Trends

Join our free-to-attend Healthy Snacking in 2023 webinar to find out what is shaping our snacking behaviour in 2023. Pic: GettyImages

Has indulgence taken a backseat to healthy snacking?

By Gill Hyslop

#healthandwellness, #better-for-you and #better-for-all – that is both people and the planet – have become familiar trigger words in the bakery and snacks sectors. But what is behind the consumer preference towards more natural, more nutritious, function...

Pic: GettyImages

Maple adds the sweet spot to bakery

By Gill Hyslop

The New England supplier of 100% pure and organic maple syrup and maple sugar recently highlighted how its maple products can help bakers tick consumer boxes: sustainability, plant-based/vegan, clean label, sugar alternative, organic and a good source...

Christine McGrath announced as new WCF chair. Pic: Mondelēz International

Appointments

Christine McGrath takes over from Boone as new WCF Chair

By Anthony Myers

The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) has announced Christine McGrath, SVP and Chief Impact & Sustainability Officer at Mondelēz International, as its new chair, along with two new board officers.

Pic: NOMO

Plant-based special

NOMO unleashes vegan cookie dough bar

By Anthony Myers

Vegan & free from chocolate brand NOMO has launched its ‘biggest chocolate bar yet’ with the arrival of the chunky Cookie Dough block.

Pic: H!P

Plant-based special

H!P Chocolate launches Crunchy Orange Bar

By Anthony Myers

Plant-powered confectionery brand H!P has released its latest offering - a Crunchy Orange bar - that ticks all the boxes for conscious consumers … smooth, creamy oat m!lk chocolate combined with zesty orange and crunchy waffle cone pieces.

Pic: GettyImages

Plant-based special

What next for plant-based confectionery?

By Anthony Myers

With new inventions and innovations coming thick and fast, the plant-based confectionery category is increasingly shifting into the mainstream market with big brands like Mars entering the space in the past couple of years.

GettyImages/ChayTee

Plant-based sector braces for ‘a rough’ 24 months

By Oliver Morrison

The plant-based sector remains an enormous long-term growth opportunity, though investor retrenchment will continue in the short term, investors told the recent Plant-Based Protein Manufacturing Summit in Amsterdam.

Naturally occurring sugars and 'free' sugars have a profoundly different effect on health. Source: Julia_Sudnitskaya/Getty Images

The difference between natural and ‘free’ sugars

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

We all know that eating fruit is better for us than eating doughnuts. One is essential to keep us healthy, the other, perhaps, nearly essential to avoid. However, both doughnuts and most fruits are high in sugar, an ingredient widely considered to lead...

 7th Heaven Chocolate's new vegan range is available in the US. Pic: 7th Heaven

NPD

Israeli vegan chocolate brand 7th Heaven launches in US

By Anthony Myers

Israel’s premier vegan chocolate brand, 7th Heaven Chocolate, has launched in the United States after two years of research & development on a formula that delivers the same creaminess as milk chocolate.

Plant-based is a rapidly growing market. Source: ChayTee/Getty Images

‘What is naturalness?’ The future of plant-based food

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Plant-based is one of the most important trends in the food industry today. Meat- and dairy-free products are helping provide food alternatives to an ever-growing flexitarian market. But some questions still remain. For one, since many plant-based foods...

Searches for vegan chocolate dropped in the past year, according to Ashbury

News

Demand for vegan chocolate drops this easter

By Gwen Ridler

The demand for vegan chocolate has dropped by almost a quarter (23%) year-on-year this Easter, according to research by food label consultant Ashbury.

UK shoppers can expect more new treats this Easter Pic: Getty Images

Easter 2023

Easter sees UK leading the world in chocolate innovation

By Anthony Myers

From chocolate bunnies to candy chicks, this year is set to be a bumper year for Easter treats according to new UK research from Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), which claims launches of new seasonal Easter chocolate products have increased...

Belcolade's new plant-based white macaron. Pic: Belcolade

Free-from

Belcolade launches ‘first of a kind’ plant-based white couverture

By Anthony Myers

Belcolade’s Selection W. Plant-Based Cacao-Trace offers chocolatiers, pâtissiers and other professional chocolate users more choice as it further expands the company’s plant-based portfolio, following the recent launch of its widely acclaimed milk-alike...

Pic: GettyImages

Sustainabilty

New ‘Scorecard’ questions chocolate companies’ sustainability efforts

By Anthony Myers

While many companies claim ‘100% sustainably sourced cocoa’ on their chocolate bars, these sustainability claims cannot be ‘ necessarily’ trusted,' according to the latest ‘Chocolate Scorecard’ that has analysed companies selling chocolate around...

And the winner is ... Crash!. Pic: Cadbury

Seasonal

Crash the cat wins this year’s coveted Cadbury Bunny ears accolade

By Anthony Myers

After receiving an impressive number of votes from animal lovers across the country, Crash the Cat from Boise, Idaho, has been crowned the winner of Hershey’s fifth-annual Cadbury Bunny Tryouts, 'Rescue Pets Edition', the company has announced.

Love Cocoa's 2023 Easter collection. Pic: Love Cocoa

Seasonal

Love Cocoa extends eco-friendly egg collection

By Anthony Myers

Luxury sustainable chocolate brand Love Cocoa is adding to its Easter portfolio this year with two delightful, marbled eggs, while the rest of the range has had a seasonal makeover.

Lindt wants to make Easter more memorable with its ‘Hoppiness’ campaign and much-loved Gold Bunny. Pic: Lindt

Seasonal

Chocolate gives a lift to all ages, new survey reveals

By Anthony Myers

A new UK nationwide study by Lindt, to mark the beginning of Spring, has revealed the list of everyday things that give Brits a lift, with a good night’s sleep (51%), a walk on a sunny morning (48%) and a hug (47%) appearing top of the list.