Wixon has revealed three macro flavor trends it believes will greatly impact food and beverage innovation this year. The three are the evolution of recent flavor trends that have gained definition over time. The trends include “creative combinations,” “decadent luxury,” and “savor the flavor.”
Givaudan has announced an agreement to distribute a unique upcycled Green Banana Powder ingredient produced by Dole Specialty Ingredients (DSI), a business unit under Dole Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd. The new ingredient will expand Givaudan’s existing Sense Texture range of clean-label emulsification and texturizer solutions. Green Banana Powder reportedly delivers natural texture and viscosity along with water and oil holding capacities comparable to modified starches.
Spee-Dee Packaging Machinery has announced the promotions of Terri Fountain and Bobby Tracy to the positions of regional sales managers. Fountain has been a member of the Spee-Dee team for nearly seven years. She began her journey as a sales engineer and has since advanced to senior sales application specialist and most recently, sales engineer/marketing specialist. Tracy has been with Spee-Dee for 3+ years, starting as a sales engineer before his promotion to regional sales manager. Prior to joining Spee-Dee, he began his career at Modine Manufacturing Co. after receiving his BA in Mechanical Engineering at Marquette University.
Duravant LLC is entering into a definitive agreement to acquire the Pattyn Group BV, a designer and manufacturer of automation systems specializing in B2B packaging. Headquartered in Bruges, Belgium, Pattyn has over 70 years of expertise in machinery design and turnkey systems for counting, weighing, filling, and packing technologies for food, ingredients, and various nonfood sectors.
Dawn Foods has announced the appointment of Chief Information Officer Jeremy Bartusch to the Dawn Leadership Team (DLT). Bartusch will continue report to CEO Carrie Jones-Barber. Since joining Dawn in 2024, Bartusch has played a pivotal role in advancing the company’s technology roadmap, AI capabilities, digital investments, and process optimization, the company says. His strategic mindset and global perspective have ensured IT priorities align seamlessly with business needs, driving efficiency and innovation.
Ciranda, a North American supplier of certified organic, non‐GMO and fair trade food ingredients, has launched its e-commerce website, ciranda.com. The new website now reportedly offers everything customers need from Ciranda on a single platform, including ingredient information, ordering, documentation, and other account management functionality designed to provide a more streamlined, efficient experience. Website visitors can also read the background stories of ingredient growers from around the world.
Kurita America, part of the Kurita Group, a global provider of water treatment solutions, announced its pending merger with sister company, Avista Technologies, Inc. The merger will officially take effect on April 1. Avista, headquartered in San Marcos, CA, specializes in membrane treatment solutions and process support for reverse osmosis systems, microfiltration/ultrafiltration, and multimedia filtration. The merger between Kurita America and Avista Technologies is a strategic move aimed at combining their strengths to better serve industrial and municipal markets.
Orbis Corporation, purveyor of reusable packaging solutions, has announced the opening of its new manufacturing plant in Greenville, TX. The plant features 420,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 240,000 square feet of warehouse space, producing reusable packaging such as totes and pallets that store, move, and protect product in the supply chain. Orbis will plan a Grand Opening ceremony in spring 2025.
Bluegrass Ingredients, Inc., an R&D-based specialty food ingredients supplier, announced that Innovation Chef Grant Petersen has joined the company’s Agile Kitchen culinary team. The hire reportedly adds another chef with deep culinary and product development expertise to the Agile Kitchen at Bluegrass, a product development center and resource hub for acting on ever-evolving consumer food trends in close collaboration with food manufacturers.
Kerry, a global business in taste and nutrition, has outlined five distinct consumer segments among those who consume GLP-1s, each with unique preferences and needs, providing a framework for future innovation and product development for the food, beverage, and supplement industries. The last four years have seen a 700% increase in the use of GLP-1s among American consumers without diabetes and, according to Kerry’s research, with only 6% of that group planning to use GLP-1s for life, there is a vast market for products supporting broader health goals.
