By Jack Skelly, analyst at Euromonitor International
Ferrero has given strong indications it hopes to grow in chocolate confectionery retailing by acquiring UK chocolate maker Thorntons, writes Euromonitor analyst Jack Skelly.
Melbourne researcher Rohit Ashok Khot has found the sweetest way in the world to get people to exercise: he rewards others with chocolate treats made on a 3D food printer. The more they exercise, the smoother the chocolate they get to eat.
Seasonal and promotional variations are the main challenge in the distribution of confectionery products, and will further drive just-in-time delivery in the future, says the Nagel Group.
Supplier Sunsweet claims its plum ingredients could present a pathway to cleaner labels as safety concerns over caramel colors prompt confectionery manufacturers to look explore alternatives.
Ferrero should move its newly acquired Thorntons business out of discount stores to help it capitalize on the growing premium segment in the UK and abroad.
Organic peanut butter cup producer Justin’s says it would entertain offers from larger firms to help it grow scale in the U.S. and move into export markets, but won't actively pursue a sale.
Two Brazilian chocolate companies Harald and Nugali are hoping to go head-to-head with the largest premium manufacturers in the U.S. market with single origin cocoa from their home nation.
Dark chocolate often steals the spotlight for health claims, but new research suggests milk chocolate, which is sweeter, fattier and more popular, could offer the same benefits in high doses.
Consumers' affinity with beloved junk food brands can be strong – but trying to weaken it may be counter-productive by reducing preferences for healthy foods, say scientists.
Euromonitor International expects more chocolate makers will take vertical control of their supply chains by acquiring commodity suppliers as prices continue to climb.
The Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU) has advised the court Nestlé’s attempts to trademark the four-finger Kit Kat shape in the UK are uncompliant with EU law.
Gusto Cola says it can overcome mainstream preconceptions about cola with its craft brand, offering something that ‘pushes the right buttons’ with consumers.
Cocoa farmers are largely excluded from decision making in the chocolate industry’s efforts to boost cocoa productivity but have a right to be heard, says a new international farmer’s organization aiming to stand up for disaffected voices.
The National Confectioners Association has hit back at U.S. senators it says mischaracterized the chocolate industry’s efforts on preventing labor rights abuses on cocoa farms in West Africa. But some Fair Trade chocolate companies say industry is being...
It’s no secret the peer review system that is supposed to subject academic research to rigorous scrutiny before publication is not perfect, but a [mock] German professor has revealed just how much of a joke it often is.
A raft of candy makers are moving into snacks and this influx of innovation will serve the category and consumers well, says the CEO of the Snack Food Association (SFA).
The top four U.S. candy manufacturers are growing at slower rates than smaller companies, that are able to bring new products to market quicker, says an IRI analyst.
Special edition: Innovations in better-for-you confectionery
Chocolate is a more effective delivery system than capsules and tablets for probiotics and could be an attractive alternative for consumers, according to Croatian supplement firm Milsing.
U.S. chocolate manufacturers would forgo buying cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire if a case against three major cocoa processors succeeds, warns a dissenting judge.
Chocolate marketers likely will gain more traction if they appeal to consumers emotionally and emphasize the health benefits of inclusions, such as nuts and dried fruit, suggest the results of a recent survey conducted by the Almond Board of California.
The inclusion of dried fruit in Mars Chocolate North America’s goodnessknows snack squares helps deliver the sweetness consumers seek from confections, while also helping the candy-giant deliver on its commitment to offer options with limited added sugar.
Colombian authorities have launched a Great Cocoa and Chocolate Alliance (GCCA) platform in Bogotá this month, to boost exports from the country’s cocoa and confectionery industries and increase their share of global chocolate markets.
Food marketers increasingly are training their crosshairs on millennials whose purchasing power is growing quickly, but they should not overlook baby boomers, who spend the most of any generation on snacks and sweets, according to analysis of sales data...
Nestlé UK & Ireland has reached its target of zero waste to landfill at its Fawdon factory after using excess Toffee Crisp and Rolo ingredients to help power the site.
A Nestlé-supported study has examined the causes of chocolate fat blooming, a process when white defects appear on the surface of chocolate because of fat crystallization – a serious problem for the global confectionery industry.
Researchers from the Northern Arizona University (NAU) and Arizona Western College (AWC) concluded that dark chocolate confections containing only moderate amounts (60%) of cacao have an acute stimulating effect on the human brain and vasoconstrictive...
Online grocery shopping is expanding at a strong pace in the US and the UK, offering a great platform for sales for confectionery makers, according to Clavis Insight.
The Hershey Company made significant progress against its responsible sourcing and sustainability commitments in 2014, according to its latest Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report.
Shea continues to be an important, high quality ingredient that offers the confectionery industry numerous technical advantages and competitive price points, as well as important benefits to African communities.
The world’s biggest food firm, Nestlé, has put reducing food waste firmly on its agenda, announcing plans to help further prevent the issue of food losses and waste around the world at the Save Food Congress.
ConfectioneryNews will be reporting from the US National Confectioners Association’s (NCA’s) Sweets & Snacks Expo next week where premium products are expected to pull in retail visitors.
Confectionery giant Mars says it is in favor of FDA proposals to list added sugar on the Nutrition Facts panel, a move described as ‘refreshing’ by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
The industry-backed platform CocoaAction has partnered with the Jacob’s Foundation for a $52m education program for cocoa growing communities in Côte d’Ivoire, where the majority of young people fail to complete primary school.
Brazilian confectionery makers are turning their sights to increasingly attractive foreign markets, as the country’s economic growth has rapidly decelerated in recent years.
The chocolate industry can curtail extreme poverty in the cocoa sector by implementing higher prices that can be passed from consumers to farmers, says Puratos Grand-Place.
3D printing holds great promise to further develop a personality confectionery market worth $13.4bn and poses no real threat to chocolate moulding, writes Choc Edge's Gabor Isai.
