Ingredients

Leaf Brands relaunches Wacky Wafers due to demand

02-Jan-2018 By Jenny Eagle

After six years of waiting, Leaf Brands has relaunched its Wacky Wafers thanks to demand for the nostalgic candy.

Consumers continue their seismic shift towards healthier foods with cleaner labels

22-Dec-2017 By Greg Wank

'In May of 2016, Hormel Foods bought Justin’s and the CEO says the deal further balances Hormel's portfolio towards health conscious consumers.

Barry Callebaut uses coconut sugar to revive organic chocolate sales

21-Dec-2017 By Douglas Yu

Barry Callebaut has launched a 65% dark chocolate under its gourmet and organic chocolate brand, Van Leer, using coconut sugar.

Mini-documentary

Fair game: How effective is cocoa certification?

20-Dec-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Sourcing to fair trade standards, such as UTZ, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade, is an important first step for chocolate makers towards cocoa sustainability, but will not necessarily bring farmers out of extreme poverty, say supply chain actors.

Climate change may impact cocoa bean quality as well as yield, says study

14-Dec-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Changes in temperature and rainfall are likely to impact cocoa bean quality, not just yields, according to research.

Good chocolate not ‘strong’ marijuana flavor wins edible cannabis consumers, says Nutritional High’s owner

14-Dec-2017 By Douglas Yu

Nutritional High’s owner David Posner said most edible cannabis chocolate eaters favor ‘great tasting chocolate' over 'strong marijuana flavor.’

Cocoa sustainability

Forever Chocolate update: Barry Callebaut reaches 36% sustainable cocoa supply

13-Dec-2017 By Douglas Yu

Barry Callebaut says it sourced 36% of its cocoa beans sustainably in 2016/2017, up from 23% the previous year.

Aldomak talks about Middle East tastes after winning first overseas deal

12-Dec-2017 By Jenny Eagle

Aldomak, which makes fudge and macaroons and supplies supermarkets with a range of confectionery and oat-based products has won its first order from a retail chain in Abu Dhabi.

Barry Callebaut sweetens appeal of healthier chocolate with low-sugar range

12-Dec-2017 By Will Chu

Barry Callebaut has made available a range of low-sugar chocolate designed to promote an improved nutritional profile to confectionery that doesn’t compromise on taste.

Hershey on Ivorian factory rumors: ‘We do not process cocoa’

11-Dec-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Hershey says it is not in the business of processing cocoa, contrary to a Reuters report claiming it was considering a semi-processed cocoa facility in Côte d’Ivoire.

'It's a taboo'

Cémoi CEO: No sustainable cocoa sector until consumers pay more for chocolate

07-Dec-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Cocoa farmers will continue to receive a poor price for cocoa unless consumers pay more for their chocolate, says the CEO of Cémoi.

Brazilian free-from chocolate coming to the US

07-Dec-2017 By Douglas Yu

The US chocolate confectionery space will soon see a surge of Brazilian free-from products as the country has started exporting its better-for-you products using the nation’s well-known acai berry.

No added sodium: Olam Cocoa launches nib-alkalized black cocoa powder for bakers

05-Dec-2017 By Douglas Yu

Bakers using Olam Cocoa’s nib-alkalized black cocoa powder will significantly reduce sodium in their final products.

Organic lollipops grow into a herb or flower after they have been eaten

05-Dec-2017 By Jenny Eagle

Amborella Organics has created a range of organic lollipops that grow into a herb or flower after they have been eaten, by planting the biodegradable sticks into soil to simultaneously decompose and grow.

Sugar good and bad for cocoa flavanol rich chocolate, says researcher

04-Dec-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Sugar may help cocoa flavanols to be better absorbed in the digestive system, however this will provoke a spike in insulin, undoing its beneficial effect, speculates a researcher at Coventry University.

Katjes’s Magic Candy Factory 3D candy printers coming to Middle East theme park

04-Dec-2017 By Jenny Eagle

Katjes-owned, Magic Candy Factory will install multiple 3D candy printers at a theme park in the Middle East opening next year.

Chuao Chocolatier adopts Fair Trade USA logo on packaging

28-Nov-2017 By Douglas Yu

Chuao Chocolatier will swap the ‘Ethically Sourced Cacao’ logo on its packaging with Fair Trade USA logo within the next year.

FiE 2017

‘Protein of the Future’: ADM’s Nutriance makes its debut

28-Nov-2017 By Jenny Eagle

Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) has expanded its portfolio with Nutriance, wheat protein concentrates.

Alternative emulsifier: Bayn touts oat lecithin for sugar-reduced chocolate

23-Nov-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Swedish supplier Bayn Europe claims oat oil is an alternative, clean label emulsifier providing better yield stress in sugar-reduced chocolate than polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) and soy lecithin.

Startup Tracker

Hershey’s next acquisition bid? AlluLite Nutrition spearheads allulose-sweetened chocolate

22-Nov-2017 By Douglas Yu

Allulose-sweetened chocolate startup Allulite Nutrition debuted its products at the FNCE (Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo) show recently in Chicago, and it hopes to become a $1bn brand in the next few years for Hershey to acquire.

Jelly Belly brings sparkling wine candy to UK

20-Nov-2017 By Douglas Yu

Jelly Belly has introduced non-alcoholic sparkling wine jelly beans to the UK, which it claims are ideal for weddings and adult snacking.

Mint sustainability: Mars Wrigley boosts supply of 'critical ingredient'

17-Nov-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Mars Wrigley Confectionery says it has achieved income and yield increases for Indian mint farmers in the first year of a five-year sustainability program.

Twinkies launches peanut butter range in UK & Europe

15-Nov-2017 By Jenny Eagle

Twinkies has launched a Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor in the UK and Europe, partnering with Innovative Bites as its exclusive distributor.

James Cadbury sets £0.5m sales goal for Love Cocoa upon launching avocado chocolate bar

13-Nov-2017 By Douglas Yu

The great, great, great grandson of Cadbury’s founder, James Cadbury, has developed an avocado chocolate bar prior to this year’s holiday season for vegan consumers.

Creamelt 600 LS ‘breakthrough ingredient’ for confectionery fillings

13-Nov-2017 By Jenny Eagle

IOI Loders Croklaan says it has created a ‘breakthrough ingredient’ called Creamelt 600 LS, a non-hydrogenated low-saturated fat for confectionery fillings, which it will present at Fi Europe 2017.

Haribo investigates slavery in supply chain

03-Nov-2017 By Katy Askew

German confectionery group Haribo has launched an independent investigation into allegations of slave labour in its carnauba wax supply chain.

News in Brief

Kroger and Meijer stores recall dark chocolate due to undeclared milk allergen

03-Nov-2017 By Douglas Yu

Kroger and Meijer have recalled certain dark chocolate products sold in the Midwestern US due to an undeclared milk allergen.

NACS Show 2017

SmashMallow sets $25m sales target as business enters second year

27-Oct-2017 By Douglas Yu

Snacking marshmallow maker SmashMallow hopes to get more consumers to ‘dip their toes in the confections space’ as the company enters its second year.

Mamey an untapped exotic flavor for candy, says Aromatech

19-Oct-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Latin American fruit mamey is an underused tropical flavor for confectioners, says French flavor house Aromatech.

Daintree Estates taps 'world first' whole sugarcane sweetener to halve sugar in chocolate

12-Oct-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Australian firm Daintree Estates is using a sweetener combo derived from sugarcane for its new milk chocolate range Fyto that it claims can half total sugar content.

'Killer application' for our sugar reduction tech is chocolate: DouxMatok

10-Oct-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Chocolate makers will be the main customers of a technology that enhances the sweetness of sugar allowing manufacturers to use up to 30% less, says supplier DouxMatok.

The specials: ConfectioneryNews’ 2018 editorial calendar

09-Oct-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Functional confectionery, enviro-friendly packaging and trending flavors are among ConfectioneryNews special edition newsletters planned for 2018.

HI Japan 2017

‘Smart ageing’: Why yogurt, chocolate and supplements are ripe for product innovation in Japan — DuPont

05-Oct-2017 By Gary Scattergood

DuPont in Japan says it is striving to spur innovation in the supplement and functional food space for the ageing population by launching 11 ‘smart ageing’ concepts at this week’s HI Japan show.

The final cut: What can the chocolate industry really do to halt cocoa deforestation?

27-Sep-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Traceability from farm to first purchase, common definitions of protected areas and paying farmers a living income are three ways stakeholders say can help end cocoa-driven deforestation in West Africa, which is threatening endangered species.

‘Join our club’: Campden BRI seeks partners to tackle chocolate fat bloom and sugar reduction

25-Sep-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

UK research firm Campden BRI is inviting companies to join research efforts focused on sugar and fat reduction and fat bloom in chocolate.

Bayn Europe creates sugar replacer for no-added sugar chocolate for Chinese market

25-Sep-2017 By Jenny Eagle

Bayn Europe, which creates formulations for sugar reduction, has created a sugar replacement for chocolate, for the Chinese market.

Nestlé, Hershey, Mars’ shift to clean snacking fuels US candy market rebound: Packaged Facts

25-Sep-2017 By Douglas Yu

Packaged Facts predicts major candy makers’ efforts to satisfy clean-snacking consumers will help the US confectionery market rebound after slightly sluggish sales in 2016.

Editor’s Blog

Ruby chocolate: New gem in confectionery crown or pink misfit?

15-Sep-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Ruby chocolate may become as popular as white chocolate within three decades, but observers say the craft movement is skeptical and secrecy of the process may mean it is unjustly associated with GM.

M&A

Newly merged Orchard Valley Foods Group to tap rising confectionery decorations demand

13-Sep-2017 By Douglas Yu

The newly formed Orchard Valley Foods Group says the confectionery decorations market continues to offer “significant growth opportunities.”

Nigeria needs export tariffs to realize cocoa potential, says PwC

13-Sep-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Nigeria is the world’s sixth largest cocoa producer, but has scope to significantly boost its output and processing capacity, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

M&A

Gertrude Hawk Ingredients to play ‘cornerstone role’ in Barry Callebaut's specialty business

08-Sep-2017 By Douglas Yu

Barry Callebaut says the acquisition of Gertrude Hawk Chocolates’ ingredients unit could strengthen its specialties and decorations business in North America.

Euromonitor: 20 most influential megatrends to shape the world by 2030

07-Sep-2017 By Jenny Eagle

Euromonitor International has identified 20 of the most influential megatrends to shape the world by 2030 with analysis on eight megatrends with the furthest-reaching impact on industries and consumers in the years to come.

Dispatches from Shanghai

Ruby chocolate a fourth category 'naturally colored' from cocoa, says Barry Callebaut CEO

06-Sep-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Barry Callebaut claims it has created the fourth category of chocolate, adding to milk, dark and white.

Enhanced tanning and hangover cures: Global functional gum market to pass $9bn by 2022

04-Sep-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Global functional chewing gum sales are poised for a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of +4.7% from 2016 to 2022, says Arizton Advisory & Intelligence.