All news articles for August 2020

Carol Oldbury (centre) and her team pictured earlier in the year at ISM Cologne. Pic: ConfectioneryNews

Coronavirus

How Hames Chocolates overcame COVID-19 challenges

By Anthony Myers

UK-based chocolate and confectionery firm Hames Chocolates shares its story of dealing with the coronavirus – and how a pause in production allowed it to plan for the future.

Laffy Taffy unwraps new innovative BITES. Pic: Laffy Taffy

In brief

Laffy Taffy taps into bit-size category with new variation

By Anthony Myers

Popular US candy brand Laffy Taffy has announced a new line, Laffy Taffy LAFF BITES, which are bite-sized, dual-textured, featuring classic fruity flavors in three sizes: 2 oz. single pegs; SRP $1.29, 4.2 oz. pegs; SRP $1.49, and 6 oz. pegs; SRP $1.69....

The Lindt Home of Chocolate is on course to open in September 2020. Pic: Lindt Chocolate Competence Foundation

Tourism

Lindt Home of Chocolate scheduled to open in September

By Anthony Myers

Lindt & Sprüngli has announced it is going ahead with the opening of its Lindt Home of Chocolate on 13 September at the company’s historic headquarters in Kilchberg, Switzerland.

Interest from organic companies in next year's ISM trade fair has risen, say organizers. Pic: ISM

ProSweets/ISM 2021

ISM 2021: Organic sweets & snacks set to steal the show

By Anthony Myers

Organic has been popular for years in the confectionery industry, but the coronavirus pandemic is contributing towards a boom in the sector, reflected by an increase in exhibitors at ISM.

Guittard's celebrated chocolate chips arrive in Waitrose in the UK this week. Pic: Guittard Chocolate Company

Baking

Guittard launches baking chips into Waitrose stores in UK

By Anthony Myers

San Francisco Bay Area chocolate maker, Guittard Chocolate Company, is launching its celebrated, Fairtrade certified chocolate chips into premium grocer Waitrose stores in the UK for the first time, it has announced.

The fine coating of cocoa nibs that 'snowed' on the Swiss town from the Lindt factory.

In brief

Glitch at Lindt factory covers town in cocoa nibs

By Anthony Myers

Lindt & Sprüngli has confirmed local reports that there was a minor defect in the cooling ventilation for a line for roasted 'cocoa nibs' in its factory in Olten on Tuesday, which left the Swiss town between Zurich and Basel covered in fragments...

Cargill's annual report highlights the company's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pic: Cargill

Reporting

Cargill annual report: ‘A year like no other’

By Anthony Myers

Global agri-food company’s annual report highlights team members’ agility and perseverance while helping customers and communities navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ghana to increase its cocoa output by 5.8% in next growing season

Ghana

Ghana to increase its cocoa output by 5.8% in next growing season

By Anthony Myers

Ghana is the world’s second-biggest cocoa producer, after its West African neighbour, Cote d’Ivoire. Its main growing season runs from October to September, and while output may increase - a glut in the global market has raised wider concerns about lower...

Olam remains confident it can weather the Covid crisis. Pic: Olam International

Financial results

Olam reports resilient performance in H1 2020 with 44.4% growth

By Anthony Myers

Global food and agri-business, Olam Group, has reported strong results for the first half of 2020 and claimed to make good progress on its Strategic Plan (2019-2024) and Re-organisation Plan announced in January 2020.

A still from the Extra Real Friend Request ad. Pic: Mars Wrigley

In brief

Mars’ Extra Gum ad highlights need for friendship during shutdown

By Anthony Myers

Extra gum has launched a new creative advertisement as part of its on-going ‘Give Extra, Get Extra’ campaign to inspire the value of relationships, even through a small gesture, especially during lockdown scenarios caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With travel on hold, backyard fire pits and s'mores treats have become popular. Pic: Gettyimages

Coronavirus

More s’mores please: Sales of American classic soar during COVID pandemic

By Anthony Myers

Hershey has reported a record-breaking demand for s’mores during the coronavirus crisis, with sales of its six-pack bars skyrocketing by 40% - even higher in some US states with stricter lockdown regulations. Monday 10 August is ‘National S’mores Day’...

The strong performance of its core Hostess branded products propelled the American bakery company's second quarter financial results. Pic: Hostess Brands

Hostess financial results again exceed expectations

By Gill Hyslop

Hostess Brands has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the past four quarters, again surpassing the Zachs Consensus Estimate by 1.38% for the quarter ended June 2020.

Barry Callebaut issued its first Schuldscheindarlehen in February 2019. Pic: Barry Callebaut

Financial

Barry Callebaut places its second ‘Schuldscheindarlehen’

By Anthony Myers

The transaction further strengthens the Group’s committed long term liquidity structure by extending the average maturity at attractive interest rates and reducing its reliance on short-term funding sources.

Philippe (JP) Tournoy. Pic: Ciranda

Appointments

Ciranda names new CEO to succeed founder Friese

By Anthony Myers

Ciranda, a leading supplier of organic and fair-trade food ingredients, has announced that Jean-Philippe (JP) Tournoy will become the company’s new chief executive officer.