In the first major announcement since Peter Feld took over the reins as chief executive officer from Peter Boone in April, the Group said it is to invest CHF 500 million ($563 million) over the next two years in core customer areas and in efficiency measures...
The world is currently fraught with uncertainties, ranging from economic and political instability to the ongoing threat of climate change and supply chain shortages. Along with the ever-present shadow of Covid-19, these factors are impacting people’s...
The Swiss-Ghanaian start-up Koa, whose aim is to transform the cocoa industry by upcycling parts of the cocoa fruit that are usually overlooked, has inaugurated Africa's largest cocoa fruit factory.
The rebranding includes a stylish new logo and strapline - ‘The Modern Chocolatier’ - and the business has also embraced a brighter, bolder colour palette across the range while maintaining its signature gold foiling detail.
CAOBISCO (the Association of Chocolate, Biscuit and Confectionery Industries of Europe) has appointed Alicia Bellon Moral as its new Sustainability Manager.
Transparency is a defining feature of the craft chocolate industry. However, with the need for benchmarks or regulations for this budding industry, entrepreneurs and stakeholders interpret and apply transparency differently, new research published in...
Bitzel’s Chocolate says it is offering a ‘Willy Wonka-Style Experience’ at its new 7,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, when it opens its doors in Suwanee, Georgia, USA, in the autumn.
Representatives from many of the major chocolate companies and cocoa suppliers are due to travel to Amsterdam at the end of October to take part in the Sustainable Commodities and Landscapes Forum.
A coalition of campaigners fighting to end environmental and human rights abuses in the cocoa sector has targeted coffee chain Starbucks to come clean on where it sources the ingredients for its chocolate products.
A new report shows that food environments, from promotional offers to the placement of food in shops, can influence consumers to make less healthy and less sustainable food choices.
Vegan chocolate brand Moo Free has announced a deal with leading packaging machinery manufacturer ULMA Packaging to produce more sustainable wrappers across its portfolio.
Packaging is the shop window for your brand, the primary interface through which food and beverage manufacturers interact with consumers. Packaging innovation, therefore, cannot be taken lightly. How are R&D teams leveraging packaging science to develop...
The Swiss company said it is tripling the amount invested in the last four years in its chocolate and biscuit operations in Brazil to 2.7bn reais ($550.8 million) for the next three years.
A new initiative to promote innovation in Colombia’s cocoa sector has been launched with grants and awards for projects that promote peace building and forest conversation.
As new research reveals that deforestation in the world’s largest cocoa-growing country could be far more worse than originally predicted, a White Paper published by Barry Callebaut looks how to tackle productivity on cocoa farms to end the cycle of unsustainable...
Confectionery giant Ferrero has released its latest annual Cocoa Charter Progress Report, claiming ‘significant progress in the company’s efforts to ‘source cocoa responsibly.’
Nestle has voiced support for the continued use of palm oil in the food and beverage sector amid intense debate surrounding the recently-enacted EU Deforestation Regulation, while also striving to guarantee its supply chain sustainability using advance...
Alternative dairy products, by their very nature, are more sustainable in one crucial aspect compared to dairy: they cut out the animal from the production process. However, there are other ways to maximise sustainability. How central should sustainability...
Nestlé has published a progress report on its Income Accelerator Program, launched at the beginning of 2022 in Cote d’Ivoire, to support cocoa farmers in Côte d'Ivoire and incentivise them into greater productivity.
The palm oil industry in Malaysia is calling for the European Union (EU) to provide more clarity over how it will define ‘high-risk’ countries under its recently-approved Deforestation Regulation, stressing that current scientific data has already demonstrated...
The Dutch impact company with a mission to make chocolate 100% ‘slave free’ has launched a munchable snack range that it claims ends exploitation in chocolate by ensuring cocoa farmers are paid fairly.
Sustainable chocolate brand GoodSAM Foods has announced a strong first half of 2023 with a record-breaking first and second quarter, driven by an expanded retail reach into US, and industry awards recognition, while exceeding fundraising goals and sales.
Despite high inflation, the majority of consumers are happy to pay more for products with a sustainable backstory. So there’s money to be made from environmental credentials, which makes falling into the greenwashing trap a bigger temptation than ever...
Olam food ingredients (ofi) has introduced two new circular biomass boilers at its cocoa processing factories in the Netherlands and Germany, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
"We're not just passively investing in promising sustainable food technology startups," said co-founder and general partner Jennifer Stojkovic in a press release. "Our team is fully committed to leveraging our expertise, powerful network,...
The importance to the cocoa sector of female farmers has been increasingly recognised in the past decade with the introduction of specific support for female-led Fairtrade cooperatives in West Africa, along with initiatives from other actors in different...
London-based sustainable chocolate brand Love Cocoa’s mission to drive positive change within the chocolate industry has received an added boost after recognition as a certified B Corporation, achieving an overall B Impact Score of 88.3.
The price of cocoa, and therefore chocolate, may be rising but the demand for chocolate from consumers also shows no signs of abating as the industry celebrates this year’s World Chocolate Day (7 July) with some nutty friends.
Food and beverage firms are struggling to meet deforestation related key performance indicators (KPIs) set by environmental disclosure not-for-profit CDP, new data has shown.
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.