Bill Bruce interviews Western Commodities (WC) managing director Richard Stoker, at Gulfood 2015 in Dubai, about the company’s decision to manufacture its Good. fruit bars.

Western Commodities processes and packs nuts and dried fruits. The organisation imports directly, and trades worldwide, and its UK factory is BRC accredited and produces thousands of tonnes of product per year ‘to the highest standards’.

The Good. range currently includes six bars and plans are in place to produce a new range of high protein bars. All bars are gluten free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians, and the dates used in the bars’ ingredients are high in iron, copper and magnesium.

Andreas Exarheas talks to Hernan Marina, PepsiCo’s business innovation senior director, Latin America beverages, about the new Drinkfinity device.

Described as a ‘personal and portable hydration system’, Drinkfinity is currently sold in the Brazilian online marketplace. The creation utilises a reusable bottle, which is used in conjunction with flavoured pods.

When the system was first launched, the brand posted a one-minute video of an active young man's day to promote the product. The video offered a glimpse of the man’s life - from the moment he springs out of bed to when he’s at the gym, cycling outdoors, at work and at the beach – and showed him periodically mixing a Drinkfinity beverage and sharing it with friends. According to reports, there will be a further series of 50 micro videos, each highlighting different features like flavours, how the product is used and sustainability.

With an estimated £595 million spent on cards and gifts, such as flowers and chocolates, around Valentine’s day in the UK, the importance of good networks is critical. Claire Phoenix speaks with Stephen Trigg of artisan chocolatier Lauden Chocolates on recipes, culture trends, global sales and the company's distribution partnership with Fedex.

At Pro Sweets in Cologne, Claire Rowan chatted to Paul Collins, managing director of GNT about the latest research, consumers' growing awareness and pursuit of natural colours created directly from fruits and vegetables.

At ISM in Cologne, Claire Rowan spoke to Auờjón, brand manager at Noi Sirius of Iceland, which introduced a new flavour to its innovative Aktiv Próteinbitar chocolate coated protein balls. Based on isolated whey protein, the balls use real chocolate and come in a handy reseal pack, which overcomes the traditional issues of oversized protein bars causing issues for consumers.

Noi Sirius spent many years perfecting the formulation to create a pleasant, not grainy or excessively chewy texture that is designed to appeal to body builders and general health conscious consumers alike.

At ISM in Cologne, Claire Rowan caught up with Nat Meechubot who is founder of Banana Joe, which is a new crispy snack product based on bananas rather than potatoes - an innovative and healthy option that appeals to both kids and parents alike.

Confectionery company Bon Bon Buddies recently launched a new innovative children's collectable confectionery onto the market.

Surprize Qubes is a building block-shaped confectionery that offers children a sweet treat, which can be consumed, collected and played with.

FoodBev Digital Features Editor, Darren Wood spoke to Graham Dyer, one of the directors at Bon Bon Buddies about the new design element

Philip Maddocks has become the first British farmer to create raw fruit and vegetable juice drinks using his own facilities on his Shropshire farm.

B. Fresh juice is available in a range of eight flavour combinations – including carrot kick, sweet greens and easy beet – and delivers a long-lasting juice drink that negates the need for pasteurisation, heat processing or ingredients from concentrate.

FoodBev news editor Alex Clere spoke to Philip about the new range's nutritional credentials and the investment required in its conception.

Bill Bruce talks to Nosh Super Brekkie founder Geoff Read about a natural product aimed at the on-the-go and at-the-desk ‘breakfast in a bottle’ category.


Nosh – available in strawberry and banana, mango and passionfruit, oats and honey and banana porridge varieties – combines the superfood quinoa with real fruit pieces, whole oats and Greek style yogurt.

At ISM in Cologne, Claire Rowan spoke to Annett Sachs who is responsible for press communications at Trolli GmbH who highlighted the development work the company has completed to allow the creation of gelatine free chewy candies, juice and vitamin candies and shaped candies with a 40% juice content.

An Irish company called IrePack has launched Powerful Yogurt in Ireland and the UK. Inspired by the American product, the product is proudly Irish. Bill Bruce talked to managing director Robert Doyle.


Powerful Yogurt delivers up to 25g of protein per 227g container, and has been introduced in the UK and Ireland by online sports nutrition retailer Muscle Food UK.
Initially available in three flavours, in the interview Robert talks about the launch, protein,the recipe and the product descriptor – as well as looking to the future for Powerful Yogurt in the UK and Ireland.