News & Analysis on Chocolate, Candy and Cocoa
Sweets & Snacks Expo 2024
The 2024 Sweets & Snacks Expo became a launch pad for companies looking to crack the US confectionery market with new products from Colombia’s Vivamor, Canada’s Lovo Chocolate, along with reboots of classic brand Godiva and a new partnership deal for...
M&As
Premium chocolate brand GODIVA joins the pladis portfolio of iconic brands after a process that started in 2023. Prior to its integration, GODIVA Company was acquired in 2008 by pladis’ parent company, Yıldız Holding of Türkiye.
A&P Foods Limited has rebranded as pladis Foods Nigeria to align with the corporate branding and global standing of the McVitie’s maker.
The Valentine's Day candy season is poised for growth in 2023 with year-over-year sales expected to grow 5% to around $4bn, despite rising inflation and supply chain issues, according to the National Confectioners Association.
Marketing
Luxury Belgian chocolatier Godiva has announced that Hollywood actor Chris Evans will be the voice of a new global advertising and marketing campaign that starts this month.
Historically people have celebrated Valentine’s Day by sharing sweets with others they love, but the pandemic-fueled rise of ‘self-care’ means more people also will treat themselves this year – helping push confection sales leading up to the holiday...
Seasonal
Valentine’s Day is known as the ‘chocolate event’ for US consumers and the big confectionery companies are going to town with their marketing and advertising campaign head of 14 February.
Premium
New Brand Partners include Boardwalk Frozen Treats, Jimmy's Gourmet Bakery, Le Vian Chocolate Diamonds, and Cookies United.
Podcast
Nurtac Afridi talks to CN about the steps she has taken to transform GODIVA’s business during her first year as CEO.
Coronavirus
‘Waning demand’ caused by the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in luxury chocolatier Godiva announcing it will close all its retail outlets in North America and Canada by the end of March this year.
Godiva Chocolatier, owned by Yildiz Holding, is selling select assets to MBK Partners as part of a global strategy to grow the business fivefold.
Execs on the move
Confectioners, Ferrero and Godiva, have named new executives to lead their government affairs and marketing teams, according to two separate announcements recently.
Business news
Reuters say that sources close to the company claim process expected to start in weeks, a day after rival Hotel Chocolat announced plans to move into Japan.
The McVitie’s and Carrs biscuit maker has announced that Cem Karakaş is stepping down as CEO with immediate effect due to ‘family health reasons.’
Exec on the move
Godiva Chocolatier has appointed Virginie Costa as its new chief financial officer, effective August 6, 2018.
3D chocolate and lollipops
Godiva Chocolatier has collaborated with e-commerce startup Candy Mechanics to create personalized chocolate cards and lollipops made from 3D printed molds of human’s heads.
News in brief
Godiva Chocolatier has named Phil Crawford as its chief technology officer, from immediate effect.
Executives on the move
Pladis has appointed Dmitry Ivanov (Dima) to its newly created global position of chief commercial officer.
Sustainability
Environmental nonprofit Mighty Earth has found large chocolate companies have made 'very strong' commitments in policy and practices to reduce deforestation on their cocoa farms in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire but the level of engagement does not cover all...
Two of the major players in premium chocolate have expanded their own-store networks this month.
People on the move
McVitie’s and Godiva brand owner pladis has appointed the former CEO of KP Snacks as its managing director UK & Ireland.
Premium chocolate brand Godiva has partnered with supermarkets in the UK, North America and other major markets to enter mainstream retail.
Pladis, the global confectionery unit of Turkish conglomerate Yildiz Holding, will expand to a new office in White Plains, New York, on Sept 29, 2017.
McVitie’s maker pladis and Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest trade union, have signed an Engineering Apprenticeship Agreement to facilitate the recruitment of 50 apprentices into engineering roles at pladis by 2020.
Godiva Chocolate has named Annie Young-Scrivner as its new CEO, taking effect on Sept. 14, 2017.
The biscuit category changed in Britain in 2016 amid consumer demand for healthier indulgences, Steve Gladwell, CMI director of pladis tells BakeryandSnacks.
Interview - Pladis Americas MD
Pladis is aiming to become a major player in US premium chocolate with Godiva and will bring McVitie’s biscuits to the country next year, says its America's MD.
Interpack 2017
United Biscuits owner Pladis signed a preferred supplier agreement with Bosch Packaging Technology at Interpack 2017.
Turkish confectioner Ülker is aiming to become the leader in Egypt’s biscuit market and hopes to expand in the Middle East & North Africa, Central Asia, Russia and China through recent acquisitions.
Ülker Bisküvi Sanayi A.Ş is in talks to acquire rights to McVitie’s products in Middle East and North Africa.
NPD
Pladis-owned Godiva Chocolatier has introduced a Mexican single origin range to its boutiques and select retail partners in North America.
United Biscuits owner pladis has reported a sales boost from a field sales and merchandizing fixture initiative for its McVitie’s biscuits brand in UK convenience stores.
Ferrero has reportedly made a bid to acquire Belgian biscuits and pastries manufacturer Delacre in a move one analyst says could support a push for North America and reduce its reliance on chocolate.
United Biscuits Europe and North America managing director Anthony Francheterre has been named CEO of Tangerine Confectionery.
Yildiz Holding is bringing together its core confectionery and bakery businesses to form new global company Pladis.
United Biscuits (UB), the manufacturer of biscuits, cakes and snacks, has extended an industry leading initiative that makes use of waste cooking oil to power its delivery vehicles.
United Biscuits (UB) has announced that its total UK exports have rocketed 50% over the past three years and it expects this figure to rise a further 50% by 2020, as demand grows from countries such as China for its British brands.
A United Biscuits factory alongside thousands of other businesses and private homes have been hit by Storm Desmond, which delivered record rainfall to north west England and Scotland.
Biscuit manufacturer United Biscuits (UB) has revealed £10M investment plans for its Jacob’s Cream Crackers factory.
Me and my factory
United Biscuits has pumped millions into its flagship Harlesden site. Kevin McGurk tells Nicholas Robinson why the investment had to be made
United Biscuits CEO Martin Glenn will leave the company to join the English Football Association and will be replaced by the boss of UB’s international business Jeff van der Eems.
Strikes have been suspended at United Biscuits’ (UB’s) Jacob’s Cream Cracker factory at Aintree while members of trades union GMB and management seek to repair relations with each other.
United Biscuits’ (UB’s) plans to cut 202 jobs at its McVitie’s factory in Glasgow have been branded as ‘devastating’ by trades union GMB, having been revealed just weeks before Christmas.
United Biscuits (UB) has clinched a three-year partnership with international food conglomerate Cargill ensuring dedicated cocoa and chocolate supplies for products such as Jaffa Cakes and McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives.
United Biscuits’ (UB’s) Jacob’s factory faces a six-day strike, starting this Sunday (November 23), after last-minute talks to resolve a dispute over sick pay and outsourcing collapsed.
Q3 results
Wholesale price hikes and product downsizing help Ülker grow net profit in Q3, but export volumes shrink due to instability in Iraq.
United Biscuits (UB) has been sold to Turkish food firm Ulker Biskuvi Sanayi, private equity owners Blackstone and PAI Partners have confirmed.
Yildiz Holding's acquisition of UK United Biscuits makes it the world's third largest biscuit player, but now it will have to work hard to find its 'power brand' answer to Mondelēz's Oreos, according to a Mintel analyst.
United Biscuits (UB) has developed a sustainability initiative by using waste cooking oil to power 12 of its lorries and plans to roll out the project further across the business.
A trade buyer looks set to acquire United Biscuits (UB) if a sale is decided upon, with Kellogg a strong contender among three core bidders, according to an industry expert.