Gama News – January – March 2024
The January – March 2024 edition of Gama News is now available. In this edition: o Industry Insight: Frank Mertens, Go Mate Drinks o Insight by Gama Compass: Local provenance anchoring food & drink positioning o Tradeshow Insight: Alimentaria 2024 o Innovation Insight: Fazer Taste The Future Chocolate Bar o Industry Insight: Mauricio García de Quevedo, FIAB o Tradeshow Insight: IFE […]
Brazil: Tirolez opens new plant
Brazilian dairy firm Tirolez has announced the opening of a new manufacturing plant in Santa Catarina, Brazil. According to sources, the company invested R$150 million ($30.1 million) in the manufacturing unit in Caxambu do Sul, with the aim of expanding production capacity and strengthening its product portfolio. The unit will have the capacity to process […]
Tradeshow Insight: IFE 2024
IFE, International Food & Drink Event, the annual London-based get-together for the food and drink sector, returned for its latest outing this March, once again proving a key opportunity for a diverse range of brands to pitch their wares to a UK and international audience of industry professionals. With ExCel in London’s Docklands again playing […]
USA: Mars invests $70 million in New Jersey facility
FMCG giant Mars has announced a $70 million investment in R&D and food manufacturing at its site in Hackettstown, New Jersey. In a press release, Mars said the upgraded New Jersey site would include a new prototyping kitchen, packaging lab, and collaboration space with the intent of increasing innovation and development to meet consumer preferences. […]
USA: Sazerac acquires ready-to-drink cocktail brand BuzzBallz
Global spirits company Sazerac has announced it has signed an agreement to acquire BuzzBallz, a US ready-to-drink cocktail brand, for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 2009 by Merilee Kick, BuzzBallz is described as a woman-led and family-operated distillery, winery and brewery, renowned for its spherically-shaped RTD cocktails. BuzzBallz’s portfolio also includes includes brands such as […]
UK: Unilever to spin-off ice cream business
Unilever, the multinational consumer goods giant, has announced plans to spin off its ice cream divison into a separate business entity as it seeks ways “to accelerate its Growth Action Plan (GAP)”. The ice cream business has a portfolio of the top ten most popular global ice cream brands, including Wall’s, Magnum and Ben & […]
UK: Valeo Foods announces Liverpool confectionery factory closure plans
Valeo Foods, the diversified food company, has announced plans to close a facility in the UK city of Liverpool that manufactures confectionery products. First acquired by the company in 2018, the factory employs 100 staff and is dedicated to the manufacture of the Taveners brand range of products, which includes traditional sweets such as caramels, […]
Mauricio García de Quevedo, Director General
FIAB
Gama spoke to Mauricio García de Quevedo, Director General at Federación Española de Industrias de Alimentación y Bebidas (FIAB). What are FIAB’s current priorities and challenges? Given the complex international scenario we are facing at the moment, there is a real need to contain cost inflation which is affecting both consumers and businesses. One of […]
Tradeshow Insight: Alimentaria 2024
For four days this March, Barcelona became the focus of attention for the global food and drink industry as the city’s Fira Barcelona played host to the latest edition of Alimentaria and its co-located show Hostelco. Proclaimed the most global edition to date, with 900 of the 3,200 exhibitors hailing from outside Spain, Alimentaria&Hostelco 2024 saw […]
UK: Kerry innovates with ‘oat and dairy’ product range
Kerry, a leading food and food ingredients company, has announced a “category-first” range of products made from a blend of oat milk and dairy milk, branded as Smug Dairy. The new range, which will be available in stores across the UK from the end of March, includes analogues to cheddar cheese, milk, butter and butter […]