Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

Special Edition: Functional Food Trends

Heart health claims are boosting chocolate’s growth potential, report

13-Jun-2011 - There is growth potential for dark chocolate in the functional food sector, with the product carrying most of the heart health claims in the confectionery segment, says Leatherhead Food Research.

Cargill’s Moroccan grain silo improves service to flour-millers

13-Jun-2011 - An improved service to Moroccan flour millers and better logistics will result from Cargill’s inauguration of a 67,000t grains storage facility close to the port of Casablanca, claims the company.

Industry defends GreenPalm oil certificates

13-Jun-2011 - Processors and environmentalists have rebuffed recent attacks on sustainable palm oil certificates within the national press.

ADM-led project aims to boost Indonesian cocoa quality

09-Jun-2011 - Leading cocoa processor Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has announced it is kick-starting its Ivory Coast sustainable cocoa initiative – Serap – in Indonesia in a bid to boost cocoa quality from growers in that region.

First UTZ cocoa shipment in US, sustainable cocoa boom expected

06-Jun-2011 - Cargill has received the first ever shipment of UTZ cocoa in North America, a move which will be followed by other sustainable cocoa developments in the region, said the certifying body, as momentum gathers in the US market.

Rabobank predicts consolidation wave to flow from private label trend

06-Jun-2011 - Private label growth will set off a wave of consolidation in the European food industry but how each product category is affected will vary significantly, according to Rabobank.

Palm plantations are endangering biodiversity, say experts

30-May-2011 - Forest fragmentation driven by demand for palm oil is having a catastrophic effect the level of biodiversity, and may be endangering certain species, according to scientists from the Queen Mary University of London.

Drought set to boost European cereal and sugar prices

20-May-2011 - Prolonged drought in northern Europe has already capped yields of cereals and sugar beet and, without significant rainfall over the next two months, could significantly boost prices, warn analysts.

ADM to offer UTZ cocoa for first time following Nigerian certification

19-May-2011 - Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) is to source UTZ certified cocoa for the first time, after Nigeria was granted sustainable recognition for its beans.

News in brief

David West leaves Hershey to lead Del Monte

19-May-2011 - David J. West has resigned from the top job at Hershey’s to take on the role of CEO at Del Monte – and John P. Bilbrey has been appointed as interim president and CEO at The Hershey Company.

Chinese sweets market recovers from melamine scandal

19-May-2011 - The sugar confectionery category in China achieved growth of 3 and 4 per cent in retail value and volume terms respectively in 2010, according to estimates from Euromonitor.

News in brief

Cargill resumes Ivorian operations

18-May-2011 - Cargill has resumed is cocoa and chocolate operations at its production facility in the Ivory Coast following the resolution of the recent political crisis in the West African cocoa powerhouse.

Demand for ethical and luxury products to fuel global confectionery growth, analyst

18-May-2011 - Continued growth in the global confectionery market will be driven by increased demand for ethical and functional products in mature regions, and a rise in disposable income in emerging markets, according to industry analysts.

New gum can enhance muscle function, says Wrigley

16-May-2011 - A new Wrigley chewing gum, which claims to aid muscle function, has been singled out by Datamonitor Product Launch Analytics (PLA) team as one of the most innovative food products on the market.

New CSPO deal means palm oil certs no longer needed, says NBPOL

12-May-2011 - A new deal is set to result in a huge injection of palm oil from certified sustainable sources into Europe and could spell the death knell for green certificates, said New Britain Palm Oil Limited.

Gap in the market for ‘healthy’ mints, claims UK confectioner

09-May-2011 - There is a space that has not been filled in the confectionery market for ‘healthy’ mints, according to UK confectioner Peppersmith, following the launch of its new natural Freshmints product.

Ivory Coast cocoa trade resumes but credit issues remain, analysts

05-May-2011 - Ivory Coast’s cocoa trade has been normalised, but uncertainly remains about the mid-crop, and and all eyes are now on the weather for the main crop, to be harvested this autumn, notes commodities specialist Rabobank it its latest review.

News in brief

Cadbury launches new pampering range

05-May-2011 - Cadbury is venturing into beauty products with the launch of a branded pampering range in the UK.

Brazil: Kraft capitalises on chocolate and biscuit growth

03-May-2011 - Kraft Foods is leveraging the growing trend for chocolate and biscuits in developing markets with the opening of a new $80m production facility in Brazil.

Cocoa exports unlikely to resume this week, Mintel

02-May-2011 - Ivory Coast cocoa exports are unlikely to resume by this week, said Mintel, in response to reports that the country will start shipping the commodity from the beginning of May.

Confectionery: People on the move

28-Apr-2011 - Wrigley UK has appointed US Coca-Cola global marketing director for sports & energy, Daniela Campari, as UK marketing director to ‘re-invigorate’ its brands.

Callebaut bids to boost viability of Malaysian cocoa

27-Apr-2011 - Barry Callebaut, in a bid to meet its strategic need to diversify its cocoa origin and boost the viability of cocoa production in Malaysia, has announced a new research programme.

New sweets make you smell like roses, claims confectioner

26-Apr-2011 - A new fragrance confectionery that claims to leave the consumer smelling like roses is one of the most innovative products to hit the shelves recently, according to a Datamonitor analyst.

Growth for smaller choc bars as premium products gain, Mintel

21-Apr-2011 - Demand is increasing for smaller chocolate blocks in the UK confectionery market, as popularity grows for indulgence products and concerns about portion sizes, says Mintel.