Equipment supplier Carle&Montanari-OPM has spotted a rise in the use of retail-ready packaging among confectionery firms in the US and claims picker cell robots allow great flexibility to pack pre-merchandized chocolate and candy.
The Hershey Company will make its single largest investment in Asia with a new factory in Malaysia, a country the firm says gives it a strong route to 25 markets in the region, including China.
Bosch Packaging Technology claims that flexibility is crucial for smaller businesses as it launches two new bagging machines at Pack Expo designed for smaller confectioners looking for quick and easy changeovers between products.
Sugar confectionery production volumes in Russia will soon outpace Germany as multinationals establish manufacturing bases in the growing region, according to Leatherhead Food Research.
There are far fewer confectionery manufacturers to speak to at trade fairs after huge industry consolidation, which has led to more automation, according to processing supplier Bainbridge Associations.
Start-up candy manufacturer, The Candy Makers, which produces a sugar-free range for WeightWatchers in Scandinavia, is due to sign a distribution deal with Canada.
Boxed chocolates, sugar-free candy and fair trade chocolate are likeliest to succeed in the increasingly premium Dutch confectionery market, according to an analyst at Leatherhead Food Research.
Indonesian sugar consumption is set to rise 12% this year and could benefit the country’s leading confectioner Petra Foods. On the flip side, multinationals may see it as a chance to grow market share.
Nestlé has recorded a drop in operating profit for its confectionery segment in the first half (H1) of 2013 mainly due to marketing spend around soccer events and intense competition.
New Jersey-based TerraCycle, which collects non-recyclable, or difficult-to-recycle, waste, has partnered with major corporation Mondelez International, which owns Cadbury, to launch a recycling waste campaign on the Asian market.
Young people living in urban areas of Russia are driving domestic chocolate consumption and are increasingly opting for premium foreign brands over nostalgic ones from the Soviet-era, say market analysts Leatherhead Food Research.
Scandinavian confectioner Cloetta has reported profit gains in the face of weak markets in Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands in the second quarter (Q2).
South Korea has one of the lowest birth rates in the world and confectioners must think about how they can cater to an increasingly aging population, according to Leatherhead Food Research.
Java Gum, one among many caffeine-added treats showed at this year’s Sweets and Snacks Expo, promises fresh breath and an energy boost—for adults only.
During Tuesday’s keynote address at the 2013 Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago, shopper marketing experts offered advice on engaging people to help ensure sales success.
Lawrence T. Graham, president of the National Confectioners Association (NCA) said sugar industry reform is needed to keep the American confectionery industry competitive.
At the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago, new confection and snack products on display reflect what flavors, ingredients and categories candy consumers are hungering for.
Scandinavian confectioner Cloetta has acquired UK firm Goody Good Stuff and its unique gelatin free technology to help it capitalise on what it calls a growing natural candy category.
The Paxiom Group has launched new candy weighers designed for low capacities that it claims could help small companies take their first steps towards automation.
Ingredients firm Mantrose-Haeuser has launched its Certicoat antisticking polish and glazing agent in Europe after success in the US and has also developed an organic variety.
Launches from Hershey, Mondelez and Nestlé were among the top 100 bestselling new food and drink items in 2012 having filled consumer needs for convenience, indulgence and functionality, according to Information Resources (IRIs) ‘New Product Pacesetters’...
Haribo has spotted an untapped opportunity for sugar confectionery in travel retail and has set up a new division dedicated to the channel to fill the void.
UK firm Fudge Kitchen believes it has spotted a gap in the market for premium fudge and has invested in a new production facility and product development to break out of the category’s image as a cheap gift.
Consumers think candy bars with green nutrition labels, such as those used by Mars, are healthier than ones with red or white labels containing the same calories, according to new research.
Chewing gums backed by approved health claims and with low price points are a rare growth opportunity in the mature Dutch confectionery market, according to market analysts Canadean.
Researchers have found that soy protein isolates are unable to control the release of antioxidants from grape juice in pectin-based confections such as gummies.
ConfectioneryNews takes a look at the latest confections to hit store shelves across the globe including stevia-sweetened Haribo in Germany, low calorie chocolates in Japan, and teeth friendly candy in the UK
SPECIAL EDITION - FLEXIBLE AND HIGH-SPEED CANDY MAKING
Robots are quicker and more agile than any human, never go sick and don’t take holidays. But these solid, nimble giants come with their own challenges.
SPECIAL EDITION - FLEXIBLE AND HIGH-SPEED CANDY MAKING
Enrobing is fast and arms manufacturers with the ability to create varied, decorative confections that appeal to the ever-demanding consumer, a leading industry consultant says.
Special Edition - Flexible and high-speed candy making
Confectionery packaging speeds are nearing their peak with better in-feed and downstream equipment, combined with advances in printing technology, according to the chairman of the NCA’s Supplier Advisory Committee.
Convenience stores and value supermarkets are the fastest growing channels for confectionery in the US as cash strapped consumers down-trade and stores expand, according to the National Confectioners Association (NCA) and market analysts Nielsen.
Speakers at the National Confectioner Associations’ State of the Industry conference are making big noises about creating in-store experiences to boost confectionery sales.
"...there will always be pocket money for sweets."
Spanish sugar confectioner Sanchez Cano will grow sales in export markets faster than its home market and will do so through innovation, according to its export manager.
Scandinavia’s largest confectioner Cloetta has reported a 20% fall in earnings for 2012 due to a weak Italian market, higher sugar prices and a "sugar tax" in Denmark.
Affordable gourmet confectionery is on the rise in the US, according to the National Confectioners Association (NCA) which has seen a hike in demand from exhibitors wanting to showcase products in the Gourmet Marketplace at the 16th Sweet & Snacks...
