Oxfam fallout: Mars pledges to empower women cocoa farmers

Mars Chocolate promises to assess conditions for women cocoa farmers and will sign up to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles after Oxfam accused it of neglecting gender inequality.

News in brief

Hershey: 10% certified cocoa by 2013

Hershey has set milestones to certify its entire cocoa supply by 2020 and hopes that 10% will be covered by the end of the year.

Nestlé recalls Kit Kat Chunkys over plastic pieces fears

Nestlé has recalled four varieties of Kit Kat Chunky bars in nine countries after plastic pieces were found in products by consumers in the UK.

SPECIAL EDITION - FLEXIBLE AND HIGH-SPEED CANDY MAKING

Enrobing for variety: The fast and the decorative

Enrobing is fast and arms manufacturers with the ability to create varied, decorative confections that appeal to the ever-demanding consumer, a leading industry consultant says.

Organic brands with ‘hero’ status excelling in UK, says Soil Association

The UK organic food sector remained flat in 2012, but branded goods enjoyed a sales boost as supermarkets shrank their organic private label portfolios, according to the Soil Association.

Special Edition - Flexible and high-speed candy making

SMEs, Nestlé and Valor in ultrasound chocolate tempering project

A group of small-to-medium-sized enterprises along with multinationals Nestlé and Valor have embarked on a project to improve chocolate tempering using ultrasound.

China ‘our number one international priority’, says Hershey CEO

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...

A peek at Lindt’s sustainable cocoa commitments

ConfectioneryNews.com examines the sustainable cocoa commitments of one of the leading premium chocolate makers, Lindt, after it announced a big charitable investment last week. 

Hershey defends commitment on sustainable cocoa

Hershey has called attacks on its text messaging tips for farmers program CocoaLink “disingenuous” after a group of NGOs questioned the effectiveness of the project.

Chocolate fastest growing UK food export

Chocolate is the fastest growing UK food export driven by a rise in sales to the Middle East and Africa and factory expansion by Nestlé, according to a report from...

Toy-filled chocolate egg approved for sale in US

New Jersey-based Candy Treasure has overcome a US ban on toy-filled chocolate eggs dating back to 1938 after its Choco Treasure surprise eggs were deemed safe for sale.

Cocoa child labor: Story so far

Industry pledges reach $10m on cocoa child labor but ‘job is not done’

The industry has pledged $10m in new funds since 2010 to eliminate the worst forms of child labor, but a newly released report says the job is far from over.

Lindt claims partial immunity from economic downturn as profits surge

Lindt & Sprüngli’s operating profit rose 10.3% in 2012 and the company has declared itself “partially unaffected” by the continuing economic downturn as consumers still seek quality chocolate in tough times....

Premium to drive South African chocolate market up 10% per year

Market analysts Frost & Sullivan expects the South African chocolate market to grow 10% per annum in the next five years driven by rising incomes and locally-sourced premium products.

Brazil’s cocoa import reliance leaves chocolate market vulnerable, says Mintel

Brazil’s reliance on cocoa imports exposes the domestic chocolate market to price variation, according to market analysts Mintel.

News in brief

SunOpta to up cocoa processing capacity

SunOpta plans to increase its cocoa processing capacity with a new facility in Middenmeer, Netherlands as it looks to grow its organic and specialty cocoa business to serve the specialty...

‘New train of thought’ for aerated chocolate

A team of Chinese researchers claim to have discovered a new way to create bubbles in chocolate.

Maltesers and Lindor get bar format makeover

Two major chocolate brands have been launched in block format as Mars Chocolate unveils Maltesers Teasers and Lindt introduces Lindor single serve bars.

Insufficient cocoa flavanols in chocolate to benefit diabetics, says Diabetes UK

Diabetes UK says there are not enough cocoa flavanols in chocolate to benefit diabetics after a study found that a cocoa extract could help people with the condition regulate insulin...

C-stores and value retailers the winning channels for confectionery

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...

Dark chocolate bitterness can be reduced with green coffee, finds Callebaut

Barry Callebaut has developed a formula to reduce the bitterness of high cocoa chocolate using green coffee that doesn’t give a coffee taste and ups antioxidant content.

Nestlé promises action to improve women’s lives on cocoa farms

Chocolate giant Nestlé has written to Oxfam promising action on inequality in the cocoa supply chain.

Cocoa may help diabetics regulate insulin, says study

Diets rich in cocoa may help people with diabetes to regulate insulin levels, according to new research.

Oxfam confronts Mondelez, Nestlé and Mars over women’s rights on cocoa farms

Oxfam has called on the three biggest chocolate manufacturers to conduct independent audits on conditions for women on cocoa farms supplying their factories after finding evidence of unequal pay, discrimination...

Playdough-like chocolate toy set for international markets

A non-melt edible chocolate toy that can be used like playdough is braced for international markets after a successful spell in toy stores in the UK, according to distributors of...