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Airlines have criticised the UK’s air traffic control system after a second technical problem in two weeks caused major disruption to UK flights

EasyJet said Monday’s incident “once again calls into question the resilience” of how the service works, while Wizz Air said there was a “national confidence crisis” in National Air Traffic Services (Nats), which runs the UK’s air traffic.

The technical problem at Prestwick in Ayrshire caused disruption at airports across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England, delaying dozens of flights.

Nats said a “connectivity issue” was to blame for the disruption, and that it had “nothing to do” with a separate software defect at Swanwick that led to the cancellation of 2,000 flights earlier in September.

The underlying issue causing Monday’s disruption has since been resolved, with Nats saying it was running at “full capacity” although officials warned of knock-on effects.

A spokesperson said they were now “focused on working with our customers to recover their residual delays and help get their operations back to normal”.

According to aviation analytics company Cirium, as of 13:45 BST, at least 200 flights had been cancelled or did not fly on Monday. This includes 100 flights scheduled to arrive in the UK and 99 that were due to depart from the UK.

Easyjet was the worst affected airline, with 47 of its 670 scheduled departures cancelled, while British Airways has seen 11 cancellations from its 513 scheduled departures.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority said passengers who had flights disrupted were “unlikely” to be entitled to compensation.

It said the technical issue is “likely to be considered the result of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ under passenger rights rules”, meaning that “although passengers should be looked after by airlines, they are unlikely to be entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations that were directly caused by the incident”.

Industry representative body Airlines UK said both passengers and airlines “deserve better” service after “yet another Nats failure”.

Managing director of Wizz Air UK, Yvonne Moynihan, called for “urgent reform” of Nats, adding that she did not have confidence in its current leadership.

When asked by BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme whether Nats chief Martin Rolfe should resign, Moynihan said: “We need to look at the leadership at the top. But more than that, what are the board of directors doing?”

Jet2 boss Steve Heapy called for “urgent and accountable” action to bolster the UK’s air traffic control infrastructure.

Ryanair reiterated its calls for Rolfe to resign, saying he had failed to deliver” either a reliable system or an effective back-up”. The latest outage affected 140 of the airline’s flights and 25,000 passengers.

British Airways said “yet another technical fault with Nats” was “disappointing”.

Consumer preference for wellness ingredients has been shifting from traditional supplement formats, like capsules or tablets, towards foods and drinks with functional properties, which are often perceived as a more natural and less intrusive approach to health and wellness.

As a result, functional beverage launches are accelerating globally, with energy drinks, FAB, iced tea & carbonated soft drink applications all on trend for formulation with botanical ingredients. 

Beverages represent a convenient category that eases the intake of bioactive botanicals, as beverage consumption is a natural habit associated with a healthy lifestyle, social activities, relaxation, and mindful rituals. Natural sources of caffeine and hydration, like guarana, coconut water, green tea extract, and ginger, continue to lead botanical adoption, while sources of natural vitamin C and ashwagandha are driving growth.

To further explore the formulation possibilities in this category, Givaudan recently conducted a global consumer survey to gain insights into consumer needs and core purchasing motivations – including information on key botanicals and color expectations.

Amaize® Orange Red in electrolyte beverage. 

| Photo: ©Givaudan Sense Colour

Understanding consumer needs

The rise of functional and enhanced hydration beverages reflects a shift toward smart replenishment, where new natural ingredients deliver wellness, without compromising on taste or transparency.

“We conducted this research to better understand the evolving expectations consumers have for functional beverages and to identify the emotional and wellness drivers shaping purchasing decisions,” says Marion Veyrines, Global Marketing Manager for Protein & Initiatives at Givaudan. “These proprietary insights help brands create more targeted and meaningful beverage experiences.”

“Through this research we have identified seven ‘need states’, or reasons why people are consuming functional beverages,” Veyrines continues. “Motivations range from a desire to increase immunity or gut health, increase hydration or replenish energy, all the way to indulgence, and relaxation.”

Whether it’s a sparkling water, vitamin-enriched juice, or increasingly preferred instant tablets and dry mixes, the message is clear: beverage choices now come with a functional boost, highlighting clean energy, mental health, gut health & immunity, and health & beauty. 

Targeted health is becoming increasingly important as individuals seek specific benefits from their beverages. For instance, Gen Z often focuses on Mental Health, while Boomers prioritize Healthy Aging. 

Natural Ingredients, Natural Colors

Givaudan’s research also examined the associations between each need state and key botanical or functional ingredients as well as beverage colors. These considerations are important for functional beverage formulation because they can have a significant impact on stability, which can make or break consumer interest in a product. 

“Colors can interact with functional ingredients in a formulation,” Catalina Ospina, Technical Marketing Specialist with Givaudan Sense Colour. ‘Ingredients like lemon balm, as well as green and black tea, which are associated with relaxation, have polyphenols that can cause certain natural colors to precipitate or shift their shade, for example. So, it’s important to balance consumer expectations for certain need states with what is actually feasible in ready to drink options.” 

“Because of these interactions, there are some advantages to formulating dry mix beverages in powder and tablet formats,” Ospina continues. “Through these applications, we can minimize or eliminate the long-term interaction and ensure a reliable visual presentation for a consistent consumer sensory experience.”

Beyond Color

Natural colors also play a synergistic role in the perception of wellness and functionality, through the now increasing awareness of a certain “healthy halo”. 

“Consumers associate sources of color like fruit and vegetable juices, or pigments extracted from plants with wholesomeness, naturality, green manufacturing practices, as well as functional attributes, even if the rates of use don’t warrant any biological effect.” Says Ospina. “Labels like anthocyanins, grape skin extract, curcumin, carotenes, and chlorophylls, are familiar to health-conscious consumers and can spark positive associations that complement the functionality promise.”

“Colors are also important for flavor matching and eliciting emotional associations and need states. For instance, green can symbolize tranquility and vitality, pairing perfectly with lemon balm’s fresh green shade and association with relaxation and calm optimism,” she concludes. 

To Sum It Up

Understanding the when, why, and how behind consumers’ desire for functional beverage consumption can help brands make more informed choices around botanicals, flavors, and colors that support successful product launches.  Taking a holistic formulation approach, where color, flavor and botanicals are developed together, can also help optimize stability, sensory appeal and overall product performance.

Consumers are looking for the next innovative and authentic health and wellness experiences. For beverage developers, natural solutions that provide great taste and sensory performance will be key to creating benefit-led beverages that consumers trust and love.

MANHATTAN, KAN. — Kansas State University on Sept. 18 celebrated the opening of the Western Star Global Grain and Food Center with a ribbon-cutting celebration that university and government officials called one of the most important days in the university and the state’s history. The ribbon cutting comes a little more than two years after groundbreaking on the facility was held.

“Today, we open much more than a building,” said Dan Moser, Eldon Gideon dean of the College of Agriculture at KSU. “We open doors to new opportunities, innovations and a brighter future.”

The 178,000-square-foot, three-story Western Global Grain and Food Center is the largest agricultural construction project in KSU’s history, a $130 million investment designed to create room for researchers, students and industry partners to work side by side. It is also the final piece of KSU’s $216 million Agriculture Innovation Initiative.

The facility includes specialized teaching and research laboratories, pilot-scale processing spaces, flexible interdisciplinary research areas, a 236-seat lecture hall and designated collaboration spaces. It also connects Call Hall and Weber Hall, which serve other areas of the College of Agriculture, by enclosed walkways.

“This new facility is truly unique in its partnership impact and purpose,” Moser said. “Within these walls, the bakery science students will develop the products and technology that feed a growing population. Milling science students will learn to transform Kansas grain into value-added products that nourish communities and provide economic value to the state of Kansas. Feed and pet food science students will advance animal nutrition and support industries that are essential to animal agriculture and companion animal health. Food science students will work to improve food quality, safety and innovation, while helping address some of the most pressing challenges in our global food system.”

Ernie Minton, interim associate vice president for extension and engagement, said the day is not one that KSU will forget.

“Today, we cut the ribbon on the Western Star Global Grain and Food Center, a building that does not simply add square footage to our campus,” Minton said. “It fundamentally changes what is possible in grain science, animal science, food innovation and the future of agriculture.”

He said there is “no other facility like this anywhere.”

“The Western Star Global Grain and Food Center brings together disciplines that deserve to share a roof,” he said. “Milling, baking and food science, alongside animal feed and pet food science. The connection physically to Weber and Call halls. So this complex spans both livestock and grain derived value-added foods. A combination found nowhere else in the world.”

The complex includes the Lallemand baking teaching laboratory.

| Source: Sosland Publishing Co.

Minton said the global demand for livestock and grain-based products has never been greater or more sophisticated, and with the opening of the new facility KSU is ready to meet that demand.

“We’ve always had world-class strength in grain and animal sciences and deep ties to the agricultural heartland that feeds this nation,” he said. “What was missing was not square footage. What was missing was the connection. This building complex is that connection.”

In addition to university and government officials, guests heard from Chase Nagel, a senior in bakery science and management and milling science and management. Nagel is president of the Bakery Science Club, involved with the flour sales team in the Milling Science Club, and has gained industry experience through internships with Grain Craft and Miller Milling. She currently works in the Grain Craft innovation and quality laboratory.

“As students, we learn best when we can take what we learn in the classrooms and apply it into real world situations,” Nagel said. “For our labs, pilot plant and hands-on exercises, we develop skills that prepare us for careers in the grain and food science industries. The Western Star will take those opportunities even further. It will give students a place to collaborate, work with new technologies, and solve problems, and learn alongside faculty and industry professionals.

“As a student studying both bakery and milling science, I learned how connected the different areas of the grain and food industry really are. Farmers, millers, bakers, food scientists, engineers and business professionals all play an important role in bringing food from the field to the consumer. Having a facility that brings these areas together creates even more opportunities for students like myself to understand those connections. For students, this building is more than just a new classroom or laboratory. It is a place where we can gain experience, build relationships, and try new things. and figure out where we want our careers to take us.”

Following the ribbon cutting, guests took part in demonstrations and conversations with students and faculty. The complex includes the Ardent Mills milling teaching laboratory, the Lallemand baking teaching laboratory and the Jim and Lauran Johnson wet processing pilot plant. 

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.