Around a quarter of recent product launches in the tablet confectionery category have made claims for breath freshening or oral care. Mintel explores the latest flavor trends and health claims in the most common sub-group: Mints.
SPECIAL EDITION: HEALTHY AND FUNCTIONAL CONFECTIONERY
Energy and antioxidants are the biggest trends for herbal sugar confectionery with acerola, guarana and green tea the hottest three ingredients, says Naturex.
The UK's largest confectionery company, Mondelez International-owned Cadbury, has decided against signing up to the UK’s hybrid front of pack nutritional label as competitors Mars and Nestlé adopt the tags.
The Australian confectionery industry has broadly welcomed a 'star based' voluntary front-of-pack labeling system but is concerned about time frames to introduce the measures.
Researchers have determined the average size of confectionery and chocolate aisles in supermarkets across eight developed countries with the UK devoting more aisle space for them than other nation.
South Korea has one of the lowest birth rates in the world and confectioners must think about how they can cater to an increasingly aging population, according to Leatherhead Food Research.
During Tuesday’s keynote address at the 2013 Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago, shopper marketing experts offered advice on engaging people to help ensure sales success.
A study funded by the US National Confectioners Association (NCA) has not ruled out that candy may cause obesity but has suggested there is no link between the number of candy-eating occasions and the condition.
At the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago, new confection and snack products on display reflect what flavors, ingredients and categories candy consumers are hungering for.
Chocolate still rules the roost in Sweden, but two improbable sub-segments are set to help the sugar confectionery category grow faster in the next five years, according to market analysts Canadean.
Scandinavian confectioner Cloetta has acquired UK firm Goody Good Stuff and its unique gelatin free technology to help it capitalise on what it calls a growing natural candy category.
Diageo technical director Luca Lupini believes confectionery flavored spirits are an ‘amazing opportunity’ for the firm, and insists the sub-category brings out the best in its R&D team.
More than 70 Hershey suppliers assembled in Baltimore on Wednesday (May 8) to attend an open innovation forum designed to help the firm improve and accelerate the innovation process via collaboration with external partners.
Ingredients firm Mantrose-Haeuser has launched its Certicoat antisticking polish and glazing agent in Europe after success in the US and has also developed an organic variety.
US confectioner Just Born is reusing or recycling all waste at its headquarters and main production plant after finding a solution to convert a portion of previously unrecyclable waste into energy.
Launches from Hershey, Mondelez and Nestlé were among the top 100 bestselling new food and drink items in 2012 having filled consumer needs for convenience, indulgence and functionality, according to Information Resources (IRIs) ‘New Product Pacesetters’...
Haribo has spotted an untapped opportunity for sugar confectionery in travel retail and has set up a new division dedicated to the channel to fill the void.
Wales-based character confectionery firm Bon Bon Buddies is aiming to double its sales in the next five years through growth in international markets such as the Middle East.
Consumers in New Zealand are spending more on healthier and ethical chocolate variants - a move that has aided growth in the burgeoning sector, an analyst says.
Researchers are calling for a review of food colors in India after finding that the majority found in popular products exceed legal limits and almost a fifth of products contain illegal colors.
Consumers think candy bars with green nutrition labels, such as those used by Mars, are healthier than ones with red or white labels containing the same calories, according to new research.
ConfectioneryNews takes a look at the latest confections to hit store shelves across the globe including stevia-sweetened Haribo in Germany, low calorie chocolates in Japan, and teeth friendly candy in the UK
Scientists have outlined an eco-friendly test for certain synthetic food colours commonly used in soft drinks and sugar and gelatin-based confectionery.
China will become Hershey’s number two market behind the US in the next five years and will get there through advertising, expanding distribution and new launches, according to the company’s CEO.
Convenience stores and value supermarkets are the fastest growing channels for confectionery in the US as cash strapped consumers down-trade and stores expand, according to the National Confectioners Association (NCA) and market analysts Nielsen.
The author of a study on blue dyes in lollipops says that her paper focuses on the risk of systemic absorption in small quantities and not “human health risks”.
Carmit Candy Industries’ expertize in specialty free-from candy formulations will give a competitive edge to its new line of functional confectionery targeting specific health functions and demographics, it CEO says.
"...there will always be pocket money for sweets."
Spanish sugar confectioner Sanchez Cano will grow sales in export markets faster than its home market and will do so through innovation, according to its export manager.
A UK confectionery manufacturer has been fined for safety breaches after a worker's hand was crushed in machinery, another case in which inadequate machine guard measures proved a factor.
German confectionery coatings firm Capol plans to venture into the supplements sector to establish a second business pillar for growth and gain technological knowledge, its CEO says.
Danish excise duties on confectionery, ice cream and soft drinks have been raised in 2013, making it "very difficult" to be a Danish food and drink company, according to leading domestic confectioner Toms.
Scandinavia’s largest confectioner Cloetta has reported a 20% fall in earnings for 2012 due to a weak Italian market, higher sugar prices and a "sugar tax" in Denmark.
Texture and stabilization specialist TIC Gums is now strong in gum arabic replacement for confection coatings, but this business shift started as a mere disaster plan, its president says.
Switching to natural colours can be an important product differentiator, as consumers around the world will always choose a natural product when given the option, says ingredient firm Chr. Hansen.
Flexibility was the aim behind Carle&Montanari-OPM’s new launches for chocolate preparation and primary packaging that it showcased at ProSweets, its sales and marketing manager said.
Confectionery can overcome its unhealthy and industrially-produced image by marketing the authenticity of products and doing more to engage consumers, says the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI).
Herbal candy specialist Ricola is building a new processing facility that will boost know-how, ensure quality, promote a greener image and cut costs, it says.
The cardboard packaging market will continue to be driven by ecological aspects for 2013 but also increased interest in special effects, the CEO of PAWI Packaging says.
Large scale solar food processing remains under-exploited, especially in hot countries, according to a study that is due to be published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology.
Germany confectionery exports were at the lowest level since 2005 last year as the market was hit hard by EU sugar shortages, according to the German confectionery Association (BDSI).
The International Association of Color Manufacturers (IACM) has hit out at a recent study questioning the safety of food additive Brilliant Blue for children.
