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Markets
What drives the US success of this iconic Scottish shortbread brand?
Sir Jim Walker CBE has been honoured with the 2024 Wallace Award by the American Scottish Foundation, celebrating the brand’s contribution to transatlantic relations. How has Walker’s Shortbread managed to thrive in one of the world’s most competitive...
Farmers building climate resilience face $151 billion financing gap
Agriculture service provider One Acre Fund estimates smallholder farmers need this multi-billion sum to develop long-term resilience for themselves and the environment during the climate crisis.
Pursuing critical sustainable food production at COP16
How one Colombian chocolate ingredient company is backing purpose-driven chocolate and conversations at the 2024 United Nations event.
Sweet innovation: Confectionery NPD at SIAL 2024
There was no shortage of confectionery innovation at SIAL in Paris this month: with innovation tapping into health and wellness trends, future flavors and more...
Tony’s Chocolonely and The Washington Post spotlight cocoa injustices
Tony’s Chocolonely partners with The Washington Post to spark dialogue and raise awareness about exploitation in the cocoa industry in a unique attempt to rewrite the sector's negative narrative.
Franuí expands into the UK market with chocolate-covered raspberry bites
Franuí is bringing its handcrafted, sustainable treats to London, targeting health-conscious consumers with premium ingredients.
Pricing fears grow ahead of Halloween
Cocoa and sugar prices are reported to have reached frightening highs, with alarming price rallies predicted.
Hershey leans into value, flavor with Kit Kat, Reese's, Jolly Ranchers
The multinational candy maker aligns with shoppers’ interest in value-oriented products reflected through its Reese’s and Kit Kat brands, while Jolly Ranchers' brand refresh features new textures and formats.
The story behind Million Dollar Chocolate Monkey Bread
Million Dollar Chocolate Monkey Bread took the baking world by storm, offering a decadent spin on a beloved classic. What lessons can the industry learn from its rise to fame and how can other traditional treats be reinvented for modern tastes?
Beauty meets confectionery: A growing trend in functional wellness
Discover how beauty-enhancing ingredients like collagen and biotin are changing the confectionery industry with delicious, functional treats.
How the confectionery space is avoiding the impact of plastic on the environment
PFAS and their impact on public health remain a key issue as the industry swaps plastic for paper.
CAOBISCO calls for urgent EUDR update, the EC responds
Days after Europe’s chocolate, biscuit and confectionery organisation asks for immediate guidance on the upcoming European Union’s Deforestation Regulation, the European Commission releases its proposal to push back its implementation date.
Top need-to-knows about cocoa ahead of the new season
A round-up of the cocoa sector as we move into the 2024/2025 season.
Côte d’Ivoire raises cocoa prices above Ghana
Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading cocoa producer, has raised the price it pays farmers for cocoa.
News
Eat My Logo acquires personalised chocolate brand
Eat My Logo, a producer of logo branded cakes and biscuits, has acquired personalised chocolate gifts maker Cocoapod.
Feastables joins Tony’s Open Chain
US social media-savvy brand Feastables collaborates with Tony Chocolonely’s Open Chain to develop a new benchmark in the cocoa industry.
Do GLP-1s signal a worrying time for confectioners?
Formulating to support consumers and the sector.
Is all chocolate a UPF?
Controversy around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) continues to grow, especially with mounting scientific research as well as media attention scrutinizing the food group.
AI - like having a crystal ball for flavour trends
Here’s what the future of confectionery flavours has in store...
Five leading colour trends in confectionery in 2024
Colour, though often seen as a small detail in confectionery, plays a significant role in shaping product perception.
How gifting brings together top confectionery trends
Sweet-treat gift-giving creates engagement and brand loyalty, so it’s no wonder many global brands are tapping into the purchasing driver.
Anthon Berg broadens appeal to win over Gen Z market
The 140-year-old chocolatier is shaking up its branding and product lineup to capture the attention of Gen Z consumers, refreshing its reputation as a treat for grandparents.
Regulation
What EUDR preparations or pauses are underway?
As the EUDR deadline gets closer, here’s how the globe is responding
What can producers learn from Barry Callebaut’s €700 million funding?
Rising cocoa prices have spurred the global chocolatier to seek investment. But what does it mean for everyone else?
M&A activity reveals positive news for food and beverage industry
Increased production costs, regulatory changes and consumer uncertainty have put pressure on the food and beverage industry in recent years, but could we be seeing the first signs of recovery?
Barry Callebaut reports sales rise of 11%, operating profit falls 40%
Barry Callebaut, the world’s largest cocoa and chocolate supplier, reported a sales rise of 11% to 4.6 billion CHF ($5.09bn) compared to last year, but one-off expenses caused by its transformation plan amounted to a lower-than-expected half-year profit.
Michelle Obama’s PLEZi expands with carbonated fruit drink for tweens, on its mission to address the US’ ‘massive sweetness problem’
Co-founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama, PLEZi Nutrition is on a mission not only to lower the sugar in beverages, but to fundamentally adjust kids’ palates to less sweet beverages overall. Can it be done?
ProSweets/ISM 2024
Thai confectionery market recognised at ISM 2024
Ekachai Savetsomphob, Managing Director of Sino-Pacific, Thailand’s largest food and snack imported is being honoured with the ISM Award 2024 for his contribution and fluence in the development of the market in Southeast Asia.
Market watch
Lindt & Sprüngli hit with child labor allegations in cocoa supply chain
Swiss premium chocolate company Lindt & Sprüngli is among the leading players in the premium chocolate space with a presence in over 120 countries worldwide and a portfolio of chocolate brands including Russell Stover, Ghirardelli, Caffarel, Lindor, and...
Markets
Rains in West Africa lift cocoa prospects for the region
Unseasonable and welcome rain in West Africa is expected to boost the main cocoa crop, improve the quality of beans and lower the price of cocoa on the market, according to farming sources.
Délice & Création puts its might behind the Pastry World Cup
The ingredient specialist trusted by artisan bakers and pastry chefs worldwide has strengthened its commitment to the Mondial des Arts Sucres.
Is being dairy-free enough? Alt dairy players share differing approaches to sustainability
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...
ISM 2023
Europe's leading sweets and snacks trade fair sees strong interest in innovations and new taste experiences
Koelnmesse, organisers of ISM /ProSweets Cologne, has revealed that 1,274 suppliers from 71 countries took part in this year’s trade show with 88% from overseas, attracting more than 25,000 trade visitors from 135 countries.
Plant-based sector braces for ‘a rough’ 24 months
The plant-based sector remains an enormous long-term growth opportunity, though investor retrenchment will continue in the short term, investors told the recent Plant-Based Protein Manufacturing Summit in Amsterdam.
Londoners invited to ‘dough as they please’ at ‘naturally naughty’ pop-up
The female-founded London food brand Doughlicious has partnered with Whole Foods for a tastebud takeover this spring.
Carbon footprinting: Standardized emissions reporting would improve confidence, bolster adoption
The UK Dairy Roadmap is hoping to push the sector's sustainability forward by removing unnecessary variation between different carbon footprinting calculators used by British farmers.
Making leaps: White Rabbit ice-cream brand reveals expansion strategy for South East Asia
The Singapore distributor of the iconic Chinese brand White Rabbit’s ice cream is looking for partnerships to provide a marketing boost in South East Asia, while also aiming for expansion across the region, providing its quality control objectives can be...
Economy
Sterling crisis will impact cocoa farmer incomes, Fairtrade warns
After the pound hit a record low against the US dollar at the end of September, the Fairtrade Foundation is warning of the potential impact of the market volatility, both on farmers in low-income countries and the UK shoppers who buy the food they grow.
Economy
Upsurge in costs threatens German confectionery companies
Unprecedented price hikes in energy, agricultural raw materials, packaging, along with transport/logistics, are hitting Germany’s predominantly medium-sized confectionery manufacturers.
Nutri-Score blocks ‘health-halo’ effects caused by claims on sugar, but should such claims be allowed at all?
Fresh research out of Germany suggests the nutrition labelling scheme can prevent products from appearing healthier than they really are.
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Mintel shares areas ripe for innovation that balance post-pandemic and tighter financial needs
As Americans continue to adjust to post-pandemic life and mounting economic uncertainty, consumer research from Mintel shows that many believe there is no going ‘back to normal’ and as such are changing the way they think about, budget and shop for, and...
SURVEY: How are covid, inflation, supply chain disruptions, impacting food innovation and R&D?
The past two years have been a rollercoaster for many food and beverage companies, who have had to deal with everything from a global pandemic to rocketing inflation, labor shortages, and massive disruption across their supply chains. So what does all...
Iron Chef Morimoto launches DIY home baking mochi doughnut kit
Chef Masaharu Morimoto – known to millions as the star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America – has partnered with woman-owned baking kit company Global Grub to create a Morimoto Mochi Donut Kit.
Grupo Bimbo posts ‘exceptional’ Q2 performance, addresses challenging environment
The Mexican bakery giant reported a doubled second-quarter net profit and raised its sales and operating earnings outlook, citing strong demand from regions including the US and Europe.
Financial results
Hotel Chocolat to pull out of North America as shares go into meltdown
Shares in the Hotel Chocolat have crashed by more than 40% after the Group announced it is closing all its stores in North America and writing off £3 million ($3.58m) from a business venture in Japan.
Milk-free chocolate: India’s CARRA launches rare plant-based white bar to ‘plug the gaps’
Indian plant-based chocolate firm CARRA has launched its first dairy-free white chocolate bar, aiming to ‘plug the gaps’ in its portfolio to appeal to a wider consumer base.
Financial results
Barry Callebaut announce 8.7% rise in sales volumes as Russia exposure hits share price
Strong chocolate sales and a recovery in its gourmet business with restaurants helped sales volumes rise 8.7% in the six months to the end of February, while net profit climbed 3.1%.
Markets
War in Ukraine is ‘a huge tragedy for European confectionery family’, says BDSI
The Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI) has welcomed tough sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia, following its invasion of Ukraine, saying that the speed they were introduced shows the basic principles of the region are...
A ‘turning point’ in global food pricing? Ukraine conflict threatens food security
Fresh warnings that conflict in Ukraine represents a threat to global food security land as European markets brace for spiking food prices and Unilever shares details on its response.