Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

Cadbury relaunches Trebor Mints

02-Jul-2009 - Confectionery giant Cadbury is to relaunch its Trebor Extra Strong Mints and Softmints brands with new packaging designed by London-based design agency Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR).

US obesity rates ballooning, says report

02-Jul-2009 - American obesity rates have increased in 23 states over the past year and decreased in none, according to a new report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Australian heart health market ripe for education

30-Jun-2009 - The Australian market for heart-healthy foods or supplements could be a tough one to crack, but consumer signs indicate that it holds potential for manufacturers willing to make the extra awareness-raising efforts.

Weekly comment

Confusion reigns in cosmeceutical name game

29-Jun-2009 - The term cosmeceutical has always been controversial, but the blurring boundaries between the worlds of nutrition and cosmetics are highlighting divisions that neither industry can ignore.

Healthy chocolate and candy products to beat the recession

29-Jun-2009 - Confectionery product ranges featuring new flavours, flexibility and variety will help manufacturers grow consumer purchases over the next five years despite economic uncertainty, according to the National Confectioners Association's (NCA) Confectionery Industry Trend Report 2009.

Consumers sue Nestle, but FDA still baffled

26-Jun-2009 - One week on from Nestle’s recall of its Toll House cookie dough, the source of an E. coli strain that has sickened 69 people across 29 states still has FDA officials baffled, but lawsuits have already been filed.

Sweetness perception could vary with ethnicity: Study

26-Jun-2009 - Researchers claim to have discovered a particular gene variant that could affect sweetness perception among different ethnic groups, raising the possibility of more targeted flavor profiling of foods.

New UTZ certification for world’s biggest cocoa producers

25-Jun-2009 - Producers in the world’s largest cocoa-producing country, Côte d’Ivoire, are taking part in the first independent audits in preparation for the UTZ Certified code of conduct; a programme that sets internationally recognised standards for responsible cocoa and coffee production and sourcing.

Ocean Spray – Decas cranberry dispute steps up a notch

24-Jun-2009 - Two leading North American cranberry producers – Ocean Spray and Decas Cranberry Products – have turned to the courts in a fight to maintain competitive positions and market shares for their sweetened dried cranberry products.

FSA to investigate anecdotal aspartame reactions

23-Jun-2009 - The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) is seeking individuals who believe they have suffered a reaction to aspartame to take part in a pilot study.

Credit squeeze key concern for food makers, OECD report

22-Jun-2009 - Prices for key commodities used by food manufacturers may have eased since their peaks last year, but the cost of cereals and vegetable oils in the near term will remain far higher than pre-2008, projects the OECD.

Courts rule on chocolate rabbits and malt balls

17-Jun-2009 - Two court cases have demonstrated confectioners’ dogged protection of their trademarks – one involving Mars’ Maltesters, and the other chocolate rabbits from Lindt.

Weekly comment

IFT '09: In defence of trade shows

15-Jun-2009 - As the dust settles on another IFT the absence of several big players has left some questioning the relevance of trade shows in the 21st Century.

Dispatches from IFT

Take advantage of recession, says former White House director

12-Jun-2009 - Food firms can benefit from the downturn by taking advantage of lower advertising and input rates and positioning for recovery, said economic expert at IFT.

Mars looks to UK kosher appeal in ongoing brand shake-up

11-Jun-2009 - Mars has obtained kosher certification at one of its UK production plants in attempts to ensurebrands like Mars bars, Snickers and Galaxy made at the site comply with the religious standards.

Healthier compounds cementing chocolate’s candy innovation dominance

08-Jun-2009 - The potential health benefits of certain compounds found in chocolate are helping to drive greater levels of innovation and product launches in the candy segment compared to sugar confectionery, according to recent research.

Dispatches from IFT

SGF doubles stevia production with new 1,000 MT plant

08-Jun-2009 - Sweet Green Fields (SGF) has announced the opening of a new facility in China with annual production of 1,000 MT of finished product, doubling its current capacity.

Barry Callebaut buy targets instant-drink vending innovations

08-Jun-2009 - Barry Callebaut has extended its presence in the European market for vending machine beverage mixes to focus further on so-called gourmet chocolate and cappuccino products.

Consumer packaged goods companies show resilience in recession

05-Jun-2009 - The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry in the US has shown resilience in the current recession and significantly outperformed the rest of the market in 2008, according to a report released this week.

Meet Our New Owners

03-Jun-2009 - Don’t miss this video interview with Robert Marr, chief operating officer of William Reed Business Media, which recently acquired Decision News Media, publisher of ConfectioneryNews.com.

Stevia reference standards developed for Food Chemical Codex

03-Jun-2009 - US Pharmacopeia (USP) has developed a set of new reference standards for stevia-derived sweeteners Reb A and stevioside for inclusion in the Food Chemical Codex (FCC).

News in brief

Stevia market development will ease price importance

02-Jun-2009 - The price of stevia sweeteners relative to sugar need not be an issue as the market develops, according to PureCircle, as supply chain investments are expected to encourage penetration.

Weekly comment

Economic depression a stimulus for fresh business

02-Jun-2009 - The economic recession is biting across the globe, and bleeding casualties litter all industries, but now is not the time to cower. Those willing to spend may provoke a stimulation of their business that could set them up for years, if not decades, to come.

France and rest of Europe prepare for stevia approval

01-Jun-2009 - Manufacturers in France are gearing up to start using high purity stevia extract Reb A as soon as approval is signed off, according to a supplier, making use of an anticipated two-year window before full European approval.