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 "If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."
George S Patton Jr, World War II general
Food Bites . . . Back to the future  “It's interesting to see the shifting of cultures that's going on right now. Developing countries are getting glitzy, Western-style supermarkets and shopping malls, and developed countries are returning to family vegetable patches and selling livestock in urban environments. It will be interesting to see where this goes in the next decade and what impact it will have on general culture and advertising."
Jeff Greenhouse, President, Singularity Design
 Editor's Stuff - Free Guide to New Product Development
 Creating New Foods: The Product Developer's Guide – the Web Edition is a FREE web-based e-book that will be of value to those involved in any aspect of new product development. This is an initiative of the New Zealand Institute of Food Science & Technology (NZIFST) and one I'm delighted to help promote to all South African food industrialists.
Previous e-books published by the NZIFST have proven popular with a global audience, and this one is yet another worthy educational resource in the area of food science and technology.
 First published in 1999 and republished in 2001 as a printed publication, the newly-updated text is now published in full: 100 searchable web pages and eight chapters for printing or download in Flash format. It also has extensive references, recommended readings, problems and examples from industry.
NZIFST has financed the project and its web hosting as a contribution to worldwide education in food technology, and as an educational and reference resource for the wider food industry.
Enjoy this week's read! Email Brenda:
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SA Food Industry News
 Famous grabs a cup of Mugg & Bean
Famous Brands has bought the South African and African business of coffee-house Mugg & Bean as it continues with its plans to acquire and grow franchised brands. Read more
 SABMiller boss’s R77.8-million packet
It may have been the worst year in memory for public companies, but it wasn’t too bad for SABMiller boss Graham Mackay, whose pay package clocked in at R77.8-million. This despite SABMiller’s bottom-line profit falling 9% and its share price lagging an index of global brewers. Read more
Food prices down 0.4% last month Annual food inflation finally fell into single digits last month - at 9.8%, from 12.8% in May. On a monthly basis food prices fell 0.4%. The shift helped bring overall inflation to 6.9% year on year, from 8%the previous month, while monthly overall inflation was only 0.4%.
But Barnard Jacobs Mellet economist Elna Moolman pointed out that the impact of falling prices at the agricultural level had not worked through to processed food yet, though "unprocessed food prices were finally reflecting the collapse in agricultural prices". Read more
Balancing the shelves: big vs small manufactures vs the retailers Big supermarket chains need the small suppliers, who in turn need the supermarkets. Yet small suppliers say the odds are not loaded in their favour.
Certainly the fast-moving consumer goods industry has always been tough and aggressive. Retailers are under pressure to provide the right goods to customers at the right price, place and time. Additional pressure on supermarkets comes from spiralling food prices, higher manufacturing costs and a consumer spending squeeze. So the big chains put pressure on their suppliers.
This is the name of the game, and if small suppliers can't run with the big dogs, shouldn't they stay on the porch? [Excellent read on this contentious topic. Ed] Read more
Reducing cancer risk with rooibos  Next week, 1-7 August 2009, is Cancer Prevention Week. Statistics show that one in four South Africans will be affected by cancer in his or her lifetime, and according to the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), this disease will be the leading cause of death globally in 2010.
The pressure is mounting to better understand the development of cancer and ways in which you could protect yourself against it. Rooibos, South Africa's indigenous wonder tea, may just hold some of the answers. Read more
Profiling trendy So!Go It was his frustration with the corporate world that led François te Water Naude, a mechanical engineer by profession, to experiment with condiments. Today his company, Cape Town-based So!Go, has won numerous local and international awards, and its products are known not only for their superior quality, but also for their eye-catching package design. The company sells over 4 000 bottles of olive oil alone every month and exports 30 different products all over the world. Read more
Seminar on Shelf Life EvaluationSwift Micro Labs is hosting a one-day seminar on Shelf Life Evaluation at the Midrand Conference Centre on August 14. This is a topic of major importance to all in the production and QC of food. The event was a sell-out in Cape Town recently. Read all about it here.
Food Industry News US: Unilever skimming trans fats from its spreads Unilever, which already can claim "zero grams" of trans fat on its spreads because the products meet FDA guidelines, announced it will reformulate them to contain no trans fats at all. The shift is expected to be complete by the second quarter of 2010.
"I call this the death knell for trans fats," comments Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at New York University. The elimination of trans fats from the US diet "should be written up as a business school case and studied," says Michael Jacobson, director of advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest, which has pushed for it. Trans fats have been reduced more than 70% in three years, he says. Read more
 US: Meat Institute urges court to dismiss ‘nuisance’ hotdog lawsuit
The American Meat Institute has urged a New Jersey court to dismiss a lawsuit from vegan advocacy group Cancer Project that claims hotdogs should carry a cancer warning label. Read more
 UK: Cadbury starts rolling out Fairtrade Dairy Milk
Cadbury Dairy Milk, the best-selling chocolate bar in the UK, will start displaying the Fairtrade logo, and has become the first mainstream brand to carry the label. A Cadbury official says the company aims to expand the program to more brands and locations. Read more  UK: Heinz finds new outlets to fight own-label sales
Heinz, owner of the UK’s best-selling ketchup brand, has started selling its products in non-traditional food retailers to broaden sales beyond supermarkets as own-label products continue to take share from branded foods. Read more  Coffee competition has perks for both sides
Stiff competition for coffee customers between Starbucks and McDonald's appears to have boosted the fortunes of both companies. Starbucks still holds a substantial lead in quality perception, while McDonald's coffee is considered a better value. Read more US: Starbucks to open 'stealth cafes' in rebranding move Starbucks is rebranding some of its coffee shops into what have been described by media as 'stealth cafes'. Read more
Chewing gums tout health benefits, and consumers are biting Revenue for sugarless gums, some that proclaim health benefits, is climbing, and analysts expect the field to grow further. Sugarless gum accounts for more than 80% of gum sold, and big brands like Trident and Wrigley are increasingly leaning on claims that their gums can whiten teeth, kill germs and more. Read more
 US: Common, safe blue food dye may treat broken spines
A common and safe blue food dye might provide the best treatment available so far for spinal cord injuries, US researchers reported recently. Tests in rats showed the dye, called brilliant blue G, a close relative of the common food dye Blue no. 1, crossed into the spinal fluid and helped block inflammation, Maiken Nedergaard of the University of Rochester Medical Center and colleagues reported. Read more  UK: Tesco customers may soon find chickens at the checkout counter
Tesco, the world's third-largest retailer, is embracing the recession-inspired trend to "grow your own" produce by offering allotment spaces to rent in the UK and selling live chickens. Read more US: Taking on ‘Big Food’ - and emulating the battle against 'Big Tobacco' Now that two-thirds of Americans are overweight, the lethal effects of fat are catching up to those of smoking. We regularly hear the cha-ching of obesity costs in the health care debate. And we are beginning to see that Overweight America is not some collective collapse of national willpower, but a business plan. I have begun to wonder whether this is the summer when the (groaning) tables have turned on the obesity industry. Read more
 UK: The "Food miles" lie: buying local could be no greener than importing
The common belief that local is better than imported when it comes to assessing the environmental impact of our food has been recently called into question by a new research of the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Read more
Spotlight on ORGANICS Organic food no healthier, says study Organic food is no healthier than conventionally produced food, a report published by the UK's Foods Standards Agency has concluded. Shoppers pay more for organic fruit, vegetables, chicken, beef and milk but the food gives no nutritional enhancement to people’s diet.
The watchdog stopped short of advising consumers that buying organic produce was a waste of money but its message was clear: choosing to eat organic food will make no important difference to a person’s overall health. Eating a healthy balanced diet is the only important thing, the report concluded.
Proponents of organic food described the findings as “disappointing”, saying more research was needed, particularly on the implications of pesticide use.
The report is the result of a systematic review by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine of literature on the nutritional content of organic against conventional food. Read more
 Health claims for organic food can be damaging to good nutrition
The supposed health benefits of organic food are one of its great selling points. The evidence that it is any better for you than conventional produce, however, has always been weak.
Several studies have suggested that certain kinds of organic foods contain greater concentrations of some nutrients. But the organic lobbyists who cite these are ignoring the bigger picture. Read more In praise of modern food technology Organic farming is nothing new – it is the old-fashioned way of farming. It is the
expensive, risky way. . . Modern technological methods in agriculture have allowed ordinary people to buy food at reasonable prices.
Then the fad of organic farming came along, as if theirs were some new innovative farming method.
It was billed as the environment-friendly farming method, and people were morally
induced to eat this organic food as some sort of symbol of solidarity against industry, the very industry that brought food prices down for the poorer segments of society. Read more
 Bob's Beat: Predict the Future? Sure, let's start with 'convenience'
What do I see coming in future years? I'm no futurist, but I think just about anything that 'screams' convenience at the consumer will resonate.
We've all read or know about the research that says Americans are looking to "simplify" their lives, especially with a recession breathing down their necks. But 'simplify' does not mean going back to simpler times when people prepared food the good, old-fashioned way, from scratch. For today's consumer, "simplify" simply means 'no hassle', or as little hassle as possible. That goes especially for the foods they eat.  It's easy to get caught up in all this hype about growing gardens, eating local, thinking vegetarian, but that movement will never capture the mainstream of Americans who still look to packaged, processed foods as the core of their dietary existence. Which doesn't mean people have to abandon any desire for healthier, more nutritious foods. The food companies have done a good job of bringing such fare to our tables, and they will do a better job in the future as the technology and the science evolve.
Convenience is something the earth-first crowd can't deliver to consumers — it takes work and unusual commitment to travel their path. Americans are fortunate, they have a food industry now experienced at delivering food that is quick and easy to prepare. Bob Messenger is a foremost analyst of the US food industry and publishes a daily ezine: The Morning Cup
Food Trends and NPD
SA: New Rama Spread for Bread New Rama Spread for Bread is a true value for money product that gives Rama, as category captain, the right tools to drive category growth agenda in LSM B: affordable and relevant benefit (spreading), Nutrition and Quality (Rama Goodstart vitamin cocktail/good fats), retaining the brand’s iconic taste appeal. Read more
 SA: Bain’s – SA’s first single grain whisky
The growing thirst for specialist whisky in South Africa has prompted the creation of the first local single grain whisky and the establishment of a new sub-category to acknowledge its origin. Read more
 SA: Fair Cape introduces milk beverages for the young and the sophisticated
Fair Cape has been busy in the flavoured milk department, recently launching variants aimed at kids and those who enjoy their java with plenty of creamy milk. Read more
 UK: Vitamin C super-pepper developed by Marks & Spencer
A pepper capable of providing a person's daily recommended amount of vitamin C has been developed by scientists for Marks & Spencer. Called the ACE pepper, just one of the sweet tasting vegetables contains all the vitamin C needed for a day and half the recommended amount of vitamins A and E. Although ordinary pepper varieties contain high levels of vitamins C and A, this is the first time that scientists have grown one with vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that can help guard against cancer. Read more
 US: Wheaties Fuel might be first cereal specifically for men
General Mills is launching Wheaties Fuel, a cereal that appears to be the first created specifically for men. "Men don't use their wives' razors or deodorants," a General Mills marketing manager notes. "Why would they be eating their cereal?" Read more
CANADA: Slow Cow - the stress relief drink that parodies Red Bull Slow Cow, a new drink from Canada offers an antidote to energy drinks such as Red Bull. Under the premise that caffeine-packed drinks tend to increase anxiety, Slow Cow contains theanine, camomile, valerian, passiflora and other ingredients known for their calming effects. The beverage is meant to increase mental awareness while improving relaxation, without the post-hit dip that caffeine and other stimulants cause.
Red Bull has not been pleased. Read more
Health and Nutrition
Are probiotics really that good for your health? While a huge number of us have been persuaded by advertisers that we need our daily 'nutraceutical' dose, the benefits they claim have yet to be verified by the European Food Standards Agency. Nearly 60% of UK households now regularly buy probiotic drinks. The market is worth £164m a year in this country alone.
How and why that happened is a fascinating commentary of the nature of advanced capitalism and its genius for making consumers want whatever it has to sell. The food market in affluent countries is saturated. Growth cannot come just from making us eat more, since there is a limit to our physical needs. But tap into our deep-seated emotional needs and, as political commentator Neal Lawson points out in his new book All Consuming, there is no limit to what we can be persuaded to buy. Read more UK: Cut size of chocolate bars to fight obesity, says food watchdog Chocolate fans, be warned: your sugary snack is set to get smaller. The Food Standards Agency wants manufacturers to reduce the size of chocolate bars by about a fifth to help to cut calorie intake.
It proposes that by 2012 standard-sized bars should be no more than 50g. Currently, Mars bars are 58g and twin Bounty bars are 57g. Manufacturers have also been asked to sell bite-size bars as single items, of 40g or under, instead of in multi-bar bags. Read more
 New study gives thumbs up to milk
Research has found that drinking milk can lessen the chances of dying from illnesses such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke by up to 15-20%. Read more
 Research: Black tea may fight diabetes
Long known for its antioxidants, immune boosting and, most recently, antihypertensive properties, black tea could have another health benefit. Black tea may be used to control diabetes, according to a study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists. Read more
Study: High-Carb diet could aid slimming  People who consume high levels of carbohydrates are more likely to be slim, according to a Canadian study published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The results are at odds with the popularly held view that low-carb, high-protein diet and school of thought that peaked in acceptance with the Atkins diet about a decade ago. Read more
Study finds soy safe for men A new study published by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine finds that soyfoods and soy isoflavone supplements have no significant effect on male reproductive hormone levels in men. Read more
Packaging Stuff
  Clive's Column: New Packs on SA's shelves
Check out what new food and beverage packs on local shelves have caught Clive Glover's eye most recently, accompanied by his beautiful digital photography. Featured this month are McCain Homefries, Küber-Maister, So!Go Bottled Water, Moir's new SA-themed desserts, Montego Classic Dog Food and the relaunch of Bokomo's Instant Oats. Read more
Miscellany
 UK: Kellogg's report finds Monroe not Moss is the ideal figure
A new study to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Kellogg's Special K has found that British women have become a nation of 'apples and pears' and are desperate to get their hourglass waistlines back. Read more  UK: Glenfiddich releases £10,000 50-year-old Scotch whisky
Glenfiddich, the Scotch whisky distillery, has produced its most expensive tipple ever, with a staggering price tag of £10,000 a bottle! Read R130 000 a bottle! Read more  JAPAN: Amazing rice crop art
As summer progresses in Japan, crops of rice paddy art are beginning to emerge. The crop art — created by strategically arranging and growing different colours of rice plants — can be seen in farming communities across the country. Read more That's it for this week, folks!
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