Halloween is candy’s biggest holiday, and candy corn is at the center of it. ConfectioneryNews caught up with Peter Goldman, head of seasonal and Brach’s at Ferrara, to talk strategy, trends and good ol’ candy history.
Leading up to October 31, Hershey joined Rubie’s Costumes and The Addams Family movie to create a digital one-stop-shop called Halloween Headquarters. We got the scoop from Brad Santanna, the candy maker’s digital commerce lead.
Led by strong growth in emerging markets and ‘local jewels’, as the company refers to its regional brands, net revenue gained 1% in the third quarter, while cash flow surpassed $1bn.
The eco-conscious chocolate company has hired a Blue Bottle Coffee and Primal Kitchen vet, and promoted current marketing director Antoine Ambert to lead innovation and sustainability.
The confectioner (and now snacking player) upped its full-year outlook by a half percent, with gains from ONE Brands’ bars and a strong start to seasonal sales in the third quarter.
The US International Trade Court sided with CSC Sugar, a refiner, in a case regarding a 2017 amendment to the purity of sugar traded between the US and Mexico.
The confectioner anchored its showcase at the National Association of Confectioners (NACS) show with Trolli Crunchy Crawlers, complemented by innovations for SweeTarts, Laffy Taffy, Now and Later, and Fun Dip.
The bite-sized chocolate pieces – organic and vegan like all of Plamil’s products – will be sold in reuseable, resealable glass jars for optimal recyclability.
The National Confectioners Association launched Halloween Central, an online hub packed with candy stats and resources to help parents navigate healthy choices with their children.
The tennis star Maria Sharapova teased the lip-shaped gummies at Sweets and Snacks in May, but they officially hit shelves this autumn in stand-up pouches of tangy and sour flavors.
Hosted by the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute (FCCI), the two-week event will welcome an estimated 3,000 attendees to taste, learn and experience chocolate alongside industry experts.
Funds from FMO Bank will support the addition of new lines for instant cocoa powder, ready-to-drink chocolate and chocolate-based spreads from the Ghanaian-owned chocolate producer.
The two-day event will coalesce producers from 26 countries together in Seattle, November 9-10, to hear from experts in farming and sustainability, while inviting the public to peek behind the scenes.
The educational chocolate brand for kids regularly supports the environmental group, but the recent wave of deforestation prompted Yowie to offer more.
The 105-year-old confectioner revamped its image earlier this year to capitalize on key natural trends, transitioning to recyclable plastic for its iconic licorice jar and joining two sustainability initiatives.
The six-year-old company had landed $35m in funding as recently as 2017, but it said a challenging retail environment led to this financial pitfall. Six of its more than two dozen stores will close immediately.
We spoke with the Chicago-based ingredient company at IBIE 2019 about how its non-digestible, essentially calorie-free ‘rare sugar’ can change the better-for-you and functional side of chocolate and candy.
The eco-conscious chocolate brand gathered likeminded companies to form the Amazon Alliance, which strives to protect 4.5m trees – one for each product sold in September.
PLAYin Choc’s educational, ethical chocolate – packed in a recyclable toy box – has entered more than 1,000 stores, garnered £250k ($309k) in funding, and now has two industry pros on its side.
The October meeting in Berlin, Germany, will feature conversations focused on the importance of key partnerships, strong policy initiatives and joint investment in the future.
The new premium line features Ghanaian chocolate in semisweet and ‘extra dark’ morsels. Plus, Nestlé boards the unicorn train with pink and blue-swirled chips.
The all-in-one tabletop machine completes each step of the chocolate making process – from nib to conching to cooling – yielding a final product of real chocolate in about two hours, with the help of a digital recipe and guidance app.
World for Brexit (W4B) specifically calls out cocoa tariffs on its homepage, but FullFact.org – and World Trade Organization data – refutes the alleged 30% duty.
With legalization, THC and CBD products will land in previously out-of-reach retail channels – and the opportunities are unprecedented, says IRI and BDS Analytics, a cannabinoid research firm.
As one of 34 global companies in the coalition, the candy and pet food giant will advance its existing sustainability platform through a focus on healthy ecosystems and human rights.
The Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons is lobbying for ‘sugar-free schools’ and a recommitment to previously established nutrition standards.
Producers from cocoa-growing regions in South America and the Caribbean are considering a proposal from Peru’s trade group at a conference this week in Colombia.
The world’s second-largest cocoa producing nation became the third country to sign a deal that aims to address the effects of deforestation and forest degradation.
The 48-year-old Spanish confectioner, known for its flavorful gummy candies, doubles down on the American market with new products created alongside the key teen demographic.
The 10-year-old awards recognize some of the 4.8m family-owned companies in the UK and Ireland across 10 categories. Whitaker snagged recognition in food and drink.
Three-quarters of shareholders at Mackay Sugar Limited voted to accept a majority takeover, after the German conglomerate agreed to the move in February.
Mars Wrigley surveyed more than 40k people in six regions around the world to determine best practice for getting candy into the hands of consumers. A focal point: candy is a treat, not a snack.
CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS is a regular Confectionery News podcast and online feature profiling influential people working in the confectionery industry. Our next podcast guest is Sarah Lynn, founder of Sweets in the City.
With 90% of the confectionery buying market and 75% of the snack market attending, the annual expo presents a valuable chance to share insights and ideas, according to the trade association.
The sustainable chocolate maker spent three years developing a solution for its truffles, as part of its commitment to packaging its full portfolio in recyclable or compostable material by 2020.
Following an investigation published in The Washington Post in June, two Democratic lawmakers requested that existing laws prohibiting such imports be enforced.
The chocolate maker dedicated to building a slave-free supply chain dips into texture with Milk Chocolate Honey Almond and White Raspberry Popping Candy.
Chocolates from South and Central America ruled this year’s bean-to-bar competition, which for the first time featured special recognition of innovation in craft chocolate.
ConfectioneryNews spoke with three facets of the industry – a leading certifier, a boutique producer, and a nonprofit – to understand the potential efficacy of higher prices paid to farmers.
The company, which landed a deal with Mondelēz in April, skips cane sugar and instead relies on naturally derived sweeteners: the sugars found in dense fruits and nutrient-rich root vegetables.
