In a first for both KitKat and Nestlé Confectionery in the UK and Ireland, the dark chocolate bar is made with cocoa mass sourced from farmers and their families enrolled in Nestlé’s cocoa income accelerator programme.
The global vegan chocolate market is estimated to be worth a conservative $2 billion by 2032, and as the Veganuary campaign begins, the surge in awareness about the benefits of plant-based food and confectionery products could see an even greater growth...
Spurred on by a drive to pursue positive impact and leave the corporate world, four founders came together to launch their Mediterranean cacao-free chocolate brand.
Chocolate confectionery is a significant market, expected to be worth over $128 billion (130 billion Euro) in global retail sales by the end of 2024. With a volume growth of +2% over the next 5 years to 2027, it is also a dynamic market, so what trends...
Organisers Kolenmesse has declared ‘preparations are in full swing’ for this year’s ISM and ProSweets trade fair held during Sweet Week 2024 at the Cologne exhibition centre from 28 to 31 January.
It was almost 20 years ago that Colombian cocoa was officially recognized by the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) as Cacao Fino de Aroma (fine aroma beans). Almost 95% of Colombia’s total cocoa production is classed as Cacao Fino de Aroma by the...
Knoops, the UK retailer of artisan chocolate drinks, is celebrating a merry Christmas after announcing solid financial growth and ambitious expansion plans for 2024 – partly the result of becoming the brand partner of choice for Wonka, the hit film prequel...
As an early adopter of the “triple bottom line” framework, the premium confection company Endangered Species Chocolate has been “doing well by doing good” for 30 years by responsibly sourcing ingredients, supporting fair trade, prioritizing sustainability...
Olam food ingredients (ofi) has identified four chocolate and confectionery trends set to shape this year’s festive season, with the growth of artisanal and handcrafted treats particularly noteworthy.
Private-label chocolate supplier Hames Chocolates has expanded its hot chocolate range for this winter’s peak sales season to cater to what it calls ‘the growing demand for self-treating and affordable luxury.’
The UK’s favourite Christmas chocolates have been crowned just in time for the festive season – with Celebrations from Mars taking the accolade this year, according to polling by YouGov.
To’ak Chocolate routinely charges over $300 for a single bar of chocolate, which is claimed to be the most expensive chocolate in the world. The brand justifies its price because it is responsibly sourced from a cacao variety, Ancient Nacional, native...
Large chocolate and cocoa companies, including multinationals including Mars, Ferrero, Mondelēz, Hershey, Nestlé, and traders like Barry Callebaut and Cargill, are not paying prices that allow cocoa farmers to earn a living. This is the conclusion of...
Luker Chocolate is celebrating the completion of The Cacao Effect, a five-year initiative that the company said positively impacted over 6,000 rural families in Colombia. The closing event was held on 24 November 2023 in Bogotá, Colombia, and showcased...
More than 30 ingredients specialists are set to attend ProSweets Cologne, the supplier fair that runs along side ISM sweets and snacks trade show, to offer natural and sustainable solutions that contain less sugar or carry a clean label declaration.
There’s no more evident sign that the winter holidays are here than the emergence of candy canes on store shelves in the US – but what is the “right” way to eat them? It’s a fun question that always gets American consumers in a twist, so here goes …
Heavier-than-usual rainfall during the past three to six months in the main cocoa-producing countries of West Africa - Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon could impact the chocolate industry due to a shortage of its main ingredient, according...
Barry Callebaut, the world’s largest supplier of cocoa and chocolate, says it ‘remains steadfast in its advocacy of policies to make sustainable chocolate the norm as it releases its seventh Forever Chocolate progress report (covering fiscal year 2022-23).
Vegan and free-from-chocolate brand NOMO has won Best Independent Brand for the third consecutive year at the Free From Food Awards and a big win at William Reed’s The Grocer New Product & Packaging Awards.
First Lady Jill Biden has enlisted the help of the National Confectioners Association's (NCA) help with Christmas decorations as she unveiled The White House 2023 holiday theme and décor.
The former Nestlé factory at Fawdon, Newcastle, due to shut at the end of December, has been bought by British baker Country Style Foods, which makes bread, cakes and baked goods, it has been revealed.
The cocoa and chocolate making industry has been warned that cocoa stocks languishing in EU warehouses during the 18-month transition period leading up to the European Union’s Deforestation law that kicks in at the end of December 2024 may have to be...
Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA) has launched a new membership drive with special incentives as it seeks to attract more craft chocolate companies and grow its impact.
Chocolate continues to lead the food and beverage industry as the top flavour found in global food and drink launches, appearing in over 12,000 launches this year, according to research by Flavorchem.
Cadbury’s owner, Mondelēz International, revealed an uplift to its margins this year from price increases that helped offset higher costs for cocoa, sugar, and transportation.
Sustainable craft chocolate stockists Cocoa Runners is celebrating its tenth anniversary by hosting the Christmas Craft Chocolate Fair in London on 2 and 3 December, at Fidelio, a music venue, cafe and restaurant.
‘Aligning for Global Action’ is the theme for The World Cocoa Foundation’s 2024 Partnership Meeting, the leading global industry event in sustainable cocoa, which this year takes place in the Beurs van Berlage (Old Stock Exchange) in Amsterdam from 6...
Cargill-owned Aalst Chocolate is putting “substantial investment” into insights-driven R&D, customised products, and strengthening of its bean-to-bar supply chain to push growth in Asia and beyond.
The co-founders of Hotel Chocolat, Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris, will receive £144m ($180m) each after agreeing to sell the UK luxury chocolate business to Mars, which has agreed to pay £534m for the high-end chocolatier.
After two consecutive years of deficit in conjunction with the expectation of another negative for the current season, cocoa futures in London and New York have continued to be bullish as demand for chocolate remains high, pushing up prices in the face...
Mars has bought ailing UK business Hotel Chocolat for approximately £534 million ($662.25 million) in a deal announced to the London stock market this morning.
Barry Callebaut has been ranked in the 1st percentile in the management of ESG risks in both the Food Product and Packaged Food companies by Morningstar Sustainalytics.
The Dutch capital and largest cocoa port in the world is preparing to celebrate cocoa and chocolate during February by becoming an important hub for business and for innovative thinking on the sustainability of the cocoa value chains.
A new report from the National Confectioners Association (NCA) has found that 64% of total chocolate and candy sales in the US are attributed to the big four seasons – Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and the winter holidays - ensuring that confectionery...
As if the news that Nestlé is discontinuing the decades-old favourite Caramac bar had left a bad taste in the mouth for some, UK consumers have been equally left devastated by the announcement from Mars that it is ending production of the Milkyway Crispy...
Cocoa prices in New York reached a record high of $4,000 per tonne at the close of play last week – with some analysts predicting a supply shortfall in the 2023-24 season, which could push up prices even higher over the coming months.
The Salon du Chocolat’s reputation for showcasing artisanal chocolatiers from across the globe was enhanced this month with Paris providing an ideal backdrop to an event that attracted 250 exhibitors, drawing more than 60,000 people over five days to...
The VOICE network, publishers of the influential Cocoa Barometer, which calls to account the chocolate industry on child labour and other sustainability issues, has issued a statement following reports in ConfectioneryNews and other media, on allegations...
Luxury UK chocolatier and cacao grower Hotel Chocolat has launched two new chocolate bars, pledging 100% of the bar sales to fund a ‘better way for cacao farming’, as part of the brand’s drive for positive change for nature and farming families.
There is widespread public support for a universal eco-label to be introduced for food products, with more than two-thirds of consumers across Europe saying they would use such a tool to help them make more sustainable choices, according to a new pan-European...
Barry Callebaut’s new CEO Peter Feld outlined his strategic vision for the world’s largest chocolate and cocoa supplier after shares in the Group have fallen 22% in the past 12 months.
As ISM Middle East prepares to open the MENA region's premier trade fair for confectionery and snacks at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 7 to 9 November, organisers Koelnmesse has announced it will be moving its usual November date to September...
A recent article in National Geographic described York as ‘England’s chocolate capital’. The city was home to two major confectionery companies, Terry’s founded in 1767 and Rowntree’s in 1862, the inventor of KitKat, which is still produced today at the...
Higher prices to combat slower demand pushed Hershey’s shares up approximately 3% on Wall Street before trading opened on Thursday (26) as the market reacted to higher-than-expected quarterly sales and profit in its third-quarter 2023 Financial Results.
Consumer Reports (CR), a US independent, non-profit member organisation, has doubled down on its campaign against lead and cadmium in chocolate and urges changes after a new survey finds a third of products contain ‘concerning’ levels of heavy metals.
One of the major challenges facing the premium chocolate industry is the practice of ‘greenwashing’ where consumers are deceived by meaningless icons and false claims on labels purporting that the brand is committed to a responsible and transparent supply...
Special Edition: Natural & Clean label confectionery
IFIS Sustainability a cutting-edge, free Abstracting and Indexing (A&I) database that curates the latest scientific research at the intersection of food and sustainability, has launched a new digital tool providing food innovators access to the latest...
olam food ingredients’ (ofi’s) flavour experts share their predictions on how families will tap into this season’s flavour trends to create a ‘Spooktacular’ 31 October.