AFRICA'S NO.1 FOOD, BEVERAGE & MILLING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

Farmer’s Choice Kenya leverages on Microsoft’s cloud solution to sustainably run operations

Jan 5, 2021Jan 5, 2021 Editor

KENYA – Leading Kenyan meat processor Farmer’s Choice Ltd has partnered with Microsoft to digitize it operations and adopt more sustainable farming practices within its existing agriculture ecosystem to enhance productivity, ensure food safety and quality, and reduce waste. The move by the 40-year-old company which includes the adoption of cloud solutions offered by the giant tech, gives Farmer’s Choice unmatched visibility over the entire life cycle of meat production, allowing it to respond to supply and demand changes proactively. “We need to ensure we stay efficient in terms…

Firmenich partners with Novozymes, Microsoft to launch new technologies for its business

Oct 12, 2020Oct 12, 2020 Editor

SWITZERLAND – Firmenich, a privately owned perfume and taste company, has partnered with Novozymes, a Danish biological solution leader, to launch a new jointly developed natural sugar reduction solution TasteGEM® SWL with Saphera® lactase A synergy is achieved when Firmenich’s market-leading sugar reduction solution TasteGEM® is combined with cutting edge lactase solution Saphera®. The patent-pending technology unlocks the naturally occurring sweetness of milk and bridges the sensorial gaps that arise when added sugar is removed. TasteGEM® SWL with Saphera® lactase delivers a superior tasting product and enhanced eating experience with…

Microsoft partners with AGRA to digitize agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa

Sep 26, 2020Sep 26, 2020 Editor

AFRICA – US software giant Microsoft has entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to co-create technology solutions in agriculture in Africa. The collaboration, through Microsoft’s 4Afrika initiative, will support AGRA’s digital transformation as it works to improve food security for 30 million farming households across 11 countries by 2021. The MoU aims to encourage the use of big data and AI in the digital transformation of AGRA, working with the Kenyan government and expanding to Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi…

Microsoft promotes sustainable agriculture in South Africa with US$2.3m investment

Aug 5, 2020Aug 5, 2020 Editor

SOUTH AFRICA – Microsoft South Africa is set to inject R40 million (US$2.3m) in South Africa’s agriculture sector, to bolster the use of technology to tackle the challenges facing the sector. According to a press-release by the tech-giant, the investment is aimed at driving sustainability for smallholder farmers, who form an important part of the agricultural workforce in the country. Over two million of these farmers help reduce poverty for local communities and establish food systems for South Africa and the wider southern African region. However, they face challenges that…

The Coca-Cola Company forms strategic partnership with Microsoft

May 8, 2020May 8, 2020 Editor

USA – The Coca-Cola Company has entered into a five-year partnership with Microsoft to deliver new digital experiences that will provide innovative solutions to modernize how the company engages with employees and customers. With this agreement, Coca-Cola will also standardize its business operations on Microsoft’s cloud and utilize the capabilities of Microsoft Azure, Dynamics 365 and Microsoft 365. The soft beverage giant said that these solutions will help the company to gain new insights from data across the enterprise, enabling a 360-degree view of the business, and providing enhanced customer…

Kenya partners with Microsoft to boost agriculture through technology

Mar 18, 2020Mar 18, 2020 Editor

KENYA – The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives (MALFC) of Kenya has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate with Microsoft to accelerate innovation in the country’s agricultural sector. The MoU will enable MALFC to tap into Microsoft technology to accelerate the aspirations of achieving 100% food and nutrition security in the country as part of the Government’s Big Four programme. Agriculture Principal Secretary Prof. Hamadi Boga says under the deal, the government will strive at increasing the daily average income for farmers by a third and…

Danone and Microsoft partner to accelerate adoption of AI in the food industry

Jan 16, 2020Jan 17, 2020 Editor

FRANCE – Danone and Microsoft have partnered in an artificial intelligence (AI) program dubbed ‘AI Factory For AgriFood’ that seeks to support sustainable food and regenerative agriculture in France. The AI Factory For AgriFood is the third promotion of the AI Factory from Microsoft, after AI Factory for Green Energy and AI Factory for Health! Through the program, Danone and Microsoft will jointly support startups specializing in Artificial Intelligence in the agrifood sector, and will benefit from a 3-month acceleration period. The aim of the AI Factory for Agrifood is…

Kaap Agri partners with Decision Inc. in implementing a Microsoft data warehouse

Nov 9, 2019Nov 9, 2019 Editor

SOUTH AFRICA – Decision Inc., a data, digital and performance intelligence business, is in the process of implementing a Microsoft data warehouse at the Kaap Agri group, to optimise how it manages its data to more effectively integrate the information and deliver better business insights. According to ITWeb, the Kaap Agri group specialises in retail and trade in agricultural, fuel, and related retail markets in southern Africa. With an agricultural foundation, the JSE-listed company has a core retail focus, which accounts for 80% of the revenue, augmented by a dedicated…

Microsoft partners with AGRA to boost agriculture through technology

Sep 5, 2019Sep 5, 2019 Editor

AFRICA – Microsoft through its business and market development engine in Africa 4Afrika has partnered with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to co-create technology solutions in agriculture. AGRA is a dynamic, African-led partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small-scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger through practical solutions. The partnership with the technology giant will explore uses of Microsoft’s FarmBeats system in enabling data-driven, precision farming that increases farm productivity and profitability. FarmBeats is an end-to-end AI and…

Swedish distillery partners Microsoft to brew first AI-generated whiskey

May 14, 2019May 14, 2019 Editor

SWEDEN – Mackmyra Whisky, a Swedish single malt whisky distillery has in collaboration with Fourkind, a Finnish technology consultancy and Microsoft created the world’s first AI-developed whiskey. Mackmyra’s AI whiskey was developed through machine learning and models powered by Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform and AI cognitive services. It involves a dataset analysis which combines Mackmyra’s existing recipes (including those for award-winning blends), sales data and customer preferences. The new whiskey, which is expected to hit markets in August 2019 features a flavor profile described as “vanilla with fine oak notes,…