October’s top news stories

British beef industry gets access to Chinese market

The Chinese Government agreed to allow beef imports from the UK after releasing finalised details of a UK-China agreement.

British beef exporters will now have complete access to the Chinese market for the first time after more than two decades due to a ban imposed by the Chinese Government in 1996 following the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreak.

The new deal between the two governments is expected to provide a £230m boost to the British beef industry.

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Aleph Farms produces slaughter-free meat in space

Israel-based cultivated beef steaks producer Aleph Farms collaborated with Russian company 3D Bioprinting Solutions to produce its first slaughter-free meat in space.

The company said it was successful in producing meat on the International Space Station (ISS), 339km away from any natural resources.

Co-founded with the food-tech incubator The Kitchen and Technion University professor Shulamit Levenberg, Aleph Farms collaborated with the Russian firm, US-based firms Meal Source Technologies and Finless Foods for this project.

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Dr Oetker acquires Cake Craft World in UK

German cake mixes producer Dr Oetker acquired UK-based decorating company Cake Craft World, further strengthening its presence in the baking industry.

For three decades, Cake Craft World has been associated with cake making and is engaged in selling decorating products.

Currently, the company offers more than 10,000 products, including a wide range of cake decorations, equipment, tools, books and packaging.

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VMG Partners acquires North American snack brand popchips

Private equity company VMG Partners acquired North American snack brand popchips under its new branded snacking platform, Velocity Snack Brands (VSB), for an undisclosed sum.

Popchips was established in 2007 by Keith Belling, a serial food entrepreneur who recently launched vegetables-based grain brand RightRice, and Patrick Turpin.

The brand’s products, which are sold in more than 30,000 stores across North America, include original rounds, ridges, Nutter Puffs and Yes Peas.

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Aryzta divests $171m stake in Picard

Swiss-Irish bakery company Aryzta agreed to sell the majority of its stake in French frozen food firm Picard to Invest Group Zouari (IGZ).

As per the agreement, the bakery company will divest its 43% stake in Picard for a total consideration of €156m ($171m).

After the transaction, Aryzta will be left with a 4.5% stake in Picard.

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Cargill to expand refined oils facility in Sidney, Ohio

Global food company Cargill announced plans to invest approximately $225m to expand its integrated soybean crush and refined oils facility in Sidney, Ohio.

With the expansion, the company will be able to better serve area farmers and meet growing demand for protein and refined oils.

The investment will help Cargill to increase its soybean crush capacity and upgrade its operations. It will create better market access for farmers’ crops in the area.

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Mastercard and Envisible to partner on food systems visibility

Global technology company Mastercard partnered with Envisible, an ARKK Food Company joint venture, to bring visibility to food systems.

Under the new partnership, Envisible’s traceability system will be integrated with Mastercard’s blockchain-based Provenance Solution.

The Mastercard Provenance Solution helps brands to provide visibility into product journeys and offers governance capabilities to complex supply chain networks.

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EHL Ingredients installs equipment to reduce cross-contamination

UK-based food ingredients importer, blender and packer EHL Ingredients installed machinery to reduce risks of cross-contamination of products at the time of production and handling.

The company has installed three new pieces of machinery in its third site on Broadstone Industrial Estate.

EHL Ingredients joint managing director Tasneem Alonzo said: “We have always had stringent allergen controls in place but this investment in completely separate production areas for standard and non-allergen ingredients means our customers can rest assured that the products they receive from us have not come into contact with allergens at any point during our handling.

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One Rock to acquire ingredients producer Innophos for $932m

An affiliate of private equity firm One Rock Capital Partners signed an agreement to acquire essential ingredients producer Innophos Holdings for about $932m.

One Rock will purchase all outstanding shares of Innophos for $32 per share in cash.

Approved by Innophos’ Board of Directors, the deal includes the assumption of debt.

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2SFG sells Matthew Walker Christmas puddings business to Valeo

UK-based food manufacturer 2 Sisters Food Group (2SFG) completed the sale of its Matthew Walker Christmas puddings business to Valeo Foods Group.

The deal was first announced earlier this month, when Valeo Foods signed a binding agreement to acquire Matthew Walker Christmas puddings business for a consideration of £67m ($81.8m).

Boparan Holdings, the parent company of 2SFG, has a significant UK presence in poultry, chilled and frozen food categories.