Nestlé Health Science has announced an agreement to purchase a majority stake in Orgain, a leader in plant-based nutrition, from founder Dr. Andrew Abraham and Butterfly Equity, who will continue to be minority share owners.
Nestlé said Orgain will complement Nestlé Health Science's existing portfolio of nutrition products.
"Nutritional protein plays a key role in supporting our health and wellness, whether we enjoy an active lifestyle or are facing health challenges," said Greg Behar, chief executive of Nestlé Health Science.
"Orgain's emphasis on clean, all natural, plant-based, organic ingredients has made it a leader in the US, and we look forward to combining our companies' expertise to bring Orgain to more people around the world."
Orgain was founded in 2009 in California by Dr. Abraham, an integrative medicine specialist and cancer survivor. The brand’s range includes protein-based shakes, powders and snack, and Orgain is the leading plant-based protein powder and leading organic nutritional protein ready-to-drink shake in the US.
"As someone who has experienced the power of clean, protein-based nutrition, and as a physician, it's been important for me to help as many people as possible to live their most vibrant lives. We've worked hard to develop innovative products that make a real difference in consumers' lives, and now through Nestlé Health Science's capabilities, resources and dedication to nutrition, we will be able to reach more people around the world," said Dr. Abraham, founder and chief executive of Orgain.
Dr. Abraham will continue to serve as the chief executive of Orgain.
The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals, and the agreement includes the option for Nestlé Health Science to fully acquire Orgain in 2024.
Nestlé said the deal is expected to be slightly accretive to its organic growth, while slightly dilutive to the group's underlying trading profit margin in 2022.
Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) has this week joined other business and industry groups to give oral evidence to the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry where it shared in detail the impacts of Covid on SWA members and wider wholesale channel.
Having provided substantive written evidence to the inquiry in August, SWA chief executive Colin Smith and Margaret Smith, the organisation’s former head of public affairs who retired at the end of last year.
They also told how, in their view at that time, the Scottish and UK governments did not fully understand or consider the vital role of wholesalers when making initial decisions on market closures, support mechanisms, or key worker status – all with little to no warning in allowing businesses to prepare.
Smith said, “We articulated to the inquiry how wholesale is not a homogenous sector and that every wholesaler is inextricably linked to the national food and drink infrastructure, food resilience, and food security.
“We wanted to show that regardless of size or markets supplied, every wholesaler suffered in some way. Through our evidence, we to tried to ensure that no wholesaler has to relive the same experiences, and that no-one is left behind in the future.”
He continued: “It was the first time, out with our conversations with the Scottish Government, that we were able to articulate the combined impacts faced by our sector, including the personal mental stress and trauma members, their employees, and their families faced. Yet despite this, wholesalers and their staff continued to serve their customers, and kept the nation fed.”
Smith gave first-hand evidence on what the Christmas restrictions on 19th December 2020 meant for wholesalers.
Recounting what he saw and heard, while sitting in a foodservice member’s boardroom listening live to the then-First Minister restrict Christmas parties and socialising, the inquiry heard about the phones immediately starting to ring from customers cancelling their orders, leaving the wholesaler with 700 turkeys and a warehouse full of stock valued at £1.7 million, 35 per cent of which had a short shelf life.
Through all the evidence, one of the key recommendations asked by SWA of the inquiry was to have the Scottish Government embed wholesale into all future pandemic and national emergency planning, through the development of a Scottish food and drink wholesale strategy, and for government to have regular ongoing engagement with SWA and the sector.
Smith, however, stressed that the SWA “fully appreciated” the £21 million wholesale specific support from the Scottish Government, of which many SWA members benefited.
All the same, he highlighted to the inquiry that while this fund saved businesses and prevented a catastrophic failure of Scotland’s food supply chain, the wholesale industry cannot wait nearly a year before support is forthcoming in the future.
According to the SWA, in future this needs to be implemented at the very beginning of market restrictions and closures, to prevent wholesalers burning through cash reserves or taking on loans that ultimately prevent the restocking, rebuilding, and reopening of markets.
Another key point highlighted by the SWA to the inquiry was the need to support and recognise the importance of the supply chain with wholesale employees classified as “key workers”. Wholesale drivers especially are skilled licensed individuals, integral to ensuring the wheels of Scotland’s food and drink supply chain keep moving.
Commenting after giving evidence this week, Smith said that since the pandemic the SWA had continued to forge stronger relations with the Scottish Government and had collaborated closely with ministers, officials, MSPs and other stakeholders to raise awareness of the importance of wholesale.
In September, a Members’ Debate in the Scottish Parliament, initiated by Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, provided a platform for politicians from all parties to speak about the often overlooked yet vital role of wholesalers in the food and drink supply chain.
The debate also highlighted the SWA's collaborative initiatives, supported by direct Scottish Government investment, aimed at increasing opportunities for Scottish producers and strengthening the supply chain, such as the Delivering Growth Through Wholesale programme, Wholesale Local Food Champion training, and the recently launched Scottish Wholesale Local Food and Drink Growth Fund.
Retailers are demanding emergency intervention to prevent so-called price-gouging by UK banks and other big card providers after a recent report shows that card companies raised their fees again last year “without transparency and justification”.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) today (5) published its BRC Payments Survey, showing a rise in the use of cash for the second year in a row to 19.9 per cent of transactions in 2023 (from 18.8 per cent in 2022).
Debit cards remained far and away the most common method of payment, increasing to 62 per cent of transactions (66.7 per cent by spending). Taken together with credit cards, card payments accounted for over 75 per cent of transactions and 85 per cent of spending.
Overall, customers visited shops more frequently but made smaller purchases, as the cost of living crisis continued to pinch in 2023. The total number of transactions rose from 19.6 billion to 21.0 billion while the average amount spent (per transaction) fell from £22.43 to £22.03.
Meanwhile, card fees paid by retailers continued to grow. The total amount paid by retailers to banks and card schemes rose by over 25 per cent in 2023, at an extra cost of £380 million. This brought the total card fees paid to £1.64 billion.
Card companies continue to raise these fees without transparency or justification and retailers hope that the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) will now implement meaningful reforms to tackle the lack of competition and rising costs identified in their current market reviews.
Cash remains a vital form of payment for a sizeable minority of the population, particularly for its role in budgeting. This has made it important to many households during the recent cost of living squeeze.
All large retailers are committed to accepting cash in their stores, which has a lower processing cost than other forms of payment. However, the dominance of cards as the preferred payment method highlights the urgency for reform on costs, states BRC.
The consortium has revived calls for the payments regulator to implement “meaningful reforms to tackle the lack of competition and rising costs identified in their current market reviews.”
Chris Owen, Payments Policy Advisor, British Retail Consortium said, "Persistent inflation and the cost of living crisis continued to affect households across the country and many consumers used cash to budget more effectively.
"However, the dominance of card payments continues apace, accounting for over 85 per cent of spending. Card fees continue to rise at a substantial rate and the PSR must act upon the harms it has identified in its current market reviews.
"It must move swiftly to reform the market and implement remedies including price caps on fees and price rebalancing measures.”
A convenience store owner in Warwickshire has been sentenced for supplying and intent to supply nitrous oxide.
Vijayaratnam Kugathasan who runs All in One, a convenience store on Blackwood Avenue in Rugby has been sentenced for two offences of supplying nitrous oxide and one offence of possession with intent to supply nitrous oxide.
Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards launched an investigation after Rugby Borough Council’s community safety wardens reported local community concerns that the store was selling nitrous oxide (often known as laughing gas) for recreational use as a psychoactive drug.
Undercover trading standards officers (TSOs) confirmed this by purchasing nitrous oxide cannisters from the shop, together with balloons (used to inhale the gas) and cracker devices (used to open the cannisters) on two occasions.
TSOs and Warwickshire Police then carried out a shop inspection and seized 384 small cannisters of nitrous oxide, seven large fast gas nitrous oxide cannisters (and nozzles), 20 cracker devices and multiple packets of balloons.
At Warwick Crown Court on Nov 27, Kugathasan was sentenced to an 18-month term of imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work. He was also required to pay £2,000 towards prosecution costs and pay a victim surcharge.
Kugathasan had pleaded guilty to two offences of supplying a psychoactive substance and one offence of possession with intent to supply a psychoactive substance under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 at a previous hearing.
On sentencing, HHJ Campbell, presiding, said Kugathasan had hidden the drugs under the shop counter and in bin bags and had no doubt he knew he was selling nitrous oxide illegally to the public. She further stated that nitrous oxide is illegal to sell to the public because it is dangerous and particularly to those with respiratory issues and its use had contributed to a fatality.
Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said, “I’m delighted that our Trading Standards Service acted quickly and decisively after concerns were raised by the local community that this Rugby store was selling nitrous oxide.
"This prosecution will help protect the health of Rugby people and sends a warning that the sale of nitrous oxide for recreational use will not be tolerated.”
In mitigation, Mr Halepas, representing the defendant said that his client had both pleaded guilty and co-operated with Trading Standards by providing business records and invoices. He further stated that Mr Kugathasan had now lost his good character.
The Judge ordered forfeiture and destruction of the psychoactive substances and paraphernalia seized by Trading Standards.
Representatives of leading wholesalers on Tuesday (3) met more than 50 MPs, introducing them to the wholesale sector and setting out some of the most pressing challenges facing members.
Set against the backdrop of the Chancellor’s recent budget, the parliamentary “drop-in” event brought together the senior political figures from across the spectrum to meet with representatives from the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) membership and their suppliers.
With 335 MPs elected for the first time during July’s election, the event provided an invaluable opportunity to discuss wholesale’s central role in driving growth as the sector continues to add £3bn of gross value to the UK economy annually.
Those in attendance included Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee Bill Esterson MP, former Chief Whip Wendy Morton MP, and Deputy Speaker Caroline Nokes MP, meeting senior wholesalers from Bidfood and Brakes, and suppliers Diageo, Suntory and PepsiCo.
Commenting on the event, FWD Chief Executive James Bielby said, “With many new faces returned to Parliament in July, our parliamentary drop-in event was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the essential role our members are playing in driving economic growth.
"The incredible interest and support we received on the day from MPs is a testament to the work of our members and a recognition of the critical role they play in serving the public sector.
“With 60,000 people directly employed in our industry, every day, our members serve the nation in often difficult economic circumstances. Yesterday was therefore an excellent opportunity to talk through several pertinent policy areas, including business rates, wider Budget implications, and wholesale crime.”
“Over the coming months, I look forward to expanding our network through wider engagement in Parliament to champion the issues that matter most to members so they can continue to supply high-quality food and drink across our country.”
East of England Co-op has extended its relationship with NCR Atleos Corporation to provide ATMs through the Cashzone Network across its stores.
With over 200 branches, the independent co-operative operates food, travel, funeral, security and property businesses across five counties in the region.
NCR Atleos and East of England Co-op have built a successful relationship over the last 11 years. By deepening this relationship to utilise Atleos’ Cashzone ATM Network, the retailer expects to enhance its ability to provide surcharge-free, reliable, secure, and convenient cash access across its stores.
NCR Atleos operates more than 16,000 ATMs through the Cashzone Network across the UK.
“Atleos has helped to provide our members and customers with easy access to cash,” said Andy Rigby, chief operating officer at East of England Co-op. “Not only does this expanded collaboration provide another great reason for local people to visit our stores, but it also reinforces our commitment to inclusion and community support across our region.”
Diego Navarrete, executive vice president, global sales for Atleos, added: “We’re proud to continue working with East of England Co-op as they extend their ATM services through our Cashzone Network. Our ATMs not only provide critical access to cash but also help retailers strengthen brand loyalty and their connection with local communities.”