural and agricultureoutput as well as havinga pleasant climatebecause of its uplandgeography.

Kagome intends tosupply the baby leaf let-tuces to supermarketsand restaurants as wellas use some suppliesfor its smoothies andother juice mixes.

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Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 21ASIA & PACIFIC

Co-organizersBeijing Zhongqing Heli International Exhibition Co., Ltd.

Messe Muenchen Shanghai Co., Ltd.

OrganizersChina National United Equipment Group Co., Ltd.

China Light Industry Machinery Association

Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), China

October 23-26, 2018

THE 13TH INTERNATIONAL BREW & BEVERAGE PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT EXHIBITION FOR CHINA

Big bottle turns 50NEW Zealand’s Lemon & Paeroa carbon-ated range might not be the market leaderit once was, thanks to changing tastes andcompetition from hundreds of otherbrands, but it remains an enduring Kiwiicon. It still sells in huge quantities, competi-tion notwithstanding, and has even gainedtraction in Australia and the South Pacific…although the Aussies took some convincingabout its distinctive taste.

It seems to have been around for everand for every living New Zealander that isso: it was first bottled in 1907.

Now the giant bottle in the centralNorth Island town from which it derives itsname – Paeroa – is turning 50, an occasionfor public celebration.

The bottle not only dominates thetown’s main street, which is also liberallybedecked with L&P signs on most cafésand dairies (convenience stores), but hasalso earnt its place in Kiwi folklore.

It has appeared on stamps, many a post-card, in literature, as a must-have ‘beenthere done that’ souvenir snap, and in analmost bizarre array of media news stories.

one such was when a chocolate com-pany’s wagon was found crashed into thebottle. It seemed unlikely but it was verywell set up. A sheer coincidence that the

company was releasing an L&P chocolate –there have been several product cross-overs to various types of confectionery, ice-cream, ice-blocks and even cakes.

The district mayor later fessed up thathe was in on the secret.

Another occasion for an appearance onprime time TV news was during a blooddrive. Key letters ‘disappeared’ from thebottle to highlight what types of bloodwere in urgent demand.

The golden jubilee celebrations wereappropriately led by the mayor, JohnTregidga, and included an invitation to addpersonal photos and reminiscences to acommemorative display, an enormous yel-low bow and toasts…of L&P, of course.

While most New Zealanders refer to itas L&P, locals loyally say it in full: Lemon &Paeroa.

regrettably the drink, long back pur-chased by Coca-Cola Amatil www.cca-matil.co.nz, is no longer produced in the

town; economics dictated a move to amajor plant in Auckland. Local residentspraise CCA for its ongoing support.

22 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018ASIA & PACIFIC

CoCA-CoLA Japan has teamed withGourmet Navigator to offer a beveragemanagement service for restaurants aimedat identifying and maximising the use of softdrinks, especially through mocktails andjuices.

The beverage management systemencompasses fixed base educational ses-sions, on-premise consultation and assis-tance with drinks menu development.

Coca-Cola Japan explains that the pro-gramme involves both profit maximisationand offering more non-alcoholic beveragealternatives, although it also covers tradi-tional mixed drinks where soft drinks are amajor component.

optimising on-trade soft drinksales

Target is for some 30,000 outlets to berecruited this year for the beverage man-agement initiative.

Backing the programme will be an incen-tive rewards system.

Coca-Cola is providing subtle PoS mate-rial such as customised retro-style mocktailslists.

The beverage management programmecuts across all demographics but with anemphasis on younger consumers lookingfor a point of difference and women whoare not always comfortable with the usualchoice of alcohol-centric drink options.

Coca-Cola Japan points out that its port-folio has over 50 carbonated and non-car-bonated drink brands suitable for on-tradesale. There is enormous scope for maximis-ing alternative drink options, it stresses.

Gourmet Navigator operates a restau-rant search website and offers assistance inthe ‘healthy development of Japanese food’with a corporate mission ‘to protect andcultivate Japanese food culture’.

THE Sapporo Snow Festival on the northernJapanese island of Hokkaido is one of theworld’s best-known winter events thanks toits snow and ice sculptures and the pro-gramme of snow-linked activities.

The Boss rTd coffee brand’s marketingteam www.suntory.co.jp/softdrink/boss sawthis year’s event – 69th in the series – as a

Certification recognisesemployee healthPoKKA Sapporo Food & Beverage Cowww.pokkasapporo-fb.jp has been certifiedfor the first time by Japan’s Ministry ofEconomy, Trade & Industry as an ‘advancedhealth company’.

This certification was sought by PokkaSapporo in line with its long-term visionknown as ‘Speed 150’ which states: ‘Thegreatest asset is human resources, thehuman resources of the group are bothhealthy, healthy, energetic, bright and have apositive energy to challenge and transcenda new field.’

Based on this policy, Pokka Sapporo istaking various initiatives to promoteemployee health, looking to not only theirwellbeing and happiness but also to that oftheir families, the company (notably throughproductivity, quality management and work-place positivity) and – as a result – cus-tomer satisfaction.

‘We are working on improving the work-place environment by utilising the results ofstress check group analysis as well asimprovement of health promotion mea-sures unique to the workplace, andimprovement of the follow-up system afterimplementation of periodic medical exami-nation in cooperation with the industrialphysician,’ says a statement from Pokka Sap-poro.

The company also makes available to allstaff and management a self-care tooldeveloped by FiNCo.

And further, it says, ‘as a follow-up toemployees who take leave of absence, wehave graduated work restrictions, and wesupport universal restoration of workplaceafter collaborating with medical staff, per-sonnel department and superiors’.

The ‘Healthy Business Superior Corpora-tion 2018 (White 500)’ certification recog-nises a corporation practising excellenthealth management in cooperation withinsurers. While issued through the Ministryof Economy, Trade & Industry it alsoinvolves input from business and medicalsources as well as the Ministry of Health,Labour & Welfare.

Boss at the Snow Festival

perfect place to promote the trend towardsenjoying such rTds in winter, either at roomtemperature or heated.

They set up a pavilion in a food courtprecinct, decorated with the familiar Bossemblem, lit up to good effect in line with thefestival’s night lights panorama.

The promotion launched a competitionfor consumers, with a travel prize linked toother events on Hokkaido this year. It alsomarked the re-launch of Premium Boss Blackvariants in bottle cans. The 2019 SapporoSnow Festival will run from February 5-11.

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24 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

AmericasInDuSTRY nEWS

CoTT Corporation www.cott.com has pur-chased Crystal rock Holdings www.crystal-rock.com in a transaction worth around $35million.

operating through its subsidiary Crystalrock LLC, Crystal rock Holdings marketsand distributes water and coffee service,office supplies, refreshment beverages andother break room items to the commercialoffice and at-home markets throughout theUS Northeast. This business has been builtup over more than 100 years.

It bottles and distributes natural springwater under the Vermont Pure brand andpurified water with minerals added underthe Crystal rock Waters label. Coffee isroasted under the Cool Beans brand.

“The Crystal rock acquisition is anotherpositive step in our stated strategy to pur-sue acquisitions in the higher margin homeand office water delivery and coffee servicescategories,” said Jerry Fowden, Cott’s chiefexecutive, noting that this was “where webelieve our platform, operating strength andsynergies can be leveraged”.

Under the terms of the merger agree-ment, Crystal rock will be a wholly-ownedsubsidiary of Cott. As a result of the acquisi-tion, Crystal rock shares will cease to betraded on the New York Stock Exchange.

ocean Sprayinvests in QuebecoCEAN Spray Cranberries www.oceanspray.com, whose juices and other fruit-basedproducts sell in major markets worldwide,has strengthened its supply and processingstructure through the purchase of AtokaCranberries from The Bieler Group.

Atoka is located in Manseau, Quebec, afast-growing cranberry region. It was foundedin 1984, initially as a cranberry farming oper-ation. In 1988 Atoka began the first phase ofits plant construction process. Today, followingseven additional expansion phases and sev-eral major investments, the company has twoproduction lines, a freezer and a state-of-theart laboratory.

“This is a strong investment for oceanSpray and our 700 farmer-owners,” saidocean Spray chief executive randy Papadel-lis. “ocean Spray's brand strength and globalmarketing reach, coupled with Atoka's uniqueproduct portfolio and location, will benefit allof our farmers and expand the reach of theoverall Quebec cranberry industry.”

In addition to acquiring the Atoka brandand processing facility, ocean Spray intendsto purchase The Bieler Group's freezer andreceiving facilities in the coming year. The

Crystal Rock nowCott subsidiary

cooperative also intends to make additionalcapital investments in these facilities to fur-ther increase efficiency and improve yield.

The Bieler Group will retain its world-classcranberry growing operations and become afarmer-owner of the ocean Spray Coopera-tive.

Atoka's approximately 130 employees willbecome part of the ocean Spray manufac-turing network, which includes five foodplants located in Massachusetts, Wisconsin,Washington, and Lanco, Chile as well as fourbeverage facilities in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania,Texas, and Nevada.

“The employees of Atoka and oceanSpray share a similar culture of quality andcustomer focus, as well as a unique dedica-tion to increasing demand for cranberries,”said Marc Bieler, The Bieler Group’s chairmanand chief executive.

“Bringing together these two businesses isexciting.”

Papadellis pointed out that the acquisitioncame almost exactly 60 years after Quebecgrowers first joined the ocean Spray Coop-erative in 1958.

oregon Fruit stays in SalemorEGoN Fruit Products has completedthe purchase of a 26-acre property and165,000 square foot food processing facilityin Salem, oregon, that was previouslyowned by NorPAC Foods.

Founded in 1935, oregon Fruit Productswww.oregonfruit.com provides fruit ingredi-ents for food and beverage producers aswell as a comprehensive line of canned,frozen and shelf-stable premium fruit forconsumers and foodservice operators.

The company was set up as a cannedfruit manufacturer during the Greatdepression by Max Gehlar and remained inthe Gehlar family for three generations. Edand Cyndy Maletis purchased it in 2011.Like the Gehlar family, the Maletises havedeep family-business roots and a strongpresence in the state of oregon: Ed’s

grandfather Chris Maletis Sr. foundedColumbia distributing Company, which Edled for over 20 years.

Ed and his immediate family also ownPortland Bottling Co. and HealthCo Infor-mation Systems, all companies with roots inoregon.

The company has operated from its orig-inal location in Salem since its founding.With the processing plant and office spacereaching capacity, chief executive Chris Sar-les had been searching for a new facility fora few years, even considering a relocationoutside the Salem area.

When he saw the sale of NorPACFoods’ canned vegetable business toSeneca, it seemed perfect in its existingfood processing facilities, access to regionalinfrastructure and proximity to the existingplant which helped maximise the continuityof employment for the team.

Salem’s Mayor Chuck Bennett helpedfacilitate the purchase, along with city coun-cil and development agency support.

corvaglia comes tonorth AmericaTHE corvaglia group is adding another capand closures plant. It will be sited in New-nan, a city in the Metro Atlanta area andCowega County seat.

This will complement corvaglia’s existingmanufacturing facilities in Eschlikon, Switzer-land and Ixtlahuaca, Mexico.

Founded in 1991, corvaglia focusesentirely on PET cap and closure design andproduction, based on a through-to-consumerapproach embodied in its slogan ‘Think,Shape, Make, Apply’.

The new Georgia plant is scheduled to beoperational by year-end, utilising the group’sproprietary moulds to manufacturelightweight one-piece caps and closures forthe North American market.

The company says it also plans to intro-duce high-speed digital printing with virtuallyno limitations in artwork or graphic, givingcustomers wide branding scope.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 25AMERICAS

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Creators Class initiative under wayPEPSICo has teamed with actor, directorand creative innovator Michael B. Jordan tolaunch a programme known as the CreatorsClass. The arrangement is allied to the PepsiLipton Tea iced tea brand Brisk whichemphasises bold flavours as a competitivepoint of difference.

The Creators Class www.briskcre-atorsclass.com is a collective of industryleaders partnered for mentorship and col-laboration opportunities with up-and-com-ing creative visionaries in the urban arts.

Together they will develop and launchthree projects in 2018, providing young cre-ators across film, visual arts and writing achance to work with established membersto gain real industry experience and expo-sure.

“Brisk encourages the same boldness andcreativity that I strive for in my work andwith my production company, outlier Soci-ety,” said Jordan.

In addition to his role in the CreatorsClass, Brisk also tapped Jordan to direct,produce and star in a digital content piecethat celebrates the creative hustle by high-lighting his process for transforming intoErik Killmonger, a character from MarvelStudios' Black Panther.

“over the years, we've teamed up with

and supported various talented artists whoshare that same passion and bold, daringattitude,” said Melanie Watts, director ofmarketing for the Brisk brand.

“That's why we partnered with MarvelStudios' Black Panther and have invitedsome of the creative minds behind the film

Michael Jordan working on Brisk’s Hidden Hustle videos.

to join the Creators Class. Together, we willempower aspiring creators in the urban artsby providing real opportunities, mentorshipand game changing industry exposure.”

Brisk is part of the Pepsi Lipton Tea port-folio, a joint venture between PepsiCo andUnilever.

26 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018AMERICASWorldwide Dispensers expandsproductionWorLdWIdE dispensers of North Amer-ica, part of dS Smith www.dssmith.com, hascommissioned a new injection moulding facil-ity in Lester Prairie, Minnesota.

The expanded facility includes furthermoulding machines, sub-assembly equipmentand warehouse space.

Another feature is a product developmentlaboratory equipped with advanced com-

puter aided-design,3d-printing andother equipmentaimed to improveproduct develop-ment cycle perfor-mance and providecustomers with

rapid development of custom-design solu-tions

The 80,000 square foot consolidated man-ufacturing facility and optimised floor layoutprovides improved operations flow, manufac-turing efficiencies and safety for employees.

“The completed expansion of our LesterPrairie location provides the opportunity tofurther develop our current capabilities andsupport the future growth of our liquid dis-pensing products,” says general managerMark Kurtzweg.

“We are pleased that the project wascompleted on time and in budget, especiallyduring Minnesota’s harsh winter months.”

An opening ceremony is scheduled forJune, following final external touches to thebuilding.

Support for BlackHistory MonthCoCA-CoLA Beverages Florida www.cokeflorida.com has committed to donatinga total of $50,000 to four local charities aspart of the company’s Black History Monthinitiatives.

Funds will be shared evenly between 100Black Men of South Florida, Pinellas Educa-tion Foundation, 100 Black Men of Jack-sonville and LIFT orlando.

“our red delivery trucks are in everyneighbourhood, every day,” said Troy Taylor,Coke Florida’s chairman and chief executive

“We have uniquevisibility into ourlocal communities,and we’re commit-ted to par tneringwith these charities,because they reflectour own dedication

to celebrating inclusiveness, stimulating eco-nomic empowerment and encouraging edu-cation across the Sunshine State.”

Coke Florida is warmly regarded in thestate as a ‘local business’ and enjoyswidespread support. Company staff fre-quently take part in community initiatives.

It is one of two African-American ownedCoca-Cola bottlers in the United States.

Jones Soda capital boostSEATTLE-BASEd Jones Soda Cowww.jonessoda.com has closed a privateplacement of $2.8 million to select institu-tional and individual accredited investors,including Jennifer Cue, the company’s chiefexecutive.

“This financing represents the first out-side capital raised by the company sinceJennifer began as the CEo,” said MaxSchroedl, chief financial officer for JonesSoda. Now is the time to accelerate ourinitiatives and capitalise on the promiseshown by our product portfolio.”

Cue stressed her ongoing commitmentto Jones.

“My participation in this financing reflectsmy confidence in Jones and conviction todelivering shareholder value,” she said.

“This capital allows us to invest in ourLemoncocco and fountain initiatives, whichhave the broad demographic appeal and

higher margins to return value to ourshareholders.”

Growth in Lemoncocco and fountain off-set the declines; together they now repre-sent 6.5% of revenue. Fountain revenueincreased by 197% in 2017 and Lemococcoby 37%.

Mexico station for AgrAGr International www.agrintl.com hasestablished a regional sales and service cen-tre in Mexico under the name of Agr Pack-aging Services.

Through this subsidiary Agr will manageall of the sales, parts supply, service and sup-port operations for Agr equipment in Mex-ico, Central America and the Caribbean. Agrhas a solidly expanding customer base in theregion and anticipates further growth.

“The opening of Agr Packaging Serviceswill bring a number of benefits to customersin the region,” said robert Cowden, Agr’schief operating officer. “These include theability to respond to customer calls in atimely and cost-effective fashion via locallybased service technicians, local language sup-port, additional training resources andopportunities, and improved parts availability.

“Key to the operation, however, is theexperienced and trained staff that will sup-port Agr customers in this region.”

Sales and associated efforts will be han-dled by Carlos Gonzalez and Marta de laTorre. de La Torre, a long-time Agremployee, has extensive knowledge of glasscontainer and PET bottle manufacturing, aswell as quality management systems.

Israel Hernandez will lead the service andsupport operations, with a staff of four ser-vice engineers, all factory trained and certi-fied on Agr equipment.

Agr International develops and manufac-tures a full line of laboratory and on-linetesting/quality control devices for glass andplastic containers and similar products.

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can be consistently dosed and delivered in atrue water-soluble format

These formulations will be processed andinfused by licensed marijuana processors, bot-tled and/or canned on-site by the licensee,and then sold chilled in licensed dispensaries,first in Colorado and then by other Americanstates where the use of recreational mari-juana is legal.

“Ceria will be brewed just like an alcoholiccraft beer to maintain its beer taste andaroma, but will then be de-alcoholised priorto the infusion of cannabis,” Villa explained.

28 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018AMERICAS

rETIrEMENT for former MolsonCoors exec-utive Keith Villa, creator and head brew mas-ter of the Blue Moon Brewing Company, haslasted only a couple of months as he sets upa new company to produce a line ofcannabis-infused non-alcoholic craft beveragescontaining THC.

His partner in Ceria Beverages www.ceri-abeverages.com is his wife Jodi Villa, a civilengineer who will serve as chief executive.The company is based in Arvada, Colorado, asuburb of denver.

“I’m ready to introduce another high-impact brand to the industry again, this timewith a new line of custom cannabis-infusedcraft beers,” he said. “Today, the opportunityand the demand are here, inviting Americansto enjoy a more social way of consumingcannabis – by drinking rather than by smokingit or through ingestion of edibles.”

Ceria is working with ebbu, a cannabinoidresearch firm also based in Colorado, whichhas developed a set of cannabis formulationsthat inspire specific sensations, all of which

one Warm CoatsupportdALLAS-BASEd dairy producer deanFoods www.deanfoods.com aligned its TruMoo Chocolate Milk brand www.tru-moo.com over winter with the one WarmCoat initiative which in the past 25 years hasgiven away more than five million coats tothose in need.

TruMoo encouraged others to pay it for-ward by heating up a mug of TruMoo Choco-late Milk for a cozy treat and sharing a photowith the hashtag #WarmUpWithTruMoo.

For every photo posted and tagged onTwitter, Facebook or Instagram dean and Tru-Moo offered funding for two coats.

“We are so proud to be partnering with

Ceria Beverageslaunched

Keith and Jodi Villa.

Flashmob forDasani return tomarketSUrINAME’S Fernandes Bottling Companyhas resumed production of dasani waterafter taking it off the market to allow a sys-tems upgrade.

In August last year Fernandes Bottlingwww.fernandesbottling.com decided thewater purification plant then in service wasnot delivering the desired quality standardson a sustained basis.

A lot of work was put into researchinghow best to improve the system so consis-tent standards could be guaranteed. Theadjustments made ensure optimum UV filtra-tion. While the upgrade was expensive, Fer-nandes was determined that it maintainedand exceeded best practice.

dasani had been available in Suriname formore than five years and had built significantmarket share so the product’s withdrawalhad caused retailers and consumers somedisappointment.

The re-launch was thus given special treat-ment, gaining media coverage.

In order to add extra strength to thecomeback, a flashmob took place in threelarge supermarkets. For this flashmob, Suri-namese artists such as Humphrey & Friendsand Enver surprised customers with a swing-ing song specially composed for the occasion.

The flash mob was very well received andscored extra impact via social media.

Dasani flashmob in Suriname.

one Warm Coat to help drive much-neededawareness to the importance of donatingcoats to those in need,” said Marissa Jarratt,dean’s VP marketing and innovation. “Eachyear, we encourage our consumers to heatup their TruMoo Chocolate Milk to warm upand we are so excited that this year their par-ticipation will help others stay warm andsafe.”

TruMoo has also been running a marsh-mallow promotion.

HArVEST Hill Beverage Co’s Juicy Juicebrand has linked with celebrity chef JeffMauro, host of Food Network's daytimeshow The Kitchen, to offer a ‘Flavor Explo-ration’ website aimed at expanding youngtaste palates.

The site www.juicyjuice.com/flavorfulfunwill offer original recipes, cooking tips, a videoseries, flavour-oriented games and otheractivities, plus a chance to win daily prizes.

“With 16 flavour varieties of 100% juicefrom Berry to Passion dragonfruit, Juicy Juiceoffers better-for-you options that encourage

Expanding kids’taste palates

kids to expand their taste palates,” com-mented Ilene Bergenfeld, chief marketingofficer at Harvest Hill.

“Chef Jeff shares our commitment tofood and family, and we're thrilled to partnerwith him to make it easy for parents and funfor kids to discover something newtogether.”

Mauro noted that “fun and flavourfulfoods and drinks not only encourage kids totry new cuisines but have the power toteach them about different cultures at lunchtime, snack time or even special occasions.

“I'm excited to bring my love for globallyinspired dishes to families with Juicy Juiceand show parents just how easy it is toexplore new flavours, even in unexpectedplaces like the juice aisle."

Mauro was born and raised in Chicago,where he was determined from an early ageto become the funniest chef in the world. Aswell as his TV work – he’s also star of theFood Network show Sandwich King – he ispartner and executive chef of Pork &Mindy's restaurants and retail line of sauces,meats and ‘legendary’ Pig Candy.

Jeff Mauro.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 29AMERICASBall upping SouthAmerican outputBALL Corporation www.ball.com is expand-ing its Latin American operations, aiming tobetter service customer demands inArgentina, Paraguay and Bolivia.

This includes building a one-line beveragecan and end manufacturing plant in Asun-ción, Paraguay and increasing capacity in itsBuenos Aires, Argentina, facility. TheArgentina investment is Ball’s third in thatcountry in the past two years.

The Asunción plant is expected to beginproduction in the fourth quarter of 2019and its capacity is already fully contracted

under long-term agree-ments.

“The economy isgrowing and demandfor aluminium beveragepackaging is increasingin Paraguay and sur-

rounding countries,” said Carlos Pires, BallCorporation’s president, beverage packagingSouth America.

“In Argentina, cans will continue to growand volumes will likely double.”

Pires noted that “these investments willallow us to broaden our geographic reachinto a new and growing market, as well asbe closer to our customers in the area,which aligns with our long-term vision forgrowth”.

Danone strengthensHarmless HarveststakedANoNE Manifesto Ventures has boostedits involvement in coconut water producerHarmless Harvest, leading a $30 millioninvestment round which also included otherexisting and new shareholders.

danone Manifesto Ventures www.danone.com indicated it had made theinvestment as a further step in its strategy‘to support companies at the forefront oftomorrow’s food trends’.

Founded in 2010, Harmless Harvestwww.harmlessharvest.com was a pioneer indelivering minimally processed organiccoconut water while becoming Fair for Lifecertified. Harmless Harvest's ecosystem-based business model also includes invest-ing in the rural Thai communities where itscoconuts are grown.

“Harmless Harvest is a unique US brandwith a strong consumer base and a greatgrowth potential in the attractive plant-based category,” noted Laurent Marcel,manging director of danone Manifesto Ven-tures.

“Harmless Harvest and danone havehighly aligned values combining businessgrowth ambitions with a commitment tohealthier nutrition and sustainable businesspractices. We look forward to leveragingour expertise and resources to help Harm-less Harvest reach its full potential, whilemaintaining the unique dNA that hasenabled its success.”

The additional funds will be used to sup-port growth initiatives by increasing andoptimising sustainable production capacity,raising brand awareness and expanding dis-tribution to meet increased consumerdemand for refrigerated coconut water.

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30 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018DEvELoPMEnTS

IngredientsD-Allulose-basedKetoseSweetICoN Foods has introduced KetoseSweetwhich allows stevia and monk fruit to beenjoyed in beverages and other productswithout affecting blood glucose or insulinlevels.

Formerly Steviva Ingredients, Icon Foodswww.iconfoods.com is a natural food ingre-dient supplier based in Portland, oregon andSalinas, Spain.

“We’re very excited to unveil theKetoseSweet product line, featuring d-Allu-lose as an ingredient,” said Thom King, presi-dent and chief executive of Icon Foods.

“Allulose is unique. Unlike fructose andglucose, it is not rapidly digested andabsorbed, and it passes through the bodywithout being metabolised.”

Naturally occurring in wheat, figs, raisins,jackfruit and more, allulose has the samemolecular formula as fructose and glucose,but because it is not rapidly digested andabsorbed it is safe for diabetics, those whofollow low-sugar or low-carb diets and eventhose who have adopted a ketogeniclifestyle.

It behaves similarly to erythritol and doesnot have a laxative effect.

“Even though allulose is only 70% sweeton its own, it has the same temporal profileas sugar,” said King. “Plus it provides theexpected mouthfeel that sugar imparts, lead-ing to a more satisfying flavour withoutrequiring the addition of bulking ingredients.”

Considered GrAS by the Food and drugAdministration, allulose may be used as asole source of sweetness or in combinationwith other sweeteners. KetoseSweet alluloseexhibits a synergistic effect with othersweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit, sooptimal flavour development and cost bene-fits are realised when formulating reduced,low, or calorie-free foods and beverages.

Although it is comparable to erythritol incalorie delivery, KetoseSweet allulose doesnot present the cooling effect of erythritol,making it another option in many applica-tions.

Icon Foods sweeteners and bulk ingredi-ents are certified organic and Kosher andare free of GMos, soy, corn and allergens.

BELL Flavors & Fragrances EMEA www.bell-insight.com has pointed to the rise of botani-cal extracts as a likely 2018 trend.

The Leipzig-based company has a traditionof forecasting flavour trends that will affectbeverage and food producers.

“Authentic eating has not only become amajor food and drink trend – the growingfocus on transparency and natural claimsunderlines the strong need for ingredientsthat continue to deliver higher value,” saidAgneta Hoffmann, marketing specialist at Bell’sflavour division. “Therefore, innovations withregard to clean, natural ingredients such asbotanical extracts are a key focus for Bell Fla-vors & Fragrances EMEA.”

The use of botanical extracts in beverages,such as wellness drinks or flavoured water,yoghurt or other dairy products like freshcheese, next to various savoury applicationssuch as ready meals, sauces and soups wouldpush boundaries in 2018, said Hoffmann,proving that healthy ingredients and innova-tive taste creations are not mutually exclusive.

The increasing desire for superfoods alsoplays an important role within botanical

Botanicals andcold brew trending

extracts. Ginseng root extract, as one of thestaples from Asian culture and cuisine, is mak-ing its way into European markets, combiningboth healthy attributes and a hint of theexotic.

While cold brew coffee has seen a rapidincrease within the last year, it is expected togrow into a staple for many consumers in2018.

Among trends identified by Bell is the useof cold brew coffee notes within dairy drinks,based on the fact that dairy is thriving withindulgence platforms. Increasing launches ofdairy products with an indulgent or premiumpositioning are conquering the market.

The ‘barista’ way of life fits perfect into thepremiumisation of dairy drinks and combinesthe cold brew hype with the progression ofmanifold daytime snacking options.

Bell EMEA sees a strong trend in combin-ing natural premium cold brew coffee noteswith sweet maple or other types of brownnotes.

The company also forecasts growing use ofcold brew coffee for energising CSds, mixedwith soda water.

FIrMENICH www.firmenich.com has nomi-nated fig as its flavour of the year for 2018,including for beverages such as energy drinksand teas.

“A true feel-good flavour, fig is becomingincreasingly popular with consumers, with figflavoured products growing by more than80% between 2012 and 2016,” said ChrisMillington, of Firmenich Flavors.

“With its numerous health benefits andsweet and satisfying flavour profile, fig offersendless opportunities to inspire our cus-tomers and delight their consumers across awide range of food categories.”

Advantages include high fibre content andthe presence of minerals such as magne-sium, calcium and potassium. Figs are alsoseen increasingly as a sweetener substitutefor processed sugar.

“Figs are lusciously sugary with a texturethat combines the chewiness of their flesh,the smoothness of their skin, and thecrunchiness of their seeds,” said MatthewWalter, head of culinary at Firmenich.

“A fig is consumed in different formats, soit provides room for creativity to reflect dif-ferent facets in top notes: fruitiness of the

Fig = flavour of the year

ripe fruit, green leafy notes of the fresh fruit,indulgent and rich notes of the dried ver-sion,” according to Firmenich flavourist Anne-Claire robineau.

“From a flavour point of view it can betranslated into fruity, jammy, floral, green,leafy, coumarinic, woody, winey and sulphurydimensions.”

Firmenich became interested in fig duringthe Greek yogurt boom, which began in2010. At the time, flavours connected to thebeneficial properties of the Mediterraneandiet had started to grow in popularity. Figstood out among them for its singular quali-ties.

“Pomegranate, olive, dates and fig were allon the rise and have continued to gain trac-tion in recent years, but there is somethingabout fig that we feel is special to thismoment in time,” said Mikel Cirkus, directorof strategic foresight at Firmenich.

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Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

Further patent for ZoomingTHE US Patent & Trademark office hasgranted ZoomEssence www.zoomessence.com another ‘method and apparatus’ patentcovering its Zooming low-temperature pow-der drying process.

Key element of this latest invention is theapplication of novel, turbulent mixing tech-niques to the drying fluid throughout thedrying chamber to optimise efficiency. It isZoom's fourth patent related to low-tem-perature powder drying.

“This new patent reflects Zoom's contin-ued investment in Zooming low-tempera-ture drying. Because of this process, Zoompowders have higher flavour retention,improved stability and are more cost-effec-tive,” claimed Charles Beetz, Zoom's chiefscientist.

"Flavours are sensitive to heat. Zooming'slow-temperature conditions protect a liquidflavour during the drying process and cap-ture the high-value aromatic ingredients pre-sent in the starting liquid. Since aromasignificantly contributes to the overall taste

experience, our powder flavours providebrands with flavour experiences neverbefore possible in powder form.”

robert Corbett, Zoom chief executive,claimed the “Zooming low-temperature dry-ing process creates powder flavours withoutstanding aroma and taste once onlythought possible with liquid flavours. This is agame-changing technology for brands to cre-ate superior tasting products.

“We are achieving strong results withfood and beverage brands reformulating toinclude more natural flavours. our ability toprotect the original liquid flavour in powderform has opened the door to new levels ofcreativity and cost savings, especially where anatural flavour is desired.”

ZoomEssence operates facilities in Sayre-ville, N.J. and Hebron, Ky.

natural sweetnessenhancerTHEW Arnott www.thewarnott.co.uk haslaunched Ceromag, an extract of liquoriceroot powder which can be used to intensifyand enhance existing sweetness, making itideal for reduced sugar beverages, confec-tionery and food.

Ceromag can also be used to mask bitteror salty flavours across a range of foodapplications, for example in Seville mar-malade where it serves to mask the natu-rally bitter taste of the orange.

Ceromag is produced using the active

ingredient in liquorice called glycyrrhizinwhich is 50 to 100 times sweeter thansucrose and so very little is required toattain sweetness. The natural vegetable ori-gin of Ceromag means that the product issuitable for use in both vegetarian andvegan food products and is also E-Numberfree.

KL centre platformfor growthGIVAUdAN www.givaudan.com now has abusiness solutions delivery centre operationalin Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as a platform forplanned growth in the Asia Pacific region.

Known as GBS, it is located in the PetalingJaya sector.

“GBS is all about increasing agility and effi-ciency while driving excellence in the deliveryof our services and solutions in order togrow alongside our customers,” said GillesAndrier, Givaudan’s chief executive.

“our new centre is strategically situated inMalaysia to enable Givaudan to deliver asuperior customer experience as we con-tinue to grow in the region and worktowards achieving our 2020 ambition.”

It is Givaudan’s thirdGBS, following similarfacilities in Budapestand Buenos Aires.

Initially focusing onfinance and procure-ment solutions for indi-rect materials andservices, the centre willbegin implementing the

full range of GBS activities in 2019. Anne Tayac, head of Givaudan Business

Solutions, noted that “Kuala Lumpur is partic-ularly well positioned as a hub for talent andtechnology in the Asia Pacific region. GBS willleverage innovation and new ways of work-ing to deliver solutions that are fully alignedwith our business and designed to increaseour effectiveness while allowing our peopleto focus on core activities that bring value tocustomers.”

Gilles Andrier.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

Blue Marble Biolink for FirmenichGENEVA-BASEd Firmenich www.firmenich.com has formed a partnership with BlueMarble Biomaterials www.bluemarblebio.com, a Seattle-based biotechnology com-pany specialising in natural and sustainableingredients.

The arrangement gives Firmenich directaccess to key expertise, from biomimicry tonon-GM fermentation, enabling the design ofinnovative and sustainable natural ingredientsfor the beverage, food and flavour industries.

“This is a win-win partnership, with BlueMarble Biomaterials technology comple-menting our leadership in flavour science,creation and consumer understanding,” saidChris Millington, Firmenich’s presidentflavours.

Jerome Barra, VP innovation and designfor Firmenich’s flavour division, said the com-pany “has leading capabilities in naturals, with

our ability to source specific natural rawmaterials, and develop our own extractionprocesses.

“In addition, we have a proven trackrecord in bringing natural ingredients to themarket. our collaboration with Blue MarbleBiomaterials is an extension of these capabil-ities, enabling us to address consumers’expectations for more transparent food andbeverage experiences.”

European certifiedorganicsSENSIENT Food Colors Europe www.sen-sient-fce.com has a new range of organiccolouring foods in its broad portfolio ofcolour solutions. These carry the organicproduction logo of the European Union.

The concentrates are based on selectededible plant sources from organic production.originating from traditional foods, such as car-rot or beet, they provide a variety of orangeand red shades with excellent stability andcolouring efficiency for a wide range of appli-cations including non-alcoholic beverages,dairy products, confectionery, sauces and sea-sonings.

responding to the demand for naturalalternatives to caramel colours, Sensient has

also developed a comprehensive range ofnatural brown shades for food and beverageapplications.

Products based on fruits and vegetablesare available as colouring food complying withthe EU Guidance Notes on Colouring Foods.

In addition Sensient offers unique combina-tions of different natural colours, creating awider spectrum of natural brown shades.Across a wide application range Sensientoffers stable, attractive brown shades frommilk coffee shade to rich dark browns, withproducts to meet Kosher, Halal and vegetar-ian requirements.

NATUrE’S Power Nutraceuticals Corpwww.npnutra.com of California has added theorganic NutraProtein Power Blend to its port-folio of premium nutraceutical ingredients.

NutraProtein Power Blend is a nutritionalmix of plant-based protein, essential aminoacids and other vital nutrients.

nutraProteinPower Blend

NP Nutra claims that ‘due to its highbioavailability and digestibility, this premiumprotein powder supplies the body with anenergy and stamina boost to get throughthe rigours and stress of a busy day or aphysical workout’.

It is naturally sweetened with Lo HanGuo (monkfruit), with a protein contentgreater than 55%.

NutraProtein Power Blend comes in twoflavours – Greens and Chocolate – and ismore than 95% certified organic.

NP Nutra supplies food and beveragemanufacturers especially in the functionalsector, cosmetics producers, pet food com-panies and others.

34 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018PRoDuCTS

Juices & Juice drinks

JAPAN The Vegetable Life 100 brand devel-oped by Kagome Co www.kagome.co.jp isone of the success stories of Japan’s healthbeverage phenomenon over the past decade.

Based on the group’s own fruit and veg-etable production, a big network of contractgrowers and underlying propagation researchwhich it has shared beyond its own cohort,Kagome has created a range of distinctivefruit and vegetable blends in several sub-ranges.

These are renewed constantly, with packag-ing makeovers and tweaking of formulationsto reflect consumer feedback.

one of the more recent sub-range cre-ations is Vegetable Life 100 Smoothie towhich Kagome recently added a CocoaAlmond Mix in a colourful 330ml pack.

These are true smoothies featuring naturalsweetness (no added sugar) and smooth tex-ture, rich in polyphenols and dietary texture.

Earlier offerings were the Green SmoothieMix, Soy Milk Banana Mix, Jersey Soy MilkYogurt Mix and Mango Peach Smoothie Mix.

Kagome reports these have gone overespecially well with women in their 30s and40s.

The latest smoothie blends 14 kinds ofvegetables, three kinds of fruit, a fragrantcocoa flavour and almonds.

Cherry rangespreads reachUSA Northwestern US cherry juice bot-tler CHErriSH www.cherrish.net hasstepped up distribution of its range sub-stantially, thanks to a new distribution dealgiving it access to CoreMark-serviced con-venience stores.

The arrangement is likely to bring aboost in production at the CHErriSHplant in Bellvue, Washington.

There are three flavours in the range:original Cherry, Cherry Pomegranate andCherry Blueberry. Each 355ml bottle con-tains juice from a combination of Mont-morency and Bing cherries, all US-grown.

CHErriSH is the only mainstream Amer-ican bottler using these varieties. It pointsto health studies documenting the benefitsof Montmorency cherries, including anti-inflammatory and muscle recovery,increased anti-oxidant suppor t andimproved sleep.

The brand also stands out in packing theentire cherry in the bottle – both skin andpulp – to retain all nutrients from the cher-ries.

Mark Vrabel, division manager at Core-Mark, said CHErriSH was a good choicefor its convenience trade. “our customersare increasingly looking for quality, healthy,flavour-rich alternatives for their beveragecold cases.”

CHErriSH has no added apple juice,fillers or added sugars. It is also non-GMo,gluten-free and has a low glycaemic index.

Juiced adds toFruit ShootUK Building on the firm foundation of therobinsons Fruit Shoot brand Britvicwww.britvic.com has launched a fur theroption called Fruit Shoot Juiced, along with amakeover for the whole range which is sup-ported by a marketing campaign banneredas ‘It’s my thing’.

This £3.5m multi-faceted marketing cam-paign features a brand partnership with Pub-lic Health England’s Change4Life campaign.

Sweetened only with real fruit Fruit ShootJuiced is 50/50 juice and water, schoolapproved and free from preservatives, addedsugar, sweeteners and contains no artificialcolours or flavourings.

There are three variants: Apple & Pear,Strawberry & raspberry and orange &Pineapple, all available in multi-packs of six200ml bottles with a transparent design toallow consumers to see the juice inside.

The Fruit Shoot range make-over is atrust-builder, based on a semi-translucentbottle with spill-free cap, brightly coloured

vege Life 100enduring success

Another Vegetable Life 100 new release isthe Kumamoto dekopon Mix.

The dekapon is a seedless sweet variety ofmandarin, very juicy. It is a hybrid betweenkiyomi and ponkan, developed in Japan in1972. originally a brand name, dekopon hasbecome a genericised trademark and it isused to refer to all brands of the fruit; thegeneric name is shiranuhi or shiranui.

This Vegetable Life 100 is in Kagome’sextremely popular series of regional offeringsbuilt around one or more juices from a par-ticular area – this one uses Kumamotodekapon – and featuring readily identifiablelocal landmarks or symbols.

This series has been under way for abouteight years and is so entrenched that Kagomereports large numbers of consumer enquiriesas to when ‘their’ regional mix will next bereleased.

graphics and clear on-pack messages high-lighting its ‘made with real fruit’ and ‘noadded sugar’ positioning.

Kevin McNair, GB marketing director forBritvic, said that Fruit Shoot has long been akids’ segment leader, helped by category-growing innovations like Hydro and nowJuiced.

“With its ‘better for you’ portfolio thatinspires kids, is trusted by parents and has aproduct for every occasion, by stocking FruitShoot you can be sure you’re offering yourcustomers the right solution for their kids,whether at home or on the go.”

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Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 35JuICES & JuICE DRInKS

Aloha Blend from ozAUSTRALIA While aloha is mostly asso-ciated with Hawaii, its link with pineapplesextends to other countries, notably Aus-tralia’s Queensland where the pineapple isnear-ubiquitous in plantations, juice plants,canneries, mixed drinks, cuisine and touristattractions.

Nothing-but juice specialist nudiewww.nudie.com.au has strong tropical fruitcredentials for its just-released seasonaloffering Aloha Blend.

This is a combo of mango, passionfruit,pineapple and apple.

The tropical image is strengthened onthe 2-litre share bottle with graphics of sun,palm and surfer (not a nude one, the namerefers to the fruit contents) which areappropriate for an autumn release in Aus-tralia where surfing into early winter ispopular.

Pressed Applefrom JoeUSA Selection for ranging at Trader Joe’swww.traderjoes.com is big-time, especiallywhen your product also basks in the spot-light of fame on the big retail group’s high-traffic website.

Trader Joe’s Sparkling Pressed AppleJuice is an eye-catcher, too – cute 170mlcans predominantly green in livery with abig apple in white with a touch of red, aneffective backgrounder to product text.

Welch’s 100renewedJAPAN The Welch’s juice franchise hasworked well for Asahi www.asahiinryo.co.jpin Japan, with consumers responding posi-tively not only to the flavour, quality andintegrity of the products but also thebrand’s heritage stretching back to the1860s. As we frequently report, several keyJapanese beverage brands have impressivehistories and are widely respected.

Now Asahi has refreshed its Welch’spor tfolio, re-launching not only Welch’sConcord Premium in 500ml PET withupdated graphics but also four of the ‘100’line: Grape 100, Muscat Blend 100, Pink

CCEP Iberia takeson Capri-SunSPAIN, PORTUGAL, ANDORRACoca-Cola European Par tnerswww.ccep.com has begun distributing theCapri-Sun range in Spain, Portugal andAndorra under an agreement with AriosHolding.

The Capri-Sun brand is familiar almostworldwide, being sold in more than 100countries and nearing half a century sinceinitial launch. With no preservatives or dyes,it is aimed squarely at kids from 5-12 andyoung adolescents. Its aluminium pouchpackaging is instantly recognisable.

during 2018 CCEP Iberia will roll outCapri-Sun in 200ml formats in the modernfood, local food and organised HorECAchannels. This will focus on three flavours:Multivitamins, orange and Safari.

In the Canary Islands and the Balearic

Islands, where the brand is already present,a fourth flavour will be distributed: Cherry.

In addition, it will commercialise in 330mlformat two other flavours (orange/Peachand Mango/Passionfruit) in the local foodchannel.

Extensive sampling is underlining thelaunch, notably in cinemas and leisure parks.

Special ‘meal deal’ promotions with chil-dren’s menus are another feature of thecampaign.

Grapefruit 100 and orange 100 in bigger(800g) bottles.

It is supporting this release with anadvertising campaign and a series of colour-

ful stamps which in turn are linked with‘Housewife’s day’, housewives still retaininga PC status – and a lot of respect – inJapan.

Listing the apple juice, Trader Joe’s tookthe opportunity to remind just how ‘Amer-ican as apple pie’ its portfolio is, offering animpressive choice of lines, apple pies amidstthem.

The Sparkling Pressed Apple Juice is 70%juice and 30% sparkling water, delivering alight, crisp mouth feel. The juice comesfrom Braeburn, Gala and Granny Smithvarieties, all sourced from Washington (thenorthwestern US state, not Trump HQ).

The cans are sold in six-packs at com-petitive pricing, in the usual Trader Joe’spricing approach.

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36 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

Water & Water PlusPRoDuCTS

GREECE/USA Generations of Greekmigration to the United States have set afirm market foundation for Greek beverages,food products and culinary traditions. Thebeverages have mostly tended to be alco-holic in the broader distribution but watersand other soft drink offerings are nowadaysgaining ground outside the substantial butrestricted retail territory of Greek supermar-kets and restaurants.

Just launched in the US is an upmarketwater brand from Crete: Zaro’s PremiumNatural Mineral Water www.zaroswater.gr

Zaro’s sources its water from the Amatispring on Mount Psiloritis on the island ofCrete. The water sourced from Amati is nat-urally alkaline, with balanced minerals andsuper taste and quality.

Psiloritis, also known as Mt Ida, is Crete’shighest point (2456m) and is within aUNESCo Global Geopark. It is rich in leg-end, including supposedly being the birth-place of the god Zeus. Some tales make ithome to a race of ancient metal workers

Strathmore Botanics from BarrUK Looking to the renaissance of gin as atrendy spirit of choice and the broader mar-ket understanding of how botanical ingredi-ents can drive flavour, Barr Soft drinkswww.agbarr.co.uk has launched StrathmoreBotanics.

The 500ml PET bottles in this adult softdrink range have a transparency with see-through labelling that features classy graphicsof the respective botanics as well as the fruitflavours each is paired with.

The labels also stress there is no addedsugar.

Strathmore Botanics comprise threeflavour options: orange & Mandarin, Apple &Elderflower and Pear & Elderberry.

“We have developed a product that isgenuinely new and exciting for the category,and we look forward to working with retail-

ers to drive incremental profits from theirwater fixture in 2018,” said Adrian Troy, AGBarr’s marketing director.

“research shows that taste remains theNo.1 priority for shoppers when choosing asoft drink and, within the water category,flavour choice is limited. Strathmore Botanicsprovides the perfect solution, combiningexciting flavour trends with health andhydration.”

From Crete to the world

known as the dactyls.Today it is regarded as natural and pris-

tine, just the right sort of image for a min-eral water brand.

Zaro’s offers Natural Spring PremiumWater and Natural Sparkling PremiumWater, both of which contain calcium, bicar-bonate, magnesium, and other minerals, withthe producer marketing these attributes ashelping to strengthen the immune system,boost energy and metabolism, strengthenbones and teeth, and balance the digestivesystem.

The brand has won several taste awards.Zaro’s is certified Kosher.

Caffeinatedsparkling waterUSA Clear/Cut Phocus, www.drinkphocus.com, which is based in Louisville Kentucky,has launched a new sparkling water contain-ing caffeine derived from green tea.

The drinks are Kosher, vegan, non-dairy,non-GMo and gluten-free.

Phocus is available in four flavours:Cucumber, Blood orange, Grapefruit andYuzu & Lime.

Presentation is in an 11.5oz can.Clear/Cut Phocus says the drinks ‘contain

a unique blend of natural energy and hydrat-ing agents that work in harmony to keepyou fuelled and phocused through whateverthe day throws at you’.

USA Nestlé Waters North America hasapplied its sparkling expertise from premiumbrands Perrier and S.Pellegrino, combinedwith consumer loyalty to its regional springwater brands, to offer an updated line ofregional sparklings.

The revitalised sparkling portfolio coversPoland Spring, deer Park, Zephyrhills,ozarka, Ice Mountain and Arrowhead.

It features new flavours, a revamped bot-tle design and associated packaging, and theintroduction of 12oz cans to meet all con-sumer preferences.

A key differentiator for the portfolio isthe use of real spring water as its primaryingredient. They have natural fruit flavoursand added bubbles. No sugars, sweetenersor colours.

Regional springwater sparklings

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Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

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It’s Texas, so Big SwigUSA Texas beer distributor Austin Specialtyhas moved into sparkling water, leveragingits dSd (direct store delivery) retailer rela-tionships to seize an opportunity in a non-alcoholic category.

“Having the power of the dSd networkand the relationships on the street and beable to build displays and move displays andwork different kinds of programmes is reallykind of what it takes to build a brand, andto be able to have your brand everywhere,”said Sean o’Connor, managing partner atAustin Specialty.

“We were able to be really cognizant ofwhat kind of margin they were willing towork on, what our dSd services wouldlook like, just because we are really in it. Aswe grow, our plan is to be able to replicatethat high-touch dSd merchandising ser-vices, which is a little bit of a different play.”

rather than touting complex flavours or aspecial source, Big Swig is positioned as abrand with simple, familiar flavours and atouch of Texas personality – after all, this isa state where BIG is good.

The line is available in three flavours —original, Key Lime and ruby red Grapefruit— in 12oz cans which call out the brand’sroots from ‘deep in the heart of Austin,Texas’.

Geographic expansion of the distributionnetwork planned this year is likely to seeBig Swig gaining even bigger market cut-through.

Craft sparkling,softer bubbleUSA Food and beverage entrepreneur TylerMerrick – known for Project 7 organiccandy and Merrick Pet Care – has enteredthe sparkling water market with Sevenwww.sevensparkling.com whose initial fourflavour options are takes on classic cocktails.

These are Grapefruit Melon, CoconutLime, Margaritahh and Champagne Wishes.More are in the r&d stage and the range islikely to be dynamic in composition.

Each contains 3-5% fruit juice and naturalflavours, with no added sugar.

The 12oz cans prominently proclaim thedrinks are non-alcoholic but they are clearlytargeting adult consumers with some dis-cernment.

Merrick was keen to emphasise the ‘craft’

aspect of the drinks, building on the strongmarket interest in craft beers. This is ban-nered on the outers, to catch purchasereyes at PoS.

Merrick is big on the ‘softer bubble’: “Weintentionally don’t make our waters with ashigh of a carbonation level so that you bet-ter experience the various layers of flavoursin our recipes. We also heard from initialcustomers from our test batches that theywanted a ‘softer bubble’ in their sparklingwater today.”

coconut water whichhas health benefitswhich will help remainactive, healthy andrejuvenated.”

Salem said that “toensure only high-qual-ity and nutrient richtender coconut wateris extracted meansthe water is takenfrom young tender

coconut at ambient temperature in a ster-ilised room in a process comprising threestages which are filtered, bottled and ster-ilised, resulting in the product being clearand untainted by impurities and thus retain-ing all its minerals, proteins and vitamins.

“CoCo Habit tender coconut waters israw, natural and unprocessed.”

Redefine yourhabitUAE CoCo Habit coconut water hasmade its presence felt in the UAE by sup-porting a marathon and fun runs. Thecoconut water is free of preservatives andadded sugar. It comes in a 285ml bio-degradable bottle.

“We take pride in being raised in UAE,”said Abdul Salem, chief executive of CoCoHabit www.coco-habit.com

“As a token of appreciation, I believe it isour duty to bring to the nation a refreshingand healthy drink, which is affordable yethealthy. CoCo Habit, true to its tag line‘redefine your habit,’ helps people of all agesto stay fit and healthy by consuming tender

38 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018WATERS & WATERS PLuS

USA The Coca-Cola owned coconut waterbrand ZICo www.zico.com is introducingthree new variants which cut across cate-gories.

ZICo CoCo-LIXIrS is a fusion of ZICoChilled organic coconut water and organic,cold-pressed juice.

GM Tom Larsen claimed this “is naturallylow in sugar and calories and loaded withelectrolytes, and delivers a fresh, smoothdrinking experience – combined with thenutrient density and greens-in-a-bottle good-ness of cold-pressed juice in one convenient

Tree water certified organicUSA Sparkling tree water from TreTap Bev-erages www.tretap.com has been certifiedorganic with the USdA by EcoCert.

TreTap is based in Georgia, Vermont, anduntil now has been distributed mostly in theNew England region. during 2018 it isplanned to expand distribution further afield,including the US MidWest.

“This is a real game changer for us. Notonly does it provide us with a better marketposition for our Tretap line in the competi-tive sparkling water category, but it also cre-ates additional marketing opportunities forour organic Tree Water,” said Aaron Harris,founder of TreTap.

“our mission from the start has been todevelop a new, environmentally sustainableand responsible brand using tree water weharvest every year form our syrup opera-tions. We are now officially an organic bever-

age line that gives consumers a choice ofhealthy and environmentally sustainable bev-erages.

“TreTap offers our consumers a greattasting beverage while also being transparentabout the source of all our ingredients.”

organic Tree Water utilises reverse osmo-sis to separate the tree water from the sap.The remaining concentrated sap is thenboiled to make syrup.

“There are many beverages that sourcetheir sap (maple and birch water) fromgrowers outside the U.S. and throughout theNortheast,” said Harris. “The supply andconsistency of sap is variable and subject tofluctuations based upon weather and uncon-trollable crop circumstances.”

Coconut water plus

package”.It will launch with three flavours: For

Lemon’s Sake (organic coconut water, lemonjuice, pineapple juice, ginger and turmeric);Unbe-leaf-able (coconut water, cucumber, cel-ery, kale, spinach, lemon, parsley and ginger);and Turn Up the Beet (coconut water, carrot,

blueberry, apple, beet, lemon and baobob).Two flavours of ZICo Chilled organic,

original ZICo Natural and Pineapple Mango,have been released.

And a third innovation, ZICo JalapeñoMango, joins Watermelon raspberry, Choco-late and the original ZICo Natural in thebrand’s shelf-stable line of coconut waters.

“Many people are very interested incoconut water and its health benefits, but itcan be an acquired taste for some,” saidMeghann Seidner, VP of marketing at ZICo.“Mango-flavoured juices and spicier tastes areboth in demand, which inspired us to go boldwith this new offering.

“We think Jalapeño Mango’s fusion ofsweet and spicy will help bring new folks intothe category.”

Line launches ‘atthe oscars’USA With a zany name and eye-catchingproduct livery, PepsiCo has picked up exten-sive lifestyle media coverage for its newsparkling water line bubly.

The range has no artificial flavours, sweet-eners or calories. Eight flavours are available:lime, grape, strawberry, lemon, orange, apple,mango and cherry.

Each features a unique smile, greetings onthe tab (like ‘Hey u,’ ‘hiii,’ and ‘yo’) and per-sonal messages on the can (such as ‘I feellike I can be open around u,’ ‘hold cans withme,’ and ‘love at first phssst’).

bubly is packaged in both 12oz cans – in8- and 12-packs – and 20oz bottles.

“When we looked at the sparkling watercategory, we saw an opportunity to innovatefrom within by building a new brand andproduct from the ground up to meet con-

JAPAN Japanese water bottlers are notonly increasingly oriented towards sustain-able production and catchment develop-ment but in the run-up to the hot summermonths are looking to a variety of flavourinnovations to help drive consumer aware-ness of hydration needs.

From Suntory Food Internationalwww.suntory.co.jp comes a ‘morning harvestorange’ variant of Suntory Natural Water.

This is a re-launch/refreshing of a waterfirst introduced in 2014, for 2018 presentedwith more emphasis on its ‘frozen’ possibili-ties.

The 540ml PET bottle is transparent, withorange closure and orange graphics to sig-

nal the taste. Theoverall appearancetends towards pre-mium positioning.

It has been pickedup by Japanese blogsand other socialmedia as an anti-heat-stroke drink suitablefor enjoying justabout anywhere,especially thanks to itsfrozen capabilities.Suntory is also mar-keting it at point ofsale, in social mediaand other advertisingalong similar lines.

Morning orangeanti-heatstroke

sumer needs,” explained Todd Kaplan, VPwater portfolio for PepsiCo North AmericaBeverages.

“We created bubly to provide consumerswith a great-tasting, flavourful, unsweetenedsparkling water in a fun, playful, and relevantmanner that is unlike anything we've seen inthe sparkling water category today.”

PepsiCo regards the range as “an excitingaddition” to its product line-up and decidedto launch on a big scale, airing two 30-sec-ond TV advertisements during the 90thAcademy Awards and thus giving bubly atouch of the oscars.

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40 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

Carbonates40 PRoDuCTS

USA Philadelphia-based Mingle Mocktailswww.minglemocktails.com is offering a rangeof sparkling mocktails in 750ml bottles.

With a claim of 20 calories per serving,the products are made with carbonatedwater, natural and organic botanicals, juiceconcentrates and sweetened with pure canesugar.

Four flavours: Moscow Mule, MelonMojito, Cranberry Cosmo and BlackberryHibiscus Bellini.

Mingle Mocktails say ‘we use only thehighest quality natural and organic ingredi-ents to make Mingle crisp, dry and delicious’.

They are intended either as a stand-alonemocktail or for mixing with spirits.

‘our mission is to bring a delightful bever-age experience wherever and wheneveralcohol is being served, so that all may feelpart of the occasion, making anytime a timeto Mingle. Whether you drink or not, youfeel part of the party.’

Bundaberg does aCrocodile DundeeUSA/AUSTRALIA The Australian movieCrocodile dundee – something of a culturalicon, regarded down under with a mix ofcringe and pride – tells of an outback char-acter arriving in the US and making a hit,against all odds.

The odds are hugely better for BundabergBrewed drinks www.bundaberg.com whosecraft-brewed CSd range is already a successin many countries beyond its homeland andenjoys a good reputation in North Americaalready, especially for its ginger beer.

Now the Queensland bottler has set up adistribution partnership with PepsiCo thatwill ‘significantly increase’ US market cover-age.

Bundaberg is already the #5 ginger beer

in the U.S. and #1 in California.“We've built our own distribution net-

work globally but given the rapidly growingdemand of the U.S. consumer base seekingcraft-brewed beverages, this was the idealnext step for Bundaberg,” said derika Legg,GM sales for Bundaberg Brewed drinks.

“PepsiCo is a great partner because they

natural sparklingmocktails

believe in the growth of the category andhave world-class national distribution capabil-ities that will allow us to make our productsavailable to many more people.”

The partnership comes as the US craftbeverage sector continues to grow, largelydriven by millennials searching for new bev-erage experiences and authentic brands,quality ingredients and thoughtful produc-tion. The sector was up 3.1% as of January2018, with the category expected to reach$1.5 billion annually by 2020.

“Within PepsiCo's broad food and bever-age portfolio, Craft continues to be animportant category for us,” said Scott Finlow,PepsiCo Global Foodservice VP of insightsand innovation.

“Bundaberg delivers on what US con-sumers are seeking, and by leveraging thestrength and scale of our national distribu-tion network we are able to get Bund-aberg's iconic ginger beer and otherrefreshing beverages onto shelves and intothe hands of people across the country.”

Bottle marks 90 yearsJAPAN Kirin Lemon first made its appear-ance in Japan on March 16 1928. Kirin Bever-age Co www.kirin.co.jp is celebrating theanniversary with a commemorative bottlewhich presents the drink’s heritage in a mod-ern idiom.

The three commitments at birth 90 yearsago were not using artificial sweetener, nocolouring and a colour-less transparent bot-tle. At a time when coloured beverages weremainstream this approach was novel but wasquickly accepted by consumers.

Throughout its history the brand hasretained these commitments, while adaptingto changing tastes and making the most ofmanufacturing progress.

The commemorative drink is made of nat-ural spring water and Setouchi lemon peel

extract. As always there is no artificial sweet-ener, colouring agent or preservative.

The retro-style 450ml PET bottle featuresthe traditional Kirin dragon – these days seenmore often on the group’s beers rather thanits soft drinks – as a label highlight. There arealso four other can and bottle variants.

An updated version of ‘Kirin lemon’s song’,once used for radio advertising, is at the coreof an advertising campaign to support thecommemorative bottle.

Citrus Spritz botanical blendUK Craft drinks specialist rocktailswww.rocktails.co.uk has introduced ‘The Cit-rus Spritz’, a lightly sparkling botanical blend.

‘The Citrus Spritz’ is the first in a range ofnew craft soft drinks being developed byrocktails as it moves to gain ground in theburgeoning adult soft drinks sector.

It is described as a ‘delicate blend’ which‘combines lemon zest with juniper berries,along with base notes of grapefruit peel, andthe rounded pepperiness of the juniper isintertwined with a gentle aroma of lavenderand basil’.

reviving century-old techniques, rocktailsusse a copper pot steam distillation process

to extract their botanicalflavours in small batches. Thisprocess ensures each blend isboth pure and complexresulting in what the pro-ducer says is ‘a fresh and orig-inal combination of perfectlybalanced, delicate flavournotes’.

The gentle effervescence isclaimed to be ideal for pairingwith seafood and light dishes.

Founded by Chris Yandelland Katie Bain, the ethos of

devon-based rocktails is simple: no shortcutsor compromises are taken from the start tothe finish of the process. They say they have asincere interest in experimenting with uniqueingredients and pairing flavours to develop arange of drinks like no other.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 41CARBonATES

Light Devon tonicwaterUK Luscombe drinks www.luscombe.co.uksays its new Light devon Tonic Water is‘crafted with the same obsession which hascreated our now 27-strong range’.

This is a reduced calorie tonic, using natu-ral devon spring water and enhanced withthe citrus taste of Japanese yuzu and Indiancuisine.

It is suitable for mixing with any whitespirit, over ice or on its own.

Available in 200ml glass bottles, it sitsalongside Luscombe drinks’ familiar devonTonic Water, Elderflower Tonic Water andGrapefruit Tonic Water.

“The tonic water sector is rapidly expand-ing, with sales exceeding £100million for the

first time – a rise of 37%in the past year. The newLight devon Tonic Wateris our response to cus-tomer demand for a pre-mium tonic water withfewer calories,” saidGareth Hess, Luscombe’shead of sales.

He explained the bot-tler is also applying anelegant new label acrossits portfolio. “A necklabel – with an on-trendretro look – has alsobeen added, making thetonics easily distinguish-able from other drinks inour range.

Sprite relauncheswith extra flavourUK/EUROPE Coca-Cola European Part-ners www.ccep.com is overhauling theSprite brand identity in a far-reachingrenewal of this key line. The makeoverincludes a new flavour and packagingoptions.

Added to the portfolio is Sprite LemonLime & Cucumber, made with 100% naturalflavours and no sugar. It is offered in 330mlcan, 500ml PET bottle and 2-litre PET pack-aging options.

Introducing a re-design across the entireSprite portfolio, the new look retains theiconic green colour Sprite has used since1961 whilst up-weighting refreshment cueswith lemon and lime imagery on all canand bottle formats.

The dimples that currently feature onexisting 500ml bottles of Sprite now alsoform part of the 2-litre bottle design, rep-resenting the drink’s refreshing citrus bub-bles.

In the UK Sprite will be backed by a£3.3million marketing campaign, spanningdigital and print advertising channels, whichwill target the brand’s largest consumergroup, millennials. The campaign will com-municate the brand’s natural flavour, nosugar message and over 400,000 con-sumers will have the opportunity to tastethe new variant through in-store sampling.

“With zero sugar flavoured carbonatescurrently driving growth within convenience

and grocery, there is no better time tolaunch Sprite Lemon Lime and CucumberNo Sugar which we’re confident will exciteour core millennial audience who arealways on the look-out for new innovativeflavours and experiences,” said Simon Harri-son, CCEP’s customer marketing directorGB.

Coca-Cola Nederland, part of the CCEPgroup, was the first in the world to re-introduce Sprite as a completely sugar andcalorie-free drink, in March last year. Thesuccess of this move contributed to thecurrent UK/Europe brand makeover.

“The success of Sprite shows that theNetherlands, as a guide country, is perfectlycapable of inspiring other markets,” saidMargreet van Staalduijnen, brand managerSprite in the Netherlands. “The success hasnot gone unnoticed abroad, other countriesare now following. That is nice to see andof course we support these countries withour insights and experience.”

As well as the cucumber flavour variant,Coca-Cola Nederland is adding a 250mlversion of the existing mint and cranberryflavour.

DRY Zero SugarSodasUSA Seattle-based drY Soda Companywww.drysoda.com has added a secondrange to its portfolio: drY Zero SugarSodas. These are sugar-free, USdA organic,and Non-GMo Project Verified.

drY Zero Sugar Sodas are available infour flavours: Cola, Peach Tea, MountainBerry and Island Fruit. The beverages madetheir debut at the 2018 Fancy Food Showin January and are now rolling out to retail-ers nationwide.

They are lightly sweetened with stevialeaf extract and crafted with only 6-7 ingre-dients. There are no added/artificial colours,artificial sweeteners, sodium or gluten.

The line’s packaging was created in col-laboration with artist Catalina Estrada andfeatures patterns in her signature stylewhich combines Latin-American and Asianinfluences. Estrada took inspiration from thebeverages’ various flavour notes, brightness

and effervescence to create these bespokedesigns.

“The launch of drY Zero Sugar Sodasmarks an exciting new chapter for drYSoda Co,” said Sharelle Klaus, founder andchief executive. “We know from the rapidgrowth and success of our flagship line,drY Sparkling, that consumers are elevat-ing their expectations when it comes tobeverages.

“As we all know, the demand for organicproducts is increasing, yet until now, sugar-free organic sodas have not been widelyavailable. People want better options forthemselves and their families.”

C.C. Lemon GreenJAPAN Suntory Food Internationalwww.suntory.co.jp continues to leveragethe market force of its long-establishedC.C. Lemon brand with the launch of an

adult flavour marketed asC.C. Lemon Green.

This targets youngadults in their 20s and30s, appealing to trendypalates with an interestin healthy beverages.

In addition to theusual lemon-derived vita-min C of the C.C.mother brand, this fea-tures mint extract andlemon peel extract togive a flavour which Sun-tory describes as compli-cated but neat.

offered in 500ml PET.

www.softdrinksinternational.com

42 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018CARBonATES

Crème de la crèmeof tonicUK Fentimans www.fentimans.com arecalling it ‘the crème de la crème of tonic’, a‘super premium mixer’. Connoisseurs TonicWater builds on Fentiman’s recent £1.2mrebrand and image overhaul.

This has a smooth taste profile, achievedby the infusion of natural botanicals andthe blending of clean, subtle, naturalflavours.

“As more and more consumers continueto have heightened quality expectationsand as renowned flavour innovators, it’simportant that Fentimans create drinks thatmeet the needs of an increasingly discern-ing and knowledgeable audience,” saidAndrew Jackson, marketing director.

“With the development of ConnoisseursTonic Water, we have created the crèmede la crème of tonic that will delight eventhe most ardent connoisseurs.”

The new super premium tonic water islaunching in 125ml, 200ml and 500ml size

formats, supported by an experiential mar-keting and digital campaign ahead of amajor ATL communications campaign forthe brand.

USA In celebration of the Villanova Wild-cats’ 2018 NCAA division I men’s basket-ball national championship win, Coca-Colahas produced a limited-edition commemo-rative 12oz can.

Available in six-packs, this features theWildcats logo and salutes Villanova for its2018 title run.

“All season long, Coca-Cola has providedWildcats fans with delicious, ice-coldrefreshment as they cheered their team tothis special moment,” said Fran McGorry,co-owner and CEo, Liber ty Coca-ColaBeverages www.libertycoke.com

“Liberty Coca-Cola congratulates the Vil-lanova Wildcats and invites fans to toastwith the limited-edition Coca-Cola cans asthey celebrate with family and friends.”

For a limited period fans also can visit

villanova Wildcatstitle cans

www.cokestore.com to customise andorder single 8oz glass bottles of Coca-Cola,Coke Zero Sugar and diet Coke with thelogo for Villanova, among many other col-leges and universities.

The Villanova Wildcats are the athleticprogramme of Villanova University, aCatholic research school in radnor Town-ship, to the north of Philadelphia.

non-alcoholicsparkling cocktailsJAPAN Suntory Spirits www.suntory.co.jpis doing very well with its non-alcoholiccocktail range, carbonated soft drinks whichmimic convincingly the alcohol-driven ver-sions.

Latest is a new version of Mediterraneanorange, initially offered last year on a lim-ited basis and backed with TV advertising.

The 2018 version is a continuing SKU, onsale indefinitely. It follows a similar formula-tion to its predecessor and will again be

advertised on TV with a commercial featuringthe same high-profilecelebrity.

The 350ml can fea-tures oranges with iceto impart the cocktailconcept, with the zero-calorie and sugar carnetprominent.

Suntory Spirits is alsooffering Mediterranean

orange is a mixed six pack, along withMediterranean Lemon, MediterraneanGrapefruit, Giant Peak Sour, Cassis orangeand White Sour non-alcoholic cocktails.

JAPAN The Mitsuya Cider range fromAsahi drinks Co www.asahiinryo.co.jp hasdelivered some interestingly different CSdsover its long and much-respected history –130 years or more of production tell colour-ful tales.

one such is the brand’s plum-flavouredMitsuya Ume which has been produced incooperation with Wakayama Prefecturesince its launch in 2013. Actually, the linkgoes back further to another plum variant.

on Honshu’s Kii Peninsula, Wakayama Pre-fecture is renowned for its extensiveorchards and bounteous harvests, especiallyof juicy plums with thick flesh – it is one ofJapan’s major plum sources.

The latest iteration, released recently, con-tinues this link and enhances the plumflavour, delivering a refined fragrance andrefreshing aftertaste.

The 500ml bottleexpresses through clas-sic pink and greentones the flowering ofplum trees throughoutJapan in February andMarch, celebrated inume matsuri (plum fes-tivals) held in publicparks, shrines and tem-ples.

Flowering of the umeis almost on a par withthe springtime cherryblossom extravaganzaof nature in Japan.

This is a carbonatewith a solid heritage,enjoying a well-estab-lished back story inaddition to deliveringon its ume credentials.

Plum link with Prefecture

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44 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

Sports & EnergyPRoDuCTS

USA Two new flavours have been addedby Texan energy drinks producer HydriveEnergy Water www.hydriveenergy.com.These follow the Hydrive formulation oflinking the hydration benefits of water withthe added function of energy from B vita-mins and caffeine.

Kiwi Melon brings a new fruit-inspiredflavour to the product line.

Grape Fusion was a fan favourite ofHydrive Energy Water's prior full-calorie line.Grape Fusion has been reformulated todeliver a sweet burst of grapes while main-taining the zero-calorie, refreshing formula.

“Consumers love Hydrive because it givesthem the energy they need and tastes

Top of form forMizoneAUSTRALIA Australian cricketer and foot-baller Ellyse Perry, TV presenters Liv Phylandand Teigan Nash, and personal trainers danAdair and danielle Bazergy are the faces of anew campaign for Mizone Sport.

Mizone Sport www.mizonesport.com is abrand of the Frucor Suntory www.frucorsun-tory.com group which also markets MizoneSports Water in New Zealand.

The Mizone Sports range has recentlybeen reformulated so that it now has onethird less sugar and no artificial colours,flavours, sweeteners or preservatives.

It is available in three new flavours: Lemon

& Lime, Strawberry & Lime and Watermelon.Frucor Suntory claims ‘the unique, hypo-

tonic formula for Mizone Sport was designedwith world-leading sports psychologists,sports dietitians and coaches. After conduct-ing a series of clinical trials with elite athletes,Mizone Sport has been proven to signifi-cantly hydrate you faster than traditional iso-tonic sports drinks.’

The 2018 advertising campaign aims tohumanise the sports drink category by fea-turing real people in real-life settings.

Lucozade Energyon e-sports sceneIRELAND With the international e-sportsscene drawing the attention of increasingnumbers of enthusiasts, the majority of themin the core energy beverage demographics,Lucozade Energy www.lucozadeenergy.comhas linked with Three Ireland’s EStarswww.estars.pro

The partnership got under way at ThreeIreland’s EStars in dundalk, where competi-tors faced off in League of Legends to winwin €20,000 and a trip to Las Vegas.

The top four teams advance from theleague to the finals which will attended by e-gaming celebrities such as F2 Freestylers andProdijig.

“We are delighted to partner withLucozade Energy, a company that matchesour vision in providing the growing Irishgaming scene with the stage it deserves,”said Mags Byrne of Three Ireland EStars.

And said Aoife McGuigan, marketing man-ager for Lucozade Energy: “We’re delightedto be teaming up with Three Ireland EStars.It’s a really exciting time for the LucozadeEnergy brand and this is a perfect fit.”

Smart Cups innovationUSA A new type of energy drink has madean appearance. Smart Cups www.smartcups.com uses a patented 3d polycapsule print-ing delivery system which transforms a virtu-ally empty cup into a self-stirring energydrink with the simple addition of water.

Smart Cups founder Chris Kanik says thesystem is made for busy and active con-sumers who need energy drinks that notonly provide an effective boost but can alsobe easily transported, stored and disposedof in an eco-conscious way.

The brand has made its debut with arange of four 9oz cups with offbeat flavournames: Tropical recess, Nerdy Lemon-T,Pucker up Brain Boost and Magna Cum

Latte.Selling points include zero calories and no

sugar, eco-friendly and biodegradable plant-based cups, and a stackable design for stor-age efficiency and easy transport withspin-off cost reduction.

Kanik conceptualised the innovationbehind Smart Cups while waiting –“patiently,” he stresses – to be served adrink he had ordered at a restaurant. realis-ing the need for instant drinks, he embarkedon exploring how printed technology couldbe applied to the beverage industry.

“This delivery system is a scientific break-through that the food and beverage industryhas never seen before,” he claims. “Puttingthe power of science into a cup, Smart Cupsprovides a more convenient, hassle-free andeco-friendly beverage experience for con-sumers.

“We've developed a game-changing deliv-

ery method that consumers will be able toexperience through our initial line of energydrinks. This delivery system print technologywill become the new standard for a varietyof industries including pharmaceutical, bever-age, water purification and beyond.”

Smart Cups is also planning sports drinks,coffee, teas, juices, protein drinks and otherbeverages. The company is also looking todevelop a single-use water purification cupwith the ability to filter contaminated waterinto safe-to-drink liquids.

Two extra flavoursadded

great,” said Thomas oh, SVP marketing forBig red, owner of Hydrive Energy Water.

other flavours in the Hydrive range areBlack Cherry, Blue raspberry, Triple Berryand Citrus Burst.

The orange flavour isexpected to attract con-sumers who do not nor-mally count energy drinkshigh on their repertoire,thanks to the ‘just like asoft drink’ flavour.

“We know that cate-gory growth is beingdriven primarily byflavours and low-sugarproducts like CarabaoGreen Apple,” said Mark

Young, managing director of IntercarabaoUK. “So we expect the new variant to bejust as successful.”

All of the Carabao range marketed in theUK is “in exclusively low and no sugar for-mats,” Young pointed out.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 45SPoRTS & EnERGY

Key Taiwan brandtargets PRCCHINA Tianyun International Holdingswww.tianyuninternational.com has signed anagreement with Tai Wei Beverage for thejoint production and sale of X-Bear Energydrinks for sale in the PrC. X-Bear is one ofthe five top-selling energy drink brands in Tai-wan, with high market penetration and brandawareness.

It is fresh territory for Tianyun Internationalwhich is best known for a variety of pro-cessed fruit products, many of them majorsellers in Hong Kong and throughout much ofthe PrC as well as on export markets, andtrading in fresh fruit.

Under the agreement, Tianyun will produceX-Bear for sale through its vast distributionnetwork and on-line. It will also supply X-Bearstocks to Tai Wei for its own distribution.

The X-Bear range currently includes tradi-tional energy drinks and an energy fruit tea.They are regarded in Taiwan as having some-thing of a functional effect, including sportshydration.

Tianyun is keen to develop a functionalportfolio and sees X-Bear as a move in thisdirection although the brand will also be mar-keted as a ‘straight’ energy beverage.

“The strategic cooperation will integratethe Tianyun International and Tai Wei's

respective resources to jointly develop, manu-facture and sell high-quality and market-ori-ented beverage products in the PrC on thebasis of mutual benefit and reciprocity in thelong run, and we are glad the cooperationcould be reached.,” said Yang Ziyuan, TianyunInternational’s chairman and chief executive.

“We are confident that the China func-tional and sport drinks market will continueits rapid growth upon the trend of consump-tion upgrade and rising health awareness.”

Energy goes politicalBRAZIL right-wing politician Jair Bolsonarois gaining heavy traction in the run-up toelections in Brazil. The country’s politicalscene has been notoriously beset by corrup-tion and scandal, with presidents falling toinvestigative probes and a general feeling ofeconomic malaise despite the vast country’snatural resources.

Crowds attending Bolsonaro street meet-ings and other gatherings have taken tochanting “Mito, mito” which means myth inPortuguese, reflecting the politician’s derisionof the lies and obfuscation associated withthe mainstream governing class.

Now an entrepreneurial Brazilian com-pany, open Creative, has created an energydrink which merges Bolsonaro’s name withthe crowd chant: Bolsomito.

open Creative’s principals, Fabio da Silvaand Frederico Michel share Bolsonaro’s ide-als and hope he will be able to followthrough on a ‘drain the swamp’ policy akinto US President donal Trump. They also see

Berocca Forward in bottleNEW ZEALAND Bayer HealthCare NZis building on the success of its Berocca For-ward energy drinks in cans by introducing a330ml bottle version to broaden consump-tion environments.

A prime selling point is that, unlike thecans, purchasers don’t need to drink it inone go. Says the marketing spin: ‘HavingBerocca Forward in a bottle means you cancarry a hit of vitamin and mineral infused

energy with you through-out the day. With the capscrewed on, it can be safein your bag and ready forwhen you need it – thenall you’ll need to do ismake sure you use all thatpositive energy.’

Berocca Forwardwww.berocca.co.nz haslow sugar content, B andC vitamins, magnesium,zinc and guarana as ingre-dients.

It is offered in twoflavours: Tropical orangeand red Berry.

Sales channels includegrocery, convenience andpetrol stations.

him as improving Brazil’s messy and ailingeconomy.

“Trump is doing an excellent job. That isthe job we want in Brazil. And the onlyname that represents that is Jair Bolsonaro,”said Michel.

UK Like red Bull, the Carabao energy drinkbrand and concept originated in Thailandwhere it remains a major player, involvedheavily in music and sponsorships as well asdelivering a range of beverages which holdsubstantial market share. And also like redBull, Carabao is evolving internationally.

This has seen reading-based IntercarabaoUK www.carabaoenergy.co.uk build a portfo-lio closely aligned to consumer tastes. Mar-ket research indicating the popularity oforange as a soft drink flavour could beapplied to the energy category has broughtthe release of Carabao Mandarin orange.

Carabao addsMandarin orange

To advertiseemail:

advertising@softdrinksinternational.com

or call +44 (0)1202 842222

or download the SDImedia pack from...

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46 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

FunctionalsPRoDuCTS

Herbal drinksoothes stomachSRI LANKA Aloe vera is associated with avariety of wellness claims, some of thembased on scientific research, others more ontraditional claims and age-old practice. SirLanka’s Ira Handa Wedagedara is marketingits Aloe Koma herbal soft drink, based onthe aloe vera herb, as soothing stomachinflammation caused by gastritis.

The functional drink is proving very popu-lar in Sri Lanka where herbal remedies arewidely espoused, both in urban and ruralareas.

Ira Handa www.irahanda.lk has long been associated with wellness beverages,medicines, cosmetics and other FMCG lines,notably herbal slimming tea.

With Aloe Koma it points to traditionalgastritis remedies and also other functionssuch as aloe vera sap being used to healmild ulcers as a foundation for the drink’sappeal as a functional product.

It also notes that aloe vera has beenwidely used as a gel on burns, for skin nour-ishment and as a scalp moisturiser.

Aloe Koma is produced in a plant certi-fied ISo 9001:2015 and WHo’s GMPhygiene certification.

Mizone functionoutput boostedCHINA Chinese co-packer Nanjing Ziquanhas turned to Sidel www.sidel.com toincrease its hot fill production of Mizonewhich it markets nationally in the PrC as afunctional drink. The new line takes outputto 36,000 bph.

Nanjing Ziquan is one of several divisionswithin the Shanghai Ziquan Beverage Cowhich bottles beverages on contract for sev-eral major global brands.

In 2013, when Nanjing Ziquan installedthe first Sidel complete hot fill PET line -which featured the first Sidel Matrix hot fillerever in Greater China - the functional drinksmarket was significantly increasing. The most

recent line was intended to meet the con-tinuing market growth in Greater China forfunctional drinks.

Mizone in particular enjoys a very stronggrowth forecast, according to NanjingZiquan.

The Sidel Matrix hotfiller in the secondline is being used solely for Mizone at pre-sent but is also suitable for a variety of otherbeverages such as teas, isotonics and juices.

Tulua WellnessUSA Ginger Shots www.gingershots.com, aCalifornian maker of six varieties of organiccold-pressed ginger shots, has introduced anew range under the banner of Tulua Well-ness Shots.

This has launched with two flavours.The Turmeric Wellness Shot brings

together the root cousins turmeric and gin-ger, both widely acclaimed for their anti-inflammatory properties and other healthbenefits. Cold-pressed pineapple juice and atouch of black pepper round out this bal-anced wellness shot.

Arepa ‘brain tonic’NEW ZEALAND A young New Zealan-der’s interest in brain cognition improve-ment, as well as stress reduction, has seenthe creation of a functional drink calledArepa www.drinkarepa.com which means‘alpha’ in the Maori language.

Angus Brown, who has university qualifica-tions in finance and commerce as well ashands-on business experience in the mass-market beverage sector, was motivated todevelop Arepa by seeing the health of hisgrandparents deteriorate.

He worked on the formula withrenowned Australian psycho-pharmacologistAndrew Scholley.

Ingredients include Enzogenol from EnzoNutraceuticals (a pine bark extract), antho-cynanin-rich New Zealand blackcurrants (thesubject of much research in recent years),green tea extracts and organic apple juicefrom Brown’s home region of Hawke’s Baywhich is also one of the country’s principal

wine districts.Local sales are already strong and with

some government-funded export develop-ment support Brown is looking to takeArepa global.

Arepa has shown positive results in earlyclinical trials. Marketing tag for Arepa is: ‘Cre-ated by neuroscience, sourced in nature’.

The Tulua Wellness Shot Apple CiderVinegar is a powerhouse blend that includescold-pressed lemon and ginger juices.

“There’s an on-going debate about whatis healthiest to drink in the morning: a shot

of apple cider vinegar, a shot of freshpressed ginger juice, or lemon juice mixedwith water,” says founder and chief executiveZeyad Moussa. “We’ve made it easy to getthe benefits from all of them.”

Ginger and wellness shots have been agrowing health trend over the last severalyears, often popping up at local juiceries.Ginger Shots is one of the first companiesto bring ginger wellness shots to the nationallevel in the US, selling them at natural storesaround the country as well as online.

“We want to make it as easy as possiblefor people to get the benefits from fresh,high quality ginger and other beneficial ingre-dients,” says Moussa. “Ginger and turmericare difficult roots to work with so we wantto eliminate all of the hassle.”

All of the Ginger Shots varieties areUSdA organic, kosher, preservative andadditive free, made with simple ingredientsand are High Pressure Processed.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 47FunCTIonALS

JAPAN re-launch of Coca-Cola Plus byCoca-Cola Japan www.cocacola.co.jp buildson last year’s initial release of this CSd as afunctional beverage, a first for the Cokebrand.

Coca-Cola Japan explained that the 2017release focused on introducing the conceptto consumers who were not familiar withcarbonated functional beverages or whoneeded to adjust their thinking about theidea of Coca-Cola with functional attributes.

Feedback was very heartening, withstrong indications that the market was readyfor such a development and that those whotried Coca-Cola Plus described it as having‘unexpected deliciousness’.

This year there is more emphasis on thedrink’s scope for consumption with meals.

Reducing neutralblood fatJAPAN Ito En www.itoen.co.jp has wonJapan’s coveted functional foods for specificuse certification from the Consumer AffairsAgency for its Stylee Sparkling Lemon.

This is being sold in a 500ml lemon-huedbottle with the FoSHU symbol placedprominently on the upper label.

Ito En explains ‘the monoglucosyl hes-peridin contained in this product is a kindof polyphenol born from citrus fruits, whichis a component that acts to reduce neutralfat in the blood. By containing 340 mg of

uSDA organic certificationUSA The Pickle Juice Company www.pick-lepower.com has been organic certified bythe US department of Agriculture. TheMesquite, Texas, company produces thefunctional Pickle Juice Sports Beverage.

Established in 2001, The Pickle JuiceCompany’s proprietary recipe was devel-oped specifically to help prevent dehydra-tion and muscle cramping caused by heatand muscle exertion.

To consumers, the organic label guaran-tees that Pickle Juice contains a minimumof 95% organic ingredients and highlights itslack of additives or artificial preservatives,colours or flavours.

This announcement comes on the heelsof the product’s recent oU Kosher Certifi-cation.

“receiving USdA organic cer tificationrepresents another step in our ongoingeffort to produce the best, most functionaland healthiest products available,” said FilipKeuppens, VP global sales and marketing forThe Pickle Juice Company.

“We are extremely proud to be workingwith a beverage line that offers consumersthe only all-natural and proven solution tomuscle cramps and dehydration. It’s impor-tant to us that consumers know that PickleJuice is a healthy alternative to the manysugary and synthetic drinks that seem todominate the market. We are proud of ourbrand’s dedication to serving a qualitysports drink, which contains only pure andnatural ingredients, including key elec-trolytes and vitamins.”

The Pickle Juice Company has experi-enced rapid growth, based on scientifically-backed claims of relieving muscle crampsrapidly and its formulation which is pro-moted as having up to 14 times the elec-trolytes found in the average sports drink.

The Pickle Juice Company’s full productline will now display the USdA organicseal, including the 8oz and 16oz bottles of100% Natural Pickle Juice Sport, 2.5ozshots and 1-litre boxes of its 100% NaturalExtra Strength Pickle Juice formula, and 1-litre bottles of Pickle Juice Chaser.

Plant-based alertness formulaISRAEL/USA Inno-Bev, which is based inTel Aviv, has received a US patent for itsplant-based alertness formula WakeUp. Thepatent describes a method for providing a‘wakening effect’ as well as compositions ofplant extracts that help improve wellbeing.

The formula incorporates functionalextracts of guarana, ginkgo biloba and elder-berry, and is sweetened by a low-glycaemicfruit extract. The non-caffeinated beverageanswers a growing demand among today’shealth-conscious consumers who want toperform at optimal levels throughout the day,without the jitteriness, crash, and other draw-backs of caffeine.

“This Inno-Bev patent approval comes at atime when energy drinks are under renewedscrutiny due to concerns over negativehealth effects associated with over-consump-tion, and when major beverage brands areinvesting huge sums in healthy, science-basedbeverages,” said Eli Faraggi, founder and chief

executive of Inno-Bevwww.drinkwakeup.com

“our internal clock helpsregulate sleep patterns,feeding behaviour, hormonerelease, and blood pressure.WakeUp alertness drink isdesigned to help consumersbalance that internal clock.”

Four clinical researchstudies conducted withthird-party partners indi-cated that WakeUp can

help counteract fatigue and balance thebody’s circadian rhythm.

“In randomised controlled trials, WakeUpwas shown to overcome the post-lunchdip/morning inertia, and improve vigilance,focus, and work performance with no toler-ance effect or the side effects, such as thoseassociated with caffeinated beverages andother stimulants,” explained science and regu-latory specialist risa Schulman following a sci-entific review of Inno-Bev’s formulations.

“In addition, when consumed consistentlyover a 30-day period, it could help improvebrain function.”

Coca-Cola Plus re-launch

The packaging also nowfeatures the ‘Tokuho’ func-tional symbol against apredominantly white back-ground.

Coca-Cola Plus is beingsupported by a high-investment TV advertisingcampaign fronted bybrand ambassador HarukaAyase, an actress, singerand model with a veryhigh profile largely drivenby her appearance in anumber of major TVseries.

Nutritional ingredientswhich contribute to the

beverage’s specific health purpose includedietary fibre which Coca-Cola Japan says‘suppresses the absorption of fat ingestedfrom the meal and gently elevates the bloodneutral fat after eating’.

monoglucosyl hesperidinper product, we aredesigning products suitablefor those with higher neu-tral fat and those whotend to eat fatty diet.’

The beverage producersought specialist medicalinput in developing StyleeSparkling Lemon, gainingassistance from a non-profit medical educationassociation.

Stylee is a zero-calorieformulation, a selling point

also featured prominently on the bottlelabel

www.softdrinksinternational.com

48 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

rTd Teas & CoffeesPRoDuCTS

USA Claiming to be one of the fastest-growing rTd coffee beverages in the UnitedStates, La Colombe www.lacolombe.com isstrengthening its pioneering draft Latterange with more seasonal offerings.

“our aim is to change the landscape ofcoffee through obsessive innovation and thecleanest ingredients,” said Todd Carmichael,chief executive and co-founder of LaColombe.

Carmichael reckons La Colombe is thelargest independently owned 4th wave cof-fee company and one of the only verticallyintegrated ready-to-drink producers.

It owns a 55,000 square foot productionfacility in western Michigan which hasallowed La Colombe to more readily meetthe growing demand for draft Latte; it canproduce in excess of 30,000 cases per

Draft Latte from La Colombe

week.Seasonal offerings have included Pepper-

mint Mocha draft Latte – frothed milk, ashot of cold-pressed espresso, dark choco-late and peppermint extract. Made withnutrient-rich and hormone-free milk, itdelivers 7g of protein; low in sugar, lactose-free and kosher.

Coconut Milk draft Latte is made with‘perfectly frothed and responsibly sourcedcoconut milk with real 100% Arabica cold-pressed coffee’. ‘Simple and pure,’ notes LaColombe with pride.

USA New flavours of single service coldbrews are heralding an evolution this yearof the Starbucks rTd portfolio. Amongother lines are Frappucino with almondmilk and doubleshot Coffee Smoothieswith real fruit and almond milk.

Through the North American CoffeePartnership (NACP) – now in operationfor more than two decades – Starbucksand PepsiCo have won a leading share ofthe growing rTd coffee market and a solidshare of the rTd category overall.

‘With more than 90 million customeroccasions in Starbucks stores each week, it’sthe connection between the green apron

Flavoured café-style lattesUK Alpro www.alpro.com has introducedan rTd range called Caffé which hasdebuted with two flavours of chilled latte:Hazelnut and Soya Caramel.

These are presented in 1-litre cartonswith appealing graphics, clearly signalling theirplant-based contents artistically.

Both are made from rainforest Alliancecertified coffee beans, with the caramel vari-ant also containing soy milk and sweetcaramel. Lighted roasted hazelnuts in thatvariant.

Alpro are stressing the low sugar contentof the new Caffé rTds, claiming it to bewell below the market norm for such lines.

The line is picking up enthusiastic mentionon lifestyle blogs.

Lipton Green TeaMango PandanTHAILAND Pepsi-Cola (Thai) Trading isbolstering its Lipton Ice portfolio, startingwith a green tea which combines the Asianscents of mango and pandan.

Pandan (pandanus) is widely used forcooking in Thailand and elsewhere in Asia,suited as an ingredient for both sweet(such as cakes) and sour dishes. It is a ver-satile gift of nature with almost every partof the plant put to good use. While some-times referred to as palms, they are notactually so.

The Lipton Green Tea Mango Pandan isbeing marketed as a ‘Healthy Choice’ bever-age, scoring official recognition for this inline with the Thai government’s initiative toencourage healthier beverage availability.

It has lowered calories and also lowsugar content.

Tuangporn Siriwat Witoon, Lipston prod-uct manager for Pepsi-Cola (Thai) Tradingsaid the Lipton Ice Tea brand www.face-book.com/LiptonThailand had been doingvery well in Thailand although the categorywas sluggish overall.

The rTd teas are being lined up along-side food as one strategy for sales growth.And more distribution channels are open-ing up.

“This year, in addition to strengtheningthe Lipton Ice Tea brand in the black teamarket we also aim to expand our cus-tomer base by introducing new andimproved portfolios to complement ourready-to-drink tea portals,” said TuangpornSiriwat Witoon.

“The green tea is developed in Asianstyle to make a difference in the quality ofthe tea.”

The mango/pandan blend is a Thai firstand plans are already in the making tolaunch it on other Asian markets. The mel-low sweetness of the ripe mango sits natu-rally with the light fragrance of pandan.

Lipton Green Tea Mango Pandan is sup-ported by advertising, including via socialmedia, and a substantial sampling campaign.

Starbucks Cold Brew

barista and our customers that translatesinto familiar, trusted rTd products in thegrocery aisle,’ Starbucks claims.

The new cold brew flavours are Vanilla &Fig and Sweetened Black, both inspired bycold brew coffee blends sold at the Star-bucks retail outlets.

More flavours in this range are promisedas part of the 2018 portfolio build.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 49RTD TEAS & CoFFEES

Send your news to: news@softdrinksinternational.com

Brand revamp for Tully’sJAPAN Ito En www.itoen.co.jp prides itselfthat Tully’s rTd coffee tastes just as if it wasbeing served in a specialty coffee shop. TheTully’s range is being refreshed, with packag-ing renewal and a number of new orrevised variants.

The bottler has indicated it plans to buildthe Tully’s range further in 2018.

Among recent releases is the Tully’s Cof-fee Barista’s range including Barista’s Black in390ml and 285ml bottle cans, Barista’s Lattein 370/260ml bottle can choices andBarista’s The Ice in 285ml bottle can.

The Black is not just a matter of differentpacks. deep roasted beans are the maincharacteristic of the 390ml variant, deliver-

ing a flavour that is rich and sharp. The285ml focuses on Brazilian beans from aspecific plantation, characterised by a sweetsmell.

The sugar-free Latte aims to be typical ofa freshly poured cup, its sweetness derivedsolely from the milk content.

No artificial sweetener in The Ice, either– this is an iced coffee typical of spring andsummer enjoyment, with a firm body andfragrance.

recently released in PET bottles areTully’s Coffee Smooth Black Medium; a345ml variant has joined the 500ml whichwas originally introduced in october lastyear, responding to consumer feedback.

The bottles are suitable for microwavewarming – purchasers are asked to read theinstructions on the bottle before doing so.

Tully’s Coffee Smooth Taste Latte hasbeen released in a 500ml PET bottle.

Little MiraclesreformulatedUK/DENMARK Little Miracles www.drinklittlemiracles.com is planning toexpand its coverage this year and to helpeffect this has moved its distributionarrangements to Mayfair-based BravuraFoods www.bravurafoods.com

This comes at a time when Little Mira-cles has reformulated its range to reducesugar content.

It has also been redesigned, positioning itwell for extensions into the health food,speciality, grocery and café channels.

Little Miracles are a blend of organic teaand super fruit juice. With panax ginseng inits purest form and açaí, it is positioned asa pick-me-up for morning, noon and after-noon.

developed with consumer health andwellbeing in mind, all blends are sweetenedwith organic agave and are less than 90calories. Free from artificial colours, flavoursand sweeteners.

The idea behind Lit-tle Miracles was devel-oped by the company’sdanish founder follow-ing intensive travellingin China. Here helearned about the spe-cial properties of theChinese ginseng rootand a traditional gin-seng formula thatallegedly enabled farm-ers to double theirefforts at harvest time.

Little Miracles is nowavailable in over 20countries.

UK/BELGIUM Get Nourished www.get-nourished.co.uk coffee rTds are promotedas having ‘more protein than a steak’. Theyhave recently been accepted for ranging inmajor store chains such as Holland & Bar-rett.

Brand founder david Towse, a former‘marketing mogul’, says he has cut out the‘chalky’ taste often associated with high-protein products.

“This little drink started off as experi-ments in my kitchen,” he explained. “WhenI was diagnosed as gluten and lactose intol-erant in 2014 after a long history of stom-ach troubles, fatigue and compromisedsports performance, I began to realise thatthere was nothing on the high street tosupport the person with food intolerances,who still wanted a high-protein diet, so Idecided I’d create it.

“We’ve used ‘invisible protein’ to makesure this is a great-tasting coffee first, and aprotein drink second.”

Towse said the deal with Holland & Bar-

More protein than a steak

rett was “a huge game-changer” for him.“The customer profile is a perfect fit,

while they have the right experts in placeto really help me set this apart from itscompetitors, and to hopefully support thebrand while I develop a cornucopia of highprotein deliciousness, always lactose andgluten free.”

Get Nourished is available in threeflavours: Vanilla Bean Latte, Coconut &Cacao Mocha, and Hazelnut and CacaoMocha.

JAPAN Coca-Cola Japan www.cocacola.co.jphas released a further edition of the GeorgiaAdventure series in a 185g can.

Georgia Brazil features appropriatelyadventurous deep green jungle graphics ofa canoe paddler on the Amazon, atop cof-fee beans and a cup of freshly made coffee.

It’s not just a fictitious adventure, either –the beans used in this rTd originate fromBrazil, paired with Japanese milk.

The adventure can isintended solely for retail-ing via Japan’s powerfulvending machine chan-nel.

The can is intendedfor sale over a limitedperiod, adding colour,diversity and a point ofdifference to vendingmachine display win-dows.

Adventure to Brazil

50 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

dairy & AlternativesPRoDuCTS

Breakfast Drinkfrom Lewis RoadNEW ZEALAND In a dairy-rich countrysuch as New Zealand – one of the world’sleaders in this sector, despite its small size –you need to be different to stand out. As wehave reported in the past, Lewis roadCreamery did just this when it made itsdebut, creating such an aura around itschocolate milk in particular that supermarketsreported a run on stocks, rationing and evenlocal ads signalling arrival of more product.

Latest from Lewis road Creamerywww.lewisroadcreamery.co.nz is a Breakfastdrink range which has launched with vanillaand chocolate flavours, packed in rather cute250ml bottles with striped livery.

These include a prominent message thatthe drinks are ‘ultra-pasteurised for on-the-go

goodness’.There is also a 5-star Health Star rating.“We wanted to produce a wholesome

product for people on the go,” said Lewisroad Creamery founder Peter Cullinane.

While not intended to be a meal replace-ment, “it is fairly close to it,” according toCullinane.

veggemo sellingwell in ChinaCANADA/CHINA The Veggemowww.veggemo.com non-dairy vegetable-based line from Global Gardens Group, Van-couver, has proved a success in China whereit was launched late last year. It is being soldin three major supermarket and conveniencechains in key markets such as Shanghai, Beijingand Guangzhou.

Warren Spence, chief executive of distribu-tors V-Power (China), says “these well-knownand targeted retailers play an important rolein establishing the Veggemo footprint inChina. BHG and ole have a premium shop-per who desire healthy products. Further-more, imported products, especially from

trusted markets like North America, are indemand.

“Additionally, the on-line and conveniencestore market in China continues to boom astime starved consumers look for conve-nience. Veggemo's availability in FamilyMartprovides the outlets to reach them.”

Spence said the plan was to have Veggemoranged in over 800 stores in Chinese urbanareas by mid-2018.

Ripple Foodspoised for expansionUSA/CANADA ripple Foods www.ripple-foods.com has secured a $65million thirdfunding round, with participation from Gold-man Sachs, Fall Line Capital and existinginvestors including GV, Prelude Ventures, S2GVentures and Khosla Ventures. This bringsripple Foods’ total funding to date to $110million.

The additional capital will allow ripple tobuild on its current production, add newlines and expand distribution.

Founded in 2014, ripple Foods is on amission to provide better food for a changingworld. ripple’s intellectual property focuseson processes and ingredients that allow thecompany to more closely replicate animal-derived foods with plant-based ingredients.

Powered by ripptein, ripple Foods’ propri-etary plant protein, ripple Foods makesdairy-free foods the way they should be,according to the company: a good source ofprotein, lower in sugar, and delicious.

“The world wants better food. right now,food has too many confusing rules, and thefood industry happily sells us unhealthy, pro-cessed food that have an immense toll onour environment,” said Neil renninger, co-founder and co-chief executive of rippleFoods.

“Big Food spends a miniscule amount onr&d trying to alleviate these problems.We’re here to change that.

“We are excited to partner with this setof like-minded investors to continue to bringour innovative products to scale, and makeliving a healthy and sustainable life easier foreveryone.”

ripple Foods first launched in April 2016with its inaugural product, ripple Milk, andhas since rapidly expanded its product avail-ability and offerings. The following year, rippleintroduced a shelf-stable 8oz Kid’s Pack, pro-viding a nut and allergen-free option foryoungsters at home and at school. In July2017, ripple launched its Half & Half, provid-ing customers a healthy plant-based half &half free of both cholesterol and saturatedfats, and expanded availability of its milk inter-nationally, launching in Canadian retailers.

More variants from MarsUK Mars Chocolate drinks and Treatswww.marschocolatedrinksandtreats.com hasadded price-marked Snickers and M&M’sPeanuts shakes to its flavoured milk range,available throughout the UK.

The producer leverages both the tasteprofiles and brand familiarity of Mars groupconfectionery lines to create high-selling milkbeverages.

It says ‘our products are a delicious andan indulgent treat that can be enjoyed occa-sionally as part of a balanced diet andhealthy lifestyle’.

Mars chocolate flavoured milk is among

the category lead-ers in the UK. MarsChocolate drinksand Treats says thisgives retailers agood opportunityfor building sales,given the categorygrowth rate ofaround 6% annually.

The PMP packag-ing has helped boost sales, largely becausethe device instils confidence in purchasersthey are getting a fair deal.

“our price-marked range continues toprove popular with retailers and consumersalike,” said brand manager Michelle Frost.“research has shown that price-markedpacks reinforce trust.’’

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 51DAIRY & ALTERnATIvESBlueberry yoghurtwith spring waterJAPAN The purple cap on Blueberry Yogu-rina & Suntory Natural Water points to theblueberry yoghurt taste of this springtimerelease from Suntory Foods Internationalwww.suntory.co.jp

This is underlined by the bunch of fruiton the large label and the matching blue-purple text, atop pristine mountains symbol-ising the natural water source.

Source of the essence used to delivertaste and aroma – a specific farm at okuoyama – is also marked by the farm’s seal.

Embossed in the bottle is the exhorta-tion: rEFrESH & rELAX.

The yoghurt compo-nent comes from dairywhey, imparting a flavourakin to lactobacillusdrinks.

Yogurina & SuntoryNatural Water is a rangewhich the bottler begandeveloping in 2015, fastgaining a significant mar-ket share and thus thefoundation for extensionssuch as this.

Blueberry Yogurina &Suntory Natural Water ispresented in 550ml and280ml PET bottles, tex-tured for extra tactileenjoyment.

Activia Dailiesdrinking yoghurtUSA The Activia www.activia.us.com port-folio has been extended by the addition ofActivia dailies, a line of what dannondescribes as ‘delicious, quick and easy probi-otic low-fat yoghurt drinks’.

Like all Activia products, these 3.1 fluidounce single-serve drinks feature Activia'sbillions of live and active probiotics, but in amuch smaller serving size, ‘making it evenmore convenient to get probiotics on thego,’ according to dannon..

Activia dailies are sold in packs of eightand 12.

They are offered in a range of fiveflavours including strawberry, blueberry,cherry and vanilla (available in grocery andclub stores), and acai berry (available in clubstores only).

“Consumers have quickly recognised thevarious benefits of probiotics and are look-ing to add them to their daily routines innew ways,” says Miguel Freitas, VP scientific

affairs at danoneWavewww.danonewave.com,maker of the dannonportfolio of yoghurt inNorth America.

“In a survey discussingconsumer experiences ofprobiotics, more than halfof respondents preferredthem to be available infood products ratherthan a pill. While Activia'straditional yoghurt offers

this great solution, we are excited to giveconsumers another quick, nutritious andtasty way to incorporate the digestivehealth benefits of Activia with its live andactive probiotics into their diet.”

The new line stays true to Activia's diges-tive health heritage and may help reducethe frequency of minor digestive discomfort,including bloating, gas, abdominal discomfortand rumbling, when consumed twice a dayfor two weeks as part of a balanced dietand a healthy lifestyle.

“Using our 20-year history of probioticsresearch, we developed Activia dailies tomeet the needs of consumers who areinterested in trying probiotics, but wouldprefer a delicious, quick and easy optioninstead of a pill or supplement," said Car-olina Cespedes, senior marketing directorfor probiotic health brands at danone-Wave.

“While Activia is well-known as a deli-cious source of probiotics, Activia dailiesadd a new level of convenience by offeringprobiotics in an easy-to-sip format.”

vegan almondmilkINDIA raw Pressery www.rawpressery.com has introduced cold-pressed almondmilk which is 100% lactose-free and vegan. Itcontains no sugar, preservatives, chemicals orcolourings.

Three flavour variants feature in therange, in 250ml bottles: cacao, coffee andturmeric.

The cacao variant is made from freshcacao nibs sourced from South India. rawPressery says the cacao lends an earthinessto the almond milk, but does not containeither surplus calories or overpoweringsweetness.

The coffee-flavoured almond milk containsIndian Arabica coffee while the turmericvariant is described as ‘either haldi doodhpowered with almonds or a chilled goldenlatte sans the dairy’.

Haldi doodh is a turmeric-basedAyurvedic Indian drink with medicinal prop-erties widely regarded as an immunitybooster from cold.

Egg nog and old-time recipesUSA Missouri farmer-owned producerHiland dairy www.hilanddairy.com haslaunched a Spring Egg Nog and three ‘oldrecipe’ flavoured milk options in colourfulquar t-sized packages, all for a limitedperiod.

The ‘old recipe’ flavours are orangeCrème, Strawberry Crème and ChocolateMarshmallow.

“We celebrate spring by introducingthese indulgent flavours to our line-up," saidGreg Stephenson, marketing manager atthe Springfield-based company.

“Flavoured milk is a great way to treatyourself and a healthy alternative to softdrinks and fruit juice. And it has the samenine essential vitamins and minerals as un-flavoured milk, so it's a nutritional power-house.”

Hiland dairy Foods has been in businessfor more than 80 years and retains a familyatmosphere, with local farmers supplying itsplants.

Stephenson says that par t of caringabout their communities is caring aboutHiland dairy’s ecological footprint: preserv-

ing water, land and natural resources forour future generations. “So we reducewaste, reuse resources and recycle whatwe can at every opportunity.”

It has a broad portfolio covering milk,buttermilk, eggnog, ice cream, yoghurt, cot-tage cheese, sour cream and dips, half andhalf, whipping cream, butter, cheese, freshjuices, lemonade, fruit punch, red diamondTea, YoPhoria Smoothies, a full line of icedcoffee, lactose-free milk, organic milk,almond milk and soy milk.

www.softdrinksinternational.com

52 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018DAIRY & ALTERnATIvES

CHINA Fonterra www.fonterra.com haslaunched a new fresh milk product in Chinain partnership with Hema Fresh, Alibaba’sinnovative prototype retail concept whichcombines traditional bricks-and-mortarshopping with a digital experience.

The daily Fresh milk range is now avail-able in Hema’s stores in Shanghai andSuzhou in 750mL bottles, sourced directlyfrom Fonterra’s farm hub in Hebei province.The product boasts unique product labelsto match each day of the week in order toemphasise freshness, with stock beingreplenished overnight ready for each newday.

Initial volumes are currently around threemetric tonnes daily, with plans to scale-upover time and expand with the retailer as itrapidly grows its footprint of stores acrossChina.

Christina Zhu, president of FonterraGreater China, said this new product deliv-ers to growing domestic demand for higher-quality fresh products, as par t of the‘premiumisation’ of China’s consumer cate-gories.

“Shoppers here in China are becomingincreasingly sophisticated in terms of theirtastes and preferences, which are beingdriven by rising household incomes. Morethan ever before, consumers are consciouslyseeking products that are fresh, nutritiousand safe, and our new product for Hemacaters to this.”

Linked to this trend is the rise of Hema,which emerged on the scene in early 2016.At Hema, consumers can either shop in-store using their mobile phones to browseand purchase, or order online for a 30-minute delivery within a three kilometreradius. Hema then utilises the wealth ofdata it gathers to provide a tailored, person-alised shopping experience for each cus-tomer.

In addition to the fresh milk range,Anchor UHT milk products and the Anchordairy Foods range of butter, cream andcheese items are sold through Hema. Theretailer is also a foodservice customer, usingFonterra’s Anchor Food Professionals prod-ucts in its in-store bakery.

Zhu commented that “this milestone withHema is a sign of things to come and indi-cates that our push to shift more of ourlocal milk into higher-yielding consumer andfoodservice products is well-and-trulyunderway”.

Almond BreezelicensingJAPAN Pokka Sapporo Food & BeverageCo www.pokkasapporo-fb.jp has signed alicensing agreement with Japan Blue dia-mond Growers to manufacture and sell theAlmond Breeze range in Japan.

In the agreement, Pokka Sapporo notesthat as in the US and Europe ‘in Japan aswell, there are changes in market trendssuch as rising health consciousness, and sincethe retail almond milk market was formed in2013, it has been growing rapidly in just afew years, and in the future we believe wecan expect further market expansion.

‘By adding almond milk to the businessdevelopment area of soymilk made yoghurtand soymilk drinks which we manufactureand sell, we will aim for a dramatic expan-sion in "vegetable milk" category.’

Daily Fresh concept

Almond Breeze has been available inJapan since 2013 and has done much tohelp almond milks gain traction in that mar-ket. It holds a substantial share of this mar-ket which places it well for further growth.

Production by Pokka Sapporo has just gotunder way. In agreement with Blue diamondthe company intends to change some of theproduct line-up later this year, with newproducts in planning.

Decadent flavoursfor new dairyAUSTRALIA Coca-Cola Amatil www.cca-matil.com claims the latest additions to itsBarista Bros dairy range were ‘inspired bydecadent flavours and desserts’.

Barista Bros has achieved a strong multi-age cut-through in Australia where it is upagainst hundreds of competing brands. Thishas been helped, of course, by Coca-ColaAmatil’s grocery channel ranging power andsales through vending machines where theBarista Bros bottles present to good effect.

Café Creations showcase the brand’sapproach to taste creation with three cre-ative flavours: Toffee Almond Panna Cotta,Butterscotch Brownie and dark ChocolateFudge.

“With these new flavours, the delicious-ness is in the detail,” said Barista Bros brandmanager Jason Wu. “We are excited to bringthem into and expand Barista Bros portfolio.”

The launch followed research the brandconducted which highlighted the demand forindulgent flavour profiles to attract new maleand female consumers to the category. The

research reinforced the successful launch ofBarista Bros Mocha in 2017.

The launch campaign will support BaristaBros’ taste credentials by enhancing the prod-uct experience through high impact place-ments, in-store, out of home and online. outof home will have a key focus, with hundredsof panels displayed across five major Aus-tralian cities, asking consumers to ‘indulge alittle’.

A significant sampling campaign includespartnerships secured with deliveroo andUber Eats. Customers using the food deliveryplatforms are gifted with a Barista Bros prod-uct as part of their purchase. In addition,street sampling initiatives and office drops willbe executed nationwide.

THAILAND The Tofusan www.tofusan.comsoy drinks range has been boosted by newvariants and reformulations, with marketingof the range stepping up to gain a biggershare of the Thai market this year.

Tofusan is made from non-GMo Soy-beans grown in Northern Thailand with tofusheet and other flavours, rich in nutrientssuch as healthy soy proteins, essential vita-mins and natural cane sugar. It is marketed

Tofusan soy grows range

as ‘100% natural for healthy people’. one of the recent launches is Tofusan chia

seed organic soy milk targeting consumerswho want to slim down, a trend in Thailandas in so many other markets. The superfoodchia seed’s application in soy milk is notnovel but Tofusan is confident it has the abil-ity to premiumise the category.

Another development is the Tofusan highprotein drink, marking the entry of Tofusaninto the high protein segment with soy asthe base. This drink contains 21g of proteinper bottle.

The new Tofusan pumpkin soy milk has10% extra pumpkin.

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54 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018REGIonAL PRoFILE

the US liquid refreshment beverage market adjusts

Responding to consumerpreferences

The U.S. liquid refreshment beverage (LRB)market – consisting of value-added water,

ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee, bottled water,energy drinks, sports drinks, RTD tea, carbon-ated soft drinks (carbonates) and fruit beverages– grew again in 2017, with retail sales increasingabout 3% and volume by around 2%.

The continued vitality of the large bottled watersegment contributed to the overall increase inLRB volume, which approached 128 billion litresin 2017. Measured in retail sales, the marketexceeded US$180 billion, propelled both byexceptionally fast growth in small, niche seg-ments as well as growth in bigger, established cat-egories, such as carbonates.

“The beverage industry’s ongoing growth inboth volume and retail sales indicates funda-mental strength,” said Michael C. Bellas, chair-man and CEO, Beverage Marketing Corporation.“Its response to changes in consumer prefer-ences illustrates its ability to adapt.”

Bottled waterBottled water, which surpassed carbonates tobecome the number one beverage by volume in2016, further solidified its leadership withnotably vigorous growth in 2017. The category’sdefining qualities – healthful, natural, calorie-free and convenient – increasingly appeal to U.S.consumers. In addition, in the past decade,domestic sparkling water has grown strongly.

Although carbonates have fallen off theirpedestal, the category continues to account forfour of the five top LRB brands by volume. Totalcategory volume dipped by 1.3% from 12.5 bil-lion gallons in 2016 to 12.3 billion gallons in

2017, which lowered their market share to lessthan 37%. Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCoretained their usual first and second positionsamong the 10 leading LRB trademarks in 2017,with Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper claimingthird and fourth place. Dr Pepper and Sprite(ranked seventh) both recorded volume growthduring the year.

Four companies accounted for all of the lead-ing refreshment beverage trademarks. PepsiCohad four brands. Coca-Cola had three whileNestlé Waters North America (NWNA) had twoand Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG) had one.Bottled water had four entries among the leadingtrademarks in 2017.

RTD coffees and value added water growth

Two relatively small categories performedstrongly in 2017. RTD coffee outperformed allother segments with a 12.3% increase in volumeand a 14.4% increase in retail dollars.

Bottled/canned coffee has enjoyed increasingacceptance as an indulgence beverage in theStates. What’s more, cold brewing coffee has pro-vided additional verve to the segment. Value-added water also saw double-digit growth ratesin both volume and dollars. As is the case withRTD coffee, value-added water has benefitedfrom an exciting new subsegment in the form ofalkaline waters.

Fruit beveragesand energy drinks decline

In contrast, fruit beverages saw contraction inboth volume and dollars, as U.S. consumers con-tinue to be wary about caloric intake, while car-bonates grew in dollars and declined in volumeas beverage companies continued to downsizepackages to respond to consumers’ desire for lesssugar.

In 2017, energy drinks celebrated their 20thanniversary in the U.S. market. Perhapsinevitably, growth of the formerly high-flyingsegment has decelerated to around 3-4%. Twoother categories with even longer vintages strug-gled during the year. RTD tea grew volume by1.1% in 2017, while sport drink volume actually

Bottled waterextends itsleadership, whilecarbonatesregroup withpackagedownsizing andthe introductionof more no-sugar options,reports RogerDilworth.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 55noRTH AMERICA

declined by 2.1%.Although RTD tea was relatively stagnant, an

offshoot in the form of kombucha has enjoyedvery strong growth in the past five years. Seen asa segment with real health bona fides, kombuchahas quietly amassed nearly $1 billion in annualretail sales. Beverage Marketing predicts that thenewer, arguably healthier beverages such askombucha and alkaline water will continue toexhibit strong growth to 2022.

Looking forwardAs to what the next five years will bring, one canspeculate that U.S. consumers will continue toincrease their consumption of hydration bever-ages such as bottled water and value-addedwater. What remains to be seen is whether mar-keters will stretch the envelope in terms of‘space age’ waters such as hydrogen-infused,structured and tachyonised waters.

As for the pick-me-up occasion, it is forecastthat RTD coffee will continue to steal share fromenergy drinks such as Red Bull and Monster.RTD tea and sports drinks should experiencemodest growth, despite their tepid performancesin 2017.

Last but not least, fruit beverages are not antic-ipated to solve the calorie conundrum to 2022,while carbonates may be able to tread water asconsumers are convinced that they can beenjoyed in modest amounts.

Some changes in competitionThe same companies – Coca-Cola, PepsiCo,NWNA and Dr Pepper Snapple – should con-tinue their dominance of the top-10 LRB trade-marks to 2022. The ensuing merger of Dr Pepper

Snapple and Keurig to create Keurig Dr Pepper isnot expected to change the dynamics of the car-bonates segment, but should create more compe-tition for PepsiCo and Coca-Cola in the RTDcoffee category.

Meanwhile, NWNA has exited the RTD teasegment after a lack of success in recent years,which should allow it to continue to lead thebottled water category – although it faces stiffcompetition in still waters from own-label giantNiagara Bottling. In response, NWNA hasrecently revamped its domestic sparkling waterportfolio to take advantage of this high-flyingbeverage segment.

In the past year, Coca-Cola Company has com-pleted the refranchising of its North Americanbottling system to independent companies,which arguably gives it a competitive advantageover PepsiCo – thus forcing the latter to considerdoing the same with its own bottling network.

Add in a possible global recession and/orglobal currency reset in the near-to-medium-term and one has the makings of an eventfulfuture in the U.S. LRB market. n

New York City-based Beverage Marketing Corporationis the leading consulting, research and advisory servicesfirm dedicated to the global beverage industry.

Roger Dilworth is senior analystat Beverage MarketingCorporation.www.beveragemarketing.com

... arguablyhealthierbeverages suchas kombuchaand alkalinewater willcontinue toexhibit stronggrowth to 2022.

56 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018HEALTHY InGREDIEnTS

take centre stage

Red fruits andvegetables

Juices and smoothies continue their reign inthe beverage category, offering consumers a

quick and tasty way to top up nutrient levels andrehydrate on-the-go. Following the widespreadand sustained popularity of green juices andsmoothies, manufacturers are looking to extendtheir reach and respond to the trend for ‘eatingthe rainbow’, or a diet that includes as manycolourful fruit and vegetables as possible.

Red fruit and vegetable ingredients encompassthis category well. Not only does their vividcolour evoke a healthy ‘halo’, but they are alsohelping to expand product portfolios and create anatural, appealing look that stands out on retailshelves.

Healthy ‘halo’As consumers become more educated about theingredients in their products, red fruits and veg-etables are becoming increasingly recognised forbeing nutritional powerhouses. Plus, their ‘natu-ral’ status elevates them above other more ‘pro-cessed’ ingredients.

Their vivid colour is an indication of theirhealth status – in particular, the wealth of essen-tial vitamins and minerals that they bring to bev-erages. As with green juices and smoothies,brighter fruit and vegetables hold wide appealfor consumers looking to improve their health –and red alludes to similar benefits, as well asintense taste.

For example, red fruit and vegetables containnaturally occurring lycopene, the carotenoid that

provides a characteristic vivid colour and power-ful antioxidant properties. They can also containanthocyanins, widely believed to limit damagecaused to cells by free radicals, as well as lower-ing the risk of heart disease and memory prob-lems.

Some varieties, such as raspberries, strawber-ries and beet are also a vital source of potassium,vitamin A, vitamin C and folate, with the poten-tial to support vision, immune system and uri-nary tract health.

Why red?The use of vegetables in juices and smoothieshas reinvigorated the category in recent years,adding an extra dimension to tried and testedflavour combinations.

Consumers have discovered that there areoptions for natural sweetness that still tastegreat, and complement fruit well. Particularly inlight of recent sugar tax initiatives, manufactur-ers are seeking natural, vegetable-based alterna-tives to replace sugar without the use ofadditives and artificial sweeteners.

Clean label continues to be an importantdriver in juice and smoothie sales. Red produce,like red beet or red pepper, is increasingly beingused in beverage formulations to allow con-sumers to see recognisable ingredients on thelabels of their favourite products, while addingan element of intrigue.

The ingredients list available to formulatorshas also broadened to allow for increasinglyunusual combinations. Flavours blends such asbeet, apple, carrot, lemon and ginger or grape-fruit, carrot, beet and ginger are gaining tractionin the market, as consumers look to more adven-turous tastes.

Beet is one example of a red vegetable that istransforming the beverage industry. Containingbetanins for inferring their characteristic brightcolour, beets contain vitamins C and A andfolate. It is these inherent properties that makesthem a popular choice in beverages – either as astandalone beet juice or blended together withproducts like apple, carrot, strawberry or pas-sionfruit. As an effective food colourant, beet

Red fruits andvegetables arebecomingincreasinglyrecognised forbeing nutritionalpowerhouses,writes JohanCerstiaens.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 57RED FRuITS AnD vEGETABLESalso enables manufacturers to avoid the use ofartificial colours.

Strawberry is another red fruit that is sheddingits traditional image to appeal to a wider audi-ence. It continues to be added to beverages toimpart a rich source of phytonutrients, antioxi-dants, minerals and vitamins to products, butnow it is increasingly being paired with unusualingredients to create more sophisticated flavourcombinations. For example, strawberry, beet andbanana or even the addition of black pepper tothe classic strawberry and vanilla variation, areproving more and more popular.

Not forgetting fruitWhile vegetables are increasing in popularity,fruit still forms an integral part of juices andsmoothies. Red fruit, in particular, still has a cen-tral role in formulations, with ingredients likecranberries, raspberries and strawberries usedfor an added layer of flavour and sweetness. Aswell as more traditional tastes, red fruits such aswatermelon, guava and pomegranate help to addan exotic edge to drinks and can support pre-mium positioning on the shelves.

The trend for premium and artisan beveragesis continuing at pace, and this can be seen withthe growing use of red drinks. Younger con-sumers in particular are willing to pay more forinnovative flavours and added nutrient claims –and a brightly coloured beverage speaks foritself. In fact, the super-premium category is pre-dicted to reach an impressive $3.2 billion in theUS by 2020 , and where America leads, Europeis never far behind.

This opportunity has led to a wave of pre-mium drinks, like raw juices, cold-pressed (HPP)juices, fringe juices (such as coconut water) andthe hybrid juice smoothies. With promises ofhigher nutrient levels and longer shelf lives, thisshift in consumer tastes lends itself well to theuse of red fruits and vegetables, thanks to theiralready-high nutrient levels and ‘natural’ image.

Defining new drinking occasionsTo keep up with other beverage types, such asenergy drinks, the juices and smoothies segmentis increasingly being used to cater to consumers’

growing need for convenience and meal replace-ments. This rise in on-the-go beverages is in linewith Innova Market Insights’ key trend for 2017,‘encapsulating moments’, whereby specificeating and drinking occasions are defined.

Busy lifestyles and a keen interest in healthand wellness has meant that consumers are noweating outside of the confines of set mealtimes,leading the way for more filling beverages thatcan be enjoyed outside of the home.

Red fruit and vegetables are ideal for thisapplication – they are a good source of fibre andtherefore have a satiating effect. Cherries andraspberries, for example, also contain enoughnutrients to keep consumers active throughoutthe day, helping to provide a natural energyboost.

Smoothies are also breaking out of their tradi-tional formats, thanks to the growth of smoothiebowls, which are usually thicker and more fill-ing than regular varieties. They generally incor-porate ‘superfood’ ingredients, such as chiaseeds, flax seeds, goji berries, cacao nibs or hempprotein, helping to complement red fruit andvegetables.

Thinking beyond kaleIn an ever-increasing competitive landscape,manufacturers are having to diversify their triedand tested formulations to allow their productsto stand out. Although interest in green juicesand smoothies looks set to continue, expect tosee more red options on retail shelves, as the pre-miumisation category expands.

While red fruit and vegetable ingredients canoffer the same bright colour and health benefits,the once-niche area is expected to provide grow-ing appeal to consumers who are looking for thenext up-and-coming trend.

Premium suppliers like SVZ are in a goodposition to meet these growing needs. By pro-ducing fruit and vegetable purées, juices andconcentrates via a transparent supply chain, thecompany is providing formulators with the toolsto innovate in this sector – to create longstandingappeal. When it comes to the consumers’ bever-age of choice, the brighter, the better. n

Johan Cerstiaens is Commercial Director at SVZ.www.svz.com

...expect to see more redoptions on retailshelves, as thepremiumisationcategoryexpands.

58 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018PRoDuCT DEvELoPMEnT

achieving success in 2018

Beverage trends

Natural ingredients, free from, reduced sugar,organic, vegan – the product claims on the

market are as diverse as the consumers themselves.The days in which food was merely a source ofenergy are long gone. Today’s modern consumerschoose their diets by conviction and use them todemonstrate an entire philosophy of life. Themegatrend for individualisation has become a coretheme of the food and beverage industry and willcontinue to play a huge role in shaping producttrends in 2018. It reflects consumers’ growingawareness of how much a healthy diet can affectphysical well-being and how important it is toexamine one’s own dietary habits. One of thedrivers of this new health consciousness is theadvance of digitalisation. Consumers today canspend time focusing on the issue of diet at anytime, wherever they are, thanks to food trackingapps, food blogs and innovative smart home tech-nologies. As a result, food not only has to tastegood, but also impress with healthy, natural addedvalue.

Naturalness – a sustainable trendNothing tastes fresher or more delicious thannature itself. The trend for natural foods is growingworldwide and extends across all food and bever-age categories. But naturalness no longer simplymeans that the end product contains natural ingre-dients. When choosing a product to buy, con-sumers also want to make an active contribution toenvironmental protection or fair trade – the focus isincreasingly on the origin and production condi-tions of the food. As a result, more and more prod-ucts are being introduced to the market withorganic or fair trade seals or labels showingregional production. Global demand for naturalflavours and colouring extracts made from fruit andvegetables is also growing fast.

No beverage category embodies naturalness

more than fruit juices. Long viewed predominantlyas the classic breakfast beverage, they have sinceshifted their image to that of a modern lifestyledrink that helps consumers maintain a balanceddiet on the go. Once again, this year we are lookingforward to exciting concepts that provide con-sumers with added healthy natural ingredients.

One of these hot trends is cold-pressed, non-heated NFC juices, which are produced usinggentle, non-thermal pasteurisation methods. Thispreserves the best nature has to offer – from thefresh taste of the fruit and vegetables, to their valu-able ingredients. NFC juices with fresh vegetableingredients or plant extracts are also taking over thesupermarket shelves. They are simply deliciousand full of valuable vitamins.

Many consumers are taking their quest for natu-ralness one step further. Be it on health grounds ordue to particular beliefs, more and more people arecutting out animal products and choosing a purelyplant-based diet. The vegan market is booming.Whereas just a few years ago plant-based alterna-tives were the preserve of a few organic food shops,now they are a staple found in almost any super-market. From yoghurt alternatives to dairy alterna-tive drinks and even ice cream, supermarketshelves are now home to a wide range of dairyalternative products made from soy, almond, oat,coconut or rice.

Diverse and individual: Nutrition 2.0Be it on a smartphone, tablet or PC, most peoplenow live their daily lives online. This gives con-sumers constant access to information about theirfood, so they know exactly what is good for them.Global networking also presents totally new oppor-tunities for the industry and consumers, who cannow be targeted with products for specific groupsaround the world. Products that would previouslyhave served only a niche market can now becomeestablished worldwide with extraordinary speed,enabling consumers to find and practise their verypersonal style of nutrition among an almost infiniterange of options. At the same time, online shoppinggives the food industry an opportunity to find outmore about consumers and their purchasing habitsand to react to what customers want and need moreindividually than ever before.

Numerous concepts in line with this trend arenow on the market. One successful example is soft

Today’s modernconsumerschoose theirdiets byconviction anduse them todemonstrate an entirephilosophy oflife, commentsDöhler.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 59BEvERAGE TREnDSdrinks for adults. Many adults find classic softdrinks too sweet and would prefer tarter, lighterand more varied options – often as an alternative toalcoholic beverages. The focus here is on tasteexperiences based on high-quality natural ingredi-ents, such as fermented fruit juices, botanicalextracts, premium NFC juices, exotic spices andfreshly brewed teas. As well as a comprehensiveingredient portfolio, Döhler offers its customersexciting product concepts developed specificallyfor the taste buds of adult consumers – so they canenjoy a party even without alcohol.

The new generation of tea beverages also providea tarter taste. Popular worldwide and with an infi-nite variety of tastes, tea enables particularly excit-ing product positionings. Innovative concepts likebrewed tea drinks, adult tea drinks, kombucha,detox tea drinks, and new tea bases such as matcha,mate and rooibos appeal to consumers’ senses andcreate unique moments of indulgence.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages foradults. Among the growing trends in the world ofcoffee is cold brew. Prepared in a gentle processwith no heat at all, it is much less bitter and acidicthan the hot version and is characterised by fruity,caramel and chocolate flavours. As a result, coldbrew coffee is a refreshing beverage that has plentyof fans in cafés all year round.

Healthy nutritional value through the power of nature

Consumers all over the world are becoming moreand more interested in good-tasting, natural foodand beverages with additional benefits that pro-mote health. Individual product solutions withnutritious and high-quality ingredients are key tomeeting consumers’ requirements. Nature providesa tremendous diversity of plants that containhealth-supporting substances. Döhler offers its cus-tomers a broad portfolio of high-quality botanicalplant extracts, which provide health-promotingadditional benefits, unlock unique taste experi-ences and are one hundred per cent natural. Theportfolio includes, among other things, Africanextracts from baobab, moringa leaves and honey-bush. The high-quality extracts impress thanks to anaturally fresh taste, and also provide inspirationfor healthy and trendy product positionings.Döhler also offers plant-based proteins, such as peaand rice protein blends, that supply the body withall the essential amino acids it needs – and tastegood, too. Thanks to the use of proteins from high-quality raw materials, supported by natural flavourcompositions, the end products – from cereal barsto snack drinks – are characterised by outstandingmulti-sensory properties.

Low sugar – outstanding tasteThe issue of sugar reduction continues to dominatethe food and beverage industry. Not only are gov-ernments increasing the pressure with numerousregional regulations and voluntary commitments,ultimately consumers themselves are also payingmore attention to a healthy diet. More and morecategories now offer consumers reduced-sugaralternatives. For example, the trend offers hugepotential for growth in the energy drinks segment,which has a somewhat negative reputation due tothe drinks’ high sugar content. Less sugar with thesame taste and the full energy boost is what con-sumers in this segment are looking for today.

Döhler has developed tailored sweetening sys-tems and innovative beverage concepts that satisfythe various requirements in different markets, butcan also be used in a variety of different applica-tions. These beverage concepts range from innova-tive energy drinks to fruity nectars with fermentedjuice content, premium reduced-sugar lemonadesand even reduced-calorie fruit and vegetable juices.In addition to numerous sweetening solutions thatallow a sugar reduction of up to 100%, Döhler alsooffers a broad range of ‘MultiSense’ flavours, whichcan be used to achieve a significant sugar reductionwithout sweeteners, or to improve the aftertasteand mouthfeel of reduced-sugar products. Ideal forreduced-sugar soft drinks such as carbonated softdrinks and still drinks, and dairy products such asyoghurt and milk mixes, the MultiSense® Flavourscreate an especially balanced overall multi-sensoryimpression.

New Multi-Sensory Experiences®As well as healthy, natural ingredients, curiosity for‘something new’ is also stirring up the global foodand beverage market. Consumers are increasinglylooking for new flavours, new textures, productswith extraordinary colours, and ultimately theemotional enjoyment that comes from ‘Multi-Sen-sory Experiences’.

Smoothies have been real sales magnets for yearsnow. But they are no longer only about puréedfruit. The new generation of smoothies offers a lotmore than just pure nutrients – it is above all theirsensory properties that impress. Tropical fruits likegoldenberry and guava add a fresh and fruity taste,chia and flax seed create an extra-crunchy mouth-feel and turmeric provides highly natural yet radi-ant colour. That makes the ‘superfood smoothies’ areal highlight in the beverage aisle and a uniqueindulgence for all the senses,

As a supplier of natural ingredients and ingredi-ent systems, Döhler is constantly developing inno-vative food and beverages for its customers,tailored to what consumers want and need. To dothis, the company monitors the global food andbeverage market in order to detect trends early on.However, trends and taste preferences may varyfrom country to country. Through its global pres-ence, Döhler recognises the demands in the differ-ent markets, allowing it to develop products thatare tailored to suit local conditions. n

As a supplier of naturalingredients andingredientsystems, Doehleris constantlydevelopinginnovative foodand beveragesfor its customers.

www.doehler.com

60 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018ASEPTIC FILLInG

with aseptic bottling in PET

Sokpol’s success

With over 400 employees, the family com-pany Sokpol is one of the top Polish co-

packers, producing sensitive beverages such asnectars, fruit juices, vegetable juices and teas incarton, glass, and PET containers. “Since thecompany was established in 1992, the Polishmarket has developed fantastically well. Today,the food and drinks segment has sped up consid-erably. A lot of shops opened and many big dis-counter chains appeared everywhere to serve thelocal demand,” explains Roman Sobczyk, Presi-dent of Sokpol. “Since the beginning, our strat-egy is to support private beverage labels. Theyrepresent 80% of our business today and theyrequire a very high level of product quality andflexibility.”

While becoming the number one player inPoland in the private label sector – based on itsproduction capacity and quality – Sokpol hasstarted to develop its own brand and new productrecipes, benefitting from its own concentrate pro-duction factory. Three quarters of the company’soverall production is delivered to the Polishmarket, serving all the international hard discountchains as well as some German, Portuguese andFrench retailer brands, based locally. Sokpol alsoexports to Bulgaria, Romania, and other countries,and even to the US.

Aseptic PET bottling, the obvious choiceSokpol started producing its beverages 25 yearsago in carton and glass, which were very popularpackaging materials in Poland at the time. Sincethen, it had to quickly adapt its production to thechanging market demand. “As the consumers’expectations have been changing rapidly over thetwo decades, we started producing our drinksaseptically in PET bottles in 2008. We wanted todelete preservatives from the beverages, while

taking full advantage of the PET bottle marketingassets and design freedom – something the cartonpackage could not offer. We also needed full pro-duction flexibility to handle all types of beveragesand bottle formats. At this stage, we chose Sidel asno other competitor could propose the same asep-tic PET filling technology. This was a crucialpoint in our history, as we were the first to intro-duce sensitive beverages without preservatives inPET bottles to the Polish market. Now, we canbottle all the products we were previously packag-ing in carton in PET,” explains Sobczyk.

The fact that Sokpol is largely recognised forbeverage quality is explained by Jerzy Urbanski,chief executive at Sokpol: “When we are talkingabout aseptically filling any juice, nectar or tea inPET bottles, the production conditions areextremely demanding as food safety is key. Weneed to ensure complete beverage integrity todeliver the final good product, which everyoneexpects.

“Ten years ago, we were thinking PET was thebest packaging solution. After the installation ofthree aseptic complete PET lines during the lastdecade, billions of bottles produced, and our busi-ness growing, we are completely convinced this isthe right choice. We can credit this success tothree crucial points: excellent water quality, thebest technical equipment, and our people.”

A huge and flexible production capacityToday, Sokpol produces around one million pack-ages a day and supplies a wide beverage portfolio.By featuring many different flavours and recipes,package types and formats, representing over 500Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) in total, it is perfectlyestablished to answer any consumer demand.“More than 50% of our SKU production is bottledin PET and this figure is constantly increasing forsimple reasons: you can see the drink inside thePET bottle, you easily open and close it. You canachieve a variety of shapes, which offers greatpackage differentiation,” adds Jerzy. To be suc-cessful, the company is taking into considerationthe changing market demands to quickly adapt itsproduction in terms of beverages’ recipe, bottleand cap shapes, production volume, and shippingconditions.

A Polish family businesscapitalises onsignificantmarket growthwith Sidel.

Roman Sobczyk, President of Sokpol.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 61SoKPoL’S SuCCESSSokpol is able to serve this growing market

thanks to the huge production capacity offered bythe three aseptic PET lines provided by Sidelduring the past ten years. Two lines are running at15,000 bottles per hour each, whereas the thirdline is running faster, producing over 30,000 bot-tles per hour. “To answer an ever-shifting marketand offer even more relevant and cost-effectivesolutions, we have to be very flexible. Forinstance, we initially delivered our beverages onEuropean pallets, whereas today we deliver themon half pallets and when required, even smallerones. In some cases, we pack different beveragetypes on the same pallet, as the mass retailerswant to diversify their drinks offer in a quite lim-ited distribution space.”

A safe and simple aseptic packaging solution

When it comes to its investment in PET packagingequipment, Sokpol was truly visionary and inno-vative. In 2008, they pioneered in acquiring anaseptic PET packaging line from Sidel but not justany aseptic line. “This was the first aseptic linewith the Sidel dry preform sterilisation in Europeand the second one worldwide,” Blazej Pluta,Member of the Sokpol board and responsible forinvestments, comments. “With the Aseptic CombiPredis, we can safely and simply produce anyextended shelf life beverage without preserva-tives, offering great advantages from a health andmarketing point of view.”

After some months of operating and learningthis new industrial production setup, Sokpol wasconvinced of the efficiency and the simplicity ofthe solution with no need of complex asepticblowing. The best demonstration of this trust wasthe repeated orders for this Sidel aseptic technol-ogy. “With the dry preform sterilisation before theoven, nothing can go wrong. Within the past 10years, zero unsterile bottles occurred.”

The Sokpol management team also consideredmany other advantages of this technology. “Tradi-tional bottle decontamination consumes a hugeamount of water, whereas the dry preform sterili-sation system requires no water and very fewchemicals, representing the best solution in termsof environmental footprint and cost in our opin-ion.” To complete this approach, the company isnow considering to lightweight its bottles. “Weare really well prepared to decrease the bottleweight with the great lightweighting potentialPredis offers. We also implemented a nitro-dosingsystem on our three aseptic lines to ensure a betterbottle performance and a better consumer experi-ence when handling it.”

As Sokpol is constantly looking for anyimprovement opportunity in order to increase itsbusiness performances, it implemented a new rawmaterial magazine, a new automatic warehouse,an automatic picking station and mixing station.“During the next three years, we are planning todouble our production capacity. Our competitorsdo not sleep, so we have to be ready in the nextyears to increase and diversify our production,while improving our efficiency.”

A good insurance for the futureA partnership between two companies is not builtin a day. The shared experiences are instrumentalin reinforcing the needed trust, which is what

happened between Sokpol and Sidel concerningpackaging line supply, new product and bottledevelopments, skills sharing, after sales services,and the collaboration thus achieving today’s toplevel. Whereas the first aseptic PET line acquiredby Sokpol was supplied by two companies, thePolish co-packer decided to rely exclusively uponSidel for the full delivery scope of the other twolines. “Having one unique supplier was the rightdecision, as the responsibility for the completepackaging line performance is fully in the handsof a single player. We are really happy with thissolution,” explains Jerzy.

Sokpol also awarded some bottle developmentsto Sidel, from the bottle design to the beverageand package evaluation, from the blowing processtests to detailed technical feasibility reports. “Ourmarketing department works very closely with theSidel Packaging team to develop new bottleshapes and new beverage tastes. We particularlyappreciate the understanding of our requests andthe very short time needed to develop a project.”

Sidel also provided intense periods of trainingto the Sokpol team at the customer’s productionplant. “During two years, we invested a lot of timeperforming advanced training for our techniciansand our maintenance team, together with Sidel.The training sessions held on our equipment inour factory were really well done. This was thebest solution to gain experience according to astep-by-step approach. Our skilled employees arenow more efficient and can reduce the timerequired for many activities.”

Based on this positive experience, Sokpol hasproposed new ideas about how to cooperate withSidel for advanced technical training in order toachieve better performance and efficiency on theirSidel aseptic PET bottling lines. For example, byusing remote control systems to help the mainte-nance team and solve any problem they may faceeasily and quickly. In addition, due to the proxim-ity of the local Polish office, the Sidel Servicesteam is there to support Sokpol, whenever it isneeded. “The Sidel after sales department made ahuge step forward in providing very reactive andqualitative services. Their technicians are nowvery quick in solving the questions or issues weare raising. Our collaboration with Sidel is a goodinsurance for the future; this is a crucial point,”concludes Jerzy. n

“our competitorsdo not sleep, sowe have to beready in the nextyears to increaseand diversify ourproduction,while improvingour efficiency.”

www.sidel.com

62 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018ASEPTIC FILLInG

with new aseptic line for Nectar

Fruitful investment

Serbian fruit juice producer Nectar is raisingthe level of its technical equipment to

unprecedented heights with a new aseptic fillerfrom KHS. This is not only of benefit to the qual-ity of its products but also to its efficiency in pro-duction.

When Nectar started up its first production linefor processing fruit juice in beverage cartons 20years ago near Novi Sad in the northwest ofSerbia, there was no telling just how fast the com-pany would develop. Five years later a factory forthe production of fruit concentrates and puréeswas procured in Vladi in Han in the south of thecountry. In 2005 a PET, a glass and a canning linewere added to the machine park, with new bever-age carton lines following soon after.

In 2008 Nectar became the majority owner ofthe Heba mineral water bottling plant inBujanovac, also in the south of Serbia, and since2011 Nectar has owned Fructal, a Slovenian pro-cessor of fruit with over 70 years of traditionunder its belt.

Nectar is now a veritable model company asdemonstrated among other things by it beingawarded the title of best corporate brand inSerbia in 2013. Few competitors cover all stagesof the value chain as thoroughly as Nectar: fromits own plantations through purchasing, fruit pro-cessing and cooperation with fruit farmers to thefinished product. Its high standards areexpressed by the Serbian ‘nije svejedno’ whichtranslates into English as ‘it does matter’.

The company, famous beyond the Balkanregion, makes good use of this slogan and its mar-keting campaign emotionally explains that itdoes matter what we drink and what we look for-ward to.

As one would therefore expect, great attentionis paid to product quality and food safety here.Until very recently sensitive products were pas-teurised and filled with the help of ultraclean fill-ing technology (UCF), where overpressure isapplied to the filling and capping zone. The air isfed in through filters to prevent any possiblemicrobiological contamination. In addition, theempty bottles are first filled with nitrogen toimprove the microbiological quality of the fillingprocess.

In order to satisfy its own growing demand forquality, Nectar has now opted for aseptic filling.This allows its range of products to be consider-ably expanded – both with regard to the fruit con-tent and the various flavours and productvariants in all categories. “For us, the mostimportant thing is that we can now carry out thisprocess under sterile conditions,” comments pro-duction manager Milka Tomanovi. “This retainsthe natural properties of the fruit. We have abetter quality of final product and can offergreater microbiological quality over a longerperiod.”

Safety firstCreating sterile conditions for aseptic fillers is atricky undertaking. It was thus soon clear toNectar that the only technological partners tocome into question were certified systems manu-facturers proven worldwide. “Not only was thehigh quality of the components important to us; itwas also essential that we could fully rely on thetechnology to generate aseptic production condi-tions,” emphasises Tomanovi .

This quickly narrowed down the number ofpossible manufacturers. Nenad Delovski, head ofthe KHS office in Belgrade, had long been intouch with Nectar. “Five years ago we attendedan aseptic presentation at the KHS factory in BadKreuznach together,” he remembers. “Since thenwe’ve been in constant contact, both locally andat various trade shows.”

In the meantime the customer had become con-vinced that the high standard it required for itsown products could only be achieved by usingequipment of an equally top quality. This is even

KHS installs the first aseptic filler of its kind for the productionof fruit juice in Serbia.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 63FRuITFuL InvESTMEnTmore important when it comes to securing a per-manent supply to the European market. Aboveand beyond the basic requirements, the manyopportunities offered by the system, its controlsetup and maintenance program and – above all– the recommendations from other companiesultimately persuaded Nectar to work togetherwith the Dortmund-based systems supplier.

“With the new Innosept Asbofill ABF 711 CNectar has the first aseptic filler of this kind forthe production of fruit juice in all of Serbia,”explains Delovski – more than befitting for thebiggest fruit processor in the whole of southeastEurope.

Money well spentThe line has a capacity of 12,000 bottles per hourand processes 500ml, 750ml and 1.5-litre PETbottles. Nectar not only invested in a filler butalso in a stretch blow moulder by seizing theopportunity to acquire a used, fully overhauledsystem from KHS.

Including all air conveyors, discharge to thepackaging and palletising section and anInnocheck FHC fill height control system theinvestment came to about €3.5 million – whichNectar believes is money well spent.

What production manager Tomanovi particu-larly appreciates about the cooperation with KHSis the teamwork Nectar enjoys with KHS’s engi-neers. “These people share their knowledge withthe customer,” she adds. “This gives us securityand the good feeling that we can easily clear upany problems which might arise in a straightfor-ward manner.” Tomanovi is also very pleased

with the result. “With our new line we’ve beenable to greatly boost our efficiency – on the onehand thanks to the much higher capacity than onthe old line and on the other through a reductionin downtime and larger production series.”

About NectarFounded in Bačka Palanka, Serbia in 1998, Nectarproduces fruit juice, fruit nectar, iced tea andenergy drinks and spirits, vinegar and preserves

It produces over 100 million litres per annum,in PET, glass bottles, cartons and cans in sizesranging from 200 milliliters to 2.0 litres – a thirdof which is destined for export to those countriesbordering Serbia and other European countriesČedo Praška, general director of nectar com-

mented: “Ever since its founding Nectar hasattached great importance to product develop-ment and ensures that it produces consistent topquality. The growing enthusiasm of our con-sumers proves that we’re on the right track.

“The Nectar company is distinguished by itsemployees – especially by their expertise andhigh level of commitment. Our products are con-vincing not just thanks to their high standard butalso through the wide range we offer, whichincludes something for everyone.

“We’ve made it our mission to become themarket leader in the production of organic foods– and not just of beverages. We’re thus planningon making further investments and launchingnew packaging formats. We also want to offerconsumers new products for all kinds oflifestyles, such as organic smoothies for peopleout and about and balanced breakfast snacks.” n

Čedo Praška is general director at Nectar.

Milka Tomanovir is productionmanager at Nectar.

Innosept Asbofill ABF 711 C: The Innosept Asbofill 711 C from KHS forms the heart of Nectar’s new line and is also thefirst aseptic filler of its kind in Serbia.

www.nectar.rswww.khs.com

“With our newline we’ve beenable to greatlyboost ourefficiency – onthe one handthanks to themuch highercapacity than on the old lineand on the otherthrough areduction indowntime andlargerproductionseries.”

64 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018PLASTIC PACKAGInG

for plastics recycling

A taxing question

The controversial proposed tax on single-useplastic packaging has raised questions over

how to best recover and recycle this material.Taxes or deposit return schemes – how can weuse economics to incentivise more recycling?

Plastic packaging recycling has flat-lined. A keyreason for this is the economics of recycling post-consumer packaging are very challenging.Another major problem is a lack of understandingamong consumers over what can be recycled,alongside a lack of incentives for them to recycleproperly.

The whole point of single-use plastics andpackaging is to deliver products to as manypeople as possible, over as great a distance as pos-sible with as little cost and product waste as pos-sible. Modern packaging serves this purpose well;yet to recycle it successfully, we have to reversethis process and get it back from all the con-sumers. That’s no easy task!

So what’s the solution? Hit people in theirpockets – otherwise known as taxes – or con-versely ‘reward’ them for good recyclingbehaviour. Two ways of using economic drivers toincrease recycling rates are a Deposit ReturnScheme, a ‘carrot’, or a tax on single-use plastics,a ‘stick’.

Deposit return schemesThe Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) concept hit theUK news headlines at the end of March with Envi-ronment Secretary Michael Gove’s announcementto introduce a Deposit Return Scheme in England.Full details are subject to consultation and yet tobe decided, including how big the deposit will be.Expected to cover single-use glass and plastic bot-tles, and steel and aluminium cans, the Govern-ment’s move has to be welcomed as a step in theright direction.

Similar schemes in Europe have been success-ful in achieving high recycling rates for PET bot-tles, aluminium cans and glass. They encourageusers to recycle packaging for which they recovera small deposit, a reward if you like. Overall, thereis no additional cost to consumers, providing theyparticipate correctly.

The DRS will generate very high quality mate-rial for recycling because, unlike kerbside collec-tions, you can control exactly what is collected.This is especially important when producing foodgrade rPET. With material from kerbside collec-tions, the food grade PET is mixed with non-foodgrade PET, which makes it harder to achieve themaximum allowed 5% non-food PET.

Deposit Return Schemes should increase recy-cling rates for the materials included in thescheme, most likely PET bottles and aluminiumcans. However these already have a comparativelyhigh recycling rate compared to other packaging,so any increase on overall rates will be marginal atbest.

Single-use plastics taxA tax on single-use plastics is more of a driver toreduce unnecessary packaging items, in otherwords, a ‘stick’. This tax could also be used toincrease recycling rates if the money goes into set-ting up new collection and recycling infrastruc-ture. It’s also difficult: putting a tax on all‘single-use’ plastic is not fair.

When packaging is necessary, such as for meat,rice, pasta – everyday essentials – it would not befair to tax this and pass the cost on to the con-sumer. This could affect those on low incomes asthey have no choice but to pay it. In some cases,plastic packaging is the best option for protectingthe product.

Other packaging materials, such as glass or alu-minium, do not necessarily have greater environ-mental benefits: glass, for example, is heavier sotransporting it has a higher carbon impact thanplastic film.

The single-use plastics tax could be effective onproducts where there is a viable alternative forconsumer use, such as reusable coffee cups. Inthis case the consumer can choose to bring areusable cup and avoid paying the tax; or if theyprefer the convenience of not bringing a cup, they

Richard McKinlayoffers hisopinion anddiscusses theoptions.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 65A TAxInG QuESTIoncan pay the tax, which is then used to pay for therecovery and recycling of the single-use packag-ing.

Extended producer responsibilityIn conclusion, I think both approaches have theirmerits. They could help improve recycling rates,but not significantly in my view. A more effectivesolution would be Extended Producer Responsi-bility schemes that would encourage brands todesign for end of life in exchange for reducedcompliance fees, and so improve the ‘recyclabil-ity’ of their packaging.

While the recent announcement has been wel-comed by environmental campaigners, the pack-aging industry may be worried about the pricetag. The sector may be asked to pick up the billfor the deposit return scheme. Currently plasticsproducers pay just 10% of the cost of recyclingpackaging.

Councils will also be anxious to ensure thatkerbside collecting is not undercut when detailsare confirmed. There are already pretty good col-lection and recycling rates for PET bottles.

But there is still more be done. Unless we focuseffort on collecting and recycling pots, tubs andtrays and films, we will not improve recyclingrates significantly. The technical viabilities ofrecycling HDPE, PP and LDPE are all proven;what we need is investment in the infrastructureand ongoing subsidies to support and increase therecycling rates for these materials.

Perhaps, and more importantly, behaviouralchange from consumers and industry could be thekey to unlocking economic and environmentalbenefits for all.

Are biodegradable plastics better for the environment?

Plastics are indispensable in many areas of ourmodern lives, yet questions over the material’ssustainability are rarely out of the headlines thesedays. Are biodegradable, compostable and bio-plastics really a better environmental solution?

Plastic materials that at end of life can com-pletely break down naturally and disappear harm-lessly may sound like the ideal answer. Peoplehear terms such as ‘biodegradable’, ‘bio-plastic’and ‘compostable’ and assume that these plasticsare more ‘environmentally-friendly’. However,

the reality is not so simple.The main issue here is a lack of understanding

of the nature of compostable or biodegradableplastics and what bio-plastics are; their specificapplications and the specialist treatment processneeded to deal with these materials.

Bio-plastics are made using renewable feed-stocks rather than being derived directly from oil.

Bio-plastics can be used in the production ofconventional polymers that can be recycled, suchas recycled PET, or biodegradable polymers suchas PLA.

It may seem obvious that selecting a bioplasticis the most sustainable option. However, althoughthere is a clear benefit from not depleting a non-renewable source, we need to consider that manypetrochemicals are a by-product of the oil refiningprocess. While we still live in an economy that isso heavily reliant on oil, it may be better to makeuse of its by-products rather than let them go towaste.

Bio-plastics are not free of environmentalimpact, and the carbon emissions associated withgrowing crops and converting these into therequired chemicals needs to be taken intoaccount.

‘Compostable’ and ‘biodegradable’ are more orless synonymous terms and mean that the mate-rial will completely break down under certainconditions. The key to understanding any poten-tial benefit is to know whether the polymer willeasily break down, say in your home compost, orif it has to be treated in an industrial compostingfacility.

Many plastics that are described as biodegrad-able or compostable have to be collected and sep-arated from the rest of the plastic waste and besent to a purpose-designed industrial compostingfacility where they can be broken down success-fully. These facilities exist for food waste, butensuring compostable packaging reaches themcan be challenging.

Consumer confusion over what materials canand can’t be recycled is another big issue. Is thisplastic water bottle made from a biodegradableplastic or ‘conventional’ plastic, like PET? Does itgo in the recycling bin or with the food waste col-lection?

Bio-plastics arenot free ofenvironmentalimpact, and thecarbonemissionsassociated withgrowing cropsand convertingthese into therequiredchemicals needsto be taken intoaccount.

Continued on page 67

66 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018PACKAGInG DESIGn

a design with a modern twist

Fanta rejuvenation

Sidel has collaborated in the new ‘spiral’ PETbottle project from The Coca-Cola Company

(TCCC), with the company’s 40-year expertise inPET packaging instrumental in the successfulrejuvenation of the Fanta brand and the chal-lenges involved in getting it right.

First appearing on shelves in the1940s, Fantais TCCC’s biggest brand after Coke. Like any greatproduct, Fanta has evolved over the years, witha number of bottle re-designs under its belt.However, the popularity of the Fanta Splashbottle shape had led to it becoming something ofa generic bottle for sparkling beverages on thesupermarket shelves of key markets.

Consequently, this diluted the Fanta owner-ship of the bottle shape in what is the second-largest brand outside the US and therefore a veryimportant product in the TCCC range. That iswhy Coca-Cola started to design and develop anew proprietary Fanta packaging shape, applica-ble to both PET and glass bottles, in order to pro-vide a protectable new global standard for thebrand.

Supporting the Fanta brand rejuvenationGregory Bentley, Coca-Cola Packaging Engineerin charge of global project coordination explains;“After years of success in the international softdrinks market, the Fanta Splash shape had effec-tively become owned by the carbonated softdrinks category rather than the brand.

“This is quite a standard occurrence over thelife cycle of a brand which inevitably evolvesover time. This meant it was the right time toredesign the bottle with an impactful shape tomake it stand out once again on the shelves.”

Working closely with Leyton Hardwick andhis team at Drink Works who were the winningagency in a five-way pitch and supported by theFanta packaging team network, “we establisheda global network where it was possible to gatherup-to-date packaging mix information, specificmarket requirements and on-going feedback onsuitable design routes,” continues Bentley.

As part of this global technical network, TCCCalso involved experienced supply partners inthis design challenge. Sidel has played a key rolein the packaging project development, namelyqualifying the new Fanta bottle for industrialproduction. “By embedding the supplier’sknowledge and experience from the very firststeps of this journey, we have ensured viablebottle forming, filling and performance,”explains Bentley.

“It was great to count on Sidel as part of thisproject as a very skilled and responsive partner.”The new bottle shape required precise under-standing of how PET behaves under pressure,particularly with regard to how the carbonationof the beverage can potentially deform the bottlesections, which could lead to the drink spilling.Just like its predecessor, the new bottle was to beproduced to be 100% recyclable.

Dealing with asymmetry and stabilityThe new creative and differentiating bottle inPET designed by Drink Works represents a ‘rule-breaker’ in terms of bottle design for CSDs. It fea-tures a spiral, inspired by the twisting of anorange to release its juice and is based on a seriesof ribs decorated with small bubbles, including atorsion in the bottom half.

This spiral gives the Fanta bottle an unusual,asymmetric structure which presented a realchallenge in terms of developing a container ableto withstand deformation and stability issues.“We were championing this spiral shape, whichhas the accolade of being truly unique in theworld of carbonated packaging designs for con-tainers in PET, and Sidel supported us to over-come the challenges that the design presented,”says Bentley.

“It is definitively critical that all opposing

Sidel partnered with Coca-Colato develop anew design for Fanta in PET.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 67FAnTA REJuvEnATIonsides of the bottle have the same developedlength to avoid issues with perpendicularity,”explains Jérome Neveu, packaging expert atSidel. “We optimised the grip profile and theangular base orientation to retain the bottlegeometry once filled.”

The design continued to progress throughoutthe project – both from a brand marketing per-spective and from a packaging performancepoint-of-view – to achieve the best solution. TheSpiral bottle required full design testing andrefinement, achieved through more than 60 tech-nical drawing iterations and FEAs (Finite Ele-ment Analysis) to test performance usingcomputing analysis. Moreover, it involved theproduction of 15 pilot moulds and feasibilitytests successfully managed with Sidel to achievevalidation of the final bottle design.

Bentley concludes: “The final PET bottledesign has been fully tested, making sure the ver-tical growth under pressure is perfectly con-trolled and that the container meets allCoca-Cola quality and performance require-ments. The physical strength of the new bottle isas good as the previous Fanta Splash bottle.Other line stability tests were also conducted bySidel, achieving suitable results for high speedfilling.”

Included in the Coca-Cola design brief was arequirement to ensure alignment of the labelpanel size and position with Sprite and Contourbottles. Drink Works achieved this without com-promising the design, as the existing label panel

was moved further up towards the neck of thebottle. This technical solution generated tangibleefficiency benefits for Coca-Cola bottling part-ners when producing various bottle types andhandling label changeovers. The new position ofthe label panel also has the added advantage ofexcellent visibility as it is no longer subject topotential masking by the front panels of someshelves or by stacking units.

A widely deployed design A similar bottle shape has been deployed for thewhole Fanta bottle family and it is now availablefor 500 ml, 1L, 1.5L and 2L formats. When itcomes to the 1.5L and 2L bottles, the Spiraldesign offers easier gripping and an improvedpouring experience for the consumer.

Leveraging the successful cooperation withSidel, an alternate 500ml Spiral bottle has beendeveloped to ensure stability specifically forgravity-fed inclined shelves which are typicallyimplemented in cold chain distribution. Thisrequired specific design rules to be adopted,with very precise bubble numbers and locationsaround the ribs which constitute the spiral.

A consideration throughout the developmentof the PET bottle was the capability to also trans-fer the new shape to the glass bottle, an objectivewhich was also successfully achieved. Today,the new Spiral Fanta bottle in PET is sold inItaly, Poland, Malta, Serbia, Finland, Romaniaand the UK, with plans for global roll-out overthe coming months. n

The new creative anddifferentiatingbottle in PETdesigned byDrink Worksrepresents a‘rule-breaker’ in terms ofbottle design for CSDs.

www.sidel.com

Currently, throughout the UK there is a goodcollection and recycling infrastructure for PET bot-tles and this can be accessed by most peoplethrough council kerbside collections. The infras-tructure for food waste collections is not as well-established, especially for ‘on-the-go’ collections.

So for water bottles made from biodegradableplastic to be correctly recycled, a public communi-cation campaign would be required so that peopleunderstand that biodegradable plastic should go inwith food waste and more food waste collectionfacilities in public places would be needed.

Some packaging, such as that made from starch,will readily breakdown in a less controlled envi-ronment. However it is not possible to switchcompletely to these type of materials because theyare not suitable for all applications. For example,kitchen/food recycling caddy liners are starch-based and will degrade in a home compostingsystem. However this material would not be suit-able for use in packaging as it would quickly startto break down when wet.

It’s important for brand owners, food producersand manufacturers to consider very carefullywhat packaging format they use and to make aninformed decision based on the reality of our cur-rent waste management infrastructure and level ofpublic understanding. Ensuring that products are‘designed for recycling’ is essential if we are torecover more of our resources.

They also need to understand what actuallyhappens to their materials at end-of-life and whattheir environmental impact could be. What isdescribed as ‘compostable’ doesn’t mean it willjust break down at the side of the road.

Marine litter is a huge concern, but only 2% ofplastic waste in the oceans is estimated to comefrom the whole of Europe and the US combined.Using plastic bottles in the UK is a perfectlyresponsible packaging system because 99% ofhouseholders can put their plastic bottles in theirhousehold recycling collection bins.

Attention has to be turned to ‘on-the-go’ wasteand littering. Levels of marine plastic could bereduced by improving ‘on-the-go’ waste provisionand anti-littering public information campaigns.Better infrastructure is needed in public places toallow people to recycle when out and about. Thisis happening with more recycling points at placeslike train stations, airports and town centres. Butpeople have to use them, understand them andknow why it matters.

So are biodegradable plastics better for the envi-ronment? It’s a massive challenge and, as we’veargued, it’s also complicated!

Ultimately it has to be down to infrastructureinvestment, public education and behaviouralchanges. Plastics are an inherent part of our livesand not ‘all bad’. Their responsible use and dis-posal/recycling should be a top priority!

About AxionAxion develops and operates innovative resourcerecovery and processing solutions for recyclingwaste materials. Axion works with a wide rangeof clients, from Government agencies and localauthorities to companies in diverse commercialsectors, on the practical development of new pro-cessing and collection methods to recover valuefrom waste resources. n

Richard McKinlay is head ofcircular economy at resourcerecovery specialist Axion.

www.axiongroup.co.uk

A TAXING QUESTION– continued from page 65

68 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018METAL PACKAGInG

design for recycling

Circle of life

Agreater volume of UK-produced aluminiumcans will be circulating in the domestic

market when Ardagh's Rugby site reopens afterits conversion to aluminium-only production.

This is a good result for the country's dedicatedUBC recycling facilities that are reliant on localsupplies of scrap material, while downstreamcustomers continue to drive up demand for highrecycled content to meet their environmentalcommitments with no loss of quality. Soft DrinksInternational took up an offer from UK industrytrade body Can Makers to visit Novelis in War-rington and an Ardagh plant across the Welshborder in Wrexham, to walk the circular coursefrom scrap sortation to new cans and so get anunderstanding, from a customer perspective, ofthe practicalities of incorporating ‘design forrecycling’ that will help sustain what the indus-try calls ‘the permanent nature of aluminium’ ina circular economy.

Returned to shelf within 60 days“Over 50% of metal we make is for beverages,”says Andy Doran, senior manager for sustainabil-ity and recycling development for NovelisEurope. This significant part of the business sees3-4% annual growth, which is snail-paced com-pared with automotive's rocketing 25%, but it isadvantaged by a much quicker cycle rate. A slickrecycling system is said to remake, refill andreturn cans to the supermarket shelf in as few as60 days, retaining the same elemental properties.The Warrington plant's dedicated closed loopcan-recycling capacity is 175-180kt per year. Aseparate automotive aluminium recycling plantstands next door on the same site.

In 1991 when the dedicated UBC recyclingplant Latchford Locks was fired up, the UK recy-cling rate for drinks cans stood at 2%. Latestindustry figures for 2017 show the rate for alu-minium drinks cans hit 72% in 2017. This figureis set to grow if UK government plans for adeposit return system on drinks containers of allmaterials for England pass successfully through aconsultation process that was announced inMarch. Similar systems running in Denmark,Sweden, Germany and South Australia arereportedly increasing the recycling of drinks con-tainers across the board. It suggests that a mone-tary incentive for consumers to 'do the rightthing' can act as a magnet to get back a recyclablematerial for reprocessing into new cans, encour-aging a recycling mentality in the on-the-gomarket that is hard to reach by other means,advertising for instance.

Collections of used beverage cans make theirway to franchised aggregation centres around theUK that receive UBCs, check material for qualityand collect the scrap until able to deliver a fulllorryload to Warrington.

Akin to pin-boning in fish processing, a two-hour cycle of treatments decontaminates, delam-inates and cleans recycled aluminium ready forthe rolling mill. Novelis Recycling UK recasts bil-lions of used drink cans every year into ingots.Each 27 tonne, nine-metre ingot contains around1.5 million UBCs. They are transported by road toWidnes on the banks of the River Mersey andcontinue by train southwards and through thechannel tunnel via a dedicated railway line toplants in Germany. Trains drop off processedwaste and pick up finished articles (rolls) on thereturn leg, a circular trip that optimises transportfuel.

A sustainable solutionHalf or more of all that goes into the world's 23million tonnes of rolled aluminium has beenthrough the factory gate at least once before. Thetop two producers together produce nearly one-quarter of that volume: Novelis 14%, Alcoa 9%.

Novelis globally produces 3.1 million tonnesin sheet for use across all sectors exceptaerospace, of which the European business shareis almost one-third (978,000 tonnes). Soft DrinksInternational heard that Novelis – since 2006owned by Aditya Birla Group, a household namein India – has been focusing on strategic capacityexpansion of aluminium for beverage cans andkeeping up with automotive's requirement forlightweight body parts and high-end specialitymarkets including electronics.

Asked what sets Novelis apart from the compe-tition, Doran listed sustainability and recyclingleadership, the option of a single supplier acrossall territories, which he says is an asset for a cus-tomer, in particular OEMs, and quality and inno-vation through R&D activities.

Corporate growth plans focus on “circulareconomy concepts” and “a business strategybased on materials, processes and products withminimal dependence on resources”, he says,adding: “Customers want lower carbon product.We grow capacity to recycle here [Warrington]

Joanne Hunterwalks thecircular coursefrom scrapsortation to newbeverage cans at novelis andArdagh.

New to market Dash Water in an Ardagh can is asparkling mineral water ‘infused with wonky fruit andvegetables’.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 69CIRCLE oF LIFEand the biggest saving in carbon terms is to userecycled material.” An industry headline claim isthat recycling saves 95% of the energy and 90%of the greenhouse gas emissions associated withthe production of primary metal.

Novelis aspires to being a world-leading low-carbon aluminium sheet producer. Scrap sorting,decoating, melting and casting are part of aclosed-loop system that along the way collectsany process scrap that's created to reintroduce tothe feedstock, all of which goes into body stock.Baled product undergoes roto-shredding then thematerial is sorted to exclude all contaminants.Optical and NIR sensors and air-jet technologiesweed out plastics, aerosols and liquid cartonsand eject other detritus. Any lost aluminium ispositively re-sorted back in, which captures 2-3%of total content that enters the furnaces. De-coat-ing exposes shreds to 550 degrees Centigrade andresulting exhaust gases are recycled to heat upincoming process air for better energy efficiency.

The cast ingot is cooled under a blanket of inertargon gas to prevent oxidation. This increases theamount of aluminium that can be recovered fromthe dross, a by-product of melting aluminiumthat is removed periodically from the furnaces.

Doran says partners in the supply chain canhelp improve environmental outcomes for theindustry: “As the world’s largest recycler of usedaluminium beverage cans, Novelis works activelywith customers to incorporate design for recy-cling and sustain the permanent nature of alu-minium within a circular economy.”

With the growing popularity of nitro-infusedcoffee cans on top of worldwide sales of Guinnesscomes the matter of how to deal with plastics-based widgets in the recycling phase. There is anenvironmental solution, which Doran explains.

“Non-aluminium, organic materials such aswidgets provide an unintentional fuel source tothe decoating processes used to clean aluminiumbefore it is remelted. Recent sustained invest-ments at Novelis Latchford in a variety of separa-tion technologies can provide a ‘processguarantee’ that feedstock with widgets present ata normal market distribution will not causeexcessive process disruption and will separatevirtually all of the plastic before our decoatingprocess.

“In simple terms, any non-aluminium presentin the feedstock entering Novelis our facilitieswill be either separated from the aluminium flowfor off-site ‘plastic’ recycling or energy fromwaste generation, or safely and completely incin-erated within a controlled environment as part ofour standard process operation. All emissionsfrom the facilities are in strict accordance withour IPC (integrated pollution control) operatingconditions.”

Adjacent to a site of Special Scientific Interest(SSI) and an estate of new homes, there is pres-sure on a plant that been operational since 1942to be a good neighbour.

Novelis metal production overall contains anaverage of 55% recycled scrap and aluminiumcans are the highest user of recycled material saysDoran. An internal analysis of recycled compo-nent levels in finished products found that morethan 90% potentially goes into can sheet produc-tion. This is well above the average across all seg-ments in which Novelis operates because of the

comparatively fast rate of material turnaround.Novelis has trademarked the company's indepen-dently certified high-recycled content aluminiumsheet for beverage cans. The world’s first com-mercial use of the 'evercan' name was for a craftbeer in cans with guaranteed minimum 90%recycled content. It has continued popular withcraft beer manufacturers, Doran tells Soft DrinksInternational.

Ardagh – lowering the bar to entryNovelis, among others, supplies Ardagh's can-making site at Wrexham, an hour's drive acrossthe Welsh border and the host of the secondwhistle-stop factory tour of the day. The itineraryarranged by Can Makers set out to show its UKmembers supporting each other's efforts to cutthe industry's global carbon emissions, avoidmaterial losses, and achieve consistent high qual-ity while increasing the recycled content.

Market competitiveness calls for efficiencies,higher speeds, development of new decorativefinishes, and identifying trends in drinks earlyand being adaptable to change, says Ardagh qual-ity manager Chris John, pictured in the ware-house among high-rise blocks of cans, the outputof a day's production.

John noted that growth areas across the UK

“For competitiveness, identify trends in drinks early and be adaptable to change,” saysArdagh’s quality manager Chris John, pictured above.

“As the world’slargest recycler ofused aluminiumbeverage cans,novelis worksactively withcustomers toincorporatedesign forrecycling andsustain thepermanentnature ofaluminiumwithin a circulareconomy.” Continued on page 71

70 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018REFRIGERATIon

the impact of natural refrigerants

Lubricants

The refrigeration industry is undergoing atransformation. Global legislation is limiting

the use of refrigerants with a high level of OzoneDepletion Potential (ODP) or Global WarmingPotential (GWP). As a result, businesses areincreasingly adopting natural refrigerants – suchas ammonia, carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrocar-bons – to help reduce the impact on the environ-ment.

This switch to natural alternatives presents anumber of new challenges that operators mustface – not least when it comes to lubrication.And with refrigeration among the most complexindustries from a lubrication standpoint, belowis some guidance on the challenges and how aninformed decision can help companies to over-come them.

The fundamentals of natural refrigerantsA recent report on refrigeration trends high-lighted the top three refrigerants that are set toexperience the most growth as a result of legisla-tive pressure.

• Leading the pack is CO2, which is projectedto see the highest growth in the natural refriger-ants market through to 2020. This is due to anincrease in demand from superstores and foodretail chains for its use in refrigeration and airconditioning applications.

• Ammonia refrigerants, which saw the high-est market growth in 2015, were ranked thirdbehind hydrocarbon refrigerants. They are set toexperience steady growth because of their wideadoption in industrial refrigeration.

• Hydrocarbon refrigerants are expected to

grow on the back of their usage in domesticrefrigeration.

Carbon dioxide – the best option?The principal advantage of CO2 is evident in itsproperties as a refrigerant; it has an ODP of zeroand a GWP value of 1. Compare that withhydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have a GWPranging from 4.1 to 4,800, and the benefits of CO2

are clear.

There are additional benefits, including:• Size: CO2 systems are smaller than HFC-

based ones and can be designed in various con-figurations, including ‘direct expansion’ and‘secondary brine’.

• Cost: CO2 has excellent heat transfer proper-ties, which means that on average a system canpay for itself in three years.

• Safety: CO2 systems have low toxicity andare non-flammable.

However, CO2 is not suitable for retrofittinginto HFC systems due to its higher operating andstandstill pressures.

The challenges of CO2 as a refrigerant Systems that use CO2 as a refrigerant also presenttheir own distinctive challenges, especially fortheir lubricants. The principal issues arise due tothe high operating pressures and solubility thathappen in both subcritical cascade systems andtranscritical high pressure CO2 applications.

High operating pressures (a standstill pressureof 50 to 130 bar) and temperatures place higherloads and stresses on bearings and other contact-ing parts in motion compared with HFCs. Thispresents particular lubrication challenges.

Also, because CO2 is more solvent than HFCs,lubricants for traditional applications cannot beused. Fortunately, there are synthetic lubricantsspecifically designed for refrigeration applica-tions that withstand the high solvency of theCO2. They also help protect against insufficientlubrication, which can result in increased bear-ing wear, reduced component life and increasedmaintenance costs. Inadequate lubrication canalso result in improper sealing of clearances and

Alessandro Di Maio offersguidance on theuse of lubricantswith naturalrefrigerants.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 71LuBRICAnTSloss of compression, lower compression effi-ciency, higher operating cost and greater energyconsumption.

Looking at ammonia as a refrigerantAmmonia refrigerants, another of the ‘natural’options, have a long history, but were phased outafter the introduction of chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) in the 1920s. Ammonia, in fact, saw thehighest growth of all refrigerants during 2015:however, like its CO2 counterpart it has its owndistinct set of benefits and challenges.

Benefits of ammonia With a GWP and ODP of zero, ammonia is one ofthe most environmentally attractive refrigerantoptions. It also has thermodynamic heat transferproperties that allows for the use of equipmentwith smaller heat transfer areas, cutting manu-facturing costs. Ammonia is also cheaper thanHFCs in most countries while also being 3-10%more efficient, which helps reduce energy bills.

Challenges of ammonia Although ammonia systems work at lower pres-sures than the ones that employ CO2 they stillrequire pressure-related preventative mainte-nance. This is especially important given thetoxic nature of ammonia. It is also flammable,which when combined with its toxicity, meansthat high levels of training are required for engi-neers handling ammonia refrigerants.

Importantly, ammonia is not immiscible withmost oils, which can reduce lubricant efficiencywhile its high operating temperature can dimin-ish the efficiency of mineral oils, a problem thatcan be overcome by the use of synthetic oils.

Next generation lubricantsTo overcome the lubrication challenges pre-sented by natural refrigerants, ExxonMobilrecently introduced two new products: MobilGargoyle Arctic 68 NH, its most advanced min-

eral-based lubricant for ammonia applications,and Mobil SHC Gargoyle 80 POE, a synthetic oilfor CO2 applications.

Mobil Gargoyle Arctic 68 NH is designed forlarge industrial reciprocating and rotary refriger-ation compressors. It is formulated to helpimprove system efficiency and offers cost andperformance benefits by extending oil drainintervals while maintaining a superior oil flowacross a wide temperature range.

Mobil SHC Gargoyle 80 POE is designedspecifically for the lubrication of refrigerationcompressors using CO2. It offers excellent wearprotection, as well as chemical and thermal sta-bility. Its unique formulation offers excellentlow-temperature fluidity, in-service viscositycontrol and potential contribution towardsystem efficiency improvements, when com-pared to mineral oils. n www.mobil.com

Alessandro Di Maio, isIndustrial Product TechnicalAdvisor– EAME, ExxonMobil.

industry are water products and energy drinks,and Wrexham's recent investment in 8-colourprinting has expanded the options for brand dif-ferentiation. New to market Dash Water, asparkling mineral water “infused with wonkyfruit and vegetables”, commissioned Ardagh toproduce an initial run of 300,000, co-founder JackScott told Soft Drinks International.

Lower volume runs of around 400,000 units forcontract lines have opened doors for the UKindustry to target start-up brands. Can Makerscomments: “Brands are now able to choose thecanning option best suited their needs. Therecent introduction of lower volume contractlines in the UK as well as a wide choice of mobilelines for hire and lines for purchase, has con-tributed to the growth.”

Moves to lower the bar to entry and reinforcethe reputational advantages for brand customerscome at a time when it is hard to escape argumentand debate in the media and on the streetsaround packaging recycling, packaging waste,litter and pollution. Cans make highly visiblelitter and the retrieval of out-of-home emptiesthrough deposit return systems could help clean

up the built and natural environment and brushup the image of canned soft drinks brands.

It is no surprise the aluminium can-makingindustry has been quick off the mark to promotethe relevance of an 'endlessly recyclable' metal tobusinesses and consumers. An historic tug-of-war between two metals is favouring aluminiumover steel for fast moving consumer products thatdemand a printable, light, thin, flexible substrate,precision engineered with just enough strengthand rigidity to serve the intended purpose. Minedbauxite is costly, but aluminium accrues eco-nomic value and environment benefits as long asit remains in the market providing a service, theindustry argues.

The new global economy champions circular-ity and closed loops to make mass production ofpackaging – a 'necessary evil', in some people'seyes – truly sustainable into the future. A shadowcast over single-use plastics has been the cue foraluminium can-makers to restate their commit-ment to reducing energy use, avoiding waste,increasing recycled capacity and building dedicated can-to-can supply chains for UK andEuropean customers. n

Joanne Hunter is a freelancejournalist reporting for SoftDrinks International onpackaging matters.

CIRCLE OF LIFE– continued from page 69

72 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

ProcessingDEvELoPMEnTS

Preventive maintenance vitalCArrYING out preventive maintenance onprocessing machines to detect possiblewear and microbiological risks in good timehas become increasingly important as thequality standards in hygienic filling haverisen.

KHS www.khs.com now provides a com-prehensive preventive maintenance systemfor both the linear and rotary version of itsInnosept Asbofill aseptic fillers.

“In this way, failure through wear isavoided, risks to product safety aredetected well in advance and the availabilityof the system is ensured,” said ThomasNiehr, head of aseptic filling technology forKHS in Bad Kreuznach.

“Should just one single par t of themachine fail, the financial and material losscan be vast if the bottler has a sterile prod-uct in the tank which has to be processedquickly, for instance.”

For this reason KHS offers special main-tenance modules which Niehr describes asbeing comparable to a service for a car. Theintervals are always gauged by certain timecycles and machine operating hours, withKHS providing the material packages andengineers.

during maintenance not only are smallerwear parts replaced, the overall conditionof the machine is inspected and settings are

corrected where applicable. The customeris given detailed information on all resultsin a concluding machine status report.

“If KHS takes on the entire managementduring servicing, this has many benefits forthe customer. The replacement of wearparts can’t be avoided. Preventive mainte-nance, however, ensures smooth productionas all processes and machine data are con-sistently read out and monitored by ourengineers,” said Niehr.

“We then coordinate the entire mainte-nance management process together withthe customer. This again increases machineand production safety and reliability.”

The more regularly and intensively a sys-tem is monitored by KHS, the shorter anydowntimes are.

High-shear pumpsPACKo Pumps www.packopumps.com inBelgium and daniatech www.daniatech.comin denmark have bundled their expertise inpump manufacturing and mixing to producehigh-shear pumps.

The patented rotor-stator design wasoptimised with CFd and gives the pump animpressive energetic efficiency. The energyconsumption is claimed to be 40-50%lower compared to many other high-shearpumps. This high efficiency does not onlyresult in a lower energy bill for every hourthe pump is in operation, but also reducesthe initial investment.

The pumps can be fitted with a smallermotor and the possible frequency conver-tor is also smaller and cheaper. The opti-mised flow through the rotor-stator alsoresults in a very quiet operation.

These high-shear units are based on thewell-established Packo Pumps and thusshare their attributes. All the options of theFP pumps are also available on the high-shear pumps and they have almost allspares in common (motors and seals arenormalised).

They are plug-and-play mixing units thatcombine the mixing and pumping functionin one machine, hence saving maintenanceand floor space. They have pumping capaci-ties up to 200 m³/h and up to 80 m differ-ential pressure.

Where static mixers, dynamic mixers andagitators can give satisfactory results forsimple duties such as blending liquids ofsimilar viscosity and density, Packo anddaniatech claim the high-shear pumps canreduce mixing times up to 95% in pro-cesses where stable emulsions are needed,particle size has to be reduced or textureagents (e.g. xanthan, alginate, pectin, car-boxymethyl cellulose, carob, gelatin,…) haveto be activated.

Thanks to recently elevated shear rates,the shear-pumps are even suitable for pro-cesses where traditionally a homogeniserwas needed.

METAL detector specialist Fortress Technol-ogy www.fortresstechnology.co.uk has intro-duced an entry level of its Phantomdetector suitable for the beverage sector.

This allows operators to upgrade equip-ment as demand requires, minimising earlyinvestment but ensuring long-term technol-ogy application.

For tress says the Phantom can beinstalled in a conveyor, gravity, pipeline, bulkor laboratory configuration.

The basis for this product rationalisation,explains Phil Brown, managing director ofFortress Technology Europe is the sheervolume of food SMEs within the Europeanmarketplace and the focus on improvingfood safety in emerging economies.

“This new development in our range hasbeen market and customer driven,” he says.

“Last year over 60% of our UK machineorders were installed by SME companieswith fewer than 250 employees. Equally,there’s plenty of entrepreneurship inemerging economies and food markets,such as India and Turkey. However, in manyof these markets, food safety and inspectionreforms are still at the fledgling stage.”

SMEs that start to institute systems at

Metal detector can ‘grow’

the early stage will be ready to expand andmeet the demands of the more stringentretailer Codes of Practice when their prod-uct range takes off, suggests Brown.

realistically, with the right maintenance, awell-built metal detector like the Phantomcan run for 20+ years, he points out.

“Good news for companies seekinglongevity in their inspection equipment. Andeven better for the environment as it does-n’t mean replacing perfectly functional kitwith new because it doesn’t comply withthe latest retail inspection standards or reg-ulations.”

Spare parts continue to fit all, which is amajor benefit when cost of ownership ishigh on the agenda for food companiesreliant on machine uptime to fulfil customerorders.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 73PRoCESSInG

TSUBAKI www.tsubakimoto.com has devel-oped a number of engineered chain solu-tions which provide for the specific hygienerequirements of both food and beverageprocessing and packaging while also offeringminimal wear, reduced maintenance andincreased productivity.

These include the latest generationLambda lube-free chain as well as Tsubaki’sTraypacker solution and the corrosion resis-tant Neptune chain.

According to Peter de Blok, sales man-ager for Tsubakimoto Europe, the latestgeneration of Tsubaki’s lube-free rSLambda chain is particularly suited for con-veyor applications where the product maybe at risk of contamination from contactwith the chain.

The design incorporates internally lubri-cated sintered bushes, the pores of whichare vacuum filled with NSF-H1 food gradelubricant. The chain runs ‘dry to the touch’and requires no additional lubricationthroughout its life, yet provides a significantincrease in wear-life performance.

Tsubaki has developed the Lambda con-cept a stage further to specialise it forretrofitting to tray packaging machinerywidely used in the food and beverageindustry. on such machines, where cleanli-ness and hygiene are paramount, standardlubricated chain can cause contaminationand may become chocked with dust and

nozzles rotate 180,270, 360THE TWK nozzle series for cleaning andrinsing applications has been introduced byBex www.bex.com, a manufacturer of educ-tors and spray nozzles for manufacturingand maintenance tasks within the food &

beverage industry.Bex TWK nozzles have a self-rotating

head, and provide true 360-degree spraycoverage in a compact assembly. They canbe installed in any orientation, and are idealfor vessels up to 3m in diameter.

The nozzles operate up to 100 psi and180oF. Their concentrated, higher impactspray moves over a smaller target area;large droplets from the two-slot designcarry farther, according to Bex, deliveringmaximum impact on the target.

TWK series nozzles are both self-clean-ing and self-lubricating. Maintenance is easy:the slot design does not plug, unless apiece of debris larger than the slotbecomes lodged in it. Sediment that gathersat the ends of the slots is pushed throughby the fluid rushing past.

disassembly for cleaning is fast, and thekeyed ball can only be installed in the cor-rect orientation.

Construction is 316 stainless steel, Kynar,Teflon, and polypropylene; other materialsare available. The Bex sanitary connectionoption uses a stainless steel hitch pin.

Circulation pressure and nozzle place-ment and angle all impact nozzle perfor-mance. To ensure the best results, Bexprovides expert applications assistance foroEMs, end users and contractors.

Innovations fromTsubaki

other particles, rendering the lubricationineffective, de Blok points out.

The Lambda chain has a consistent inter-nal lubrication; it therefore combats therisks of uneven wear and elongationamongst the partner chains. Combined withTsubaki’s unique Match and Tag service, thisdelivers an extensive operating life for theapplication. depending on the needs of theapplication the chain can be fitted withpushers or other attachments via anextended pin.

For wash-down environments and otherapplications with harsh environments, saysde Blok, the Neptune chain features hightensile strength and corrosion resistance.The chain benefits from a two-layer surfacetreatment that combines protection againstcorrosive environments with maximisedchain strength.

A top coat of resin protects againstphysical impact and corrosive agents, while

a base coating prevents oxidisation fromreaching the chain. The coatings are appliedprior to chain assembly to ensure that eachcomponent is completely coated, so thatNeptune can be used in wet environmentsor even underwater.

Established in 1917, Tsubakimoto ChainCompany is a major international manufac-turer of power transmission products withstrong market positions in premium qualityindustrial drive and conveyor chains andassociated power transmission componentssuch as cam clutches, reducers and linearactuators.

The group includes 33 manufacturinglocations and 77 group companies world-wide.

Halal-certified filtrationSUrrEY-BASEd Amazon Filters www.ama-zonfilters.com has turned to the Halal FoodAuthority to check and audit the specifica-tions, ingredients, processing and formula-tion of its SupaGard, SupaSpun II, Contour,SupaPore, SupaPleat, SupaCarb and Supa-Clean filter cartridges as well as its range offilter housings.

This gives assurance to global beverageand food manufacturers looking to supplythe international Muslim community, Ama-zon noted.

‘The HFA confirmed that it is satisfiedthat Amazon Filters operate in compliancewith the HFA Halal Standards, relevant USand EU food hygiene, food safety and cur-rent HACCP regulations.’ A copy of theHFA certification can be accessed via theAmazon website.

Quality accredited to ISo 9001-2008,Amazon Filters design and manufacture anextensive range of liquid filtration systems,providing one of the widest selections offiltration vessels, depth filters and pleatedcartridges currently available.

These are manufactured in clean roomconditions using materials that meet FoodContact requirements. All products comewith detailed product validation guides andtechnical support documentation.

Many of Amazon’s filtration products canbe regenerated using hot water or a varietyof chemical treatments to ensure produc-tion costs are minimised.

74 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018PRoCESSInG

QC Industries toDuravantdUrAVANT www.duravant.com hasacquired QC Industries www.qcconveyors.com, a conveyor systems manufacturer head-quartered in Cincinnati. The investmentextends duravant’s material handling productportfolio with in-process conveying solutionsand strengthens the company’s integrationand automation capabilities.

duravant is a global engineered equipmentcompany with manufacturing, sales and ser-vice facilities throughout North America,Europe and Asia. It is very active in food pro-cessing as well as several other sectors.

QC Industries’ product portfolio includesbelt conveyor systems for automation, sani-tary, and industrial applications and includes abroad range of standard quick-ship modelsthrough highly custom solutions that are easily

THEME of the Freudenberg-NoK stand atthe recent International Beverage dispens-ing Equipment Association in Las Vegas wasthe importance of matching equipment andseals to specific customer requirements.

As an example, Freudenberg-NoKwww.fst.com pointed to the differencesbetween high-level corn-based fructosesweeteners and sugarcane. “Sugarcane’smore aggressive chemical makeup candegrade standard elastomer componentsmore quickly than corn sweeteners.

‘This complicates equipment manufactur-ers’ inventory and ability to offer universalsystems to every customers they service.’

In Las Vegas Feudenberg-NoK/Freuden-berg Sealing Technologies demonstrated notonly the far-reaching reality of their portfo-lio but the need for customising to clientprocessing.

“In today’s global environment, Freuden-berg offers customers a complete productportfolio of materials and elastomeric seal-ing solutions that perform in challengingapplications while concurrently meetingmultiple international food and beveragematerial standards,” said rory Paul, directorof sales North America for the processindustry sector.

“We maintain a comprehensive databaseof CIP/SIP compatibility, flavour transfercharacteristics and international regulationsand cer tifications, and we validate ourproducts against these standards.

“This kind of proactive research hasallowed us to manufacture sealing solutionsthat function flawlessly for our customers

Innovation in bottling plantsTHINKING differently and arriving at imagi-native solutions that make it easier for acompany to adapt to the market is notexclusive to departments such as marketingor product development. Coca-Cola Euro-pean Partners Iberia www.ccep.com is onebottler which also believes innovationmeans rethinking supply chain processes.

This idea was transmitted by ramónGómez, associate managing director ofCCEP Iberia in a talk for the open Class-room Innovation Company of the Univer-sity of Valencia, organised by AdEITwww.adeituv.es

He exemplified innovation processesbased on a real case: the challenge of trans-forming the bottling plant in Valencia, withthe aim of modernising it and adapting it tothe future. As he explained, “the biggestproblem is doing something that nobodyhas ever done before”.

In this case, there was no history of asimilar operation in the company - movingthe warehouse, until then integrated intothe plant, to another location to gain effi-ciency. But the advantages were also impor-tant: the high level of automation now givesCCEP Iberia a lot of flexibility.

The keys to success for this movementare based on the automation of processes.A very important factor that involves, forexample, adapting the trucks with auto-matic loading systems, replacing traditionaltrucks with laser-guided vehicles, includingrobotisation or the use of automatic silosintegrated into the production chain.

The application of innovation has madethe Valencia factory now a much more effi-cient plant. Some 15,000 square meters ofspace have been released, which in turn hasallowed a project to expand productioncapacity.

Gómez also pointed to some of the pro-jects that are being worked on, such asreducing the energy needed to create bot-tle moulds, continue working on the reduc-tion of water consumption and thereduction of waste generation.

Match equipmentto usage

no matter where they are located.”Freudenberg’s 70 FKM 727 low-tempera-

ture Fluorocarbon (FKM) material, 75 Fluo-roprene XP 41 and 70 EPdM 291, forexample, are all NSF 51 and EC1935/2004compliant and can handle unique chemicaland physical environmental conditions.

The Fluoroprene XP family of highly flu-orinated universal premium materials,approved in both Europe and the UnitedStates, can be used in the most demandingsealing situations. The Fluoroprene XP port-folio consists of five materials that are avail-able in two hardness grades. Theappropriate compound is chosen based onthe area of application and the need tobond to metal or fabric.

Fluoroprene materials prevent flavourtransfer and are suited in Clean in Place /Sterilisation in Place (CIP/ SIP) processesincluding steam sterilisation. 75 FluoropreneXP 41, a highly fluorinated premium mate-rial, is universally applicable because of itsresistance to water- and fat-based media.

The company’s 70 EPdM 291 materialoffers impressive mechanical proper tiesthat change comparatively little after con-tact with cleaning agents. The materialdemonstrates very good stability in acids,bases, polar solvents and CIP/SIP media.

integrated as part of an oEM offering orcompletely automated line.

The company also has a reputation forsimplifying the configuring and quoting pro-cess by offering an online configuration sys-tem that utilises an intelligent virtual assistantto conveniently guide customers throughselecting and designing a conveyor solution.

“QC Industries has done an incredible jobof establishing itself as an innovative leader ofmanufactured conveyors and is extremelywell-respected in the marketplace,” said MikeKachmer, duravant’s chief executive. “We lookforward to supporting QC Industries’ focuson developing long-term relationships with itsexisting customers, while connecting them tonew customers through our other operatingcompanies.”

Send your news to: news@softdrinksinternational.com

sector, the authority’sHalal compliance require-ments cover chemistry,materials and composi-tion, as well as approvedsafety data sheets and bi-lingual labelling.

With ESMA nowrequiring all locally manu-factured products to

match the standards of certified importedproducts, Ecolab’s completion of the auditprocess in only four months has won thefirm ESMA’s coveted Halal Trophy compli-ance certification across the company’sentire range of UAE-made cleaning productsused in the food and beverage sector.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 75PRoCESSInG

Hygienic hoses forAbaque SeriesPoSITIVE deplacement pump manufacturerMouvex is now offering its Abaque Seriesperistaltic pumps with FdA and EC1935/2004 hoses.

By incorporating these new hygienic hosesinto the design, Abaque pumps are now wellsuited to the production of beverage andfood products which call for strict hygienestandards.

Mouvex www.mouvex.com was estab-lished in 1906 and is part of PSG www.psg-dover.com, a dover company.

Abaque Series pumps feature a seal-freedesign which eliminates leaks. It also elimi-nates product contamination because thepumped product is kept completely in thehose and is not exposed to the movingparts of the pump.

Further, the pumps’ smooth operationallows them to handle shear-sensitive prod-ucts with delicate particles, as often found inbeverage operations, with ease.

These self-priming pumps can run for-ward or in reverse and offer suction-liftcapabilities to 9m as well as the ability to

run dry without adversely affecting perfor-mance, pressure and accuracy (no slip).

Abaque Series pumps are available in 13different sizes – from Hd10 to Hd100 –with flow rates to 55 m3/h (238 gpm) andpressures to 16 bar (218 psi).

In addition to the new hygienic hoses,other Abaque Series hose options includenatural rubber (highly resilient with excellentabrasion resistance and strength), Buna-N(highly wear resistant to oily products),EPdM (high chemical resistance when han-dling concentrated acids, alcohols andketones) and Hypalon (resistant to chemi-cals, temperature extremes and ultravioletlight).

Biological particlecounter

potential to be usedat other plants.

Work on the unitwas undertaken incollaboration with

rion Corporation www.rion.co.jp, a leadingJapanese producer of micro-particle measur-ing instruments.

A similar system has been used in recentyears for the production of water for artifi-cial dialysis which requires extremely highreliability. This is the first application of thetechnology to soft drinks.

Substantial bottlings of Mt Fuji Water andWilkinson brands have been undertakenusing the technology, with pleasing results.Further study and, if possible, improvementis planned.

Commercial application outside Asahidrinks is possible.

ASAHI drink Co www.asahiinryo.co.jp hasdeveloped a ‘Biological Particle CountingSystem’ as micro-organism managementtechnology for raw water used in its mineralwater and carbonated water bottling at thegroup’s Fuji Factory.

The company notes that ‘the environmentsurrounding soft drinks has been changingyear by year’ and Japan is ‘highly sociallymotivated to be high in quality and safety.The responsibilities the company should fulfilare also increasing.’

This philosophy has driven the researchand development undertaken to create thenew inspection equipment, which has the

ECoLAB www.ecolab.com has been recog-nised by the Emirates Authority for Stan-dardization and Metrology (ESMA) as one ofthe UAE-based companies to achieve itsHalal certification for locally-made cleaningand sanitising products used by domesticfood and beverage manufacturers.

As ESMA implements a strict regulatoryframework to govern all UAE-made cleaningand sanitising products that may potentiallycome into contact with ingredients and pro-duce in the domestic food and beverage

Halal accreditationfor Ecolab

Nadia Mahamoud,Ecolab MEA.

“As one of the UAE-based cleaning andsanitising companies to apply for ESMA’sHalal certification, Ecolab applauds theauthority and the UAE’s progressive foodproducers for understanding the importanceof the ethical production of locally-producedHalal products that enhance consumer con-fidence,” said Nadia Mahamoud, Ecolab’sdirector regulatory affairs for the MEAregion.

Typically used to clean and sanitise theentire production line in between manufac-turing cycles, Ecolab’s Halal-certified productsare currently used by dozens of the UAE’sleading food and beverage producers.

ESMA’s Halal compliance regulationscome as dubai continues to propel its globalIslamic economy capital aspirations by pro-gressing an internationally-recognised halalaccreditation network, according toMahamoud.

With global demand for halal drinks andfood growing, the manufacturing sector facesoperational challenges due to the lack of aunified global halal standard.

“ESMA is facing this challenge head-on byadopting standardised Halal certification reg-ulations and very clear compliance regula-tions for certain products used in the foodand beverage manufacturing cycle,”Mahamoud noted.

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76 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

PackagingPACKAGInG

Aseptic Comboxfrom Serac

Little brother forInnoket neoKHS Group www.khs.com has launched acompact labeller to market. The Innoketroland 40, ‘little brother’ of the familiar KHSInnoket Neo, has a capacity of 2500-25,000containers per hour.

It can be fitted with various labelling sta-tions and is characterised by its ease of useand the usual KHS high quality.

“The machine is specially geared towardslines with a low output,” explains CorneliusAdolf, labeling product manager at KHS. dur-ing development particular attention waspaid to simple operation and a high degreeof economy.

In its standard version the Innoket roland40 comes with two cold glue stations. Thisallows shoulder and neck labels to beapplied at two levels by the first station, forinstance, with the second station affixingback labels to the bottles. Alternatively, self-adhesive stations, a combination of cold glueand self-adhesive technology and hot meltlabeling processes can be used.

Inside the Innoket roland 40 are aplethora of quality-determining components

taken from the established high-performanceKHS Innoket Neo labeling machine. Theseinclude the carousel, infeed and dischargestars, folding doors, installation and formatparts and guides and on the cold glue sta-tion the gripper cylinder and label magazine.

The Innoket Neo servo feed screw hasalso been applied and integrated here, per-mitting gentle bottle stops.

Various extensions are possible for indi-vidual labelling tasks. For instance, the unitcan be equipped with the KHS Variodriveelectronic bottle plate control system. otheroptions include mechanical alignment by side

notch in the infeed star and the fitting oftraveling applicators, the latter used for capor lid labels.

U-shaped labels – as tamper-evident sealsfor twist-off caps, for instance – can also belabeled and rolled on.

optional sensors check for the presenceof labels at certain points, for example in thelabel magazine or on the gluing roller, andfor other factors such as broken bottles.With its many expansion options the KHSInnoket roland 40 is thus well suited tocater for most requirements in the lowcapacity range.

SErAC www.serac-group.com is now offer-ing an aseptic version of its Combox two-in-one unit which brings together its PET linearblower and its rotary weight filling machine.

This follows the success of Combox,more than 15 units having been delivered byearly this year to clients in Europe, NorthAmerica, South America and Asia.

The company is marketing the aseptic ver-sion as providing new opportunities for dairyand beverage producers by offering a lowand medium work-rate solution for applica-tions using pH neutral and acidic productswith volumes of up to 12,000 PET bottles

per hour for the 1-litre format and up to18,000 for the smaller 250ml formats.

direct transfer of containers by the neckbetween the blower and the filling machinelimits the risk of container contamination andabsence of container transfer via silos, thenup-righters, thus reducing investment costs.

other advantages include no open airconveyor, more compact system (reduceddimensions), less risk of blockages, a singleoperator for the entire blowing-filling unit(both HMI control panels are on the samesupport improving user friendliness) andH2o2 decontamination of containers reduc-ing the risk of re-contamination just beforefilling.

Serac describes the Aseptic Combox as

‘an extremely flexible system with fast, easyand risk free change of container format. Asthe blower is located outside the sterilezone, there is no risk of re-contaminationwhen changing the forming mould. Thechange of tooling at the filling machine exitalso takes place outside the sterile zone.’

The Aseptic Combox solution incorpo-rates the SAS 5 filling machine which meetsthe strictest requirements for sensitive prod-ucts. It profits from Serac's extensive know-how in the field of aseptic filling.

The company plans to soon also releaseAseptic Combox in a version where con-tainer decontamination is carried out by e-beam, thanks to its latest sterilisation moduleknown as βluStream.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 77PACKAGInG

Pouching machineadvancesVoLPAK, an international supplier of hori-zontal FFS pouching machines is highlightingtwo of its units under the Volpak and Enflexbrands.

The Volpak SI-280 is the new face of theSI series, redesigned to be a technologicalmachine with ‘smart factory’ options andcapabilities. Volpak describes this as ‘a versa-tile unit that covers a wide range of pouch-ing needs from small to large sizes’.

Beaker alternativedevelopedA NEW droplet-shaped 200ml PET bottlefrom Krones is, at 4.4g, extremely light. Kro-nes www.krones.com are marketing it as anattractive, re-closable alternative to thewidely used water beakers.

In many tropical countries, particularly inAsia, small water beakers made of PET arein widespread use. Sealed with a removablefilm/foil, they supply the on-the-go marketfor a quick thirst-quencher between-times.

Airlines, too, like using these non-return-able beakers.

The droplet-shaped PET bottle can beproduced using a standard blow-mouldingmachine that is also suitable for lightweightformats. Moreover, the container offers an

THE latest generation of aseptic filling tech-nology from GEA www.gea.com is a multi-functional system allowing users to switchreadily between different types of products– from carbonated to aseptic beverages andvice versa, saving a changeover time that canbe upwards of three hours.

The CX EVo requires only reprogram-ming of its integrated control unit to effectthis. It is completely automated and the sys-tem sterility is not interrupted.

Technology used to undertake this isbased on a counter-pressure volumetricelectronic filling valve.

Fillstar CX EVo can handle high and lowacid beverages as well as aseptic soft drinkswith varying carbonation levels as well asproducts with fibres up to 2mm long andwith diameters of 3mm.

When integrated with an aseptic pistondoser the system can even fill fruit pieceswith a volume of up to 10 x 10 x 10mm.

“Fashionable products, such as liquid foodwith cereals, fruit particles and berries, rTdteas or milk-based low acid beverages arebecoming ever more common on supermar-ket shelves,” noted Alessandro Bellò, GEA’svice president for blowing, filling and packing.

“Producers are reacting by replacing stan-dard products and shifting their productionprocesses to allow for greater flexibility andinnovation.

“our technical solutions lay the founda-

Flexibility keynoteto Fillstar Cx Evo

tion for a dynamic response.” one of the early customers for the CX

EVo was a customer in Southeast Asiawhich also included an aseptic piston doser

in the order to allow flexible filling of a vari-ety of beverages such as ‘food in a bottle’and organic teas, as well as other new cre-ations.

option for pressurising it with nitrogen afterfilling, thus stabilising it for storage and trans-portation.

In terms of dress, too, the PET bottleoffers abundant design versatility: differentlabelling processes enable different designsto be achieved. This means beverage pro-ducers can market the bottle in variousprice segments and retailing structures.

Not only is the droplet shape appealingto the eye, its geometry additionally sta-bilises the lightweight bottle. The containerfeatures a 26/22 neck finish typical for waterbottles, and can be closed with a normalscrew-cap.

The bottle was developed by Krones’Packaging development and Consultingdepartment. This unit creates innovativepackaging designs and assists clients in trans-lating an idea for a container/pack conceptinto technically feasible, marketable reality.

The SI-280 is flexible, offering a fast sizechangeover.

The Enflex STd-114 is the latest versionof the STd-14 stand-up pouch machine.Its update includes a number of improve-ments such as new balcony clean design,faster size changeover, main drive by servorollers and an external empty pouchesreject system.

Volpak claims the STd-14 is ‘the mostcompetitive horizontal stand-up pouchmachine of its class on the market’.

Barcelona-based Volpak www.volpak.comis a company of the Coesia Group, special-ising in horizontal form-fill-seal solutions forpouch-type packaging. Enflex joined the Vol-pak stable in 2001.

The company has a second productionsite in Pune, India.

78 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018PACKAGInG

SACMI Packaging www.sacmipackaging.comhave enlisted robopac www.robopac.comas their partner to improve end-of-linetechnology offered to customers.

Both companies are based in Italy’sEmilia-romagna region.

The agreement envisages Sacmi handingover control and management of the end-of-line automation and finished producttechnology to robopac.

“For several years now the group hasbeen supporting the growth and consolida-tion of its global leadership role in the var-ious sectors through a careful policy ofstrategic sales and acquisitions,” said PaoloMongardi, chief executive of Sacmi Imola.

“In this case, entrusting the Sacmi Pack-aging end-of-line operations to a partnerwith recognised excellence allows us tofocus our attention and resources on plantand machinery linked to the world of bev-erages - bottling, labelling, and manufactureof containers, capsules and preforms - asegment in which Sacmi has experienced asteady increase in market shares and brandawareness in international markets.”

Further features will be developed forpackaging solutions at robopac’s technol-ogy and manufacturing hub in Castel SanPietro which is strategically located in Italy’s‘Packaging Valley’ and includes a researchcentre widely regarded as one of the mostadvanced in the industry.

robopac has recently signed an impor-tant company agreement with Parma-basedocme www.ocme.com which operates inthe production of primary and secondarypackaging machines and end-of-line andlogistics solutions.

Roll feed labellerfor big contractCLEArLY drinks of Sunderland which pro-duce a range of soft drinks for UK and inter-national customers including the PerfectlyClear brand have boosted their capabilitieswith the addition of a Makro MAK 2 18platform roll feed labeller from MakroLabelling UK www.makro-labelling.co.uk

The purchase was to meet the require-ments of a ‘significant’ co-packing contractfor low sugar soft drinks. This covers bottlesizes of 500, 1-litre and 1.5-litre, carbonatedand still in PET, necessitating a line speed of30,000 b.p.h with the labeller applyingwraparound PET labels.

After a full evaluation of equipment onthe market the decision was made to placethe order for the new labeller with MakroLabelling UK.

“This now makes Makro UK the mostsuccessful worldwide agent or subsidiary forsupplying Makro roll feed labellers,” saidrichard Portman, managing director of

Makro Labelling UK. “We were able to take the client to a

number of reference sites and I think whatclinched the order for us was that we havea roll feed labeller specialist employed asone of our field service team.

“Additionally, on one of the reference vis-its the client asked, ‘where is the machineoperator?’ to which the production manageranswered, ‘there isn’t one, you will see in aminute that they only attend the labellerwhen a new roll of labels needs to beadded’. As the labeller comes with fully autosplicing, the machine never stops.”

Sacmi partnerswith Robopac

Robopac equipment.

WaveTec supportserviceWAVEGrIP www.wave-grip.com haslaunched a dedicated machine manufactur-ing and engineering support service.

Combining all WaveGrip automation,engineering and global servicing capabilities,including its oEM par tners, the newWaveTec service will ensure WaveGripapplicators continue to deliver the best per-formance to support companies’ multi-pack-ing needs.

WaveTec will also give all WaveGrip cus-tomers access to a network of technicalsupport across both North America andEurope from two international WaveTecCentres – one in rochester, MI, USA andanother at the WaveGrip head office inGreenock, UK.

Established automation operation LeticaCorporation, part of WaveGrip’s parentcompany the rPC Group, will provideautomation solutions for all large customersin North America.

“We are delighted to launch WaveTec inthe US,” comments James Griffin, Letica’smanager, automation & technical services.“our custom engineering technologies takeeach project from inception to reality in-house and this experience will ensure everyWaveGrip customer is provided with thesupport they require for their multi-packingneeds.”

Plastic conversion and application tech-nology providers Technoplas and canninglines experts Palmer Canning will alsodeliver automation solutions and supportservices under the WaveTec umbrella –Technoplas will focus on European cus-

tomers and Palmer Canning will focus onspecialist applicators for the craft beer mar-ket.

“our customer base is growing rapidly asbeverage customers see the opportunity forWaveGrip’s multi-packing solutions todeliver substantial efficiency and environ-mental benefits,” says Bill robertson, Wave-Grip’s engineering director.

“It is therefore essential that as a businesswe are a true leader in automation innova-tion, ensuring our applicators meet the spe-cific requirements of individual customers.Being part of the rPC Group means wehave the perfect partner with Letica in addi-tion to working alongside industry-leadingoEMs such as Technoplas and Palmer Can-ning.”www.softdrinksinternational.com

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 79PACKAGInGLiqui-Box invest in R&DLIQUI-BoX www.liquibox.com is continuingits investment in innovation, research anddevelopment with the introduction of aMaverick dream Machine development bagline in the company’s Global TechnologyCenter located in Ashland, ohio.

“This new line will allow quicker processand product development, and also allow usto run bag samples for customers andpotential customers without the need tointerrupt production facilities,” said GregGard, the SVP for research and develop-ment.

While a smaller scale version of the Mav-erick production lines that are in operationat all Liqui-Box manufacturing locationstoday, this line incorporates the majority ofthose bag line features.

In addition to the new Maverick bag line,Liqui-Box has begun upgrades to the doTTransportation testing station in the technol-

ogy centre. This equipment allows Liqui-Boxto test products under several shipping andenvironmental conditions.

Filling equipment is also an important partof the Liqui-Box product portfolio. In orderto maintain an edge in the marketplace, anew Aseptipak steam filler has been set upin the centre. The new filler will allow testing

of Liqui-Box bags and fitments under highertemperature conditions; important to cus-tomers’ filling requirements.

“We continue to invest in our capabilitiesin r&d, process, and equipment in ourGlobal Technology Center so we can con-tinue to meet the growing product demandsof our customer base,” said Gard.

vulcan labeller on showINTErACTIVE Coding Equipment www.inter-activecoding.co.uk showcased its Vulcan Printand Apply labeller at the recent Label & Print2018 held at the NEC in Birmingham.

The ICE Vulcan is claimed to be the firstof its type to print and directly apply thelabel to a pack – both traded unit boxes andshrinkwrap packs – in one continuousmotion without the need for a tamp applica-tor or compressed air. This means themachine can print at the speed of the line,even when packs are very closely spaced,without ever missing a pack.

Among its benefits, the ICE Vulcan offers80% fewer wear parts for reduced mainte-nance requirements, electronic label supplythat automatically adjusts and maintains ten-sion, and clutchless thermal transfer ribbondrive. A compact design and small footprintmeans the machine can fit easily into existingpacking lines.

“Since its launch, the Vulcan has helpedmanufacturers speed up the slowest andmost labour intensive part of the productionline through automation,” commented ChrisSimpson, ICE managing technical director.

Refillable PETbottle developedPETAINEr www.petainer.com has been com-missioned by German mineral water pro-ducer Förstina-Sprudel Mineral- undHeilquelle www.foerstina-sprudel.de todevelop and produce a 750ml refillable PETbottle for its Förstina mineral water Spritzig,Medium, Sanft and Naturell.

The premium bottle has been designedwith a facetted impression to ensure it is visu-ally recognisable. It has a comfortable grip.

“Precious, regional and sustainable are thecorner stones of our company philosophy,”said Markus Wehner, member of the Förstina-Sprudel board. “That’s why we are using onlyrefillable bottles for Förstina Sprudel – one ofthe most calcium rich mineral waters in Ger-many which is sourced from the depths ofthe primeval rock of the rhön”.

The premium bottles are presented in an

Peter Seufert, Förstina-Sprudel; Herwig Libuda(centre); Markus Wehner (right) with therefillable bottle.

equally classy high quality silver beveragecrate.

Herwig Libuda, Petainer sales director, said“Petainer is the market-leader in refillable bot-tles and a supporter of refillable pool-bottlesas the most sustainable beverage packagingfor mineral water and soft drinks”.

More bevcan endsfrom ArdaghFoLLoWING completion of a major invest-ment project at its deeside site, ArdaghGroup www.ardaghgroup.com is to supplytwo additional beverage ends from theplant: the 200 B64 and the 202 CdL.

This follows the conversion of its final 202B64 module to the more sustainable 202CdL end.

“our goal is to remain a leading supplierof inherently sustainable packaging by contin-uously pursuing superior solutions,” saidoliver Graham, chief executive of ArdaghMetal Beverage.

“This significant investment in deesidestrengthens Ardagh’s position in the market

place and allows us greater flexibility in endsizes to support both existing and new cus-tomer requirements.”

The deeside UK plant was established in1988 to produce 206 diameter ring pullends. In 1994, the plant converted to 202B64 aluminium ends to support new cansizes and introduced the CdL end in 2010for the first time.

For the past decade, the plant has beensending zero waste to landfill.

80 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

EnvironmentGREEn ISSuES

JAPANESE beverage giant Suntorywww.suntory.co.jp has invested further inthe Bio-TCat technology developed byAnellotech www.anellotech.com, a US sus-tainable company pioneering the produc-tion of cost-competitive chemicals and fuelsfrom non-food biomass.

The latest tranche, which is based onAnellotech achieving specific milestones,brings Suntory’s total investment to morethan $25 million to date.

The Bio-TCat Process will produce cost-competitive renewable aromatic chemicalsfrom non-food biomass for use in manufac-turing plastics such as polyester, nylon, poly-carbonate and polystyrene or forrenewable transportation fuels.

Anellotech recently announced the com-pletion of the commissioning of its 25m tall

Sacmi volunteers‘electronic nose’PEACE has broken out between Ge.Fe Poly-mers and residents in Toscanella di dozza,Italy. A goal of getting odours surroundingthe facility back below the perceptionthreshold is expected to be achieved byJune when the plastic recycling company –part of the Alfagomma Group – finishesinstalling new active carbon filters and otherdevices.

Finding a solution to the problem involvedclose collaboration between Arpae Imola(the local environmental protection agency),the Municipality of dozza and Ge.Fe. Poly-mers www.gefepolymers.com itself, withSacmi www.sacmi.com technology playing apivotal role.

Sacmi lent Arpae Imola - free of charge -the EoS 507F Ambiente 'electronic nose',developed for direct in-the-field monitoringof any unpleasant odours emitted fromplant.

The challenge faced by the local adminis-trators and the environmental protectionagency was to measure the odours objec-tively, especially as there are no relevantnational standards. The solution came fromthe Sacmi machine: after being ‘taught’ torecognise the specific odour, it monitoredthe area around Ge.Fe Polymers for severalmonths.

real-time reports were sent to ArpaeImola which, just a few months later, con-

firmed that the residents' complaints wereobjectively justified. Consequently, the com-pany was asked to take the necessary coun-termeasures.

Effective teamwork with Ge.Fe Polymershas established that, from June onwards fol-lowing installation of the relative filters, theodours should be a thing of the past.

For Sacmi it was further confirmation ofthe soundness of a solution that has madethe company the partner of numerousregional environmental protection agencies; asuccess that also stems from the versatilityof the machine, designed to work in allweathers and provide a stream of reliable,repeatable, stable long-term data.

Suntory investsmore in bio-packaging

TCat-8 pilot plant and has commenced thecritical development program to validateprocess economics and obtain necessarydata for commercial plant design.

The alliance with Suntory began in 2012with the goal of enabling the developmentand commercialisation of cost-competitive100% bio-based plastics for use in beveragebottles. Suntory currently uses 30% plant-derived materials for its mineral water Sun-tory Tennensui brands and is pursuing thedevelopment of a 100% bio-based PETbottle through this alliance, as part of itscommitment to sustainable business prac-tices.

“We have made significant progress

achieving key milestones in commissioningthe TCat-8 pilot plant and are now readyto begin the next stage of the developmentprogram including the production of proto-type test samples of renewable bio-chemi-cals for ultimate conversion to bio-basedplastics,” said david Sudolsky, president andchief executive of Anellotech.

“Suntory is a leader in its commitmentto environmental sustainability. With its con-tinued investment in Anellotech’s technol-ogy and together with our developmentpartners, we will demonstrate a scalableand cost-effective route to bio-paraxyleneproduction. our innovative technology willadvance the development and commerciali-sation of the world’s first cost-competitivebio-based aromatics production for bio-plastics for consumer products.”

Tetra Pak signs firstever joint projectwith a local papermilloBEIKAN Paper Industries (oPI) has signeda recycling contract with Tetra Pakwww.tetrapak.com oPI is a Saudi-basedpaper mill located in riyadh, part of a biggroup. It produces 180.000 tons of duplexboard annually, used in a variety of high qual-ity products such as tissue paper and cerealboxes among others.

This is an industry-first joint initiative witha paper mill in Arabia and it is expected thatby 2020 oPI will be recycling approximately6000 tons of used beverage cartons annu-ally.

“While we do not own or operate collec-tion infrastructure or recycling plants, wemake specific investments, provide technicalexpertise and share the experience gainedglobally with recycling partners around theworld,” said Niels Hougaard, managing direc-tor and cluster leader sales management forTetra Pak Arabia.

“We also cooperate with all key stake-holders, public institutions, waste manage-ment and collection companies, NGo’s,retailers and our customers to make recy-cling work.

Hussam Naseer, environment managerTetra Pak Arabia said the company believed“recycling is an investment in our future anda competitive advantage for our customers”.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 81EnvIRonMEnTWaters deliveryuses propane gasENVIroNMENTAL stewardship is driving thedeployment by Nestlé Waters North Amer-ica www.nestle-watersna.com of more than400 additional medium-duty readyrefresh byNestlé beverage delivery trucks fuelled bypropane gas.

The company now operates nearly 600 ofthese alternatively-fuelled trucks, which makeup about 30% of its total North Americanfleet.

“Becoming a better steward of our envi-ronment is a priority for Nestlé Waters,” saidBill Ardis, national fleet manager for itsreadyrefresh business unit. “We’ve been run-ning propane autogas vehicles since 2014,beginning with five class 5 vehicles.

“Based on the proven emissions reductioncompared with our older diesel units, and

lower fuel and total cost of ownership, weknew this was the right application for uswithin the alternative fuel space. Withpropane being domestically produced, it’sproven to have a more stable cost per gallon,

A buzz from SvZHIGH quality fruit and vegetable ingredientsproducer SVZ www.svz.com has for the pasttwo years been giving support to beekeeperassociations near its headquarters in theNetherlands, the aim being to promoteawareness of the importance of bees to oursociety.

SVZ’s support began in Breda, but groupmanagement and staff have since developedvarious initiatives in other SVZ locations.

Tangible activities, like growing flowerbeds,have been combined with education andawareness such as lectures, visiting beekeep-ers and inclusion in SVZ’s regular trainingsessions for farmers regarding sustainablefarming.

In 2017, SVZ celebrated its 150th anniver-sary. during this special year, SVZ employeesshowed their support for the bees by spon-soring sports events. Beekeepers’ associa-tions have now been surprised withcheques. The money will be put to gooduse, especially in education activities.

‘Biodiversity is important for us,’ says SVZ.‘As a leading company in the supply of fruitand vegetable ingredients for the global foodindustry, SVZ’s business activities are largelydependent on nature. Bees play a key role inmaintaining our food supply chain and muchof the raw materials SVZ processes can onlyexist as a result of pollination by bees.

‘The awareness program that SVZ has ini-tiated focuses on education. SVZ wants toeducate employees and visitors to ouroffices about bees and their important rolein our society, while also increasing aware-ness about the difficulties bees face and giv-ing examples of how every individual canimprove their habitat.’

UNTIL recently, the people of KampungBuruni – a small village in Sabah, East Malaysia– had to walk some 2km to a river for water.And the challenge wasn’t just water supply –proper sanitary infrastructure was also absent,with people using the jungle, unsafely as wellas farm from hygienically, for a toilet.

Now Coca-Cola and raleigh Internationalhave partnered to bring the basic necessitiesto Kampung Buruni including clean water sup-ply, functional toilets with running water and aproper village sanitation system.

Coca-Cola Asia-Pacific regional public affairsand communications director Belinda Fordsaid Coca-Cola through its collaborationswith raleigh International had been able toprovide clean water to several interior com-munities in Sabah.

“The reason we do this is because as acompany, we want to ensure the water weuse to make our drinks is returned to thepeople,” she said during the launch of the toi-let facilities in Kampung Buruni.

While the Cola-Cola/raleigh Internationalinitiative has totally changed the lives of thepeople in Buruni, it wasn’t an easy project atthe start. Suspicious villagers believed thework teams were involved in some sort ofillegal land grab and had to be convinced byNGo staff of their honourable intent.

Coke in Sabah village project

while the fuelling and maintenance infrastruc-tures are much more cost effective thanother alternative fuel options.”

readyrefresh’s additional Ford F-650/750delivery trucks are each equipped with aroUSH CleanTech propane autogas fuel sys-tem that provides 55 usable gallons of fuel,“without compromising our standard deliverymethods,” said Ardis.

The Ford 6.8L V10 3V engine with aroUSH CleanTech fuel system is certified to0.05 grams per brake horsepower-hour fornitrogen oxide (Nox). This engine is 75%cleaner than the current Environmental Pro-tection Agency standard and 99% cleanerthan diesel vehicles built before 2007.

IBWA sponsorsAmerica RecyclesDayTHE International Bottled Water Associationwww.bottledwater.org and Keep AmericaBeautiful www.kab.org have formed a partner-ship reflecting their common goal of improv-ing recycling access and increasing recyclingrates.

IBWA will become a national sponsor ofAmerica recycles day, a Keep America Beau-tiful initiative which takes place annually onand in the weeks leading into November 15.It is the only nationally-recognised day dedi-cated to promoting recycling in the US.

“This new partnership with Keep AmericaBeautiful will help IBWA expand our currentefforts to encourage consumers to alwaysrecycle their bottled water containers withcaps on, while at home or on the go, whilebringing a new focus to reach and change the

behaviour of those who are currently lessinclined to participate in recycling,” said Joedoss, IBWA president and chief executive.

Helen Lowman, president and chief execu-tive of Keep America Beautiful, pointed outthat “partnerships with industry stakeholderssuch as the IBWA and the support of pro-grammes like America recycles day are criti-cal to help raise awareness to improverecycling participation and access.

“We stand committed to helping Ameri-cans better understand recycling and itspotential for economic, environmental andcommunity benefits by working with allstakeholders – manufacturers, the wastemanagement industry, government entities,other non-profit organisations, trade associa-tions and beyond – to make recycling moresustainable and a daily social norm for allpeople.”

active as suddenlythe world is awak-ening to theurgency and needto focus on wastein Africa. Interna-tional developmentsand pledges willprovide us withmuch of value tocommunicate.”

Cheri Scholtz, PETCo’s chief executive,commented: “We view the network – thefirst of its kind to focus on the preventionand mitigation of marine pollution in Africa– as a game-changer. Plastic and other pol-lution is one of the biggest challenges cur-rently facing the planet.

“The accumulation of plastic waste andother debris on land and its leakage intothe sea is a growing, costly problem. Wecan and must work together to solve thiscrisis.”

In 2017, it was estimated that 350kg ofplastic waste poured into the oceans every

82 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018EnvIRonMEnT

Education initiativeby PET producerMAJor PET producer EQUATE www.equate.com has expanded its Plastic Aware-ness Campaign by undertaking an educa-tional programme for young people atvarious schools in Kuwait.

The sessions illustrated the lifecycle ofplastics, their diverse sage in many industriesand the recycling process. They also includedwell-received interactive games and competi-tions.

The Plastic Awareness Campaign is nowmoving into a third phase by hosting publicevents around Kuwait, including malls, tobroaden community understanding further.

“our initiatives at EQUATE are focusedon achieving sustainability, ultimately support-ing the company’s 2025 Sustainability Strat-

egy that supports the UN’s Sustainabledevelopment Goals and Kuwait’s 2035Vision,” explained Abeer Al-omar, seniorexecutive of corporate communications andgovernment affairs for EQUATE.

“The sustainability of our environment isone of the most important elements to thegrowth and progress of communities andeconomies, in addition to our continued

African MarineWaste supportPETCo www.petco.co.za, the South Africanplastics recycling company which is heavilysupported by the soft drinks sector, isextending its support of the African MarineWaste Network www.africanwastenetwork.org.za

“The partnership with PETCo enablesus to better serve the people in the 38coastal and island states of Africa for whichthe Network has a responsibility,” saidAMWN director Tony ribbink.

“This year is likely to be particularly

Cheri Scholtz, PETCO.

Schools recyclingchallengeCLYNK www.clynk.com has organised itsseventh annual Schools recycling Challenge,urging schools located in towns within a 20-mile radius of CLYNK drop-off locations –Maine and New York – to participate.

Founded in 2006, CLYNK is one of thefastest growing bottle redemption servicesin the country, processing under patentedtechnology, over 900 million containerssince inception. With this technology,CLYNK sees itself as a true disruptor com-bining bottle redemption and traffic drivingcapabilities on behalf of its retail partners.

CLYNK offers a convenient and easy bag-drop system at retail that eliminates waiting

in line, manual count, material separation,and reduces fraud; all concerns which havehistorically dampened redemption participa-tion and customer satisfaction.

The redemption service encouragesschools to raise funds by collectingredeemable bottles and cans year-roundand CLYNK-ing at participating HannafordSupermarkets.

second. PETCo have already initiated several

partnerships with local communities in aneffort to promote skills development andencourage people to make a living fromrecyclables.

The Thinana recycling and Waste Man-agement Primary Co-operative, in the vil-lage of Senwabarwana (Limpopo), is anexample of such a partnership. In this co-operative, five women collect recyclablewaste (such as PET plastic bottles, cans, andglass) using donkey car ts and trolleys.PETCo has supported the co-operativethrough training and by supplying collectiontrolleys as well as a manual baling machine.

“Creating a sustainable future requiresfundamental changes in attitudes andbehaviour, with each stakeholder group –from government and industry, to society asa whole – taking responsibility for theirspecific role in transitioning to a circulareconomy,” said Scholtz.

“This is the future PETCo is working tocreate.

during the annual recycling challengeeach winter, schools get even more changefor their efforts. For every one dollar raisedin the challenge period, schools receive abonus 50 cent match from Hannaford, plusthe opportunity to compete for other cashprizes provided by CLYNK. Last year’s win-ners raised an average of $1500 per school.

“We strive to encourage local schools toenvision recycling as a simple and conve-nient way to make change (environmentaland monetary) by providing tools for aneasy and clean, modern-day bottle drive,”said president Alison Vanderhoof.

“The challenge itself is an inspiring way tocreate momentum and to rally. The chal-lenge offers a unique way to fundraise andinclude the entire academic community –from teachers, to students, to parents andfamily.”

investments in finding effective solutions tobetter manage resources and reduce waste.”

EQUATE sustainability committee mem-ber Asrar Mohammad pointed out that “inmodern life, plastics are part of our every-day lives. Their multiple uses and applicationshighlight the need for properly using andrecycling plastic products to ensure overallsustainability.

“Ensuring that the students understandthe petrochemical industry and the variousproducts such as plastics derived from thisindustry are critical to creating overallawareness.”

EQUATE also provides informative mate-rial on its social media platforms (Instagram,Facebook and Twitter) and on the hashtag#weknowplastics.

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84 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

Human resourcesPEoPLE

iN THE NEWSOLIVIER Mercier has become general man-ager of Britvic’s French business unit. He waspreviously director of commercial operationsand before that held positions at severalmulti-national FMCG companies, including inrussia and the Middle East. “olivier hasimplemented the new Industrial and Com-mercial Plan (S & oP) process, which allowsus to offer our clients an optimal level of col-laboration,” said Britvic chief executive SimonLitherland. “He has also launched a new strat-egy for our category management business.”

The Australian Institute of Packaging’sexecutive director Nerida Kelton has beenelected to the board of the World Packagingorganisation, representing Australia and NewZealand. AIP national president Carol Kil-cullen-Lawrence noted Kelton “has been partof the AIP and the packaging industry nowfor almost two decades and is hands-on withall aspects of representing the AIP, its mem-bers and the wider packaging industry”.

Makro Labelling UK has strengthened itsservice team with the appointment of SamDuff as field service technician based in theNorth West. He joins Makro from H & APrestige Bottling. Makro has expanded itsoperations with the opening of new premisesearly this year.

Givaudan’s head of global science andtechnology Chris Thoen has decided toretire after 32 years in research and develop-ment. He joined Givaudan in 2011 and waspromoted to his current position in october2015, also becoming a member of the com-pany’s executive committee. Chief executiveGilles Andrier said Thoen “successfullyadvanced key programmes in flavours,expanded Givaudan’s global innovation col-laborations with external partners and estab-lished a solid foundation to strategicallymanage the S&T portfolio with increasedtransparency”.

FrieslandCampina UK has appointedWayne Thompson as customer marketingmanager. He joined the company last yearfrom Sainsbury’s and has until now been anaccount director. “We have a fantastic set upat FrieslandCampina UK and as part of aninternational organisation with products inmore than 100 companies have a hugeamount of experience and insight behind us,but retailers don’t always realise it,” he said. “Iplan on bringing the voice of the customerto the role and help the team to add valueto the data we have available and drive cate-gory value.”

Brewfitt, which provides soft drinks andbeer dispensing equipment and services, hasappointed James Paxman as joint managingdirector alongside Curtis Paxman. His firstrole at Brewfitt included building fonts in the

warehouse during school holidays. At 18 hebecame a sales assistant with the companyand since then has worked his way up to hismost recent position as operations director.

Margaret Patterson has been elected as a

fellow of the International Academy of FoodScience and Technology. She will be inductedat the 19th World Congress of Food Scienceand Technology to be held in Mumbai in lateoctober. Fellows elected to IAFoST areacknowledged by their peers as outstandingrepresentatives of international food scienceand technology. They serve as independentpersons to work and promote high standardsof ethic and scientific endeavours.

PTI has promoted Craig Robinson to vicepresident of business development and inno-vation. Prior to joining the ohio-based plasticpackaging development company last yearrobinson was director of business develop-ment for Kaleidoscope Imaging, a brand con-sultancy focused on strategy, design andprototyping.

Coca-Cola European Partners has namedRui Serpa as country manager for Portugal.This is a new position created as part of astrategy to strengthen CCEP’s presence inPortugal. Serpa has had a long national andinternational career in the sector, includingwith Portuguese bottler refrige, red Bull andMonster Energy. His decade with red Bullincluded a stint in Colombia.

Experienced sustainability and CSr special-ist Emmanuel Duffaut has joined rETAL asthe PET specialist’s first sustainability director.With a strong background gained acrossr&d, production and sustainability positionsin the food industry, he also brings with himan understanding of the needs of rETAL’scustomers: the food and beverage companiesthat use PET. rETAL has 22 production sitesin 13 countries and the group’s sales areaencompasses more than 60 countriesthroughout Europe, Asia, Africa and theAmericas. Parent company rETAL Industriesis based in Limassol, Cyprus.

ocean Spray Cranberries’ board of direc-tors has elected Bobby Chacko as presidentand chief executive. He also becomes aboard member. Chacko joined ocean Spraylast year as chief growth officer. In January hewas named president and chief operating offi-cer. In his new role he replaces outgoing chiefexecutive randy Papadellis. Prior to joiningocean Spray Chacko was regional presidentfor Mars drinks with responsibility for theNorth American business. He previouslyworked for Coca-Cola, AB InBev and GECapital.

Northern Ireland Food and drink Associa-tion executive director Michael Bell has beenelected vice president of the UK’s Institute ofFood Science and Technology. He has beenNIFdA executive director for 22 years andpreviously worked in the sector for 12 yearsin Northern Ireland and Malta.

Tate & Lyle has announced that ImranNawaz will become chief financial officer anda board member from August 1. He suc-ceeds Nick Hampton who, as we reportedearlier, has moved to chief executive effectiveApril 1. Nawaz joins Tate & Lyle from Mon-delēz International where he has been SVPfinance Europe since 2014. Prior to that, dur-ing a 16-year career at Mondelēz and KraftFoods, he held a number of senior financial

Clockwise from top left: Olivier Mercier, NeridaKelton, Sam Duff, Chris Thoen, WayneThompson, James Paxman, Curtis Paxman,Margaret Patterson, Craig Robinson, Rui Serpa,Emmanuel Duffaut and Bobby Chacko.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 85HuMAn RESouRCESroles across Europe, the Middle East andAfrica.

Einar Snorri Magnússon has become chiefexecutive of Coca-Cola European Partners inIceland. He has been with CCEP Iceland andits predecessor bottler for 13 years, includingas director of marketing and sales. SnorriMagnússon takes over from Carlos Cruz wholed the transformation of the former Vifilfell,founded in 1942, to CCEP Iceland over thepast three years.

Tetra Pak has extended the responsibilitiesof Khaled Ismail who has been VP communi-cations for Middle East and Africa. He is nowalso VP communications for Europe and Cen-tral Asia. The role covers management ofTetra Pak’s reputation and corporate identity,sponsorship, crisis management, brand build-ing through marketing activities and exhibi-tions, driving advocacy and employeeengagement. Ismail has worked in some 10countries for FMCG and food packagingcompanies, including Coca-Cola.

Ken Ramirez has been tapped as VP salesfor rTd producer Konared. He has spentmore than 30 years in the beverage industry,most recently co-founding Bali Juice. Much ofhis career has been with Coca-Cola, eventu-ally becoming VP and GM for Southern Cali-fornia and Hawaii. Wendi Marsicola has beennamed Konared’s vice president of opera-tions, responsible for overseeing quality con-trol, production, new product developmentand order fulfilment. Previously she served asdirector of procurement for Arbonne Inter-national.

Danny Celoni is now Australia NewZealand chief executive for PepsiCola. For theprevious 18 months he was sales director forthe ANZ region and earlier spent around 15years with diageo. Adel Garas, president Pep-siCo Asia Pacific, said Celoni brought to therole a deep understanding of the group’s cus-tomers and the ANZ retail environments.

Nestlé (Thai) has appointed Victor Seahas chairman & chief executive of NestléIndochina. He succeeds Audrey Liow, whohas retired after 30 years at Nestlé. Based inBangkok, Seah has the overall responsibilityfor Nestlé’s diverse manufacturing, commer-cial, distribution, and export operations inThailand, as well as overseeing the develop-ment of high-potential markets of Cambodia,Laos and Myanmar. Seah, a Singaporenational, joined the company in 2006 ascountry business manager for Nestlé Profes-sional in Singapore. He subsequently heldpositions in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei andSwitzerland.

Brisaida Castillo, a production worker atdr Pepper Snapple’s Miami bottling plant,recently celebrated an impressive 50 yearswith the company. She has seen manychanges, from advances in technology andprocess improvements to the growth of thesurrounding area. “The company has treatedme well,” she says. “I’ve lived a lot of phasesof my life here; this is my second home.”

E J Morrow has been named by LancerCorp as its new president, also joining theboard of the San Antonio-based beverage

dispensing equipment producer and supplier.In his new role he is responsible for Lancer’sworld operations. Morrow has been in thefoodservice equipment industry for a lengthyperiod, most recently as president and chiefexecutive of QualServ Solution. Lancer main-tains sales and manufacturing facilities in theUS, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Belgiumand the UK.

Andrew McLeland has been appointedchief operating officer at Liqui-Box. He is

responsible for Liqui-Box’s global manufactur-ing and will have direct oversight of the plantmanagers, engineering and supply chain.“Andrew is a seasoned and trusted leaderwho consistently delivers results,” said KenSwanson, Liqui-Box’s chief executive andpresident.

Boca raton-based energy drink companyCelsius Holdings has named John Fieldly asits chief executive. He had been interim CEosince March last year, as well as the com-pany’s CFo. William H. Milmoe, co-chairmanof Celsius, noted that under Fieldly’s leader-ship the company reported sales of $36.2million in 2017, up 59% on 2016. He saidFieldly had expanded the Celsius product linewith Heat, a line of trainer-grade fitnessdrinks.

Tyrone Jeffers has joined SPX Flow as VPglobal manufacturing and supply chain. Hereports directly to Marc Michael, the com-pany’s president and chief executive. He willsucceed dave Kowalski who plans to retire.In his new role, Jeffers will be responsible forimproving overall operational effectiveness,increasing productivity and working closelywith the company's Global Process Excel-lence team to drive continuous improvement.Jeffers comes to SPX FLoW after a 22-yearcareer at General Electric, where he gainedbroad operational experience by serving in avariety of global manufacturing and supplychain roles. SPX Flow has also appointedMajdi Abulaban as an independent memberof the company's board of directors. SPXFlow chairman robert Hull noted that Abula-ban “has deep experience conducting globaloperations, with an emphasis on China andAsia-Pacific, and has led business transforma-tion across multiple products and geographiesto create substantial customer and share-holder value.” Vusa Mlingo has become VPbusiness development at SPX Flow. He camefrom Ingersoll rand where he spent the past12 years in a variety of roles including corpo-rate development, product management andtreasury. Mlingo holds a BSc and MBA.

Klaus Bjerrum has been appointed EVP ofChr. Hansen’s Natural Colors division. Bjer-rum will join Chr. Hansen in August from hiscurrent role as SVP operations at CP Kelco.He has been with that company for 19 years.Bjerrum not only holds an MSc and businessadministration graduate diploma but is also aqualified master brewer.

Brew dr. Kombucha has selected MartyWall as the company’s first president. Wallhas been EVP business development, in whichrole he has also been carrying out many cor-porate presidential duties. The recentappointment formalises this. Wall joined Brewdr. Kombucha in 2016, initially tasked withbuilding the company’s US national salesoperation and improving internal communica-tions. He was previously VP sales for Stump-town Coffee roasters and prior to thatserved in the same role at Craft BrewAlliance.

David Burke is the new chief executive ofTierra Nueva Fine Cocoa, a Miami-based cof-

Clockwise from top left: Michael Bell, ImranNawaz, Einar Snorri Magnússon, Khaled Ismail,Ken Ramirez, Danny Celoni, Victor Seah,Brisaida Castillo, E J Morrow, AndrewMcLeland, John Fieldly and Tyrone Jeffers.

Continued overleaf

86 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018PEoPLEfee technology and manufacturing company. Ituses a ‘whole bean’ approach to create a 12-month shelf-stable coffee concentrate whichcan be used as an ingredient in rTds, frozendesserts, bakery and confectionery. Burke hasa solid beverage sector background. He led acomprehensive turnaround at red diamondCoffee & Tea and also helped acceleratestart-up Primo Water through a significantIPo as its president and Coo. Earlier heheld positions in the Pepsi Bottling Groupand the Coca-Cola North America system.

Tanks and process technology expert Zie-mann Holvrieka has chosen Lars Roed as itsnew chief commercial officer, responsible forworldwide sales and marketing. roed canbenefit from his decades of inside experience:the mechanical engineer has been workingfor the company since 1994. He has mostrecently been chief executive of ZiemannHolvrieka Asia. Florian Schneider has beenappointed head of sales EMEA for ZiemannHolvreika with responsibility for the Europe,Middle East, Africa and Central Asia regions.He has extensive beverage sector experienceand has spent much of the past 10 yearstravelling in Asia. “I was able to acquire agreat deal of inter-cultural understanding,” hesays.

Nestlé is mourning the death of HelmutMaucher, the honorary chairman of NestléS.A. and long-serving chief executive, delegateand board chairman. He was aged 90. “Hel-mut Maucher was a highly esteemed andcharismatic personality, a strong and visionaryleader, who dedicated so much of his life toNestlé,” said the current chairman, Paul Bul-cke. “His legacy lives on, as Nestlé owesmuch of what we are today to HelmutMaucher. With his passing we lose an excep-tional human being, whose fairness, honestyand wise advice were always highly appreci-ated.”

Amir Reza Sinai is now managing directorof Beumer Group (Thailand), based inBangkok. This acts as Beumer’s regional head-quarters in South East and East Asia. It cov-ers the group divisions conveying and loadingsystems and palletising and packaging sys-tems. reza Sinai joined Beumer in January2017, initially heading the company’s office inJakarta.

Gulfood personality Uwe Micheel hasbeen awarded a prestigious Lifetime Achieve-ment Award at the BNC Leaders in Hospi-tality Awards. As president of the EmiratesCulinary Guild, Micheel is best known for hisrole spearheading Salon Culinaire, an annualfeature of Gulfood and one of the world’slargest single entry chefs’ competitions. Healso runs the Emirati restaurant Aseelah indubai. Micheel said a highlight of his careerhas been helping launch the Young ChefScholarship Program for UAE residents. “Theinitiative trains and supports scores of tal-ented and deserving but financially underpriv-ileged young chefs through its annualcontinuing education award.”

Industry veteran Bill Meissner has becomechief executive of dunn’s river Brands, thefast-expanding dallas-based beverage group.

Clockwise from top left: Majdi Abulaban, VusaMlingo, Klaus Bjerrum, David Burke, Lars Roed,Helmut Maucher, Amir Reza Sinai, UweMicheel, Bill Meissner and Jan Toft Nørgaard.

Meissner began his industry career at TetraPak, later working at PepsiCo as a branddirector, Coca-Cola as chief marketing officerfor Fuze, Talking rain/Sparkling Ice and JonesSoda. He served as president at both Talkingrain and Jones Soda. Meissner has been asso-ciated with the launch and development ofseveral brands.

Jan Toft Nørgaard has been chosen toreplace Åke Hantoft as chairman of ArlaFoods. As we reported earlier, Hantoft isstepping down from the position on July 2after seven years and is also retiring fromdairy farming. Says Toft Nørgaard: “I am hum-ble about the task I take on as chairman andI look forward to working closely with theboard and the management of the companyon continuing the development of the ArlaFoods.” He farms at Skærbæk, denmark. Arlais also working on the appointment of a vicechairman.

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Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 87EvEnTS

Event Previews

THE annual processing and packagingmachinery event PPMA Show unites theworld’s manufacturing professionals amid astrong industry growth forecast

The manufacturing sector has just achievedits longest period of expansion since 1968,boosted by global economic growth and theweakened pound, while early signs revealthat Britain’s manufacturers are on track tooutpace the rest of the economy – settingthe year on a strong path for growth.

This sets a promising scene for the PPMAShow 2018, which returns to the NEC, Birm-ingham from 25-27 September to celebrate

Showcasing manufacturingexcellence

the industry’s success and mark its own 30thanniversary. The show will see more than350 exhibitors representing 1,500 brands,creating a platform for 8,000 key decisioninfluencers and makers from the world’sfood, pharmaceutical, toiletries and FMCGindustries to explore the latest innovationsand do business live from the show floor.

Cementing its position as the UK’s leadingproduction line event, major players includingSchneider Electric, Ishida Europe, Bosch, ABB

and omron Electronics UK are already con-firmed to exhibit at the milestone event,showcasing the most technologically-advanced processing and packaging machin-ery the industry has to offer.

As well as the chance to see workingmachinery in action, the PPMA Show 2018will offer new and improved networking facil-ities to ensure that exhibitors and visitorsalike can easily initiate and execute meaning-ful business discussions.

In a bid to add further value for show vis-itors, the Learning Hub format will also berevamped. A high-profile industry speaker willdeliver a keynote address to open the event,followed by a line-up of thought leaders whowill share their industry knowledge over thethree days of the show.

recognising innovation and rewarding thehard work of the industry will also be thefocus at the prestigious PPMA Group Indus-try Awards. returning to the first night of thePPMA Show, the glittering ceremony and galadinner will move to the Hilton BirminghamMetropole and see a new format on thenight. Comedian Brian Conley is confirmedto host the evening’s proceedings with fur-ther details of the night to be revealed soon.

Speaking about the show’s 30th anniver-sary, dr. Andrew Mint, Chief Executive offi-cer, PPMA Group of Associations, said: “Byengaging with our members and exhibitorsthroughout the PPMA Show’s history, we’vebeen able to identify the areas where we canreally add value and ensure that bothexhibitors and visitors have a successfulshow. We’re excited to open the doors andcelebrate the 30th anniversary of the showwith the world’s biggest and brightest manu-facturing leaders.”

registration for the PPMA Show 2018 isnow open. Please visit the all-new PPMAShow website to register for your free badgeto attend: https://www.ppmashow.co.uk.

25-27 September 2018, NEC, Birmingham.

Food ingredients Vietnam, now a biennialevent provides the opportunity to connectwith the key industry professionals. The exhi-bition will take place on 16-18 May 2018 inHo Chi Minh City. Fi Vietnam and providesexhibitors with unparalleled access to Viet-nam and beyond – especially in the emerg-ing markets of Cambodia, Laos andMyanmar.

Unlike some other events, Fi Vietnam isdedicated exclusively to food and beverageingredients, not finished foods. This focusensures that exhibitors are provided withbusiness, networking and learning opportuni-ties – the right ingredients for success.

Fi Vietnam unites domestic and interna-tional leaders of the food and beverageindustry. over 4,700 visitors and 140exhibitors from more than 30 different

countries are expected to join this year'sexhibition covering more than 1,400 squaremetres, making the show Vietnam's premieringredients event.

There will be opportunities to participatein industry leading discussions, discover the

latest innovations first hand, establish vitalbusiness connections, and develop newindustry knowledge. Fi Vietnam 2018 pro-vides insight into the regions food and bev-erage market development.

For further information: www.fi-vietnam.net

16-18 May 2018 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Partner with SDI for your next event!email: events@softdrinksinternational.com

88 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

Event reviews

ANoTHEr successful Gulfood www.gul-food.com took place at the dubai WorldTrade Centre, dubai, from 18-22 February.With more than 5,000 exhibitors and 97,000attendees, numerous international pavilionsand a dedicated beverage hall, Gulfood is avibrant melting pot of international flavoursand trends.

Soft Drinks International has been a mediapartner to Gulfood for many years and againjoined the throngs of visitors to walk the vasthalls to seek out the latest products andinnovations.

Here is a just small sample of what wefound together with a range of images toprovide a feel for this must attend event.

Cleverly distributed in a ready to blendcocktail shaker style container, Falooda isbased on the popular Indian dessert madefrom rose syrup, sweet basil seeds, jelly, milkand ice cream. The company introduced its

A world of beverage in Dubai

new range at Gulfood this year, with flavoursincluding mango, rose, coffee, vanilla and kiwiand a pleasant drinking texture. To mix, thecentre cover is removed, the cap pusheddown to break the seal and the bottleshaken for 10-15 seconds

Mahmoud of Afghan red Pomegranatehas hit the headlines with his Pure brand100% pomegranate and white grape juice,which pays farmers twice the rate of growingpoppy seeds and so is helping to win thewar on drugs in Afghanistan.

Alcohol free beers and wines featuredprominently with companies promoting pre-mium sparkling wines made from grape juiceand served in champagne style bottles. Pearl’sin a white bottle with gold cap from Vignesde France; So Jennie from Le Manoir desSacres with its delicate pink colour; Val de

France offering six sparkling fruit variants,PriSecco with herbs and flowers and Bosca’sToselli with its unique twist off and resealablecap, designed to retain the bubbles.

A winner in the Gulfood awards wasCoco Aloha with its 100% vegan coconutmilk in Cappuccino and Kakao (chocolate)flavours. Sold in ready to go cups with sealsthe drinks naturally contain vitamins C, Bvitamins, potassium, sodium, anti viral lauricacid and are easy to digest while comfortablyfilling you up.

Alternative milks including almond andwalnut milks are gaining followers. Man-delino’s almond milk in resealable prismapacks comes in strawberry and bananaflavours as well as the less obvious coffee,apricot and blood orange. An extensiverange of nut milks from 137 degrees includespistachio milk, walnut milk, a Belgian choco-late nut milk, a coffee nut latte and a matchagreen tea with walnut milk.

Camelicious, with its camel dairy locatedjust outside the city of dubai presented arange of camel milk-based drinks. Low in fatand high in nutrients, camel milk is claimed tohave a number of health benefits. A recentaddition to the range is a very pleasant tast-ing ginger flavoured endurance drink pre-sented in a carton can.

The cocktail trend is not abating andSun’Ich from Iran has employed a renownedmixologist (who helped develop the San Pel-legrino canned limonata and aranciata) tosuggest blends such as the Green Collins,Mango Apple Bellini and Aloe Vera Smashusing its wide range of syrups and juices.

ready to drink Fiberico from Taiwan’s TungShaing contains soluble fibres that help withweight control by making consumers feel fulland may have a beneficial effect on insulinsensitivity as well as absorption of dietarycholesterol.

Frutos rojos or red Fruits from JugosChile uses grape, strawberry, blueberry,prune, raspberry and the unusual maqui fruitto give a low calorie drink containing 60%more antioxidants than red wine and con-tains no sugar or preservatives.

Meyania from Turkey presented a range of

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 89EvEnT REvIEWShealthy low calorie liquorice root-baseddrinks. Its ‘herbal sugar sweetener’ is claimedto be 50 times sweeter than sugar but withmuch fewer calories.

Austria’s Hollinger has developed organicLavender Flower Bio Spritz with a very deli-cate, refreshing and drinkable flavour. Usingthe tag line ‘Loving organic’ the company hastapped into the trend of using organic natu-ral ingredients in convenient on the go500ml PET.

Vienna Alps presented a range of wonder-ful intensely flavoured fruit and vegetablesjuices. All juices are 100% pure with noadded sugar or artificial ingredients andsourced only from certified organic producegrown within the Alpine region.

Snooze is a functional drink formulated toaid natural sleep. Presented in carton cans,Snooze is claimed to support a natural sleepcycle – helping to fall asleep faster and for

longer. Herbs including valarian, passionflower,lemon balm, lime blossom and californianpoppy are used with natural aromas derivedfrom extracts of hops and peppermint.

Winner in the Gulfood Awards last year,Austria Twisst Mocktails are quietly capturing

the still non-alcoholic cocktail market with aBailey’s like Irish Cream, a Gin Tonic, Mohitoand Pina Colada in cardboard cans. These arealready being sold in 16 countries and thecompany is about to launch into sparklingdrinks in PET.

90 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018EvEnT REvIEWS

THE specialist beverage event of the MiddleEast and North Africa region, dubai drinkTechnology Expo (ddTE) www.drinkexpo.aewas held at the dubai World Trade Centrefrom 27 February to 1 March – rather con-veniently following on from Gulfood.

Soft Drinks International has been a mediapartner to ddTE since its inception in2008 – the event being a perfect fit for thejournal. Just like Soft Drinks International,ddTE’s focus spans the entire non-alco-holic beverages industry including: ingredi-ents, processing, packaging and, of course,finished product.

Now in its 10th year, the event wasopened by H. E. Sami Al Qamzi, directorGeneral of the department of Economicdevelopment in dubai. Accompanied by agroup of high-rank officials, beverage spe-cialists, and keynote speakers from theindustry in the UAE and Middle East andNorth Africa (MENA) region, Al Qamzitoured the venue of the exhibition wherehe was introduced to the latest trends andtechnologies in the global beverage indus-try, including production machinery, packag-ing processing and quality controlequipment, storage and transport mecha-nisms and supply services.

“Processing, production, and packaging offood and beverages has evolved into a sig-nificant industry sector in dubai and acrossthe UAE, owing to domestic demand aswell as growing export competitiveness.The dubai drink Technology Expo and itsfocus on innovation as well as sustainability

A focal point fornon-alcoholic beverage

will bring greater international attention tothis sector and promote industry adoptionof global best practices, which will in turnaccelerate dubai’s integration into globalfood value chains,” commented HE Sami AlQamzi.

Meanwhile, Eng. Anas Al Madani, Vice-Chairman and Group CEo of the eventorganiser, Index Holding, commented: “The10th edition of dubai drink TechnologyExpo this year explores how the growingbeverage industry embraces technology ona larger scale.

“Producers are focusing on the environ-mental and sustainability aspects of bever-age production systems and solutions. Wesee how advancements are reshaping theindustry landscape. This, in turn, contributesto sustainability, which has become a strate-gic part of the business operations. Forexample, the increased automation ofdrinks manufacturing and processing linesincreases safety, which is part of sustainabil-ity.

“Besides, with resources scarcity, climatechange and increasing populations, optimalutilisation of resources can ensure sustain-ability. In order to set a successful strategyof sustainable production, mobility, con-sumption and recycling in the beveragesupply chain; the involvement of every par-ticipant throughout the entire product life-cycle is an integral part.”

Another feature of ddTE is the in-showconference area which delivered six inter-esting and topical seminar sessions over the

first two days.Presented by industry professionals, the

topics addressed included: global beveragetrends and supply chain challenges, foodand beverage approval and registration indubai, process of introducing beverages indubai (manufacturing prospective), reputa-tion and sustainability in the drinks industry,introduction to ultraviolet water treatmenttechnology, packaging innovation in theregion amongst many others.

This year, one of the conference sessionswas hosted by Soft Drinks International.

Whilst ddTE is a fairly modest eventhosting around 100 exhibitors and attract-ing around 2,500 visitors, its highly focusednature means that everything and everyonepresent is relevant to those involved innon-alcoholic beverages. It is often foundthat events such as ddTE prove fruitfuland worthwhile, which is why so manyexhibitors return each year.

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 91EvEnT REvIEWS

AFTEr registering a 13% growth in exhibi-tion space in the run-up to the event, AnugaFoodTec 2018 also achieved a significantincrease in the number of trade visitors, withmore than 50,000 seeking out the latestinnovations and developments.

Visitors from 152 countries underpinnedAnuga FoodTec’s position as a leading inter-national fair for the food and beverageindustry. Held every three years at Koeln-messe, Cologne, Germany, a specialised pro-gramme was also organised by the dLG(German Agricultural Society) whichincluded numerous conferences, guided toursand lectures.

All of the guided tours were fully booked.The Speakers Corner and the forums alsomet with high interest among the visitors.Furthermore, the opening conference on thefirst day of the trade fair, which focused onthe leading theme resource efficiency – theopportunities and risks for the food andbeverage industry – celebrated a successfulpremiere.

Katharina Hamma, chief operating officerof Koelnmesse GmbH, explained: “The con-cept of Anuga FoodTec is unique and suc-cessful. The renewed growth across all keyfigures clearly underlines this. This year'sincreased number of visitors was above allattributable to the rise in the number oftrade visitors from abroad. We were particu-larly able to register significant growth fromcountries China, Italy, Korea, Poland, russiaand South America. The huge interest fromthe international guests and the high quality

Anuga FoodTec –innovation andtechnology

of the visitors shows us that the alignmentand concept of Anuga FoodTec do justice tothe demands of the trade fair participants.”

“Anuga FoodTec 2018 presented an arrayof technological innovations from the entirespectrum of the food and beverage indus-try,” commented dr. reinhard Grandke, man-aging director of the dLG and chairman ofthe Advisory Board of Anuga FoodTec, onthe standing of the leading internationaltrade fair.

“The extensive specialised programme onthe highly relevant key theme, resource effi-ciency, offered the international audiencenumerous opportunities to systematicallylearn more about the optimisation of pro-duction processes – always with the aim ofconsuming less energy and water and reduc-ing the waste of food. In Cologne, the latestscientific findings about food technologywere once again linked up with the require-ments of business practice in an exemplaryway.”

Visitors to Anuga FoodTec 2018 wereable to experience the entire productioncycle – both individual solutions as well asholistic, cross-process concepts across allproduction stages and food industries – foodpackaging, safety & analytics, food processingand food ingredients, as well as services &solutions

The key topic resource efficiency was oneof the omnipresent themes. From Lotuseffect packing that reduces the loss of food-stuffs, to saving raw materials such as water

or energy in the production process, throughto production lines with modular parts forindividual products: The large variety of offersand impressive exhibitor presences attractedthe top decision-makers to Cologne.

It is claimed that exhibitors wereimpressed by the high quality and profession-alism of the trade visitors, as well as by theirinternationality – and reported good discus-sions with top-ranking decision-makers.

All in all, Anuga FoodTec 2018 attractedsome 1,657 suppliers from 48 countries –60% of whom came from overseas. Theseincluded 655 exhibitors from Germany and1,002 exhibitors from abroad.

The next Anuga FoodTec www.anu-gafoodtec.com will take place at Kölnemessefrom 23 to 26 March 2021.

Koelnmesse is an international organiser oftrade fairs and events relating to food andbeverage processing, including Anuga, ISMand Anuga FoodTec.

92 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018FRoM THE PAST

plemax’ case stacking machine. The latteris suitable for stacking and unstacking upto 2,000 cases per hour.

We hear that...Schweppes last month introducedCaribbean Lemon in no deposit bottles. Itis a blend of lemon crush and lime juice.

Fruit Juice CongressThe seventh International Congress ofFruit Juices will take place at Cannes from27th to 31st May, 1968.

Three aspects of the international fruitjuice industry will be studied by 17 rap-porteurs as follows: (i) nutritional aspect,(ii) technological aspect, (iii) economicaspect.

All participants will receive thoroughprevious documentation which will leadto technical discussion. Delegates of theFAO/WHO Codex Commission have con-firmed their participation, which will bemost appropriate at the present state ofCodex discussion on fruit juice standards.

Congress members will take with themwhen they depart a new internationaldirectory of fruit juices and producers, thefirst document of its kind to be drawn upsince the fruit juice industry was initi-ated. n

Sourced from the SDI archive

100 Years AgoFrom the Mineral Water Trade Journal ofApril 1918

50 Years AgoFrom the Soft Drinks Trade Journal ofApril 1968

Messrs. Cantrell & Cochrane to pay£122In an action by the British and Irish SteamPacket Company against Messrs. Cantrell& Cochrane, mineral water manufacturers,Dublin, for £244, alleged to be payable bydefendants as an indemnity in respect ofthe death of an employee of plaintiffs, asettlement has been reached by the pay-ment of £122 and costs.

The prospect not sufficiently encouragingA freehold mineral water bottling factoryat Goole, with dwelling-house and build-ing land adjoining, with frontages inFourth and Fifth-avenue, were to havebeen sold by auction. After waiting half-an-hour and prospective buyers failing toarrive, it was decided by the auctioneersnot to offer the property.

How Mr. Barron Kilner stimulatedpatriotic thriftThe workpeople engaged at Messrs. JohnKilner & Sons’ factory, the Calder ValeGlass Works, had a considerable distinc-tion in the “Wakefield Business-Men’sWeek” – the week in which Wakefield

raised £260,000 for the national war fund.These workpeople contributed £1,700 tothe fund, and thus headed the list of thesethe list of these particular contributions.Hence no less that 1,700 certificates wereat once purchased. This exhibition ofpatriotic providence was no doubt stimu-lated by Mr. Barron Kilner, who paid thefirst shilling on each certificate, a generos-ity which meant an immediate gift of £85to the employees. A War Savings Association has beencalled into existence in connection withthe firm to enable the certificates to be

purchased on the instalment plan, theinterest, however, accruing on each cer-tificate from the first payment.

We hear that...German beverage manufacturers have dis-covered a substitute bottle-stopper in cel-lulose. A sheet of thin parchment isplaced horizontally on the neck of thebottle. A stopper of cellulose wadding isthen pressed with the finger into the neckof the bottle in such a way as to carry theparchment with it. The bottle is thenturned upside down, so that the parch-ment round the cellulose stopper may bedamped. Finally, a second piece of parch-ment is fastened over the whole, and, ifnecessary, the bottle is sealed.

Of course, we dare not resort to such aplan. Its cost and the time involved in itwould kill the industry.

A war incident: who paid for the bottles?Heaven forfend it be deemed we aredesirous of moderating such comforts asthe gallant lads at the front enjoy. Still apicture which recently appeared in TheDaily Mirror does suggest a pertinentthought. It represents the window of adug-out near our front line with France,which had been made out of soda waterbottles and cement.

Those bottles were originally bought bya mineral water manufacturer. Was hepaid for them before they were used forthis purpose? Or was he penalised by thehappy device?

Appeal Court uphold Scottish firmThe First Division of the Court of Sessionhas rejected the appeal of Coca-Cola Com-pany against William Struthers & SonsLtd., Lochwinnoch, who manufacture adrink known as Koala Kola.

In May 1967 Lord Avonside refused tointerdict the Lochwinnoch firm frommanufacturing Koala Kola as infringingthe name Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola Companyappealed against this decision and thethree day appeal was heard by Lord Clydethe Lord President, Lord Guthrie, LordCameron and Lord Migdale, who unani-mously refused the Appeal.

In the course of his judgment LordCameron said “I am impressed by the evi-dence adduced by the respondent whichis substantial in quantity and not seri-ously challenged, that a large proportionif not a substantial majority of customersseeking a Coca-Cola refer to the drink as

‘Coke’. In this habit they are admittedlyencouraged by the fact that they have reg-istered the word ‘Coke’ as a trademark fortheir goods. thus there is well-recognisedand much used shorthand method ofreferring to the Petitioners’ product and ita method which is totally differentiatedfrom the word adopted by the Respon-dents to describe their product”.

The Crown Cork Co. LtdA familiar landmark at every BrewingExhibition for many years past, the CrownCork Company’s life size replica coachinginn, The Crown, will be present again atthis year’s Brewex.

The Crown, which is 103 ft. x 20 ft.wide, comprises two bars, cloakroomsand other offices. Its fame has spreadthroughout the world and overseas visi-tors to the exhibitions have mentioned ittime and time again in write-ups on theexhibition to their local trade press.

Herman Kronseder-MaschinenfabrikIn co-operation with their main Britishagents, M. & E. Goddard Ltd,. this WestGerman manufacturer will be exhibiting[at Brewex ‘68] four examples from thewide range of medium and high capacityKrones automatic labellers and one ‘Sta-

Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 93EvEnTS

Events diary15th – 18th IFTMcCormick PlaceChicagoUSAwww.iftevent.org

AUGUSTAUGUST8th – 11th Vietfood & Beverage + Propack VietnamSaigon Exhibition & Convention CenterHo Chi Minh CityVietnamwww.foodexvietnam.com

21st – 23rd Fi South AmericaTransamerica Expo CenterSão PauloBrazilwww.figlobal.com

30th – 1st Sep Fi IndiaIndia Expo CentreDelhi-NCRIndiawww.figlobal.com

SEPTEMBERSEPTEMBER2nd – 4th Speciality & Fine Food FairOlympiaLondonUKwww.specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk

4th – 6th Food and Drink Technology AfricaGallagher CentreJohannesburgSouth Africawww.fdt-africa.com

5th – 8th WorldFood IstanbulTüyap Fair Convention and Congress CenterIstanbulTurkeywww.worldfood-istanbul.com

10th – 11th ISBT BevTech EuropeNovotel Paris Centre EiffelParisFrancewww.bevtech.org

11th – 12th Vitafoods AsiaSands Expo & Convention CentreMarina Bay SandsSingaporewww.vitafoodsasia.com

VIETNAM

UK

BRAZIL

FRANCE

TURKEY

USA

INDIA

SOUTH AFRICA

SINGAPORE

16th – 18th Fi VietnamSaigon Exhibition & Convention CenterHo Chi Minh CityVietnamwww.fi-vietnam.net

JUNEJUNE12th – 14th Bridge2Food Active Performance &Sports Nutrition SummitLP2 in Las PalmasRotterdamNetherlandswww.bridge2food.com

21st BFJA AGM & SymposiumInnholders HallLondonUKwww.bfja.org

20th – 22nd Hi ChinaSNIECShanghaiChinawww.figlobal.com

24th – 26th Africa’s Big 7Gallagher CentreJohannesburgSouth Africawww.africabig7.com

27th – 29th Drink JapanTokyo Big SightTokyoJapanwww.drinkjapan.jp

29th – 2nd Iran food + bev tecTehran International FairgroundsTehranIranwww.iran-foodbevtec.com

JULYJULY2nd – 3rd Imbibe LiveOlympiaLondonUKhttps://live.imbibe.com

11th – 13th Fi Asia-ChinaSNIECShanghaiChinawww.figlobal.com

NETHERLANDS

UK

CHINA

SOUTH AFRICA

JAPAN

IRAN

UK

VIETNAM

CHINA

APRILAPRIL10th – 11th SupplySide EastMeadowlands Exposition CenterSecaucasUSAhttps://east.supplysideshow.com

16th – 18th FoodexNECBirminghamUKwww.foodex.co.uk

16th – 19th AlimentariaGran Via VenueBarcelonaSpainwww.alimentaria-bcn.com

30th – 2nd ISBT BevTechHyatt RegencyAlbuquerqueUSAwww.bevtech.org

MAYMAY2nd – 4th SIAL CanadaPalais des Congrès de MontréalMontrealCanadawww.sialcanada.com

8th – 11th HispackGran Via VenueBarcelonaSpainwww.hispack.com

8th – 10th Food West AfricaLandmark CentreLagosNigeriawww.food-westafrica.com

15th – 17th Vitafoods EuropePalexpoGenevaSwitzerlandwww.vitafoods.eu.com

16th – 18th SIAL ChinaSNIECShanghaiChinawww.sialchina.com

USA

SPAIN

USA

CANADA

SPAIN

NIGERIA

SWITZERLAND

CHINA

UK

Buyers’ Guide94 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

The SDIBuyers’ Guide

email:advertising@

softdrinksinternational.com

Döhler GmbHRiedstraße 7-964295 DarmstadtGermanyPhone +49 (0)6151 306-0Fax +49 (0)6151 306-278www.doehler.commailbox@doehler.com

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Sales & Contract Filling EnquiriesTelephone: 0191 516 3300

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A highly flexible and efficient production facility withthe capability of filling PET or glass products witha wide range of bottles and closure optionsavailable together with different packaging formats.We also extract water from our on-site ‘HadrianSpring’ bore hole, with capacity to supply over 60million bottles per year.

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Tel: +44 (0)1438 742242Fax: +44 (0)1438 742311E-mail: info@kanegrade.comWebsite: www.kanegrade.com

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+49(0) 5531/90-0info@symrise.comwww.symrise.com

ESSENCE & FLAVOURS

Join the Soft Drinks International LinkedIn group

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Contract bottling facilities available Bottled at source from our Royal Spa town spring

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Buyers’ GuideSoft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018 95

Döhler GmbHRiedstraße 7-964295 DarmstadtGermanyPhone +49 (0)6151 306-0Fax +49 (0)6151 306-278www.doehler.commailbox@doehler.com

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Niutang UK Limited, Plaza 2, 5th Floor, Ironmasters Way, Telford, Shropshire, TF3 4NT

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Welcome to our Business Unit Plantextrakt, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of: ■ Herbal & Fruit Extracts ■ Tea Extracts ■ Natural Tea Flavours

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Buyers’ Guide96 Soft Drinks International – April/May/June 2018

FOR SALE BOSCH STEAM BOILER 12,000 Kg/hour

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