Popular right now: Our top five confectionery and chocolate stories on social media

1. Hotel Chocolat looks at European expansion​​

In the week where the premium chocolatier announced a healthy profit rise and plans to move into the US and Japan​, an earlier article where the company’s co-founder Angus Thirlwell talked about the bricks and mortar of the business proved very popular on our social media.

2. Barry Callebaut acquires Burton’s Biscuit’s UK chocolate factory​​

Swiss chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut planned acquisition of  Burton’s Biscuit’s chocolate factory in the UK, drew some heat from the confectioner community.

3. Mars to launch new cocoa sustainability strategy​​

The confectionery giant’s plan to put smallholder farmers at the center of its ambitious strategy was broadly welcomed by peers and suppliers – and proved popular across our social media channels.

4. El Niño weather events could improve cocoa farmers’ income​​

Laurent Pipitone’s opinion article on why the current 2017/2018 cocoa-growing season is ending with a production surplus provided an interesting read and backdrop to data published by the ICO in August.

5. CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Brett Beach, director MIA​​

Our new online series profiling influential people working in the confectionery industry is also proving very popuar. This week we had Brett Beach, director, MIA, an ethical bean-to-bar chocolate producer, explaining what makes him, and his company tick.

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