Author: rob

Despite twists and turns in world events in recent months, there is good cause – and four definite positives – to be optimistic about the future of the food and agriculture industry, which is well positioned to adjust successfully to the changing times. This is according to Juan Luciano, chairman and chief executive officer of Archer Daniels Midland Co, speaking to members of the National Grain and Feed Association during their annual meeting in New Orleans in March.

Firstly, the percentages of the world’s population living in poverty have been halved in the last 20 years, and a growing middle class in these countries is emerging. Second, other nations and regions are rising to compete with the United States in world markets, including agricultural markets. A third feature is the shift in consumer preferences and expectations with regard to the health and nutrition. And fourth, both challenges and opportunities are created by the phenomenal pace of technological change.

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Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. has opened its 1,000th international location with the opening of its first shop in Lima, Peru. It is the first of 24 planned shops in Peru as part of a development agreement signed with Agape Coral, SAC in 2015. Krispy Kreme now operates shops in 31 countries, with development agreements in several others.

This includes a development agreement with Quality Foods Africa (QFA) to open 20 Krispy Kreme locations in Nigeria over a period of five years. Krispy Kreme made its African debut in South Africa in 2015, when the company signed a development agreement with KK Doughnuts SA (Pty) Ltd. to open 31 Krispy Kreme locations in South Africa.

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Sarah Michelle Gellar, known best for her title role in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer launched Foodstirs in 2015, with the desire to help create memorable, long-lasting experiences through baking. Gellar teamed up with longtime friend Galit Laibow and entrepreneur Greg Fleishman to create the Los Angeles-based company, which sells organic, GMO-free mixes and dessert baking kits online and in stores such as Whole Foods and Fresh Market.

Its mission: to disrupt the $4.7 billion baking-mix category with the first-ever USDA organic, full-gluten product line to utilize biodynamic sugar, Equal Exchange fair-trade cocoa and identity-preserved heirloom flour. Foodstirs’ product line contains a variety of mixes, all organic and GMO-free and it will soon be rolling out a new pancake mix and an organic GMO-free dry vanilla icing mix. Foodstirs’ kits start at $14.99. Customers can also sign up for a 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription service ($59 to $215) that delivers a holiday-themed baking kit each month.

Read more… http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/28/how-sarah-michelle-gellar-intends-to-slay-the-47-billion-baking-mix-industry.html

Being in the business of baking, as any other business, is about improving that bottom line and making a profit. This, in turn, depends on the market itself, writes Andre Erasmus, and growing that market can mean moving outside of your comfort zone.

The UK market for gluten-free products has grown rapidly, with annual free-from sales currently worth GBP585.6m, a 26.7% increase on the previous year.