The National Confectioners Association (NCA), organizers of the Sweets & Snacks Expo, which is due to take place in Chicago in May, says it is 'closely monitoring developments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation', but at present...
The European Union (EU) is the world’s largest importer of cocoa and cocoa products, and the EU Commission is considering European-wide action to reduce the impact on several sustainability issues, primarily child labor and deforestation
Cocoa production continues to drive deforestation. While the chocolate industry has largely lined up behind zero deforestation commitments, the complexities of indirect supply chains remain a significant challenge.
National Confectioners Association president and CEO John Downs said the 2020 Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago is still going ahead, and the organization is working closely with the US government to monitor the on-going situation.
Fairtrade Fortnight continues with nationwide engagement that tells true stories of two female cocoa farmers who are fighting back against exploitation, poverty wages and climate change in cocoa communities in West Africa.
Goal is to accelerate sustainability improvement in cocoa through certification, 33-year-old organization said, as it announced a major upgrade to its monitoring of the cocoa industry.
Dover Corporation has acquired Systech International (Systech), which will now join Markem-Imaje, product identification and traceability business, as part of Dover’s Imaging and Identification segment.
New data shows women could be struggling on just 23p (29c) a day, well below the extreme poverty line of £1.40 ($1.81) and organisation calls on government and chocolate companies to join the Alliance on Living Incomes in Cocoa, a new international initiative.
Washington Post reports on action from human rights group to petition US government to ban cocoa imports from the West African country because of child labor and trafficking concerns.
The Jacobs Foundation says quality education can help improve the situation of children in cocoa communities in West Africa – but is seeking support from cocoa and chocolate industry.
Cocoa Association of Asia (CAA) has announced the postponement of its International Cocoa Conference, due to be held in Singapore on 26 to 27 March due to the global coronavirus epidemic.
Latest assessment by worldwide B Corporation movement puts Fairtrade’s ethical and premium chocolate brand as one of the highest scoring B Corps in the world.
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 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...
The implementation of the Smart Snacks regulation in American schools could reduce the rates of childhood type 2 diabetes and other food-related diseases, according to JAMA study.
As part of the UN’s International Day of Education, Olam Cocoa and Rainforest Alliance help school children in Côte d'Ivoire learn about the dangers of deforestation.
The National Confectioners Association has announced the appointment of two new staff members to new roles designed to bolster the organization’s advocacy and communications activities.
137 children ranging in ages from six to 17 came from the nearby West African countries of Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Togo, local news media said, as US Senate investigation into Côte d'Ivoire's cocoa supply chain continues.
In a new year’s blog published on the WCF website, Scobey says much was achieved in 2019, ‘but much more remains to be done’ surrounding farmer poverty and deforestation.
Growing palm oil on degraded pasture instead of deforested land can reduce net ecosystem carbon losses by 99.7% and results in a crop that is almost completely carbon neutral, according to a Colombian study.
Coffee and cocoa farmers often grow avocado and mango as part of sustainable agroforestry systems - but these are vulnerable to climate change and should be swapped for more resilient crops, according to a recent study.
Swiss confectionery giant claims it is investing $45m a year in its sustainability program and making progress tackling child labor in its cocoa supply chain in West Africa.
Mission-led chocolate brands promoting a cocoa province can not only generate consumer engagement, but help deprived producing communities that need it most, according to a sustainability analyst.
An initiative to pool and strengthen nutrition research in Germany is being spearheaded by the country’s federal minister of food and agriculture, Julia Klöckner.
Cocoa companies, NGOs and Fairtrade issue joint statement for human rights and environmental due diligence requirements to be urgently imposed by European Union.
Barry Callebaut’s presence in Ghana’s cocoa sector is all consuming, like its presence in the chocolate industry, and it knows that with size comes responsibility. Ahead of the official publication of its worldwide sustainability program’s Forever Chocolate...
Sustainability is undoubtedly one of the hottest topics in APAC’s food and beverage industry, but it can be hard to distinguish between greenwashing and a genuine commitment best practice. That’s why in this edition of Asia’s Food Future: Industry 4.0,...
FMCG giants Nestlé and Mondelēz have responded to the environmental watchdog’s report that claims they purchased palm oil from producers linked to Indonesia’s fire crisis.
Smallholders account for almost 40% of global palm oil production, yet just a fraction is certified sustainable. The RSPO is looking to change this with a new sustainable palm oil standard for low acreage farmers.
The Australian confectionery sector has called for one of the recommended changes to the Health Star Rating (HSR) system - to remove the energy icon and make star labels compulsory – to be reconsidered, claiming this could lead to its products appearing...
The likes of Mondelēz, Nestlé and Unilever have joined a new scheme aiming to improve deforestation transparency. Just as well, as palm oil may be next to witness ‘the Attenborough effect’.
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...
Two countries say they ‘reaffirm commitment to eradicating child labor and deforestation in cocoa and will collaborate with all stakeholders to promote and sustain the cocoa industry,’ after meeting with execs at WCF Partnership Meeting in Berlin.
The company, one of the world's largest cocoa suppliers, commits to living incomes for farmers, a child labor-free supply chain and greater forest protection by 2030.
The EU has issued a powerful call to action for a responsible cocoa supply chain, saying there is a strong case for mandatory due diligence legislation to ensure human rights and environmental protection and support of voluntary corporate action that...
In light of the The Washington Post article this week that found ‘alarming’ problems with Utz’s auditing processes, a timely session at the WCF Partnership Meeting on blockchain looks at how it can help with supply chain certification – but is the industry...
ABB Distribution Solutions has redesigned its low-voltage switchgear to launch NeoGear across Europe in 2020, following trials in Switzerland and China.
On the eve of the World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting in Berlin, ConfectioneryNews caught up with Antonie Fountain, managing director of The VOICE Network, which describes itself as ‘a watchdog and catalyst for a reformed cocoa sector’, for a special...
Following our article on 14 October stating that Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire have announced that they are frustrated with the slow uptake from makers to pay a living income to its farmers, ethical Dutch chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely said it agrees with...
World Cocoa Foundation’s annual gathering kicks off in Berlin on Wednesday as The German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa (GISCO) says it is continuing to monitor progress after its meeting earlier this month in Cologne.
From December 2019, US law states states ‘non-synthetic flavors’ may be used when organic flavors are not commercially available, while new rules in EU on organic produce come into effect in January 2020.
The World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting in Germany, goes back to the roots of sustainability in the industry, says Alexander Ferguson, the WCF’s vice president for communications and membership.
Manufacturers in the carton industry are concerned that confusion remains over the compostability of cartons, MOSH (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons) and MOAH (Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons) and the SUP (Single-Use Plastics) directive on coated...
The Rainforest Alliance Network (RAN) has published a report alleging a raft of FMCG giants and secondary traders continue to use palm oil grown illegally in the Aceh region of Indonesia, in contravention of their own deforestation policies.