Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

ADM Cocoa’s expansion reflects Eastern European sales focus

22-Sep-2010 - ADM (Archer Daniels Midland) Cocoa has appointed new managers to reflect its expansion and Eastern European sales focus, while an announcement on new European research centres is imminent.

Frequent chocolate consumption could reduce CHD risk, US study

21-Sep-2010 - Frequent chocolate consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in men and women independent of traditional risk factors, according to a review of a national US based heart, lung and blood study.

Innovation key to keeping up with growing private label, report

17-Sep-2010 - Increased competition from private label products means that food and beverage manufacturers must focus on innovation in order to maintain market share, warns a new report.

Unilever says palm oil deal edges it closer to 2015 pledge

16-Sep-2010 - Unilever said its deal with leading supplier, Unimills, for segregated certified sustainable palm oil represents a small start for the Dutch food and personal care group but takes the company in the right direction in terms of its 2015 total palm oil usage sourcing pledge.

Leading scientists welcome Mars backed cocoa genome breakthrough

16-Sep-2010 - A breakthrough in cocoa genetics by a collaboration involving Mars, USDA and IBM will accelerate research into the production of trees that can better resist drought, disease and pests, and has met with an enthusiastic welcome from leading cocoa scientists in the UK.

News in brief

DD Williamson introduces student food coloring competition

15-Sep-2010 - DD Williamson has introduced a food coloring competition aiming to develop student awareness of natural colorants for beverage applications.

Hershey's cocoa sourcing held to account

15-Sep-2010 - Hershey lags behind its competitors when it comes to purchasing cocoa that has been certified to meet certain labour, social, and environmental standards, argues four non-governmental organisations in a highly critical report about the US confectionery maker.

Cargill looks to tackle child labour in cocoa growing

10-Sep-2010 - Cargill said its planned investment of $5m over the next three years in sustainable cocoa initiatives will help address the worst forms of child labour in cocoa growing communities in the Ivory Coast and Ghana.

New R&D centre for Spanish food company Grupo Siro

09-Sep-2010 - Leading Spanish food company Grupo Siro has opened a €6m research and development facility in El Espinar, northern Spain to develop a range of new products including ones suitable for consumers who are intolerant to gluten and for children.

Mint market in decline in UK but gum could revive, says YouGov report

08-Sep-2010 - Sweets showed impressive growth, but in terms of other segments within sugar confectionery, gum suffered a dramatic loss of sales in 2009 and mints are in a long term decline, finds a new YouGov Sixth Sense report on the UK confectionery market.

News in brief

Resveratrol gum maker expects “great interest” in US

07-Sep-2010 - The launch of a chewing gum containing resveratrol is expected to be greeted with “great interest” in the US, say the Danish makers of the gum.

Heavy rains hit Indonesian cocoa exports

06-Sep-2010 - Cocoa bean exports were hit for the first time in four months as heavy rains damaged crops and disrupted transport, according to the Indonesian Cocoa Association.

Vanilla flavoured gum may cut nicotine withdrawal effects, study

01-Sep-2010 - New research from the US shows that some flavours of chewing gum are effective in reducing the negative effects associated with nicotine withdrawal such as anxiety.

Cocoa initiative to boost farmer incomes and supply, claims Kraft

31-Aug-2010 - Kraft said work conducted by the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership initiative in Ghana will see more cocoa farmer organisations becoming Fairtrade certified by the end of 2010, to ensure sustainability of supply and a guaranteed income for growers.

Nestle invests in premium Russian choc plant

30-Aug-2010 - Nestlé reports that an upgrade to its premium chocolate manufacturing facility in the Samara region of Russia will transform it into a key competence centre for confectionery products in Europe.

News in brief

Ganeden eyes chocolate market for its probiotics

30-Aug-2010 - Ganeden Biotech has teamed up with Italian firm Agostoni Chocolate for the launch of Chocolate Plus Private Label, combining the GanedenBC30 probiotic with premium Italian dark chocolate.

Fairtrade growth brings benefits to 1.2 milion producers and workers

30-Aug-2010 - Around 1.2 million farmers and workers around the world are estimated to have benefited from Fairtrade certification and labelling schemes in 2009, says FLO, with coffee still the largest category.

Chocolate beats the recession with US sales expected to top $19bn

27-Aug-2010 - Chocolate products are smashing through the recessionary gloom in the US with sales expected to top $19bn within four years, according to the latest report from research group Packaged Facts.

Carmine use still strong through 2009

25-Aug-2010 - The use of the food colouring carmine has steadily increased in key European markets over the past six years, according to the latest market data from Mintel.

US confectioners urge Mexican border dispute resolution

24-Aug-2010 - A new 20 percent tariff on American chocolate and gum being shipped into Mexico has prompted an outcry from US confectioners, as the Mexican government has introduced a raft of new tariffs on American products.

Raisio glows as Glisten boosts net sales

17-Aug-2010 - Raisio is reaping the rewards of buying British snack brand Glisten with a 22 per cent increase in net sales in H1; with a new growth phase now underway, more acquisitions could be on the horizon.

Cocoa bean speculation is causing price volatility, analyst

16-Aug-2010 - Recent cocoa bean price volatility is due in large part to hedge funds attracted by quick returns taking short-term positions on the commodity, according to a leading analyst.

US organic confectioner to source direct from farmers

16-Aug-2010 - Trading directly with Ecuadorean farmers ensures a better quality bean and boosts the ecological and ethical profile of a chocolate company, claims a US manufacturer.

Sweetener users welcome early sugar quota announcement

10-Aug-2010 - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has set sugar import tariff-rate quotas for the 2011 fiscal year – including extra specialty sugar “to accommodate a rapidly expanding organic food sector”, USDA said.