The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) has identified 14,986 child labor cases on the cocoa farms in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana since 2012, but warned the reality could be a lot worse.
Ferrero is set to overhaul the recipes of Butterfinger and Crunch bars after creating a new business unit by merging its recently acquired Ferrara and Nestlé’s US candy portfolio later this year.
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has named the most innovative product award winners of 2018 at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago (May 22-May 24, 2018).
Turkey has become Nestlé’s fastest growing market in the Middle East, Europe and North America, with the firm set to plough in TRY 100m (US$22m) to expand capacity and build new plants.
Nestlé has agreed to sell its Serbian chocolate brand Cipiripi to Paraćinka, a member of Silbo distribution group, as part of its ‘ongoing portfolio review.’
Mondelēz, Cargill, Nestlé and Tony’s Chocolonely will discuss progress and challenges in implementing Child Labor Monitoring & Remediation Systems (CLMRS) in cocoa communities at a panel during the World Cocoa Conference.
Nestlé wants to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. The company says its ‘clear announcement’ demonstrates its commitment to ‘minimise’ the impact of packaging on the environment but critics argue a more radical approach is necessary.
Nutella maker Ferrero has completed the acquisition of Nestlé’s US confectionery business, including more than 20 of its brands such as Butterfinger, BabyRuth, Crunch, and SweeTarts.
Nestlé will launch Milkybar Wowsomes exclusively in the UK and Ireland in the coming weeks with 30% less sugar than other chocolate products in its portfolio.
Nestlé has relaunched orange Smarties hexatubes in the UK and Ireland for spring after its orange Smarties giant tube received ‘overwhelming consumer response’ last year.
A California Superior Court judge has approved a settlement resolving claims over whether certain levels of lead and cadmium in chocolate require warning labels under California’s Prop 65 law.
Three major confectioners will carry a redesigned ‘Be treatwise’ label on certain products in the UK to encourage moderate consumption. Separately Nestlé is cutting sugar in its UK confectionery range.
Nestlé UK will introduce a range of ‘more premium’ KitKat Senses chocolate in three flavors: hazelnut, double chocolate and salted caramel, later this month.
Nestlé has posted flat organic sales growth in confectionery in fiscal 2017, but saw an uptick for premium brands such as Les Recettes De L’Atelier and sales in direct-to-consumer KitKat stores.
Nestlé USA faces a fresh class action lawsuit in the US for allegedly failing to disclose its chocolate brands may use cocoa from unlawful child or slave labor.
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.
Nestlé Japan will become the first confectioner to launch a product with Barry Callebaut’s ruby chocolate as it plans to introduce KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Ruby.
Nestlé has sold its US candy business ($924m in 2016 sales), which includes Butterfinger, Baby Ruth and Raisinets, to Nutella maker Ferrero for $2.8bn in cash.
Ferrero would become the ‘third largest player in chocolate confectionery in the world if it successfully acquires Nestlé’s US candy business, a deal that is expected to come through by the end of this week, said Euromonitor.
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).
Non-chocolate confectionery grew at a faster rate than chocolate in the US for the first half of 2017, driven in part by one strongly performing brand.
Just Born says it is interested in buying some of Nestlé’s candy brands, such as Rainsinets and Goobers, if the food giant sells its US confectionery unit to multiple companies.
Nestlé’s child labor prevention system in its Cocoa Plan will cover around half of the company’s supply by 2020, but full scale up may never be possible, says its public affairs director.
Hershey has refused to comment on speculation it was among the US companies submitting an initial bid on Nestlé’s US chocolate and candy business last week.
Nestlé says its confectionery business in Europe still has room to grow, but it may review its high number of confectionery brands in the region, which it says is “not sustainable”.
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.
Fox’s Biscuits which partnered with Graphic Packaging to make a tin from cartonboard instead of metal has been recognized at the recent ProCarton 2017 Awards.
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.
