Editor's Blog

Cocoa and the coronavirus: can it boost the immune system?

Coronavirus

Cocoa and the coronavirus: can it boost the immune system?

By Anthony Myers

Cacao beans have been consumed by humans for over 3,000 years and the ingredient is well-known for its wide range of health benefits, recent research suggests it can provide stronger protection against influenza virus infection.

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: David Hill, managing director, Cocoda Ltd

Q&A

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: David Hill, managing director, Cocoda Ltd

By Anthony Myers

Cocoda Ltd specializes in the export of premium chocolate with a global network of retailers and partners. MD David Hill started his career in confectionery at United Biscuits and was mentored by Hotel Chocolat's Angus Thirlwell before setting up...

Chocoa Amsterdam returns to the port city for two days of discussion and commerce. Pic: Chocoa

Chocoa 2020

Chocoa Amsterdam: A market-led approach to cocoa sustainability

By Anthony Myers

The Chocoa Conference, held annually in Amsterdam for the past eight years, has gained a strong reputation for providing a platform for detailed discussions on sustainability and quality in the cocoa sector, ConfectioneryNews speaks to Jack Steijn, co-founder,...

 Fairtrade International’s mission is to enable farmers and workers to earn a decent living. Pic: Fairtrade America

Guest post

A fair approach to child labor issues in sugar and cocoa farming

By Anita Sheth

Fairtrade International pioneers unique and effective program to address child labor in farming communities. Anita Sheth, senior advisor social compliance and development, Fairtrade International, explains an ongoing program in Belize to empower local...

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Steve Lightman

Q&A

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Steve Lightman

By Anthony Myers

Steve Lightman, president, of food and gift provider Harry & David, talks heritage and exploring new markets, getting into the office at 6am and winding down with a game of golf with his wife in the beautiful Rogue Valley in Oregon, where the company...

NCA president and CEO John Downs rocked Boca Raton in March and delivered a rousing state of the candy industry speech, which became one of our highlights of 2019. PIC: NCA

2019

2019 in review: Our Top 10 stories on ConfectioneryNews

By Anthony Myers

From 100% recyclable packaging by Nestlé to a personal account of the life of a cocoa farmer in Ghana, and let's not forget NCA boss John Downs rocking Boca! Here is our rundown of some of our best read stories of 2019.

‘What would the Christmas holiday season be without a chocolate and candy’

Christmas confectionery round-up

‘What would the Christmas holiday season be without a chocolate and candy’

By Anthony Myers

This year, ConfectioneryNews has been inundated with press packs and samples from chocolatiers announcing their new Christmas collections. Here is a selection that caught our eye and are available either online or in the shops for last minute gifts or...

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Danny Lowe, founder/director, BLOCKHEAD

Functional Jellies Special Report - Q&A

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Danny Lowe, founder/director, BLOCKHEAD

By Anthony Myers

BLOCKHEAD is a relatively new start up that makes functional confectionery such as Blockhead caffeine Energy Gum and Blockhead Vitamin Gum, available in retail stores across the UK. Founder Danny Lowe tells Confectionery News what inspired him to get...

 CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Philipp Kauffmann

Q&A

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Philipp Kauffmann

By Anthony Myers

Philipp Kauffmann is founder/chief grower of Original Beans, an award-winning chocolate and conservation company and comes from a family of recognized nature explorers and nature conservationists. In 2008, he gave up his job at the United Nations in New...

What exactly is the role that retailers should play in ensuring the sustainability of cocoa? Was one of the questions asked at the WCF meeting in Berlin. Pic: GettyImages

WCF Partnership Meeting 2019

Can retailers play a role in ending cocoa-related deforestation?

By Anthony Myers

The newly-formed Retailer Cocoa Collaboration strongly supports CFI and the Frameworks for Action as a landmark multi-stakeholder initiative for protecting and restoring forests in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Colombia and other areas. 'Retailers as drivers...

Barry Callebaut's new 'Wholefruit Chocolate' is part of the clean label trend in confectionery. Pic: Barry Callebaut

Clean label

Clean label in confectionery, does anyone really care?

By Anthony Myers

‘No artificial colors’ is the top clean label claim in chocolate across all markets, followed by ‘no added sugar’, but consumers are not buying it for a number of reasons, we discovered.

How Uncommon Cacao is disrupting the global cocoa market - listen

Sustainability podcast

How Uncommon Cacao is disrupting the global cocoa market - listen

By Anthony Myers

Emily Stone, co-founder and CEO of Uncommon Cacao, joins us in the CN podcast studio to discuss the organization’s recently released Transparency Report and to explain how it is disrupting the cocoa supply chain in the wake of ongoing industry challenges...

From bean to market: Signup for our free webinar on 'Cocoa sustainability: Selling ethical chocolate online with SDG impact'. Pic: Lewis Rattray

Webinar

Live webinar: How to market ethical chocolate in a growing ecommerce space

By Anthony Myers

CN’s next free webinar, ‘Cocoa sustainability: Selling ethical chocolate online with SDG impact’, takes place on September 12, with guest speakers including: Cathy Pieters, Director of Cocoa Life, Mondelēz International; Ewa Hudson, Director of Insights,...

Cocoa has been cultivated in Peru for almost 2,000 years. Pic: The Peru Cacao Alliance

Spotlight

Peru cocoa: a new journey

By Anthony Myers

It is well-known that indigenous people made cacao drinks from fermented beans as far back as 1900 BC, but these days, Peruvian cocoa has much more going for it than past claims, as the Peru Cacao and Chocolate Salon, which opens this week, will highlight.

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Elaine Wu, co-founder, Amos Sweets

Q&A

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Elaine Wu, co-founder, Amos Sweets

By Anthony Myers

Amos Sweets is a candy innovation company based in China and specialising in gummy candy. Its products are sold all over the world with 4D Gummy Blocks leading the way. Co-founder Elaine Wu shares her love for not only her brand, but the confectionery...

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: James Cadbury, founder Love Cocoa

Q&A

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: James Cadbury, founder Love Cocoa

By Anthony Myers

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS is a regular Confectionery News podcast and online feature profiling influential people working in the confectionery industry. Our first podcast guest is James Cadbury, founder of ethical chocolate company Love Cocoa, and yes, a...