Saputo acquires Carolina Aseptic, Carolina Dairy businesses

Saputo Inc. on Sept. 1 announced it has acquired Carolina Aseptic and Carolina Dairy businesses formerly operated by AmeriQual Group Holdings LLC for approximately US$118 million. The acquisition better positions Saputo to capture the growing demand for aseptic protein beverages and nutritional snacks.

The businesses, which join Saputo’s Dairy Division (USA) under its USA Sector, are conducted at two facilities in North Carolina (United States) and employ a total of approximately 230 people. Carolina Aseptic develops, manufactures, packages and distributes aseptic shelf-stable food products and beverages out of a purpose-built facility in Troy, North Carolina. Nearby, Carolina Dairy manufactures, packages, and distributes refrigerated yogurt in spouted pouches in Biscoe, North Carolina.

“This investment aims to reinforce the strength of Saputo’s core business by increasing our capacity to manufacture and distribute products in the rapidly growing aseptic beverage and food categories, as well as the nutritional snacks space,” said Lino A. Saputo, chair of the Board and CEO, Saputo Inc.

ADM achieves net carbon neutral milling operations

ADM has achieved net carbon neutral status for its U.S. flour milling operations. The designation applies to the company’s 22 mills that process wheat, sorghum and corn into flour.

ADM achieved net carbon neutral status at its U.S. mills through a combination of energy efficiencies, purchase of renewable energy certificates and sequestration of carbon dioxide at the company’s commercial carbon capture and storage facility.

“Transitioning to cleaner energy is a major focus for ADM as we work toward our 2035 environmental goals and support the transition to a lower carbon economy,” said Chris Cuddy, ADM senior vice president and president, Carbohydrate Solutions. “By lowering the emissions of our operations, we are helping our customers advance their sustainability commitments as well.”

Globally, ADM has been working to reduce the environmental footprint of its operations. At its U.S. flour mills, this has included energy efficiency projects, technology updates, and the replacement of older facilities with new state-of-the-art mills. ADM also has lowered the carbon footprint of its U.S. flour milling network through the purchase of renewable energy certificates. These represent electricity generation from renewable sources, such as solar, wind or hydro.

Lastly, ADM is using carbon capture and storage technology to compensate for emissions generated at the company’s U.S. flour mills, a unique way ADM has been able to achieve net carbon neutral status. Located in Decatur, Illinois, ADM’s facility permanently sequesters carbon dioxide a mile underground, preventing it from being emitted into the atmosphere.

Through increased energy efficiency and reductions in energy use, ADM was able to achieve its 2020 environmental goals ahead of schedule. Further efficiencies and reductions will contribute to ADM’s Strive 35 targets, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% and energy intensity by 15% by 2035, against a 2019 baseline.

Layn expands portfolio of Non-GMO Project Verified ingredients

Layn Natural Ingredients is expanding its portfolio of Non-GMO Project Verified botanical extracts. The expansion is driven by continuing global market demands for non-GMO ingredients, particularly in the food and beverage market, which has exhibited strong growth in the past five years.

Layn Natural Ingredients previously achieved Non-GMO Project Verified status for its plant-based sweetener products, including stevia, monk fruit, sweet blackberry and NHDC, and has now expanded its non-GMO ingredient portfolio specifically focusing on polyphenol-rich botanical extracts that offer high functional benefit in the dietary supplement, sports nutrition, food & beverage, and pet nutrition markets. The newest additions to Layn’s non-GMO offering include apple, citrus, Galla chinensis, ginger, grape seed, green coffee bean, green tea, magnolia bark, pomegranate, pu’erh tea, rosemary and Sophora japonica.

Provectus Algae expands into microalgae biomanufacturing facility

Provectus Algae, an Australian biotechnology platform company specializing in the biomanufacturing of high-value compounds for a wide array of industries using microalgae, will expand into an additional large-scale manufacturing facility.

Located in Noosaville, Australia, the new site is expected to be operational by the end of 2021 and will complement the company’s existing facility to deliver new algae-made products to the market. The new facility will support the production of a high-performance food coloring that is currently in late stage of development. Once completed, the facility will have a 200,000-liter production capacity and expanded R&D operations to support early-stage product development and partnerships for the food & beverage sector.

Provectus’s inaugural pilot facility will be converted to support the commercial production of a separate high-value product that is currently undergoing product testing. The company expects further expansion in the near term with plans for a supplementary 1 million-liter facility already underway to support the commercialization of multiple products already in the company development pipeline.

BENEO announces biodiversity program in Belgium

BENEO has begun on a long-term program to promote biodiversity near its Oreye, Belgium production plant. In collaboration with not-for-profit environmental organizations Natagora and Natagriwal, BENEO is transforming a former settling pond and the surrounding area into a sanctuary for wildlife, including rare birds, beavers, bats, deer and frogs. The project will contribute to the protection of indigenous and endangered species in Wallonia, Belgium, and at the same time will enrich the local community.

“This project is our chance to play an active role in restoring some of the natural equilibrium that has been lost over time through human activity,” said Caroline Moitroux, the environment engineer in charge of the biodiversity program at BENEO. “Our settling ponds are an environment in which fauna and flora thrive. We see it as our responsibility to preserve and nurture them. As BENEO’s expertise is in food ingredients, we have sought advice from experts in this field. Thanks to our collaborations with not-for-profit environmental organizations Natagora and Natagriwal, we are taking informed action to establish a healthy, natural eco-system in and around our ponds.”

The history of the settling pond dates back to when water was used to wash and transport sugar beet to BENEO’s Oreye processing facility. The water was passed through the pond to allow the soil to settle on the pond-bed and the clean water to be re-used. Thirty years have passed since the pond was employed for this purpose and in the interim period it has been left undisturbed to give nature a chance to develop.

With combined expertise in managing habitats and eco-systems as well as executing agro-environmental schemes, Natagora and Natagriwal will work with BENEO to implement a series of projects that will further develop and enrich the biodiversity of this space. For example, Natagriwal is working with the farmers who work the surrounding land to establish ecological corridors between crops and wild areas and sustainable practices. Natagora is taking the lead on protecting indigenous flora and fauna within the sanctuary, through initiatives such as species auditing and habitat creation. The organization is currently converting a disused electrical cabin for observing and ringing birds.