Sours sweeten Virgin tastes

British entrepreneur Richard Branson’s Virgin organisation is renowned for thinking differently about the same old stuff. The latest example is Virgin Sours, a range of three sour carbonated soft drinks, aimed into a sours confectionery market it claims grew 853% in the past five years. The three flavours, apple, cherry and raspberry, are packed in 500ml neon-metallic PET bottles by Princes Soft Drinks. Initial marketing is via 20,000 newsagents in the UK and Ireland.

Tetra Pak pushes aseptic in US
Soul food from Scotland
UK organic tastes grow in North America
Air knife dries in a whisper

Packaging

Tetra Pak pushes aseptic in US

The US Retail Executives Aseptic Council, a think-tank on aseptic packaging founded by Swedish packaging company Tetra Pak, has produced three reports on the uptake and effect of packaging products aseptically for the Hispanic market, the fruit juice market, and the evaporated and condensed milk in the baking aisle.

With in-house brands becoming more important, the retail council is a logical extension of Tetra Pak’s support for the Aseptic Packaging Council. Tetra Pak and SIG Combibloc co-founded it in 1989 to promote the benefits of aseptic packaging to the US market.

Members of the council include representatives from Farm Fresh Stores, Topco, Giant Eagle, Kroger, Ahold USA, and Federated Foods.

Innovation

Soul food from Scotland

Just in time for winter Scottish soup maker Baxters has introduced a range of two “big & chunky” soups to complement its six-strong Fresh Soup range. The two additions, tomato, mushroom & pasta and chilli beef meatballs with tomato, are packed in 400ml microwavable terracotta bowls. They feature “rough cuts of meat and vegetables”.

UK organic tastes grow in North America

Despite the imminent red tape governing US food imports as a result of the Bioterrorism Act, British food makers are starting to make in-roads in the North American market.

Helped by the UK government’s export promotion scheme, UK Trade & Investment, Panesar Food is exporting organic egg-and dairy-free soy and bottled sauces to North American customers. This includes sending Mexican chilli pepper sauce to Mexico. Others in the range are Cajun and Caribbean pepper sauces, and jalapeno peppers. Panesar expects exports to boost its earnings by 40% to £3.5m this year.

Meanwhile, a shopping trip by an American buyer has led to a growing export market for UK-based organic preserves maker Kitchen Garden Foods.

The former cottage-scale firm was founded in 1989 when Barbara Moinet filled time between raising children. Her products are now found in top shops and delicatessens.

The American shopper spotted the firm’s hand-made jams, chutneys and condiments in a Derbyshire shop, contacted Moinet, and soon became her US distributor.

With funding from Moinet exhibited at New York’s Fancy Food Fair in June, securing orders worth £10,000. She now expects this to rise to £15,000 this year.

Air knife dries in a whisper

A new ergonomically-designed air knife from Air Control Industries for drying bottles operates in an enclosed chamber that reduces noise and improves safety. The 1.5x1m unit dries from 15,000 2.5l bph to 55,000 330ml bph.