Imperial Sugar Company reported a net loss of $6.5m in the second quarter, compared to a net profit of $4.2m in the prior year period, while net sales were up 5.6%.
Singapore-based firm Petra Foods has forecast that sales in its cocoa ingredients division will decline after revenues fell in its first quarter (Q1) results provoked by cheaper cocoa bean prices.
Cacao pod husks – a major by-product of cocoa processing – could provide industry with a new, environmentally friendly source of pectin, say researchers.
Demand for cocoa is expected to climb 30% in the next 10 years creating a 25% shortage of current supply, according to North American cocoa processor and chocolate ingredients supplier Blommer Chocolate Company.
A division of the World Bank has acquired a stake in cocoa trader Armajaro Trading to support sustainable farming practices and improve traceability within its supply chains.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has expanded its partnership with the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) in a bid to boost cocoa production in developing countries and improve livelihoods for cocoa farmers.
Chocolate giant Hershey has announced plans to use GPS mapping for cocoa farms in Ghana to help farmers better manage their resources as labour groups continue to doubt the company’s commitments to eradicate the worst forms of cocoa child labour.
Archer Daniel Midland’s (ADM) oversaw strong performance in its cocoa segment despite a fall in profits for the whole group in its third quarter results.
New methods for measuring the stereochemical forms of flavanols in cocoa that could determine whether health benefits can be derived have moved a step closer, say Mars.
Finnish company Fazer has set a target to certify its entire cocoa supply by 2017 to ensure its cocoa comes from traceable sources and is free from the worst forms of child labour.
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.
Cargill has added a center of expertise to its cocoa processing facility in Wormer, the Netherlands and automated warehousing at the Port of Amsterdam following a €57m ($82m) investment.
Despite being related to a lower cardiovascular risk, cocoa intake does not necessarily improve arterial stiffness in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors, say researchers.
The EU resolution on child labour in the cocoa sector passed last week fails to implement legally binding measures on a confectionery industry that has been “dragging its feet”, according to the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF).
Attorneys for the Sugar Association and the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) went head to head at federal judge Consuelo Marshall's courtroom in Los Angeles at noon today as the dispute over the CRA’s right to describe high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)...
Barry Callebaut is investing €33.2 (CHF 40m) over the next 10 years in a cocoa sustainability initiative it hopes will boost farm productivity, increase quality and improve farmer livelihoods.
New insights into the distinct roles of roles of flavanols and procyanidins in the human body could provide a fundamental scientific basis for understanding their potential benefits for heart health, say Mars.
The European Parliament today gave its consent to the 2010 International Cocoa Agreement and passed a resolution on child labour in the cocoa sector in a move that will benefit manufacturers, according to industry bodies.
The development of foods that contain alternating levels of taste intensity in the mouth could lead to reductions in sugar and salt levels, while retaining the same perception as with the original foodstuffs, say researchers from Dutch research group...
Growth opportunities are being stymied in sectors such as the soft drinks industry due to uncertainty over sugar supply in the EU market, claims a leading UK trade body.
An increase in the price for iso-glucose, driven by strong sugar prices, has boosted results at Tate & Lyle, according to city analysts, following the firm’s latest trading update.
The chocolate and cocoa industry has backed an EU resolution to tackle child labour in cocoa production and warns children may still have produced cocoa that is 100% certified.
Mint confectionery products containing the sweetener stevia could appeal to EU consumers, but each country has its own preference, according to a consultant to Cargill
Consumption of cocoa and the compounds it contains offer significant and ‘consistent’ benefits to blood flow and blood pressure, says a new meta-analysis of 42 studies.
Cocoa and its extracts have the potential to rival the success of cranberries as healthful powerhouses, especially if a recently applied for European Union health claim is approved this year, says a leading consultant and author.
A committee of MEPs is calling on the European Commission (EC) to consider legislating against use of child labour in cocoa plantations that fuel the EU's demand for chocolate, while the world's largest food firm Nestle has outlined its measures...
Eating cocoa could help to prevent intestinal disease and complaints linked to oxidative stress, including colon cancer caused by chemical substances, suggests new research in rats.
Global sugar prices could rise following a shortage in Mexican production unless the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) allows additional imports, according to the Jenkins Sugar Group.
Cocoa giant, Barry Callebaut will become a first choice source of cocoa and chocolate for ice cream manufacturer Unilever under a new long-term global partnership.
Exceptional sales growth for sugar will fuel expansion at Associated British Foods (ABF), say food industry analysts, even if Q1 continued to highlight struggles for the food ingredients side of the business.
Favourable market trends and successful business strategies have driven strong profits in Agrana’s sugar and starch segments, creating 20.2% growth for the first three quarters of 2011|12, the CEO said.
Barry Callebaut has submitted an article 13.5 health claim dossier to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) linking cocoa flavanols and healthy blood flow.
World sugar prices are likely to stay high in 2012 due to external factors such as government policies, oil prices and instability in the Eurozone, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Pectin isolated from sugar beet could boost industry use of natural blue colours by improving the formation and stability of blue hues from anthocyanins, say researchers.
Ingredients firm ADM has launched range of mildly fruity cocoa powders; cocoa masses and chocolate that it has said can reduce bitterness in chocolate based products and appeal to more consumers.
Sugar prices for the coming year are forecast to fall by 12% as the market records a surplus for the first time in three years, according to financial service provider Rabobank.
A larger than expected supply of cocoa beans from West Africa will add to high buffer stocks and push cocoa prices down by 4%, according to financial service provider Rabobank.
Nestle has become the first food company to allow the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to investigate whether children are working on cocoa farms supplying its factories as the company said that it would almost certainly be the case.
The world’s leading cocoa manufacturer Barry Callebaut has entered a joint venture with Indonesian cocoa exporter P.T. Comextra Majora and has announced plans to build a €24m manufacturing facility.
Tetra Pak has launched an upgrade for its Tetra Albrix sugar dissolving unit that it has claimed lowers costs and reduces energy consumption on previous versions.
The European Commission has launched an in-depth investigation over the proposed acquisition of the world’s second largest sugar trader ED&F MAN by Europe’s largest sugar producer Südzucker as it fears it could impact competition in Central Europe...
