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Review of the year: ConfectioneryNews.com's 2011 highlights

ConfectioneryNews.com takes a look back at 2011, a year that saw continued investment in emerging markets, innovative product developments and big money mergers, all in the face of volatile commodity prices.

News in brief

Thorntons issues profit warning

UK-based chocolatier Thorntons has announced that profits have been hit by weakened consumer demand and strong marketing competition ahead of its final year results due next year.

Cadbury finalises $1.3m settlement in chocolate price fixing conspiracy

A US Federal judge has accepted Cadbury’s $1.3m (€995,863) offer to settle in class action lawsuit over its alleged part in a suspected chocolate price fixing scandal also involving Nestle, Hershey and Mars.

News in brief

Callebaut adds Fairtrade offerings to its Belgian chocolate range

Barry Callebaut has announced plans to add Fairtrade certified milk and dark chocolate to its Finest Belgian chocolate range.

New Cloetta becomes biggest player in Scandinavia and overtakes Kraft in Sweden – analyst

Swedish confectioners Cloetta and Leaf have sealed a €753m merger making it the largest confectionery company in Scandinavia, according to an analyst from Euromonitor.

Exclusive interview

Beneo board: “Let us not forget that functional food responds to a clear demand of the consumer”

In the first part of this exclusive interview, Beneo Group executive board member, Yves Servotte, explains how European Union health claim rules have informed strategic thinking at one of Europe’s biggest and most vocal ingredient vendors.

News in brief

Dispatches from ProSweets 2012

ConfectioneryNews.com will be reporting from the annual ProSweets exhibition in Cologne, Germany next month.

Hotmelt applicators offer increased sustainability, claims Robatech

Packaging firm Robatech has launched a line of hotmelt applicators designed for confectionery packaging that it has said can enhance efficiency by using less energy.

‘Some growth potential’ for gum and fair trade chocolate in Belgium – Leatherhead

Any growth in the mature Belgian confectionery market lies in fair trade chocolate and chewing gum, according to an analyst at Leatherhead Food Research.

Scottish firm Nisha acquires Millar Confectionery and plans new factory

Scottish-based Nisha Enterprises has acquired Millar Confectionery for an undisclosed fee and plans to open a new sweet factory in Livingston, Scotland.

Swedish confectioners Cloetta and Leaf merge in €753m deal

Cloetta and Leaf have sealed a €753m merger as the companies eye market leadership in the Nordic region.

Kraft’s carbon emissions from plants ‘negligible’

The vast majority of Kraft Foods’ carbon emissions come from outside its manufacturing facilities, according to a survey mapping its environmental footprint, but the full picture may look quite different as full results are withheld.

Hotmelt applicator heads provide ‘speed, durability, precision’ says Robatech

Packaging firm Robatech has launched new gluing applicator heads which “virtually eliminate” nozzle blockage and last much longer than conventional ones.

News in brief

Callebaut improves credit rating

Barry Callebaut has announced that its credit rating has been upgraded.

Chocolate imbued with ‘good intentions’ and endorsed by Dalai Lama

A US company has introduced an organic chocolates range that it claims is infused with good intentions and has the Dalai Lama’s seal of approval.

Wild launches natural brown flavours for crème-filled chocolates

Ingredients firm Wild has launched a range of natural brown flavours that it has claimed can help confectioners seize on natural flavour trends

Confectionery NPD ‘lacks quality’; health claims need to be specific – analyst

Confectionery sales in Europe dwindle as new product developments (NPD) have not met consumer preferences which demands more definite health claims, according to an analyst at Mintel.

Internally flavouring extruded products can halve costs - Culinar

Lyckeby Culinar AB has won an award for its small extruded crisp pearls that it has said can combine natural flavours and colours without affecting taste and slash costs in half when compared to using freeze dried fruit.

Comment

Lobbyists, start your engines: Can a new health claims formula be won in the European Parliament?

Five years ago the European Union nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) became law. Around the bloc, hopeful EU healthy foods and supplements stakeholders submitted more than 44,000 health claim applications.

Ferrero France targets 30% emissions savings with barge transport

Italian confectioner Ferrero’s French subsidiary has announced plans to use barge transport in a move that it has said will eventually cut 30% in CO2 emissions and take 260 truckloads off the road.

News in brief

Robert Malcolm joins Hershey Board

Former Diageo executive Robert Malcolm has been elected to join Hershey’s board of directors.

Machine prevents marshmallow shape loss, claims Tanis

Dutch food equipment maker, Tanis Food Tec (TFT), has launched a machine that seeks to address the problem of overheating during the aeration process, which causes the mallows to lose shape and results in inconsistent production.

Hershey to acquire Canadian confectionery firm Brookside Foods

The Hershey Company has said it will acquire Canadian confectionery firm Brookside Foods for an undisclosed sum.

Confectionery industry converting to colouring foodstuffs, says Chr. Hansen

Leading confectionery and ice-cream brand owners are switching to colouring foodstuffs over natural colours, as consumer demand for clean label products continues unabated, and retailers acknowledge the potential they hold in terms of brand value, claims Chr. Hansen.

High demand for clean label low sugar confectionery in Germany, says trade body

German consumers are turning health conscious and are looking to confectionery that is low sugar, fair trade and organic, according to investment group Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI).

Laima looks to expand to China and Brazil

Latvia’s largest confectionery producer, Laima, has announced plans to increase its export proportion from 40% to 52% over the next three years, with intentions to target new markets outside of Europe.

News in brief

Nestle gets green light for Hsu Fu Chi takeover

Food giant Nestle has received regulatory approval to gain a majority share in Chinese confectioner Hsu Fu Chi.

Fruity cocoa range cuts bitterness to appeal to younger consumer - ADM

Ingredients firm ADM has launched range of mildly fruity cocoa powders; cocoa masses and chocolate that it has said can reduce bitterness in chocolate based products and appeal to more consumers.

Malaysia facility will bring Palsgaard closer to palm oil source, says CEO

Danish company Palsgaard said a US $30m emulsifier factory located in Malaysia will be operational in just over 12 months and will bring the company closer to the supply of its key raw material - palm oil.

News in brief

EC extends deadline on major sugar takeover

The European Commission has been given more time to investigate German sugar company Südzucker’s bid to acquire a 25% stake in British commodities trading company ED&F Man and the deal's impact on competition.

Wild launches natural exotic fruit flavours

Ingredients firm Wild has launched a range of exotic fruit flavours for jelly gums as it claims there is potential for firms to offer products that are distinct from competitors.

Kraft to axe 200 Cadbury jobs and invest £50M

Cadbury-owner Kraft Foods is to cut 200 jobs while investing £50M in chocolate and biscuit manufacturing.

Kraft’s snacks spin-off targets Asia and Latin America as Rosenfeld appointed head

Developing markets are to make up almost half of revenues for Kraft’s global snacks business as the spin-off business announces Irene Rosenfeld as its head.

Food contact nanomaterial regulations inadequate – report

US food contact nanomaterial regulations are inadequate to ensure human health, said a report on the technology.

Sugar prices to fall for 2012 amid volatility - Rabobank

Sugar prices for the coming year are forecast to fall by 12% as the market records a surplus for the first time in three years, according to financial service provider Rabobank.

Insolvency affects fewer food firms

The food manufacturing sector has seen a fall in the number of companies becoming insolvent, according to a new study.

Cocoa crop boom to push prices lower in 2012 – Rabobank

A larger than expected supply of cocoa beans from West Africa will add to high buffer stocks and push cocoa prices down by 4%, according to financial service provider Rabobank.

EC proposes different cadmium levels for milk and dark chocolate

The European Commission has proposed higher maximum cadmium levels for dark chocolate as more of the heavy metal is found in chocolate with high cocoa content.

Safety and operational efficiency mega-trends spur Nalco takeover, says Ecolab

Ecolab said it has completed the US$8.3bn (€6.4bn) takeover of Nalco as part of a strategy to tap into global mega-trends such as food safety and the need for industry players to maximize operational efficiencies such as energy and water reductions.

News in brief

Kerry signs Cargill Flavor Systems deal

The Kerry Group has completed its acquisition of Cargill’s global flavours operation.

Fraunhofer develops x-ray alternative for food inspection

Researchers have developed technology using millimeter waves that could allow food manufacturers to examine finished products through packaging and give advantages over x-ray detection, the current preferred method.