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.
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.
Swedish confectioners Cloetta and Leaf have sealed a €753m merger making it the largest confectionery company in Scandinavia, according to an analyst from Euromonitor.
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.
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.
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-based Nisha Enterprises has acquired Millar Confectionery for an undisclosed fee and plans to open a new sweet factory in Livingston, Scotland.
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.
Packaging firm Robatech has launched new gluing applicator heads which “virtually eliminate” nozzle blockage and last much longer than conventional ones.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
