Confectioners demand new technology for healthy foods

Confectionery manufacturers are increasingly looking to new processing and packaging firms for new technology, in order to create products specifically targeted at the health market.

Ferrero to change Nutella ad, following ASA ruling

Ferrero UK has been told to remove its recent TV advertisement for Nutella, after a British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) verdict that it contains misleading information about nutritional content.

Tropical fruit holds key to helping sweet-toothed diabetics

A compound that occurs naturally in fruit could hold the key to allowing diabetics to share the same sugary treats as the rest of the nation.

Fairtrade branded unfair by UK think tank

A UK-based policy institute this week slammed Fairtrade, saying that the practice distorts the market and traps some of the world's poorest farmers in a cycle of poverty.

Sugar companies may face compulsory quota cuts

The European Commission may have to enforce compulsory final sugar quota cuts of 1.16m tones in 2010 with no compensation, as current renunciations fall below targets.

Functional chocolate creeps up on mainstream

A quarter of Western consumers are interested in chocolate with physical or emotional health benefits, according to Barry Callebaut, indicating that there is a strong market for functional products.

EC not phased by 20,000-plus health claims

The European Commission insists it is on track with the process of tabulating the thousands of health claim petitions submitted to it by member states and European trade organisations, but...

News briefs: Cadbury, Hershey and Swiss confectionery

The sale of Cadbury subsidiary Monkhill is finalised, a Hershey director leaves his post, and the Swiss sweet industry experiences stable sales at home but higher sales abroad.

Tate & Lyle makes massive fairtrade sugar switch

Tate & Lyle is to convert its entire retail sugar range to fairtrade in the largest fair-trade switch ever made by a UK company.

Row over 'deceptive' fruit flavours

A debate on flavourings has erupted over a report from a consumer pressure group that claims fruit flavourings mislead consumers into believing they contain actual fruit extract.

Indian chocolate demand fuels domestic cocoa increases

In response to rising demand in the chocolate industry and reduce dependency on imports, Indian cocoa producers have said they will increase domestic cocoa production by 60 per cent in...

Rash regulations threaten competitiveness, say executives

Collaboration between industry and government is crucial to the competitiveness of the food industry, according to the research published by UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

Ricola pushes into UK functional market

Riding the wave of the functional trend, herbal sweet firm Ricola is hoping this year to boost its share in the UK market to become the number one healthy confectionery...

Thorntons maintains profit growth

UK chocolatier Thorntons yesterday posted an increase in net sales for the fifth quarter running, as the company's business recovery plan continues to prove effective.

Innovation raises Nestle above raw material impact

Repositioning on a healthy food platform and investing in research of value-added ingredients has lifted Nestle out of the reach of raw material prices and other economic encumbrances.

Mars launches online Facebook shop

Mars UK claims it is the first confectionery company to launch an online platform which will allow members of the networking site Facebook to buy real chocolate bars such as...

D.D. Williamson, ColorMaker develop natural blue

A blue colorant developed by ColorMaker in partnership with D.D. Williamson is designed to provide a shelf-stable natural blue hue at a low pH for increased flexibility.

Ghana pledges sustainable cocoa push - report

The Ghanaian cocoa board is planning to significantly step up cocoa production in the country over the next three years in a nationwide shake-up of how the crop is farmed,...

Reduced packaging egg set for Easter launch

Cadbury Schweppes is trialling an unboxed chocolate egg in the UK this Easter, after consumers called for the company to be more environmentally friendly and use less packaging.

Weekly comment

Making a meal out of saturated fat

The food industry across Europe needs to make a big effort to reduce saturated fat in food regardless of whether national agencies set targets - and it should not wait...

Survey shows business contradiction on climate change

A recent survey of executive opinions on climate change found that the majority regard it as a strategically important issue - but more than a third said it is seldom...

Ritter bids farewell to Russia in foreign strategy shift

Alfred Ritter is moving production of its chocolate bars out of Russia and back to Germany to use the same milk materials for products sold the world over.

Rising mood food segment led by chocolate, analysts said

Chocolate has come out on top as the star of the emerging mood food category - but its future maybe under threat if companies fail to win health claims for...

Industry fights bill on food ad watershed

The UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is opposing a private members bill that pushes for a 9pm watershed on advertising unhealthy foods, condemning it as 'disproportionate' and 'contradictory'.  

Erythritol demand to grow with EU acceptance

EU member states must recognise erythritol as an approved sweetener by tomorrow, which is expected to increase its use in low-calorie products across Europe.

Valentine's attracts unusual chocolate choices

While chocolate has always been a favourite for the Valentine's Day holiday, functional and unusual chocolate ingredients will dominate sales across the US this year, according to the National Confectioners...

Sugar-free confectionery moves to mainstream

More than half of consumers say they are willing to switch to sugar-free versions of traditional confectionery lines, which suggests that sweeteners are no longer considered a 'niche' ingredient in...

Pomegranates beat apples for antioxidant boost: study

The juice of pomegranate is more effective than apple in boosting the body's antioxidant defences, which decline naturally with age, reports a new study.

German authority suspects chocolatiers of price fixing

The Federal Cartel Office in Germany has raided the offices of several confectionery giants over allegations of fixing the price of chocolate, according to news reports.

Weekly Comment

The ethical cocoa confusion

While most consumers agree that ethically-sourced cocoa is no bad thing, an ever increasing number of different schemes risks muddying the issue and puzzling chocolate fans.

Blue Smarties are back thanks to Spirulina

An all-natural colouring derived from seaweed has put blue Smarties back on the shelves following their removal two years ago in response to concerns over artificial additives.

Danisco sugar production tops 1m tonnes

Record yields from sugar beet fields in several countries have resulted in a bumper sugar harvest for Denmark's Danisco group.

Lab study questions sweeteners for weight control

Sweetening foods with artificial sweeteners like saccharin may lead to increased body weight and fat build-up, suggests a study with rats that goes against intuition.

Q4 profits fail to lift Cloetta Fazer results

Nordic confectioner Cloetta Fazer reported Friday a 9.5 per cent drop in operating profit for the tax year 2007, despite strong increases during the fourth quarter.

Obesity largely determined by genetics, says study

Genetics and heritability may account for 77 per cent of obesity, while environmental factors make up less that 25 per cent, suggests new research.

Mars, Nestle promise ethical cocoa supply

Global confectioners Mars and Nestle have joined a sustainable cocoa programme, which aims to establish a traceability system for all farmers in the Ivory Coast.

Liquorice lollipop launched for tooth health

Scientists in California have developed a sugar-free lollipop, infused with a liquorice extract, that they claim can help prevent tooth decay.

Consumers demand guilt-free indulgence

There is increasing scope for healthy yet indulgent products as consumers refuse to sacrifice taste for nutrition, according to a new Datamonitor study.

Wrigley profits up on Europe and Asia sales

US-based chewing gum firm Wrigley today posted full year growth in both operating profit and margins, thanks to international and developing market sales.

Weekly comment

Branding Vs label info: who's the enemy?

Product branding and information provided to consumers on food labels are again at loggerheads, and industry doesn't seem likely to accept new EU labelling proposals without a fight.

Confectionery packing technology set for Interpack launch

Packaging manufacturer TNA will launch six new technologies, aimed at improving confectionery and snack packing, at the Interpack trade show in Germany in April.

Cadbury adopts new pathogen testing system

Global confectionery giant Cadbury has stepped up its microbiological surveillance by adopting the Pathatrix pathogen testing system, according to its creator.

EFSA reports progress on flavour evaluations

The European Food Safety Authority is expecting to complete its evaluation of the safety of 2,800 flavouring substances by April to allow for a positive list to be established, but...

News briefs: Woolworths, product launches, and premium chocolate

In confectionery news this week, Woolworths secures sweet supplier EUK with a loan deal, confectionery product launches outnumber other food categories, and dark chocolate continues to prove popular with manufacturers.

LFI researches texture solutions for low fat foods

Leatherhead Food International (LFI) intends to tap into a very pressing technical challenge for manufacturers looking to produce low fat foods that maintain an indulgent appeal.

Kraft profits down on input costs

Global food giant Kraft yesterday posted fourth quarter profit losses of six per cent, despite higher volume sales of chocolate, biscuit and beverage brands.