There is a growing demand for cocoa from Latin America to meet the
increasing popularity of premium chocolates in Europe and the US,
according to a speaker at the recent meeting of the World Cocoa
Foundation (WCF) in Ecuador.
French sugar and food solutions company Tereos has confirmed it is
hoping to acquire Danisco's sugar business, and that it is bidding
against Germany's Nordzucker.
Latest figures from the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO)
suggest that there will be a rise in world production of cocoa
compared to last year and a rise, though smaller, in world
grindings.
Some food and beverage manufacturers may switch from high fructose
corn syrup (HFCS) to sugar as a result of high corn prices, but
this is only likely to be the case for relatively small scale
users, according to a consultant.
The Imperial Sugar Co today said it will rebuild the parts of its
Georgia sugar refinery that were damaged in last year's explosion,
reinstating it as the second largest refinery in the US.
Barry Callebaut has acquired a 49 per cent stake in Biolands of
Tanzania, Africa's largest exporter of certified organic cocoa,
after purchasing 100 per cent of its top-end cocoa for the past
eight years.
Citizens for Health, a US consumer advocacy group, has launched an
online campaign to warn consumers about the dangers of genetically
engineered (GE) sugar beets in food products.
Ingredients firm Cargill yesterday announced the construction of
its first ever sugar refinery in the US, as part of the company's
plans to provide all possible sweeteners or sugars to the food
industry.
Cosun is expecting its recent acquisition of CSM Suiker to prop up
its margins somewhat in the coming year, as conditions remain tough
for the European sugar industry.
Swiss chocolate company Barry Callebaut is to purchase a 60 per
cent share of Malaysia's KL Kepong Cocoa Products in a move
designed to increase its sourcing capacity in Asia.
Danisco is reorganising its ingredients business in a bid to target
market trends like health and wellness more closely, and deal with
issues that have been affecting parts of its portfolio.
In financial news this week, cocoa prices go up yet again, Cadbury
reveals more de-merger plans, and Sweet China is allowed to return
to the London stock market.
A coalition of ethical stock market investors have called on 63 US
food, beverage and restaurant companies to stop using genetically
modified (GM) sugar beet.
More than half of consumers say they are willing to switch to
sugar-free versions of traditional confectionery lines, which
suggests that sweeteners are no longer considered a 'niche'
ingredient in sweets, claims Beneo Palatinit.
While most consumers agree that ethically-sourced cocoa is no bad
thing, an ever increasing number of different schemes risks
muddying the issue and puzzling chocolate fans.
Global confectioners Mars and Nestle have joined a sustainable
cocoa programme, which aims to establish a traceability system for
all farmers in the Ivory Coast.
A lawsuit has been filed against the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) over the approval of a herbicide resistant
genetically engineered sugar beet.
The Sudzucker group has reported a 18.3 per cent increase in sales
for the first nine months of its year thanks to special products
and fruit preparations, while sugar was responsible for a big drop
in operating profit.
The Vietnamese government estimates its overall cocoa crop will
reach 45,000 tonnes by 2015, aiming to make the catch the attention
of chocolate manufacturers around the world, according to Reuters.
Associated British Foods today announced the £100m (€139m)
expansion of subsidiary Illovo Sugar's facilities in Mali, as EU
reforms force the company to move operations out of the bloc.
Talks are under way in Hungary aimed at returning 50 per cent of
the country's sugar quota to the restructuring fund, in light of
the latest sugar reforms announced by the European Union.
Suedzucker has adjusted its profit and revenue expectations for
full year 2007/8 following EU moves to make sugar reform more
attractive to growers, indicating that the industry efforts to
lessen the blow for the industry could be...
The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) sugar producing countries
have said they are deeply concerned about the amendments to the EU
sugar reform, which brings to an end "preferential access" to
Europe's market.
Food safety and animal health top the agenda at
today's meeting of EU's agricultural ministers, with
the future of milk, wine and sugar production also up for
discussion.
Rising costs and shrinking supply of sugar molasses are driving up
the cost of yeast extract production, says Bio Springer, which is
today announcing a double digit price increase for its extracts as
of next year.
Syngenta has developed a variety of sugar beet for cultivation in
tropical climates that is expected to boost output and farmer
income, and has initiated two products to develop its use for food
and biofuel in India.
Associated British Foods (ABF) has forged an agreement with Chinese
sugar group Hebei Tian Lu, which is expected to revolutionise beet
sugar production technology and boost yields.
A rising global demand for sugar is set to be met by an increase in
production, leading to a more stable market and
prices, forecasts the Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO).
UK sugar processor British Sugar has developed a new line of
moisture-resistant sugar to its dry ingredients range for bakers,
which it claims can prolong shelf life and improve product quality.
Consumer watchdog Which? has hit out at confusing labelling of
sugar content in foods, placing the onus on manufacturers to put
full nutritional information on packs after a survey found high
levels in savoury foods that were not...
Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company Metrohm has developed a
test to determine the exact sugar content of chocolate - helping
manufacturers ensure consistency on the production line.
Tate & Lyle and Italian sugar producer Eridania Sadam have
formed a joint venture for the marketing and sales of all sugar
products to the Italian market, seen as an important step in
developing new sugar markets following EU...
A 'low sugar' claim does not necessarily mean 'low calorie' or
'better for you', said the US Sugar Association, in its latest
attempt to recapture a part of the market lost to the growing
popularity of...
A protein-polysaccharide combination for stabilising
water-in-oil-in-water emulsions could lead to customised double
emulsions with differing release behaviours, German researchers
report.
A matrix of sucrose, gelatin and gum Arabic can successfully
encapsulate citrus flavours, and offer potential as a cheaper
alternative to pure gum Arabic for the process.
Orafti has announced the introduction of Beneo LGI, a virtually
sugar-free inulin with multiple applications for healthier food
formulation - including products with a low glycaemic index.
Central and Eastern European sugar processors are bearing the brunt
of new EU reforms due to dominant Western European companies within
the industry acting in a political and not economic manner, claims
an agricultural expert.
Associated British Foods (ABF) yesterday blamed a drop in operating
profits of 21 per cent to £413m (€612.9m) before on higher energy
costs and instability arising from EU sugar reforms.
Supplier Buhler has boosted machinery supplies to facilities in
Ghana, enabling operations in the country to not only harvest the
beans but process them into cocoa butter and powder.
Blending palm kernel oil, extracted by supercritical carbon
dioxide, and palm oil leads to new cocoa butter replacers (CBR),
offering cheaper alternatives with good physical and chemical
properties.
