Belgian firm Cosucra Groupe Warcoing is exiting the sugar beet
processing business to concentrate entirely on added value
ingredients for health foods, it announced this week.
The EU has asked the Ivory Coast, to abolish a law that requires
all cocoa beans to be exported in jute bags. This would mean cocoa
could only be exported in 60 kg or 65 kg bags rather than in bulk.
US chewing gum giant Wrigley believes that it must diversify and
expand its product range to compete with the likes of Cadbury in
the European confectionery market.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (GCB) has secured a US$650 million loan to
purchase cocoa for the 2003/2004 cocoa season. The
facility,repayable within a year, was arranged by four leading
banks.
Elite, Israel's leading confectionery group, has been accused of
offering discounts and bonuses to retailers prepared to stock only
its products to block the entry of Cadbury into the Israeli market.
Imminent reforms to the EU sugar regime could slice millions off
the sugar profits for Associated British Foods (ABF), the owner of
British Sugar, and Danisco.
The UK's FSA has published guidance notes to accompany the new
cocoa and chocolate product regulations in an effort to achieve a
'more consistent application and enforcement of the regulations'.
