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Bunge offloads grain terminal in Russia as biscuit maker Lotus achieves full control of Italian joint venture

Mar 31, 2021Mar 31, 2021 Editor

EUROPE – Bunge, one of the largest agricultural commodities trading companies in the world, has sold its Rostov grain terminal in southern Russia for an undisclosed sum, according to a report by Reuters. The news comes as Belgium-headquartered biscuit maker Lotus is consolidating its presence in Italy by achieving the full ownership of its marketing joint venture, Lotus Bakeries Italia. Following the acquisition, Lotus Bakeries Italia will now focus exclusively on marketing Lotus Bakeries brands in the country. “With the acquisition of full control over our entity in Italy, we’re…

Danone debuts infant formula in pre-measured tabs, launches Alpro drinks production in Russia

Mar 19, 2021Mar 19, 2021 Editor

UK – French multinational dairy company, Danone has launched Aptamil infant formula milk in a pre-measured tab format to make preparing formula milk more convenient. The new formula milk tabs- developed in partnership with Japanese food manufacturer Meiji- are said to dissolve easily, and allow for more accurate measurement. This results in less wasted formula and less mess; making them particularly useful for night-time feeds. According to Danone, the new format will be available in packs of 24 sachets, with each sachet containing five tabs. One tab is equal to…

Russia mulls banning Moroccan tomatoes over safety concerns

Dec 29, 2020Dec 29, 2020 Editor

MOROCCO – The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance has announced that it was considering a ban on tomatoes and other vegetables imported from Morocco over food safety concerns. Sergey Dankvert, the head of Rosselkhoznadzor, in an interview with Russian news agency TASS said that the move by the Russian authorities was in an effort to prevent infected tomatoes and vegetables from morocco from entering the Russian market. According to the Russian surveillance institution, some Moroccan vegetables, most-notably tomatoes, are infected with the Pepino mosaic virus whose symptoms…

Morocco allows Russian fishing vessels to operate in its waters in new legal framework

Nov 28, 2020Nov 28, 2020 Editor

MOROCCO – In a bid to ensure the sustainability of the Moroccan fisheries and foster trade with other nations, the government has inked a new maritime fisheries cooperation with Russia, to replace the 2016 agreement that expired this year in March. This is in response to incessant squabbles over fishing right in international waters by foreign vessels, reports Morocco World News. The new agreement, which will last for four years, establishes the legal framework allowing a fleet of 10 Russian vessels to fish for small pelagic species in Moroccan waters…

Pakistan to import 200,000 tons of wheat from Russia to control inflation

Oct 2, 2020Oct 2, 2020 Editor

PAKISTAN – Pakistan plans to buy about 200,000 tons of wheat from Russia as part of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s bid to control inflation by increasing supplies of essential commodities. Islamabad will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with Moscow for the supply of the grain on a government-to-government basis, Pakistan’s wheat commissioner, Imtiaz Ali Gopang, said. He added that the shipments from Russia are likely to arrive by December after the federal cabinet approves the proposal. Russia’s agricultural agency said the country has already shipped 128,000 tons to Pakistan…

PepsiCo start construction works in their new snack processing plant in Russia

Sep 21, 2020Sep 21, 2020 Editor

RUSSIA – PepsiCo, Inc. has broken ground on a new snacks processing plant in Novosibirsk, Russia, the company’s third salty snacks plant in Russia. The company owns more than 20 production sites in Russia, having reportedly invested over US$10 billion since it began operations in the country. The new facility will make Lay’s chips and Khrus Team croutons and will have an expected capacity of more than 60,000 tonnes. The company said it is investing approximately 12 billion rubles (US$160 million) in the plant. The first two production lines of…

Alcoholic beverages manufacturer Halewood Artisanal Spirits opens its US$6.5 million new distillery in Russia

Sep 8, 2020Sep 8, 2020 Editor

RUSSIA – Halewood Artisanal Spirits, UK-based alcoholic beverages manufacturer and distributor, has opened its US$6.5 million new distillery for JJ Whitley vodka in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The J.J. Whitley Russia Distillery will be Halewood’s 13th global distillery, and the company claims that the site will be the first British owned vodka distillery in Russia. According to Halewood, the new distillery has been established to enhance the provenance and quality of the J.J Whitley Vodka portfolio, and the full range will be produced and bottled at the site for distribution to…

China seeks for soybean industry alliance with Russia strengthening cooperation

Aug 28, 2020Aug 28, 2020 Editor

CHINA – The world’s largest soybean consumer, China has proposed a “soybean industry alliance” with Russia as it seeks to ensure an ample supply of soybeans in the foreseeable future. China’s Commerce Minister Zhong Shan has called upon both countries to “match up” production with that of major soybean production areas and build an industry alliance, reports South China Morning Post. Although Russia is not a major soybean producer, climate change is bringing more land into production in the country’s northern region, making a likely increase in output likely in…

KFC set to develop world first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets

Jul 21, 2020Jul 22, 2020 Editor

RUSSIA – KFC, a fast food chain company, has partnered with 3D Bioprinting Solutions in Russia to develop the world’s first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets. Inspired by the growing demand for animal alternatives, KFC wants to craft the “meat of the future.” The project, according to a press release, aims to forge something “as close as possible in both taste and appearance” to the restaurant’s original product, while remaining environmentally friendly. “Our experiment in testing 3D bioprinting technology to create chicken products can also help address several looming global problems,” Raisa Polyakova,…

Agro.Сlub Raises US$1.5m to expand its agricultural digital solution

Jun 6, 2020Jun 6, 2020 Editor

USA – Agro.Club, a U.S.-based startup transforming the way the agriculture industry buys and sells, has initiated plans to expand into Europe and North America following the closure of a US$1.5 million seed round. The funding round was led by Speedinvest, with participation from Elevator Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Raiffeisen Bank International. Agro.Сlub has developed a digital system that connects farmers, retailers, manufacturers, food companies and suppliers with a view of increasing efficiency and transparency in the agriculture industry. Agro.Club was founded by Egor Kirin who has spent…