And finally... sweet success for Lyle's Golden Syrup

The famous Lyle's Golden Syrup tin, familiar to millions of UK consumers, has been named by the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest branding.

Pan Sino establishes Singapore's largest cocoa bean plant

Cocoa bean producer Pan Sino International has announced plans to build Singapore's largest cocoa processing plant, increasing cocoa bean supply for manufacturers.

Danisco invests in future of confectionery

Danisco Flavours has opened a new confectionery facility in Belgium in order to experiment with new combinations of texture, taste and functionality.

Ethical mint chocolate tastes Divine

UK Fairtrade chocolate company, Divine, has launched a new variety of its signature chocolate bar in a bid to further entice consumers into the ethical cocoa market.

Tate & Lyle CEO to be voice of UK's food sector

Tate & Lyle chief executive Iain Ferguson's appointment as president of the UK's Food and Drink Federation (FDF) comes at a critical time for the industry.

EU to remove restrictions on packaging sizes

Companies will soon have the freedom to choose the size of packaging they use for most oftheir products, after a set of restrictive rules were abolished yesterday by EU ministers.

Weekly comment

When vegetables become victims

The demonisation of spinach following last week's E.coli outbreak could give salad-dodgers the excuse they have been looking for to skimp on their recommended five to nine portions of fruit...

UK support for sugar reform revealed

The UK's food and farming minister has revealed how almost £500 million of additional support for sugar reform will be incorporated within the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) over the next...

Mexican sugar substitute makes it to UK shelves

Diabetics and weight watchers are set to benefit from the release of a new natural alternative to sugar going on sale in leading UK retailer Tesco this week.

Cocoa growers complain over lack of pesticides

Cocoa production could be set for a downturn after farmers in Cameroon claim they are under-supplied with the necessary pesticides.

Nestlé shifts Smarties production

Major restructuring for Swiss based confectionery company Nestlé has cost 645 jobs in England as the company prepares to move production of some of its core brands.

Danisco announces ingredients shake-up

Changes to Danisco's ingredients division will lift the EBIT margin for the segment to above 15 per cent, according to the firm's announcement of Q1 2006/07 results.

Real Good Food record real good sugar sales

Following the acquisition of sugar supplier Napier Brown Foods, UK bakery firm Real Good Food Company (RGFC) has seen turnover increase more than five-fold - despite the impact of the...

Sweet market turns sour for smaller confectioners

Tough trading conditions in the confectionery industry have forced UK group, Lees Foods, to look at ways of diversifying - highlighting the tactics smaller sweet makers must adopt to ensure...

Natural protection for sugar industry

US scientists think they may have found a natural alternative to pesticides used by sugar beet growers to fend off their biggest enemy - the sugar beet root maggot.

Chocolate technology on display

Manufacturers are lining up innovative processing equipment to attract confectioners at the upcoming international baking trade fair, the IBA.

GM bacteria key to cheaper xylitol production?

GM bacteria that eat hemicellulose in corn fibre could be used as a new, biobased method of making xylitol, a mint-flavoured sweetener used in chewing gum.

Weekly Comment

The functional food fudge

In today's competitive food industry, healthy products mean healthy sales but the scramble to keep up with the obesity backlash can have dangerous repercussions.

Godiva invests in growth

Confidence in growing sales has led chocolate maker Godiva, to continue its relationship with administrators Accretive Commerce.

Chocolate lovers go straight to the source

Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Sprungli is the latest company jumping on the trend for greater consumer transparency in cocoa sourcing.

'Green' consumers push for organic cocoa

The burgeoning organic chocolate market is taking off thanks to an increase in ethical consumerism and the willingness of confectionery makers worldwide to exploit the trend.

Cadbury's tax win signals opportunity for multinationals

An EU court ruling in favour of Cadbury opens the door for multinationals to shop around the bloc for the lowest tax rates.

Godiva sweetens Campbell sales

Godiva chocolates have proved sweet for the Campbell Soup Company as the food group noted a significant increase in sales this year - pointing to increased demand for luxury confectionery.

ADM expands European cocoa sector

Ingredients manufacturer Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has increased its chocolate production in Europe with the takeover of a plant in England.

Sweet makers worry over sugar reform

Confectioners are wary of price hikes following the decision by major UK sugar processor British Sugar to pay beet growers more than the EU minimum.

Thorntons struggles to claw back sales

UK chocolate maker Thorntons is rolling out a raft of new measures to combat a sales slump that has been dogging the company for the past year.

Weekly Comment

Sweet nothing for global trade

The transition to the new EU sugar regime is a reminder of what was lost when the Doha round of WTO trade talks collapsed.

Danisco eyes 1m tonne sugar harvest

Danisco has maintained its expectations for this years sugar output, and claims a one million-tonne oharvest is possible.

Wrigley and Cadbury war over gum patent

Leading gum manufacturer Wrigley has lost a court battle to halt Cadbury's sugarless gum operations in Australia.

Heart healthy chocolate tempts consumers to go dark

Europeans are more clued up than their American counterparts when it comes to the benefits of dark chocolate, according to a US company educating the market through their range of...

Hershey cashing in on cacao

US based confectionery maker Hershey has launched a new range of chocolate, designed to offer consumers a more upmarket version of the traditional indulgence.

Tate & Lyle funds research on carbohydrates and health

Tate & Lyle has pledge £4.5m (€6.6m) funding to King's College London for research into how carbohydrates can promote gut health and how some carbs may reduce the risk of...

Cadbury board welcomes new addition

US based confectionery company Cadbury Schweppes has announced the appointment of a new non-executive director.

Argentina nabs Bazooka Joe

An Argentine gum manufacturer has been granted the right to continue making Bazooka gum, despite an acrimonious end to its business relationship with the Topps company who own the iconic...

Confident Zetar expects growth

Confectionery firm Zetar has said it is confident of meeting targets this year despite a quiet trading season.

ABF completes African sugar share acquisition

Associated British Foods' (ABF's) acquisition of Africa's largest sugar producer underlines the fact that the European industry is thinking globally.

Obesity driving intense sweetener opportunities

Soaring obesity rates are creating opportunities for food and beverage manufacturers to expand the number of products that contain sugar substitutes, according to a new market report.

Weekly Comment

The truth is out there, in the middle ground

Food can polarise opinion more than most issues, but can we please have some balance and debate, rather than mudslinging and crop burning to get to the truth?

Tesco targets chocolate-loving Muslims

British retailer Tesco is branching out to target Islamic consumers by launching a range of halal chocolate.

Ukrainian confectionery giant steps up production

Ukraine's largest confectionery company, Corp Roshen, has announced the acquisition of a major Lithuanian factory in an effort to promote its products throughout the European market.

New ingredients driving sugar-free development

The use of ingredients to improve the nutritional status of food products by replacing sugar is one of the major driving forces for new product development, according to Roquette.