Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

Peltz's increased stake in Cadbury leads to bidding war

US shareholder activist Peltz has increased his stake in Cadbury to more than 3 per cent, as bidding for the company's beverage division heats up.

Outsourcing boosts Barry Callebaut sales

Zurich-based chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut said today that like-for-like sales increased 6.1 per cent in the nine months to 31 May, despite the unstable cocoa market.

Cadbury should continue targeting niche markets, says report

Niche markets offer the UK company better profit opportunities than the traditional chocolate and sweets sectors, according to a Euromonitor report on Cadbury's strategy.

Novel foods relaxation would boost trade

A proposal by the European Commission to ease novel foods regulation for foods with a safe history in other parts of the world is eagerly anticipated by industry experts, who believe it will have a positive effect on EU trade and innovation.

Own brand confectionery grows across European markets

European confectionery private label market share is continuing to grow strongly, according the latest statistics by Neilsen for the Private Label Market Association.

Frutarom again on acquisitions trail

Ingredients company Frutarom has today confirmed it is in talks to buy Adumim, a move which if successful would strengthen the firms hold in the functional ingredients arena.

Business tycoon eats 45 per cent share of Israeli food company

The owners of Israeli food giant Willi-Foods announced yesterday that they will sell 45 per cent of the company to international businessman Arcadi Gaydamak for $40.5m (€30.1m).

Indonesia gears up to meet rising cocoa demand

Indonesia is expecting an increase in the country's cocoa production, despite recent poor crops, according to local news media.

Weekly comment

Clinical trials - gold standard or white elephant?

Randomised clinical trials are the ultimate. Forget what the observational studies tell us, if the RCT gives us an answer it must be the final word, right? Wrong.

Investor Peltz takes stake in Kraft

US activist investor Nelson Peltz has bought a 3 per cent stake in Kraft Foods, giving him some control over the food company's future.

Food marketing to kids: industry's last chance before rulemaking

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering a rulemaking that would place limits on the types of advertisements seen by children if the industry does not adequately respond with voluntary measures to growing concerns on the link between childhood obesity and food advertising.

Chr Hansen streamlines through paprika business sale

Chr Hansen has sold its paprika business activities and production facilities in Spain and India to allow it to focus on value-added activities, the company announced on Thursday.

Sugar-free gum poisonous for pets

Consumer demand for sugar-free products with Xylitol is leading to the deaths of domestic pets, according to reports in the US.

Danisco blames revenue dip on EU sugar reform

Danisco suffered a 3 per cent drop in revenue in the 12 months to 30 April, blaming the fall on the EU's decision to cut subsidies for sugar.

French chocolate firm expands into Eastern Europe

The Cemoi group has acquired Polish chocolate producer Gryf as part of its strategy to expand into the eastern European market.

Cadbury sets story straight on low-cal products

Cadbury has denied the claims of newspaper stories this week that it was developing low-calorie versions of its chocolate brands.

New stevia product enters sweetener aisles as awareness increases

A new stevia sweetener product has made its way into a number of leading US retailers, where its manufacturer claims it is placed side by side with the nation's top sweetener brands, despite its regulatory status as a dietary supplement.

Cadbury Schweppes unwraps its confectionary strategies

Following talks in London today, Cadbury Schweppes has officially announced its new confectionery strategies, to be implemented following the separation of its drink division, Americas Beverages.

Nutrinova raises price of sorbates

German ingredients firm Nutrinova has increased the price of its sorbates products by an average of 10%, the company announced on Monday.

Leaf International moves into Eastern Europe

The Dutch confectionery producer Leaf International recently announced that production has started at its newly-built plant in Levice, Slovakia.

Cadbury Schweppes makes offer on Japanese candy market

Cadbury Schweppes announced yesterday its move on Japanese functional candy company Sansei Foods, in a bid to expand its business further in the country's lucrative confectionery market.

Consumers demand functional "low and light" products

The market for "low and light" products continued to grow in 2006, but some consumers have started to opt instead for probiotic and wholegrain foods, according to research published by Leatherhead Food International.

Cadbury pleads guilty to salmonella charges

Cadbury pleaded guilty today in a UK court to three breaches of the country's food and hygiene regulations, admitting it was responsible for allowing salmonella-contaminated chocolate to be sold on the market last year.

Contaminated chocolate may have hit shelves

Potentially contaminated Hershey's chocolate, stolen in Canada last week, may have reached the retail level.

Advocacy group raises spectre of 'blood chocolate'

A UK-based pressure group campaign against companies that buy cocoa from the Ivory Coast has accused the industry of funding conflict and civil unrest.

Nutrition, health claims perception differs by country - survey

A consumer's perception of nutrition and health claims labeling differs not only between the US and Europe, but also among European countries, says a new survey from Unilever.

Processors flock to risk management services says study

The safety of food and drinks has risen to the top of UK boardroom agendas in 2007 with more of them taking out insurance policies on recalls, according to a report released today.

Novel foods opinion brings baobab closer to market

Fruit from the African baobab tree moved a step closer to approval for use as a food ingredient in the EU yesterday, with the publication of a positive opinion from the FSA's novel foods committee.

Women prefer chocolate to sex

Over half of women in the UK would rather curl up with a chocolate bar than have sex, according to a new survey.

New technology for caffeinated doughnuts

Robert Bohannon from Environostics, an R&D firm in North Carolina, has created a revolutionary technique for manufacturing caffeine-laced doughnuts.

Cadbury gets sweet on Romania

Cadbury Schweppes has bought a 93 per cent stake in Romanian sweets maker Kandia-Excelent, from Kandia, a private equity investment holding company managed by Meinl Bank.

Cadbury buys Turkish gum maker for 333m

Cadbury today announced the purchase of Intergum, a Turkish gum maker, from the Amram family in a deal worth $450m (€333m) in cash and assumed debt.

Frutarom to buy Israeli flavour firm Raychan

Frutarom has signed an agreement to acquire fellow Israeli firm Raychan Food Industries - its third buy in flavours arena this year and one that will allow it to expand its offering to existing clients on a worldwide basis.

Cadbury set to cast off senior managers

Cadbury said yesterday it will restructure its activities in Britain and Ireland, resulting in the dismissal of several senior executives.

Vitiva launches acrylamide and rancidity reducer for oils

Vitiva is introducing a new addition to its Inolens 4 line of rosemary extracts, which it says can protect against rancidity in edible and frying oils and reduce the formation of acrylamide in the production of carbohydrate-rich foods.

Gum arabic suppliers: Sudan threats are not serious

Ingredients suppliers say threats by Sudan's US ambassador to cut off gum arabic supplies from the country are not serious, and an embargo would not have a catastrophic effect on the world supply.

Cadbury sells businesses in three continents

Cadbury Schweppes today announced the sale of businesses in Australia, Canada and Italy, raising over £45m (€66.4m) towards its 2007 disposal target.

New cake icing targeted at health-conscious consumers

British Sugar has created a new cake covering using non-hydrogenated fat, aimed at quelling fears over trans fats in bakery products.

Checking fat content depends on how consumers think, claims study

The social context of consumer groups could contribute to the way they perceive food products, according to a new study that examines the differences between individualistic and collectivistic societies.

Weekly comment

Could organic eat itself?

Just when organic food has begun to make a noticeable dent in the overall food market, air freighting - a measure that solves the segment's biggest current problem - is facing potential prohibition.

Cargill, Coca-Cola develop natural sweetener

Agribusiness Cargill has teamed up with Coca-Cola to market a new calorie-free natural sweetener made from the South American herb Stevia.

CSM sells frozen bread operations for 7.7m

CSM has announced that it is selling its French frozen bread operations to Neuhauser for €7.7m, a move that follows heavy restructuring to improve efficiency of its European bakery supply unit.

Chr Hansen to sell coatings and excipients division

Chr Hansen has announced plans to divest its coatings and excipients business in order to focus on core activities in cultures, enzymes, natural colours and flavours.