p.30 World News - BW Spring 2013_p.30 World News - BW Spring 2013.qxd 13/03/2013 09:43 Page 30
WORLD NEWS
EUROPE
CARGILL BUYS NUTRITION OUTFIT
C
argill’s starches and
sweeteners business has
completed the purchase of
technology and corresponding
intellectual property for the extraction
and purification of the dietary fibre
and antioxidant source of wheat bran
from the innovative health and
nutrition company Fugeia.
Fugeia’s proprietary products,
permits and technologies now
become part of Cargill’s starches and
sweeteners business in Europe.
Fugeia, a spin-off from the
University of Leuven, is an innovationdriven company active in the field of
health and nutrition with a focus on
digestive health. It has developed a
proprietary method for extraction and
purification of the fibre and antioxidant
source of wheat bran. The resulting
product is a neutral smooth tasting
product consisting of arabinoxylanoligosaccharides (AXOS). AXOS is
highly soluble in water and can be
mixed in any food or beverage
product, including dairy and non-dairy
beverages, ready-to-eat cereals,
cookies and biscuits, bread and
pastry, as well as dietary supplements
and therapeutics, so delivering the
health benefit potential of wheat bran
across a range of products.
The acquisition is a natural
extension of Cargill’s starches and
sweeteners’ strategy to explore new
markets and technologies to develop
the full potential of its products.
In addition to starch and starch
derivates, Cargill produces a wide
range of vegetable proteins and fibres
for applications in both the food and
the feed industry.
“This is an important acquisition
for our starches and sweeteners
business. We believe this technology
will become a new product line for
developing sustainable solutions that
create value for our customers and
consumers,” said Kathy Fortmann,
head of Cargill’s starches and
sweeteners business in Europe.
Willem Broekaert, co-founder and
managing director of Fugeia,
commented on the acquisition: “It is
very rewarding to see that this
technology is now well on its way to
reaching the market. We are very
pleased that Cargill, a global welltrusted producer and marketer of food
ingredients, has recognised the
potential of AXOS as an innovative
food and feed ingredient. With its
global R&D, production, sales, and
marketing capabilities, Cargill is very
well placed to make AXOS a success.”
USA
FUNCTIONAL PRODUCTS LAUNCHED
sraeli company Carmit Candy
Industries and its R&D team has
developed a new line of
functional confectionery
products for specific health
indications whichand it will be
presented in the United States at the
Natural Products Expo West in
Anaheim.
“We have made an investment to
expand our reach in the fortified
confectionery and supplement
markets,” said Steve Grun, CEO of
Carmit.
“This is a natural progression for
us, after successfully developing and
launching innovative products in the
global gluten-free confectionery
market. The fortified confectionery
market is a strategic direction for us
and we hope to further establish
Carmit as a leading private label
manufacturer for value added and
healthy confectionery products.”
The new line of fortified
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confectionery products are designed
to provide specific health benefits
while maintaining excellent taste and
texture.
For each health indication,
ingredients are carefully selected for
their scientific support, regulatory
approval and technical parameters.
The ingredients are then
incorporated into one of the
confectionery carriers such as
chocolate coins, toffee-chews, crèmefilled wafers and lollipops and
undergo organoleptic and analytical
testing—to ensure both ingredient
stability and delicious taste.
Some highlights of the new
fortified confectionery product line
include a weight-management waferbar with glucomannan and potato
extract; bone-health chocolate coin
with calcium, vitamin D and vitamin
K and immune-health sugar-free
toffee chew with echinacea, vitamin C
and zinc.
This product line offers new and
exciting concepts for supplement
companies looking to expand their
product line and offer products with a
tasty dose-form.
“We are very excited about the
potential of the fortified
confectionery and supplement
markets,” noted Adrian Sagman, VP
of Export Marketing and Sales of
Carmit.
“Our customers are looking for
new and innovative products—
especially supplements that can be
delivered in a tasty food format. We
can offer these products as-is, or can
work with our customers to create a
custom formulation. Partnering with
Carmit reduces time-to-market and
allows companies to lead with
innovative products.”
Carmit is a private-label
manufacturer for gluten-free, dairyfree and fortified confectionery and
bakery products.
Spring 2013
BISCUIT WORLD