Ingredients

Startup Tracker

'Sweetener of the future': Adam’s Fresh Chocolate spearheads yacón use in chocolate

13-Oct-2016 By Douglas Yu

Peruvian daisy yacón will be the natural sweetener of the future in the chocolate industry, according to British raw chocolate startup Adam’s Fresh Chocolate.

Expo East 2016

PUR enters bubblegum to seize on aspartame-free movement

12-Oct-2016 By Douglas Yu

Canadian aspartame-free gum and mint manufacturer, The PUR Company, has introduced two new gum flavors during the recent Expo East in Baltimore, MDi including a bubblegum SKU.

Cravings in Croatia: Probiotic firm launches prenatal choc supplements

11-Oct-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Croatian supplier of probiotic chocolates Milsing has added a prenatal product to its range of supplements, a move which follows investment from several big players in pregnancy probiotics.

Sugar market reforms could leave bitter taste, and now is the time to prepare

11-Oct-2016 By David Burrows

Food and drink companies expecting the sugar price to fall once quotas disappear might have a nasty shock, according to Rabobank’s latest forecasts.

'War on sugar’ fosters change for global candy industry: Euromonitor

11-Oct-2016 By Douglas Yu

The “war on sugar” has dented demand of sweet snacks as 47% of global consumers look for foods with limited or no added sugar, according to a recent survey by Euromonitor.

Barry Callebaut invests $18m in Singapore factory

07-Oct-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Barry Callebaut has expanded its chocolate factory in Singapore to meet growing demand for chocolate across Asia.

Candy karma: Eating chocolate ‘mindfully’ boosts mood, says NCA-backed study

05-Oct-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Eating a small amount of chocolate when in the Buddhist concentration state of mindfulness can increase positive mood, according to research by Gettysburg College.

Theo Chocolate warns confectionery industry to avoid ‘greenwashing’

05-Oct-2016 By Douglas Yu

Theo Chocolate says one of the greatest challenges it faces as a company committed to a responsible and transparent supply chain is “greenwashing” in the premium chocolate category.

Sambirano Valley Chocolat plans Madagascar cocoa plantation after opening tech center

04-Oct-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Startup couverture supplier Sambirano Valley Chocolat has opened a chocolate technology center in Canada and has plans for its own cocoa plantation in Madagascar.

Dragons' Den pick Raw Chocolate Co moves into private label

03-Oct-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

UK firm The Raw Chocolate Company is to move beyond branded goods to offer bulk chocolate and serve private-label customers.

Expo East 2016

Non-GMO Project verification moving to ingredient suppliers: FoodChain ID

29-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

Non-GMO verification is moving beyond branded goods as more ingredient suppliers look to become certified, says certification body FoodChain ID.

Steviva receives Safe Quality Food certification

26-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

Stevia supplier Steviva has received Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification at its new headquarters based in Portland.

CEO talk

Free2b Foods pulls off ‘difficult task’ of chocolate without dairy

23-Sep-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

US allergen-free candy firm Free2b Foods has appointed a General Mills veteran as its CEO as it goes dairy-free and expands into chocolate bars.

Expo East 2016

Expo East 2016 sneak peak: Some of the contenders for Best of East award

21-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

Forty-eight natural products are competing to be winner of the Best of East Awards at the Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore, Maryland this year.

NPD

Godiva taps single origin chocolate sector with G by Godiva

20-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

Pladis-owned Godiva Chocolatier has introduced a Mexican single origin range to its boutiques and select retail partners in North America.

Food affects almond skin polyphenol release: Study

19-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

Milk may significantly lower the release of polyphenols from almond skins during digestion, while consuming almond skins with food also has a significant effect on their release, according to a study.

APAC not a ‘universal market’: Asia’s multifaceted taste and texture preferences for chocolate

19-Sep-2016 By Oliver Nieburg & Patrick Young, insight director at Kadence International

Market research firm Kadence explores the varying chocolate likability factors in nations across Asia.

Barry Callebaut to acquire Côte D’Or factory from Mondelēz in Belgium

15-Sep-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Barry Callebaut plans to acquire a chocolate plant from Mondelēz International in Halle, Belgium, under an agreement to supply the Milka maker 30,000 metric tons of liquid chocolate annually.

Profit increase can drive sugar reduction: Bayn

15-Sep-2016 By Natalie Morrison

More profitable business models are needed for companies committed to healthier products, according to Bayn following the launch of its new Sugar Reduced Community.

Hershey partners with Chef’d to tap $2bn meal kit industry

15-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

Online meal kit company Chef’d has struck a deal to produce Hershey branded desserts as the US chocolate leader expands into flourishing US meal kit market.

Baron Chocolatier aims to rengage Millennials with US premium chocolate offer

15-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

Premium chocolate brand Baron Chocolatier has launched a line of chocolate bars exclusively at Dollar General across the US, while separately it plans to expand in Mexico and the UK.

The 'ignored’ commodity: Confectioners face tough choice on sugar sustainability

13-Sep-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Sustainability in sugar has been side lined by the health debate, but the confectionery industry is a heavy user and must now decide whether it will support cane growers in the developing world, says Bonsucro.

Mondelēz backs 'boldly British' Trebor mints redesign with $1.6m ad campaign

13-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

Mondelēz has revamped its packaging for its added sugar free Trebor Mighties product in collaboration with design agency Bulletproof and plans an extensive advertising campaign.

Mondelēz plans sole US chocolate invasion with Milka Oreo and Green & Black's

12-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

Mondelēz plans to take its Milka Oreo brand to US chocolate market after its failed bid for Hershey and will expand its premium chocolate offerings with Green & Black’s.

Bon Bon Buddies sets multi-million target for Brain Blasterz brand

08-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

UK firm Bon Bon Buddies has expanded its sour confectionery range Brain Blasterz as it hopes to rake in $13m annual sales for the brand by 2020.

Part II: Bean to bar Nugali unveils chocolate coated bananas & cupuaçu plans

08-Sep-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Nugali co-founder Ivan Blumenschein discusses how packaging reflects product quality and he outlines the challenges of exporting from Brazil for the premium chocolatier.

PART I

Bean to bar Nugali to open visitor center and Greenhouse-filled mini rainforest

07-Sep-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Hot off the heels of winning silver at the International Chocolate Awards, Nugali is growing bigger and better with plans to open a visitor center next year, the launch of a Cupuaçu product and a Greenhouse-filled mini rainforest.

Industry Voices - top tips for startups from a master chocolatier

Bean to bar chocolate makers often stuck with cocoa ‘leftovers’

05-Sep-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

The bean to bar chocolate market is abound with below-par products as small companies are often left with cocoa unwanted by the major suppliers, says master chocolatier Frederic Loraschi.

Next generation twin sisters to take senior roles at Docile as exports grow

05-Sep-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Brazilian candy maker Docile reports export growth as the next generation of family members gear up to join the firm.

Editor's Blog

One for all: Cocoa sector can only be sustainable with strong and unified farmer voice

01-Sep-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Efforts are under way to bring cocoa farmers together under a single voice, but divisions still exist that hinder the chocolate industry’s push to a sustainable cocoa sector, writes ConfectioneryNews editor Oliver Nieburg.

Snack NPD August 2016: Good Thins’ new flavors, Burton’s Biscuit, Jack Link’s new jerky and strips

30-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

BakeryandSnacks presents a monthly round-up of product launches, relaunches and innovation that caught our eye in August.

CEO interview

Wolfgang Candy plans multi-million-dollar factory amid ‘substantial’ growth

26-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

Fourth generation family confectionery business Wolfgang Candy has purchased property in Loganville PA, with a view to establishing a candy manufacturing plant by November this year.

Michelsen Chocolate sources 100% Fairtrade cocoa

25-Aug-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Danish firm Sv. Michelsen Chocolate says it has become the first chocolate company in the country to source 100% Fairtrade cocoa.

Energy Bombs aims to create coffee alternative for US gum consumer

24-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

Energy Bombs chewing gum has rolled out its products at convenience stores across the US with a suggested retail price of $2.99 per 10-piece pack.

Confectionery faces voluntary sugar targets and calorie caps in the UK

18-Aug-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Voluntary sugar targets and calorie caps on confectionery and eight other categories are planned by the UK government in March 2017

Kiva releases cannabis chocolate bars despite difficulty imposed by state regulation

18-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

The increasing demand for consuming cannabis through confections has pushed the California-based Kiva to launch its first CBD chocolate bar line.

Inside scoop: Nestlé doubles its largest quality assurance center to fight for confectionery safety

18-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

Nestlé’s gives ConfectioneryNews a look inside its $31m expanded quality assurance center in Dublin, Ohio, where it is battling the emerging threat of foreign bodies in confections.

Higher cocoa chocolate may not mean more flavanols, say researchers

17-Aug-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

The most familiar quality parameter of chocolate – the cocoa solids percentage – has no correlation with flavanol levels, according to a study by the University of Reading.

EU Commission raises concerns over Dow DuPont merger

12-Aug-2016 By Jenny Eagle

The European Commission says it has opened an investigation to see if the proposed merger of Dow and DuPont is in line with the EU Merger Regulation.

Kroger hooks Mondelēz’s new Swedish Fish-flavored Oreos

12-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

Mondelēz has launched Swedish Fish-flavored Oreos, which combine Oreo chocolate wafers and Swedish Fish-flavored crème, exclusively at Kroger stores across the US.

Cocoa premiums perpetuate poverty and should be 30 times higher, says Cacao for Change

11-Aug-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Social venture Cacao for Change has written to Barack Obama and Ban Ki Moon calling for cocoa prices to triple.

Crowdfunding push to relaunch The San Francisco Chocolate Factory brand

11-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

A $10,000 crowdfunding push has been started in a bid to relaunch The San Francisco Chocolate Factory brand.

IFT 2016

Gelita taps clean label trend through promoting collagen protein

11-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

Gelita, one of the world’s largest animal-based protein companies, has showcased how neutral-tasting collagen peptides can be used for protein enrichment.

CCN-51: Cocoa’s shining light or a risky monocrop?

09-Aug-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Cocoa and chocolate stakeholders highlight the advantages and potential pitfalls of high-yielding cocoa variety CCN-51. What part should it play in the industry’s drive for sustainability?

India may allow vegetable fats in chocolate

08-Aug-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Vegetable fats such as palm oil may be permitted in chocolate up to 5% under draft regulation from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

Barry Callebaut gears up for India ‘premiumization’ with chocolate academy

05-Aug-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Barry Callebaut has opened a chocolate academy in Mumbai as it anticipates growth in India’s premium and gourmet chocolate segment.

Light up candy floss, thirst globes & 3D chocolate diamonds – 2020 confectionery trends

03-Aug-2016 By Jenny Eagle

The future of sweets disconnects with the past of sugar dependency, artificial colors, and flavors, according to food futurologist Dr Morgaine Gaye.

IFT 2016

Stomping out diabesity: Steviva touts natural sweetener for sugar-free chocolate

02-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

Steviva Ingredients has introduced a sugar replacer, Erysweet + Ultra stevia and erythritol blend, that it claims can solve sugar-free chocolate's tempering issues and deliver up to 99% sugar reduction.

NCA Sweet Insights 2016

Natural-positioned snacks driving growth in specialty channel, says Spins

02-Aug-2016 By Douglas Yu

Snack sales are growing more than twice as fast in the US ‘speciality gourmet’ retail channel than through mainstream stores, according to retail analysts Spins.