Understanding consumer expectations and respecting these, combined with a boldness to draw inspiration from new areas is the perfect mix for successful innovation, say experts.
The rising North American cocoa grind is a positive sign for the chocolate industry, but many consumers are not prepared to pay higher prices planned by some leading confectioners, according to an analyst.
About 50% of our preference for sweet food and drinks can be attributed to genetics, about the same level of heritability as certain personality traits and asthma, according to a food sensory scientist.
What is the future of food? Simple communication of complex advances will be crucial, as well as picking up the pace amid a global population boom to feed the world nutritiously and sustainably, according to FoodNavigator and NutraIngredients senior editors.
The use of mobile technologies and social media to connect with real consumers can help manufacturers gain better innovation insights for today and tomorrow, says Chris Cornyn.
Unfavourable weather conditions in the Asia, Brazil and the US, coupled with increased political tension in the Black Sea region have led to a steep increase in world food prices, says the FAO.
Nutrition Capital Network (NCN) is setting up shop in Europe this May at Vitafoods in Geneva and is scouting for investment opportunities in the health and wellness sector.
Confectioners can reduce reliance on the big seasons with packaging and formats that outlast one day events, licensing deals and distribution at holiday hot spots, according to Jelly Belly.
Confectionery brands have just three seconds on the shelf to be noticed by consumers, according to Saatchi & Saatchi X. How can companies maximize these precious moments?
Confectioners should focus on the hard-core candy consumers that make up the bulk of sales, according to the National Confectioners’ Association (NCA) and DunnhumbyUSA.
DIGGING INTO INNOVATION & NPD WITH DATAMONITOR CONSUMER
It’s the great unspoken black hole in the Australian economy. Almost a million Australians a month flippantly committing the pettiest of larcenies: eating mints they don’t buy.
The anti-Russian sentiments of Roshen's owner means the future of Ukraine’s biggest confectioner rests on the political fate of his country, an analyst has said.
Dispatches from NCA State of the Industry Conference in Miami
Impulse-reliant confectioners should be wary of emerging technology that could spell the end for in-store checkouts as we know them, says a retail expert.
Dispatches from the NCA State of the Industry Conference in Miami
Confectionery companies will need to adapt to a rapidly changing retail landscape as ethnic minorities lead population growth in the developed US market.
Restricting marketing to children and continuing to cut salt, fats and added sugar in processed foods are among initiatives put forward in a plan to tackle childhood obesity, agreed by EU member states in Greece last week.
By Winnie Byanyima, executive director, Oxfam International
Food and drink companies can have a big influence over sustainability and ethical issues in their supply chains - and have the power to change them rapidly. One year on from Oxfam's first Behind the Brands sustainability scorecard, nine of the ten...
Currently the Middle East represents just over 3% of Brazilian confectionery exports, but potential far exceeds that, according to Brazil's industry trade association.
Food manufacturers, retailers and other food industry players are failing to connect with consumers who are tuning out of mainstream messaging and infesting their own comms channels, says angel investor, business mentor and philanthropist, Mike Greene.
Strong commodity price increases in 2013 impeded growth for the German confectionery, according to the Germany Confectionery Industry Association’s (BDSI’s) annual review.
US Valentine’s candy consumers are expected to spend more than last year, but many will seek products on offer, while the rich will buy richer with more premium offerings.
US consumers have a growing appetite for new tastes such as ethnic flavors and single origin chocolate, creating an opportunity for gourmet confectioners, according to the Sweets and Snacks Expo organizers.
Strong suggestions that India is about to announce an increase in sugar export subsidies have brought a wave of criticism from competing countries, who say that what India is doing is wrong and “distorts" the sugar trade.
Consumers are starting to view chocolate more as a cultured wine tasting and less as a sweet treat gone in seconds, according to a wine expert hired by Barry Callebaut.
AarhusKarlshamn (AAK), the Sweden-based oils and fat producer, has reported a 12% increase in operating profit in the fourth quarter (Q2), driven by recovery in its chocolate and confectionery fats division.
Eating chocolate is a one-way road to happiness, if you subscribe to the approach used by confectionery companies in Australia to market their products.
Western European chocolate consumers are shunning mid-market products in favor of value or premium chocolate. Rabobank suggests how companies should adapt.
The confectionery industry is in good shape and demand for sustainable products and those catering to health needs has never been higher, according to ISM organizer Koelnmesse.
Polyphenol use in functional food and drink marketing has shot up 69% since 2009 even as consumer understanding remains low and approved global health claims extremely limited. But can it continue?
Despite the growing body of research extolling the health benefits of flavanols found in cocoa, chocolate product manufacturers have yet to fully embrace front-of-pack claims calling out these compounds—with many still opting for more general “antioxidant”...
A rise in the North American cocoa grind is a positive sign for the mature US chocolate market, but analysts predict health-concerns will challenge future growth.
Discount retailer Lidl has rolled out its Healthy Till program across its UK stores, removing all chocolate and sweets from checkouts except for Wrigley’s gum.
Low-calorie products such as sugar-free chocolates will be the driving force behind modest growth in the US chocolate market in the next five years, according to market analysts Lucintel.
Not quite the choc-pocalypse, but retail prices for chocolate are expected to rise in the face of cocoa price hikes, which could see the taste, shape and size of chocolate change significantly in the year ahead.
With 2013 fast drawing to a close and 2014 just around the corner, we took the chance to catch up with analysts and experts at Mintel to ask them what their highlights from this year have been ... and a few predictions for what might be in store in the...
Lindt, Ferrero and artisanal chocolatiers could be set to profit from thriving demand for premium chocolate in Australia, market analysts Leatherhead Food Research say.
US Halloween confectionery sales outshone expectations in 2013 driven by strong promotions from retailers and a noteworthy boost in the final week, according to the National Confectioners Association (NCA).
We gave the European food industry a check-up at this year’s Food Ingredients Europe (FiE), talking with some of the industry's top ingredients players about EU health claims, economic recovery and how to remain competitive on a global stage.
