Packaging Happenings: Mondelez's recycled soft plastic packs, Japan's organic logo rules, Coffee Roasters' Nespresso-compatible postbiotic coffee and more feature in our round-up

Raising recyclability: Mondelez Australia pushes recycled soft plastic packaging to help hit 2025 targets​

Snacking heavyweight Mondelez Australia believes that soft plastic packaging should not be viewed at as the enemy, but more should instead be done to boost its recyclability of this resource if the nation’s 2025 targets are to be achieved.

The use of soft plastic packaging is extremely widespread in the food and beverage industry, especially when it comes to the packaging of dry and processed food items such as snacks, bakery and confectionery.

Organic observance: Japan tightens regulations for food imports and certification label sizing​

The Japanese government has implemented tighter regulations for organic food imports, with firms required to appoint specific personnel and use standard organic certification labels to avoid being rejected.

Although the organic food market in Japan is still largely considered an emerging segment, the rise of the health and wellness trend in recent years has delivered a boost to the segment, which was valued at some US$1.8bn as of 2020.

Immunity coffee: Australian firm creates postbiotic blend in Nespresso-compatible capsules and instant powder​

An Australian firm has created a barista coffee blend containing postbiotics designed to be beneficial to the immune health.

The coffee blend is currently available in capsules compatible with the Nespresso machine and instant freeze-dried powder.

Created by Queensland-based Coffee Roasters Australia, the blend consists of four heat-killed postbiotics, including Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium, ​and Lactobacillus rhamnosus.​

Green coffee goals: Nestle says Asian markets are key link to achieving new sustainability plan​

F&B multinational Nestle has highlighted major coffee producer markets in Asia as being key links in its newly launched Nescafe Plan 2030, a sustainability strategy with an emphasis on regenerative agriculture.

Nestle lays claim to Nescafe being the world’s most well-known coffee brand, claiming that one out of every seven cups of coffee drunk worldwide coming from the Nescafe brand.

Although the Nescafe business is very substantial in size, 90% of its total supply comes from just seven countries, with two of these being located in the Asia Pacific region: Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire and Honduras.

COP27 climate smart food initiative accused of greenwashing as partners pledge increased investment in innovation​

The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) partners have pledged to ramp up their investment in climate smart food systems ahead of Agriculture Day at COP27. But for critics the US$8bn on the table doesn't go nearly far enough and the influence of big ag is all too clear to see.

AIM for Climate is a global initiative launched last November at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) by the United Arab Emirates and the US. Today, partners said that they will double promised investments from partners in climate smart agriculture and food systems innovation.