Expansion strategies in flavors, Insect-based and vegan solutions trend

This week featured several business acquisitions and investments in ingredients, with activity in flavors proving to be particularly pronounced. Givaudan is acquiring the Nutrition Division of Brazil's Centroflora Group, as part of its 2020 strategy to strengthen its global offering of natural extract ingredients. Kerry strengthened its fermented ingredient position with a US$28.6m investment in its facility in Rochester, Minnesota. Elsewhere, IFF officially opened its renovated and expanded flavors facility in Egypt and Symrise looked to new opportunities within vanilla. Also this week, Corbion was approved as the highest bidder for TerraVia and Mazza Innovation closed a financing deal and expanded its PhytoClean capabilities.

Insect protein is an interesting field of development for innovative start-ups. This week Bugfoundation announced the launch of a locally produced insect burger in the Netherlands and Belgium called the Bux Burger. The next generation of innovators will be enthused by news from Unilever Foundry, which offers a platform for start-ups and innovators to engage, collaborate and explore business opportunities with Unilever and its 400+ brands, as well as the launch of a Nestlé youth initiative to develop the next generation of entrepreneurs.

In the UK, the BRC warned that a "no deal" Brexit could lead to severe food price hikes, while Tesco announced partnerships with suppliers to help achieve its goals of halving food waste by 2030. A study from the European Whey Processors Association revealed an increased demand and growth for whey protein and a team of scientists from the University of Copenhagen has received a grant to assess the risks of acrylamide. Finally, Hydrosol reported that Stern-Wywiol's double-digit growth in 2016 was boosted by the division's vegan solutions.