Food & Beverage Asia February/March 2020

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020
www.foodbeverageasia.com
Market Insights:
Food Safety: Why now and sll now?
Photo Courtesy of KHS
Ingredients:
Assembling the plant-based piece on the jigsaw
of healthy living
Packaging & Processing:
How digitalisaon of the supply chain will
reduce global food waste

2
CONTENTS
19 36 42
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE
3
RESOLUTION: TO EAT RIGHT
Josephine Tan
Editor
Food & Beverage Asia incorporates the
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FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

4
NEWS
Emirates SkyCargo poised to support global trade in 2020
Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of
Emirates, has geared up to facilitate global
trade and cargo movement in 2020 and
beyond through a combination of product
development and investment in its “fit for
purpose” infrastructure.
Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior Vice-
President, Cargo, Emirates, forecasted the
outlook for 2020 to be “more positive” with
the air cargo industry set to post a “modest
recovery” due to improved economic
activity and trade growth.
He elaborated, “With our commitment to
‘deliver as promise’ backed by a global
network covering over 155 destinations
centred in Dubai, our modern fleet of
all wide-body aircraft and our Emirates
SkyCentral terminals, Emirates SkyCargo
is well positioned to support trade and
economic growth in line with the Dubai Silk
Road Project. With Expo 2020 Dubai also
set to kick-off in October this year, we will
see a surge in movement of goods to and
from Dubai, and we are working with our
partners to provide specialised air freight
services for this one in a lifetime event.”
Despite a challenging 2019, Emirates SkyCargo looks forward to a "more positive" 2020
Describing 2019 as a “challenging year”, Last year, Emirates SkyCargo continued
Sultan explained that economic uncertainty to roll out products catered for specific
and tensions in global trade as well as industry verticals. For instance, more
unrest in key markets have negatively than 400,000 tonnes of perishables were
impacted cargo volumes, and continued, flown on Emirates’ flights under Emirates
“However, the tough market conditions Fresh, Emirates SkyCargo’s specialised
were an opportunity for us to review our product for perishables. In November and
core offering to our customers and ensure December 2019, the carrier operated nine
we remained market leaders with our charter flights from Santiago, Chile for
specialised product offering, capabilities carrying cherries. ■
and infrastructure as well as our agility in
responding to customer demand.”
SweeGen and Ingredion extend stevia distribution agreement
SweeGen and Ingredion have jointly
announced an updated agreement which
includes an extension on the distribution of
the former’s stevia sweeteners for another
three years.
The companies commercialise Reb M in
early 2017. Reb M is a non-calorie stevia
sweetener that provides sweetness with a
“clean, sugar-like” taste, and enables food
and beverage manufacturers to reduce
sugar, without sacrificing taste.
Katharina Pueller, Director, Natural
Sweetener Business, SweeGen, elaborated,
“Ingredion has been a global distributor
for SweeGen, and a great partner to
support the commercialisation of our
next-generation stevia sweeteners. We
are pleased to extend this partnership
to continue to leverage each partner’s
strengths, while eliminating unnecessary
exclusivity barriers to execution.”
SweeGen’s production process starts with
the stevia leaf, and uses a bio-conversion
process to achieve “high purity, cleantasting”
Reb M and Reb D. Together,
SweeGen and Ingredion have helped
customers formulate and launch no and
low-sugar products in the US, Canada,
Mexico and Australia.
Nate Yates, Global Sugar Reduction
Platform Lead, Ingredion, concluded, “The
sugar reduction trend is shaping the way
manufacturers formulate, and extending
our partnership with SweeGen allows
Ingredion to continue to provide solutions
which unlock the reduction in sugar to
meet customer and consumer demands.
Ingredion and SweeGen can now operate in
a different structure enabling an enhanced
customer experience.” ■
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

NEWS 5
Climate-smart practices start
young
Olam Cocoa has announced plans to extend an education
programme that teaches school children from farming
communities in Côte d'Ivoire about the impact of climate change
and deforestation.
The programme focuses on educating the next generation in
sustainable, climate-smart practices, and further contributes to
efforts to eradicate deforestation in the country. Five schools –
comprising almost 1,000 school children – have participated in
the programme so far, and Olam Cocoa will work collaboratively
with Rainforest Alliance and the Côte d'Ivoire government to
extend the programme to another three schools this year.
Nanga Kone, Country Manager for Côte d'Ivoire, Rainforest
Alliance, explained, “Educating children on the value of trees
and teaching them to grow forest tree seedings in a nursery has
double benefit – not only for the students’ education but also
in reinforcing the messaging to farmers, because the children
go home and talk to their parents about what they are doing
at school.”
As part of the programme, school children will be taught about
protecting the environment and the importance of trees.
Learning will be hands-on as they are asked to maintain a
shade tree nursery, plant trees, and build awareness in their
communities. Children will receive rewards for conservation
activities, including school supply kits, watering cans, school
uniforms, painting pots, and sports equipment.
Danièle Kouassi, Head of Cocoa Sustainability in Côte d’Ivoire,
Olam Cocoa, concluded, “We believe that educating young
people and empowering them to become sustainability
champions in their communities is key to tackling the problem.
We are already working directly with farmers to provide training
and resources. By tapping into the interest children and teachers
have in protecting the environment, we know we can have an
impact that extends much further.” ■
As part of the programme, children are taught about protecting the environment
and the impact of climate change and deforestation

6
NEWS
Bosch Packaging Technology is now Syntegon
The former Bosch Packaging Technology
has been rebranded as Syntegon
Technology, and will focus its business on
intelligent and sustainable technologies for
the pharmaceutical and food industries.
With a mission statement “Processing and
packaging technology for a better life”,
the company is determined to improve the
lives of consumers and patients with its
processing and packaging solutions.
Following the completion of the acquisition
by CVC Capital Partners, this newly gained
independence will empower Syntegon with
greater flexibility. For instance, newly added
departments such as Purchasing and IT in
the headquarter at Waiblingen, Germany,
will shorten the distances between inhouse
units, and facilitate interaction
with customers and suppliers. Whereas
the company had been part of a large
corporation with diverse divisions, it can
now create a business framework suited
for the industry. This new setup will enable
the company to enhance its profile as a
processing and packaging company.
The enterprise has further outlined two
approaches to produce sustainable
packaging – one is to use mono materials
instead of conventional multilayer films, and
the other is to use paper packaging as an
alternative to plastic. Syntegon supports its
customers on the path to a sustainable future
with material testing, machine applications,
and innovative packaging designed to meet
the requirements of products, transport
modes, and regional circumstances.
The company has also reduced the
energy consumption of its machines.
Drawing on deep well of experience in
developing and integrating software
solutions, the company will use connected
components as well as components
enhanced with artificial intelligence to
this end. It puts a “premium” on ensuring
(Photo credit: Syntegon)
sophisticated technologies can be used at
ease. The greater goal, Syntegon added,
is to collect and evaluate data to avoid
machine downtime, maximise product
quality, and optimise overall plant efficiency.
Dr Stefan König, Chairman of the Executive
Board, Syntegon Technology, stated, “We
are building on 150 years of experience
and the 64,000 machines deployed
by our customers, and pursuing new
avenues of business. Now, more than ever
before, we are working on intelligent and
sustainable technologies and embracing the
collaboration with our business partners in
the true spirit of partnership.” ■
Bakels takes over Bühler’s flour ingredient business
Bühler has sold its flour ingredients business
to Bakels, a Swiss enterprise that focuses on
ingredients for bakery and confectionery.
Following the acquisition, Bakels will continue
its partnership with Bühler to develop the
flour ingredients business. Both companies
will also cooperate strategically to offer flour
ingredient solutions under Bakel’s lead to
milling and bakery customers.
Armin Ulrich, Chairman of Bakels,
commented, “Flour ingredients have been
a missing link in our portfolio so far. We
are excited to close that gap now by taking
over Bühler’s well-positioned business
and strengthen our position in China.”
Bühler was active within the flour ingredient
business since 2010, and has gained
expertise and customer relations over the
years. With a main focus on the Chinese
market, the business has been profitable
over the last years, Bühler revealed. From
the growing demand for baked foods
to increasing food safety levels and
the rise of highly nutritional food, the
company is confident and positive on the
outlook of the flour ingredient business.
Johannes Wick, CEO of Bühler’s Grains &
Food business, concluded, “Bühler has been
active in the flour ingredients business to
understand the entire value-chain in order
to provide better consulting capabilities
throughout the lifecycle of assets. Now
we can do this even better, thanks to our
professional partner who is active in a large
array of segments. We are convinced that
this business can unleash its full potential
on a global scale, with Bakels as owner
and Bühler as a strategic partner.” ■
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

NEWS 7
Cargill pumps US$6.4M in food pilot facility
Cargill has invested US$6.4 million to
expand its food pilot capabilities at its
North America Pilot Development Centre
in Savage, Minnesota, enabling bakery
customers to increase their speed-tomarket
with new products.
The new facility will allow the edible oils
business to conduct multi-scale, continuous
piloting, starting with the refining of new
vegetable oils and blends, and ending with
innovative shortening solutions for breads,
cakes, cookies, frying and other uses. Other
food ingredients, including those used for
confectionery products an infant nutrition,
can be piloted at the site as well.
Florian Schattenmann, CTO for Cargill, said,
“Expanding our piloting capabilities will help
us deliver more quickly what matters most
to our customers. It allows us to better
partner with our customers to evaluate
new raw materials, validate performance
specifications, and develop new products
through a distinctive continuum of
innovation services all located with the
Twin Cities.”
Highlights of the 6,500-square-foot facility
include a refinery pilot plant to create new
oils and blends using the latest technologies
to produce shortenings that have enhanced
functionality for specific customer
applications; a fats and oils crystallisation
centre to process shortening, important
for ensuring the right textures in newly
designed products; and a lab equipped to
analyse key fats and oils quality parameters.
The new centre is expected to be fully
operational in late summer 2020, and will
complement Cargill’s Minneapolis Research
and Development Centre and Cargill Food
Innovation Centre. The new facility will also
join other pilot and food innovation facilities
Cargill operates, including its European
Research and Development in Vilvoorde,
Belgium; Asia Innovation Centre in Beijing,
China; and Cargill Innovation Centre in
Singapore.
Sonia Punwani, Global Bakery Category
Leader for Cargill’s edible oils business,
concluded, “Our expanded pilot facility
and our Food Innovation Centre together
will allow us to more quickly respond to
customer requests for samples and test
their performance in bakery products.
This is a big step forward for us to support
bakery innovation with the combination of
science, customer intimacy, and market
insights.” ■
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

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BITING ISSUES
GNT
GNT showcases EXBERRY Colouring Foods’ plant-based
potential at ProSweets Cologne
Petra Thiele, Managing Director for GNT
Europa, said, “Our EXBERRY Colouring
Foods are a perfect solution for plantbased
products, and with more than
400 shades to choose from the creative
possibilities are endless.”
GNT is also showcasing Shades of
Aqua, its key food and beverage colour
trend for 2020. Part of the Love Colour
initiative, it will see vivid blues and greens
driving innovation and providing various
possibilities to create Instagrammable
products that stand out of the crowd.
GNT is highlighting how its EXBERRY
Colouring Foods are able to support
confectionery and snack manufacturers
meet the demand for plant-based
products at ProSweets Cologne 2020,
which takes place from 2-5 Feb 2020 at
Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany.
Made from fruits, vegetables and edible
plants, EXBERRY Colouring Foods are
designed for manufacturers seeking to
tap into a trend, identified by Mintel,
that saw vegan confectionery product
launches increase by 140% from
2013-2017.
The company is also offering a range of
ways to experience EXBERRY Colouring
Foods. Visitors to the GNT stand is given
a chance to sample confectionery-based
sushi and discover the colour strength of
EXBERRY by adding different shades into
plant-based yoghurt. ■
Impossible Foods
Impossible Foods serves up Impossible Pork and Impossible Sausage
Impossible Foods has upgraded its
plant-based product portfolio with the
introduction of Impossible Pork Made
from Plants and Impossible Sausage Made
from Plants – the start-up’s first all-new
products since the debut of Impossible
Burger in 2016.
savoury meat that can be paired with
traditional breakfast accompaniments or
as a centre-of-the-plate delicacy at any
meal. The plant-based, pre-seasoned
product can be used in any recipe or dish
that calls for animal-derived sausage.
A raw, 2-ounce serving has 7g protein,
1.69mg iron, 0mg cholesterol, 9g total
Impossible Pork is a delicious, nutritious,
fat, 4g saturated fat, and 130 calories.
gluten-free, plant-based ground meat that
can be used in dishes like spring rolls,
stuffed vegetables, dumplings, wontons
or sausage links. In a 4-ounce serving,
Impossible Pork contains 16g protein,
3mg iron, 0mg cholesterol, 13g total fat,
7g saturated fat, and 220 calories. It is
characterised by its mild savoury flavour,
and can be cooked in the steamer, oven,
charbroiler, flat-top grill or sauté pan.
Dr Laura Kliman, Senior Flavour Scientist
at Impossible Foods and one of the
company’s researchers on Impossible Pork
and Impossible Sausage, commented,
“Pork is delicious and ubiquitous – but
problematic for billions of people and the
planet at large. By contrast, everyone will
be able to enjoy Impossible Pork, without
compromise to deliciousness, ethics or
Earth.”
As for Impossible Sausage, it is a juicy,
Patrick O. Brown, CEO and Founder of
Impossible Foods, concluded, “Impossible
Foods cracked meat’s molecular code
– starting with ground beef, which is
intrinsic to the American market. Now
we’re accelerating the expansion of our
product portfolio to more of the world’s
favourite foods. We won’t stop until we
eliminate the need for animals in the food
chain and make the global food system
sustainable.” ■
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

BITING ISSUES
9
Pharmactive Biotech Products has
introduced its new generation of aged
black garlic extract for functional food
applications and the culinary market,
launched under the brand ABG10+. The
extract is obtained from fresh garlic that
has been aged, a process which alters
the physiochemical properties of garlic
resulting in enhanced antioxidant and
cardioprotective properties.
ABG10+ is derived from garlic and the
first extract standardised to a higher
concentration of the bioactive compound
S-allyl cysteine (SAC) than in standard
black garlic. SAC is a water-soluble
bioactive compound known for its high
antioxidant capacity and cardiovascular
benefits, as evident in multiple clinical trials.
Pharmactive’s formulation ABG10+ is
produced via an optimised aging process
through a naturally occurring chemical
reaction called “autocatalysis” under
rigorous temperature and humidity controls.
This technique, according to Pharmactive,
naturally enriches the garlic with its
composition of SAC, polyphenols, and
melanoidins, macromolecules responsible
for the dark colour. All three compounds
exert potent antioxidant effects.
Alberto Espinel, Head of R&D for
Pharmactive, explained, “The aging
process reduces the allicin content and
removes the pungent flavour associated
with fresh garlic which tends to repel many
consumers. The allicin is converted into
a potent antioxidant complex and other
bioactives characteristic of black garlic,
plus boosts overall nutrient composition
while increasing and releasing complex
flavour notes.”
Besides dietary supplements, the aged
black garlic extract ingredient can be
integrated into dry preparations, such as
snack bars, endowing a natural sweetness;
or incorporated into condiments including
Aged black garlic goes functional
purees, pastes, and extracts. It can also
be paired with robust sweeteners, such
as molasses, for use in sauces, relishes,
and chutneys.
Julia Diaz, Head of Marketing of
Pharmactive, concluded, “ABG10+ has
the potential to meet growing consumer
demand for healthful flavours in terms of
its organoleptic versatility. It offers food
companies an opportunity to include in
their products functional flavour and added
value.” ■
Pharmactive
Barry Callebaut has introduced M_lk
Chocolate, a dairy-free chocolate that is
aimed at satisfying the growing demand
for plant-based indulgence, particularly
among millennials and centennials.
The new chocolate is part of a wider
portfolio of Plant Craft indulgence range,
which comprises products ranging from
chocolate, cocoa, nuts and fillings to
decorations.
Barry Callebaut adds M_lk Chocolate to Plant Craft range
Barry Callebaut
According to Barry Callebaut, the new
M_lk Chocolate is “creamy, milky, and
has the typical milk chocolate flavour and
texture”. It is made with an ingredient of
natural origin, and the Barry Callebaut
research and development team took
two years to develop this innovation.
Pablo Perversi, Chief Innovation,
Sustainability and Quality Officer and
Head of Gourmet at Barry Callebaut,
said, “The next generation of consumers
is looking for experiences that are
tasty, good for them and good for the
planet. With that in mind, we aim to
accompany the industry in this plant-based
revolution.
“With more than 175 years in mastering
chocolate, creating indulgent experiences
is at the heart of what we do. Through this
innovation, we’re proud to offer chocolate
creations with all of the creaminess
consumers love, 100% dairy-free.”
To bring these plant-based products to
market, Barry Callebaut has developed
a European footprint of fully-segregated
dairy-free production facilities, including a
chocolate factory in Norderstedt, Germany.
The new factory will be the manufacturer’s
first facility capable of supplying dairy-free
chocolate to the European market, and is
expected to open in H1 2021. ■
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

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BITING ISSUES
Roquette
Roquette develops new pea speciality ingredient for sports
and active lifestyles
Active consumers are constantly looking
for foods that provide them with the energy
they need. A 2018 Innova Consumer
Insights report revealed that one-third of
EU consumers purchase sports nutrition
food products to supply them with energy
or keep them going.
These consumers, according to Roquette,
are becoming more demanding when
it comes to food and snacks that can
support their busy lifestyles. At the
same time, health-driven consumers are
looking for carbs that are good for them
with low glycemic response, and they
actively look for alternatives to simple
sugars in their diets.
To response to these market needs,
Roquette has developed Roquette pea
starch LN 30, a product designed for
active nutrition applications that comes
in powder shake and snack bar formats.
The company’s digestibility analysis
highlighted that this pea starch digests
slower in speed, thus offering a “sustained
and easily available energy” for longer
performance.
With this specific digestibility profile,
Roquette pea starch LN 30 will also have
a low impact on blood glucose response,
as demonstrated by a human clinical
trial conducted by Roquette in December
2018. Furthermore, Roquette pea starch
LN 30 comes from sustainable yellow
peas selected according to the company’s
agricultural practices.
This plant-based ingredient solution will
be available on the EU markets at the
beginning of 2020. ■
Taiyo
Taiyo adds matcha powders to product portfolio
Taiyo has introduced two new organic
matcha powders, EU Matcha 100 and
EU Matcha 70. Both the Japanese matcha
powders are rich in vitamin K, manganese,
polyphenols and amino acids – especially
in L-theanine.
EU Matcha 100 is made from leaves
of the first harvest, which are carefully
dried and finely grounded. As for EU
Matcha 70, it features an “invigorating
and harmonising” effect that can be
used to enrich a wide variety of foods.
The applications include confectionery
products such as chocolate, ice cream or
dental chewing gum, as well as modern
snacks like matcha popcorn.
Taiyo has also launched Sunfiber Cola,
a functional soft drink jointly developed
by Sinalco, Sweethouse and Taiyo.
According to Taiyo, a study has shown
that consumption increases the feeling
of satiety and, consequently, fewer
calories are consumed. In addition
to Sunfiber Cola, the company has
developed beverage powder sticks with
Sunfiber that can be added to on-the-go
beverages.
Taiyo further expanded its functional soup
offering with various variants containing
different peptides and hyaluronic
precursors. The health-promoting soups
are enriched with Taiyo’s Vegemeat, a
(Photo credit: 168Studio)
vegan meat alternative, and the latest
green tea product, Sunphenon TH30.
Sunphenon TH30 is obtained from green
tea leaves, and contains L-theanine. It
delivers a “relaxing and stress-reducing”
effect as well as spicy umami taste,
and can be used in sweets and dairy
products. ■
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

MARKET INSIGHTS
11
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

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MARKET INSIGHTS
Food Safety:
Why now and still now?
By Dr Kazuaki Miyagishima, Former Director for Food Safety and Zoonoses, World Health Organization
The World Health Organization
(WHO), jointly together with
the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations (FAO), and
in partnership with the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and the African Union
(AU), made a significant contribution to
two high-level international food safety
conferences held in Addis Ababa and
Geneva last year, under the common theme
of “Future of Food Safety – Transforming
knowledge into action for people,
economies and the environment”.
Furthermore, food safety is being included
in the agenda of the WHO Executive Board
and the World Health Assembly this year.
The last time the governing bodies of
WHO discussed food safety was 10 years
ago. Why is food safety attracting global
attention now?
(Photo credit: Chris Black, WHO)
systems in many regions and countries.
In the aftermath of the BSE crisis, several
food safety agencies were established
with an increased level of autonomy and
authority, and several other countries
strengthened their food safety risk
analysis by separating risk assessment
from risk management, thereby giving
more importance to the excellence and
independence of scientific evaluations of
foodborne risks.
Equally over the same period, the
regulatory aspect of food safety saw
the evolution from the systems that
were heavily relying on the checks of
Some people might consider food safety
as an outdated subject belonging to
the past. Indeed, one can argue that
during the last 15 years of the last
century, the crisis of Bovine Spongiform
Encephalitis (BSE) in ruminants, linked
to the variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease
in humans, as well as the radionuclide
scares after the Chernobyl accident
and a string of devasting outbreaks
of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
infections due to contaminated foods of
animal or plant origins, resulted in a severe
degradation of consumer’s confidence in
food safety all over the world.
At the same time, these crises made people
realise how important food safety was, and
triggered the strengthening of food safety
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

MARKET INSIGHTS
13
end-products towards the systems that
aim at controlling or certifying an entire
manufacturing process based on the
systematic identification of hazards and
their management.
Although the product testing still remains
important and has its place today,
emphasis has moved from a product
control to a process control.
Initially, a number of quality assurance
schemes embodying the principles of
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) systems were proposed; they
soon started to converge among them or
become benchmarked between each other.
HACCP, which used to be considered as
a special and expensive approach only
for the food industry who can afford it, is
now extended to and embraced by smaller
businesses. The term “risk-based” gained
popularity.
Traceability of food and feed is another
area that has developed significantly over
the past decades, and is still evolving
with the use of new technologies such
as electronic tags and the blockchain.
Traceability in itself does not automatically
increase or decrease food safety, but
facilitates a targeted recall of contaminated
food, reduces the risks of food fraud or
accidental introduction of food allergens,
and contributes to building consumer
confidence. Even outside emergencies,
consumers benefit from an intelligent
fridge which is equipped with the ability
to inform them to consume a perishable
product in it before its use-by date.
know how they are different and what
implications they have on food safety.
Good understanding of consumers of how
the food they eat is produced is critical
in playing their own role as a stakeholder
in food safety, as their preference and
acceptability of products largely influences
the development of food production and
manufacture.
Internet sales of food are posing both
opportunities and challenges. On one
hand, the ordering and delivery of food
via the Internet allows full tracking of
products up to the consumer who, in turn,
can provide prompt feedback to the vendor
if something is wrong. On the other, one
has to conceive a new recall mechanism
that is different for the methods used in
conventional sales.
New technologies have a great potential
to enhance food safety when they are
applied to primary production, processing,
packaging or storage. At the same time,
consumers need to know how these
technologies work, and how they are
different from conventional technologies.
Gene editing, for instance, may
revolutionarise plant and animal breeding
and replace the costly, recombinant DNA
technology. Currently, few consumers
The Internet of Things (IoT), coupled with
enhanced traceability and monitoring
technologies, is producing big data at all
stages of the food chain. Most of these
data are exploited within an enterprise,
which own such data and are bound
by confidentiality obligations via a vis
consumers. However, these data hide a
potential, if used appropriately, monitor
the occurrence of foodborne hazards,
elucidate epidemiological trends of
foodborne diseases and assist in targeted
product recall in case of an emergency.
Such an evolution may open a new
era of collaboration between the food
industry and the public health authorities,
and eventually redefine the relationship
between public and private sectors and the
modalities for their collaboration.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development was adopted in 2015. We
are in 2020 and have 10 years remaining
until the target year. Food safety is at
the crossroad of multiple Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDGs
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

14
MARKET INSIGHTS
2 (no hunger), 3 (good health and wellbeing),
8 (decent work and economic
growth), and 12 (responsible consumption
and production).
Food safety is also deeply linked to SDG
13 (climate action) to the extent that food
safety is influenced by climate change
that may drive the different geographic
occurrence patterns of foodborne hazards
while food production, especially animal
production, is responsible for a sizeable
portion of the production of greenhouse
gases. Food systems are, at the same
time, causes and victims of climate
changes and therefore carry a nonnegligible
responsibility for taking
useful actions.
Food safety is not an isolated, standalone
objective anymore, and is
combined with other objectives such
as environmental protection. Practicing
food safety is a good example of multisectoral,
“One Health” undertakings.
Experience in food safety can provide
lessons to other multi-SDG areas of work.
Like any public health action, or a
social and systemic endeavour, food
safety requires a continuing investment.
Injecting resources only for a few
years after a major food safety crisis
does not result in a sustained change.
Food safety legislation and regulations
need to be reviewed periodically and
be updated taking into account the
latest development of science and
technology. Food safety personnel
need to be trained and re-trained.
Laboratory capacities need to be
regularly evaluated and upgraded.
Consumers need to be informed,
educated and empowered on all existing
and emerging issues. A food safety
system that does not function well in
a peace time will never function well
in an emergency. Simulation exercises
need to be performed to find out where
the weakest chain is, and to remain
prepared for emergencies.
These are the reasons why food safety
remains an ongoing challenge for
the entire society. Governments, the
industry and consumers should form a
coalition and work together to enhance
food safety. It is very encouraging to
see some good signs at the national
and international levels going in this
direction. FBA

16
INGREDIENTS
Assembling the plant-based piece
on the jigsaw of healthy living
With greater purchasing power comes greater demand for better, tastier and healthier foods.
Food & Beverage Asia speaks with Nikesh Hindocha, South East Asia Regional Director of AAK; and Wong Li Na,
Senior Marketing Manager of AAK, on how the plant-based trend is picking up speed onto consumers plates.
It is arguably every human being’s
desire to lead a healthy life just as
the saying goes “health is wealth”.
Placing this old adage in today’s
age is more significant than ever
as people are now living longer following
the advancement in modern medicine and
nutrition. Paired alongside better living
standards and economic means, it brings
forth the concept of healthy living, which
comprises two major parts – adopting an
active lifestyle and consuming a healthy
diet.
Particularly on healthy diet, the World
Health Organization identified it as an
essential for good health and nutrition,
as it protects one against chronic
noncommunicable diseases such as
heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Understanding this importance, healthconscious
consumers have sought
alternatives in their diets. Spearheading
this trend on healthy diet is plant-based
foods, which has become a key focus
driving the food industry forward.
(From left) Wong Li Na, Senior Marketing Manager of AAK; with Nikesh Hindocha, South East Asia Regional Director of AAK
Nikesh Hindocha, South East Asia Regional
Director of AAK, said, “Consumers are
getting more educated and conscious,
especially among the younger generation
who now have better environmental
awareness and cares for the planet, while
at the same time wants to have something
healthy. Combining both factors create the
traction for plant-based foods. Moreover,
meat suppliers have their own challenges,
causing the shift in mindset of the younger
consumers.”
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

INGREDIENTS
17
When asked why plant-based alternative
is particularly targeted at the younger
generation, Hindocha explained that this
is due to their willingness in accepting
changes, as compared to the older
generation who are already accustomed
to consuming traditional foods and
ingredients.
Another aspect contributing to the rise of
plant-based foods involves the companies
operating in the same space. These
companies, he added, focus their marketing
efforts on social media platforms to reach
out to their audiences. As a result, the
younger generation, who is more digital
savvy, has a higher chance of being
influenced by these marketing efforts.
A study by The NPD Group identified
millennials, born 1981-1996, as the
top consumers of plant-based meat
alternatives. Entitled The Future
of Plant-based Snapshot, the report
highlighted this generation group has
adopted plant-based meat alternatives
as a way to indulge sensible while
addressing their long-term health
goals and animal treatment concerns.
The study further revealed that Gen Xers,
born 1965-1980, are also a core consumer
group of plant-based meat alternatives,
and because many in this group are
parents of Gen Zs, born 1997 to present,
they raised their Gen Z children on plantbased
beverages and foods.
Hindocha continued, “I believe there
is more than a hype to plant-based
alternatives. There are some evidences
showing that plant-based foods actually
contribute positively to the planet, and is
also a healthy alternative. Whether that will
completely revolutionise, it’s happening to
a certain extent in some areas. We have
never seen this number of new start-ups
and drive towards plant-based than we
do today, but we will have to wait and see
exactly how that will turn out.
“AAK has always been in the plant-based
space. Our solutions in vegetable oils,
combined with the work we work on codevelopments
with customers, place us
in a good position to be part of the plantbased
trend.”
Last June, AAK introduced AkoPlanet,
a new portfolio with solutions for food
manufacturers developing plant-based
alternatives to products within the meat,
dairy and ice-cream segments. AkoPlanet
not only enables food manufacturers to
meet a variety of industry opportunities,
such as health, nutrition and sustainability,
but also the growing demand for plantbased
products among consumers,
particularly millennials.
Sustainable sourcing is a crucial aspect
for the plant-based movement, and all raw
materials used in the AkoPlanet portfolio
are traceable to the growing region, the
company claimed. With this new portfolio,
AAK will leverage on its co-development
approach to work with customers to create
tailor-made solutions.
However, price point of plant-based
alternatives is poised to be another issue
to overcome in converting people who are
currently eating meat to meat alternatives.
The price of plant-based meat alternative is
generally more expensive than traditional
meat due to the ingredients required to
produce. Despite higher prices, some
researches have showed that consumers
are willing to pay more for plant-based
alternatives, at least for now.
Hindocha said, “It depends on the
applications and the goals the food
company would like to achieve. In some
cases, they might be able to optimise their
costs, but when it comes to choosing the
ingredients that will make an impact for the
planet and sustainability, they can think in
perspective of the consumers if they are
willing to pay extra for these solutions. It’s
really a balance on the final application,
and how the food company want to position
it in the market.”
Wong Li Na, Senior Marketing Manager of
AAK, acknowledged Hindocha’s views on
price point, and pointed out that millennials
are more willing to pay for a premium to
know where the ingredients in their food
come from. She cited an example of a
food company which piloted a blockchain
technology project to allow consumers
to track their food back to the farms, and
further predicted that many other global
brands will soon to follow.
The AAK Co-Development approach brings the company’s expertise in vegetable oils and fats into
collaboration with its customers
Under this “premium” market also lies
indulgence, where consumers are placing
increasing focus on innovation and even
personalisation. Hindocha highlighted that
this premium indulgence trend is especially
true in Asia as people are starting to earn
more, resulting in higher purchasing power,
and thus more demands on the types of
foods they consume. Beyond taste, it is
about the additional nutrition and selfsatisfaction
values these foods create
that empowers consumers to “feel good”,
he added.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

18
INGREDIENTS
Engagement and interaction combine
to drive future innovations
In September last year, AAK celebrated the
first anniversary of the Singapore Customer
Innovation Centre. The Singapore centre
is particularly established to strengthen
the company’s capabilities and customer
co-development approach in the South
East Asia market.
AAK has similar centres across the world
in which it works closely with customers
to develop value-adding vegetable oil
solutions. The other Customer Innovation
Centres under AAK’s Asia footprint are
located in Mumbai, Shanghai and Tokyo.
Hindocha said, “The Customer Innovation
Centre has helped us accelerate and take
that customer co-development approach
to the next level in South East Asia where
we have much closer proximity to our
customers in this region. We’re also able
to do development and run projects in our
application centre. It has greatly helped us
to speed up our projects and developments
together with customers.
“It’s a great way to have customers here
and engage with them in an environment
where we can have information, interaction,
and hands-on in our application centre. In
short, I’d say that it has allowed us to fully
work on the customer co-development
approach which is a part of our DNA.”
One success story under the customer codevelopment
approach was the creation of
Akoroma NH38, a customised vegetablebased
pizza topping that was developed
through the collaboration between AAK
China’s Customer Innovation team and
two Chinese dairy companies. Developed
based on the traditional process of cheese,
Akoroma NH38 features colour, milk
flavour and sensory experience of dairy
fat-based cheese, thus meeting the taste
and mouthfeel preferences of Chinese
consumers.
And at the heart of AAK’s customer
co-development approach is the AAK
Academy of learning events, which provides
opportunities to share knowledge and
Akoroma NH38 is a customised vegetable-based pizza
topping which is co-developed AAK and two Chinese
dairy companies
inspire product innovation. Within the AAK
Academy, the company hosts seminars
such as chocolate and confectionery
fats academy, bakery academy, special
nutrition academy, and dairy academy.
Wong elaborated, “AAK Academy has been
one of our flagship marketing events that
AAK has been successfully conducting for
many years. Previously, our team had to
travel to either customer’s or third-party’s
premises to conduct practical sessions.
With this Customer Innovation Centre,
we are able to conduct more hands-on
sessions. We also realised that regional
customers are willing to travel their way
here, which simply represents the values
AAK Academy offers to them.”
The objective of the Customer Innovation
Centres is to be close to customers in
every region, and the Singapore centre
enjoyed a great first year as there were
many activities taking place here, Hindocha
stressed. “Many of our customers were
here and they appreciate the different trials
we can do in our application centre, and in
the end, they were able to launch a product
which is good for the market.
“Many ideas are also being exchanged here,
allowing us to understand and discuss the
challenges our customers face and how best
we can support them with our solutions.
This is how we like to the process going.”
Commenting on a wider Asia-Pacific
landscape, he identified China and India
as big markets in this region, and pointed
out AAK’s investments in both countries.
The investments include the expansion
of its production facility in Zhangjiagang,
China; and the further acquisition of shares
of AAK Kamani, the joint venture between
AAK and Kamani Oil Industries.
“Asia is an important region for AAK. It is
equally important for us to show that growth
going forward, and we will continue to invest
in this region,” he said.
Adding new forces into existing market
AAK concluded 2019 with a total of three
acquisitions – namely Soya International,
BD Foods and MaasRefinery.
Established in 2009, MaasRefinery
specialises in toll refining of vegetable oils
and fats in the food industry, particularly
the latter being a key focus for AAK. For BD
Foods, the British foodservice company is a
producer of meal accompaniments, and has
a portfolio of over 3,000 products that are
sold to a wide range of customers, including
restaurants, hotels, airlines, wholesalers and
food manufacturers.
Hindocha commented, “We wanted to
expand our footprint and capacity with
growth. These acquisitions give us additional
capabilities in some areas where we are
interested in exploring like food service, for
example, that’s where BD Foods plays a role.”
And on Soya International, the UKbased
company focuses on the sourcing,
processing and distribution of non-GMO
semi-speciality and speciality lecithin.
Lecithin is a natural emulsifier and a
by-product from the processing of vegetable
oils.
“The acquisition of Soya International allows
us to play in adjacent ingredients to oils and
fats. Lecithin is a food addictive related to
our business. It is also a key ingredient for
our customers, especially those in chocolate
and confectionery fats as well as bakery. It’s
a way for us to diversify our business but still
be within the space where we are operating
in,” Hindocha concluded.
“AAK has had a strong 2019, and I believe
that with the trends that we see taking place
across global markets – such as plant-based
and health – place us in a good position to
deliver stronger results in 2020. That’s in
the AAK world, and we are looking positively
ahead based on these key trends.” FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

INGREDIENTS
19
From ritual to regional
In many cultures, tea is associated with
some kind of ritual. From the tea houses of
Japan to a traditional English afternoon tea,
each region has its own firm preferences.
But with constant twittering and tweeting,
the world is getting smaller and consumers
more adventurous. Products today travel
quickly beyond borders and across the
globe, and consumers’ growing buying
power means they can afford to eat
and drink the on-trend products people
millions of miles away are enjoying.
In China and Taiwan, milk tea and bubble
tea with tapioca pearls were once the
preserve of street vendors selling to busy
passers-by from a simple stand. Today, we
are witnessing a booming milk tea shop
culture. And not just in China and Taiwan;
the trend has made its way to South
East Asia and the Pacific region, and is
spreading to other continents.
And to top it all off…
By Tracy Fortu, Segment Marketeer,
FrieslandCampina Ingredients Foodservice Asia-Pacific
Milk tea with a milk cap
From Europe to Asia, in Africa and America, tea has a long and strong
tradition. Enjoyed at breakfast, served as an integral part of traditional
afternoon tea, or as a bedtime beverage, tea worldwide creates moments
of feeling good at any time of the day. But as social media spreads
new trends in minutes, and sophisticated consumers seek the latest
instagrammable sensation, what’s driving the tea market right now? And
how can manufacturers ensure they are ahead of the latest innovations?
Tea served with a milk cap
Another major tea trend which started
out in China and Taiwan, and has swept
through the rest of South East Asia and
the Pacific region, is tea served with a
milk cap. A tasty and velvety textured
topping creates a savoury and sweet
taste sensation that excites the senses,
and gives an added touch of indulgence.
It’s a trend that is particularly popular
among younger consumers as they pack
the coolest cafes in cities throughout the
region. It offers them a complete sensorial
experience, from superior taste and an
appealing appearance to exciting colours,
textures and toppings.
It’s personal
Milk cap layers also cater to the trend
for personalised beverages that allow
consumers in the out-of-home channel to
conveniently add their own finishing touch.
Menus in foodservice outlets abound with
choices, from simple chocolate sprinkles,
syrups and sauces to more exotic options
such as red beans, cheese or jelly.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

20
INGREDIENTS
In a Trend Report for 2019-2020 published
by FrieslandCampina Ingredients Food &
Beverages, layers, structures and toppings
were identified as a key method to add a
touch of indulgence and stand out from
the crowd. These personal additions are
an integral part of the tea shop and coffee
bar experience.
Instantly instagrammable
Consumers love the new milk cap tea,
coffee and fruit drinks, since they
allow them to have creative personal
experiences which they can share on social
media. Looking for “likes” on Facebook or
retweets of their Twitter post, they need
an eye-catching photo of the top time they
are having. Versatile milk caps promise
consumers a drink they can make their
own with different layers one on top of the
other, a choice of flavours, tastes, textures
and toppings, plus a selection of sprinkles
to suit. Perfect for sharing on social media!
Milking the benefits in an instant
Not only are milk caps loved by consumers
whose traditional tea is transformed into
a fun and personalised experience that
keeps them coming back for more – there
are multiple benefits for foodservice
providers, tea shops, coffee bars and
restaurants too.
Feeding the foodservice industry’s quest
for convenience and versatility is a new
take on milk cap: an instant version from
FrieslandCampina Ingredients Food &
Beverages which means creating a milk
cap couldn’t be easier. Simply add water
or milk to the instant powder, and stir
with a spoon to create a stable foam that
requires no specialist machinery. Once
prepared, the topping can be chilled or
refrigerated until it’s required. This quick
and easy preparation can then be added
to a hot beverage or fruit drink for a sharp,
clean line between the drink and the milk
cap, or poured through the beverage for
a latte-like look. Baristas and bar staff do
not need any time-consuming training,
and consumers can be served a tasty treat Supplied as a powder, Kievit instant milk
in seconds.
cap is not only child’s play to whip up,
it also boasts a long shelf-life, and is
Kievit instant milk cap powder
easy to transport. Precise portions also
Just one easy-to-use ingredient adds a
reduce food waste, adding a tick to green
wealth of signature options to the menu.
credentials.
The versality of an instant milk cap powder
ensures it’s an interesting ingredient for
foodservice providers. A milk cap can Beyond tea
be used to add the finishing touch to Such is the growing popularity of milk
teas and conjure up different toppings caps that add an indulgent combination
by varying the liquid, and adding syrups of taste, texture and mouthfeel that
or other ingredients. Imagination is the applications are expanding, and now
only limit to creativity! Unleashing the
include coffee, chocolate, fruit drinks,
endless possibilities keeps customers
desserts and even alcoholic beverages in
surprised – and coming back for more.
the line-up. A recently published recipe
Oreo cheesecake milk tea, iced Thai milk
book demonstrates how a single simpleto-use
milk cap ingredient can be used
tea with salted caramel milk foam, caramel
tea macchiato – these are just some of the
refreshing ideas to ensure differentiation creatively to conjure up a whole menu of
in a crowded market.
exciting options.
Get your customers’ taste buds tickling…
These delicious milk cap application ideas transform and turn an ordinary menu
into a culinary adventure playground of taste and texture, mouthfeel and flavour
in an instant:
• Iced Coffee with creamy vanilla cap – a more indulgent take on a classic drink.
• Zabajone Coffee with Kievit milk cap – served with chocolate sauce for added
touch of indulgence.
• Iced Thai Milk Tea with salted caramel milk foam – a Thai favourite now combined
with a modern flavour as a topping.
• Caramel Tea Macchiato – an exciting combination of tea and coffee but with
the cult favourite caramel.
• Oreo Cheesecake Milk Tea. Shake and serve! – customer’s favourite flavours
topped with Oreos.
• Very Berry Blitz with Greek yoghurt foam – healthy, wholesome but exciting.
Appeals to health-conscious customers.
• Red Velvet Mousse – the perfect refreshment for hot summer afternoons.
• Honey Chestnut Cheesecake drink – the colours of autumn encapsulated in a
glass.
• Irish Cream Foaming Coffee – the perfect liqueur coffee with a dash of spirit
and a perfect foam. An ideal Christmas beverage.
• Frosty Chocolate drink with mint milk cap – for an overflow of visual indulgence.
• Hot Chocolate with peanut butter foam – a winter indulgence with a nutty
addition.
• Virgin Piña Colada with coconut milk cap – an alcoholic-free cocktail comparison.
• Mango Sticky Rice with coconut foam – a sticky sweet,
savoury treat.
• Fresh Strawberry drink with instant milk cap – a super
strawberry delight.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

INGREDIENTS
21
Zabajone Coffee with Kievit milk cap
To support customers in addressing
trends quickly in their local market,
FrieslandCampina Ingredients Food &
Beverages has developed on-trend recipes
with proven high performance. These
thoroughly tested recipes are a starting
point to developing the right application
for local markets.
FrieslandCampina Ingredients Food &
Beverages invests in expertise on the
ground to create the right formulations
for local markets. Experts from different
departments, including R&D, marketing
and sales, work closely with customers
in the company’s Innovation Kitchens in
China, the Philippines and Indonesia. A
close side-by-side collaboration between
manufacturers and their ingredients
partners enables the latest trends to be
leveraged, taking into account the local
preferences. In the Innovation Kitchens,
insights into consumer preferences and
an in-depth understanding of regional
variations, coupled with versatile and costeffective
ingredients, have spawned a raft
of award-winning end-products.
Regional variations and local
differences
To succeed in the market, an understanding
of local nuances and preferences is crucial,
and may mean the difference between
further penetrating the market and missing
out on the trend. While global trends are
important, understanding how they are
expressed at the local level is the key factor
for success. Consumers hold on to local
rituals and preferences when consuming
their tea.
For the future
As the milk tea market becomes
increasingly sophisticated, let’s top off this
article with a few tea types to watch in the
future: think Oreo clouds, a caramelised
creamy confection, green tea sorbet.
With the humble tea transforming itself
into an indulgent treat, milk caps offer an
innovative route to differentiation in an
excitingly dynamic market.
Summary
Tea is loved the world over, albeit it in different ways. This article considers the latest trends in the market. The option to personalise
beverages is key. Milk caps add a touch of indulgence, and allow consumers to personalise their drink with a range of toppings.
Now, instant milk cap layers by FrieslandCampina Ingredients Food & Beverages mean layers can be created instantly, and
stored until needed. Innovative ingredients are backed by local expertise, allowing foodservice customers to cater to regional
preferences, and compete effectively in a crowded market.
Such is the popularity of milk caps that applications now include coffee, chocolate, fruit drinks, desserts and even alcoholic
beverages. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

Through its technical expertise, Tate & Lyle has developed
allulose, which deliver on sugar qualities
A shift in consumer behaviour has reshaped the beverage landscape, driving Tate & Lyle
to develop delicious solutions that fit better within consumer’s healthy lifestyle
Hitting a balanced sweet spot
Sugar is one of the most frequently used ingredient in foods and beverages, and the fondness people have
for the sweet taste it triggers is about to get healthier and more nutritious, as Thomas Teh, Nutrition Scientist,
Asia-Pacifi c, Food and Beverage Solutions, Tate & Lyle; and Harry Boot, President, Asia-Pacifi c, Food and
Beverage Solutions, Tate & Lyle; elaborate more to Food & Beverage Asia.
The relationship with sugar
is bittersweet. The sweet
part is that consumers,
generally, have a sweet tooth
as consuming foods that
are sweet uplifts spirits and might even
relieve depression to a certain extent.
Triggering sweetness is sugar, which is an
important source of energy to the human
body. Hence, combining both physical and
emotional needs make the consumption of
sugar even more pleasurable and logical.
But on the bitter side, excess consumption
of sugar has been associated with diabetes,
obesity, dental and heart-related diseases.
Particularly on diabetes, there are around
463 million adults with diabetes worldwide,
the International Diabetes Foundation
(IDF) revealed in the ninth edition of the
IDF Diabetes Atlas. Of which, 374 million
adults have impaired glucose tolerance,
placing them at high risk of developing
Type 2 diabetes. Overall, Type 2 diabetes
accounts for up to 90% of the total.
Thomas Teh, Nutrition Scientist, Asia-
Pacific, Food and Beverage Solutions, Tate
& Lyle, said, “Sugar is one of the sources
of caloric intake but certainly not the only
one. Type 2 diabetes is primarily caused
by lifestyle factors and genetics. Other risk
factors include obesity, lack of physical
activity, and a poor diet.
“While carbohydrates are an essential
part of a balanced diet, if too many are
consumed, reducing intake can help with
weight management. Overall, consuming
too much sugar increases blood glucose
levels quickly, which then also tend to fall
quickly – and this may lead to impaired
blood glucose control over time and
increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes.”
The IDF report pointed out that diabetes
was responsible for an estimated US$760
billion in health expenditure in 2019, and
further predicted that the total number of
people with diabetes will rise to 578 million
by 2030 and 700 million by 2045.
In Asia, the prevalence of diabetes in
China has reached 10.9%, accounting
for an estimated 116 million adults who
are living with diabetes. According to the
IDF, over 65 million of these 116 million,
are undiagnosed and, as a result, may be
particularly at risk.
Dietary control can be a step towards
diabetes prevention. Teh suggested that
an optimum diet should consist of at
least 55% of total energy coming from
carbohydrates obtained from a variety of
food sources. Although the total energy
requirements differ greatly during different
stages of life, he explained that energy
and nutrient needs are increased during
pregnancy and lactation, and during the
transition from childhood to adulthood.
And in the elderly population, the total
energy requirement is lower as compared
to adulthood in most cases. This, according
to Teh, means the individualisation of both
carbohydrate and total energy intake are
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

Tate & Lyle develops a variety of ingredients for foods and beverages manufacturers that
harness the health benefits of fibre, giving consumers the taste and texture they enjoy
important to ensure that the amount of
energy ingested matches the amount of
energy required.
He elaborated, “Consuming fibre can
improve the blood glucose response –
by controlling large variations in blood
glucose throughout the day – and help
reduce the risk of, or manage existing
cases of, Type 2 diabetes.
“Low- or no-calorie sweeteners have the
common characteristic of being intensely
sweet compounds. This means that they
are several hundred times sweeter than
table sugar, and only very small quantities
are needed to achieve the desired level
of sweetness in foods and drinks, while
contributing very few or no calories at all
to the final product. They also have the
benefits of not affecting blood glucose
levels, and of being kind to teeth.”
Substituting sugar for the better?
It is arguably impossible to completely
eliminate sugar within regular diet.
On a national level, governments have
encouraged the consumption of no and low
sugar options as they seek to meet stricter
standards and respond to the growing
diabetes epidemic, as well as poor dietary
choices and other forms of malnutrition.
To further curb the consumption of high
sugar-added products, some countries
have even imposed sugar tax.
Commenting on the impact of sugar
tax on the food and beverage industry,
Harry Boot, President, Asia-Pacific, Food
and Beverage Solutions, Tate & Lyle,
said, “We welcome efforts to encourage
healthy eating, reverse the obesity trend,
and tackle the growing incidence of Type
2 diabetes. We are following closely how
this tax will affect consumer behaviour, and
believe it could help enable change, but are
of the view that a multi-pronged approach
will be key to achieve real impact.
“For food suppliers, reformulation will be
important to maintain profit margins where
a sugar tax has been imposed. Our sugar
replacement ingredients can help them to
reduce the sugar content of their products
– without compromising on taste – and
thus reduce their tax burden.”
And on the consumer level, consumers
are increasingly looking for healthier
options that still deliver great taste. As
they become more educated about diet
and nutrition, they want to have access
to products that enable them to eat well.
While there are many alternatives to sugar
that maintain taste and sweetness, Boot
pointed out that fibre will continue to play
an important role in reducing sugar in foods
and beverages in response to consumer
demand and calls from regulators and
health authorities. He explained that the
food and beverage industry has been
using fibre more for its sugar replacement
capability than its enrichment properties;
however, the growing consumer awareness
of fibre’s health benefits is driving the
demand for enriched products, and brands
are responding.
For instance, Tate & Lyle provides a
range of sweeteners, such as fructose
and allulose, as well as other ingredients
that deliver on sugar’s other qualities
besides sweetness, such as mouthfeel,
bulking, caramelisation or freezing point
depression.
Particularly allulose, the sweetening
ingredient comes with the taste and
functionality of sugar with “negligible
calories and no impact on blood sugar”,
Boot claimed, and further described
allulose as the “game-changer” when it
comes to sugar reduction, as it delivers all
the functional as well as sensory qualities
of sugar.
He elaborated, “This ingredient is opening
up sugar reduction solutions in categories
and applications that have until now, been
very difficult to solve using high-intensity
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

24
INGREDIENTS
For over 160 years, Tate & Lyle has been creating
food people love through its technical expertise
and passion in driving innovation and creativity
sweeteners alone. Allulose also works
well with low calorie sweeteners such as
sucralose and stevia, making it even more
useful to the formulator when developing
new sugar-reduced foods and beverages.”
Tate & Lyle has been working closely with
its customers to help them reformulate
their recipes to reduce the sugar and
calorie content – and improve the overall
healthiness – of their products, while
making sure taste is maintained. The
company is also engaged in purposeful
partnerships with policymakers, academics
and industry to bring greater innovation
to the field of sugar replacement and
healthier eating.
The demand for sugar alternatives will
continue to increase, Boot predicted, as
consumers in Asia see sugar as the “golden
standard” for taste, the closer the profile
to sugar the better.
He explained, “Sucralose, like our Splenda
Sucralose, tastes very similar to sugar,
so we believe it will be the top sugar
alternative over the next few years.
Additionally, our innovation in the stevia
space with our partner, Sweet Green Fields,
has enabled naturally sourced sweetening
solutions that taste more like sugar than
ever before, and are cost-effective.”
Boot further shared his views on the
development of the sugar alternative
market in the next three to five years,
and said, “Generally speaking, there is a
preference for natural sweeteners. In time,
we expect that more markets will move
towards natural alternatives, albeit at
different paces, because this is ultimately
what most consumers want.
“We are also seeing a rise in the combination
of sugar alternatives, for example stevia
and monk fruit, and in applications where
energy is required, a bulk sweetener such
as fructose is still popular for a lower GI,
in a healthy and tasty product.”
Labelling efforts
“No sugar added”, “sugar free” and
“reduced sugar” – these are some of the
terms found on food labels, in addition to
the many different names for sugar listed
on food labels. In Boot’s perspective, the
different labels enable manufacturers to
be specific about the features of the final
product. This places choice in the hands
of the consumer, which ultimately drives
healthier food choices.
“Reducing sugar or taking sugar out
completely requires a complex balance
of art and science. When you remove
sugar, you need a number of alternative
ingredients to fulfil the various functions
of sugar,” he continued. “The technique
and reformulation needed to maintain
these qualities with no or reduced sugar
vary depending on the type of food and
production process, i.e. what works for
beverages might not necessarily work for
bakery or dairy products.”
Boot suggested food and beverage
manufacturers to also take into account
the production process, cost in use,
the desired claim on front of pack,
consumer demand, market trends and
their competitive activity.
He concluded, “Tate & Lyle has a wide
portfolio of ingredients, as well as
reformulation expertise across a broad
range of food and drink categories. This
means we can provide food and beverage
manufacturers with customised solutions
that fit their specific needs, including
reducing sugar content and being able
to use these labels that customers are
increasingly looking for.” FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

26
INGREDIENTS
Strong, active and
over 60
A growing number of seniors are young at heart and
healthy in body. But is the food industry doing enough to
meet their nutritional needs?
By Takashi Ichikawa, Strategic Marketing Manager in Japan;
and Zoe Zhou, Strategic Marketing Manager in China,
DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences
holds a wealth of opportunities to explore,
and that the best way to get started is to
understand the market.
Perhaps some audiences might not
appreciate having a “senior” label on the
food products they buy. Or, they have other
priorities that trigger their purchasing
decisions. Understanding how to appeal
to consumer preferences while complying
with local food labelling regulations are
preconditions of success.
It’s no wonder we keep on hearing
about the aging global population.
The United Nations reports that
the number of over-60s has more
than doubled since 1980, and is
expected to double again – reaching nearly
2.1 billion – by 2050. Countless clinical
studies have also shown that, with the right
nutrition and exercise, the older generation
can keep fit, healthy and independent way
into the twilight years.
Why is it, then, that Japan, the country
with the world’s oldest population, has
so few food products directly targeted
at senior consumers on its supermarket
shelves? And why are there even fewer in
China, the nation with the world’s biggest
population overall?
As with most questions, there is an answer.
Most importantly for food producers, there
is no doubt the senior nutrition segment
First impression can be wrong
Despite first impressions in the
supermarkets, Japan is, in fact, the leading
country for senior-positioned food, drink
and healthcare launches in the world. The
Mintel Global New Products Database
shows that the Japanese market accounted
for one-third of all such launches in the five
years up to 2018. Of new food products
with a senior claim, around 80% are ready
meals.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

INGREDIENTS
27
(Photo credit: iStock.com/ Tomwang112)
However, when taking into consideration
that less than 1% of global food, drink
and healthcare launches had a senior claim
during this period, then it is not surprising
they are still hard to find. So this question
is still relevant: Why is the food industry
not doing more to target the more than
half of Japanese consumers who are aged
over 50?
Hasty conclusions should not be drawn
about the few senior claims on food
product labels. A closer look at the market
reveals a variety of reasons for targeting
older consumers in other ways. People
assume the senior market in Japan to
be very big – around US$5,000 million
dollars. It is estimated that around half
of that is the frailty market for consumers
over the age of 80.
Because seniors are such a major part
of the population, they buy food that are
made generally for all age groups. In other
words, the senior market is much bigger
than expected. There is also a tendency
for older consumers to think they are still
young for their age. That means many
don’t actually want to buy a product in
senior packaging.
Senior preferences revealed
Last September, DuPont conducted an
online survey of Japanese consumers
across all age groups to learn more about
what they prefer to eat and how much they
exercise. The findings reveal that, of the
2,000 survey participants, those over the
age of 60 consume most yoghurt, bread
and fruit. Older women, for example, eat
almost twice as much yoghurt as younger
men.
The response to questions about exercise
is particularly interesting. While exercise is
not a priority for people in their 40s, the
level of physical activity rises steadily from
the age of 50 on. Most do light exercise
such as walking. But if you go to any gym
in Japan, you will find they are dominated
by active seniors who know they need daily
exercise to avoid frailty as they age.
Another finding from the DuPont survey
is that male awareness of protein intake
rises steadily in later years, after dipping
during middle age. Women, on the other
hand, show increasing protein awareness
throughout life. “Daizu” – the Japanese
name for soy – is the protein source best
known to all age groups. It highlights the
link between this high activity level and
protein consumption.
Communication strategies
It is this focus on exercise and nutrition
to maintain good health that partly
explains why some manufacturers have
chosen other ways to catch the attention
of Japan’s older adults than through a
direct, senior-oriented positioning of their
products. One approach is to communicate
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

28
INGREDIENTS
the health benefits of a specific nutrient
that a product contains.
A strong example of that is Meiji, which
has used television and online media to
promote the immunity-strengthening R-1
probiotic strain that goes into its yoghurt.
For consumers – many of them seniors
– the R-1 on the product label is the key
factor that drives their loyalty to the brand.
People see R-1 as good for gut health and
prevention of flu. It sells well, especially
in the winter.
Change looms in China
In the large, neighbouring Chinese market,
the conditions could hardly be more
different – for the time-being at least. Just
11.4% of the population was aged 65 and
above in 2017, making the question of
senior nutrition much less pressing than
in Japan. But the forecast points to radical
change in the near future. By 2050, one in
four Chinese citizens will be over 65.
It appears that eyes are gradually opening
to this impending demographic shift. The
current food industry focus is on the
younger generation, women or adults in
general. But, at DuPont, we are starting
to develop concepts and solutions for
seniors, and expect senior nutrition
brands that have experienced success on
other international markets to bring their
expertise to this market.
Currently, dietary supplements are the
main source of targeted nutrition for all
age groups in China. Supplements are
seen as a very natural way to meet varying
nutritional needs as people age. Within
food and beverages, there are currently
no established segments for seniors apart
from vitamin and mineral-enriched milk
powder, so this will clearly be an area of
major opportunity in the coming years.
As incomes and health awareness rise,
Chinese seniors and pre-seniors are
becoming more outspoken about their
desire to remain youthful and energetic.
Older adults may as yet be far less
noticeable in the gym than in Japan, but
their interest in travelling and sports
activities is growing. And so is their
demand for nutritious foods.
There is great potential to address senior
needs for nutrition in a tastier, more
appealing way than pills.
Rising health awareness
Food manufacturers can look to the
Chinese dietary supplement market
for inspiration. A series of television
commercials has successfully raised
awareness of the connection between
calcium supplements and bone health. As
a result, calcium supplements have been
widely taken by consumers in the middle to
senior age groups over the past five years.
Other health and nutrition-related
topics have yet to be touched. These
include opportunities within protein
supplementation to counter muscle loss,
and probiotics for digestive and immune
health.
The muscle loss question will become very
important to Chinese seniors who want to
continue a healthy, energetic life. This will
require strong consumer communication
around high quality, easily digestible
proteins, and the need for physical exercise
to keep muscles in shape.
Consumers are already well acquainted
with probiotics in yoghurt and, particularly
over the past year, in dietary supplements
as well. In the future, we can expect to
see more probiotic combinations in other
food products, backed by clinical studies of
their digestive and immune health benefits.
Technology is already becoming available
to ensure probiotic cultures stay alive in a
wider range of foods.
When market research company Mintel
asked about consumer preferences for
foods with a specific health function,
Chinese seniors cited foods that support
cardiovascular, digestive, bone and
immune health as their main interests.
Cognitive health comes just a little further
down the list.
The national interest
From a government perspective, there
is every reason to encourage the
development of food and beverage brands
that promote targeted senior nutrition and
help reduce the risk of lifestyle-related
health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes
and cardiovascular disease.
In Japan, government health spending has
risen dramatically from 5.8% of GDP in
2000 to 9.2% in 2018, according to the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD). China can
expect a similar scenario in the years ahead
as today’s aging population forecasts
finally become reality.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

INGREDIENTS
29
Both countries have wisely introduced
new regulations to help manufacturers
bring new food products with a health or
nutrition claim faster to market.
Launched in 1991, Japan’s complex
Food for Specific Health Uses (FOSHU)
certification process is renowned for
being highly costly and drawn out,
requiring clinical documentation and
taking several years to complete. The
new Foods with Functional Claims (FFC)
system, introduced in 2015, can take just
a few months.
Manufacturers have welcomed the new
regulatory system. By January 2019, FFC
food products outnumbered foods with a
FOSHU label by far.
The Chinese equivalent to FOSHU is the
Health Food Certificate, widely known as
Blue Hat, which also involves several years
of administrative procedures, rigorous
testing and clinical trials – accompany by
high costs for applicants. China revised
and simplified its health food registration
rules in 2016. According to the new
regulation, food products containing
functional ingredients from an approved
list may be registered via a health food
notification channel.
Success without health claims
However, food manufacturers may
circumvent such regulations altogether –
by following the example of companies like
Meiji in Japan and focusing their consumer
communications on the documented active
ingredients that deliver a specific nutrition
or health benefit.
If manufacturers can successfully promote
the health benefits of an ingredient, then
they have no need to strengthen their
brand with a FOSHU or FFC label. They
can do very well without it. As long as they
do not link the benefits directly to their
products, they remain in full compliance
with functional food labelling regulations.
Speed is often of the essence when
responding to changing market trends. So
there can be good reason to count on other
means of product promotion than a health
claim on the label. But whichever strategy
manufacturers choose, the opportunities
to launch new products for the senior
generation are vast.
The keenness to learn
A key point to remember is that active
seniors are keen to learn more about
how to make the best dietary choices for
a long and healthy retirement. From the
DuPont survey in Japan, it is clear that,
while seniors are aware of their need for
protein, they are less well informed about
how much protein they need every day.
From China, Mintel also reports that 40%
of seniors aged 55-74 believe they have
poor immunity – and 21% both believe
their immunity is poor and are not taking
any measures to improve it. In other
words, while the Chinese probiotic market
is growing, there is still a need for more
communication about probiotic strains
with a documented effect on immune
health.
Smart additions
Another emerging area concerns the gutbrain
axis – the link between gut microbiota
and cognitive health, which has been
the subject of several recent articles in
leading Japanese consumer magazines.
As research progresses, more probiotic
strains are being developed to help relieve
stress and anxiety, and enhance mood and
memory.
In Japan, the rise of dietary supplements
with Omega 3 fatty acids, gingko
lead extract, and the phospholipid
phosphatidylserine shows a growing
consumer awareness of the dietary
connection with cognitive health. However,
the taste and price of these functional
ingredients often make them unsuitable
for food and beverages. Probiotics, which
seniors already recognise, hold much
greater potential to capture a share of the
cognitive health food market.
Experience so far suggests that a smart
media strategy is a more effective way to
reach knowledge-seeking seniors than
through a health or nutrition claim on
food and beverage packaging. Among
those who are young at heart and strong
in body, claims may also be more welcome
if they focus on a specific benefit rather
than the target consumer’s age. While that
may sound like an excuse for the current
dearth of senior-positioned products, it
is actually not. As the population ages all
over the world, food manufacturers have
every reason to develop new products with
senior appeal. For those with the right
marketing topics, boundless opportunities
await. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

30
ON THE TABLE
Bottoms up to the Lion's return
Beer comes in many different types – ale, lager, malt and stout – as
well as styles like amber, blonde, pilsner, and more. In this issue,
Will Julius, Co-Founder and General Manager of Lion Brewery Co, takes
Food & Beverage Asia down the heritage of the brewery and its attempt
in crafting beer to the preference of the locals and the wider global markets.
Beer is arguably one of the most
widely consumed alcoholic
drinks worldwide. It can be
enjoyed individually or with a
group of friends over parties
and gatherings, and even during festivals
like Saint Patrick’s Day and Oktoberfest.
Canned, bottled, draft or even on small
mobile keg, beer is available in many forms
to cater to the convenience and needs of
today’s consumers.
And like many other food and beverage
items, beer can also be a very personal
experience, especially when it comes to
taste. It offers even more variety – some
prefer a dry and hoppy aftertaste, some like
it light and fruity, and others may opt for a
roasty or malty taste. Regardless its form
and taste, the key in retaining consumers’
taste buds is ensuring freshness of the
beer while continuously exploring new beer
flavours. This brings forth an opportunity
for craft beers, which are typically made by
small local and independent brewers that
place more emphasis in creating natural,
flavourful tasting beers.
For instance, the Straits Pale Ale from the
newly founded Lion Brewery Co uses a
tropical, aromatic hop profile and tailored
blend of malted barley to deliver a crisp
and refreshing beer, especially designed
for the humid climate of South East Asia.
The balance of light fruit and dry golden
tones with a 4.5% alcohol content make it
a moreish, sessionable beer; ideal for long
afternoons in the sun.
The Lion’s return
The origins of the name 'Lion Brewery Co'
can be dated back to London in 1836,
where it shipped well-hopped ales – made
to be transported and consumed in hot
weather – to trading posts around the
world, including South East Asia. The
British heritage craft brewery also marks
Lion Brewery Co was launched here in Singapore in 2018
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

ON THE TABLE
31
Lion Brewery Co currently has two beers in its portfolio
– Straits Pale Ale and Island Lager
Will Julius, Co-Founder and General Manager
at Lion Brewery Co, explained, “Like with
most craft beer, our origins are very humble
– we began by brewing in our kitchens here
in Singapore. It started out as a passion; we
brewed beers that we wanted to drink, and
as we shared them with family and friends,
it turned out a lot of other people wanted
to drink them as well. The idea has always
been to craft beer specifically for this region
– beers that are far more flavourful than
commercial beers, and really refreshing.”
Julius provided an overview of the Asia-
Pacific craft beer landscape, and said,
“It is basically still very much what
we’d call a nascent market with so much
potential to grow, at least in South East
Asia. The craft beer scene in Australia
and New Zealand is already huge, and we
are expecting the domino effect here, as
with many other trends. This includes the
increasing spending power of consumers
in Singapore, who look towards more
premium products like craft beer.
The Straits Pale Ale reflects the tropical hop profile, which
is crisp and refreshing, specially designed for the warmer
climates of South East Asia
the inception of Indian Pale Ale (IPA) as
the hops are “naturally antibacterial” and
strong in flavour, to ensure a delicious
tasting beer, even after the long shipments.
Lion Brewery Co was brought back to life
in Singapore in 2018, with a mission to
bring craft beer to a broad audience and
brewing beer that is created specifically for
local regions and palates. The Lion Brewery
Co team spent four years developing and
improving the Straits Pale Ale recipe,
before the launch in 2018.
In a study by Research and Markets, the
market research firm highlighted that the
craft beer market is forecasted to reach
US$107.85 billion by 2024, registering a
CAGR of 14.1% during the forecast period
from 2019-2024. More crucially, increasing
penetration of craft beer among Asian
consumers is expected to drive the market.
The report, entitled Craft Beer Market
– Growth, Trends and Forecast
(2020-2025), further identified ales as the
“fastest growing segment” as consumers in
mature and emerging markets are starting
to drink beer that has a higher barley and
malt content.
“Even in the past year though, the rise has
been pretty remarkable – a number of other
local breweries are popping up, and we
sense there is growing consumer demand,
especially from the 20-35 age group, for
more beer choices. They are actively looking
for craft beer alternatives, and we hope to
be able to give that choice and freedom to
beer drinkers.”
Lion Brewery Co is available in over
110 bars and restaurants in Singapore.
Beyond the Lion City, the brewery
expanded into Cambodia last year, and
will further open new markets within the
region this year.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

32
ON THE TABLE
and contribute to the growing trend of
harnessing a balanced, healthy lifestyle.
As part of its contribution to a healthy planet,
Lion Brewery Co has switched from plastic
labels to paper to reduce its plastic footprint
Julius explained, "Craft beers brands tend
to offer a healthier alternative as they focus
on using natural and top quality products
for optimum taste. No and low alcohol
beers have become popular especially in
the US and Australia, and we are starting
to see a domino effect here. There has
definitely been a rise in premiumisation of
the market as consumers care more about
what they drink, choosing healthier, better
quality products."
“I think we are still very much in the
exposure phase, but what’s most pleasing
to us is the reception we have received from
beer drinkers and people who just wanted
good, premium, unpretentious beer,” he
continued. “We’ve got a growing following,
and we hope we can take things to another
level this year.”
In the brew
Last June, Lion Brewery Co added a second
beer to its portfolio – Island Lager. Island
Lager uses German Hallertau Blanc hops
in both the bittering and dry-hop stages
to create the ideal pilsner, delivering
notes of pine and elderflower. The length
of fermentation is also much longer than
with ales. Lager is filtered to give it the
clarity and brightness that beer drinkers
expect of this style. Again, with an alcohol
content of 4.7%, the Island Lager is very
sessionable - a trademark of Lion Brewery
Co's core range.
From brew to drink, the process of brewing
beer is rather lengthy, in addition to the
time required for fermentation. But across
the entire process, Julius labelled sourcing
of ingredients as utmost importance, and
elaborated, “For us, it’s all about sourcing
the best quality ingredients and adopting
the best processes to make the very best
tasting beer. Our malted barley and hops
come from Europe and North America,
and we take great care in our sourcing of
ingredients - for example, our barley is
certified GM Free - and we always brew with
real hops, never with extract.”
He further pointed out two differences
between craft beer and standard beer –
the way the beer is made, and the way it
tastes – and explained that craft beer is an
art form done by independent breweries,
whereas commercial lagers are mass
produced by conglomerates.
He continued, “I think it’s safe to say that
craft beer is in line with the preferences
of modern consumers – they are keen
to support local, value provenance and
quality. Hence, there is definitely room for
craft beer, and in fact that’s why some big
breweries are also interested in getting
into this space.
“The rise of small craft breweries has also
enabled the rise of smaller, independent
hop and barley producers, as well as the
need for strategic partnerships within the
industry, so overall, we are all supporting
each other to grow down the supply chain.”
Connecting the dots
The wider beer market has welcomed the
entrance of low calorie and zero alcohol
beers in recent years. Driven by consumers’
demands, these healthier-labelled beers
open new opportunities to give consumers
choice for a variety of drinking occasions,
Subscribing to the era of healthy living,
Lion Brewery Co’s Straits Pale Ale is
unpasteurised to preserve the flavour,
healthy yeast and enzymes. It is made with
all-natural ingredients, and uses cold chain
logistics to ensure the highest quality,
freshest beer.
Besides consumer’s health, Lion Brewery Co
has also placed its focus on contributing to
a healthy planet. The brewery has made the
switch from plastic labels to paper in order to
reduce its plastic footprint, and has invested
in compostable cups for their events.
He concluded, “We would love to have our
own green brewery one day. There are
several things to consider – the source
of energy and power, water usage, beer
packaging, and many more. For example,
I’d love to have a brewery with solar panels
on the roof, where we give our spent grain
as animal feed, and we compost ourselves
as well.
“We’d also be keen in doing a cooperative
venture amongst all the other breweries in
Singapore with regards to sharing and reusing
our beer bottles. In terms of encouragement
to go green, I think government initiatives are
always good but for us at least, it’s very much
an internal motivation. We care deeply about
the planet and want to leave it in as good as
state as we can, even if it means higher costs
for us.” FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

ON THE TABLE
33
Ireland’s agri-food industry remains
a key component to the country’s
economy, accounting for around
8% of GDP. In the last eight years,
Ireland’s food and drink export
growth is recorded at 64%. And in 2018
alone, the food and drink sector exports
reached 12.1 billion euros, according to
Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board.
This strong increase in Irish food and
drink exports was seen similarly in Asia
over the past decade, from 350 million
euros in 2007 to 1.3 billion euros in 2017.
The most significant category being dairy
with a total of 850 million euros worth of
exports to Asia last year, revealed Ciarán
Gallagher, South East Asia, Japan and
South Korea Director of Bord Bia.
The combination of local roots
with global reach
Besides the renowned Irish whiskey and beer, Ireland is also known for
its fresh dairy, seafood and beef that are being exported across the globe.
Ciarán a Gallagher, South East Asia, Japan and South Korea Director, Bord Bia,
the Irish Food Board, speaks with Food & Beverage Asia on the agency’s plans
in bringing sustainable Irish taste to the world.
The growth potential for food and drink
exports in Asia is identified by Bord Bia
in its Market Prioritisation report. Asia,
home to a population of 4.6 billion people
and fast-growing economies, offers great
opportunities, he said, which is also crucial
for Bord Bia to prioritise the presence
of Irish food and drink here due to the
vastness of the region.
The report further identified Japan as one
of the top five priority markets for Irish
food and drink exports, which, in turn,
drove the establishment of Bord Bia’s
new Tokyo office in June last year. Japan
is Ireland’s fourth largest market for pork
and cheddar, and remains a “valuable and
increasingly important” market destination
for Irish beef offal, seafood and a future
market for Irish whiskey and other spirits.
The Tokyo office falls under the remit
of Bord Bia’s South and East Asia
headquarters based in Singapore. This
office, established in 2016, focuses on the
markets of Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, South
Korea, Japan and Australia.
Ciarán Gallagher, South East Asia, Japan and South Korea Director of Bord Bia
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

34
ON THE TABLE
on the roof of Butlers Chocolates’ factory
in Dublin accounts for approximately
14% of the company’s annual energy
needs.
(From left) Kieran Fitzgerald, European Beef and Lamb Campaign Manager, Bord Bia; Chef Yasuhiro Fujio; and
Ciarán Gallagher in Tokyo
Bord Bia is a state agency commissioned
by the Irish government to bring Irish
food and drink to the world. Besides
promoting Irish food and developing
business opportunities for Irish companies
in the international market, the agency also
works with a team of market specialists and
local professionals to identify opportunities
in different markets and build the networks
needed to make business happen.
Bord Bia is also a part of Food Wise
2025, Ireland’s national 10-year plan
for developing the agri-food sector. The
initiative is themed “Local Roots, Global
Reach” to reflect the importance of gaining
a deep understanding of what consumers,
often in distant markets, want, and
communicating those messages back to
Irish farmers and food companies.
Gallagher outlined the initiative’s ambition
is to grow the value of Irish exports to
19 billion euros by 2025, and elaborated,
“We foresee a major portion of the demand
to come from Asia, hence we are working
with local teams to explore opportunities
for Ireland’s food exports in this region.
This means being actively out there in
the field, getting to know who the key
stakeholders are, and building strategic
relationships.
“The success of Irish food and drink
exports which we have experienced in
Asia recently can be credited to the quality
and safety of our products and regulatory
systems. This encourages us to enter
new markets, and continue with efforts to
promote our sustainability credentials.”
The goal on sustainability
In 2012, Bord Bia launched Origin
Green, the food and drink sustainability
programme, to drive a further preference
for Irish food and drink. The Origin Green
voluntary programme is aimed at bringing
together the country’s food industry – from
farmers to food producers, retailers to
foodservice operators – with a common
goal of sustainable food production.
One member of Origin Green is Butlers
Chocolate, an Irish manufacturer of
luxury chocolate and confectionery, which
joined the programme to become “more
formalised and structured” in its plans
and initiatives in the area of sustainability.
In an interview with Origin Green, Aisling
Walsh, Marketing Director of Butlers
Chocolates, labelled energy and sourcing
as key focuses within the company’s
sustainability plan. On energy, Walsh
pointed out the installation of solar panels
Walsh continued, “In terms of sourcing,
there are two main items at the heart
of our business – chocolate and coffee.
For chocolate, we have signed up to
the Cocoa Horizons Initiatives, which
is an independently verified initiative
working to support the livelihoods of cocoa
farmers and their families in West Africa.
Butlers Chocolate Cafés use Fairtrade
Coffee, which is a badge of sustainability
and ethical sourcing. We are actively
looking at ways of reducing waste and
have introduced fully recyclable cups in
our cafés.”
To Bord Bia’s Gallagher, sustainable food
refers to the food that is produced in such
a way that conserves the planet’s natural
resources while also being respectful to the
community, as he explained, “The world
is facing a continuing human population
growth with a projected increase of 2 billion
by 2050. The big challenge is to produce
enough food to feed a growing population
without comprising on the environmental
impacts of food production.”
Through Origin Green, Ireland’s food
industry is able to set and achieve
measurable sustainability targets with the
goal of reducing environmental impacts
– in areas such as raw material sourcing,
waste management, energy management
and social sustainability – while serving
the community.
He added, “There is a clear shift in the
Asian consumer attitudes in sustainability.
Furthermore, there is another rising trend
among consumers who are not only healthconscious
but also concerned about the
environmental impact their food. These
demands are on the rise as consumers are
willing to pay more for sustainable offerings
and for the products they can trust.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

ON THE TABLE 35
“Origin Green adds credibility to the
Ireland's image as a safe, sustainable
source of food and drink. With its mild
climate, grass-based agricultural system
and bountiful rivers and seas, Ireland
is known worldwide as a place with
natural attributes when it comes to food
sustainability. However, we didn't want to
rely on a reputation - Origin Green means
having the data to prove it."
The programme further affirms Bord Bia’s
commitment to assisting Irish food and
drink manufacturers to maximise their
potential in the market. Besides equipping
companies with data and insights, Bord
Bia is responsible for developing more
efficient routes to market. The agency also
works alongside Ireland’s Department of
Agriculture to organise trade missions for
key representatives to interact with Irish
farmers and manufacturers.
“Food suppliers require more insight
before they can fully embrace the
sustainability movement. Our way to boost
participation levels in the Origin Green
programme include a range of activities
such as organising workshops, creating
communication material, and speaking at
relevant events to continually highlight the
benefits of sustainable farming practices,”
Gallagher elaborated.
“We support the Irish companies by
curating consumer-centric innovation
programmes. This ensures that their
product offering is a good match with
consumers in international markets. With
more Irish producers looking to new export
markets, partly in response to Brexit,
they strive to ensure relevance to
consumers in new markets. Bord Bia
will continue to support Irish exporting
companies in this regard, providing advice
on market opportunities and emerging
trends.”
On economic viability within a sustainable
food system, he said that the adoption of
sustainable farm management practices
can reduce environmental impacts while
increasing profitability. This is largely due
to the emergence of new technological
innovation in farming that contributes to
efficiency, therefore assisting progress
towards a more sustainable agriculture.
He concluded, “However, it is crucial to
ensure that the new innovation is being
translated into farm practices, and that
the use of these technologies gives the
anticipated environmental, economic or
social benefits to the community for the
long-term. Therefore, an organisation like
Bord Bia has an important role to provide
the necessary guidance to our farmers so
that they are able to reap the benefits of
their efforts in sustainability.” FBA
(From left) Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia; the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael
Creed; Joe Moore, Japan and South Korea Market Specialist of Bord Bia; and Ciarán Gallagher

Packaging operations
sealed with innovations
Dr Stefan König, CEO of Syntegon Technology
The packaging of the food content is consumer’s fi rst physical interaction with the food product prior to any decision
made for the purchase. Beyond branding and physical outlook purposes, the outer layer is key in extending the shelf
life of the food content. Food & Beverage Asia speaks with Dr Stefan König, CEO of Syntegon Technology, on how the
former Bosch Packaging Technology aims to accelerate growth in the Industry 4.0 era under its new name –
Syntegon Technology.
Industry 4.0
Syntegon, formerly Bosch Packaging
Technology, has witnessed several
waves of industrial changes. Can you
identify some of the most significant
changes, and how will you envision the
future of the food packaging industry?
Dr Stefan König: In the course of time,
individual process steps have become
more automated. Today, customers obtain
seamless systems that are aligned and
communicated with each other optimally.
The wave of digitalisation offers new
great potential. We help customers to
master the digital transition gradually,
and to quickly derive conclusive results
from initial data with regard to any
potential for improvement. The aim is to
turn unplanned machine shutdowns into
scheduled downtimes – or to avoid them
completely.
As a concrete first move towards
digitisation, we offer the Operations
Assistant, which guides operators through
the machine maintenance process step-bystep.
The customer can link prefabricated
work instructions to a maintenance task,
or create their own instructions for small,
quick tasks. Using the Maintenance
Assistant, operators can plan and track
maintenance tasks transparently in order
to prevent unscheduled downtime.
We are also working on new concepts,
such as our own Internet of Things (IoT)
platform. The aim is to provide customers
with a solution to an existing problem
rather than just technologies.
Can you share with us your views on
Industry 4.0 – what are some of the
areas that will impact Syntegon’s line
of business and the wider food and
beverage industry?
Dr König: The buzzword Industry 4.0
stands for great potential for customers in
terms of quality, efficiency, and productivity
along the entire value chain. The overall
aim is to avoid machine downtime as
well as quickly detecting and preventing
problems in order to continuously optimise
overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
This can be achieved by making smart use
of the available amount of data.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

ON THE TABLE
37
We help to combine time-tested processes
with new approaches. The aim is to increase
efficiency and productivity through greater
transparency while maintaining the highest
quality standards for processes and
products. The human factor continues to
be at the centre of integrated production.
Humans play a supervisory role, supported
by Industry 4.0 applications, to carry out
day-to-day tasks as efficiently as possible.
Thanks to a modular approach, customers
can continuously expand their integrated
production with the Syntegon portfolio.
The greening journey
What role does sustainable packaging
play in today’s food packaging ecosystem
– what challenges do food manufacturers
face in embracing this “green” approach,
and how is Syntegon helping them to
overcome these issues?
Dr König: Food manufacturers rely on
packaging to protect their products,
portray their brand image, extend shelf
life and attract customers. In addition,
consumers are now calling for sustainable
packaging solutions. We support food
manufacturers by making the packaging
process and the packaging itself more
sustainable. This includes the development
of machines that can process new, more
environmentally-friendly packaging
materials. As far as the packaging
material is concerned, Syntegon focuses
on the transition from composite to monomaterial
films and paper packaging.
through the continuous development of
sealing technologies to adjust the fin and
cross sealing tools to the new conditions.
What other food packaging trends do you
foresee having a sustained impact on the
industry in 2020 and beyond?
Dr König: Downgauging and efficiency
continue to push the packaging industry
forward. Thanks to technological advances,
thinner films can now be used, which helps
to reduce the amount of material used. An
optimised packaging process also helps
to prevent product waste. Minimising
downtime thanks to easier cleaning
and faster format changeovers helps to
reduce waste. In addition, more efficient
production processes also mean resources
such as energy and water are used more
efficiently.
In the field of plastic packaging, the
trend is increasingly moving towards
using mono-material wherever possible.
Conventional multi-layer films assign
different tasks, such as barrier protection,
sealing or printing to individual layers
made from different materials. Monomaterial
has to do all the work on its own.
Previous assumptions about packaging,
for example regarding shelf life, may
need to be reconsidered. When it comes
to recycling, however, things are much
simpler: the mono-material can be directly
fed into the recycling stream and be fully
recycled.
Paper packaging is another important
trend for the food packaging industry –
after all; it is made from renewable raw
materials, is recyclable and biodegradable.
Syntegon is striving to make conventional
plastic packaging solutions usable
with paper. In collaboration with paper
manufacturer BillerudKorsnäs, we have
developed a solution to securely package
food in mono-material paper using vertical
baggers. This pioneering sealed paper
packaging is suitable for dry foods such
as sugar or pasta without compromising
on product protection and dust tightness.
What’s more, we launched the new paperbased
packaging concept Pearl last year,
which paves the way for fully recyclable,
paper-form packaging solutions.
From Bosch Packaging Technology to
Syntegon
What are the reasons behind the
decision of the sale of Bosch Packaging
Technology, and moving forward, what
can the industry, as well as customers
of the newly branded Syntegon, expect?
However, the transition from composite to
mono-material films is not straightforward.
Mono-materials impose high demands
on sealing technology, especially in the
high output range. In order to create the
perfect seam using mono-material films at
different film speeds and constant energy
input, the three sealing parameters of
pressure, temperature and time need to
be coordinated optimally. What’s more,
these technical challenges have to be
mastered for a range of different monomaterials.
This can only be achieved
In collaboration with
the paper manufacturer
BillerudKorsnäs, Bosch
Packaging Technology, now
Syntegon, has developed
a process for securely
packaging and sealing dry
foods such as sugar, pasta,
or cereals in mono-material
paper using vertical flow
wrappers
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

The new “Pearl” packaging concept,
developed by Syntegon, formerly Bosch
Packaging Technology, and BillerudKorsnäs
Because paper is made from renewable raw materials as well
as being recyclable and biodegradable, this material is on the
wish list of manufacturers and consumers alike
Dr König: Focusing on the market
transformations that lie ahead, Bosch
analysed the potential of Bosch Packaging
Technology within the Bosch group. Bosch
came to the conclusion that its packaging
technology division needed a different
footing as there were not enough relevant
synergy effects in terms of business or
technology that could offer valuable
prospects for the future. As part of CVC
Capital Partners, we are able to react more
flexibly to the specific requirements of the
packaging machinery market.
What are your plans in leading the
company to its next milestone?
Dr König: Innovative sustainable solutions
will be very crucial for our customers.
Having spoken about our activities on
sustainable packaging, I would like
to highlight another topic – smart
machines. They are more intelligent, e.g.
they include monitoring elements, which
are critical for quality.
In addition, they feature user-friendly
human-machine interfaces (HMIs), on
which operators receive advice what
they have to do next. Among our latest
solutions are pharma liquid visual
inspection machines, which use deep
learning based on artificial intelligence
(AI) technologies to ensure correct
inspection and reduce set-up time for
new product types.
Another example is our e-portal, where
customers are able to find all information
and services related to their machines,
like spare part management. All in call,
we have a strong focus on R&D, and
spend a significant share of our budget on
developing smart and sustainable solutions.
“Asia – the hub for future innovation”
Can you share with us an overview
of Syntegon’s business in the Asia-
Pacific region, and how will you rate the
company’s performance in this region?
Dr König: Our food business unit has
a large site in Goa, India and provides
locally built machines for vertical baggers,
horizontal flow wrapping systems for
biscuits and other products. In addition,
the business for secondary packaging
machines has just started. The site, which
was established in 1995, grows each year
with a double-digit growth rate.
Our pharma business unit has an own site
in China and the Joint Venture Klenzaids in
India – both very successful with a history
of more than 15 years.
No other foreign machine manufacturer
in our industry has a similar footprint
in Asia. Our customers benefit from our
experts, who speak their local language
and locally build high quality machines
based on our global platforms. We support
customer projects with local service staff,
and provide best service and support for
imported high-end machines.
More crucially, what role does Asia-
Pacific region play in Syntegons overall
global strategy, and how will the company
continue to gain a larger market share in
this region?
Dr König: We contribute to nutrition and
health. Our strategy to be where many
people live accounts for the Asia-Pacific
region. Today, this region accounts for
approximately one-third of our total sales,
and this share is supposed to grow further
over time. We have sales, consulting and
service colleagues based in many Asian
countries, and our sites in China and India
already export to South East Asia and
Africa. In addition, we value Asia as the hub
for future innovation – whether in terms
of e-commerce, intelligent packaging,
track and trace solutions, low cost
approaches and sustainability. The time
where engineering companies transferred
proven technologies to Asian regions is
long over. The Asia-Pacific market expects
best technologies at reasonable prices and
drives innovation. FBA
All images are credited to Syntegon Technology.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

ON THE TABLE
39
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

40
PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
The linear Innosept Asbofill ABF 712 filler for sensitive products
is available in both a standard aseptic and ESL version. In the KHS
process, the containers are sterilised using a hydrogen peroxide
aerosol and sterile hot air (Photo credit: KHS)
First linear InnoPET BloFill ABF aseptic block from KHS
satisfies current dairy requirements
The market for sensitive beverages has been flourishing. Throughout the world, manufacturers of dairy products have recognised
the potential of wholesome beverages, and expanded their product portfolio over the past few years. Most of the new products
are fi lled into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. With its new linear InnoPET BloFill ABF aseptic block, KHS aims to
satisfy the requirements of the dairy industry for flexible fi lling technology for sensitive products. Fast format changeovers and
a modular design are the ideal solution to the rapid changes in demand producers are now faced with.
Sensitive beverages are
increasingly gaining
popularity worldwide. More
particularly, the demand for
functional foods with less
sugar is growing.
Thomas Redeker, Sales Director for Dairy
Europe at the KHS Group, explained,
“Keeping to a healthy diet is playing a
central role in the lives of more and more
consumers. The demand for products that
are sustainably packaged and attractively
presented has also greatly increased in the
last few years.”
Dairy industry innovations filled into
PET containers
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles
are the ideal vehicles for this new trend.
An increasing number of makers of dairy
products have thus relied on containers
made of PET.
“Not only producers but also consumers
are convinced by their many different
advantages,” said Redeker. In particular,
this includes the great capacity for
individual design this type of container has.
“PET bottles lend themselves to exclusive
design. The cap and label can also be
perfectly tailored to the brand. This had a
positive effect on the brand positioning at
the point of sale,” he added.
The plastic containers also score when
it comes to their environmental balance
as they are fully recyclable. PET bottles
not only provide “reliable” product
protection, they also have good pouring
properties.
KHS satisfies customer and consumer
demands with new block
KHS first recognised the potential of PET
containers for aseptic filling 25 years
ago. Its latest development is the linear
InnoPET BloFill ABF aseptic block. This
combines the rotary InnoPET Blomax
Series V stretch blow moulder with the
linear Innosept Asbofill ABF 712 aseptic
filler.
The block yields many benefits. It not only
takes up less space than the individual
machines, for instance; the air conveyor is
also no longer required. This cuts down on
energy consumption. Another advantage is
that personnel costs are reduced as only one
operator is needed in place of the former two.
“By blocking the machinery and including a
continuous clock module, we also minimise
the risk of soiling. This has a positive
impact on hygiene and line availability,”
he added.
Fast format changeovers within the space
of up to 10 minutes also help to boost
system availability. They are performed
under aseptic conditions, doing away with
the need for any additional cleaning and
sterilisation. The short changeover times
also let producers of sensitive beverages
fill a large number of stock-keeping units
(SKUs) in a very short time indeed.
The linear aseptic block is designed to
fill milk, mixed milk beverages, juice,
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
41
smoothies and iced tea into PET bottles
holding between 250 millilitres and
2 litres. The equipment outputs up to
12,000 1-litre bottles and a maximum of
15,000 0.5-litres bottles per hour.
Bottlers also profit from the modular
design of the dry aseptic block which
allows the filter to be expanded at any
time. Operators can retrofit their block
with a chunk filler or additional filling and
capping unit, for instance.
“The modular design gives our customers
greater flexibility. They don’t have to think
about precisely which products they want
to bottle when purchasing the block,”
Redeker said. “KHS enables them to retrofit
the required modules on site as soon as they
expand their product portfolio.” This, in
turn, permits beverage producers to react
more flexibly to changing market demands.
Stretch blow moulder with high energy
savings gentle on the environment
With the integration of the stretch blow
moulder, the aseptic block gains a number
of further advantages. One of these is that
the heating system in the new Blomax
generation consumes up to 40% less
energy compared to most standard heating
systems due to its optimised near infrared
heating concept and new Double Gate
technology. This is made possible by the
near infrared heater centrally arranged
heating units to both the left and right.
The preforms are spaced around 18
millimetres apart instead of the previous
approximately 37 millimetres.
Sterilisation with the KHS system
When further developing its linear aseptic
filler, KHS also focused on increased
efficiency. The filling machine for sensitive
products is available in both a standard
aseptic and ESL version. In the KHS
process, sterilisation takes place in several
stages. First, the machine disinfects the
neck and bottle interior. Here, the inside
of the container is sprayed twice with a
hydrogen peroxide aerosol (H2O2) at a
speed of up to 80km/h.
He elaborated, “This ensures that every
part of the bottle is sprayed and sterilised;
we even achieve this with individual
designs and critical shapes.”
Secondly, two aerosol reaction cycles are
initiated. The process ends with a four-stage
drying process which uses sterile hot air.
Gentle filling ensures product
protection
In order to ensure the quality of the
products, it is essential that the aseptic
zone is absolutely clean. KHS ensures
this by gentle non-contact filling, among
other things, performed in two stages. This
prevents any excessive beverage foaming.
The bottle is then conveyed to the capping
unit. Here, the closure is sterilised in the
same manner as the bottle in the filling
section. This entails two-step disinfection
with H2O2 and two drying stages with hot
sterile air.
Redeker noted, “In the capper unit, we’ve
also made sure that all parts in the aseptic
zone have a flat surface. By doing so we
can prevent any air turbulence, making
cleaning and disinfection easier.”
The bottle is then dated for full
documentation of all information. “Our
customers can always see which product
was filled when on which valve,” he added.
One-block system
With its new dry aseptic block, KHS has
reacted to the current dairy demand
for flexible, resource-saving filling of
sensitive products. The new system also
improves line availability and considerably
reduces energy consumption. Operators
also have greater flexibility as a result of
short changeover times: format changes
are facilitated by the well-coordinated
interfaces. The modular design also
enables customers to expand their linear
aseptic filler block in order to meet current
market demands at all times. FBA
The Dortmund supplier has thus been
able to considerably reduce the number
of heater boxes used. The air management
system for heater box ventilation has also
been optimised.
“The fan can be set separately for the
neck, reflector and lamps. This means that
the machine only cools the areas which
actually need cooling,” Redeker said.
By blocking the stretch blow moulder and linear filler, the systems supplier minimises the risk of soiling. This
has a positive impact on hygiene and line availability (Photo credit: KHS)
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

42
PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
Bali Hai trusts Sidel’s complete
can line for greater capacity and
preserved beer quality
A growing market for beer has led Bali Hai Brewery Indonesia to install
a new canning line, accommodating a higher production capacity while
securing quality of their premium beers. Designed and supplied by Sidel,
the line runs up to 33,000 cans per hour for the 330ml format, twice as fast
as the former one, and features a compact layout, thus overcoming the
Indonesian brewer’s space constraints.
As an independent brewery,
Bali Hai Brewery Indonesia
has been developing and
distributing a range of beer
brands for the national and
international markets since 1975.
Daniel To, Technical Director at Bali Hai,
explained, “Currently, our products are
sold in more than 20 countries, including
Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Japan,
South Korea and New Zealand, as well
as different regions of Africa. While
capturing the opportunities offered by
a consumer demand that is continuously
increasing, we are committed to maintaining
the consistent taste and quality of
our beers.”
With a domestic market share of 3.2%
in 2018, the family-owned company is
the fourth largest domestic brewery and
the first behind global brands, offering a
portfolio that speaks to the consumers’
increasing preference for local as well as
premium beer brands, said Sidel. These
include Bali Hai Premium, Draft Beer,
El Diablo Original and Panther Black.
Regardless of the strong Indonesian
regulations to control alcoholic drink
consumption, the beer segment in the
country is showing a positive trajectory: It
is set to register a 7% total volume CAGR
to reach 324 million litres by 2023. To keep
up with this growth, Bali Hai invested in a
large-scale project, and opted to partner
with Sidel for the first time.
The journey started when Bali Hai undertook
a major renovation and automation of their
brewhouse and cellar area in 2013, when
many processes were still performed by
manual labour. As part of their investments
in the past few years, they also upgraded
their canning line, managing 330ml and
500ml formats, to fit their needs for higher
efficiency.
This is where Sidel stepped in with their
expertise in line design and engineering,
deriving from the heritage in complete
solutions for beer. The Indonesian player
was offered a layout and equipment choice
accommodating their needs for secured
quality, while opening doors to additional
capacities and being prepared for future
challenges.
360 o support rooted in complete beer
line expertise
The project started with the search for the
right location within the site, while taking
into consideration the need for additional
capacity.
To said, “The floor space available at our
plant is limited; therefore, we needed a very
compact solution that did not compromise
on efficiency and flexibility. Despite the
fact that we were initially planning a line
delivering 24,000 cans per hour (cph) for
the 500ml format, we eventually trusted
Sidel’s engineers and went for a complete
line that is able to reach up to 29,000 cph,
thus securing high capacity production for
the coming years.”
There were a number of reasons for the
Indonesian brewer to place their confidence
for such a large-scale revamping in Sidel,
as To elaborated, “Firstly, we appreciated
the local service support as well as the
time that the team took to understand
and analyse our requirements. Thanks
to their highly competent and responsive
engineers, the installation of the line was
completed in a short period of time.”
At the moment, Bali Hai has the possibility
to run the new canning line in three
shifts, while the old one only allowed for a
maximum of two.
Filling and pasteurising systems for full
control of beer quality
The Sidel complete canning line includes
13 different machines, laid out in six larger
production modules: the de-palletiser,
the filler and seamer, the pasteuriser,
the dryers, the shrink-wrapper and the
tray shrink-wrapper, plus conveying
systems. Bali Hai’s goal of protecting beer
quality was mainly achieved through the
integration of two specific solutions in the
line: the latest Sidel volumetric electronic
filler for cans, and the Pama pasteuriser.
When explaining the rationale behind
the choice of the filler, Blegog Sugiono,
Packaging Manager at Bali Hai, highlighted,
“We opted for the Sidel filling technology
largely because of the very low total oxygen
pick-up it ensures, which ultimately leads
to high product quality. Plus, we now use a
volumetric technology, so as to guarantee
that our cans all have the intended quantity
of product when reaching the shelf.”
The installed Pama pasteuriser, which
features Sidel’s Prince Plus software, for
control of the Pasteurisation Unit (PU), was
designed around Bali Hai’s requirements.
“We decided to install this system to have
a constant level of quality and consistent
taste across our beers. Specifically, we
have been able to further cool down the
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

Bali Hai is an Indonesian lager beer produced by PT Bali Hai
Brewery Indonesia since 1975
The upgrade of the canning line has enabled Bali Hai to manage
330ml and 500ml beer formats, thus increasing efficiency
The complete can line Sidel installed for Bali Hai has the capability to run up to 33,000 cans per hour for the 330ml beer format
can temperature at the outfeed of the
pasteurisation, therefore eliminating the
risk of unstable quality we have experienced
in the past,” Sugiono continued. “With the
latest technology from Sidel, we can now
narrowly adjust and control the PU in
accordance with the specified settings for
a fully controlled beer taste.”
Additionally, by maximising the size of the
pasteuriser, Bali Hai can also welcome
future production increases.
Flexible and compact end-of-line
solution to manage a variety of SKUs
The new canning line runs twice as fast
as the brewer’s old line. As a result, the
output became three times bigger, growing
from 500 to 1,450 trays per hour. With
two different can formats, nine different
recipes and various secondary packaging
options, the number of stock keeping units
(SKUs) managed by Bali Hai’s canning line
lies at 18. Sidel added that this required
a high level of flexibility at the secondary
packaging stage, yet with no compromises
on an optimised footprint.
In addition, the Indonesian brewery
decided to shift from regular slotted
container (RSC) cases to film for economic
benefits, and installed Sidel EvoFilm
Access, a shrink-wrapping solution for low
to medium speed applications. They also
wanted to be able to widen the secondary
packaging solutions offered to their
customers, including multipacks.
Sugiono commented, “With the new line,
we have a sophisticated tray and film
solution that we can apply to produce
various packing alternatives; for example,
four- or six-packs wrapped on one tray
combining a total of 24 cans, run on one
solution. If multipacks are not requested,
products can bypass the tray and film
packer directly to the shrink-wrapping
system.”
With a modular design concept allowing
for a broad array of configurations
and options, EvoFilm Access offers
expanded flexibility, as Stéphane Séné,
Key Account Manager at Sidel, explained,
“We added some tailor-made options
to fit Bali Hai’s needs. First, a ‘Design
to Cost’ approach has been applied to
deliver the best quality-price-performance
ratio available on the market for shrinkwrapping
at speeds of up to 60 cycles
per minute.
“Secondly, we implemented a simple
conveying solution to feed the shrinkwrapper.
This way, the customer is able
to save some factory floor space, now
dedicated to warehouse purposes. In
addition, we removed the need for a divider
by orienting the lanes of cans differently.
The customer is therefore able to manage
eight pack configurations more easily
and efficiently. For greater versatility, the
system can manage both packs and lose
cans.”
“The best beer packaged with the best
machinery”
The ease of operations brought by Sidel’s
end-of-line solution became instantly clear
when, after its integration, no specific
training of the customers’ operators was
required.
Bali Hai’s To concluded, “By operating
Sidel solutions in our brewery, we expect to
fulfil the market demands whilst providing
excellent quality products. We are very
satisfied with the performance of the
recently installed complete line. Overall,
we believe the best beer is produced by the
most qualified people and packaged with
the best machinery – and for that Sidel is
the solution.” FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

44
PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
HRS Heat Exchangers helps
Nutripeople combat global
hunger and food waste crises
It’s an uncomfortable truth that while a third of the world’s food is wasted, one in
nine people do not have enough to eat. In a bid to redress this balance, a sociallyconscious
Spanish food producer has been turning Europe’s surplus fruits and
vegetables into a nutritionally enriched, easy-to-digest and 100% natural foodstuff
for people in need. With equipment and support from HRS Heat Exchangers,
Nutripeople can now produce 42 million pouches of its products each year, helping
those in developing countries to avoid hunger and malnutrition.
An alternative approach to food waste
Anyone associated with the food industry is
aware of the global food waste crisis. Latest
figures from the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
show that approximately 1.3 billion
tonnes of food are lost or wasted every
year – roughly one-third of all the food
produced for human consumption. At the
same time, 795 million people across the
world do not have enough to eat, with
those in developing countries being the
most vulnerable.
Established in 2015 as a social enterprise,
Nutripeople has formed alliances with
some of Spain’s fruit and vegetable
producers to turn their surplus produce
into a new foodstuff with a high nutritional
value, thanks to the addition of natural
additives such as vegetable proteins and
vitamins. Its target customers are global
organisations fighting hunger such as
UNICEF and Oxfam, as well as food banks
closer to home. A percentage of each sale
also goes directly to social projects or NGOs
dedicated to feeding those most in need.
In addition to the social benefits, the
project also aids the circular economy.
It takes an average 963 litres of water to
produce one kilogram of fruit, alongside
HRS’ production line comprises of mixing, homogenising,
pasteurising and filling capabilities
associated labour and transport costs and
carbon emissions. Recovering this produce
and reusing it elsewhere helps to preserve
vital resources and reduce the carbon
footprint involved in food production.
A turnkey solution
In order to turn the surplus fruits and
vegetables it receives into finished food
pouches, Nutripeople commissioned HRS
Heat Exchangers to install a simple, costeffective
production line at its factory in
Murcia. After evaluating HRS’ experience
in fruit processing and visiting a number of
its reference sites across Europe, as well as
comparing it with other suppliers, HRS was
the choice for Nutripeople; particularly as
they were able to supply all the necessary
equipment and technical expertise.
Nutripeople turns Europe’s surplus fruit and vegetables into nutritious food pouches for people most in need
The first stage in the production
process is the mixing line, where the
fruit and vegetables are pre-heated and
blended with proteins and vitamins to
enrich their nutritional value.
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PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
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Francisco Hernández Ortiz, Food Business
Development Director at HRS, revealed that
the company supplied two tanks complete
with mixers, a heating jacket and a high
shear stirrer, as well as a series of pumps.
The product then passes through a
homogeniser, also supplied by HRS, which
exert a pressure of up to 200 bar, before
being pasteurised at temperatures of up
to 95 o C via HRS’ R Series scraped surface
heat exchangers.
Ortiz added, “The hygienic R Series
range is ideal for pasteurising viscous
products such as fruits and vegetables,
where fouling can occur, as the rotating
movement of the scrapers mixes the
product whilst cleaning the heat exchange
surface. This keeps heat transfer high and
reduces downtime.”
Finally, the finished products, which have a
shelf life of two years without refrigeration,
are filled into low-cost, environmentally
friendly pouches, ready for distribution.
In safe hands
Enrique Gómez, Founder of Nutripeople,
said, “We have been delighted with HRS’
turnkey approach and their practical
solutions for keeping our production line
as simple and efficiency as possible.
“We wanted to keep the process simple
as we intend to replicate it in other
locations, to make the most of local fruit
and vegetable resources. HRS listened
to our requirements and recommended
a solution which has proved ideal for our
needs, giving us the capacity to produce
42 million pouches a year. From the first
enquiry to final commissioning, it took
just seven months, and the line has now
been fully functional since October 2018,
without any problems.”
Currently, Nutripeople produces three
distinct products: Nutripeople One is
suitable for children, adults and pregnant
and breastfeeding women. Highly filling,
it improves muscle tone due to its high
protein and fibre content, and is enriched
with a vitamin complex to boost the
immune system. Nutripeople Fruit is high
in fibre, suitable for those avoiding high
sugars and fats, and enriched with a
vitamin complex. Nutripeople Milk is aimed
at children from six months and upwards.
One pouch equals one glass of full fat milk.
And the company’s plans don’t stop
there. “Already a multi-product line,
we are now providing Nutripeople with
the equipment and technical expertise
to develop even more products in their
range. The Nutripeople project is truly
inspirational, and we are privileged to be
a part of it,” HRS’ Ortiz concluded. FBA
Made from surplus fruit and enriched with vitamins
and protein, Nutripeople’s Milk pouch contains the
same nutritional value as a glass of whole milk
With a turnkey production line from HRS Heat Exchangers, Nutripeople can now produce
42 million of its food pouches each year
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

46
PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
Customisation of dicing grid
improves yield in mango
processing in Vietnam
Hai Thanh, a Vietnamese
company specialising in
seafood processing and
surimi production, has
expanded their business
activities by the processing of fruits. As
part of strategic investments, the company
has deployed a Kronen GS 10-2 belt
cutting machine to increase productivity
of its mango processing operations.
The Kronen GS 10-2 belt cutting machine
Prior to the installation, mangoes were
cut manually with a processing capacity
of one person to 25kg per hour. With the
GS 10-2, up to 500kg of mangoes can be
cut per hour, thus leading to a significant
increase in production capacity.
The GS 10-2 is equipped with a grid cutting
device developed for mango dicing. The
grid has been adapted to the size of the
Hai Thanh production team and GS 10-2
mango dices requested by Hai Thanh, so
they are now able to cut 20x20mm squares
whose third dimension is determined by the
thickness of the mango halves. The loss
ratio is improved from 20% with standard
grid cutting device to around 5-10%
with the customised grid, which was of
importance for Hai Thanh. Small undesired
pieces are separated with a sieve.
Another criterion for Hai Thanh’s choice of
GS 10-2 was easy cleaning, as the machine
has to be cleaned every few hours due
to the stickiness which leads to mango
fibre getting stuck. The GS 10-2 fulfils
this requirement by enabling a cleaning
process that can be completed within
minutes without the need of additional
tools.
After the diversification of the business
activities by the processing of fruits and
vegetables, Hai Thanh now employs 400
employees and operates a production area
for fruits and vegetables with an associated
cold storage. Besides mangoes, the
company also processes individual quick
frozen (IQF) pineapples, watermelons,
papayas, dragon fruits, aloe vera, limes
and taro products. The processed fruits
are delivered to customers across Asia in
Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines
and China, as well as in Europe.
By expanding the business operation and
investing continuously, Hai Thanh aims
to become one of the leading companies
for the processing of fruits, vegetables
and seafood in the region of the Mekong
delta. The company offers a broad range of
products and advocates the support of the
local economy. The increase in production
capacity brought forth by the GS 10-2
marks an important step in empowering
Hai Thanh achieve these goals. FBA
Mango dices and frozen mango halves
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48
PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
How digitalisation of the
supply chain will reduce
global food waste
By Bjorn Thumas, Vice-President, Development and Product Management, Food Sorting and Marcom Food, at Tomra Food.
The scale of the global food
waste problem is staggering.
According to reports, 1.6
billion tons of food are lost or
wasted every year, equating to
a total value of US$1.2 trillion being wiped
from the supply chain. With one-third of
the total amount of food produced globally
being misused, the industry needs to look
towards innovation and digitalisation to
combat this ever-growing trend.
Through embracing technology and
digitalising the food supply chain, a move
can be made towards reducing the amount
of food waste and loss within the industry.
Not only that, but it can also help ensure
there is enough resource to sustainably
support the future global population.
With the United Nation’s Sustainable
Development Goals setting a target to
halving food loss and waste by 2030, I’ve
looked at how digitalisation of the supply
chain could help decrease global food
waste.
The need for innovation to reduce waste
Although food waste is evident across
the entire supply chain, the vast majority
comes at the very beginning (during
production) and at the very end (during
consumption). The former of these is more
common within developing countries, where
the infrastructure is of a poor standard
and cannot handle the food thus creating
waste, whilst the latter is more pronounced
in developed countries with waste being
caused by both retailers and consumers.
According to the Boston Consultancy
Group, the amount of food waste created
in the supply chain is set to rise 1.9%
from 2015 to 2030. You may think this is
a small rise, but when put into perspective
with the current 1.6 billion tons of waste
every year, this figure will increase by
30.4 million tons.
To combat this increase in waste, the food
supply chain needs to go under a digital
transformation. From production and
processing to the retailers themselves,
systematic changes are required in food
supply chain management to help everyone
utilise this precious resource more efficiently
and cut back on the amount of waste we are
creating as a society.
Utilising IoT in the supply chain
Through having better levels of
communication across the supply chain,
the amount of food waste produced can
be reduced. Each aspect of the supply
chain must be in constant contact with
one another to ensure our resources are
managed efficiently.
This is where the Internet of Things (IoT)
can support and improve supply chain
efficiencies. Based on having interconnected
and interrelated systems and processes, IoT
allows each aspect of the food industry to
have access to key data around the supply,
production and management of produce,
which can help reduce the amount of waste
created. Without the wider adoption of IoT
in the food supply chain, the levels of food
waste could increase by 50-90% as a result
of several combined factors, such as the
increase in food demand due to the evergrowing
population.
By allowing all stakeholders within the
supply chain access to key data shared
across integrated systems, processes can
be optimised further along in the chain
to maximise how the produce is handled.
For example, a bad batch of apples with
a high percentage of internal browning
would require a specific equipment set up
and would need to be fine-tuned to ensure
the maximum value can be extracted
from the apples. It is believed having this
connectivity could save the supply chain
up to $60 billion in waste.
Through having this pre-warning of any
information regarding a batch of produce,
farmers can not only optimise their yields
by reducing the risk of waste, but the other
stakeholders can also plan accordingly to
try and prevent the cause of waste.
Having this ability to share data through IoT
can also help reduce waste from consumer
standpoint. Retailers could use the realtime
data in stores to showcase when the
produce was harvested or picked, and offer
insights into the projected “sell by date”.
This can educate consumers further on
how long they have to eat the produce,
thus helping reduce food waste through the
implementation of technology.
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Using innovation to improve current
infrastructure
As well as utilising IoT, the supply chain
can also use digitalisation to help improve
the infrastructure it currently has in place.
Cold chain plays a huge role in the food
industry creating waste, mainly due to
poor infrastructure – in India, for example,
$14 billion is lost every year through poor
cold chain facilities. However, implementing
innovative and efficient systems can go
a long way in addressing the food waste
issue, particularly in developing markets.
By deploying more advanced cold chain
solutions within the emerging markets,
which share the data across the supply
chain through IoT, it could prevent largescale
food loss and waste.
The conditions can also change in cold
storage, and temperature affects many
sorting technologies, so the ability to link
cold storage sensors to packing equipment
can enhance performance.
But this is non-existent in many emerging
markets, creating poor food storage and
transportation conditions early in the value
chain that lead to large-scale food loss.
Deploying advanced supply chain solutions
– including cold chain in developing markets
– could reduce the problem by $150 billion
annually.
Investing in efficient sorting and grading
systems is a key approach in helping the
supply chain reduce the food waste created
earlier in the supply chain.
We want to know everything about the
produce. Everything from the weight and
size through to the external properties and
defects, and even the internal chemical
composition to predict ripeness and
longevity. But there are only two points
when you can gather information on
individual pieces of fruit: when it’s picked
and when it is sorted. These are the critical
data acquisition points.
KPIs need to be based around understanding
the types of defect types and classes or
grades per batch, to help create a complete
map and total view of the produce. This, in
turn, can help build up big data, meaning
every batch gives you new insights and
allows you build a bigger picture, creating
the ability to make even more informed
data-driven decisions. Where appropriate,
data can be shared and augmented to
“context”, such as weather data or geotagging.
The final step is to layer artificial intelligence
to start to understand previously unseen
patters and even more efficient ways of
working.
Although these KPIs tend not to be designed
to help limit the amount of waste produce,
utilising sorting and grading technology
can automatically support a waste sensitive
environment by recovering any produce
and reusing it for another purpose, such
as cattle feed or pet food. This means
that rather than creating food waste, an
alternative, more suitable use is found.
Lower quality fruits can be used for juices
or pulped to become products such as
guacamole or apple source, whilst starches
can be used for medical purposes. All of
these help us reduce waste and put the
lower quality produce to better use.
Going digital to fight food waste
With the ever-rising stats around food
waste, now is the time for the industry to
adopt a more digitalised approach across
the supply chain. Implementing integrated
and innovative systems will allow all key
stakeholders, from field to fork, to efficiently
manage food and reduce the risk of waste
at loss.
Digitalisation will not just help from
a sustainability aspect, but also help
businesses drive their own profitability
by improving processes and efficiencies.
It becomes the answer to the pushpull
paradox for commercial benefit and
combating global food waste.
At Tomra, we are committed to creating
sensor-based sorting and grading systems
to help the supply chain win the battle
against food waste. Through our systems,
we aim to help food businesses maximise
yields and ensure any produce can be
recovered and reused, increase productivity
with high capacity sorting and provide
consistent high-quality food assurance.
We also understand that we must take the
next steps. Tomra Insight is our answer to
connect our sorting and grading systems,
extract valuable information on the sorting
performance and the produce, and make
it transparent to the food businesses.
Incorporating this further into a digitalised
supply chain will help to close the link from
farm to fork in the future. FBA
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Achieving sustainability in the
packaging industry
Dr Martin Berlekamp, Head of Sustainability at Schur Flexibles Group, discusses initiatives the company is
undertaking to help achieve a greener future.
Showcasing that actions speak
louder than words, Schur
Flexibles Group has affirmed
its commitment in prioritising
the importance of sustainability
within its firm. Having backed up claims
that sustainability is at the forefront of
decision-making following its recognition
as the winner of FlexiClose’s 2018 German
Packaging Award in Sustainability, Schur
Flexibles has established the 5R approach
to a greener future: Recycling, Replace,
Reduction, Renewal and Responsibility.
To help achieve this goal, Dr Martin
Berlekamp, Head of Sustainability at
Schur Flexibles Group, has maintained the
company’s determination to transform
the handling of plastics has been key, and
said, “We see our current sustainability
transformation as a challenge because
society is keen to change the treatment
of plastics. As packaging takes up a high
percentage of plastics being produced, we
have to find a responsible way to handle
sustainability along the value chain.
“As Schur Flexibles is well prepared with
its current and new product portfolio,
we can help our customers fulfil their
sustainability goals which are often much
more demanding than the ones requested
by the legislation.”
Dr Martin Berlekamp, Head of Sustainability,
Schur Flexibles Group
addition to our 2025 target, we also have
one for 2020 – we want to provide a
recyclable solution to all markets. The aim
now is to meet our short-term target and
devise a strategy, project plan and ensure
resources are in place for the 2025 one.”
Although Dr Berlekamp admitted that the
company's 2025 sustainability targets are
challenging, Schur Flexibles is determined
to align to the requirements of large
supermarket chains.
He explained, “There’s a lot of work to
do. If you look at Carrefour, Tesco, Aldi
or Lidl, they have their own sustainable
programmes. These are the targets that
customers would like to see in their
own shops. As a flexible film supplier, if
you’re not capable of delivering recycling
solutions, then you won’t be in operation
for very long.”
Fritz Humer, CSO for Schur Flexibles Group,
stated the company’s growth over the past
few years has been significant, and the
future “is even more encouraging”.
“We’re on an exciting journey with customers,
markets and society having a new way of
looking at packaging materials,” he said.
“As a responsible company, sustainability
is in our DNA – the proven concepts and
established materials, the R&D pipeline,
management and entire staff of Schur
Flexibles will lead us to being the number
one supplier of sustainable packaging
solutions. This is the most important part
of the growth strategy of the company.”
Dr Berlekamp added, “Everyone has become
a lot more aware of what’s going on in the
oceans. Since that time, customers are
more sensitive about packaging materials,
particularly plastic ones. It’s become a key
reason why the whole community is now
looking for sustainable alternatives.
Schur Flexibles aims to make the majority
of its products recyclable before 2025 and
already possesses an array of recyclable
products in its portfolio, with the company
looking to ensure its product materials are
responsibly sourced.
“Sustainability is a clear management
target, and the company provides the
resources to follow up,” he affirmed. “In
Schur Flexibles 5R programme for sustainable film production
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“We can help to reduce food waste by
ensuring that food is packed with a suitable
and recyclable packaging film because it will
have a bigger impact on cutting our carbon
footprint than just reducing plastic use,”
noted Dr Berlekamp.
Schur Flexibles offers a range of films that are recyclable, material saving, based on renewable resources and can
replace conventional films
In order to ensure that food is packed
correctly, Schur Flexibles has established
a key partnership with Nippon Gohsei, a
group company of Mitsubishi Chemicals and
a producer of EVOH and PVOH providing an
appropriate barrier between the product,
oxygen and substances such as odd flavours
that could contaminate the product.
“They’re coming into a circular economy
and it has been one of the biggest challenges
because, in the past, the flexible film
industry was really developing thin films
using multiple polymers. Recyclability is not
a given if you have different polymers, and
this is why we’re trying to do more for less.”
With a clear idea of how to reduce plastics
consumption, Dr Berlekamp highlighted
the way to address reduction is to utilise
the thinnest film to help reduce harmful
emissions. The carbon footprint impact
of packed foods is around 97%, with the
additional 3% coming from the packaging
film, he said. “Nevertheless, we have to take
care of that 3% because if we reduce that to
the sustainable and even recyclable possible
solution, then it enables us to decrease
the carbon footprint in the easiest way.”
As a member of the CEFLEX and Save
Food Initiatives, Schur Flexibles has
been accelerating its sustainability drive
through these organisations. CEFLEX
is the collaborative initiative features a
consortium of European companies and
associations that represents the entire
flexible packaging supply chain.
Save Food exists to drive innovations,
promote interdisciplinary conversations,
and generate solutions to debates across
the supply chain. In a joint effort with
industry members, politics and civil society,
the organisation seeks to collaboratively
solve food wastage.
The innovative recyclable thermoforming film
VACUflex(re) EX-T made of polyolefins combines
machinability with product protection
“You need a barrier against oxygen in order
to protect valuable proteins like in fish,
cheese and meat. We’re working closely
with Nippon Gohsei – also a member of
CEFLEX – to develop tailor-made barriers
and integrate them into our films.”
With a drive to grow through acquisition as
well as promoting growth organically, Dr
Berlekamp highlighted the company’s target
is to become one of the biggest companies
in its field in Europe, and concluded,
“We positioned ourselves in the market
environment with our sustainable and
recyclable solutions early and have become
– we’re proud to say – the best-in-class.
“Since I joined, we’ve purchased two bigger
companies and two smaller ones. We’re
ambitious – the target is for Schur Flexibles
to be among the top five players in Europe.
We have to try and balance our growth in
packaging materials, and look at how we
can gain market share from the competition
following the launch of new products in the
market.” FBA
All images are credited to Schur Flexibles Group.
He continued, “CEFLEX is very important
and has an influence on European legislation
because people are now listening. I
believe it’s good that we have something
independent coming from the industry and
the value chain of packaging to examine how
we can exchange the future of packaging.”
With one-third of all food wasted or lost,
CoffeGuard(re) – the
non-aluminium recyclable
flow wrap packaging,
developed as a PP and PO
variant, has an ultra-high
barrier and thus reliably
packs ground coffee,
coffee beans and other dry
products
The new generation
of drawstring bags:
The recyclable
EcoString bag
as well as the
drawstring are made
of mono PE film
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

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PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
Rethink, reduce, reuse
Consumers are weighing in on environmental implications of their shopping basket.
By Nalin Amunugama, General Manager
of Boge Kompressoren Asia-Pacifi c
When food is thrown away,
the packaging is also
discarded, leading to an
additional environmental
burden. Seventy-eight
million metric tons of plastic packaging are
produced globally each year, and yet only
14% are used for recycling. Lightweight
and floatable, plastics that are not collected
end up in landfills and our oceans. The
problem will worsen as the increasingly
convenience-obsessed culture seek out
ready-to-eat and takeaway products and
grocery services, inevitably generating
considerable packaging.
A recent Nielsen survey found that 75%
of consumers globally would “definitely”
or “probably” change their consumption
habits if there is a positive effect on the
environment. More are weighing in on the
environmental impact of packaging when it
comes to making purchase decisions. Food
and beverage companies continually face
tough decisions about their products.
Both ends of the supply chain are becoming
increasingly aware of the direct and indirect
impact of consuming and manufacturing
plastic packaging on the environment.
Over 99% of plastics produced from
chemicals are derived from non-renewable
sources such as oil, natural gas and coal.
If left unchecked, the plastics industry and
its players could potentially account for
20% of the world’s total oil consumption
by 2050.
In 2018, China sent shockwaves through
the global market with its ban on foreign
imports of plastic waste and other
recyclables. The decision, taken to protect
its own environment and air quality, dealt a
heavy blow to nations struggling to redirect
waste. Developing countries, especially in
South East Asia, have been on the receiving
end of a high influx of contaminated and
mixed plastic waste. Thailand, India, and
Indonesia where more than 80% of waste
is mismanaged are among the 58 countries
besieged with 64.9 million kilograms of
illegally dumped and burned plastic scrap
from the US.
The evident overlap of environmental
pollution continues to raise red flags
around the world as plastics and their
sizeable pollutants enter the ecosystem at
an alarming rate. Wildlife, wildlife habitats,
and humans remain adversely affected by
the rapid consumption and almost-instant
disposal of plastics.
Consequently, consumer demand for
packaging alternatives has seen a
tremendous acceleration, as the
unintended consequences of single-use
plastics become more evident and visible.
Faced with the urgency and magnitude
of the plastics pollution issue, food
manufacturers are investing heavily in
research and development to produce
innovative solutions, from edible and
flexible packaging, to altering conventional
packaging materials.
Drink and eat straws
Plastic straws are extremely durable,
which makes them non-biodegradable and
harder to recycle due to their small size.
Plastic straws do not end when a drink is
consumed to the max. Instead, these toxic
magnets usually find their way to a landfill
or ocean, where it takes nearly 500 years
to decompose. By 2050, oceans will be the
home ground to more plastics than fish,
with plastics entering at the rate of four
garbage truckloads every minute, according
to a report by the World Economic Forum. A
looming prospect lies ahead for our planet
and future generations if we do not take care
of this alarming problem.
NYLTech Biotech’s RiceStraws provide
better benefits for cost, biodegradability
and durability than paper straws. The edible
rice-based straws are made from natural
ingredients such as rice and tapioca. With
a shelf life of up to two years if unused, the
straws dissolve in hot and cold beverages
– from two to 10 hours – without altering
taste.
Compliant with HACCP and ISO 22000
food safety standards, RiceStraws come
in multiple colours to mimic the traditional
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53
RiceStraws provide better benefits for cost, biodegradability and durability than paper straws
straws that consumers are used to,
converting recyclability into a culture for
consumers to pick up easily without having
to make drastic changes. The Malaysiabased
company recently announced plans
to tackle cutlery with similar petroleum
plastic replacement solutions.
Bag in a box
While plastic bags of liquids have been
a preferred method for the complete
dispensing of industrial lubricants and
greases on demand, these bags can be
fragile and difficult to store in bulk. The
flexible sides and potentially uneven weight
distribution also make them vulnerable to
punctures. All it takes is one leaking bag to
contaminate an entire shipment. There are
also environmental issues to consider, such
as fluctuating temperatures that can cause
contents to lose their efficacy when exposed
to spikes of heat or cold.
The Lube Cubes are stackable, allowing for
increased storage efficiency and transport.
As well as the clear environmental benefits,
Lube Cubes are easier to dispense from
than traditional plastic bottles. Fitted with
an anti-glug tap, similar to a wine box, the
lubricant can be dispensed as required while
eliminating spills and waste.
The Boge Lube Cube bag-in-a-box concept
comprises a robust 100% recyclable
corrugated cardboard outer to provide
protection during transportation and use,
and a 98% recyclable inner. This means
greater sustainability and a significantly
lower carbon footprint compared to
other packaging options. Once empty,
the boxes can easily be flattened and
recycled. Lube Cubes are significantly less
damaging to the environment because
of its reduced cost for disposal. At just
US$0.08, the disposal of a Lube Cube is
significantly lower than that of a 20-litre
plastic drum, which can amount to $4.00.
This recyclable packaging system is one
of the most convenient, cost effective and
sustainable forms of packaging available in
the market today.
Flexible packaging keeps lubricants and
edible oil products safe and fresh from fill
through final dispensing. Bag in a box and
pouch products protect product quality,
extend freshness, and dispense easily with
minimal product waste. Boge, a specialist in
compressed air systems, offers lubricant in
environmentally-friendly packaging, thanks
to the launch of its Lube Cube, an ecological
alternative to traditional plastic containers.
The Boge Lube Cubes are stackable, allowing for increased storage efficiency and transport
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The Green Fibre Bottle is 100% bio-based and is fully recyclable
Glass to paper
The brewery industry is centred around
consumer-packaged goods but with
plastic as its main component, this poses
a clear challenge to the current global
waste crisis. The shift from plastic to
glass for bottle packaging may seem
like an environmentally sound decision,
as consumers pick up on the trend to
replace plastic with alternative materials.
However, glass bottles may not be any
less damaging to the environment than
its plastic opponent, as it carries a larger
carbon footprint. Coupled with its fragility
that requires thick cardboard protective
packaging, its transportation emits 20%
more greenhouse gases than a can.
Danish brewing giant Carlsberg, in
collaboration with paper bottle company,
Paboco, unveiled the Green Fibre Bottle,
the world’s first paper beer bottle. Made
from sustainably sourced wood fibres
and fully recyclable, it utilises a biobased
PET polymer film “inner barrier”
to retain the beer. As part of the initiative
to remain earth-friendly and reduce its
carbon footprint by 30% when 2030 rolls
in, the paper bottle offers consumers a
unique drinking option. Paboco is also
working with other brands such as Absolut,
Coca-Cola, and L’Oréal to develop more
sustainable paper packaging solutions.
The green move joins hands with other
sustainable solutions in the brewing
industry, which include recycled shrink
film, greener label ink and Snap Pack to
replace plastic packaging for their six-pack
cans. Aimed at diverting consumers from
single-use plastics, the food and beverage
industry is working in lockstep to promote
ecological habits to simplify transitions
towards an environmentally beneficial
behaviour among consumers.
Purpose and responsibility
Waking up from the global plastics pollution
hangover, consumer-packaging industries
are recognising the potential and existing
collateral damage from the production and
consumption of single-use plastics on the
environment. Just as consumers embrace
purpose and sustainability, many still
feel the main responsibility lies with the
manufacturing sector across the entire
spectrum of the supply chain.
The future of plastics may not be as bleak
as new ways to alter the adverse effects
of plastic become conceivable. However,
evolving expectations will continue to push
for innovations to turn plastic wastes into
highly versatile natural chemicals. Leading
the charge are scientists at Nanyang
Technical University in Singapore who have
found a way to turn non-biodegradable
plastic waste into chemicals using sunlight.
The technique, while not commercially
viable yet, could lead to an extraordinary
method to deal with plastic waste in an
environmentally sustainable way, and
produce valuable chemicals that can be
used for food preservatives, anti-bacterial
cleaning agents or fuel cells for hydrogen
energy. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
55
When motion meets automation:
The acceleration of a smart auto-motion era
Warehousing is at the heart of every supply chain. Coupled with technologies like automation, it unleashes greater
effi ciency in productivity and space utilisation, as Poul H. Lorentzen, General Manager of Consoveyo Singapore,
elaborates more to Food & Beverage Asia.
Poul H. Lorentzen, General Manager of
Consoveyo Singapore
The overarching goal in
warehousing is to be more
cost efficient while keeping
the varying requirements of
product safety and inventory
volumes in mind, declared Poul H. Lorentzen,
General Manager of Consoveyo Singapore.
The rapid emergence of various e-commerce
platforms has been one of the most
impactful trends for the warehousing
industry, in addition to the growing interest
surrounding automation in logistics, he
explained.
“Integrating automation in logistics
solutions is fast becoming a norm,
as automated technologies can help
companies overcome manpower shortage
and greatly reduce the need for staff
training. Automated solutions can create
high-density storage areas to store more
products in a small space, run 24/7 while
reducing picking errors, and manage a
variety of products at a greater speed, thus
minimising the number of warehouse staff
required.”
Particularly in South East Asia, an
increasing number of companies have
been looking to adopt automated solutions
due to the rapidly changing demographics
and a shrinking labour force, Lorentzen
said. Furthermore, several countries
have changed their labour regulations to
protect employees from excessive physical
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

56
PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
expand our business here in Asia, we
look forward to building more positive
relationships with companies across various
industries.”
“Autonomous mobile robotics – the
‘final frontier’ of automation”
On a global scale, companies in the U.S. and
Europe have readily adopted automation
to meet the requirements of direct-toconsumer
fulfilment. In Asia, retailers,
manufacturers and other distribution
operations are in the search for adaptable
and scalable solutions, bringing forth the
demand for automated warehouses in this
region.
Consoveyo’s automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) solutions maximise a warehouse footprint, providing companies
with enhanced space utilisation
work, bringing forth companies to lean
towards alternatives to integrate automated
technologies in their logistics workflow.
For instance, when Pet Lovers Centre was
looking to double its pallet storage density
and reduce its reliance on manual labour,
the Singapore-based pet supplies retailer
chose Consoveyo Singapore to install an
intralogistics system that will ensure higher
accuracy of fulfilment.
Thiah Eng Yew, Senior Logistics Manager
of Pet Lovers Centre, said, “Currently, our
warehouse operators are using rider reach
trucks to store pallets in the warehouse,
and this process is very time consuming.
Furthermore, our products are prone
to damage due to material handling.
Consoveyo’s solutions are the right fit that
will help shorten the time taken to store a
pallet onto the rack in the warehouse, and
also reduce the number of operators we
will require.”
Upon reviewing its current operations and
in order to increase manpower efficiency
and warehouse storage space, Pet Lovers
Centre decided to adopt automation
technology as a positive way forward. The
customised system will drive efficiencies,
achieve greater productivity, and deliver
real-time visibility to Pet Lovers Centre
across its warehousing operations. Doing so
will further allow the company to enhance
their deliveries to its various retail outlets
as well as customers’ homes.
Consoveyo will install a pallet conveying
system, high bay racking, and a multi
deep automated storage and retrieval
system (ASRS). The multi deep storage
system will be supported by two stacker
cranes equipped with on-board satellite
vehicles, as well as Consoveyo’s warehouse
management software (WMS). The software
will provide an interface with Pet Lovers
Centre’s host system to manage the
receiving of incoming goods and outbound
orders. Information is collected and
compiled into a centralised database such
that Pet Lovers Centre can utilise to track
inventory movement.
Consoveyo Singapore’s Lorentzen added,
“This is our maiden foray into this particular
industry, and it marks our inaugural
installation of the multi deep ASRS in the
region. This application gives Consoveyo
a good opportunity to showcase the range
of the automated intralogistics solutions
that it offers.
“We saw from the start that this was a
great opportunity to bring time - and
cost-savings through our solution to
Pet Lovers Centre in the long run. As we
remain committed to our customers and
Lorentzen explained, “The growing trend of
autonomous mobile robotics will be reflected
in Asia, too. I consider it the ‘final frontier’
of material handling automation, where
single-pick items can now be identified and
picked automatically. This is still an area
under development, but I believe these
solutions will be a commonplace within the
next decade, given that they will become
increasingly affordable with time.”
And with Industry 4.0 edging closer,
Lorentzen is confident that the fourth
revolution can lead to a positive impact on
the logistics landscape because of its ability
to enable the creation of “smart factories”.
Suggesting Industry 4.0 as a “push factor”
that encourages tighter integration between
production and logistics in all aspects of
the supply chain, he highlighted that a
key benefit of automating the warehouse
environment is the overall reduction
in downtime, which can result in lower
incidences of human error and higher
productivity levels.
Besides automation, another trend impacting
the logistics and warehousing industry is
the rising costs of land due to increased
scarcity. This, according to Lorentzen,
will compel companies to consolidate
all distribution centres into bigger,
regional distribution centres in the future.
He elaborated, “This is especially true in
South East Asia, as countries are heavily
investing in enhancing infrastructure
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
57
Automated technologies have been implemented in the logistics and warehousing industry to
address manpower challenges
– including highways, high-speed train
networks, and many more. The investment
will help to reduce the time and distance for
goods to be transported from distribution
centres and warehouses to retailers and
customers.”
Leveraging data for food warehousing
Pertaining to the food world, Lorentzen
pointed out food safety as the most
important challenge food manufacturers
face when it comes to food warehousing,
due to the strict standards the industry
has set for hygienic transportation and
storage practices. However, this can be
addressed with the implementation of good
visibility and traceability processes within
the supply chain to identify potential issues
that may compromise food safety. And when
integrating material handling equipment,
food and beverage manufacturers will also
have to adopt gentle handling processes to
avoid damaging food packaging.
Consoveyo has designed its automated
systems to mitigate food-related challenges
like food safety, product visibility, and
traceability, thus addressing the issues such
as improper food storage and handling,
delivery inaccuracies, and damage to the
products. For instance, in an incident where
contamination, spoilage, or damage is
suspected, food and beverage operators will
be able to trace the source of the damaged
food product and rectify the problem via
Consoveyo’s WMS.
“Often, food manufacturers start thinking
about automation in times of business
growth, when production volume increases
and they realise that they need to more
acutely consider downstream processes.
With automated warehousing solutions,
manufacturers can enjoy revenue increases
in the long run, as they achieve higher
levels of efficiency and productivity. These
automated systems reduce the risk of order
picking inaccuracies, and enable users
to track large inventory easily, with the
ability to pinpoint inventory and product
movement,” Lorentzen explained.
“Food safety will be a much less pressing
concern, as automated solutions help
to increase traceability of the products,
reducing losses related to perishables
through management of expiration dates.
Food manufacturers will also see an
increase in throughput, as it minimises the
need for many people working on the same
task in the warehouse, and employees can
focus carrying out value-added services.”
One aspect within the food storage process
is the need for chilled and frozen food
storage warehouse. This particular cold
chain storage is required to meet specific
environment parameters and temperatures
in order to maintain freshness of the food
products. Despite storage complexities,
cold chain storage products are expected to
see higher demands in developed countries,
as consumers in these regions have more
economic means to purchase perishable
products like vegetables, fruits and proteinbased
items.
He said, “The entire cold chain process
should be about minimising the time it
takes to move a product through the
system. Efficiency is key, especially because
vulnerabilities occur if there are delays in
handling products from one production
stage to another. Our solutions are
designed to be efficient while minimising
the handling of frozen goods by workers,
greatly reducing the risks of human error.”
Lorentzen concluded with his advice on the
best practices for cold storage warehouse
operators:
• Automate for savings – As the cost of
energy, land, and labour increases, cold
chain operators must look for logistics
solutions that reduces cost and energy.
• Maximise storage areas – ASRS allow
for deep and tall designs that maximises
a warehouse’s footprint. Furthermore,
high-density storage areas also create an
environment that reduces heat loss.
• Training warehouse operators – It is
imperative that all warehouse workers
have a good working understanding
of the cold storage warehouse’s best
practices. Mishandling of the equipment
and automated solutions in the warehouse
can easily result in unexpected downtime
and costly repair works. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

58
FIRST LOOKS
SACMI Krones
New compact glass filler Craftmate G for beer and CSDs
Krones has added the new Craftmate G to
its family of fillers. Its non-identical twin is
the Craftmate C, the small can filler that is
already available in the market since 2015. The
Craftmate G, by contrast, as the abbreviation
“G” already suggests, is designed for the
handling of glass bottles.
In technological terms, the Craftmate G
resembles its big siblings in the Modulfill series.
For instance, like the HRS system, it features a
vent tube, and can be combined with up to two
closers for crowns, screw-caps or aluminium
roll-on closures. This provides brewers with
the flexibility they need to manage not only
beer, but carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) as well.
The complete system of filler and one or more
closers is available in both directions of rotation,
and can be integrated into existing lines.
To keep the Craftmate G as compact as
possible, it differs in some respects from the
machines of the Modulfill family:
SACMI introduces the D.R.I.V.A. revolution
SACMI has made two technological
improvements to its preform vision
systems. Previewed at K 2019 last
October, the PVS10L machine is
now equipped with the Drive and
Recognition with Intelligent Vision
Algorithms (D.R.I.V.A.) system for
automatic preform recognition and
size changeover.
Designed for the off-line inspection
of potentially faulty preform lots,
this solution features two distinctive
characteristics. The first is its
ability to combine polarised light
inspection technology with artificial
intelligence (AI) algorithms: in practice, the
system is able to “imitate” the work done by
workers, who identify defects invisible to the
naked eye using polarimeters.
The second aspect is the solution’s ability
to cut size changeover times to within
The Craftmate G is a compact beer filler, and
handles up to 24,000 glass bottles per hour
(Photo credit: Marcus Vogel, Krones AG)
• The filler’s front table is self-draining.
The roof construction of this table enables
residual liquids to be purposefully
drained into a channel system affixed
to the low points of the tabletop.
• The machine’s guard is installed
directly at the table.
SACMI’s PVS10L combines polarised light with AI algorithms
one minute, the company claimed. With
SACMI D.R.I.V.A., the PVS10L identifies the
preform type and automatically calls up the
matching inspection recipe. A response,
then, to the versatility and efficiency
requirements of “off-line” systems, with
total automation of the setting tasks that,
• Control cabinet, valve node and vacuum
pump are grouped together in a single
module, permanently attached to the
machine.
• Though necessary gush-type jetting
systems are integrated, exterior cleaning of
the machine is performed manually.
• There is an option for the client to provide
certain components of the Modulfill, such
as the freestanding bottle shower and the
modularised vacuum pump cooling system.
When it comes to output, the new Craftmate
G with its two pitch circle diameters of
1,440 and 1,800 millimetres, covers
rating of up to 24,000 containers per hour,
rendering it ideally for small and mid-tier
breweries, which, due to their production
environment, wish to opt for a compactly
dimensioned filler solution from Krones. ■
with alternative technologies, are
generally performed manually.
Additionally, the PVS10L features
linear preform transfer. Gripped
laterally, the preform undergoes
checks on the mouth, finish and
bottom before being transferred
using vacuum technology and
undergoing body inspection. Once
all the defects visible to the naked
eye have been identified, the
preform is checked with polarised
light and the images are interpreted
using advanced AI algorithms.
The solution can be completed with an
automatic preform positioner, allowing
operators to configure the entire line
to achieve fully automated process
management. ■
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

FIRST LOOKS
59
Cloud-capable pumps and motors – Digitalisation pilot project in the food industry
Danish Crown is a globally active food
processing company. To fully leverage the
benefits of digitalisation, and in particular,
prevent costly production downtimes, the
company relied on close cooperation with
Siemens and Grundfos, a specialist in pump
and water technology.
This enables connection to the open
cloud-based IoT platform, MindSphere,
and the Grundfos iSolution Cloud, ensuring
comprehensive condition monitoring of the
components used. By enabling the early
detection of potential faults, this reduces
downtimes and simplifies the monitoring of
motors, pumps and systems. ■
Siemens
The project involved the use of condition
monitoring with subsequent data analysis,
which Siemens claimed as a first for the food
and beverage industry. Key components
of the solution include cloud-capable
low-voltage motors and the open cloud
platform, MindSphere from Siemens,
alongside pumps and sensors from
Grundfos. Linking the systems in operations
at Danish Crown to the cloud has enabled
simpler maintenance and lower servicing
costs, according to Siemens, and ultimately
resulting in improved productivity.
The partnership between Siemens and
Grundfos is based on a foundation of
vertical market knowledge and specific
expertise. Both companies are playing
an instrumental role in driving forward
digitalisation with a stream of new solutions
and portfolio elements.
As a part of a project unprecedented in the food and beverage industry, Danish Crown has adopted the use of
condition monitoring
In this application for the food and beverage
pilot project at Danish Crown, Siemens
supplied the digitalisation expertise with
its Digital Enterprise portfolio including
the Internet of Things (IoT) operating
system, MindSphere, as well as control and
management solutions. The pump solutions
for the project are supplied by Grundfos.
Cloud link for optimised productivity
The low-voltage motors and the pumps
used at Danish Crown are equipped with the
Sidrive IQ Fleet as well as Simotics Connect
400. Sidrive IQ Fleet is an IoT digitalisation
offering for driving systems used for the
analysis and utilisation of drive data based
on MindSphere. Simotics Connect 400 is
used to collate motor and pump-specific
condition information for analysis in Sidrive
IQ Fleet.
Connecting to the cloud has reduced downtimes, simplified maintenance planning and execution, and enabled the
reliable monitoring of motors, pumps and systems
The MindSphere applications Sidrive IQ Fleet allows to continuously visualise, analyse, and monitor the drive data
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

60
FIRST LOOKS
Flexicon
Flexicon adds safety cage to BULK-OUT Model BFF bulk bag discharger
Flexicon’s new BULK-OUT Model BFF bulk
bag discharger is now equipped with a steel
safety cage to prevent contact with moving
parts during operation and automated
unloading of bulk bags. The enclosure
features externally-mounted controls and
full-height doors with an Intrinsically Safe
Relay (ISR) that has the ability to halt
operation when the door is opened.
The discharger is further equipped with topmounted
receiving cups and a removable
bag-lifting frame for forklift loading of bulk
bags. Z-CLIP strap holders at the frame
extremities allow rapid, secure insertion and
removal of bag straps.
A manual SPOUT-LOCK clamp ring
positioned atop a pneumatically-actuated
TELE-TUBE telescoping tube provides quick,
dust-tight connections between the bag
Steel-safety enclosure of BULK-OUT Model BFF bulk
bag discharger ceases operation of moving parts when
safety interlocked doors are opened
spout and hopper, and maintains downward
tension on the spout as the bag empties to
eliminate creases, folds or bulges that could
hinder the material flow.
Additional flow promotion is provided by
FLOW-FLEXER bag activators that raise
and lower opposite bottom sides of the bag
at timed intervals, loosening compacted
material and directing it into the discharge
spout. As the bag lightens, the stroke of
the bag activators increases, raising the
bag bottom into a steep “V” shape, while
top-mounted POP-TOP extension devices
elongate the entire bag, promoting total
discharge with no manual intervention.
The universal flanged outlet of the hopper
allows connection of a rotary airlock
or charging adapter to feed optional
pneumatic or mechanical conveyors, or
other downstream equipment.
The discharger is constructed of carbon
steel with durable industrial finish and
stainless-steel material contact surfaces,
and available in all-stainless steel finished to
food, dairy or pharmaceutical standards. ■
Comexi
Comexi congratulates Sigoplast on new factory inauguration
Sigoplast, a French company that specialises
in the design of plastic packaging, has reestablished
itself following a fire which broke
out at its facilities in Saint Pal de Mons.
After two years, Sigoplast inaugurated
the new factory which covers an area of
5,000-square metres, and is 1,000-square
metres larger than the previous facility.
Comexi F2 MC is designed to support the
printing needs of both medium and long
runs while the Comexi F2 MB supports the
need of medium runs. ■
Sigoplast invested the machinery portfolio
with Comexi technology, including two
flexo presses – a new Comexi F2 MC and a
Comexi F2 MB – as well as integrating slitter
Comexi S2 DT with 4 Laser for micro and
macro perforations.
The Comexi S2 DT slits the webs used
in the flexible packaging market, at a
high production rate due to its double
turret output. The integration of a laserin-line
processing system allows for
the performance of micro and macro
perforations, among other finishing
processes. In the flexible packaging sector
of the retail and wholesale channels, the
The new Sigoplast facility in
Saint Pal de Mons is equipped
with Comexi technology,
including Comexi F2 MC,
Comexi F2 MB and
Comexi S2 DT
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

FIRST LOOKS
61
When plastic becomes oil again: igus invests in chemical recycling
Igus has invested 4.7 million euros in Mura
Technology and also the construction of the
Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor (Cat-HTR)
technology plant.
Renewable, sustainable and wastereducing
– these are the aims of Cat-
HTR technology, which can be used
to recycle plastic waste and make
new polymer products. According
to igus, Cat-HTR technology has the
ability to “convert plastic waste into
oil within 20 minutes”, and is “more
resource-efficient than the extraction
of fossil fuels from the ground”. Only
water, high temperatures and pressure
are used to separate the cells and join them
together again.
The Cat-HTR plant is currently being planned in Wilton, Great
Britain, and construction is expected to commence
this year. Waste companies supply the waste
plastic to meet their recycling goals. Oil is then
obtained that can be sold as a replacement
for virgin fossil oil. A total of four catalytic
hydrothermal reactors are to be built in
Wilton to process more than 80,000
metric tons of plastic waste every year.
As a next step, Mura has planned to
issue licences worldwide and build
new plants.
Igus has already been a support for the
circular economy of plastics, following the
launch of its chainge programme in October
last year. The initiative aims to recycle the
plastic from energy chains and reuse it for new
products. To this end, igus takes back energy chains
when the service life of a machine is over, re-granulates the
plastic, and processes it again. ■
Igus
Rotary continuous bulk solids mixer for high volume applications
Munson Machinery has developed a
new sanitary Model RCM36X9SS Rotary
Continuous Mixer that blends dry bulk solids
with or without liquid applications, in-line
over long production runs. The machine
can be deployed for applications like bulk
foods such as cereals, powdered drink
mixes, snack foods and pet foods, and bulk
chemicals such as detergents, catalysts,
polymers, pesticides and fertilisers.
Optional stainless steel piping with nozzles
allows uniform spraying of liquid additives
onto a wide expanse of cascading material
produced by internal flights, minimising the
time required to coat all particles uniformly.
A weir at the discharge end of the drum
creates a build-up of blended material that
overflows the weir and discharges the mixer
at rates determined by the residence volume
of the rotating cylinder and the rate of
material inflow. A reversing discharge weir
is also available to evacuate material at the
end of production runs, allowing cleaning
or sanitising. ■
Munson Machinery
Designed for dust-free mixing of bulk
materials in large volumes, the mixer blends
primary bulk ingredients, minor ingredients,
and liquid additions and coatings uniformly
with minimal degradation. It features
a stationary inlet and outlet, a rotating
drum with smooth interior surfaces, and
mixing flights that impart a gentle tumbling
action, distributing particles with each
degree of drum rotation. Unlike mixers with
agitators that are forced through stationary
material, the rotary continuous design has
no internal moving parts and lower power
requirements; a 2.24kW electric motor
rotates the drum at 8-10 RPM.
The Rotary Continuous Mixer RCM36X9SS from Munson Machinery
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

62
SHOW PREVIEW
“FOOMA JAPAN MAIL NEWS”
Receive latest information on FOOMA JAPAN
and hints to deal with issues in
food processing factories!
https://www.foomajapan.jp/english/index.html
More than 100,000 visitors attended FOOMA Japan 2019
FOOMA JAPAN 2020 Osaka
A comprehensive trade event on food technology with a line-up of cutting-edge machinery and equipment
covering the food industry.
With the theme “Food
Technology, Osaka
Convergence”, FOOMA
Japan will return for its
43rd edition from 23-26
Jun 2020 at Intex Osaka. FOOMA Japan is
a food machinery and technology exhibition
organised by the Japan Food Machinery
Manufacturers’ Association, and brings
together products, technologies and
services for food processing and related
operations.
A first for the event is the shift away
from Tokyo to Osaka to accommodate
the Summer Olympics and Paralympics
Games in the capital. Despite the change
in venue, the organiser is confident that
FOOMA Japan will remain as a platform for
exhibitors to showcase their advances in
products and services, and for visitors to
discover new solutions.
Having attracted more than 100,000
visitors last year, FOOMA Japan will continue
building upon this success and support
the growth of the food industry. This
year’s exhibition will feature approximately
700 Japanese enterprises which will cover
the entire range of the food industry; from
machinery for improving production to
freshness control and quality management,
hygiene measures, environmental
measures and recycling, as well as related
technologies.
Food manufacturing and processing machinery will be
on display at FOOMA Japan 2020 Osaka
FOOMA Japan 2020 Osaka will also be
joined by Japan’s industrial robot makers –
such as Yaskawa Electric Corporation and
Fanuc Corporation – to demonstrate their
latest robots that can be incorporated into
the food production line, and engineering
companies to display innovative Internet of
Things (IoT)-based technologies. Another
highlight at the exhibition is the opportunity
for visitors to experience all the processes
within a food production factory – from
processing raw materials to cleaning,
blending, sintering, and packaging – and
check out a one-stop line-up of machinery
and equipment for each process.
The exhibition will also introduce a full
range of equipment that helps cook and
manufacture various Japan food items,
including sushi and different types of
noodles. Visitors may enjoy demonstrations
and tasting sessions, while observing
the manufacturing process from a close
distance.
Enterprises from the food industry in Asia
and across the world have accelerated in
productivity and efficiency, and have been
building systems for small scale production
of a large array of products. FOOMA Japan
2020 Osaka is poised to be the platform for
them to create partnerships with Japanese
food machinery markers with the objective
to deliberate on introducing the equipment
to support their business expansion.
Ultimately, FOOMA Japan 2020 Osaka
aims to provide global visitors with a range
of services. The exhibition will enable
visitors to gather information on food
machinery, equipment and services that
Japan is sharing with the world, and build
relationships with their makers. FBA
Visitors to the exhibition can also enjoy tasting sessions while
observing the manufacturing process from a close distance
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

EVENTS CALENDAR 2020
63
MARCH
4 – 6 Mar Sino-Pack and PACKINNO 2020
(Postponed) Area A, China Import & Export Fair Complex
Guangzhou, PR China
www.ChinaSinoPack.com
www.PACKINNO.com
17 – 19 Mar Food Ingredients China
(Postponed) National Convention & Exhibition Center
Shanghai, China
http://en.fic.cfaa.cn/
24 – 26 Mar ProPak Vietnam
Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC)
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
http://propakvietnam.com/
APRIL
23 – 25 Apr Food Tech Krasnodar
Expograd Yug
Krasnodar, Russia
https://www.foodtech-krasnodar.ru/ru-RU/
MAY
7 – 13 May interpack
Messe Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf, Germany
www.interpack.com
JUNE
17 – 20 Jun ProPak Asia
BITEC
Bangkok, Thailand
https://www.propakasia.com/ppka/2020/en/index.asp
17 – 20 Jun Foodtech & Pharmatech Taipei
Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center
Taipei, Taiwan
https://www.foodtech.com.tw/
22 – 24 Jun Food Ingredients Asia-China
NECC
Shanghai, China
www.figlobal.com/china
23 – 26 Jun FOOMA Japan
Intex Osaka
Osaka, Japan
http://www.foomajapan.jp/english/
JULY
1 – 3 Jul Food Ingredients Vietnam
Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
https://www.figlobal.com/vietnam/
SEPTEMBER
9 – 11 Sep Food Ingredients Asia
JI Expo
Jakarta, Indonesia
https://www.figlobal.com/asia-indonesia/
16 – 18 Sep Asia Fruit Logistica
Singapore Expo
Singapore
www.asiafruitlogistica.com
23 – 24 Sep Vitafoods Asia
Sands Expo and Convention Centre
Singapore
www.vitafoodsasia.com
23 – 25 Sep Anutec Ingredients India
Bombay Exhibition Centre
Mumbai, India
www.anutecingredientsindia.com
23 – 26 Sep FoodTech International
JI Expo
Jakarta, Indonesia
www.foodtechinternational.net
28 – 30 Sep Asia (Shanghai) Int'l Import Food Expo
SNIEC
Shanghai, China
http://en.aifoode.com/
OCTOBER
7 – 10 Oct ALLPACK Indonesia
JI Expo
Jakarta, Indonesia
www.allpack-indonesia.com
13 – 16 Oct China Brew & Beverage Shanghai
Shanghai New International Expo Centre
Shanghai, China
http://www.chinabrew-beverage.com/
22 – 24 Oct Food Japan
Suntec Singapore
Singapore
http://oishii-world.com/en/
NOVEMBER
10 – 12 Nov Food & Hotel China
SNIEC
Shanghai, China
http://www.fhcchina.com/en/
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020
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Food Ingredients Vietnam 2020
Food Pack Asia 2020
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Heat and Control
Hi & Fi Asia – China 2020
ProPak China
ProPak Vietnam 2020
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SweeGen
Yamato Scale
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FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020