Nestlé said its SMA Nutrition brand is pioneering a global category first by incorporating NaviLens technology into the packaging of its entire infant nutrition range to support visually impaired customers.
In a category first, blind and partially sighted parents and caregivers can now use NaviLens on all SMA formula packs, giving them a higher level of independence when it comes to making choices regarding their children’s feeding. Scannable codes, similar to QR codes, have been integrated into all SMA packaging.
When a visually impaired shopper points their device towards the SMA product, their smartphone can detect the on-pack code from up to three metres away. This triggers their phone, and the customer can choose to access all product information including the ingredients, allergen, and recycling information read aloud in their phone’s language, or view it on their device using accessibility tools.
It's free to use; customers only need to download the NaviLens or NaviLens GO apps, which are compatible with all smartphones.
At home, visually impaired parents and families are able to use the NaviLens app to read aloud preparation instructions for SMA products, a task often challenging for those with visual impairments, and get step-by-step guidance on measuring formula and ensuring proper preparation. It also offers additional resources on safe formula feeding practices.
NaviLens also transcends language barriers. The app’s ability to communicate in up to 37 languages provides crucial translation support, making formula preparation instructions accessible regardless of the user's native language.
“The addition of NaviLens to our packs is the first time this has been done globally in the infant nutrition category, and we hope the importance and benefits for so many will inspire other brands to follow. The breadth of the technology means visually impaired parents can independently choose, find, and understand all the on-pack information they need should they decide to use formula,” Vicky Woods, managing director of Nestlé Nutrition UK and Ireland, said.
“Nestlé is tremendously proud to have worked closely with the NaviLens team to customise the user experience to be suitable for this unique category. We are also grateful for the support of the RNIB, whose advice has been invaluable in adopting this technology across our portfolio.”
John Worsfold, head of solutions innovation at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), said: “Blind and partially sighted parents should have the same freedom, independence and choice as sighted customers when it comes to buying products and accessing on-pack information. Currently, important information on packaging can often be in very small print, making it difficult or impossible for people with sight loss to read.
“Technology such as NaviLens is a game changer and allows blind and partially sighted people to independently identify and access key information on packaging. This is why we’re so pleased to collaborate with brands such as SMA Nutrition on our ongoing mission to highlight how the industry can raise its game and make packaging more accessible.”
Nestlé and Formula 1 announced a worldwide partnership, making KitKat the official chocolate bar of Formula 1.
This multi-year collaboration is Nestlé's largest global brand partnership to date, signaling the ambition to reach a wider audience and achieve a higher rate of global growth.
With an estimated fanbase of 700 million fans worldwide, F1 is growing in popularity including with a younger and more diverse audience. The collaboration will officially launch during the 2025 season, marking the 90th anniversary of KitKat and the 75th anniversary of F1. It will then expand across the world throughout 2026.
F1 enthusiasts can look forward to consumer activations, promotional prizes (such as tickets and merchandise) and immersive fan zones at select Grands Prix, with trackside branding, and cheerful, light-hearted content.
"Formula 1 is a global phenomenon with a rapidly growing, diverse fanbase, especially among younger adults," said Bernard Meunier, head of strategic business units and marketing and sales at Nestlé.
"With its global reach and packed schedule, F1 offers KitKat the perfect platform to remind everyone to make time for a break. We’re excited to bring our signature sense of fun to this thrilling sport and to create memorable experiences for fans around the world."
Emily Prazer, chief commercial officer at Formula 1, said: "We’re delighted to have such a globally recognised and fun brand as KitKat joining us as a partner. They’re universally loved and we can’t wait to see the fantastic experiences they’ll be bringing to our fans at the track and the new audiences they’ll introduce to the sport."
Kingfisher Drinks, the world alcoholic beverage company, has announced the launch of Kingfisher Ultra, a super-premium world beer with an ABV of five per cent, which is now available for convenience retailers to stock.
Kingfisher Ultra was launched in India fifteen years ago and is now one of India’s fastest-growing beer brands with a compound annual growth rate of 20 per cent between 2021-2023. Crafted with only the finest hand-picked malts, resulting in a strong but balanced profile, Ultra is brewed with a six-step filtration process and no additives, giving the liquid a beautiful natural golden hue. The distinct and stylish clear glass bottle and unique pull-crown lid cement the premium look and feel.
Consumers are generally drinking less but better these days, so Ultra responds to that need perfectly. In India, the brand has built its reputation on tapping into premium associations, such as sponsoring premium festivals like the Sunburn festival in Goa, as well as fashion shows and other top end events which typically attract more affluent consumers who appreciate the finer things in life and are willing to spend more.
“We are delighted to introduce Kingfisher Ultra to the UK market," said Andy Sunnucks, Senior Brand Manager. "Those who have been lucky enough to try it in India will know that it is the gold standard! In fact, since launching in its home market back in 2009, Kingfisher Ultra has taken India by storm, becoming a bedrock of premium occasions, so we’re excited to confirm that it’s now the UK’s turn! Imported directly from India, Ultra really hits the spot with its light crisp taste and smooth finish and is the perfect addition to our growing Kingfisher portfolio. A year ago, we introduced Kingfisher Zero into the no and low category, so along with the original Kingfisher Premium, Kingfisher Ultra will complete our offer which now suits a wide range of consumer tastes.”
Müller Yogurt & Desserts said it is converting its iconic Corner yogurt pots from white to clear plastic, as the business works to halve the environmental impact of its packaging by 2030.
The majority of Müller Corner and Müller Bliss Corner yogurt pots have already converted, with the remaining volume taking place by the end of 2024.
The introduction of fully recyclable clear pots facilitates the retention of the material for reuse again within the food sector.
As the business targets a ‘closed loop system’, by converting almost 50 per cent of Müller’s branded yogurts to clear PET, the move could boost the availability of rPET in the UK by over 3,000 tonnes per annum, further reducing industry requirements for ‘virgin’ plastic.
“The foods we eat can have a major impact on our planet and the people in it. As one of the most chosen FMCG brands in Great Britain, we have the scale to deliver meaningful change towards a circular economy,” Richard Williams, chief executive at Müller Yogurt & Desserts, said.
“By making this change, the industry could benefit from increased availability of rPET, while reducing the demand for additional virgin plastic.”
Müller UK & Ireland targets on average 30 per cent recycled content in its plastic packaging by 2025, and the business has also confirmed that it is aiming to add recycled content into its clear corner yogurt pots by the end of 2025.
With Müller Corner seeing 11 per cent value growth year on year, and 78 per cent of shoppers preferring a clear Müller Corner pot to a white pot, the move is expected to drive further category growth.
The move follows the launch of Müller’s redesigned branded yogurt and desserts packaging, created to make it more distinctive, cohesive and easy to find and buy.
Müller has also recently completed a project to switch all of its coloured milk bottle caps to clear, increasing the availability of rHDPE (Recycled High Density Polyethylene) on the market by 1560 tonnes.
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A view of Zoa Energy Drinks during the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival on October 14, 2023 in New York City
Molson Coors Beverage Company on Thursday announced that it is taking a majority ownership stake in Zoa, the better-for-you energy brand co-founded by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Dany Garcia, Dave Rienzi and John Shulman.
Molson Coors said taking a majority stake will allow it to lead the entirety of Zoa’s marketing, retail and direct-to-consumer sales and development. The deal represents one piece of Molson Coors’ strategic ambition to expand its total beverage portfolio.
Molson Coors and Zoa first struck a partnership when the brand launched in 2021, and Molson Coors increased its stake in Zoa last September while also assuming a presence on Zoa’s board of directors.
“We’re building a winning portfolio that offers consumers choices across a wide range of occasions, and non-alc is a key part of that strategy,” said Molson Coors chief commercial officer Michelle St. Jacques.
“Zoa opens the door for us to participate in more parts of the day and incremental opportunities beyond our core business. We’ve built a strong foundation with Zoa over the past three years and we see a ton of opportunity for this brand to achieve its next stage of growth and scale.”
Zoa boasts a repeat purchase rate of 50 per cent and attracts new consumers to the energy category, with 30 per cent of Zoa buyers new to this space. The brand’s direct-to-consumer business is also a significant driver of sales and consumer visibility, including the brand’s position as a top 10 energy drink brand on Amazon.
As Zoa enters its next phase, Johnson will remain a visible face of the brand through the ‘Big Dwayne Energy’ campaign, social media amplification and more.
“Since day one, Molson Coors has shared our passion for Zoa Energy, and as a partner, they’ve been pivotal to bringing new consumers into the energy space with Zoa and keeping them coming back,” said Johnson.
“Zoa is all about crafting drinks that help our loyal and growing consumers show up as their best selves every day, and Molson Coors’ commitment to the brand will give it an enormous amount of firepower in the next phase of growth.”
Mondelēz International has on Thursday announced that its Cadbury core sharing bars, manufactured in Bournville and Coolock and sold in the UK and Ireland, will be wrapped in 80 per cent certified recycled plastic packaging, which can be attributed to plastic sourced from advanced recycling technology.
This move is the result of a collaboration with Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing more sustainable packaging solutions and Jindal Films, an industry leader in the development and manufacture of recyclable films designed for flexible packaging.
Starting from 2025, in a phased approach, the project aims to cover approximately 300 million sharing bars across the UK and Ireland Cadbury core tablet portfolio. The move will see the highest percentage of recycled flexible plastic used within the Cadbury brand globally.
As part of this effort, 80 per cent of the plastic used in the packaging can be attributed to recycled plastic through mass balance and ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) PLUS certification.
Consumers can also access a new platform via an on pack QR code to find out more about the sustainable packaging journey the Cadbury brand is taking and a consumer-friendly explanation about mass balance. The platform also features the Recycle Now locator from WRAP, enabling consumers to check local collection and recycling points for a wide range of packaging materials.
“This is the latest move in our journey to increase our use of post-consumer recycled plastic across our Cadbury tablets portfolio in the UK&I.” said Louise Stigant, SVP and UK&I managing director, Mondelēz International.
“We remain focused on our long-term aim to offer more sustainable packaging, in particular flexible plastic packaging using advanced recycling technologies. For us this is based around a three-part approach aimed at reducing our packaging, evolving, and designing our packaging to be recyclable and improving systems by supporting the development of UK infrastructure and capabilities to collect, sort and recycle it back into food contact packaging.”
Amcor’s AmFiniti solution converts post-consumer plastic waste into new products, providing Mondelēz International with a packaging solution that is made using 80 per cent certified recycled plastic. This innovative process uses advanced recycling material (ARM) that is suitable for food-grade applications.