What will attract consumers to ‘hybrid’ meat products?

Mar 08, 2021 (MarketLine via COMTEX) --

As more consumers become interested in the sustainability of what they eat, what role can ‘hybrid’ products made from meat and vegetables play? After all, early launches haven’t always succeeded, writes David Burrows.

The debate over sustainable diets is about all or nothing. Either you eat a meat product or you eat a 100% plant-based one. Consumers are left to choose between an Impossible Burger made from plants or a traditional one made of beef. Some are swayed one way or the other – either by the novelty, the environmental or health benefits, or concerns over animal welfare (or a combination of all of these). But most are not.

Indeed, the market value of processed meat alone was worth US$519.41 billion in 2019. Plant-based managed $11.1bn (according to Statista), so 2% of all processed meat. The category is growing fast of course and could reach $35.5bn by 2027. But processed meat is expected to reach $862.97bn by then, giving plant-based a 4% share. That’s nowhere near the shift required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve public health.

“Consumers say they will eat less meat but look at per capita consumption levels and it’s increasing,” explains Marija Banovic, associate professor at Aarhus University’s MAPP Centre in Denmark. “It’s difficult to say we are doing everything we could.”

So Banovic, together with academics at the UK’s University of Reading, Ireland-based meat processor ABP Food Group and the Spanish National Research Council, has been looking at a solution in what she calls “healthier” processed meats. Sausages with less pork and beef burgers with less beef, that are then bulked out with vegetables and pulses. Arguably these ‘blended’ or ‘hybrid’ meats offer the “best of both worlds”, she says.

Natasha Maynard, nutrition and scientific affairs manager at UK-based industry researchers The IGD, says such products also provide “familiarity and are viewed as a low-risk option for families”, adding: “They reduce the sense of loss to consumers making changes [to their diets] as they are still getting the goodness and taste of meat, but with some additional benefits.”

Let’s Rebel

Indeed, chicken nuggets launched by US poultry processor Perdue Foods and US ingredients start-up The Better Meat Co. in 2019 were targeted at “flexitarian families” trying to add vegetables to their diets with the minimum fuss and expense. The nuggets, which blended chicken with cauliflower, chickpeas and plant protein, were part of a flurry of activity in the blended meats space in a matter of weeks in summer 2019.

Hormel Foods, another US business centred on meat, also told an investment conference in Paris it would look to continue its development of products containing meat and other proteins. (It already had the Applegate Blend Burger). And, perhaps most strikingly, Tyson Foods, one of the largest players in the meat sector globally, rolled out a new brand – Raised & Rooted – which included ‘The Blend’, a burger made with ‘beef and plants’.

“This is not about vegans and vegetarians, it’s for people that want to make a good call today and be just a little bit healthier,” Susie Fogelson, a New York-based food marketing strategist who runs her own consultancy, F&Co., told just-food at the time. “It’s a big market.”

Yet Tyson recently pulled its blended burger from the market. And these products remain incredibly niche – so niche in fact =the likes of Kantar don’t collect data on them. Why?

The short answer, according to Mark Cornthwaite, industry and marketing team leader at DuPont nutrition and health, is that it’s too early. “Brands are too focused on making the best plant-based burger they can,” he explains. “That’s where the research and development is.”

The hype is with anything plant-based currently, and major food companies will be loath to lose any market share as sales continue to grow. Further fragmentation into new products and sub-categories risks confusing shoppers. Instead, retailers and manufacturers are solidifying their plant-based portfolios, says Andrew Moberly, director of category solutions at retail branding firm Daymon.

Research from Nielsen published this month by the Smart Protein Project shows the European plant-based food sector has grown by 49% in the past two years, reaching a total sales value of EUR3.6bn. It’s an impressive leap but again remains a drop in the ocean of the overall meat market.

Much is expected of the plant-based movement but are we asking too much? Research on how long vegan commitments last is mixed but meat is undoubtedly proving hard to give up (based on sales figures). “Plant-based meat replacements have 0.6% of the total meat market in Germany,” says Philipp Stangl, co-founder and CEO at Rebel Meat, a producer of blended meats based in Austria. “Why don’t we try an additional way of reducing the other 99.4%?”

The beef balance

Rebel offers a 50:50 burger, with half made of beef and half ‘plant-based products’, mostly mushroom. Companies in Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Israel and the US are also looking to blend mushrooms with soya and pea proteins, according to Steve Solomon from The Mushroom Council.

In April, Rebel is launching another four products made from pork or beef and a mixture of vegetables other than mushroom. These will be sold through supermarket chain Billa, part of Germany-based grocer Rewe, as well as at restaurants as and when they open up from lockdowns. “Our initial strategy was to build the brand in foodservice [as Impossible and Beyond did] but we had to change that due to Covid,” says Stangl.

Meat processor Danish Crown also went 50:50 in its pork and beef mince products, launched in August 2019. The vegetable mix has been adapted to complement the meat: ‘Grønt & Gris’ (vegetables and pork) contains carrots, peppers and chickpeas, while kidney beans have been used instead of carrots in ‘Grønt & Okse’ (vegetables and beef). Both variants also carry the Nordic Keyhole label (only 6% fat).

Others are working to a 70:30 ratio (Tyson reportedly got nowhere near this with its Blend, causing some to question whether it really was a blend at all). Maintaining the taste, texture and pleasure of meat is critical for wider adoption so each product needs to be carefully balanced. “The goal is first of all quality,” explains Emily Buckley, VP of meals portfolio at Freshly, the US fresh-prepared meal delivery service bought by Nestlé in October. “It still needs to resemble a meatball or burger.”

“It’s not ‘this’ or ‘that’. It’s somewhere in the middle”Freshly’s new ‘masterful meatballs’ manage a 60:40 blend of meat with mushrooms, onions, oats and ras el hanout spices. Buckley feels the “middle ground” offered by blended products will have greater reach than the binary approach of meat-free one day per week. The World Resources Institute (WRI) has estimated replacing 30% of the meat in the 10 billion burgers a year Americans chomp through with mushrooms would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 10.5 million tonnes. “It’s not ‘this’ or that’,” she explains, “it’s somewhere in the middle.”

This can create problems though. Blended meats fall between two worlds – 100% meat and 100% plants – and it’s hard not to get lost in between them, says Rebel’s Stangl. “As humans we don’t typically like the [concept of] less,” he adds.

Marketing mix-ups

There is a feeling the products have been poorly pitched. “There’s a marketing job to be done,” says Mark Lynch, partner at Oghma Partners, a UK-based corporate finance advisory firm specialising in the food and beverage sector. Some feel brands have adopted a lazy approach to blended meats, developing them to tie in with the flexitarian trend and then expecting them to fly off the shelves with little effort. This hasn’t happened.

Buckley says she isn’t aware of any one company that has mastered the messaging around blended meats yet. At Freshly, the emphasis is on stealth. Sales of the 60:40 meatballs are consistent with the full meat version, so why rock the boat with ‘less meat, more veg’ communications.

Some products could also be struggling with a clash in messages, which confuses shoppers. Meat tends to be sold as hugely satiating, fulfilling, tasty and almost powerful products, while plants have very different associations, like healthy, vitality, bland and so on, explains Sophie Attwood, senior behavioural scientist at US environmental think tank World Resources Institute. “I’m wondering whether the two worlds kind of clash in the blend – watering each other down rather than mutually supporting [each other].”

In work funded by Belgium-based research body European Innovation and Technology (EIT) Food, Banovic has been surveying thousands of consumers in Europe and running online focus groups to determine how people feel about blended products. “A more consumer-orientated approach to hybrid is needed,” she says. “Versatility, convenience, taste and satiety are all very important.” Younger females are also better targets than older males.

The health and environmental triggers are there but not as prominent as they are for those seeking out 100% plant-based products. Banovic says in her research the ‘less but better meat’ message came through strongly. Rebel has gone for organic, grass-fed beef for instance but Stangl reckons blends could offer a route to market for products that are too expensive to mainstream currently, such as meat from regenerative agriculture systems and cell-based meat.

Don’t call meat hybrid

Meat produced by cellular agriculture has already been through a lengthy period of reflection in terms of how best to pitch the products to consumers. The Good Food Institute, a non-profit that promotes the alternative-protein sector, finally landed on the term ‘cultivated meat’. Banovic reckons blended meats need to go through a similar process. Her research with consumers in the UK, Spain and Denmark suggests ‘hybrid’, ‘blended’ and ‘enriched’ are all seen as modifications and linked to processed products, which is why she’s using the term ‘healthier meats’.

Potential nutrient gaps in plant-based eating (iron, vitamin B12, calcium and iodine) could also be plugged with blended products, suggests Barbara Bray, founder of UK-based food consultancy Alo Solutions. Uptake of vegetables and pulses could also be increased at the expense of some meat, she adds.

Banovic also found people are sceptical about these products and see them as over-processed, which is not always the case. In fact, they can actually often trump pure plant-based products. As Melissa Abbott, vice president for retainer services at US research firm The Hartman Group, explains: “There is a significant difference in a plant-based analogue that relies on hyper-processing to achieve a meat-like eating experience and a burger that relies on regeneratively-farmed meat combined with real veggies.”

Research by Hartman shows 56% of those buying plant-based products are interested in (or already buy) blended options. What’s more, 30% of those not buying into plant-based yet are interested in hybrids (or already buy them). That’s actually more than are interested in trying the Impossible Burger (21%).

Awareness (66%) and purchase intent (61%) is also higher in blended meats compared to well-known plant-based options like Impossible and Beyond Meat (57% awareness and 52% purchase intent), according to Hartman. Some 60% of UK shoppers would also consider blended meat products, according to IGD.

This is good news for the likes of Freshly, Rebel and others. Stangl says there are two typical reactions to his products. “The first is along the lines of ‘nobody needs this – I can eat meat or veg’,” he explains. “The second is ‘this is what I’ve been waiting for’.”

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Dufry Group turnover plunges -71.1% in 2020; company sets sights on protecting liquidity and accelerating growth in Asia and digital channels in 2021

INTERNATIONAL. Leading travel retailer Dufry Group today reported financial results for 2020, with turnover falling -71.1% year-on-year to CHF2,561.1 million (US$2,737 million).

The company noted that performance was “impacted by the unprecedented level of disruption in its retail operations, driven by international travel restrictions implemented by governments worldwide and temporary operational shut-downs of airports, cruise lines and other channels” due to COVID-19.

Organic growth for the year stood at -69.8% with like-for-like sales down -67.2% due to reduced passenger traffic across most airports and other travel-related channels globally. Net new concessions represented -2.6%. The translational foreign exchange effect in the period was -1.3% mainly as a result of the US Dollar weakness.

Despite the shift to more domestic and intra-regional travel, with declines in international and business travel – the category mix remained nearly unchanged compared to FY2019 with the highest demand for perfumes & cosmetics, followed by food & confectionery.

By the end of February, almost 55% of Dufry stores were open, representing 60% of sales capacity, including the “strategically important duty free operation in Hainan”, with Hainan Development Holdings.

Dufry said it expects to be “well positioned for reopening and growth acceleration beyond the current crisis”. Based on the forecasts for travel recovery, Dufry said that turnover could fall by between -40% and -55% in 2021 compared to 2019.

Dufry Group CEO Julián Díaz said: “While Dufry has evidently been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as have many other companies in the travel and tourism industry, I have seen a deep emotional engagement and a strong determination by all our employees to overcome this challenging situation. From the Board of Directors, to our management teams and throughout all levels of our organisation, we have worked in close alignment to find, plan and implement the right solutions to mitigate the impact of this crisis and lay the foundations upon which we will emerge as a stronger company.
“This positive attitude and dedication has allowed us both to adapt the company to the new market environment very quickly and to implement important and resilient cost savings, thus preparing our organisation for the recovery and beyond. In parallel, we have succeeded in putting the company on solid financial ground and seized opportunities, which provide remarkable growth potential and contribute to the future development of Dufry.

“With the successful financing measures implemented in 2020, the support of existing and important new shareholders, the finalisation of our reorganisation as well as the financial and managerial flexibility to engage in strategically relevant initiatives and growth opportunities Dufry is well positioned to drive recovery and growth acceleration beyond the current crisis.

“More than ever, my immense gratitude goes to our employees and management teams for their ongoing motivation, dedication and extraordinary efforts, in supporting the restructuring, negotiating with our business partners and securing the financial strength of the company. We have created a solid and resilient base on which we can build going forward.

“On behalf of the whole company, we also want to remember the colleagues we have sadly lost and extend our condolences to their families, while wishing any colleagues who suffered with the virus a swift and full recovery.”
Cost-cutting measures delivered savings of CHF1,312.1 million (US$1,402 million) in the year, significantly ahead of the initial target of CHF1 billion. This included with MAG relief of CHF551.4 million, personnel and other expense savings CHF527.3 million and CHF233.4 million respectively.

Cash consumption fell to CHF45.7 million (US$48.8 million) in the second half compared to an expected CHF60 million monthly average.

Net debt amounted to CHF3,344.2 million (US$3,573 million) at the end of December 2020 compared to CHF3,102.0 million in December 2019.

Gross profit reached CHF1,377.3 million (US$1,471 million) in 2020, down by -74.1%, reaching a gross profit margin of 53.8%. Margin was affected by the turnover mix from the retail versus the wholesale business, short-term inventory management through wholesale and promotions, and a higher duties and freight ratio.

One-time inventory write-offs related to the heavily impacted cruise business and liquidation programmes in 2020 accounted for 350 basis points. Purchasing prices have not been affected by the pandemic and Dufry said it expects a normalisation of its gross profit margin in line with sales recovery.

The adjusted operating loss (adjusted EBIT) was CHF1,561.6 million (US$1,669 million) in 2020 compared to an operating profit of CHF767.7 million for the same period of 2019. The company reported a net loss to equity holders of CHF2,513.7 million (US$2,686 million) compared to a net loss of CHF26.5 million in 2019. The adjusted net loss was CHF1,658.4 million (US$1,772 million) in 2020 versus a profit of CHF349.3 million last year.

Looking ahead, alongside turnover scenarios of -40% to -55% in 2021 compared to 2019, Dufry expects recurring fixed cost savings of around CHF400 million, with sustainable reduction of around CHF280 million from personnel expenses and around CHF120 million from other expenses (excluding inflation). In addition, it remains in negotiations over lease terms to achieve further savings.

Dufry said it is reopening its retail businesses gradually, following productivity scenarios location by location. At the end of February, around 1,300 shops globally were open, representing around 60% in sales capacity compared to full-year 2019. Reopened shops include locations in the US, including at Denver, Atlanta, Miami and Tampa airports. Others include the UK, Greece, Spain, Morocco, Chile, Colombia, and in Puerto Rico. At the end of March, Dufry expects to operate around 60% of shops, representing 65% of sales capacity.

In February, Dufry estimates organic growth to have reached -77.7% compared to February 2019.

Dufry said it “expects an improvement of the business in 2021, however, visibility on the shape and pace of the recovery is still limited”.

The company said it aims to focus on the protection of its liquidity while seizing organic growth opportunities, for example by accelerating expansion in Asia, through digitalisation or further channel diversification. It said it would do so with “a mid-term focus on deleveraging, opportunistic M&A if accretive and a reinitiation of dividend payments depending on the recovery trajectory”.

The company said: “Based on the efficiencies created through Dufry’s reorganisation, its cost saving targets and tight cash management, Dufry expects a return to 2019 profitability and cash generation levels even before full turnover recovery. Industry associations are estimating a full recovery of passenger numbers to a 2019 level between the end of 2022 and 2024.”

Performance by region in 2020

Europe, Middle East and Africa

Turnover in the region was CHF1,144.5 million in 2020, down by -74.2% year-on-year. Organic growth in the division reached -73.2% in the year and -81.3% in the fourth quarter.

Dufry said: “Performance improved in July and August across Europe, especially in Southern Europe with the peak of the Summer holidays and supported by the lifting of travel restrictions. From end-August onwards, some countries such as Spain, France and the UK saw increased COVID-19 cases, resulting in renewed travel limitations put in place more broadly from end of September onwards. The Mediterranean region, but also Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa performed above average for the region, driven by less restrictions and available travel corridors, e.g. between Russia and Turkey.”Asia Pacific

Turnover fell -76.9% year-on-year to CHF160.0 million, with organic growth for the year at -75.4% and -83.8% in the fourth quarter. Dufry noted that its footprint in the region is geared towards international travel, which is still highly impacted. The majority of the shops in Dufry’s Asia Pacific locations were closed, including Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea.
Central & South America

Turnover stood at CHF497.3 million in 2020 (-67.6%), with organic growth in the region down by -65.8% in the year and -69.5% in the fourth quarter.

Dufry said: “Central America and Caribbean, including Mexico, Dominican Republic and the Caribbean Islands, were performing more robustly compared to all other regions, driven by travel from the US and South America as well as international travel as more flexible travel conditions met continued demand. The cruise business, located in the region, was heavily impacted. South America saw demand pick-up in the fourth quarter amid border shop openings and increase of domestic and intra-regional travel, with re-openings in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, among others.” North America

Turnover fell by -66.7% to CHF644.4 million; organic growth came in at -65.3% in the year and -69.7% in the fourth quarter.

Dufry said: “The region, especially the US, performed above group average due to the higher exposure to domestic travel. Intra-regional travel from the US to Central America was also supportive. Our operations in Canada remained negatively impacted due to a higher exposure to international flights and ongoing restrictive measures. The performance was driven by Hudson convenience stores, food & beverage and other duty paid offerings.”

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Dufry Group turnover plunges -71.1% in 2020

INTERNATIONAL. Leading travel retailer Dufry Group today reported financial results for 2020, with turnover falling -71.1% year-on-year to CHF2,561.1 million (US$2,737 million).

The company noted that performance was “impacted by the unprecedented level of disruption in its retail operations, driven by international travel restrictions implemented by governments worldwide and temporary operational shut-downs of airports, cruise lines and other channels” due to COVID-19.

Organic growth for the year stood at -69.8% with like-for-like sales down -67.2% due to reduced passenger traffic across most airports and other travel-related channels globally. Net new concessions represented -2.6%. The translational foreign exchange effect in the period was -1.3% mainly as a result of the US Dollar weakness.

Despite the shift to more domestic and intra-regional travel, with declines in international and business travel – the category mix remained nearly unchanged compared to FY2019 with the highest demand for perfumes & cosmetics, followed by food & confectionery.

By the end of February, almost 55% of Dufry stores were open, representing 60% of sales capacity, including the “strategically important duty free operation in Hainan”, with Hainan Development Holdings.

Dufry said it expects to be “well positioned for reopening and growth acceleration beyond the current crisis”. Based on the forecasts for travel recovery, Dufry said that turnover could fall by between -40% and -55% in 2021 compared to 2019.

Dufry Group CEO Julián Díaz said: “While Dufry has evidently been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as have many other companies in the travel and tourism industry, I have seen a deep emotional engagement and a strong determination by all our employees to overcome this challenging situation. From the Board of Directors, to our management teams and throughout all levels of our organisation, we have worked in close alignment to find, plan and implement the right solutions to mitigate the impact of this crisis and lay the foundations upon which we will emerge as a stronger company.
“This positive attitude and dedication has allowed us both to adapt the company to the new market environment very quickly and to implement important and resilient cost savings, thus preparing our organisation for the recovery and beyond. In parallel, we have succeeded in putting the company on solid financial ground and seized opportunities, which provide remarkable growth potential and contribute to the future development of Dufry.

“With the successful financing measures implemented in 2020, the support of existing and important new shareholders, the finalisation of our reorganisation as well as the financial and managerial flexibility to engage in strategically relevant initiatives and growth opportunities Dufry is well positioned to drive recovery and growth acceleration beyond the current crisis.

“More than ever, my immense gratitude goes to our employees and management teams for their ongoing motivation, dedication and extraordinary efforts, in supporting the restructuring, negotiating with our business partners and securing the financial strength of the company. We have created a solid and resilient base on which we can build going forward.

“On behalf of the whole company, we also want to remember the colleagues we have sadly lost and extend our condolences to their families, while wishing any colleagues who suffered with the virus a swift and full recovery.”
Cost-cutting measures delivered savings of CHF1,312.1 million (US$1,402 million) in the year, significantly ahead of the initial target of CHF1 billion. This included with MAG relief of CHF551.4 million, personnel and other expense savings CHF527.3 million and CHF233.4 million respectively.

Cash consumption fell to CHF45.7 million (US$48.8 million) in the second half compared to an expected CHF60 million monthly average.

Net debt amounted to CHF3,344.2 million (US$3,573 million) at the end of December 2020 compared to CHF3,102.0 million in December 2019.

Gross profit reached CHF1,377.3 million (US$1,471 million) in 2020, down by -74.1%, reaching a gross profit margin of 53.8%. Margin was affected by the turnover mix from the retail versus the wholesale business, short-term inventory management through wholesale and promotions, and a higher duties and freight ratio.

One-time inventory write-offs related to the heavily impacted cruise business and liquidation programmes in 2020 accounted for 350 basis points. Purchasing prices have not been affected by the pandemic and Dufry said it expects a normalisation of its gross profit margin in line with sales recovery.

The adjusted operating loss (adjusted EBIT) was CHF1,561.6 million (US$1,669 million) in 2020 compared to an operating profit of CHF767.7 million for the same period of 2019. The company reported a net loss to equity holders of CHF2,513.7 million (US$2,686 million) compared to a net loss of CHF26.5 million in 2019. The adjusted net loss was CHF1,658.4 million (US$1,772 million) in 2020 versus a profit of CHF349.3 million last year.

Looking ahead, alongside turnover scenarios of -40% to -55% in 2021 compared to 2019, Dufry expects recurring fixed cost savings of around CHF400 million, with sustainable reduction of around CHF280 million from personnel expenses and around CHF120 million from other expenses (excluding inflation). In addition, it remains in negotiations over lease terms to achieve further savings.

Dufry said it is reopening its retail businesses gradually, following productivity scenarios location by location. At the end of February, around 1,300 shops globally were open, representing around 60% in sales capacity compared to full-year 2019. Reopened shops include locations in the US, including at Denver, Atlanta, Miami and Tampa airports. Others include the UK, Greece, Spain, Morocco, Chile, Colombia, and in Puerto Rico. At the end of March, Dufry expects to operate around 60% of shops, representing 65% of sales capacity.

In February, Dufry estimates organic growth to have reached -77.7% compared to February 2019.

Dufry said it “expects an improvement of the business in 2021, however, visibility on the shape and pace of the recovery is still limited”.

The company said it aims to focus on the protection of its liquidity while seizing organic growth opportunities, for example by accelerating expansion in Asia, through digitalisation or further channel diversification. It said it would do so with “a mid-term focus on deleveraging, opportunistic M&A if accretive and a reinitiation of dividend payments depending on the recovery trajectory”.

The company said: “Based on the efficiencies created through Dufry’s reorganisation, its cost saving targets and tight cash management, Dufry expects a return to 2019 profitability and cash generation levels even before full turnover recovery. Industry associations are estimating a full recovery of passenger numbers to a 2019 level between the end of 2022 and 2024.”

Performance by region in 2020

Europe, Middle East and Africa

Turnover in the region was CHF1,144.5 million in 2020, down by -74.2% year-on-year. Organic growth in the division reached -73.2% in the year and -81.3% in the fourth quarter.

Dufry said: “Performance improved in July and August across Europe, especially in Southern Europe with the peak of the Summer holidays and supported by the lifting of travel restrictions. From end-August onwards, some countries such as Spain, France and the UK saw increased COVID-19 cases, resulting in renewed travel limitations put in place more broadly from end of September onwards. The Mediterranean region, but also Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa performed above average for the region, driven by less restrictions and available travel corridors, e.g. between Russia and Turkey.”Asia Pacific

Turnover fell -76.9% year-on-year to CHF160.0 million, with organic growth for the year at -75.4% and -83.8% in the fourth quarter. Dufry noted that its footprint in the region is geared towards international travel, which is still highly impacted. The majority of the shops in Dufry’s Asia Pacific locations were closed, including Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea.
Central & South America

Turnover stood at CHF497.3 million in 2020 (-67.6%), with organic growth in the region down by -65.8% in the year and -69.5% in the fourth quarter.

Dufry said: “Central America and Caribbean, including Mexico, Dominican Republic and the Caribbean Islands, were performing more robustly compared to all other regions, driven by travel from the US and South America as well as international travel as more flexible travel conditions met continued demand. The cruise business, located in the region, was heavily impacted. South America saw demand pick-up in the fourth quarter amid border shop openings and increase of domestic and intra-regional travel, with re-openings in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, among others.” North America

Turnover fell by -66.7% to CHF644.4 million; organic growth came in at -65.3% in the year and -69.7% in the fourth quarter.

Dufry said: “The region, especially the US, performed above group average due to the higher exposure to domestic travel. Intra-regional travel from the US to Central America was also supportive. Our operations in Canada remained negatively impacted due to a higher exposure to international flights and ongoing restrictive measures. The performance was driven by Hudson convenience stores, food & beverage and other duty paid offerings.”

Agrifood Brief: ‘Buttergate’ – could it spread to Europe?

Community news: Westport launches best sandwich competition and more

As a follow up to the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s pizza, burger and soup contests from the previous three years, the Chamber is hosting a new event, “The Great Westport Sandwich Contest,” throughout March.

        This year’s competition is dedicated to the memory of Albert Pizzirusso, a longtime chef and owner of A&S Fine Foods. Pizzirusso died suddenly last month. He was a wonderful man and great supporter of the chamber.


        There are at least 19 restaurants, delis and markets competing in 10 different categories to be crowned Best Sandwich Maker in town. Residents will vote on the chamber’s website for their favorites in each category. By voting, each participant is entered into a drawing to win a free sandwich from one of the 10 winning restaurants.


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        Residents and contestants can also use the hashtag #greatwestportsandwich on social media posts throughout the contest.


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The competitors so far are: A & S, Rizzuto’s, Calise’s, Capuli, Don Memo, Fortuna’s Deli, Grammie’s Donuts & Biscuits, Joe’s Pizza, Kawa Ni, Layla’s Falafel, Manna Toast, Match Burger Lobster, Mystic Market, Organic Krush, Out Post Pizza, Rive Bistro, Rizzuto’s, The Granola Bar, The Whelk and Winfield Street Deli.

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        Voters will select the best chicken, steak, vegetarian, combo, pressed, wrap, breakfast, fish/seafood sandwiches, as well as the best club and N.Y. deli. Each restaurant, deli or market may enter up to four categories, but can only win two at most.


<!-- Missed: ad -->

        Berchem Moses PC, is sponsoring the event.


        The winners will be announced in April and receive a plaque.


        Visit:<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.westportwestonchamber.com/soup__;!!Ivohdkk!yLggX9nbKQ_9n8MKGVn579_3Cv1LOmapLu0nOeAKxGTPWKnIkc-evrkgtW9-qkZriDEsq3I%24" rel="nofollow">www.westportwestonchamber.com/sandwich</a> for more information and to access the voting pages.


        <h2>
              </h2>


        Longtime resident turns 103


        Shirley “Bubby” Montner, a longtime resident of Westport, turned 103 on Feb. 22, and is now clean beauty spokesmodel for Viking Beauty Secrets, the clean skincare brand. Montner’s grandson-in-law is the founder of the brand, Eha Urbsalu. Montner was born the same day that the Estonian Republic in Northern Europe declared its independence 103 years ago.


        <h2>
              </h2>


        Youth commission seeks award nominees


        The Westport Youth Commission is seeking nominations for its annual James S. Bacharach Service to the Community Award.


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        All qualified high school seniors from the town are eligible for the award. The honor is given to one, or more high school seniors in the town, and recognizes their significant community service contributions in the town.


        The award is also a tribute to Bacharach, founder, and past president of the town’s Youth Adult Council, and predecessor of the Youth Commission, which Bacharach, and other concerned citizens founded in 1974.


        Adults or students may nominate a senior “for their contributions to” the community.


        Visit <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.westportct.gov/youthservices__;!!Ivohdkk!2CdRzjIbYn8-8kc8ITgiYRNrJR6uEmegbti8atTjg0iXcCiZakzWAGUM675ZGvQYJYY-eB0%24" rel="nofollow">http://www.westportct.gov/youthservices</a> for nomination forms. Hard copies can be mailed by request.


        Submissions must be accompanied by two references. A maximum of two letters of support attesting to the senior’s contributions to the town can be uploaded to the application, or emailed separately to the town’s Youth Services Program Director Kevin Godburn at <a href="mailto:kgodburn@westportct.gov" rel="nofollow">kgodburn@westportct.gov</a> . Applications/nominations must be received no later than 6 p.m. March 26.

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        Contact Godburn at kgodburn@westportct.gov, or 203-341-1155 for more information.


        <h2>
              </h2>


        Columnist offering railway program


        Jim Cameron, Hearst Connecticut Media’s “Getting There” columnist, will offer a program, “Off The Rails,” virtually at the Weston Library at 7 p.m. on March 9.


        Cameron’s virtual presentation will look at the future of the railway community post COVID-19 and the state’s transportation crisis. There will also be a question-and-answer session.


        Register through the library’s website at <a href="http://www.westonpubliclibrary.org" rel="nofollow">www.westonpubliclibrary.org</a>. A Zoom link will be sent the day before the program.


        <h2>
              </h2>


        <strong> Virtual conversation with artistic directors</strong>


        The Westport Country Playhouse will present “Cocktails with Mark” at 7 p.m. on March 11.


        The 20-minute virtual conversation will be between Mark Lamos, the venue’s artistic director, and Melia Bensussen, the artistic director at Hartford Stage.


        The event will be free, and will be streamed on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WestportCountryPlayhouse/" rel="nofollow">venue’s Facebook page,</a> (Westport Country Playhouse), and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/WestportPlayhouse" rel="nofollow">YouTube channel</a>, (WestportPlayhouse).


        Visit westportplayhouse.org for information about the venue, leave a message on the box office voicemail at 203-227-4177, or email at <a href="mailto:boxoffice@westportplayhouse.org" rel="nofollow">boxoffice@westportplayhouse.org</a>.


        The venue’s physical box office is closed during the coronavirus pandemic, but the staff is working from home, returning phone messages, and answering emails. With the high volume of inquiries, it may take up to 72 hours for them to respond to messages. Also stay connected to the venue on their Facebook page, and follow them on their Twitter account <a href="https://twitter.com/wcplayhouse?lang=en" rel="nofollow">@WCPlayhouse</a> and their YouTube channel.

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GMOs are unsafe to eat, and other food-related myths

According to a study done by the Pew Research Center, around half of the Americans surveyed say that they believe genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are detrimental to their health. Moreover, people with negative sentiments towards GMOs believe that they will have long-term detrimental effects on the environment. These surveys gauge the opinions of respondents which often correlate to their feelings. Many Americans are “wary” over the use of GMOs in agriculture, but what exactly about the GMOs are they so concerned about? We often fear what we do not know, and I hope to clear the muddied sentiments surrounding GMOs in this article.

A GMO is defined by the United Nations’ Cartagena Protocol as a “living modified organism.” There are two requirements for this definition to work. One, the plant must contain newly edited genetic material. Two, the plant must be modified using modern biotechnology. Modern biotechnology is essentially defined as copying a desired trait from a particular source into the object we want to modify.

With that definition in mind, many of our foods we eat today have been altered in some form or the other. Traditionally, people cross-bred crops in an attempt to produce crops with more desirable traits. Strawberries from the market, for example, look and taste the way they do thanks to years of crossbreeding strawberries native to North and South America.

Traditional breeding is not always better, as it comes with some drawbacks. Though traditional crossbreeding may produce a crop with a better genetic outcome, it does not always filter out their less than desirable traits, like the tendency to attract weeds or pests for example. Moreover, traditional crossbreeding to filter out a better result takes up a lot of time, generations of plants perhaps. To reduce the time to guarantee a desired outcome, scientists have taken to adopting practices of genetically altering plants for a better genetic outcome. 

According to this research article, crops such as soybeans, maize(corn), cotton, and canola are able to be mass-produced because of GMOs. One may question what exactly goes on during the genetic modification process. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), during the process, a scientist first identifies a desirable trait from a plant, like pest-resistance found naturally in a soil bacterium known as Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt). After copying that desired trait, they insert this into the organism they want to grow, like corn. Before being mass-produced, the new genetically modified (GM) corn must undergo a few tests. Scientists must ensure the corn grows properly—in addition to passing safety tests—before distributing to farmers and consumers. The rest of the corn’s DNA stays untouched. The only difference is that farmers do not have to worry about pests ruining their crops, thus increasing their yield. Furthermore, GM corn and others produced like it can actually be healthier to ingest, being that farmers would not need to spray the crops over with pesticides. This high yield of corn is useful in many sectors, whether it comes to producing the food itself, corn syrup found in many soft drinks, or even ethanol. This leads me to my next point regarding the efficacy of GMOs in agricultural production.

One of the main concerns brought up in the Pew Research Center study was the effect GMOs would have on the agricultural sector. A strong majority of the group who believed GMOs were detrimental to human health (88%) believed that they would cause environmental issues. According to an article from Alliance For Science “EU’s refusal to permit GMO crops led to millions of tonnes of additional CO2, scientists reveal,” the reluctance to use GMOs in Europe actually had more detrimental effects on the environment. Europe pushed for a more organic approach to farming because politicians and activists were strongly against the idea of GM farming. For Europe, this decision was actually a turn for the worse. Organic farming leaves crops with their best and worst traits, meaning that they are more susceptible to dying from unwanted pests and weeds. In turn, this results in less plant yield from organic farming. Plus, more unused land deemed wastelands since farmland is usually plowed from occupied forests, which raises the amount of carbon emissions gone into plowing the land. Had Europe approved the use of GMOs for their agricultural practices, they would be seeing higher crop retention (pest and weed wise), and thus less carbon emissions because plowed land would be more efficient by producing more food.

The term GMO may sound a little scary, but how they can benefit our society is far from that. Producing the same, tasty fruits and vegetables albeit modified to withstand pest control sounds a whole lot better than organic farmers spraying their plants with pesticides in addition to having their crops get damaged from external factors, wasting valuable farmland in the process. Today, scientists are developing ways to modify the plants’ genomes, meaning they could directly change the crop’s genetic makeup as opposed to copying a likable gene from another plant. In the future, we could soon be eating corn that could be more nutritious for us than it already is!

Global Screw Jacks Market Size 2021 SWOT Analysis, Top Manufacturers, Type and Application, and Forecast Research 2025

            <!--UdmComment--><!--/UdmComment-->
              <h2 class="fe_heading2">Global Screw Jacks Market Size 2021 SWOT Analysis, Top Manufacturers, Type and Application, and Forecast Research 2025</h2>
              </p><div readability="359.04322916667">

Mar 05, 2021 (The Expresswire) —

Global “Screw Jacks Market” research report provides up-to-date market information of Screw Jacks market which lets the reader discover market opportunities for growth and business development. The report offers sufficient statistical data so as to successfully predict the future Screw Jacks market growth rate. The global Screw Jacks market research report offers valuable data concerning the preeminent performers including their profits segmentation, business summary, and product offerings.

Get a Sample Copy of the Report – http://www.industryresearch.co/enquiry/request-sample/14184140

Global Screw Jacks Market: Segment Analysis

Screw Jacks, mechanical screw actuators, are a type of jack that is operated by turning a leadscrew and is operated on the principle of the simple machine known as the screw. A device used to apply a push and pull force or mechanically converting revolving, rotating motion to linear.
In the coming years there is an increasing demand for Screw Jacks in the regions of Europe and United States that is expected to drive the market for more advanced Screw Jacks. Increasing of General Industry fields expenditures, more-intense competition, launches in introducing new products, retrofitting and renovation of old technology, increasing adoption of Screw Jacks will drive growth in global market.
The Screw Jacks industry market is low concentrated as the manufacturing technology of Screw Jacks is relatively matures than some high-tech equipment. And some enterprises, like Columbus McKinnon, Joyce Dayton, ZIMM, etc. are well-known for the wonderful performance of their Screw Jacks and related services. At the same time, Asia-Pacific, occupied 45% sales market share in 2018, is remarkable in the global Screw Jacks industry because of their lowest cost of raw material and labor.The consumption volume of Screw Jacks is related to downstream industries and global economy. As there will always be some uncertain in the global economy in the following years, the growth rate of Screw Jacks industry may not keep that fast. But it is surely forecasted that the market of Screw Jacks is still promising.

Top Key Manufacturers in Screw Jacks Market:

● Columbus McKinnon
● Joyce Dayton
● ZIMM
● Enerpac
● Power Jacks Ltd
● Nook Industries
● Nippon Gear
● Unimec
● Thomson
● INKOMA-GROUP
● Chiaravalli Group Spa
● Servomech
● TSUBAKIMOTO
● WMH Herion Antriebstechnik
● Lim-Tec
● MecVel
● Makishinko
● Weingrill Ing
● Kelston Actuation
● Nozag AG
● SIJIE
● Jacton

Scope of the Screw Jacks Market Report:

This market study covers the global and regional market with an in-depth analysis of the overall growth prospects in the market. Furthermore, it sheds light on the comprehensive competitive landscape of the global market. The report further offers a dashboard overview of leading companies encompassing their successful marketing strategies, market contribution, recent developments in both historic and present contexts.

Get a Sample Copy of the Report – http://www.industryresearch.co/enquiry/request-sample/14184140

Screw Jacks market research report includes analysis of industry share, market status, future trends, growth rate, sales channels and distributors.

Screw Jacks Market by Applications:

● General Industry
● Material Handling Industry
● Aerospace and Aircraft
● Automotive
● Others

Screw Jacks Market by Types:

● Ball Screw Jacks
● Machine Screw Jacks
● Stainless Screw Jacks
● Others

In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Screw Jacks are as follows:

● History Year: 2015-2020
● Base Year: 2020
● Forecast Year 2021 to 2025

Some of the Key Questions Answered in this Report:

● Screw Jacks market report provides a comprehensive analysis of the market with the help of up-to-date market opportunities, overview, outlook, challenges, trends, market dynamics, size and growth, competitive analysis, major competitors analysis.
● The report recognizes the key drivers of growth and challenges of the key industry players. Also, evaluates the future impact of the propellants and limits on the market.
● Uncovers potential demands in the Screw Jacks market.
● Screw Jacks market report provides in-depth analysis for changing competitive dynamics
● Provides information on the historical and current market size and the future potential of the market.

For More Information or Query or Customization Before Buying, Visit at http://www.industryresearch.co/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/14184140

This report focuses on Screw Jacks volume and value at the global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents an overall Screw Jacks market size by analysing historical data and future prospects. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions:

Europe: UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Portugal, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Russia, Turkey, Poland, Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe

Key Reasons to Purchase:

● To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the global market and its commercial landscape.
● Assess the production processes, major issues, and solutions to mitigate the development risk.
● To understand the most affecting driving and restraining forces in the Screw Jacks market and their impact on the global market.
● Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by leading respective organizations.
● To understand the outlook and prospects for the market.

Purchase this Report (Price 4900 USD for a Single-User License) – http://www.industryresearch.co/purchase/14184140

Screw Jacks Market TOC Covers the Following Points:

1 Study Coverage

1.1 Screw Jacks Product

1.2 Market Segments

1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered

1.4 Market by Type

1.5 Market by End User

1.5.1 Global Screw Jacks Market Size Growth Rate by End User

1.6 Study Objectives

1.7 Years Considered

2 Executive Summary

2.1 Global Screw Jacks Market Size

2.1.1 Global Screw Jacks Revenue 2014-2025

2.1.2 Global Screw Jacks Sales 2014-2025

2.2 Screw Jacks Growth Rate by Regions

2.2.1 Global Screw Jacks Sales by Regions

2.2.2 Global Screw Jacks Revenue by Regions

3 Breakdown Data by Manufacturers

3.1 Screw Jacks Sales by Manufacturers

3.1.1 Screw Jacks Sales by Manufacturers

3.1.2 Screw Jacks Sales Market Share by Manufacturers

3.1.3 Global Screw Jacks Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)

3.2 Screw Jacks Revenue by Manufacturers

3.2.1 Screw Jacks Revenue by Manufacturers (2014-2019)

3.2.2 Screw Jacks Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019)

3.3 Screw Jacks Price by Manufacturers

3.4 Screw Jacks Manufacturing Base Distribution, Product Types

3.4.1 Screw Jacks Manufacturers Manufacturing Base Distribution, Headquarters

3.4.2 Manufacturers Screw Jacks Product Type

3.4.3 Date of International Manufacturers Enter into Screw Jacks Market

3.5 Manufacturers Mergers and Acquisitions, Expansion Plans

4 Breakdown Data by Product

4.1 Global Screw Jacks Sales by Product

4.2 Global Screw Jacks Revenue by Product

4.3 Screw Jacks Price by Product

5 Breakdown Data by End User

5.1 Overview

5.2 Global Screw Jacks Breakdown Data by End User

6 North America

6.1 North America Screw Jacks by Countries

6.1.1 North America Screw Jacks Sales by Countries

6.1.2 North America Screw Jacks Revenue by Countries

6.1.3 United States

6.1.4 Canada

6.1.5 Mexico

6.2 North America Screw Jacks by Product

6.3 North America Screw Jacks by End User

7 Europe

7.1 Europe Screw Jacks by Countries

7.1.1 Europe Screw Jacks Sales by Countries

7.1.2 Europe Screw Jacks Revenue by Countries

7.1.3 Germany

7.1.4 France

7.1.5 UK

7.1.6 Italy

7.1.7 Russia

7.2 Europe Screw Jacks by Product

7.3 Europe Screw Jacks by End User

8 Asia Pacific

8.1 Asia Pacific Screw Jacks by Countries

8.1.1 Asia Pacific Screw Jacks Sales by Countries

8.1.2 Asia Pacific Screw Jacks Revenue by Countries

8.1.3 China

8.1.4 Japan

8.1.5 Korea

8.1.6 India

8.1.7 Australia

8.1.8 Indonesia

8.1.9 Malaysia

8.1.10 Philippines

8.1.11 Thailand

8.1.12 Vietnam

8.1.13 Singapore

8.2 Asia Pacific Screw Jacks by Product

8.3 Asia Pacific Screw Jacks by End User

9 Central and South America

9.1 Central and South America Screw Jacks by Countries

9.1.1 Central and South America Screw Jacks Sales by Countries

9.1.2 Central and South America Screw Jacks Revenue by Countries

9.1.3 Brazil

9.2 Central and South America Screw Jacks by Product

9.3 Central and South America Screw Jacks by End User

10 Middle East and Africa

10.1 Middle East and Africa Screw Jacks by Countries

10.1.1 Middle East and Africa Screw Jacks Sales by Countries

10.1.2 Middle East and Africa Screw Jacks Revenue by Countries

10.1.3 GCC Countries

10.1.4 Turkey

10.1.5 Egypt

10.1.6 South Africa

10.2 Middle East and Africa Screw Jacks by Product

10.3 Middle East and Africa Screw Jacks by End User

11 Company Profiles

12 Future Forecast

12.1 Screw Jacks Market Forecast by Regions

12.1.1 Global Screw Jacks Sales Forecast by Regions 2019-2025

12.1.2 Global Screw Jacks Revenue Forecast by Regions 2019-2025

12.2 Screw Jacks Market Forecast by Product

12.2.1 Global Screw Jacks Sales Forecast by Product 2019-2025

12.2.2 Global Screw Jacks Revenue Forecast by Product 2019-2025

12.3 Screw Jacks Market Forecast by End User

12.4 North America Screw Jacks Forecast

12.5 Europe Screw Jacks Forecast

12.6 Asia Pacific Screw Jacks Forecast

12.7 Central and South America Screw Jacks Forecast

12.8 Middle East and Africa Screw Jacks Forecast

13 Market Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis

13.1 Market Opportunities and Drivers

13.2 Market Challenges

13.3 Market Risks/Restraints

13.4 Macroscopic Indicators

14 Value Chain and Sales Channels Analysis

14.1 Value Chain Analysis

14.2 Screw Jacks Customers

14.3 Sales Channels Analysis

14.3.1 Sales Channels

14.3.2 Distributors

15 Research Findings and Conclusion

16 Appendix

16.1 Research Methodology

16.1.1 Methodology/Research Approach

16.1.2 Data Source

16.2 Author Details

16.3 Disclaimer

Contact Us:

Name: Mr. Ajay More

Phone: US +1424 253 0807/ UK +44 203 239 8187

Email id: sales@industryresearch.co

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To view the original version on The Express Wire visit Global Screw Jacks Market Size 2021 SWOT Analysis, Top Manufacturers, Type and Application, and Forecast Research 2025

As of Monday, 03-01-2021 23:59, the latest Comtex SmarTrend® Alert,
an automated pattern recognition system, indicated an UPTREND on
05-24-2012 for CMCO @ $15.08.

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