Day: September 1, 2021

Eat Just to build the first-ever cultivated meat facility in the Middle East and Northern Africa

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QATAR – Alternative protein company Eat Just is set to build a cell-cultured meat facility in Qatar which will be the first-ever facility of its kind in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region.  To make the project a success, Eat Just, Inc. has signed a collaborative agreement with Doha Venture Capital (DVC) and the Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA).  Thanks to the collaboration, the facility will be located in the Umm Alhoul Free Zone, one of two free zones overseen and regulated by QFZA, with direct access to Hamad Port, Qatar’s main seaport.  The new facility  is expected…

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Nestlé inaugurates largest R+D Accelerator yet to bring highly differentiated innovations to the market quickly

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SWITZERLAND –  Swiss food manufacturing giant, Nestlé has inaugurated its largest R+D Accelerator yet in a bid to accelerate “the translation of fundamental science into cross-category innovations” with rapid speed to market.   The new center is embedded at Nestlé’s research facilities in Lausanne, Switzerland and covers 4,000 sq m with a variety of co-working stations, prototyping kitchens and mini-production facilities.   “The Accelerator here in Lausanne is the mothership of our Accelerator network, since we work across all categories and often our innovation is based on new scientific discoveries,” a Nestlé spokesperson said.  According to Nestlé, the new center…

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Arla Foods faces new pressure to fully transition to plant-based dairy by 2025

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UK – Danis multinational dairy giant Arla is under new pressure to abandon animal dairy for plant-based alternatives as part of wider, well-orchestrated efforts by animal activists to rid the world of unsustainable agriculture.  To express their displeasure over the company’s continued dairy operations, a number of activists blockaded Arla’s key milk factory in England demanding Arla to fully plant-based by 2025.  Around 50 activists from Animal Rebellion, a sister group to Extinction Rebellion, stood in protest blocking the gates to the Arla’s distribution center near Aylesbury, UK, erecting bamboo structures and concrete…

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Coca-Cola Europacific Partners inches closer to Net Zero 2040 ambition with the unveiling of carbon-neutral manufacturing sites

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EUROPE – Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, one of the largest anchor bottlers for Coca-Cola, has unveiled two carbon neutral manufacturing sites as part of efforts to achieve its 2040 Net Zero ambitions.   According to the company, the sites in Jordbro in Sweden and Vilas del Turbón in Spain have been certified as carbon neutral certified according to the international standard PAS 2060.    They are CCEP’s first carbon-neutral sites and are part of a pilot program that aims for at least six CCEP sites to become carbon neutral certified according to the PAS…

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Olam empowers female wheat farmers with irrigation equipment as border closers revive Nigeria’s idle milling plants

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NIGERIA – Female wheat farmers in Nigeria’s Kano state are set to boost their production after receiving irrigation equipment from Crown Flour Mill (CFM) Limited, a subsidiary of Olam Nigeria Limited.  The irrigation equipment comprising mainly of high-pressure water pumping machines was formally presented to the female farmers at a ceremony held in Giyamusu, Ajingi Local Government Area of Kano State.  According to the flour milling company, the irrigation equipment is meant to assist the female smallholder wheat farmers and ultimately enhance their productivity levels.  In a statement, CFM stated that…

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Massmart’s half-year losses narrow as turnaround strategy takes shape

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SOUTH AFRICA – Struggling South African retail giant Massmart is starting to see returns from its turnaround strategy with losses narrowing by 8.1% in the first half of 2021 financial year.  According to a release from the company, the group incurred a net loss of R1. 0725 billion (US$74.26 million), a slight improvement from the prior year loss of R1.1668 billion (US$115.5 million).   Even with the company recording net losses, other parameters show that the much-vaunted turnaround strategy under the captainship of CEO Mitchell Slape is starting to yield some results.   Massmart for instance recorded a…

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Sea Harvests half-year revenues up 5% despite pandemic severely impacting aquaculture segment

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SOUTH AFRICA- The Sea Harvest Group, a leading seafood and branded fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) agri-business in South Africa, has posted strong half-year results despite headwinds experienced in its aquaculture segment.  According to a statement from the company, group revenue for the period increased 5% to R2.1 billion (US$140 million) with headline earnings surging 19% to R202 million (US$13.95 million). Earnings per share increased 27% to 77.7 cents per share.   Sea Harvest noted that its half-year results were driven by “consistent performances” from its South African fishing segment, the Cape Harvest…

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Habesha Breweries appoints Omo Ohiwerei as new CEO

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ETHIOPIA – Hebesha Breweries, one of the fastest-growing beer companies in Ethiopia, has appointed Mr. Omo Ohiwerei (PMP) as CEO, effective 1st of September 2021.  In a LinkedIn Post, Habesha revealed that Mr. Oweri will be taking over the reigns from Mr. Zewdu Negate, who is leaving the company after 9 years of service.   “We would like to thank Mr. Zewdu Negate for his 9 years of dedicated and passionate leadership as the CEO of Habesha Breweries S.C. which involved significant accomplishments on topline growth, financial performance, and building a sustainable organization,” Habesha Breweries…

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