November’s top news stories

Waitrose to offer 100% British lamb

British supermarket chain Waitrose announced that all the fresh and frozen lamb retailed in its stores will be sourced from British producers.

Waitrose & Partners Health and Agriculture CSR head Tor Harris said: “We have always offered British Lamb on our service counters all year round and we are delighted to be able to extend that strategy to the pre-pack lamb assortment.

“Waitrose & Partners is renowned for its range of quality lamb products, something we over trade in comparison to our market share.

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Givaudan to purchase speciality ingredients producer Ungerer

Swiss flavours and fragrances firm Givaudan signed a deal to acquire US-based speciality ingredient and flavour company Ungerer for an undisclosed amount.

The acquisition is part of Givaudan’s 2020 strategy to grow its global business.

Givaudan CEO Gilles Andrier said: “The acquisition of Ungerer fits very well with our long-term strategy for our core business in flavours and fragrances.

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Symrise says German consumers prefer natural foods

Studies carried out by Symrise found that German consumers prefer purchasing natural foods when compared to the rest of the European population.

As part of the six studies performed over the past two years, around 15,000 consumers aged 16 to 70 were surveyed by Symrise from 12 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America.

The studies revealed that German buyers choose foods that offer taste and consumer-friendliness. French and UK consumers also consider these factors, followed by value for money and naturalness.

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Air Protein unveils the first prototypes of air-based meat

US-based start-up Air Protein announced a new type of meat, produced using airborne elements.

The company explained that this meat contains air-based proteins and can be made without land and water.

Elements found in the air are combined with water and mineral nutrients. Using a probiotic production process, these elements are converted into a nutrient-rich protein containing an amino acid profile that is found in animal protein and contains B vitamins.

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European Parliament alter meat import deal with Ukraine

The European Parliament made changes to the 2016 EU-Ukraine trade agreement to restrict the entry of cheap Ukrainian poultry meat products into the EU.

According to the European Parliament, a Ukrainian producer exploited a loophole in the agreement to sell the excess of duty-free chicken breast, making these alterations necessary. During 2016 and 2018, bony chicken breast imports from Ukraine increased to 55,000t and were retailed more cheaply than similar EU products.

Import quotas were already in place in the EU to restrict farmers from excess imports. But it was legal to import chicken breast with a piece of wing bone to the EU without restrictions.

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Universal Corporation to acquire FruitSmart in the US

US-based agricultural products supplier Universal Corporation signed a definitive agreement to acquire speciality fruit and vegetable ingredient processor FruitSmart for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition is in line with Universal Corporation’s capital allocation strategy and is expected to provide a platform for the company to move into a new industry sector.

Established in 1982, FruitSmart is engaged in the processing of a range of fruits, including apples, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, pears, cranberries and strawberries.

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Cargill opens new culinary experience hub in Belgium

Global food company Cargill announced the opening of a Culinary Experience Hub in its research and development (R&D) facility in Vilvoorde, Belgium.

The new hub will be used by Cargill’s customers in Europe, as well as the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region to address their food formulation challenges. It will also be used to facilitate the co-creation of new ingredients and recipes.

Cargill EMEA R&D leader André van der Wulp said: “Imagine you’re a Cargill customer trying to identify the best ingredients for consumers.

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China lifts ban on importing poultry products from the US

The ban on importing poultry products from the US was revoked by the Chinese government after nearly five years.

This decision is expected to affect US poultry producers shipping goods worth $1bn to China annually.

Repealing the ban was the result of negotiations between the two countries to resolve their 16-month long trade war. Negotiations were focused on improving access to the Chinese market for US farm products. This supports US President Donald Trump’s agenda of doubling the US’ agricultural sales to China.

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Agrana opens €100m wheat starch plant in Austria

Fruit, starch and sugar producer Agrana opened its new €100m wheat starch processing plant at the site of its biorefinery in Pischelsdorf, Austria.

Wheat starch is used for producing noodles, bread and other bakery products. The new facility will see an increase in the company’s wheat starch production capacity and expand the number of jobs by 45 to a total of 250.

Agrana CEO Johann Marihart said: “After already investing €200m in the bioethanol plant and the first wheat starch production facility, we have now invested a further €100m in this second wheat starch processing plant.

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Hilton Foods Australia opens $189m meat production facility

Hilton Foods Australia, a meat processing joint venture (JV) of the UK’s Hilton Food Group and Australia’s Woolworths Group, opened its A$280m ($189m) meat production facility in Heathwood, Queensland.

The new facility will supply meat products to more than 450 Woolworths stores located between New South Wales (NSW) and the Far North Queensland region.

Hilton Foods Australia CEO Pat McEntee said: “We are proud to be joining the local community in Heathwood and contributing to economic growth with new employment opportunities and service contracts.