Snack industry experts have long suspected Mars Wrigley’s acquiring a minority stake from KIND Snacks last year was its first move to eventually swallow one of the trendiest snack bar makers in the US.
Mars plans to quit industry-funded science group, the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), and says it will support research regardless of results after making its science policy public.
Nine major cocoa and chocolate companies have committed $8.5m to an initiative aiming to prove a business case to improve the quality of education in Ivorian cocoa communities.
Mars Wrigley Confectionery has defended accusations it is fueling an unjust association between chocolate and health by funding cocoa flavanol research and says chocolate ‘should not be considered a health food’.
While Mars is currently the market leader in China’s chocolate confectionery space, Ferrero has been growing over the past five years with increased shares year-over-year, the latest Euromonitor data shows.
Hershey has decided not to renew its membership with the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in 2018, but it remains part of the National Confectioners Association (NCA).
A scientist at the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) said chocolate would not go extinct as reported by multiple media outlets recently, even though global warming could shrink the cultivatable areas for cocoa trees.
Sourcing to fair trade standards, such as UTZ, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade, is an important first step for chocolate makers towards cocoa sustainability, but will not necessarily bring farmers out of extreme poverty, say supply chain actors.
Barry Callebaut has made available a range of low-sugar chocolate designed to promote an improved nutritional profile to confectionery that doesn’t compromise on taste.
The M&M’s maker Mars will take a minority stake in KIND Snacks, a deal that aims to bring KIND's nutrition bars and granola products onto the global stage.
New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) has approved Mars Wrigley a $3.15m annual tax credit package over 10 years for bringing 483 jobs to the state.
Mars Wrigley Confectionery says it has achieved income and yield increases for Indian mint farmers in the first year of a five-year sustainability program.
Hershey took the largest share of Amazon’s candy purchases in October this year compared to Mondelēz-owned Sour Patch Kids, Mars’ Skittles and Starburst, and Perfetti Van Melle’s Airheads, according to a new report from Edison Trends.
Significant progress is being made to combat unlawful child labor, but Indonesia’s declining crop and the falling cocoa price remain major challenges, says Mars' head of procurement.
Traceability from farm to first purchase, common definitions of protected areas and paying farmers a living income are three ways stakeholders say can help end cocoa-driven deforestation in West Africa, which is threatening endangered species.
Packaged Facts predicts major candy makers’ efforts to satisfy clean-snacking consumers will help the US confectionery market rebound after slightly sluggish sales in 2016.
Mars’ share in China’s chocolate confectionery market has been dropping since 2013, but the company maintains its leading position with 36.7% market share in 2017, Euromonitor’s latest data shows.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed says upset Hindus in the US are seeking “official apology” from the president of Wrigley for non-disclosure of beef in some of its candy products.
Servings of confectionery, fruit juice and biscuits are getting smaller without getting any cheaper, the UK government confirm as findings appear to strengthen what many consumers have long suspected.
Retail value sales of chocolate confectionery in West African countries, like Nigeria and Cameroon, have experienced steady growth over the past five years, according to Euromonitor International.
Mars Chocolate has launched goodnessKNOWS bars in the UK, hitting the nerve of time that could disrupt the UK’s Top 10 snack bar brands, says Euromonitor.
CocoVaa Chocolatier’s owner says she will continue defending her position if Mars proceeds with litigation against its brand for trademark infringement.
Flavanol-rich chocolate is well known for its beneficial effect on the brain, but a review by Italian researchers point towards its neuroprotective effects in vulnerable populations over time.
EU confectionery trade body Caobisco is encouraging its members to set a date by which they will source all cocoa and palm oil from a certified sustainable source.
Nestlé Cocoa Plan has come out top in a report by Stop the Traffik and Baptist World Aid Australia assessing the progress made by chocolate companies and certification organizations in tackling child labor in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
An improving global economy, stronger than expected economy in developed countries and rising disposable incomes in developing countries are the main reasons why demand is growing for confectionery products, according to Global Data.
