The North Atlantic Ocean between Canada and Greenland is an extremely demanding water to sail and fish in. In addition to difficult waters, today’s trawlers are at sea for up to 300 days a year, which places extremely high demands on both vessels and on the production equipment and process line on board.

The Danish company Intech is specialized in complete on- and offboard processing solutions for the fishing industry together with tray denesters and other process equipment to the food industry. Therefore, it was also the ones that Canadian Newfound Resources Limited reached out to as they were about to make a whole new trawler type – which would prove to be Canada’s first energy-efficient shrimp vessel.

Efficiency at sea

Intech was awarded the contract to build a complete shrimp factory on board the NewFoundland Victor shrimp trawler supplying all of the equipment to the factory including a by-catch separator, shrimp graders, continuous shrimp cookers which saves energy by maintaining the temperature, freezing tunnel for freezing shrimp, automatic weighing of shrimp in sacks, complete package line where cooked and frozen shrimp is packed in boxes or sacks and passed on to palletizing systems. The entire system is manufactured to make all work processes easier and less manual.

The trawler has set a production record of 130 tonnes of finished shrimp in one day

First energy-efficient fishing vessel

The result is a fully automatic, streamlined, sailing shrimp factory which is also the first energy-efficient fishing vessel in Canada. In order to become what’s called a “clean ship”, Newfound Resources had to obtain a certification proving it to be a high-tech and energy efficient vessel.

The fishing vessel is approx. 88 meters long and 18 meters wide with an 800 tons of cargo space which allows it to be at sea for up to 14 days in a row before the load is full. The trawler has already set a production record of 130 tonnes of finished shrimp in one day, due to a stable, efficient and highly durable process line.

With their sustainability programme Together Towards ZERO, brewing giant Carlsberg brings four major ambitions to life. One is to take measures that further responsible drinking.

Consuming alcohol like beer is at the heart of social occasions worldwide. Big, corporate brands are marketing themselves across borders to get their share and expand the global beer market.

But promoting alcoholic drinks leaves the producers with a huge responsibility. That alcohol consumption has its potential downsides is all too well-known and so preventing the harmful use of alcohol is an individual target in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A comprehensive sustainability programme

Danish world-known brewery Carlsberg has brought this target to the core of their products within their efforts to make sustainability a point of departure in their business. Further, as a part of this, they are taking serious steps into the production and promotion of alcohol-free beverages.

With an “enable-inform-encourage” approach, the company works on a threefold level taking measures to further responsible drinking

Carlsberg has made their own clear goal in this regard with the ambition of “zero irresponsible drinking” as part of their 2030 programme. With an “enable-inform-encourage” approach, the company works on a threefold level taking measures to further responsible drinking.

Non-alcoholic beverages on the rise

Consumers are enabled through an expanding range of alcohol-free choices. Today, Carlsberg non-alcoholic alternatives are available in 70 markets worldwide. Carlsberg is working with partners to ensure that wherever consumers find a beer from Carlsberg, they can always choose a non-alcoholic alternative. Information is brought to consumers directly on the packaging, carrying messages and info on responsible drinking and nutrition on 96% and 86% of packaging respectively in Western Europe. Through initiatives of engagement and dialogue the message and promotion of responsible drinking is carried out, and in partnerships with stores, bars and restaurants they work to prevent underage drinking.

In large scale industrial kitchens, waste handling is an inherent part of daily operations. Leftover peels from e.g. carrots, fish bones or drained coffee grounds is normally quite impractical to recycle in large-scale kitchens. Danish company Biotrans has developed a complete solution to industrial kitchens for recycling organic waste properly.

Turning waste into biogas

The solution consists of an in-house waste shredder called BioMaster, that breaks down food waste and transports it to a bio tank either underground or outside the kitchen. The bio tank will automatically be emptied by Biotrans’ partners when full. The tank is equipped with an active carbon filter which assures that no foul smells escape the tanks. The food waste is then transported to and converted into biogas at a biogas facility. Leftovers from the gasification process are turned into fertilizer.

The food waste is transported to and converted into biogas at a biogas facility. Leftovers from the gasification process are turned into fertilizer

The food waste from Biotrans does not undergo energy consuming preliminary treatment prior to the gasification process. This is possible due to the purity of the waste, which is completely free of plastic and metals, enabling it to be directly transported to the biogas facility from industrial kitchens.

Easy handling spares employees

Handling big amounts of waste is often a heavy workload that strains the backs and shoulders of kitchen staff. With the BioMaster in-house solution, food waste can be disposed with no need for filling large waste bags. Simply scraping a dish off or emptying a waste bucket directly into the shredder will suffice, as the bio tanks can contain enormous amounts of waste compared to normal waste bins.

Good for both staff and economics

The Biotrans solution has been implemented in many industrial kitchens already, amongst them at Legoland, Nordea and the National Danish Hospital in Copenhagen (Rigshospitalet), helping staff in their daily routines. But further, the expenses from weekly handling of waste bins are also cut due to the volume of the bio tank, as it only has to be emptied every 4 to 6 weeks. In summary: BioMaster is both an environmentally, economically and socially great solution for handling food waste.

Salmonella is a major cause of food poisoning worldwide. In fact, the number of foodborne diseases caused by pathogen bacteria is 15 cases per 100,000 people. Though most cases of salmonella are not deadly, severe illnesses may occur in persons infected.

If Salmonella is detected in any type of food, producers are required to recall potentially large quantities of products. Safety always comes first. Beyond the human health consequences, the economic impact can be seen in healthcare costs, costly product recalls, and significant food waste.

Faster and certified detection method with qPCR technology

Using the Salmonella Velox qPCR test kit, it is possible to test, for example, meat, seafood and environmental samples and obtain results in less than six hours – compared to around three to four days with conventional tests. The Salmonella Velox method is certified by NordVal International (NordVal Certificate 046) as an alternative method to the ISO method for Salmonella detection, ISO 6579.

Salmonella Velox can test samples of meat, pork, poultry, processed meat and seafood in less than six hours

Optimising recalls and freeing up cold store capacity

The speed of the Salmonella Velox qPCR test kit provides food producers with rapid and reliable results. In the event of a positive test, it enables faster root cause investigations, minimises potential impact, and serves as a proactive tool in daily quality control routines. By delivering confirmatory results within hours, the test helps prevent outbreaks and allows recalls to be initiated sooner.

Faster diagnostics also free up cold storage capacity and improve overall production efficiency. As a result, the innovative test kit not only strengthens food safety, but also reduces costs, food waste, and energy consumption.

A dedicated approach to quality puts Danish cocoa distributor among the guiding lighthouses of the global cocoa business.

Not that long ago – in 2013 – Danish multi-facetted company, Ingemann, entered the cocoa sector in Nicaragua. They saw a need and potential for lifting the cocoa quality as well as the quality of life among the farming communities.

Already engaged in Nicaragua through bee keeping since 2007 the family-owned company was an experienced multilateral collaborator in the food sector through local partnerships and backed by the Danish International Development Agency.

Today, by focusing especially on varieties, training, and distribution, Ingemann provides the crucial high-end market access to more than 1000 producers. The identified cacao bean varieties hold the potential for a high-quality product. The quality is assured through the implementation of farmer training programmes and a consistent control of the post-harvesting fermentation process. The quality cocoa is finally distributed to high-end chocolate producers and is currently amongst the most award winning in the world.

Today, by focusing especially on varieties, training, and distribution, Ingemann provides the crucial high-end market access to more than 1000 producers

Further, the producers are paid a price among the highest in the world. This encourages the continued cultivation of low-yield, high-quality trees while economically benefitting the farming communities including more than 5000 workers and their families.

However, due to climate changes the working and farming conditions are challenged. Ingemann has therefore initiated the collection and analysis of climatic information to implement climate resilience in the sector. As part of this work is the contribution of reforestation in Nicaragua through the planting of, so far, more than one million cocoa trees.

The combined and dedicated approach to the link between quality and conditions of the raw material and the decisive role of the producers behind it has thus put Danish company Ingemann in the forefront of the global cocoa production.

There are many who can’t eat winegums because of the ingredients often used in producing them like animal gelatine, artificial colouring and gluten. This is why Danish winegum producer Wally and Whiz decided to make a winegum available for everyone, regardless of taste, intolerance, age, religion or geographical origin.

The winegums are 100% vegan and contains no additives, gluten or artificial colours. This ensures that virtually anyone can eat them anywhere. And the product is not only meant to be eatable by anyone – it’s a top shelf gourmet winegum with the best ingredients and some experimental tastes such as apple/yuzu, liquorice/sea buckthorn or peach/bergamot.

From apartment experiments to worldwide winegums

Wally and Whiz originated in a small apartment in Copenhagen where the founder started his mission to create a winegum suitable for gourmet shelves all over the world. Through trial and error, Wally and Whiz developed their first product for sale in a local speciality store. Today, Wally and Whiz winegums are available in more than 800 stores in about 30 countries with a production line that makes 2,000 cans a day.

The winegums are 100% vegan and contains no additives

Start small, dream big

Denmark’s culture for entrepreneurship and innovation seeps through all layers of the food cluster. From well established industrialised food companies to ambitious and agile start-ups, we’re always trying to come up with new innovative and tasty food products and solutions. Denmark’s culture for entrepreneurs fosters a mindset, where there is never a long way from idea to execution – or national to international markets.

Rising hemp seed markets in Europe intensifies the demand for certified quality seeds. A new breed, also suitable for organic production, is ready to meet the high demands on both quality and quantity.

The speed of growth of hemp seed producer Møllerup Gods (Mollerup Estate) reflects a demand for quality hemp seeds and seed products in a growing world market. The seeds are grown both organically and conventionally at the estate while none are ever exposed to herbicides or pesticides.

Increasing demand

Hemp seeds from Mollerup Estate are found in a wide range of food products from roasted seeds to salami, and in skin care and drinks products as well, all of them mainly in the estate’s own brand.

However, recent major expansions of the estate’s production of seeds are to target six foreign markets for quality hemp seeds, including seeds for planting. For the sake of quality assurance and production transparency, a demand for locally sourced hemp seeds is rising in European markets that are just beginning to integrate hemp at an industrial level.

The Finola hemp variety is grown all natural using no chemicals and the seeds are fit for organic and conventional farmers alike

A new breed

The obvious need for certifications and approvals of hemp seeds for commercial use restricts the availability of hemp certified for planting. Until recently, certified breeds would come from abroad, but the estate has recently changed that scenario. Succeeding with a new breed “Finola” – especially rich in trans fats and omega-3 acids – and subsequently getting the coveted certification, Mollerup can offer Danish origin hemp seeds for planting to other farmers who want to grow hemp for food.

The Finola hemp variety is grown all natural using no chemicals and the seeds are fit for organic and conventional farmers alike.

Demand is rising for healthier, heart-friendly vegetable oils free of trans fats because these are linked with heart disease. The Danish company Novonesis has developed a safe, environmentally-friendly solution that lets food manufacturers meet the demand.

More than half a million people die globally every year due to heart diseases. A central cause to the deaths from heart disease is related to consumers’ high intake of trans fats found in e.g. processed foods. Trans fats are for example found in products such as margarine, cakes, icing, fried foods, salad dressings, commercially-prepared popcorn and much more. In many countries, consumers eat high levels of trans fats without being aware of the risk of heart disease.

Avoiding trans-fats with enzymes and creating high-quality products

Trans fats are formed when manufacturers use a process called partial hydrogenation where the chemical structure of oil is changed from a liquid form into a more solid shape to give e.g. margarines the correct melting properties, consistency or shelf-stability. Novonesis’ has been ahead of this trend, and its biological solutions can help to achieve all the same qualities and avoid trans fats by using a different process. Also, use of enzymes in this process offer the industry ways to produce in more sustainable ways.

The enzymatic process eliminates the need for chemicals, washing or post-bleaching and produces no wastewater

Interesterification is a process which also modifies the melting point to create an oil that is more suitable for deep frying and at the same time has low saturated fat content. In contrast to partial hydrogenation, the interesterification can be done with chemicals or enzymes that do not produce trans fatty acids and has many advantages.

Healthier, higher yields and better for the environment

Using enzymes in oil production provides manufacturers with a simple, efficient and environmentally-friendly way to produce margarines without trans fats.

Novonesis has developed a lipase (an enzyme), Lipozyme® TL IM, that produces higher-quality oils with no colour changes, low diglycerides, and fewer by-products. The enzymatic process eliminates the need for chemicals, washing or post-bleaching and produces no wastewater.

Authorities looking at trans fats

The WHO has provided guidelines for production of healthier fats with enzymes, and many countries have followed their recommendation. For example, the United States has banned trans fats and as of 2021, no more than two grams of industrially produced trans fatty acids may be used per 100 grams of fat in food on the European market.

Food production has multiple effects on the environment. At the same time, global population growth and consumer demand requires high quality, affordable food as part of a healthy, balanced diet. In OECD-countries poultry consumption has gone up 83% since 1990. With rising global demand there is an urgent need for new solutions to produce more efficiently and with as little impact on the climate as possible.

Increasing efficiency for farmers

In a partnership between Novonesis, one of the world’s leading ingredient companies, and DSM, a Dutch leader in animal nutrition products, a product with a positive impact on the growth of broilers has been developed. The name of the enzymatic solution is Balancius.

Farmers produce 3% more food from the same amount of feed, cutting costs and lowering the environmental impact of food production

The enzyme works by removing bacterial cell debris from the chicken’s gut, enabling farmers to produce 3% more food from the same amount of feed. Considering that up to 70% of a farmer’s total production costs goes towards feed, Balancius can significantly cut costs and lower the environmental impact of food production.

Helping to improve sustainability

If Balancius were used for all broilers in Latin America and North America, where it has been launched, the total greenhouse gas emission savings would be 4.2 million tons of CO2.

Danish know-how and methodology helps developing and consolidating organic farming in thousands of farming families. Knowledge sharing is the key.

Using a knowledge sharing method adapted from a Danish dairy farm context, Danish organic association, Organic Denmark, supports and strengthens organic farming in East Africa. The concept is known as Farmer Family Learning Groups (FFLG) and has been implemented and developed with thousands of participants over a span of years in various projects led by the association through partnerships with local farming associations.

The FFLG method has proven solid and effective in consolidating organic agriculture in farming communities facing a wide range of challenges

Learning by sharing and doing

The FFLGs are professional communities in which farmers share and solve their challenges through knowledge sharing. The interaction and co-working of the farmers is initially facilitated by specially trained staff. Once implemented, the farmer/advisor relationship changes and continues as a sustained everyday multi-stakeholder interaction between the farmers.

The FFLG method has proven solid and effective in consolidating organic agriculture in farming communities facing a wide range of challenges including climate change, food insecurity, and unemployment.