Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

Europe takes 'wait-and-see' stance on diacetyl flavouring

EU regulators and processors say they are examining the use of diacetyl for foods, following reports of hundreds of US workers falling ill from a deadly lung disease linked to the inhalation of the popcorn flavouring chemical.

Kraft Q3 operating profit falls 20 per cent

Kraft Foods Inc today posted a 27 per cent decrease in operating profit for the third quarter, blaming high dairy and other commodity costs for the tumble.

Galam, Atomer, strengthen position in EU fructose market

Israeli fructose supplier Galam Group will take a majority share in the Spanish company Atomer SL, building on the market demand for natural sweeteners with a low Glycemic Index and calorie count.

Facebook chocoholics still not satisfied

Only two months after Cadbury gave into a Facebook campaign to re-launch Wispa chocolate bars, members of the online social networking site are now clamouring for the return of Wispa Gold.

News briefs: Fairtrade, Salmonella and Ruza Russia

An Archbishop calls for consumers to buy Fairtrade chocolate, Fox discovers Salmonella at a plant and Russian factory Ruza is rumoured to be for sale.

UK moves one step closer to ban on trans fats

The UK government has taken a significant step towards the possible banning of trans fatty acids by asking the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for its urgent advice.

Governments form coalition on CO2 trading

The UK, Germany, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, some US states and Canadian provinces, New Zealand and Norway yesterday agreed to form a coalition that lead to a global emissions trading system.

Barry Callebaut launches probiotic chocolate

Barry Callebaut will this week launch a new probiotic confectionery bar, claiming that chocolate is a better carrier of intestinal 'good' bacteria than more traditional dairy products.

Rocky Mountain's franchising strategy pays off

Rocky Mountain has shot up 64 places in the Forbes annual listing of the US's 200 best small companies, recognition of an aggressive franchising and marketing strategy that turned it into a major confectionery player.

Cocoa husks offer green pectin source

Cocoa husks, a by-product of cocoa processing, may offer an alternative, environmentally friendly, and cost-efficient source of pectin for food, suggests a new study.

Low fat truffle filling launched

A new chocolate filling is low in saturated fat but retains its texture at a range of temperatures, the manufacturer claims.

Wrigley's sales up 13 per cent

US-based confectioner Wrigley yesterday posted a 13 per cent increase in sales for the third quarter on the back of strong sales outside the US, increased marketing spend and positive exchange rates.

Natra launches truffles for premium market

Natra said yesterday it will tap the premium and private label chocolate markets with a new range of Belgium truffles, only two days after acquiring a chocolate factory in the country.

ConAgra gives hot choc functional twist

The cup of hot chocolate you enjoy on a cold winter's day may now have more functions than just taste and warmth - a perk ConAgra Foods says could be particularly alluring to women.

Chocolate sales set to rocket this Halloween

Halloween is one of the top holiday in terms of volume sales for confectioners, as consumers will spend more than $2.1bn (€1.5bn) on chocolate and sweets later this month in the US alone, states a new report.

News briefs: Chewing gum, cocoa and Nestle

A new report claims chewing gum helps weight loss, Nestle job cuts are imminent in the UK, and cocoa price jumped up the last two weeks of September.

Recycling survey adds to pressure on food sector

A government survey showing that 40 per cent of UK food packaging cannot be recycled will add to the pressure on manufacturers to make the switch

Economic inequality fuels obesity crisis

The food industry must increase healthy choice through innovation to combat the uneven distribution of health resulting from economic inequality, according to participants at a European parliamentary symposium on obesity.

Weekly Comment

The weather excuse

With all the threats facing food and beverage production -- from contamination in the food chain, to rising input prices -- there appears to be one menace that towers above the rest, namely 'The Weather'.

Nestle weathers commodities storm, sales rise 7%

Nestle yesterday reported organic sales rose by seven per cent in the first nine months of this year, with the company successfully managing to offset rising raw material costs by hiking prices.

Natra moves into chocolate spread market

Spanish cocoa company Natra announced yesterday the acquisition of Belgium-based All Crump, as part of the company's plans to enter the chocolate spread market.

Hershey's profits plummet

Hershey said yesterday that third quarter margins fell a massive 13 percentage points from the same period in 2006, as a result of tough competition in the premium chocolate market and rising milk costs.

Cargill sweetener makes its way to bakery aisles

Ingredient firm Cargill has taken one of its sweetener products to consumer aisles, following an agreement with popular consumer brand Clabber Girl.

UK food industry faces job cuts due to slowdown

Of the UK's top 483 food and drink companies, up to 217 will need to reduce staff in some form or other, according to new analysis by Plimsoll Publishing.

Confectionery giants jostle for position

International firms such as Cadbury are the most successful confectionery companies in Western Europe, according to Euromonitor, suggesting that a global outlook is necessary to survive in an increasingly competitive market.

Obese not personally responsible for weight, says study

Obesity is not an individual problem but a result of technological progress that exceeds the pace of human evolution and changes in food availability, according to a UK government-sponsored study released today.

Union tackles Cadbury over factory closure

UK union Unite yesterday announced it would ballot its members for strike action, as Cadbury's plans to close one UK factory and reorganise another will result in job losses.

Cocoa companies pledge sustainability

World Food Day is galvanising global food companies to help support cocoa labourers, some of the poorest workers in the world, as more and more businesses are signing up to sustainability programmes.

Suedzucker expects benefits from sugar reform concessions

Suedzucker has adjusted its profit and revenue expectations for full year 2007/8 following EU moves to make sugar reform more attractive to growers, indicating that the industry efforts to lessen the blow for the industry could be effective.

Weekly Comment

Time to get serious on health claims criteria

The European Food Safety Authority's task to assess thousands of health claims is a headache in anyone's book - and one made worse through vague instructions to industry.

News briefs: Gummies, labels, vitamins and Thorntons

The key trends of health and vitamins, labelling regulations and indulgent treats continue to dominate confectionery news headlines this week.

Boost chocolate profits in Asia, says report

There is great potential for Western chocolate manufacturers in China, India and Japan, despite the relatively small size of the markets in these countries, according to a new report.

Marketing to kids: Nestle, Dannon non-committal could lead to regulations

Nestle and Dannon, two of the nation's leading food companies, have declined to join a widespread industry move to limit advertising of unhealthy foods to children.

New bill proposes stricter trans fat labeling

A new bill has been introduced in the US to require food manufacturers to adjust the labeling of their products in order to better inform consumers of their trans fat content.

Thermal system lowers energy bill claims manufacturer

A new air movement system can helps cut energy consumption at processing plants and warehouses, its manufacturer claims.

Cadbury confectionery sales rise 10 per cent

The Cadbury Schweppes drive to boost margins is full steam ahead, boosted by the demerger of an underperforming drinks arm, as the company today announced confectionery revenues grew by ten per cent over the third quarter.

Cadbury goes green across supply chain

Cadbury Schweppes today announced it will publish data on greenhouse gas emissions from across its global supply chain, as part of plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 50 per cent.

Tate & Lyle says adios to Mexican sugar

Tate & Lyle has taken new measures to remove itself from volatile commodity markets and refocus on value-added ingredients, with a plan to sell its Mexican sugar business, Grupo Industrial Azucarero de Occidente.

Weekly comment: Food prices

Will value-added lose out to the basics?

Food companies have been focussing on value-added products in a bid to reduce their reliance on commodities, which can fluctuate wildly and deliver slim margins. But now that prices of basic foods are at an all-time high, can value-added foods still compete for their share of the consumer buck?

Barry Callebaut launches new antioxidant cocoa

Barry Callebaut today said it is adding to its healthy chocolate portfolio with the official launch of a cocoa product containing a high level of antioxidant flavanols.

Swedes plough SEK 200m into anti-diabetic food research

The Swedish government has announced the funding of a research centre at Lund University for anti-diabetic foods, following a growing trend to harness diet to prevent or delay the onset of costly disease.

Barry Callebaut set to boost output with Philadelphia move

Chocolate giant Barry Callebaut has taken over a factory in America, which will help the firm boost output by more than 50,000 tons over the next three years.

Contaminated confectionery news roundup

While media reports often bemoan safety issues in relation to meat and fresh produce, confectionery food scares have recently broken out in the US, China and Russia.

Sugary chocolate gets good for gums go-ahead

A new chocolate product is the first to be endorsed by Toothfriendly International as being harmless to teeth, despite it containing sugar, the manufacturer claims.

Tate & Lyle woos Asia with R&D drive

Tate & Lyle has opened a new research and development centre in Shanghai, China to help manufacturers develop food products that are targeted to the preferences of Asian consumers.

Ebro Puleva wont predict sugar hit before terms

The sugar arm of Spanish food group Ebro Puleva has said it is impossible to estimate the impact of EU sugar reform on its business, until the regulatory situation in Spain is clarified.

Financial news: Cadbury, Cloetta and Rocky Mountain

Cheap labour pulls Cadbury eastwards, airport franchise boosts profits for a US chocolate company, and Cloetta is tempted by Swedish pastilles.

Glucose-free increases lifespan, says study

People who avoid eating glucose, a common source of energy in chocolate and sweets, may live longer, according to new research.

Gateless conveyor designed to handle delicate foods

A new conveyor system is designed to handle delicate foods, such as chocolates or confectionery, helping to reduce product damage and flavour loss, the manufacturer claims.

Sugar reforms prove bittersweet for ACP

The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) sugar producing countries have said they are deeply concerned about the amendments to the EU sugar reform, which brings to an end "preferential access" to Europe's market.

Common sweetener eyed as new prebiotic

The sugar alcohol lactitol, commonly used as a sweetener, can positively affect the population of beneficial bacteria in the intestine, and may be considered a novel prebiotic, researchers have reported.

Weekly comment

Ripping the red tape

They say that patience is a virtue. But when it comes to the regulatory process on both sides of the Atlantic, patience too often results in dust gathering in the "to do" box on some regulator's desk.