Half year sales jump up 43 per cent for UK confectioner Lees

UK confectionery and bakery maker Lees Food claims an increased focus on production planning helped generate greater efficiencies and boost growth as it announces a 43 per cent jump in...

Japan seeing hike in value-added confectionery launches

The chocolate category still accounts for over half of new confectionery product launches in Japan, but the functional segment is beginning to steal some of the limelight, according to a...

SPECIAL EDITION - ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

Food sector set to embrace robotic technology - BARA

Take up of robotic technology in the food sector is set to steadily increase as processors are forced to seek further efficiency gains and demand could challenge that of the...

Perfetti to boost Indian plant capacity on market gains

Perfetti van Melle is set to increase capacity in a plant in southern India as its two year long marketing efforts pay dividends in terms of its gum and éclair...

Comment

High fructose corn syrup: A sugar by any other name

Once upon a time sugar was sugar, and sugar was most definitely not good for you. So the Corn Refiners Association move to rebrand high fructose corn syrup as corn...

News in brief

Chr Hansen sees natural colour potential in North Africa

Food manufacturers in Morocco and other North African countries are facing the same pressure as those in Europe to remove synthetic colours form products, reports Chr Hansen.

Cadbury reverts to tin for Roses on back of consumer sentiment

Consumer sentiment is forcing confectionery manufacture Cadbury to revert to metal tin for its long established brand, Roses, following an unsuccessful trial-run of cardboard packaging for the chocolates in the...

UK confectioner Zetar secures funds to meet growth targets

UK based confectionery and snack foods firm Zetar said a refinancing deal with lender HSBC Holdings to the tune of £45m will help it meet its organic sales growth plans...

Henkel, Sonoco blame price hikes on spiralling raw material costs

Henkel has announced price increases of up to a fifth on a range of packaging adhesives for European customers because of soaring raw material costs.

Sara Lee joins scheme against junk food advertising to children

Sara Lee has become the latest food manufacturer to join the voluntary Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) that aims to restrict advertising of junk food to children.

News in brief

PureCircle announces sugar-stevia deal with Nordzucker

Stevia producer PureCircle has announced its third new European alliance in a week, teaming up with Nordzucker to develop and market stevia-sugar combos.

News in brief

Nestle to build R&D centre in India

Nestle is investing around CHF50m in a new R&D centre in Gurgaon, India, as it expects 45 per cent of its global sales to come from emerging markets within a...

Confectionery tax will distort competition, claims Finnish industry body

The decision by the Finnish government to reintroduce a tax on sweets, chocolate, cocoa products, ice cream, and ice lollies is unfair and will discriminate against individual companies in the...

New alliances in preparation for EU stevia approval

DoehlerGroup and PureCircle, Corn Products and Galam, Tereos and PureCircle… This week has seen a new flurry of alliances over stevia sweeteners, as the ingredients sector gets on its...

Ed Haas expands Pez production capacity in Hungary

Ed Haas, the Austrian confectionery manufacturer, has expanded production capabilities at its facility in Janossomorja in western Hungary.

Pay row threatens production at Scottish teacake maker Tunnock's

Production of more than a million teacakes could be in jeopardy if a strike at leading Scottish biscuit and confectionery maker, Tunnock’s, goes ahead.

PureCircle and Tereos target Europe and Brazil for sugar/stevia blends

PureCircle has launched a joint venture with the sugar company Tereos to provide sugar/stevia blends to the European market and gain a stronger international presence through Tereos’ Brazilian facilities.

ADM Cocoa’s expansion reflects Eastern European sales focus

ADM (Archer Daniels Midland) Cocoa has appointed new managers to reflect its expansion and Eastern European sales focus, while an announcement on new European research centres is imminent.

Frequent chocolate consumption could reduce CHD risk, US study

Frequent chocolate consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in men and women independent of traditional risk factors, according to a review of a national...

Monk fruit juice concentrate may mask bitter dark choc notes

Omega Ingredients claims that pilot production phase application of its China sourced monk fruit juice concentrate indicates that it effectively masks the bitter notes in dark chocolate products.

M-real plans folding boxboard capacity increase on booming packaging demand

M-real has unveiled plans to invest €26m in boosting its folding boxboard capacity at one of its plants in Finland on historically high demand for the material from the...

Innovation key to keeping up with growing private label, report

Increased competition from private label products means that food and beverage manufacturers must focus on innovation in order to maintain market share, warns a new report.

Borealis unveils 'step change' LLDPE film

Significant downgauging, improved strength and greater puncture resistance are benefits claimed by Borealis for its new linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) range of films.

Unilever says palm oil deal edges it closer to 2015 pledge

Unilever said its deal with leading supplier, Unimills, for segregated certified sustainable palm oil represents a small start for the Dutch food and personal care group but takes the company...

Leading scientists welcome Mars backed cocoa genome breakthrough

A breakthrough in cocoa genetics by a collaboration involving Mars, USDA and IBM will accelerate research into the production of trees that can better resist drought, disease and pests, and...

News in brief

DD Williamson introduces student food coloring competition

DD Williamson has introduced a food coloring competition aiming to develop student awareness of natural colorants for beverage applications.

Kraft predicts additional $1bn revenue from Cadbury

Kraft has said it expects to make an additional $1bn in revenue by 2013 because of better access to global markets and distribution networks following its takeover of Cadbury earlier...

Hershey's cocoa sourcing held to account

Hershey lags behind its competitors when it comes to purchasing cocoa that has been certified to meet certain labour, social, and environmental standards, argues four non-governmental organisations in a highly...

Novelty trumps sustainablity in sweet packaging launches, Mintel

Environmentally-friendly packaging accounted for 4 per cent of global confectionery launches in the first half of 2010 compared to 3 per cent for the period July to December 2009, according...

EFSA calls for more data before decision on flavourings safety

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has advised that safe usage levels of seven flavouring substances commonly used in or on food in member states should be reassessed, due to...

Cargill looks to tackle child labour in cocoa growing

Cargill said its planned investment of $5m over the next three years in sustainable cocoa initiatives will help address the worst forms of child labour in cocoa growing communities in...

FTC reanalyzing food industry’s marketing to kids

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is again requiring companies to disclose information about how they market their products to children and adolescents, the agency has said.

What is candy? Comments sought on definition

The Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board has requested comments on a proposed definition of candy for tax purposes, which excludes confectionery that requires refrigeration or contains flour.

New R&D centre for Spanish food company Grupo Siro

Leading Spanish food company Grupo Siro has opened a €6m research and development facility in El Espinar, northern Spain to develop a range of new products including ones suitable for...

Deal sees Barry Callebaut double existing business with Kraft

Industrial chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut has secured a key, long-term supply contract with Kraft Foods, which will see the Swiss firm invest €51m to expand production capacity in North America,...

Mint market in decline in UK but gum could revive, says YouGov report

Sweets showed impressive growth, but in terms of other segments within sugar confectionery, gum suffered a dramatic loss of sales in 2009 and mints are in a long term decline,...

News in brief

Resveratrol gum maker expects “great interest” in US

The launch of a chewing gum containing resveratrol is expected to be greeted with “great interest” in the US, say the Danish makers of the gum.

Barry Callebaut optimises dairy-free milk chocolate alternative

A hike in demand for lactose free products prompted leading industrial chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut to reformulate a 100 per cent dairy free alternative to milk chocolate.

News in brief

Job losses due at Swedish confectioner Cloetta

Swedish confectioner Cloetta has said job cuts will follow its investment in machinery aimed at boosting efficiency at its plant in Ljungsbro.

Heavy rains hit Indonesian cocoa exports

Cocoa bean exports were hit for the first time in four months as heavy rains damaged crops and disrupted transport, according to the Indonesian Cocoa Association.

Confectioners target of metal contaminant tooling upgrade

Increasing demand from retailers for rigorous quality control from suppliers was one of the drivers behind the enhancement of the sensitivity and early warning system of a throat metal detection...

EU approval sought for antioxidant wood extract

A Russian firm has applied for novel food approval for a wood extract, which it says has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits.

General Mills call for shape trademark hearing rejected

A request from US snack manufacturer General Mills for a further hearing over a product shape trademark ruling has been denied by the Israeli Supreme Court.

Project to quantify stability of natural food colours

Food research group Leatherhead is in the final stages of a testing project on natural food colours, which it expects will provide clear guidance on the stability and shelf-life of...

News in brief

UK food policy changes come into effect

The great carve up of the UK’s Food Standards Agency responsibilities has come into effect, with the agency retaining only the food safety remit and other aspects going to the...

Vanilla flavoured gum may cut nicotine withdrawal effects, study

New research from the US shows that some flavours of chewing gum are effective in reducing the negative effects associated with nicotine withdrawal such as anxiety.