Almelo, The Netherlands, 2 March 2011 – Vietti Acquisition LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Zwanenberg Food Group (USA), Inc., and its parent Company, Zwanenberg Food Group BV of The Netherlands, announces its intention to acquire Vietti Foods Co., Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee. Vietti Foods employs approximately 60 people.

Vietti Foods has a well established position in canned foods with their iconic Vietti brand and their deep value Southgate brand. With energy and creativity, the Vietti team has continuously innovated to keep their products fresh and exciting. This same energy has brought important private label and contract packing relationships to the Company.

With the acquisition, Zwanenberg Food Group B.V will extend its current product line within the United States canned meat category. The Dutch-based meat processing group operates 12 factories in Europe as well as a canned meat plant in Cincinnati, Ohio, opened in 2005.

According to Zwanenberg Food Group CEO Ronald Lotgerink, “This is a major step in seeking further growth of our business in the USA. We will continue to work hard towards achieving the goal of a leading market position in canned meat from both Cincinnati and Nashville.”

Commenting on the intended acquisition, Zwanenberg USA General Manager Frank Schmitt says:

”Having established our market position with cold packaged canned meats such as canned ham and canned luncheon meats from our Cincinnati facility, Vietti Foods hot pack technology is the perfect addition to expand our product line and more fully serve the category needs of our Customers. We also gain an established leadership team with the Nashville Management agreeing to stay in place after the acquisition closes.”

About Vietti Foods Inc.

Vietti Foods was founded in 1898 and incorporated as a Nashville-based company in 1936. The company produces and merchandises a wide variety of its own popular branded canned items to supermarkets, mass merchandisers, drug and dollar stores.   With 60 employees and sales of around $28 Million, Vietti is an efficient private label and contract packing operation as well. An innovative marketer, Vietti Foods was first to its categories with USDA-approved all natural formulations, easy-open cans and collaborations and co-branding with renowned chefs.

About Zwanenberg Food Group B.V.

With 1,600 people employed at 14 factories in The Netherlands, the UK and the USA, and an annual turnover of approximately $500 million, Zwanenberg Food Group is one of the leading producers of meat and sausage products and canned meat within Europe. Zwanenberg, which traces its roots to 1875, sells its products under various successful international brand names. The group also supplies to the market via a number of well-known private label brands and has been successful in building up a strong market position in both the home meal replacement and institutional segments, especially in the area of (sliced) meat products. Zwanenberg exports canned meat to more than 100 countries worldwide through a network developed over 125 years of operations.

Almelo, November 10, 2010 – The so-called inspirational studio of the Kraak-Vers brand, supplier of fresh, savoury sandwich fillings, was literally and figuratively the flavour of the month among visitors. During the recent Food Inspiration trade show in Eindhoven, the studio formed the decor for various Kraak-Vers food innovations, including carpaccio produced by means of High Pressure Processing.

In the studio, Kraak-Vers worked together with master chef Angélique Schmeinck of Taste-to-Taste to bring an ‘ode to the carpaccio’. The highlight of this event was the presentation of the HPP carpaccio, with its perfect flavour and great improvement in structure; the meat is silky smooth. Kraak-Vers clients and other interested parties were also introduced to the ‘flavour friends’ of carpaccio; Angélique Schmeinck sought the culinary ‘accessories’ whose flavours harmonise with carpaccio, and used them in three delicious recipes.

Each ingredient has its own favourite ‘friends’. Angélique explains: “Take the tomato for example, which is best friends with mozzarella, basil and olive oil. There are many different ingredients and preparations whose steady friendships are less well known, however. All these friendships can be discovered in my book, Smaakvrienden (Flavour Friends).”

About Smaakvrienden / Angélique Schmeinck

As one of the two female master chefs in the Netherlands, Angélique Schmeinck cooks at the highest possible level and is fascinated by all possible aspects of flavour. She has written a number of cookery books, including Een Mond vol Kunst (A Mouth full of Art), which received great acclaim as the world’s most innovative cookery book. In her Theater van De Smaak (Theatre of Taste) and Culinair Cabaret (Culinary Cabaret), she serves up a new vision of creativity and innovation. She laid the scientific basis for her culinary creativity during her training at the COCD Centre for Development of Creative Thinking.

The HPP technology

Kraak-Vers makes use of High Pressure Processing (HPP). Using this technique, products are cold pasteurised; pathogens and micro-organisms are inactivated without the use of heat or preservatives. Kraak-Vers uses this technology to develop products which are safe, pure, tasty and healthy.

A new aspect is that HPP can be applied to raw meat. A complication in this process was the much higher than normal pressure required in order to process raw meat safely. At pressures of more than 3,000 bar, discolouration and texture change normally take place. Zwanenberg Food Group invested a great deal of time and means to render the recipes and processing conditions suitable, and to optimise them for use with carpaccio. As a result, the structure has been greatly improved.

About Kraak-vers

Kraak-Vers in ‘s-Gravenzande is a supplier of fresh, savoury sandwich fillings. The company supplies sliced meats for company restaurants, schools and care institutions, and the hotel and catering trade. With its range of pure sandwich fillings for breakfast, lunch and snacks, Kraak-Vers stands for fresh, tasty and original. Kraak-Vers packs authentic products, prepared according to traditional recipes. The range of fresh sandwich fillings is sliced and packaged daily. Kraak-Vers is a member of the Zwanenberg Food Group, one of the largest food processing companies of the Benelux.

Almelo, The Netherlands, 19th April 2010 – “There’s good news for steak tartare fans: thanks to the HPP (High Pressure Processing) technology, the product has been improved without affecting the flavour.  Zwanenberg Food Group has successfully applied HPP in products based on raw meat and related products. This is a breakthrough when it comes to improving shelf life and safety of such products.”

So quoted Thea Dekker, product development coordinator at Zwanenberg Food Group, during a symposium of the Food Safety newsletter last Friday.

Safe and sensible, but especially tasty of course. Those are the main requirements consumers make of food products. The shelf life also plays an important role.

For some time now, Zwanenberg Food Group has had a factory where high pressure pasteurization was possible on an industrial scale. HPP is a cold pasteurization technique in which micro-organisms are effectively wiped out by means of extremely high water pressure. Pathogens and micro-organisms which cause decay, do not stand a chance with HPP.

The news now is that HPP is being applied to raw meats. The difficulty regarding treatment of raw meats lays in the fact that the pressure needed to be increased much higher than normally necessary. Above a pressure of 3,000 bar[1], products will normally become discoloured and the texture affected. Zwanenberg Food Group has invested a great deal of time and money in rendered both the recipe and the processing conditions suitable and optimal for steak tartare.

The steak tartare will be marketed in the near future, under the Zwanenberg Vers spread (Fresh) brand name, in tubs.

About Skunq

Skunq is a separate unit within the Zwanenberg Food Group that is specifically geared to innovation in the field of snacks and meal components, for both retail and out-of-home. Skunq develops, produces and markets these product itself. Such innovative products are developed to meet the requirements of consumers and clients, such as caterers, supermarkets / retailers and the hotel and restaurant trade. Products and food concepts are developed from A to Z in close consultation with clients.

Skunq makes use of new technologies in order to innovate. One such technology is High Pressure Processing (HPP), in which products are cold pasteurised; pathogens are killed without heating or the use of preservatives. This technology allows Skunq to develop products that are safe, pure and healthy. An added advantage is that the shelf life of products is also lengthened considerably, without loss of quality or flavour.

About Zwanenberg Food Group

With 1,600 employees and turnover of EUR 350 million (2008), Zwanenberg Food Group is one of the leading European producers and exporters of cold meats and meat preserves. Zwanenberg has own production locations in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. The group sells its products under a variety of international brand names, including ZWAN (in many of the export countries) and Kips’ (in the Netherlands). The group also sells a number of well known private labels and, besides retail, has acquired a strong position in the food service segment (corporate and institutional catering, as well as sales via petrol stations, etc.) in sliced and packaged cold meats for example. Zwanenberg exports meat preserves to more than a hundred countries worldwide. 

 

For more information, please contact:

(media)

Ronald Lotgerink, CEO, r.lotgerink@zwanenberg.nl, tel. +31 6 51 53 07 09

(trade)

Retail: Ron Lenferink, r.lenferink@zwanenberg.nl, tel. +31 6 51 53 06 95

Out of Home / food service: Francesco Gribling, f.gribling@zwanenberg.nl, tel. +31 6 53 21 45 84

or via

Patrick de Leede, consultant Zwanenberg Food Group, +31 6 21 54 6995, e-mail info@catchoftheday.nl

General telephone number of Zwanenberg Food Group
 +31 546 547 000

 

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[1] 3,000 bar is a pressure roughly three times greater than the pressure on the bed of the deepest ocean.

Almelo, 26^th January 2010 – Zwanenberg Food Group continues to introduce innovative snacks and bites for the hotel and catering trade. Examples include the long life Villmeau spread, new Taste Original snacks and Anur Halal Food snacks. These and many other products were prominently displayed during the 56th edition of the BBB trade fair in MECC Maastricht, which was held from 25^th to 28^th January. Participation in this trade fair is in keeping with the company’s strategy to concentrate on spreads, side dishes, convenience cooking, snacks and deli meats.

Villmeau

One of the new products is Villmeau. Wendy Pasop of Zwanenberg subsidiary Skunq and responsible for Marketing and Communications, is pleased to explain: “Villmeau is the culinary basis for lunch dishes, appetisers and amuse-bouches. It’s a refrigerated basic product which offers plenty of application options. It is our answer to the wishes of high-end caterers who are unwilling to make concessions in terms of flavour, creativity and originality. Villmeau is full of flavour and remains stable after processing. The product can be used both warm and cold, does not contain artificial preservatives and can be frozen.”

Villmeau is available in three basic flavours: ham, chicken and asparagus. Other flavours are available on request. The product is supplied in handy 500 gram piping bags. The spread is one of the first fully developed concepts by Skunq, the Zwanenberg innovations factory run by young people, who work together with clients to develop new food concepts.

Taste Original

Taste Original products allow the hotel and catering trade to react optimally to the ‘World Food’ trend. The range offers delicious chicken skewers, satays, cocktail satays and small meatballs. Taste Original also includes meal components, such as Indonesian style chicken bites, which can be easily incorporated in one’s own creations. Taste Original products are served with drinks, at receptions and to accompany meals. The skewers and balls are all traditionally made in Holland. After cooking (most products are steamed and therefore low in fat), the snacks are packaged with the greatest care. Taste Original can therefore be used directly from the packaging for cold buffets. Taste Original products can also be served hot or lukewarm, in salads or as a filling for bread rolls, for example.

Anur Halal Food

Anur Halal Food supplies a complete range of halal frozen snacks and meal components to more than 6,000 ethnic stores and supermarkets in Western Europe. Specially for the (ethnic and Dutch) catering and food service sector, the company supplies frikandel sausages, Viande Krokantos, Mexican Gringos, Chicken burgers and Corn sticks. These products are all produced according to the Islamic laws on processing food. Compliance with these laws has been checked by the Halal Correct certification authority for many years now.

Limco

Limco stands for tasty and festive. The assortment of pub and cafe specialities, both frozen and preserved, ranges from the original German Bockwurst and the true Hot dog to frankfurters and meatballs in gravy. Limco is a dynamic brand which feels at home in the local cafeteria or pub.

About BBB 2010

The BBB trade fair is the oldest catering trade show in the Netherlands. For four days, MECC Maastricht was once again the platform for companies offering products and services for the catering trade, food branch and institutional kitchens.

The show was only open to catering professionals. Around 250 exhibitors presented their wares. There was also an extensive activities programme, including competitions, awards, branch and network meetings. Like last year, the trade fair attracted some 25,000 visitors. For the first three days, MECC was also the decor for the European Fine Food Fair.

Almelo, 2nd of December 2009 – Zwanenberg Food Group and the Esso service station from Almelo have launched a pilot under the name Highway Originals. What is involved is a sausage concept for filling stations that offers a tasty extension to the range of hot snacks that you normally get at an Esso service station.

“Highway Originals offer visitors to a service station delicious bread rolls with a wide range of hot sausages. The range now includes a roll with smoked sausage, large Frankfurters, knockwurst XXL, fried sausage and hotdogs. We have combined this extension to our range with a fresh, professional presentation to create a unique concept in the petrol station market with Highway Originals”, says Jo-Anne van der Laan, Category Manager Out-of-Home at the Zwanenberg Food Group.

Jan Knol, owner of the Esso service station on the HR Holstlaan in Almelo (near the A35 motorway), embraced the pilot without any hesitation. “It was easy to incorporate the concept into my existing shop. I could certainly see the added value of Highway Originals and the great thing about it is, I can now offer my customers more choice”.

The first results of the pilot in Almelo are very promising. The hot sausages are going over the counter like hot cakes. The Highway Originals concept was designed and implemented in collaboration with bureau Artica in Ootmarsum. 

Almelo, 11^th June 2009 – Zwanenberg Food Group is involved in the development of a prototype for the rapid detection of viruses and bacteria. The meat processing company from Almelo is working closely with Ostendum, a spin-off from the University of Twente, for this purpose.

“The newly developed machine can help detect pathogenic organisms ‘on the spot’,” according to Erik Vliek, Director of Quality Assurance/Research & Development at Zwanenberg.

“The present methods are expensive, complicated and time-consuming, as they take a number of days to establish whether or not meat contains viruses or bacteria, for example.”

The Enschede based Ostendum company recently presented the first prototype of a detector which can show whether a person is contaminated with a virus or bacteria within a few minutes. In foods, one can think in terms not only of bacteria but also the presence of the Noro virus. Ostendum has been working on the portable machine since 2008, and plans to market it at the end of 2010.

The detector can not only detect viruses and bacteria on the basis of a blood or saliva sample, but also proteins and DNA molecules. “That also offers perspectives for other applications. It’s simple to identify the type of meat under inspection, for example,” says Vliek. The support offered by the Zwanenberg Food Group consists mainly of the provision of know-how and facilities, such as the company laboratory in Almelo.

The machine developed by Ostendum comprises a “lab on a chip” and a laser detector. Ostendum is working on two other prototypes, and will be testing the three prototypes in practice, in cooperation with Zwanenberg and the Enschede Laboratory for Microbiology of Twente.

About Zwanenberg Food Group

With 1,600 employees and a turnover of EUR 350 million (2008), Zwanenberg Food Group is one of the leading European producers and exporters of deli meats and meat preserves. Zwanenberg has own production locations in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. Zwanenberg exports meat preserves to more than a hundred countries worldwide. The group sells its products under a variety of international brand names, including ZWAN (in many of the export countries) and Kips’ (in the Netherlands). The company also sells a number of well-known private labels and, besides retail, has acquired a strong position in the out-of-home segment (corporate and institutional catering, as well as sales via petrol stations, etcetera), in sliced and packaged deli meats for example.

 

For more information, please contact:

Erik Vliek, Director of Quality Assurance/Research & Development

telephone +31 6 51 20 99 66

e-mail e.vliek@zwanenberg.nl

 

Jos Böhmer, Head of ZFG Laboratory

telephone +31 546 547 600

e-mail j.bohmer@zwanenberg.nl

Borne, The Netherlands, 18^th May 2009 — Zwanenberg Food Group recently opened a factory where three young people are in charge; a production company where a new technology known as HPP (High Pressure Processing) is also to be applied industrially for the first time.

The factory which formerly housed Gebr. De Leeuw had been empty for some time and was very suitable as a ‘think tank’ in which an actual production process was also possible; a factory for designing new food concepts. And so the young talents Thea Dekker (25), Tom van der Laan (31) and Wendy Pasop (25) were given the opportunity to set up their ‘own’ factory. Their tasks are clearly defined. Wendy Pasop is responsible for product and concept management, marketing and communication, Thea Dekker concentrates on product development, technology and quality management, while Tom van der Laan applies himself to production, finance, personnel and general management.

“Two issues are particularly important to Skunq”, explains Tom van der Laan. “Firstly, that we constantly devise creative, new food concepts, which we then ourselves take into production and market. The second concerns co-creation. That means that we devise and realise concepts in consultation with our clients. A good recent example of co-creation is Villmeau, a spread which can be used both warm and cold. This product was developed together with a caterer, and is being produced and sold by now. If a product proves successful and we can no longer cope with the volume, it can always be produced at another of the Zwanenberg factories. On the other hand, we’re glad to be able to rely on the great expertise available to us via the factories and departments of Zwanenberg.”

Another example of an innovative solution is a project undertaken with a holiday park operator. Wendy Pasop: “They were having problems finding a healthy, sensible kids’ food concept, which was fun for children and in keeping with their conceptual approach. We came up with a solution in the shape of a kind of ‘puzzle’, which comprises meat, vegetable and carbohydrate components. We’re currently working on the details together with this client.”

CEO Ronald Lotgerink concludes: “It may sound a bit like a trial playground for young professionals, but nothing could be further from the truth. Skunq needs to produce and market products, and be profitable by early 2011 at the latest.”

 

For more information, please contact:

Wendy Pasop, e-mail w.pasop@zwanenberg.nl, telephone +31 6 46 087 215.

The management of Zwanenberg Food Group is planning to move the activities of its snack production facility in Boekel (The Netherlands) to the UK. The transfer is connected with the sharp fall of the Pound Sterling and deteriorating market conditions which have resulted from this decline.

Zwanenberg wants to start the transfer at the end of 2009. Consequently the factory in Boekel will be closed down in the first quarter of 2010. Dutch trade unions have been informed about the plans; Zwanenberg’s Works Council has been consulted and will advise on the matter in several weeks.

The Zwanenberg production unit in Boekel produces snacks (including satay in bulk packaging, multivac, snacks under the Taste Original brand name as well as private label), for the British market. “As a result of the sharp decline of the Pound Sterling we are experiencing difficulties to supply at competing prices`, explains Zwanenberg´s CEO Ronald Lotgerink. “Moreover, from a cost and logistics viewpoint it is more logical to make these products where they are actually consumed, namely in the UK. We own two plants there, in Corby and Minsterley.”

Employment

The Boekel plant will be closed down in the first quarter of 2010. Lotgerink: “Although employment opportunities within Zwanenberg are extremely limited in the current economic situation, we will do our utmost to reinstate our 106 Boekel colleagues as much as possible, wherever there are vacancies. Concrete arrangements will have to be made in the social plan.”

 

For more information please contact:

 

Patrick de Leede, info@catchoftheday.nl; tel. 00 31 6 21 54 69 95

Almelo, The Netherlands, September 19, 2008 — Zwanenberg USA, a subsidiary of the Dutch food company Zwanenberg Food Group, will acquire the activities of a production subsidiary of Tyson Foods Inc., Springfield, Arkansas. Both parties reached agreement on the acquisition earlier this week.

Zwanenberg will acquire the turnover, intellectual properties and machinery of a canned meat operation, located in Houston, Texas which will be discontinued by Tyson. Zwanenberg is planning to transfer these activities to its existing meat factory in Cincinnati this year. In 2005, Zwanenberg – which has 13 own production facilities for meat products, canned meat and specialties in Europe – started a new production site in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Zwanenberg Food Group’s Chief Executive Officer Aldo van der Laan explains: “This important step is consistent with our strategy to further expand local production for the US market. The American market has huge potential, which is why we decided to establish a new factory in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2005. This site was operational in record time and meanwhile successfully produces 120 tonnes per week for the local market. This expansion will enable the weekly tonnage to increase by some 40%.”

Frank Schmitt, General Manager Zwanenberg Food Group USA adds: “The consolidation of Tyson’s canned luncheon meat operation into our Cincinnati facility increases our range of product and our ability to help our customers meet their goals within the category. As the next logical step in our strategy to bring production of our products closer to our customers, we are optimistic that combining Tyson’s product line, intellectual properties, and customer relationships to our own portfolio will strengthen our overall outlook in North America.”

About Tyson Foods Inc.

With 107,000 employees and annual sales of USD 26.9 billion, Tyson Foods Inc. is one of the world’s largest food groups.

About Zwanenberg Food Group

With 1,600 employees and a turnover of EUR 350 million (2006), Zwanenberg Food Group is one of the leading producers of meat and sausage products and canned meat within Europe. Zwanenberg, which traces its roots to 1875, sells its products under various successful international brand names. The group also supplies to the market via a number of well-known private label brands and has been successful in building up a strong market position in both the home meal replacement and institutional segments, especially in the area of (sliced) meat products. Zwanenberg exports canned meat to more than 100 countries worldwide through a network developed over 125 years of operations.

For more information please contact (USA)

Frank Schmitt, Zwanenberg Food Group (USA) +1 513-682-6000

Almelo, The Netherlands, June 3, 2008 – Zwanenberg Food Group, the Dutch producer and exporter of high quality meat products, will expand its interests in Australia by acquiring the Plumrose brand from Simplot.

Until now, Zwanenberg has produced meat preserves (mainly ham products and frankfurters) for Simplot, which were sold under the Plumrose brand on the Australian market.

“The Australian market has considerable growth potential”, Zwanenberg chairman Aldo van der Laan explains. “Taking marketing and sales activities in our own hands will enable us to improve our market position in Australia. It is our intention to extend the brand with other product categories in due course.” Zwanenberg produces meat products, including canned meat and specialties, in 13  fully-owned factories in The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

In view of further development of the Plumrose brand, Zwanenberg Food Group has established an Australian subsidiary, Zwanenberg Australia Pty. Mr Gert Jan Veenes will lead Zwanenberg’s Australian activities.

About Zwanenberg Food Group

With 1,600 employees and a turnover of EUR 350 million / AUD 580 million (2007), Zwanenberg Food Group is one of the leading producers of meat and sausage products and canned meat within Europe. The group, which traces its roots to 1875, sells its products under various successful international brand names including ZWAN (in various export countries). The group also supplies to the market via a number of well-known private label brands and has been successful in building up a strong market position in both the home meal replacement and institutional segments, especially in the area of (sliced) meat products. Zwanenberg exports canned meat to more than 100 countries worldwide.

For more information please contact:

Gert-Jan Veenes, tel. +31 (0)6 51 08 48 41

or through

Patrick de Leede, tel. +31 (0)6 21 54 69 95, e-mail info@catchoftheday.nl