The Rainforest Alliance Annual Report has called for a new strategic direction to address interconnected global crises as the organisation sets out its new vision for accelerating action to address the climate emergency, biodiversity loss, systemic poverty,...
Nestlé is driving a fresh incentive to protect the Cavally Forest, which lies adjacent to cocoa production areas in western Cote d'Ivoire, and is one of the last remaining dense forests and a primary biodiversity spot threatened by deforestation.
In June 2022, PRONATEC opened the first organic cocoa processing facility in Switzerland, located in Beringen, near the company’s headquarters in Winterthur. A year on, ConfectioneryNews caught up with MD/CEO David Yersin to find out how the new plant...
While food security, health and sustainability continue to shape the food landscape, consumers are still demanding a sensory experience, which means there is a growing need for expanded protein choices that can be incorporated into bakery and snacks....
Organisers of the Cacao of Excellence Awards Ceremony have announced the event will take place on 8 February 2024 as part of the CHOCOA Trade Show, Chocolate Makers’ Forum, Conference and Chocolate Festival during Amsterdam Cocoa Week, uniting the world’s...
Highlighting steps taken during the 2021-22 financial year, the Group has released its 14th Sustainability Report announcing it is on track to meet its key sustainability objectives and targets centred around four key pillars: protecting the environment,...
In the rugged landscapes of rural Colombia, where conflict and adversity have cast a shadow for over 50 years, an unlikely hero has emerged: cocoa. Beyond its delectable taste and aroma, cocoa is proving to be a powerful force for driving peace and prosperity...
The global provider of sustainable agricultural solutions has published its annual progress report under the Cocoa Forest Initiative (CFI), claiming it has exceeded all targets across each reporting category.
Few ecosystems are as important as rainforests, but with scientists claiming we are close to a tipping point and that a massive process of forest restoration is needed to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2030, ConfectioneryNews spoke with Kerry Daroci,...
Swiss-based Jacobs Foundation, along with the Colombian Ministry of Education and Fundación Empresarios por la Educación, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to contribute to the improvement of the holistic learning outcomes of children in Colombia...
Following a successful year of rapid growth and strong progress on sustainability, Tony’s Chocolonely has raised an additional €20m of capital from its existing shareholders to accelerate the delivery of its mission, the Dutch ethical brand has announced.
It is not every day that you get to plant your own sustainable cocoa tree, but I was allowed the honour by the team at Compañía Nacional de Chocolates on a visit to its Guacamayas Farm in Urabá, Antioquia, in Colombia, to see the work underway to boost...
Fairtrade has launched a new programme to support its certified Ivorian and Ghanaian cocoa cooperatives to strengthen prevention and remediation of child labour and forced labour.
WNWN Food Labs is rethinking chocolate, without cocoa. FoodNavigator visits the start-up’s R&D lab to see how its dark and ‘milk’ chocolate alternatives are made.
Ethical Dutch brand Tony’s Chocolonely has announced the inclusion of two UK brands as ‘Mission Allies’ in its sustainable supply chain, which has been established to address issues such as child labour and farmer poverty in the cocoa sector.
Nestlé has announced that it will partner with Yield Lab Latam, a Latin American venture capital fund, to work on sustainable packaging and regenerative farming. Yield Lab Latam provides funding to agri-food companies across Latin America, connecting...
I have spent close to 30 years working on the ground in West Africa alongside rural communities, including cocoa-growing communities. In that time, I have learned a lot about why deforestation happens in the first place and the most effective ways we...
Colombian B2B sustainable chocolate brand Cordillera Chocolates is launching a long-term strategy to develop the roles of female cocoa growers with a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship and leadership.
Tony’s Chocolonely has announced it has implemented a new legal ‘golden share’ mechanism to indefinitely protect its mission of producing ‘slave free chocolate’ – regardless of shareholder structure.
From 100% sustainably sourced palm oil to slashing food waste internally by 25% to upping the diversity mix across its executive leadership, the Oreo maker is on track with its mission to lead the future of more sustainable snacking.
On 1 October 2023, the UK will ban single-use plastics, with the guidance having been released on 23 May. The EU have also released wide-ranging guidance on plastics.
As an experiment, I turned to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT* to obtain an outside eye on the current state of the cocoa industry. I was curious to know if a computer algorithm could come up with credible answers to the main issues that...
Affordability is a growing concern among consumers, according to data released by the EY Future Consumer Index, with the cost-of-living crisis meaning that many are forced to be more careful with what they buy. When compared to previous surveys, the data...
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...
Charity calls for ‘Big Chocolate’ to pay more to Ghana’s cocoa farmers after it revealed that their net incomes have fallen on average by 16% since 2020, with women’s incomes falling by nearly 22%.
Among other ambitious targets, a goal of the TSIRO Alliance in Madagascar is to 'conserve biodiverse ecosystems'. It’s a tall order, but one that the programme is uniquely designed to meet.
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.
Nestlé officially inaugurated its Lausanne, Switzerland-based research institute, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, to improve agricultural sustainability throughout its supply chain.
Barry Callebaut Group has announced significant changes to its Forever Chocolate sustainability programme adding additional targets and sharpening existing ones as it looks to make sustainable chocolate the norm beyond 2025.
The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) has announced the reappointment of Michel Arrion as Executive Director for a period of 5 years until 30 September 2028.
The taste and texture of meat and dairy analogues have come a long way. But according to alternative protein experts, ‘there is still room for improvement’. How will the next generation of innovators win over consumers, and what hurdles will they need...
ConfectioneryNews was invited by Barry Callebaut, the world’s largest cocoa supplier and chocolate manufacturer with a significant operational presence in Cote d’Ivoire, to report on how the country is adapting to new challenges in its supply chain.
As the agriculture industry continues its mission of feeding the world's growing population amid climate change, the entire supply chain is coming together to boost regenerative farming practices, creating an opportunity for the plant-based foods...
Hershey has become the latest chocolate company to support increased incomes for cocoa farming households in Cote d’Ivoire with the launch of its Income Accelerator programme that will facilitate the provision of cash transfers (CTs) and investments in...
The new $500 million Sustainability Bond offering will help Mars fund projects that contribute to a more sustainable future, and represents another milestone in the company’s journey to meeting its science-based targets set as part of Mars’ Sustainable...
In the week that the European Parliament adopted a new law to fight global deforestation and ahead of Earth Day (22 April), Satelligence has announced results of a collaboration with Swedish sustainable ingredients supplier AAK on helping it verify its...
The European Parliament has formally adopted a new law to fight global deforestation with cocoa, coffee, palm-oil, soya, wood, rubber, charcoal printed paper products and cattle covered by the new rules, which obliges companies to ensure products sold...
Ethical chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely has announced a partnership with the UK’s Glastonbury music festival to release limited-edition bars that will raise money for poverty-fighting charity Oxfam.
Through a suite of virtual and augmented reality activations launched this week, KIND Snacks is breaking down for mainstream Americans the complicated concept of regenerative agriculture and the real-world environmental impact of its latest sustainability...
As reported in CN earlier this month, Amsterdam’s Chocoa Conference will now take place from 7 to 11 February 2024 in cooperation with the World Cocoa Foundation’s Partnership Meeting, which will run from 6 to 7 February in the same venue (Beurs van Berlage)...
Premium sustainability chocolate brand MIA (Made in Africa) has carved out a unique reputation for itself since launching several years ago in Madagascar, crafting bean-to-bar products in cocoa-growing communities.
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...
The Cocoa Coalition, a multi-stakeholder initiative set up to prevent and address child labour and forced labour in the cocoa sector, has released a new position paper supporting the objectives of the proposed EU Regulation on Prohibiting Products Made...
The West African country is the world’s largest cocoa grower, but sustainability problems persist despite numerous government and industry interventions, as highlighted by two recent reports.
In news over-shadowed by the shock resignation of CEO Peter Boone, Barry Callebaut announced sales volumes in the six months ending 28 February fell 2.9% to 1.13 million tonnes and has lowered its sales volume guidance as inflationary pressures continue...
The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) has announced its next Partnership Meeting will take place in Amsterdam at the Beurs van Berlage (Old Stock Exchange) from 6 to 7 February 2024, immediately followed by the CHOCOA conference, which will take place in the...
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...
Délifrance has unveiled the next chapter of its ‘Prove It’ series, this time taking a deep dive into sustainability trends and whether the UK bakery sector is moving the needle in the right direction.
