Monin released a brand-new product line: Monin Brilliance Energy. Offering a radiant way to recharge, Monin Brilliance features nine different flavors — including three sugar-free options — that provide 80 mg of natural caffeine in two half-ounce pumps. Created with operators in mind, each bottle of Brilliance offers natural energy, color, and flavor. With this line reserved for on-premise use, operators will now be equipped to quickly and effortlessly transform water or club soda into vividly hued iced energy beverages that boast natural fruit flavors, the company says. The nine Brilliance products include the following: Yumberry Red, the exotic yumberry fruit offers a juicy berry taste with notes of pomegranate and strawberry; Starfruit Yellow, tart and bright starfruit yellow introduces the brand’s first starfruit flavor in a bright natural color that is unique in the energy concentrate category; Powerfruit Purple, the popular superfruit açaí joins the Brilliance line as the key flavor in this product; Berry Blue, a natural and sugar-free version that blends the honeyberry with raspberry; Dragon Fruit Pink, offering operators a way to craft a pink beverage in a natural or sugar-free version; and Glacier Clear, allowing operators to make any flavor or color energy drink by mixing Glacier Clear with any other Monin syrup. This product comes in natural and sugar-free options.

Oterra, a leader in natural colors for the food and beverage sector, is building on its capabilities in the United States with a state-of-the art innovation, collaboration, and production hub in Mt. Pleasant, Wis. The 155,000 square-foot U.S. Headquarter combines Oterra’s innovation and application labs with a new manufacturing and logistics facilities to meet the expected growth of natural colors and coloring foodstuffs in the country. “The new facility is a direct commitment to the U.S. market,” said Oterra CEO Martin Sonntag in a statement. “Oterra already has a strong foothold in the North American market, catering to the demands of an environmentally conscious and health-focused consumer base. This puts Oterra in a great position to further support our customers in the conversion towards natural colors.” Customers and partners can work directly with Oterra’s team of regulatory and application experts to find an ideal, natural shade as they innovate and develop new products or reformulate with natural colors to help deliver on consumer demands faster. A further 40,000 square feet of expansion space is available for new color products and partner pilot production lines.

Ingredion Inc. appointed Mark Karns as vice president of corporate development and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Karns will serve as a member of the executive leadership team and will report to Jim Zallie, president and CEO. Karns’ role will lead a combined corporate strategy and M&A function to align and optimize Ingredion’s strategic growth agenda while driving the execution of M&A projects across the company. “Mark is an experienced leader who has driven enterprise-wide impacts through a unique blend of M&A, capital markets, and consulting experiences, having held roles in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, and strategy consulting,” Zallie said in a statement. “He has a proven track record in the valuation and execution of transactions across multiple consumer sectors, including food and beverage, home appliances, outdoor recreation, and apparel.” Karns added: “I’m excited to bring my knowledge and experience to help drive growth at Ingredion working closely with the company’s leadership and the combined strategy and M&A teams. I look forward to helping deliver on our winning aspiration to be recognized as the go-to-provider for texture and healthful solutions that ‘make healthy taste better.” Karns joins Ingredion from Whirlpool Corporation, where he served as the global head of mergers and acquisitions, focusing on the development and execution of the company’s portfolio transformation strategies.