PRONATEC, an owner-run Swiss family company that maintains long-standing partnerships with cooperatives in the countries of origin, has been a pioneer in the global organic and Fairtrade movement for 45 years. In 2022, it opened its own impressive and...
Cote d’Ivoire’s cocoa regulator, Conseil du Café Cacao (CCC), has initiated a scheme to distribute electronic cards to cocoa farmers to help track beans from farms to their export ports and ensure the growers are paid a guaranteed price for their produce.
Tony’s Open Chain, an initiative by Tony’s Chocolonely that invites other chocolate manufacturers to ramp up sustainability efforts in their own supply chains, has announced it is partnering with chocolate processor Baronie & Cémoi.
Digital payments are increasingly accepted in cocoa-growing origins and after decades of farmer-level cash transactions, cocoa farmers in Brazil and Ecuador were the first in Barry Callebaut’s supply chain to go digital with payments.
In a statement, Fairtrade said: ‘Risk assessment and collaboration with farmers and workers are cornerstones of sustainable supply chains and essential for evolving due diligence requirements’.
Consumer Reports, the independent, non-profit member organisation that allegedly tested and discovered harmful levels of cadmium and other harmful heavy metals in some chocolate products, has urged the producers to commit by Valentine's Day to reduce...
Weakness in global cocoa demand weighed on cocoa prices, barchart.com reported, as modest losses at the end of last week were posted with NY cocoa falling to a 1-month low and London cocoa falling to a five-week low.
Chocolate and cocoa supplier Blommer has upped its sustainability strategy by announcing a new partnership with Satelligence, a world leader in geospatial sustainability.
After slow start to back-end loaded year, Barry Callebaut reported its sales volume was down -5.1% for the first three months to the end of November 2022 and issued a new lower three-year guidance for growth, citing a return to pre-COVID demand levels.
In December, the EU provisionally agreed on a new regulation to ensure that supply chains are free from processes and products that cause deforestation, in an already volatile period, will the new legislation place more pressure on sustainability in the...
Cargill’s commitment to cocoa sustainability stretches back to 2000, when it began offering seminars to cocoa farmers. Kate Clancy has been with Cargill and working in sustainability since 2011, taking up her recent position of Group Sustainability Director,...
Despite numerous government and industry pledges to reduce deforestation in Ghana, forest loss in the West African country remains high, claims Mighty Earth.
Dutch ethical brand Tony’s Chocolonely claims its unique sourcing model has substantially reduces child labour in its cocoa supply chain – and has called for other companies to up their game.
ConfectioneryNews looks back over another tumultuous and eventful 12 months and asks what our most popular stories tell us about the state of the industry.
'Cocoa used to be in a fruit on a tree. Through technology we make it in a cell mass in a bottle...'
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has issued a statement on the findings of a consumer report released in the United States that claims to have found dangerous amounts of heavy metals (lead and cadmium) in chocolate from popular brands including...
As ConfectioneryNews reported last month, the trend for single-origin cocoa ingredients has been growing for some time, as consumers with a sweet craving also look more closely at how and where their cocoa is sourced.
Chocolate and cocoa supplier Barry Callebaut Group says it welcomes the swift negotiation on the European Union’s (EU) Regulation on deforestation-free products aiming to minimize EU-driven deforestation and forest degradation, and reduce greenhouse gas...
Fairtrade has announced an update to its Cocoa Standard with a reinforced focus on human rights, the fight against deforestation, traceability, and living incomes across the sector.
The European Union has agreed a new law to prevent companies from selling cocoa and other commodities into the EU market that can be traced back to deforestation around the world.
‘No one is doing what they should be doing: Both industry and governments will need to significantly change their business as usual. Let us be very clear; not a single stakeholder group is currently doing what they should be doing to ensure farmers achieve...
Lovechock, the Dutch raw cacao company, has been acquired by Belgian family-owned company Pauwels Engineering NV, the two parties have announced in a statement.
Cote d’Ivoire’s cocoa farmers have confirmed that soil moisture on their lands should be sufficient to support the main crop over the next two months, despite the world’s top cocoa producer entering its dry season that lasts until March.
The Barry Callebaut Group has announced an expansion of its operations in India with the ground breaking of its third manufacturing facility in the country.
Why does the European Commission consider its proposed due diligence legislation – designed to curb deforestation and forest degradation in supply chains – the best proposal on the table, globally?
Recent flash flooding in West and Central Africa has hindered Cote d’Ivoire’s transportation of cocoa beans from the farms to the ports and could be the reason for the reduction of cocoa arrivals seen during the first few weeks of the main 2022-23 season...
A US federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit, with prejudice, against Mondelēz International that alleged the company misleadingly labelled its dark chocolate products as being made with cacao, instead of cocoa.
Kate Robberson, who plays with world folk group Ley Line, has launched her own chocolate brand, Joaihú, a direct-origin, bean-to-bar chocolate from the old-growth rainforest in Bahia, Brazil.
Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa-growing countries, have stepped up their pressure on the chocolate industry by threatening to punish companies visiting their farms to estimate harvests, which is a key factor in forecasting the price...
Tate & Lyle has expanded its sweeteners toolbox with ERYTESSE erythritol, which provides 70% of the sweetness of sucrose, a similar temporal profile, and zero calories.
Fresh data released by transparency initiative Trase reveals that cocoa farming swallowed 2.4 million ha of forest in Côte d’Ivoire between 2000 and 2019, an area almost the size of Rwanda. This represents 45% of the total deforestation and forest degradation...
Located in the heart of the country’s cocoa-growing region, the former yuca farm has been leading research not only into sustainable practices but also into developing two new types of cocoa bean varieties. ConfectioneryNews paid a visit recently to find...
Arguably, some of the best single-origin chocolate on Earth is produced in Madagascar, where the country’s ecosystem gives its cocoa unique flavours and aromas.
Europe’s main sweets and snacks tradeshow will promote a positive message for the industry when it convenes in Cologne after what will no doubt be a long hard winter for businesses.
The Cheerios and Shreddies maker has contributed CFH 100,000 ($101,647) to the Africa Food Prize to unearth the bold initiatives and technical innovations that will create a new era of food security and build great climate change resilience on the continent.
Analysts and traders are keeping a close eye on an ongoing strike by dock workers at San Pedro, one of Cote d’Ivoire’s two main ports, while ICE NY cocoa closed up +72 (+2.96%), and December ICE London cocoa closed up +9 (+0.44%).
Colombian Chocolate Manufacturer Luker Chocolate has announced it has acquired a majority stake in Slovakian Lyra Group in a deal that will strengthen Luker’s product capabilities and increase flexibility in logistics for European clients.
The European Union and its partners have announced they’re raising 450 million euros ($442 million) to support Cote d’Ivoire’s push to tackle child labour and deforestation linked to cocoa production, while also improving farmer pay.
Mondelēz International has announced net revenues grew 8.1% year-on-year in the third quarter this year, driven by stronger pricing and volume. The Chicago-headquartered company also raised its full-year results forecasts and announced more price hikes...
Barry Callebaut caught the market by surprise by rescheduling its Full-Year Results 2021-22 analysts and media call to Tuesday instead of today (Wednesday 2 November) after the figures were published early due to an ‘unforeseen event’. The world’s largest...
Mondelēz International has announced the next phase of its Cocoa Life programme will be backed by an additional $600 million - bringing its total investment to $1 billion by end of the decade.
The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) wrapped up a successful Partnership Meeting, despite the absence of the two main producer countries, with new commitments announced on making cocoa supply chains more sustainable and achieving more impact in helping farmers...
After almost 150 years of traditional chocolate craft, Barry Callebaut has announced a major breakthrough for the industry by redesigning the farming, fermentation, and roasting of the cocoa bean to create what it has called the ‘second generation of...
