With cocoa butter and palm oil production dogged by rising costs and environmental concerns, alternative fats and oils are filling the void. Here’s what manufacturers need to know
It sounds like science fiction, but one biotech start-up has begun to transform industrial emissions into confectionery ingredients such as cocoa butter. Here’s how
Rising costs of cocoa on the commodity markets could push up the cost of chocolate in the coming months, according to data from the consumer intelligence database NielsenIQ
Brother-sister duo Dr Maximilian and Dr Sara Marquart are working to ease the pressure on cocoa supply chains with an alternative developed via traditional and precision fermentation techniques. FoodNavigator catches up with one half of the ‘chocolate...
Bunge Loders Croklaan has launched its clean label and ‘healthier’ version of cocoa butter replacer for the confectionery industry, in an attempt to capitalise on demand for more healthy options in the Middle East.
A lawsuit filed in California claims the confectioner knowingly mislabels its ‘Premier White’ morsels, despite producing other Toll House chips that contain real chocolate.
The chocolate maker dedicated to building a slave-free supply chain dips into texture with Milk Chocolate Honey Almond and White Raspberry Popping Candy.
Swedish firm AarhusKarlshamm AB (AAK) has reported ‘record-high’ operating profit of SEK 471m ($58m) for Q4 2017, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year.
Chocolate samples using cocoa from Dominica, Hawaii, Martinique and Sierra Leone were among the 18 winners of the International Cocoa Awards 2017 and could offer strong prospects for premium chocolate companies, say the event organizers.
Barry Callebaut has expanded its protein product portfolio by launching its FortiPro brand, a chocolate coating that contains 15% to 20% protein per serving.
Barry Callebaut has outpaced the overall global chocolate market in its full-year results as long-serving chairman Andreas Jacobs announces plans to step down.
Scientists at the University of Leuven discovered that ultrasonic waves can be used to detect differences in the crystallization of cocoa butter, resulting in a faster and more cost-effective process for checking the quality of chocolate.
Barry Callebaut has posted increased volumes and revenue in the first quarter of financial year 2015/16 despite declines in the global chocolate confectionery market.
Retailers are improving the quality of their own label white chocolate brands to keep pace with growing sales of premium dark chocolate, says Italian brand and contract manufacturer ICAM.
A Nestlé-supported study has examined the causes of chocolate fat blooming, a process when white defects appear on the surface of chocolate because of fat crystallization – a serious problem for the global confectionery industry.
Weak fourth quarter cocoa grinds in developed markets suggest that consumers have reacted negatively to wholesale chocolate price hikes from the major brands, according to an analyst.
Mango butter can be added to chocolate as a water-in-oil emulsion type gel, which will reduce the brittleness and improve the mouthfeel of the finished product.
International Chocolate Award winner Chocolat Madagascar
International Chocolate Award winner Chocolaterie Robert says that fine chocolates, like fine wine, should process the main commodity freshly and at origin.
Special Edition: Cutting calories in confectionery
Chocolate makers must completely replace sugar and reduce fat content to a legal minimum to be able to make a ‘light in calories’ claim in the EU, according to Barry Callebaut.
Cargill joins Barry Callebaut as the joint industrial chocolate powerhouse after its acquisition of ADM’s chocolate operations, but the move is risky in the volatile cocoa economy, says an analyst.
Lead levels in candy, chocolate and cocoa powder are too low to be considered a health concern, according to tests by Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA).
Manufacturers can increase the price of chocolate without fear of putting off consumers thus ensuring cocoa farmers are fairly paid, according to executive director of the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO).
The rising North American cocoa grind is a positive sign for the chocolate industry, but many consumers are not prepared to pay higher prices planned by some leading confectioners, according to an analyst.
Special Edition: The possibilities of chocolate with reduced cocoa butter
Previously reluctant chocolate manufacturers are more attracted to partly replacing cocoa butter with emulsifiers to obtain cost-savings and improve molding processes, according to supplier Palsgaard.
Special Edition: The possibilities of chocolate with reduced cocoa butter
Shea and palm oil derivatives may lead the way as the most common sources of cocoa butter alternatives for use in chocolate, but researchers are discovering novel forms ranging from mango seed to camel hump fat.
Special Edition: The possibilities of chocolate with reduced cocoa butter
Chocolate purists may turn to alternative vegetable fats amid escalating cocoa butter prices, but taste and regulatory stumbling blocks remain, according to an analyst.
French smart phone app Noteo allows consumers to scan bar codes of chocolate bars and candy in store to assess their social, environmental and health credentials.
Lindt & Sprüngli has announced plans to double the size of its US headquarters to meet growing consumer demand in the US premium chocolate market, which it says is its biggest and carries the most potential.
Not quite the choc-pocalypse, but retail prices for chocolate are expected to rise in the face of cocoa price hikes, which could see the taste, shape and size of chocolate change significantly in the year ahead.
A cocoa butter replacer derived from mango seed fat and palm stearin could help chocolate withstand high temperatures and may benefit manufacturers in tropical countries, according to a study.
