UK chocolate brands have indulged in a British-homage in the run up to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on June 2 and consumer spending will be up, driving the usual post-Easter sales dip, an industry analyst said.
Demand for more ‘personalised’ chocolate aimed at individuals is a major trend confectionery manufacturers should tap into in the near future, according to Datamonitor.
Lindt’s chocolate rabbit is devoid of any distinctive character, according to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) which has ruled that the firm’s 3D-bunny-sign cannot be registered as a trademark in the EU.
Dark chocolate and cocoa ingredients do not improve motor function for those with Parkinson’s disease despite increased consumption among those with the disease, according to a study.
Confectioners face big rewards by tapping into market potential in Mexico, but will face “oblivion” if they fail to address growing health concerns, according to an analyst.
Kraft Foods is off to a solid start to 2012 in its first quarter (Q1) results driven by sales growth in global biscuits and chocolate and strong performance in emerging markets.
Chocolate manufacturers will face a serious cocoa supply shortage unless they work to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and allow them to invest in sustainable production, according to an academic.
Hershey, Nestle, Mars and Cadbury have been hit with a new antitrust lawsuit that alleges the companies conspired together to fix chocolate prices in the US between 2002 and 2008.
The Tsudis chocolate company has been cited for 16 workplace safety violations by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after a worker’s head got stuck in a machine.
A combination of sensory and analytical flavour analysis that is hardly commercially available can optimise the taste of chocolate, according to a flavour consultant.
People who consume chocolate frequently may have lower body mass index (BMI) values, suggests ‘intriguing’ data from the University of California, San Diego.
Israel’s antitrust authority has received a complaint alleging that the country’s number two food manufacturer The Strauss Group is exploiting its monopoly on the domestic chocolate market by overcharging consumers.
UK retailer Morrisons has initiated a recall of its own-brand Whole Nut Milk Chocolate over fears that it may be contaminated with small pieces of metal.
Packaging firm MeadWestvaco (MWV) has gained sensory analysis approval for its Crescendo paperboard meaning it can now be used to package chocolate and confectionery products.
Cargill has announced plans to invest €20m in two cocoa and chocolate production facilities in Germany as it looks to boost its presence domestically and in Eastern Europe.
Ethically responsible companies catering to health-conscious consumers with clean-label premium products are likeliest to win, according to a market analyst.
The flavonoid epicatechin that is present in dark chocolate could be used to treat human diseases, but studies to date have been too small and longer controlled tests are required, according to a study.
A US Federal judge has accepted Cadbury’s $1.3m (€995,863) offer to settle in class action lawsuit over its alleged part in a suspected chocolate price fixing scandal also involving Nestle, Hershey and Mars.
Any growth in the mature Belgian confectionery market lies in fair trade chocolate and chewing gum, according to an analyst at Leatherhead Food Research.
The European Commission has proposed higher maximum cadmium levels for dark chocolate as more of the heavy metal is found in chocolate with high cocoa content.
The second largest player on the Romanian chocolate market Kandia Dulce has acquired former competitor Supreme Chocolat, the third largest player, which could put pressure on market leader Kraft, according to an analyst.
The chocolate market in China is growing at faster rates than other confectionery in the country as heightened consumer wealth helps stir evolution from sugar confectionery, according to an analyst at Euromonitor.
Bosch Packaging Technology has launched what it says is the first machine capable of hermetically sealed single-wrap die fold packaging for small to medium sized chocolate bars.
Arla Foods Ingredients has announced that a dairy bulking agent for chocolate and bakery formulation that it said offers cost savings on sweet whey powder (SWP) is set for global roll-out in 2012.
Welsh premium chocolate factory Pemberton’s has had a reprieve from closure, after two potential buyers have expressed interest in acquiring the business.
Dark chocolate does not 'give you a workout', the UK National Health Service (NHS) has insisted, as it reacted to 'misleading newspaper headlines" that suggested such effects in light of a small-scale study of 25 mice.
Belgian chocolate firm Cavalier has confirmed that it is planning to launch the UK's first chocolate range containing stevia from January next year, while other launches across the EU will also follow initial listings in Belgium from November.
A Cambridge University-led systematic review published today in the British Medical Journal has concluded that polyphenol-rich chocolate consumption can reduce the risk of heart disease by a third.
Consuming polyphenol-rich dark chocolate or cocoa products may reduce total and LD cholesterol levels, but has no effect on HDL levels, according to a meta-analysis of 10 clinical trials.
Kraft, in its second quarter results, reports continuing challenges ahead for its gum and candy division in developed markets, and claims the Cadbury takeover is a fundamental earnings driver, with its global chocolate earnings up 9 per cent.
Recalls of chocolate products could be significantly lower if there was more rigorous traceability in the chocolate supply chain and if brand owners adopted processing techniques that relied on reduced batch dispersion, find a new study.
