All news articles for June 2021

Lily's expanded line of bars, baking chips and other confections can be found across the US at key retailers. Pic: Lily's

M&As

Hershey buys Lily’s confectionery brand for $425m

By Anthony Myers

The Hershey Company has completed its acquisition of Lily's, the high-growth maker of low-sugar, better-for-you (BFY) confectionery products, for a purchase price of $425m.

ChocXO's new butter cups will be on show at this year's Sweets & Snacks Expo. Pic: ChocXO

Sweets & Snacks 2021

ChocXO debuts two new low-sugar options at Sweets & Snacks Expo 2021

By Anthony Myers

Chocolate maker ChocXO has scaled up production by adding a new chocolate moulding line at its plant in Irvine, California, before the launch in Indianapolis of two new chocolate cup products: Coconut Almond Butter Cups and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter...

Chocolate consumption on the rise, survey finds

Chocolate consumption on the rise, survey finds

By Mary Ellen Shoup

Viewed as the antidote to a tough day, chocolate was the indulgence of choice for one-third of US grocery shoppers during the pandemic, according to a survey from Cargill's North American Cocoa & Chocolate team, which uncovered the primary purchase...

Housing along the road to Berenty Private Reserve in southern Madagascar. Pic: Maky (Alex Dunkel)/CreativeCommons

Community

Cocoa sector urged to support famine relief in southern Madagascar

By Anthony Myers

Prolonged drought in southern Madagascar has prompted ethical chocolate company MIA, which sources its premium cocoa beans from the island, to commit an additional £500 of its 1 for Change impact fund to help with famine relief.

Deep dive inside Van Houten’s new ruby chocolate powder - LISTEN

Ruby chocolate

Deep dive inside Van Houten’s new ruby chocolate powder - LISTEN

By Anthony Myers

In our latest podcast interview, we talked to Freek van der Knaap, Van Houten’s Vice-President Vending & Beverages EMEA, about the launch of ruby as a chocolate drink powder, which is aimed at professionals working in the catering and confectionery...

The 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo returns at the end of the month to showcase latest confectionery trends around the globe. Pic NCA

Sweets & Snacks Expo 2021

Sweets & Snacks Expo releases top confectionery trends for 2021

By Anthony Myers

As excitement continues to grow for the 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo, held this year in Indianapolis from June 22-25, organisers have released a list of top trends for the 2021 confectionery and snack categories that will be seen on this year’s show...

Vegan by design, the new KitKat is now available in Sainsbury’s stores in the UK. Pic: Nestlé

Plant-based

New vegan KitKat launched in UK

By Anthony Myers

Alternative KitKat combines crisp wafer and smooth chocolate blended with a rice-based milk alternative for fans to enjoy ‘a plant-based break’.

'Making the world a better place, one beer and one bar at a time’. The new collab between Tony's Chocolonely and Brewdog. Pic: Tony's Chocolonely

Innovation

Tony’s Chocolonely launches collaboration beer with BrewDog

By Anthony Myers

Tony’s Chocolonely has announced a new collaboration beer with BrewDog, the world’s first carbon negative brewer, as it continues to disrupt the chocolate industry and ‘make the world a better place, one beer and one bar at a time’.

Pic: Spoonshot

Healthy sweets special edition

Spoonshot report on sugar reduction looks at consumer sweet spots

By Anthony Myers

A new report from Spoonshot, ‘Sugar Reduction: A Bittersweet Pill’ includes must-haves for food and beverage manufacturers responding to growing consumer demand for reduced sugar and sugar replacements.