365 Retail Markets has announced the acquisition of Australian vending management software (VMS) company, Sentry, for an undisclosed sum. Sentry is a vending machine and micro market management platform that includes a full-featured web application and a driver and inventory management mobile app. The platform’s features include “intuitive planograms and optimised merchandising, routing, market maintenance and picking systems,” which are all supported by a “back-office system”. The acquisition expands 365’s product portfolio and supports its growth plans. 365 Retail Markets CEO, Joe Hessling, said: “Sentry is a perfect fit within our long-term strategy of turning the data from our vast point-of-sale fleet into actionable insights for our global customer base of over 2,000 operators”. He continued: “We will continue to invest in VMS and other data-related technologies as the demand for self-service technology continues to rapidly expand…We intend to begin offering a 365 VMS product to the field within the summer of 2022.” Late last year, 365 purchased Scottish catering software company, Spoonfed. #365RetailMarkets #Sentry

US industrial aluminium company, Novelis, is investing over $30 million to build a new continuous annealing line at its facility in Plettenberg-Ohle, Germany. The new line will increase the plant’s capacity for aluminium used in the production of coffee capsules, meeting the increased demand for sustainable packaging solutions. Novelis says that the investment will strengthen its position in the high-recycled-content packaging market. According to Novelis, aluminium offers “unique” barrier properties and protects the freshness and aromas of capsulated coffee from moisture, light and air. Emilio Braghi, EVP and president at Novelis Europe, said: “The investment demonstrates our commitment to serve as a trusted partner for our food and packaging industry customers, and create more sustainable solutions for consumers”. He continued: “Increasing the use of recycled aluminium helps us reduce the use of natural resources, strengthen the circular economy and thus limit climate change. Our sustainability commitments include a 30% carbon footprint reduction by 2026 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 or sooner, thereby helping our customers reach their sustainability goals as well.” Novelis expects the line to commence operations in spring 2024, with construction preparations to begin after final government approval. #coffeecapsules #Novelis

New York-based start-up, Bubluv, has launched the “first” ready-to-drink, better-for-you boba alternative into the retail market. The release is available in three variants: Black Milk Tea with Tapioca Pearls, Matcha Soy Latte with Tapioca Pearls and Passionfruit Oolong Guava with Tapioca Pearls. Each flavour is brewed with loose leaf tea and is sweetened with all-natural sweeteners, including monk fruit and erythritol, “resulting in a lightly sweet and refreshing taste”. The ready-to-drink bubble tea has no added sugar or artificial ingredients, contains less than 50 calories per bottle and provides antioxidants – as well as being keto-friendly and gluten-free. Diana Ark Chen, CEO and founder of Bubluv, commented: “After learning how unhealthy boba tea could be, I decided to create Bubluv Bubble Tea so I could enjoy one of my favourite drinks without worrying about how much sugar I was consuming. The incredible pre-launch demand has been a clear indicator that I was not alone in my sentiment. Consumers deserve to experience bubble tea in a simple and better-for-you way and we’re excited to bring this first-of-its-kind beverage to market.” The drinks are available exclusively on the brand’s website. #bubbletea #Bubluv #US

Swedish water purification company, Bluewater, has announced a merger agreement with US-based FloWater, after investing $15 million in the company back in 2018. The companies claim that the move “will transform the water industry worldwide,” helping accelerate innovation and expanding both businesses’ footprints into other key markets in the Middle East, China and South Asia. The merger will also enable both corporations to leverage each other’s consumer and business water dispensing expertise, research and development, and global commercialisation and supply capabilities. Founded in 2013, Bluewater develops water purification solutions for homes, businesses and public vending. The corporation has sales across the US, Europe, the Middle East, China, Southeast Asia and South Africa, and production facilities in Sweden and China. Established the same year, FloWater is a manufacturer of water purifying refill stations for schools, gyms, offices and hotels. FloWater’s customers include Red Bull, Apple, Marriott and Google, among others. Bluewater’s founder and CEO, Bengt Rittri, said: “This union is a major milestone for Bluewater in our efforts to upscale and strengthen our position in the global household, commercial and public dispensing water industry”. FloWater’s founder, Rich Razgaitis, added: “This merger provides us another big step towards ending the business of “big bottled water” by providing superior alternatives to single-use plastic with the world’s best-tasting and trusted water”. He continued: “Everyone deserves access to clean, great-tasting drinking water, and the environment deserves to be free of plastic water bottles. Today, this merger brings together two passionate teams committed to making this a reality worldwide.” #Bluewater #FloWater #Sweden #US

Nayax has announced the introduction of EasiFit, a bill validator kit that accepts both cash and cashless payments. EasiFit will work with Nayax’s cashless payment solution VPOS Touch, which will simplify the acceptance of both cash and cashless transactions on an operator’s machine. According to Nayax, “EasiFit helps mitigate supply chain concerns about sourcing technical parts and manufacturing an additional device in the current environment, resulting in a continued timely and consistent production supply to meet our customers’ needs”. Nayax’s CEO, Carly Furman, holding EasiFit. Nayax’s CEO, Carly Furman, said: “Nayax is continually looking for ways to add value to our customers’ businesses and enable growth, and these new kits serve to provide operators the easiest way to work with existing cash bill validators or upgrade to our devices. We recognised that in this environment, the best solution would be to keep it simple and easily accessible, ensuring that there are no inventory concerns or firmware needs.” She continued: “The beauty of this solution is that operators can use our flagship device, the VPOS Touch, coupled with a simple proprietary adaptor to allow for cash and cashless acceptance at the machine from the same knock-out hole. This means no additional device SKUs to carry, worries about device re-certification or additional device firmware to manage.” #cashlesspayments #Nayax

Coca-Cola has launched a limited-edition beverage, Zero Sugar Byte, which it claims contains “the flavour of pixels”. The soft drinks giant says the new launch features a “bright, upfront taste [that] is reminiscent of powering up a game” and its “refreshing finish makes for a perfect gaming companion”. Inspired by the gaming world – in particular, online video game Fortnite – and the metaverse (the collective term for 3D virtual worlds that encourage social connection), the new beverage aims to appeal to a younger generation of tech-savvy consumers. In a company statement, Coca-Cola said: “The centrepiece [of the beverage campaign] is Pixel Point, an Island created in Fortnite Creative designed by Coca-Cola and lifestyle and gaming organisation PWR. Upon entry, players will discover Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte in the metaverse and interact with fellow gamers through a series of four sensory-inspired, multiplayer mini-games: The Castle, The Escape, The Race and The Tower. Each immersive room poses its own challenge that can only be solved by working in tandem with fellow players to progress up the tower.” The new beverage is an extension of the brand’s ongoing ‘Real Magic’ campaign, and is also the second product launch from Coca-Cola Creations, following its inaugural Coca-Cola Starlight launch earlier this year. “For our second expression from Coca-Cola Creations, we wanted to create an innovative taste inspired by the playfulness of pixels, rooted in the experiences that gaming makes possible, said Oana Vlad, senior director, global strategy at Coca-Cola. “Just as pixels power digital connection, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte brings people together to share moments of Real Magic.” “This new Coca-Cola Creations flavour is an amazing nod to gamers from one of the most iconic brands in existence, and we’re proud that we could help create something special for our shared communities to celebrate its launch,” said Lachlan Power, professional gamer and PWR founder. “It’s been an exciting project for PWR to collaborate on by creating this experience which facilitates teamwork and player connections whilst representing the vibe of this new Coca-Cola Creation.” The drink is available in “extremely limited quantities” in select countries in Latin America today. It will also be made available in the US to purchase in 12.5oz slim cans on May 2. The new product will launch in China on May 23. #CocaCola #gaming #softdrinks #TheCocaColaCompany

US retail technology firm, AiFi, has raised $65 million in a Series B funding round to strengthen its autonomous retail position. The funding round featured participation from Aldi South Group, Żabka Group, Rewe, Verizon Ventures and Qualcomm Ventures LLC, among others. Founded in 2016, AiFi is an artificial intelligence (AI) platform that allows retailers to deploy autonomous shopping solutions. The company works with top retailers, such as Aldi South Group, Carrefour, Compass Group and Żabka Group. According to AiFi, the round, which brings the company’s total funding to $80 million, will be used to expand its technical team “to cater to the surging demand for AiFi’s solution”. AiFi’s CEO and co-founder, Steve Gu, said: “The pandemic heavily influenced consumer preferences, including the need for quicker, more seamless shopping experiences. It’s become clear that shoppers are ready for autonomous retail and AiFi is here to deliver.” “We relentlessly improve our AI algorithms to ensure we have a strong foundation to support our platform, and the success we’ve seen with diverse store formats, speed of deployment and a frictionless customer experience attests to the flexibility and maturity our product has achieved.” He continued: “We have deepened our partnerships with some of the world’s largest retailers that share a vision of innovation. With this latest round of funding, we’ll be able to scale our partnerships and launch customised stores in record time to bring us closer to our vision of using AI to simplify people’s busy lives.” AiFi’s technology is being deployed in a wide range of store formats, including grocery stores, sports stadiums, canteens, convenience stores at universities, and more. The company claims its advanced tracking algorithms can scale up to 10,000 square feet to accommodate various shopper journeys, including app, credit card and gated or hybrid entry. #AI #AiFi #technology

Waterloo Sparkling Water has expanded its line of carbonated water with the launch of two new variants. Cherry Limeade features a blend of lime citrus and red cherries with notes of grenadine, pomegranate and orange citrus. Meanwhile, the Blackberry Lemonade is described as a “twist on classic country lemonade”, with blackberry notes layered in. The offerings are free of sugar, calories and sweeteners, and are made with non-GMO natural flavours and purified carbonated water. Adam Price, SVP of operations and flavour development lead at Waterloo, said: “We know that flavour goes beyond just taste. When developing new offerings, we’re also perfecting the aroma, mouthfeel, carbonation and more, to ensure our consumers get the full experience they expect from us.” He continued: “When creating our Cherry Limeade and Blackberry Lemonade innovations, we tinkered with the flavours for over 10 months to craft authentic flavours that transport you back to the carefree days of summer”. Waterloo Cherry Limeade and Blackberry Lemonade sparkling waters are available at HEB, Central Market, Hy-Vee and Whole Foods, with additional distribution coming in April at Target and other major retailers. #US #water #WaterlooSparklingWater

Selecta has partnered with Mars Wrigley to introduce a new generation of intelligent vending machines at locations across the UK and Europe. The smart vending machines feature 48-inch touchscreens, which consumers can use to access detailed product and nutritional information, purchase several products in a single transaction, and receive personalised product recommendations. “We are looking for partnerships to win with winners, and we see Mars Wrigley as a strong partner based on its strong brands and values”, said Jens van Beusekom, chief procurement officer at Selecta. “Selecta knows how to operate and how to approach the market. Mars Wrigley knows how to manage brands and snacks, and together we can win retail markets.” The vending solution is suitable for most locations, including workplaces, airports, railway stations, universities and hospitals. Selecta plans to install 500-1,000 vending machines in the UK and expand into other European countries, such as Germany, Italy, Austria, France and the Netherlands. #MarsWrigley #Selecta #vendingmachine

Selecta has partnered with Swiss coffee machine manufacturer, Thermoplan, to “further optimise” the company’s Starbucks coffee solutions. Founded in 1974, Thermoplan entered into the coffee machine industry in 1995 and is claimed to be the first company to develop the milk frother. Thermoplan’s coffee machines will be available exclusively for Selecta’s We Proudly Serve Starbucks Coffee Programme, offering the opportunity to optimise its range. “The one and only purpose of our business is making people feel great…And this means, if you want a really good cup of coffee, you will get it…high-quality beans, hand-selected roasts, best machines, served to perfection,” said Tjerry Sanders, category manager at Selecta. Last week, Selecta partnered with Red Bull to strengthen the energy drink brand’s distribution. #coffee #Selecta #Thermoplan

Culligan-owned Quench has acquired point-of-use (POU) water systems company, Blue Caffe, for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 2002, Blue Caffe is a supplier of POU water systems and coffee services located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. According to Quench, the acquisition of Blue Caffe – which has been described as a multi-city Wellsys dealer – will enhance the company’s footprint across the state. Ryan Hartley, VP of corporate development for Quench, said: “This is our third acquisition already in 2022 and is another example of our ongoing commitment to providing exit opportunities for POU dealers whenever they are ready”. Brad Kelley, Blue Caffe’s owner, added: “Quench has been a trusted partner of Blue Caffe, with their extensive product line and strategic nationwide resources I know that the synergies of products and staff will significantly enhance opportunities to serve our customers in an even better capacity”. This year, Quench has already acquired two other water solutions companies, Pure Aqua Tech of Michigan and Waterfresh. #BlueCaffe #Quench #US

French foodservice firm Sodexo has appointed its chairman Sophie Bellon as the company’s CEO, a position she has held on an interim basis since 1 October 2021. Bellon first joined Sodexo in 1994 and has held various leadership roles within the company, including CEO of the corporate services business unit for Sodexo France. Sophie Bellon According to Sodexo’s board of directors, Bellon’s “in-depth knowledge of the activities of the group” was considered to be a major asset. Bellon said: “I will continue to rely on the skills and diversity of the members of the board, as well as the commitment and expertise of the executive committee and our teams to accelerate Sodexo’s transformation and strengthen its competitiveness. The principles that will guide my actions will be loyalty to Sodexo’s values, entrepreneurial spirit, as well as efficiency and speed of execution. More than ever, I am committed to reinvigorating Sodexo’s growth path, which has been part of the group’s DNA since its creation.” Headquartered in Paris, Sodexo offers end-to-end services to businesses and the public sector, including food services and catering, vending machines, micro markets and more. #Appointments #foodservice #Sodexo