This week in industry news, Givaudan unveiled a competition to drive Gen Z consumers to innovate new alt-protein concepts and Symrise launched an AI-based multisource prediction tool for flavors, ingredients and claims. Meanwhile, the Chocolonely Foundation invested in biochar production to help cocoa farmers combat climate change-related impact on yields in West Africa.

Business highlights

Givaudan collaborated with Moonshot Pirates for The “Shape the Future” Challenge which encourages Gen Z consumers to develop alternative protein concepts that do not mimic meat, fish or dairy but answer their needs such as affordability, sustainability, nutrition and convenience. The finalists will present their ideas in a virtual, live-streamed pitch to an expert jury provided by Givaudan on January 9, 2025. The company will also explore opportunities to scale promising product innovations from the competition.

Belgium-based dairy companies Vache Bleue and Flanders Food Production (FFP) merged to form the European Dairy Company, which they say will have a combined annual turnover of about €500 million (US$526.2 million). The new company will operate from the firms’ existing sites in Belgium, France and Germany while retaining the current employees and management teams. Further expansion is being planned to increase the production capacity of the various sites.

US-based organic juice bar Clean Juice announced it will expand to Central Texas, including cities such as Austin, Waco, Bryan/College Station, Temple/Killeen and San Antonio to provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to provide health and nutrition to their communities with a proven business model. The brand, which claims to be USDA-certified, has plans to open ten stores across the region over the course of the next three years.

The African Development Bank Group invested US$2.2 billion in capital mobilization for its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Nigeria Phase II (SAPZ) project during the Africa Investment Forum held from Dec 4 to 6 in Rabat, Morocco. SAPZ is a government-enabled and private-sector-led investment program that will provide infrastructure for the establishment of agro-industrial zones, strengthen institutional capacity and business environment for agro-industrial development and support agricultural productivity and skills. 

The Chocolonely Foundation collaborated with the EU-funded BIO4Africa project and invested in biochar production to help cocoa growers restore their soil and combat climate change in Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa, which is suffering from drought-induced dro in cocoa yields. The move aims to enhance yield by improving the soil on the plantations of the Kapatchiva Cooperative, which has been selling cocoa to confectionery company Tony’s Chocolonely since 2012.

The Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program organized its 4th buyers/sellers meeting between 165 Companies during the Food Africa Exhibition in Egypt. Some 745 bilateral meetings were held between Arab and African companies in the food industry which discussed potential transactions worth an estimated US$34 million. The program aims to promote trade and investment flows between African and Arab OIC member countries, with agriculture as one of its primary focus industries.

Launches and innovation

Ingredient supplier Symrise unveiled Symvision AI, an AI-based multisource prediction tool for flavors, ingredients and claims. The tool enables manufacturers to develop market-relevant F&B innovations by analyzing multiple AI data sources and understanding how global trends move across product categories. This allows manufacturers to innovate products with consumer-preferred taste, nutrition and health solutions.

Indian agritech start-up Ninjacart launched the Ninjacart Startup Program to accelerate the growth of early-stage foodtech and agtech start-ups by providing access to technology, venture capital partners, financial backing and expert business advisory. The program is open to emerging startups that were founded in 2020 or later, have raised up to US$1 million in funding, and operate outside India. They must be post-revenue and focused on innovating the food supply chain.

Sustainability highlights 

Grocery retailer Ahold Delhaize USA and The Campbell’s Company launched a regenerative agriculture pilot to reduce scope 3 emissions associated with potato farming over the next three years. The move aims to support partner farms to implement regenerative farming techniques to create more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems. The pilot will focus on farming practices such as cover cropping, compost application, nutrient management and conversion of farm equipment to renewable energy sources.

Plant-based dog food provider PawCo Foods got official accreditation from the Pet Sustainability Coalition that certifies companies that meet the rigorous standards for environmental and social responsibility. The company integrates advanced AI into their recipe development to ensure every meal is optimized for nutrition while minimizing waste and environmental impact.