Costa Coffee has appointed Philippe Schaillee as its next CEO, effective 10 April 2023. He will succeed Jill McDonald, who joined the coffee company as chief executive in 2019. McDonald decided to step down in July 2022 to join fast-food chain McDonald’s in an international role. Since McDonald’s departure, Shakir Moin has been serving as interim CEO and will continue to support the business until Schaillee takes over. Most recently, Schaillee has been senior EVP at France-based Groupe SEB, responsible for the small domestic appliances and cookware business units, a position he has held since April 2021. Schaillee, who will now be based in London, will report to the president of global ventures for The Coca-Cola Company – Costa’s parent company – Evguenia Stoichkova. “Philippe is an outstanding leader who comes to Costa with a deep background in business and a passion for building great brands,” said Stoichkova. “We look forward to working with Philippe to expand on the plans we have developed to grow Costa, both in its home country of England and beyond.”

A name that is not just a brand, but a manifesto: Rebel is the dispenser that embodies the rebellious spirit of those who want to break the rules and make a mark on the market with extraordinary performance. With a dispensing capacity of 30 litres per hour, this product is designed to meet the most diverse and specific needs. But that is not all: Rebel also offers the ability to dispense extremely hot and cold water, making it the ideal companion for every setting, from restaurants to offices. All of this is possible thanks to advanced technologies integrated into the product. Cooling is handled by a next-generation ice bank, specifically designed for this product, while the super-hot boiler ensures hot water temperatures of up to 98°C. The contemporary design and the “nonconformist” look of Rebel make it irresistible. Inside, there is ample space to accommodate a filter cartridge and a CO2 cylinder, offering a balance between power, functionality, performance and size.

Global Brands-owned RTD beverage brand, VK, has launched a new range of zero-sugar, low-calorie drinks, VK & Soda. The light range is available in two flavours, VK & Soda Berries and VK & Soda Lime, with each sugar-free drink containing 56 calories. The drinks combine either berry or lime flavours with the brand’s classic vodka. Charlie Leaver, head of brand at Global Brands Ltd, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to release this true innovation for the category – a product enticing the rapidly growing segment of health-conscious consumers, with the full flavour and taste that VK delivers.

Nestlé is planning to cut 94 jobs at its Dolce Gusto factory in the Midlands. The Swiss food giant told FoodBev that it is proposing some changes to its Tutbury plant, which would result in a reduction of staff. The company says the decision was made due to a “significant drop in demand” for the company’s Nescafé Dolce Gusto products. A spokesperson for Nestlé said: “We are proposing some changes at our Tutbury factory which would, unfortunately, mean a reduction in people. These changes are due to a significant drop in demand for our Nescafé Dolce Gusto products, which means some of our lines are under capacity or not in use.” They added: “Regrettably, it is necessary to propose a change in the factory structure to respond to this change in demand and ensure our manufacturing is as efficient as possible. As always, we are speaking to our employees about this proposal first, and nothing will be confirmed until those discussions have been completed.” #DolceGusto #Nestlé #UK

Richard’s Rainwater has opened a potable rainwater collection site in Louisiana, in partnership with Faubourg Brewing Co and its parent company, Made By The Water. According to Richard’s Rainwater, the new site is the largest of its kind in the world. Louisiana’s “first-ever” rain capture facility for drinking water is expected to collect more than 2 million gallons of water each year. CEO Taylor O’Neil said: “Collecting rainwater in New Orleans made sense as it’s one of the top three rainiest cities in the US”. He continued: “Faubourg Brewing Co has a rich history of creating quality products and supporting the local community. We are excited to partner with their leadership team to create jobs, support disaster relief and make their facility the most water-conscious brewery in the country.” Richard’s Rainwater is the nation’s first FDA-approved rainwater collection company, capturing newly fallen rain and packaging it into recyclable aluminium cans or glass bottles. Dan Griffin, vice president of operations at Made By The Water, commented: “We’re excited that Faubourg’s state-of-the-art facility is playing an important role in reducing waste in our community while also creating quality jobs in New Orleans East”. He added: “…we have a great respect for pure water as it is the number one ingredient in craft beer, and this partnership with Richard’s further solidifies our commitment to wastewater reduction and responsible use of natural resources. In this case, being good stewards of our environment is also good for our business.” #Bottledrainwater #RichardsRainwater #US

NuZee-owned single-serve coffee brand, DripKit, has collaborated with coffee roaster Rival Bros. Coffee, to launch the Rival Bros. Dripkit. The Rival Bros. Dripkit is a quality, easy-to-use single-serve pour-over, available in two medium roast flavour profiles. The new single-serve packs produce a 10oz cup of coffee, using 17 grams of roasted and ground coffee, in a just-add-water format, creating a freshly ground coffee drink in two minutes. Dripkit founder and CEO, Ilana Kruger, said: “I founded Dripkit with the belief that delicious, pour-over coffee can be an accessible and quick luxury. Our partnership with Rival Bros. enhances the flavour of our brand and offers another delicious way to enjoy our unique coffee format.” The flavours include Whistle and Cuss, with beans from Latin America, Indonesia, and Africa that feature notes of malted dark chocolate and Bourbon Barrel Aged, a blend with smoky, caramel notes, crafted with Brazilian beans and aged for up to two weeks prior to roasting in oak barrels. The single-serve drinks are priced between $17.50-$18.75 per 5-pack. #DripKitCoffee #NuZee #RivalBros #US

Middleby Corporation has announced the acquisition of Marco Beverage Systems, a beverage dispensing solutions manufacturer, for an undisclosed sum. Marco’s products include Pour’d cold coffee on tap, which is a cold coffee solution that improves the speed of service in the out-of-home coffee business. The company has annual revenues of $30 million with facilities in Dublin, Ireland and Ningbo, China. The company’s operations – in the latter market, in particular – will expand Middleby’s manufacturing and sales teams and capabilities. “Marco is a leader in innovative beverage dispensing systems. This acquisition is highly complementary to our growing beverage portfolio, and the Marco product line further expands our offerings in coffee brewers, cold brew dispense and a variety of hot, cold and sparkling water dispensers,” said Middleby CEO Tim FitzGerald. “Touchless and in-counter dispense technology is rapidly gaining popularity due to space and labour advantages, along with enhanced aesthetic features. Marco is well-positioned with solutions for these growing trends.” Marco’s management team will remain unchanged.

Lavazza Professional has announced the acquisition of Scottish vending operation SV24-7 Vending (Stirlingshire Vending). SV24-7, a family business with over 60 years of vending industry experience, offers vending and office coffee services, including micro markets. Ken MacIsaac, UK business leader at Lavazza Professional, said: “By welcoming such a well-established and reputable provider to the Lavazza Professional family, we can continue to deliver a ‘one-stop-shop’ solution for machines, drinks, snacks and exceptional service to customers in the central belt of Scotland; from Glasgow to Edinburgh, to Tayside and everything in between”. He added: “The changes have been well received, and we’re looking forward to unlocking the opportunities that the acquisition presents". Fiona Chambers, former director of SV24-7, commented: “Over the years, we built our business on providing our clients with the most effective vending solutions, underpinned by our commitment to service excellence and a product portfolio tailored specifically to the needs of each client – aligning perfectly with Lavazza Professional". “We have built strong relationships with our customers over the last 11 years, so with both businesses sharing the same values, it was a logical step for us to move the operation when the opportunity arose.” Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Refresco has opened a new €20 million high-bay warehouse at its production site in Calvörde, Germany. The new facility has a total capacity of over 41,000 pallet spaces, becoming Refresco’s largest fully automated warehouse. Refresco said the warehouse is of “strategic importance” for future production and logistics at the site. In addition, the fully automated logistics system is expected to enhance occupational safety. With the investment, the company expects to improve the efficiency of both the production environment and the transportation of finished products. The warehouse will enable Refresco to continue to grow and acquire new business. Till Alvermann, managing director at Refresco Germany, said: “The new high-bay warehouse is a milestone for us and makes this one of Refresco’s most advanced locations worldwide. Among other things, the complete automation of our logistical handling allows us to load quickly and safely and improves our competitive advantage. We also strengthen the service level for our customers.” #Germany #Refresco

Mettler Toledo has launched its next-generation Easy Vis, which analyses liquid samples for their optical spectrum, colour and water parameters. The notebook-sized device is able to carry out three measuring tasks with the potential to replace three instruments: a colourimeter, a spectrophotometer and measuring methods for water testing, such as titration. The machine provides workflow guidance, enabling untrained staff to operate it with ease and reducing training time. Within seconds, the results appear on a visual interface. Easy Vis streamlines the production process as it can be used multiple times; inspecting raw materials, quality control and products, or testing the water quality of wastewater. The instrument’s sample analysis removes the need to send samples to external laboratories for testing. Easy Vis operates within a wavelength range of 330 to 1,000 nanometres. Its light source is an easy-to-replace tungsten lamp. The instrument is preinstalled with 25 standard-compliant colour scales in the visible range, for example, ICUMSA for sugar colour, ESBC for beer quality analysis and OIV CIELab for wine colour determination. The water analysis tool shows the concentration of chemicals within the sample – for example, aluminium or polyphenol. This reveals whether the liquid is fit for human consumption or whether the wastewater is safe to release. In terms of spectrophotometry, the instrument analyses the sample at the wavelengths where it has its characteristic absorption of light, measuring the transmitted or absorbed light. The reading reveals the sample’s concentration or purity. #Liquidanalysis #MettlerToledo

Trigo has raised $100 million in an equity financing round led by Singaporean investment firm Temasek and 83North. The round included participation from new and existing investors, such as SAP, Hetz Ventures, Red Dot Capital Partners, Vertex Ventures, Viola and supermarket giant Rewe Group. Based in Israel, Trigo uses artificial intelligence to build the infrastructure for autonomous grocery stores. The company works with retailers to convert their existing stores into frictionless shopping experiences. Employing technologies such as ceiling-mounted cameras and shelf sensors, Trigo’s retail automation platform identifies picked-up shopping items with very high levels of accuracy, enabling a seamless checkout process. In addition, the company says that its StoreOS store operating system can track inventory in real-time, minimise out-of-stock and expired items, and manage store and supply chain operations predictively. Trigo solutions are employed by leading grocery retailers around the world, including Tesco in the UK, Aldi Nord in the Netherlands, Rewe, Netto, Israel’s Shufersal and Wakefern Food. The company will use the new capital to scale the deployment of its cashier-free technology across the US and Europe, expand into new geographies and further develop its StoreOS store and inventory management software application suite. Michael Gabay, Trigo co-founder and CEO, said: “By opening multiple autonomous stores with five of the world’s leading grocery retailers, we have proven that we can deploy computer vision and AI to empower physical stores with the same kinds of insights and capabilities that e-commerce stores have. This investment allows Trigo to build on this success and focus on three core initiatives: expanding our autonomous retail platform, building increasingly larger stores and executing a pipeline of contracted stores around the world.” Joern Keller, EVP at SAP, added: “Trigo’s superior computer vision technology built the infrastructure for grab-and-go shopping and laid the foundation for additional in-store scenarios of the future. As a leading provider of enterprise software for the retail industry, SAP is delighted to join as a strategic investor to Trigo to support the development of the StoreOS autonomous supermarket operating system. Their solutions will complement SAP’s cloud solutions for retail, integrating seamlessly with SAP S/4HANA and pave the way towards building an intelligent store.” #Israel #Trigo

US coffee technology brand, Terra Kaffe, has announced the launch of a “super-automatic” coffee machine, TK-02. According to Terra Kaffe, TK-02 uses “whole-bean coffee, new proprietary precision brewing technology and smart connectivity to craft ultra-customised drinks”. The coffee machine is able to brew both drip coffee and espresso. TK-02 features a barista-grade smart scale; hybrid brew unit to seamlessly switch between espresso-based drinks and drip coffee; automatic grind adjustment for intelligent automatic adjustment to different espresso and drip coffee profiles, as well as bean types; and a larger group head, which allows for brewing of up to 16g of ground coffee per drink. The TK-02 is available for $1,400 on the brand’s website. #TerraKaffe #US