ConfectioneryNews asks industry leaders if cocoa production will gradually move closer to the burgeoning chocolate markets of China and Brazil or whether West Africa will always be the king of cocoa.
Chocolate companies must know what truly constitutes cocoa child labor to be able to tackle the issue, according to the International Cocoa Initiative, which has unveiled a new strategy to combat the problem.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is unlikely to regulate caffeine levels in confectionery products, according to caffeine chocolate firm Awake Chocolate.
Industry fortune-telling of a large cocoa shortfall in 2020 was a shrewd way to secure supply at low prices, but the latest deficit forecasts are nowhere near as gloomy.
A dozen of the world's biggest confectioners have signed up to the World Cocoa Foundation’s CocoaAction - something the organisation says will join the dots of existing sustainability programmes.
The candy giant is looking to take a bigger bite out of the confectionery market with bite-size bars, giant-size candies, and other fresh takes on existing brands.
Wrigley has introduced Extra Professional Mints containing stevia rebaudiana across Europe, marking the first time it has used stevia in a product globally.
Retailers will appeal a recently lost price-fixing case against Nestlé, Hershey and Mars, while the triumphant chocolatiers have taken initial steps to recover court costs from the plaintiffs, according to US court documents.
Confectionery manufacturers showing their latest products offer a glimpse of current and upcoming industry trends, including hot ingredients, growing categories, and standout packaging.
Mars UK faces late payment accusations from lobbying group the Forum of Private Business (FPB), which is threatening to place it in its ‘hall of shame’ over the issue.
Wrigley has filed a patent to enhance the sweetness of sucralose in chewing gum using encapsulated sweetener enhancers - a method that could help it to reduce costs.
By Han De Groot, executive director at UTZ Certified,
Chocolate could become a small and expensive niche product unless we all do more to help cocoa farmers escape poverty, writes UTZ Certified executive director Han De Groot.
Chocolate makers may struggle to guarantee their entire cocoa supply comes from a sustainable source by 2020 targets, according to auditing service Intertek.
Chocolate giant Mars and the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute are readying themselves for a five-year research project into possible heart-health benefits of taking a daily flavanol-rich capsule.
Special Edition: Consumer friendly confectionery packaging unwrapped
Mars has committed to ending deforestation associated with its palm oil supply by the end of 2015, becoming the latest multinational to do so, alongside Unilever and Nestlé, among others.
A new campaign group headed by medical professionals says the food industry can improve profit margins while cutting ‘unnecessary’ added sugar from products, which it says is responsible for rising global obesity.
A new campaign group headed by medical professionals says the food industry can improve profit margins while cutting ‘unnecessary’ added sugar from products, which it says is responsible for rising global obesity.
A sustainable cocoa supply chain is reliant on women, who provide a large portion of the labor and often invest earnings on items that benefit their community, says Mars Chocolate in a response to harsh criticism.
Mars UK says it has exhausted reformulation options for Mars and Snickers bars and has been left with no choice but to cut portion sizes to meet calorie reduction pledges.
Lindt, Ferrero and artisanal chocolatiers could be set to profit from thriving demand for premium chocolate in Australia, market analysts Leatherhead Food Research say.
US consumers have voted for their favorite confectionery brands in five categories: chocolate, premium chocolate, gum, candy and cookies. Find out the results here.
Many confectioners are sidestepping responsibilities on sustainable palm oil by only ensuring products meet ‘inadequate’ RSPO standards, according to Greenpeace.
Stationery made from the pruned bark of cocoa trees contributes to a sustainable cocoa bean supply and allows confectioners to deliver a marketing story, according to supplier Cocoa Paper.
A study backed by Wrigley has found that the confectionery-laden checkout zone is one of the highest areas for sales in stores, but is still underexploited by many retailers.
UTZ Certified argues that guaranteeing cocoa farmers a premium distorts the market by discouraging them from adopting good agricultural practices as they are guaranteed a premium regardless of quality. Fairtrade International disagrees.
Confectionery giant Mars has defended its use of artificial colors in M&Ms after being urged to ditch them in a petition on change.org accompanied by a press release from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) describing them as “neurotoxic...
Mars Chocolate North America claims pushing year-round sharing occasions is key to getting US chocolate consumption on par with high levels observed in many Western European nations.
Mars and Nestlé have opted to settle a class action lawsuit over price fixing allegations in Canada but both still face criminal charges in a separate investigation from the Competition Bureau.
