The North American cocoa grind has risen 5.77% in the first of quarter (Q1) compared to last year, leading one analyst to say there is still room for growth in the US chocolate market.
Belgian chocolatier Duc d’O has rebranded its flaked chocolate truffles to appeal to Chinese and Russian consumers looking for authentic handmade chocolate.
UK firm Fudge Kitchen believes it has spotted a gap in the market for premium fudge and has invested in a new production facility and product development to break out of the category’s image as a cheap gift.
The German confectionery Association (BDSI) has denied media rumors that allege unused chocolate bunnies are melted down and remade as chocolate Santas.
Consumers in New Zealand are spending more on healthier and ethical chocolate variants - a move that has aided growth in the burgeoning sector, an analyst says.
Thorntons has recalled three varieties of chocolates after they were found to be contaminated with glass while fake Wonka bars have been found on sale in the UK.
Premium chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli has reached a deal with market expansion services group DKSH to strengthen its position in the Singapore where demand for premium chocolate is rising.
The US’s largest natural foods retail cooperative PCC Natural Markets claims it has become the first grocer in the nation to sell chocolate made only from ethically sourced cocoa.
Mondelez has reported growth through innovation in the atypical French market that favors premium and dark chocolate more than most places in the world.
Barry Callebaut has reported a slight dip in half-year profits as lower cocoa prices meant customers were paying less for the company’s range of cocoa ingredients compared to last year.
Mondelez International’s Cadbury India has introduced a two-week promotion on Toblerone in most modern retailers in a bid to grow the premium chocolate category.
Unilever has made its first foray into the UK confectionery market after reaching a licensing deal with Kinnerton Confectionery for ice cream brands Magnum, Cornetto and Mini Milk to be made in chocolate form.
Mondelez has filed a patent for chocolate bar packaging featuring multiple holographic images that change depending on the angle you look at the product.
The Belgian confectionery association Choprabisco is considering applying for protected geographical indication for Belgian chocolate to protect authentic producers from imitations.
Consumers think candy bars with green nutrition labels, such as those used by Mars, are healthier than ones with red or white labels containing the same calories, according to new research.
A Rainforest Foundation ethical food product guide based on companies’ palm oil use unjustly discourages the use of palm oil even if it is sustainably sourced, claims the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Brazil has one of the largest markets for Easter confectionery and has had more Easter launches than anywhere else, but the Chinese have yet to look beyond the religious nature of the season as they have for Christmas, according to an analyst.
Confectioners are changing the structure of Easter chocolate egg packaging to cut the amount of materials needed while improving consumer appeal, according to a packaging expert.
Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli will invest €70m ($90m) to expand its factory in the South of France to up its capacity for premium tablet ranges.
Self-sorting chocolates and ketchup that regulates how much you dispense for you are just some of the future packaging trends flagged up by UK firm Benson Group.
Mars Chocolate promises to assess conditions for women cocoa farmers and will sign up to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles after Oxfam accused it of neglecting gender inequality.
The UK organic food sector remained flat in 2012, but branded goods enjoyed a sales boost as supermarkets shrank their organic private label portfolios, according to the Soil Association.
SPECIAL EDITION - FLEXIBLE AND HIGH-SPEED CANDY MAKING
Enrobing is fast and arms manufacturers with the ability to create varied, decorative confections that appeal to the ever-demanding consumer, a leading industry consultant says.
Special Edition - Flexible and high-speed candy making
A group of small-to-medium-sized enterprises along with multinationals Nestlé and Valor have embarked on a project to improve chocolate tempering using ultrasound.
China will become Hershey’s number two market behind the US in the next five years and will get there through advertising, expanding distribution and new launches, according to the company’s CEO.
ConfectioneryNews.com examines the sustainable cocoa commitments of one of the leading premium chocolate makers, Lindt, after it announced a big charitable investment last week.
Hershey has called attacks on its text messaging tips for farmers program CocoaLink “disingenuous” after a group of NGOs questioned the effectiveness of the project.
Chocolate is the fastest growing UK food export driven by a rise in sales to the Middle East and Africa and factory expansion by Nestlé, according to a report from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
New Jersey-based Candy Treasure has overcome a US ban on toy-filled chocolate eggs dating back to 1938 after its Choco Treasure surprise eggs were deemed safe for sale.
The industry has pledged $10m in new funds since 2010 to eliminate the worst forms of child labor, but a newly released report says the job is far from over.
Lindt & Sprüngli’s operating profit rose 10.3% in 2012 and the company has declared itself “partially unaffected” by the continuing economic downturn as consumers still seek quality chocolate in tough times.
Market analysts Frost & Sullivan expects the South African chocolate market to grow 10% per annum in the next five years driven by rising incomes and locally-sourced premium products.
SunOpta plans to increase its cocoa processing capacity with a new facility in Middenmeer, Netherlands as it looks to grow its organic and specialty cocoa business to serve the specialty chocolate industry.
Two major chocolate brands have been launched in block format as Mars Chocolate unveils Maltesers Teasers and Lindt introduces Lindor single serve bars.
Diabetes UK says there are not enough cocoa flavanols in chocolate to benefit diabetics after a study found that a cocoa extract could help people with the condition regulate insulin levels.
Convenience stores and value supermarkets are the fastest growing channels for confectionery in the US as cash strapped consumers down-trade and stores expand, according to the National Confectioners Association (NCA) and market analysts Nielsen.
Barry Callebaut has developed a formula to reduce the bitterness of high cocoa chocolate using green coffee that doesn’t give a coffee taste and ups antioxidant content.
Oxfam has called on the three biggest chocolate manufacturers to conduct independent audits on conditions for women on cocoa farms supplying their factories after finding evidence of unequal pay, discrimination and hunger.
A non-melt edible chocolate toy that can be used like playdough is braced for international markets after a successful spell in toy stores in the UK, according to distributors of the product.
