Inside Food Awards: Ones to Watch 2014

Hailing from all corners of the industry, from visionary manufacturers to pioneering safety programs and environmentally conscious initiatives, this year’s Ones to Watch have been selected based on their contribution to a healthier, more productive and more responsible food manufacturing industry.

With "the vision to foster progress" as our only criteria, these awards are not complied by entry, but instead seek to acknowledge the contributions of as wide a slice of the industry as possible. The companies selected for the Inside Food Awards – Ones to Watch 2014 have been carefully selected by our editorial team, with help from our network of regular contributors and noted industry professionals.

Heinz: Deliciously Gluten-Free pasta range

In February this year Heinz announced the roll-out of its new Deliciously Gluten-Free pasta range, making it one of the very first major consumer good manufacturers to tap into such a narrow health market.

But is it really that niche? Closer inspection suggests not. While less than 1% of the UK population is thought to have coeliac disease, the amount of people actively reducing wheat and gluten in their diets is much higher.

A recent move by the US FDA to introduce tighter regulations for the ‘gluten-free’ labelling of food products is also seen as a positive sign; new laws should bring both uniformity and clarity to the $4bn US gluten-free products market.

As well as a being a clever move into the ever growing ‘free-from’ market, support from Heinz, a company with such big brand status, will be seen as a very welcome boost to consumer choice.

Monsanto: bringing beekeepers and agriculture together in bee-friendly research

Monsanto, a company that previously made headlines for the damage pesticides have caused to global bee populations, has this year made headlines for the right reasons – protecting a vital agricultural resource through discussion and innovation.

In June this year Monsanto extended the olive branch, bringing beekeepers and agriculture together through its Honey Bee Health Summit, and in September the company followed through with its promise to seek new solutions via the acquisition of biological pest control firm Beeologics.

Current projects in the Beelogics pipeline include a product candidate to help protect bee health and a naturally-occurring process to provide targeted pest and disease control. As global bee populations dwindle it is inevitable that fingers will be pointed at biotech companies, however it is good to know that where responsibility has been assumed, action has been swift to follow.

Food and Drink Federation: training apprenctices into skilled workers

After far exceeding its pledge to double the number of apprenticeships available in the food and drink manufacturing sector in England and Scotland by the end of 2012, the FDF is now working with the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink (NSA) on the next phase of the Apprenticeship Pledge to improve apprentice skill sets.

To support this, the FDF has partnered with the NSA and Sheffield Hallam University to develop the MEng Food Engineering – the UK’s first accredited engineering degree at masters level dedicated entirely to food and drink manufacturing.

Filling the alarming demand for skilled workers in the food and drink manufacturing sector will be no small task, and sustainable growth and competiveness in the years to come will hinge on the efforts made to recruit, and subsequently train, successful apprentices.

Nestlé: focusing on pathogens and drug-resistant strains of bacteria

Recognising the threat that pathogens and drug-resistant strains of bacteria such as salmonella pose to the food chain, Nestlé has set its sights firmly on staying one step ahead.

At the unveiling of 20 new microbiology laboratories at its Nestlé Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland this May, the company announced it will initially focus on several types of foodborne bacteria — particularly a dangerous strain of E. coli — and Norovirus and Hepatitis A.

Speaking at the event, Nestlé Research Centre’s head of food safety, John O’Brien, made it clear that as a responsible manufacturer Nestlé "cannot afford errors". A welcome phrase for both consumers and the scientific community, as Nestlé has also pledged to communicate and share any information resulting from its extensive research.

Iglo Group: the marketing campaign for frozen food brands

Frozen food giant Iglo Group recently announced plans to unify the marketing campaign for its three frozen foods brands, Birds Eye, Findus and Iglo in a massive push to shift brand perception and capitalise on new frozen meal occasions such as snacking and breakfast.

The second half of the refresh will also include investment in digital platforms such as Facebook and mobile advertising, while poet Roger McGough has been recruited to write a series of short stories encouraging children to improve their diets.

Described as a move to reposition frozen meals from a food of "desperation" to one of "inspiration", a savvy campaign should capitalise on a rapidly diversifying market to reposition frozen food as a health option and repair some of the damage done to the reputation of ready meals.