A new tagging system is said to provide enhanced levels of quality control and transparency in a leading cocoa supplier’s production chain to provide assurance to chocolate product manufacturers about the quality and origin of the bean.
PureCircle has launched a joint venture with the sugar company Tereos to provide sugar/stevia blends to the European market and gain a stronger international presence through Tereos’ Brazilian facilities.
ADM (Archer Daniels Midland) Cocoa has appointed new managers to reflect its expansion and Eastern European sales focus, while an announcement on new European research centres is imminent.
Unilever said its deal with leading supplier, Unimills, for segregated certified sustainable palm oil represents a small start for the Dutch food and personal care group but takes the company in the right direction in terms of its 2015 total palm oil...
A breakthrough in cocoa genetics by a collaboration involving Mars, USDA and IBM will accelerate research into the production of trees that can better resist drought, disease and pests, and has met with an enthusiastic welcome from leading cocoa scientists...
Hershey lags behind its competitors when it comes to purchasing cocoa that has been certified to meet certain labour, social, and environmental standards, argues four non-governmental organisations in a highly critical report about the US confectionery...
Cargill said its planned investment of $5m over the next three years in sustainable cocoa initiatives will help address the worst forms of child labour in cocoa growing communities in the Ivory Coast and Ghana.
Cocoa bean exports were hit for the first time in four months as heavy rains damaged crops and disrupted transport, according to the Indonesian Cocoa Association.
Kraft said work conducted by the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership initiative in Ghana will see more cocoa farmer organisations becoming Fairtrade certified by the end of 2010, to ensure sustainability of supply and a guaranteed income for growers.
Adding red palm olein to chocolate spread could boost its antioxidant power and nutrient availability, according to new research published in the journal Food Chemistry.
Opting for fair trade cocoa could be one way for food firms to protect themselves against price volatility for the commodity, according to an industry analyst.
Recent cocoa bean price volatility is due in large part to hedge funds attracted by quick returns taking short-term positions on the commodity, according to a leading analyst.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has set sugar import tariff-rate quotas for the 2011 fiscal year – including extra specialty sugar “to accommodate a rapidly expanding organic food sector”, USDA said.
Cocoa fell to a three month low in London on signs that supplies in the world’s biggest producer countries would be boosted by the better crop husbandry initiated over the past three years.
Cargill has announced a deal to supply Unilever’s European operations with 10,000 metric tonnes of fully segregated refined RSPO certified palm oil but no dateline was given.
The reported purchase of 240,100 tonnes of cocoa on the London futures market by a sole trader will not impact hugely on supply to industry, as cocoa processors have already shored up bean stocks for the next four months, claims the International Cocoa...
North American cocoa bean grind in the second quarter of 2010 again showed double digit gains from the same quarter a year ago, according to data from the US National Confectioners Association (NCA).
Cargill has announced a new partnership with the World Wildlife Fund-US (WWF) to assess its Indonesian palm oil suppliers on the back of continued concern about palm oil sustainability.
Talks are expected to begin imminently between European cocoa players and the governors of the London futures markets in regards to speculation in the commodity following a threat by traders to switch to the New York cocoa futures market, said a German...
Higher sugar prices and volumes have helped boost third quarter revenues at Associated British Foods, signalling continued strong performance into the second half of the year.
Cocoa flavanols could improve poor blood vessel function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), according to research by a team of researchers, including scientists from confectionery maker, Mars Inc.
Singapore based Wilmar International, in a surprise deal, will acquire the sugar and renewable energy business of Australian giant CSR for US$1.47bn, a move which trounces the recent bid by Chinese firm Bright Food Group, according to media reports.
The extent of speculation in the London cocoa market has prompted 16 European organizations to sign a letter addressed to the Liffe exchange calling for increased hedge transparency, according to Reuters.
The proceeds from Tate & Lyle's sale of its EU sugar business should give bosses the firepower to develop an added-value food ingredients business of at least £500m, according to City analysts.
Observer status for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on a new cocoa industry consultative board is proving a sticking point at the UN Cocoa Conference in Geneva this week, which aims to finalise the details of a new deal related to trade in the commodity.
Sugar consumption is an escalating concern among Australian and UK consumers, and sweeteners with natural credentials are benefiting from this trend, according to a new report from independent business analyst Datamonitor.
As demand continues to outstrip supply, the world price of cocoa was more than 12 per cent higher at the end of last week compared with a year ago, according to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO).
Comax Flavors claims to have ‘set a new standard’ for sweetness enhancers for foods and beverages with the latest addition to its Max FlavorLab range of enhancers.
Uneven distribution of sugar in a food may allow formulators to reduce the sugar content of foods without detrimentally affecting the sweetness of the finished product, Dutch researchers report.
Nestlé has bolstered its sustainable palm oil commitments by partnering with The Forest Trust (TFT) in a move described as “game-changing” for the industry.
Blommer Chocolate, Petra Foods, and Cemoi Chocolatier have created a joint venture that will establish 30 fermentation centres to improve the supply of high quality, fermented cocoa from the Ivory Coast.
The salt and sugar content of foods may be reduced by using air bubbles as an “inert filler” in liquid products, according to new research from Unilever R&D Vlaardingen.
Ensuring consumers reap the benefits from the beneficial compounds in cocoa may mean formulating products with more sugar, suggests a new study from Kraft.
Cargill has denied allegations made by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) which claims that the company has destroyed rainforest for its palm oil plantations.
Products such as confectionery, biscuits and juice products are experiencing double-digit growth in China with this consumer demand fuelling an increase in the country’s sugar imports, according to a USDA report.
Latest data on cocoa output from the world's leading cocoa growers, the Ivory Coast and Ghana, shows that levels are well-below last year, according to Reuters.
Increasing intakes of sugars from processed and prepared foods may detrimentally affect levels of HDL ‘good’ cholesterol, says a new study from the US.
Political decisions encouraging biofuel production from palm oil is causing deforestation in Indonesia and not the low tonnage sourced by Kit Kat maker Nestlé, according to the chairman of the Swiss based food company.
North American cocoa bean grindings revealed a double-digit growth in the first quarter of 2010, the first gain since 2008, according to the latest statistics released from the National Confectioners Association (NCA).
Mars Inc is suing Nutraceuticals, Life Extension Foundation and Naturex for infringing nine patents covering the manufacture of its CirkuHealth cocoa flavanols.
European cocoa grindings in the first quarter of 2010 rose 8.1 per cent on the year, the biggest first-quarter gain in four years, according to data from the European Cocoa Association (ECA) but an industry insider claims a double-digit hike would have...
A new cocoa buying station in Vietnam will support an ongoing programme of cocoa farming expertise transfer and shows the high expectations Cargill has for cocoa development in the country, said the industry chocolate supplier.
Groupe Casino’s plan to remove palm oil from its own brand food products for environmental and health reasons are misguided, according to a RSPO representative.
World Vision Australia said it has taken the decision to pause campaigning activities aimed at chocolate-based product manufacturer, Arnott’s, for a six month period in response to the company publicly committing to addressing potential labour exploitation...
Segregated sustainable palm oil will be available on the European market in the coming months, as IOI-Loders Crokaan and New Britain open dedicated refineries. The news marks the latest step towards changing the commodity supply chain.
