Chocolate

CME Group to introduce cocoa contract on London futures market

CME Group spills beans on new cocoa contract

By Oliver Nieburg

Futures exchange company CME Group has made a “strong commitment” in the cocoa market and plans a new contract to rival the IntercontinentalExchange Group (ICE).

Japanese railway first to use KitKat bars as tickets

Japan

Japanese railway to use KitKat bars as tickets

By RJ Whitehead

Japan has a reputation for food innovation, and a new initiative by Nestlé will transform one of its iconic chocolate bars into currency for train travel while at the same time promoting a crisis-hit part of the country.

Pecan Deluxe Candy (Europe) QSR inclusions expansion

Pecan Deluxe Candy (Europe) to move to bigger premises

By Jenny Eagle

Pecan Deluxe Candy (Europe) has invested in a €300,000 Yamato multihead check weigher, which can operate up to 100 bags per minute, to meet increasing demand for inclusions in products such as ice cream, desserts, cookies and donuts.

AAK's £10M deodoriser installed at its Hull plant

Oils and fats firm AAK plans £30M investment

By Rick Pendrous

Oils and fats company AAK will have pumped around £30M into its production facilities by the end of the decade as part of a continuing investment programme to improve its production capabilities.

Polish chocolate market growing strongly despite falling population

Polish confectionery market weathers falling birth rate

By Nicola Cottam

Poland’s confectionery market survived the recessionary storm virtually unscathed and continues to buck the trend despite its shrinking population, according to Leatherhead Foods, principal market analyst, Jonathan Thomas.

Delegates at the European Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil debated sustainable palm oil in London this week

European RSPO 2014

Sustainable palm oil pressures worrying to emerging economies

By Nicholas Robinson

Food businesses and consumers don’t understand the impact emerging economies could face if pressure to source 100% sustainable palm oil builds too quickly, Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) sustainable development manager Fiona Wheatley claims.

World Environment Day should be used to celebrate natural resources and acknowledge the work of farmers, but also draw focus on the role the global food sector has to play, says Food Tank chief

World Environment Day - June 5 2014 - Driving action on climate change

Sustainable food: Cut the greenwashing and act now, says Food Tank

By Kacey Culliney

Food manufacturers don’t understand the urgency of sustainability and need to act faster, but also communicate actions better with consumers, says the president of global NGO Food Tank.

The Hershey Company is showcasing a number of product launches in its 2014 Sweets and Snacks Expo booth, across several categories and brands.

2014 sweets and snacks expo

Hershey crowds the candy aisle with product launches

By Jenni Spinner

Chocolate, chews, hard candy, snacks—The Hershey Company is going all out with a large array of product introductions at the 2014 Sweets and Snacks Expo.

The annual Sweets and Snacks Expo showcases new and emerging confectionery product trends.

2014 Sweets and Snacks Expo

Top five tasty trends at Sweets and Snacks

By Jenni Spinner

Confectionery manufacturers showing their latest products offer a glimpse of current and upcoming industry trends, including hot ingredients, growing categories, and standout packaging.

Walk out over changes to pension plans

Nestlé strike action at Canadian chocolate plant

By Nicola Cottam

Over 360 workers at Nestlé Canada’s manufacturing plant in Toronto are on strike after talks aimed at securing improvements to employees defined pension plan broke down.

Fran Jimenez

Interpack 2014

Natra unwraps potential of ULMA confectionery machine

By Jenny Eagle

Natra and Grupo Bimbo are just some of the firms who have shown interest in the FR500 flow pack wrapper designed specifically for the bakery, confectionery and chocolate industry by ULMA Packaging.

‘Terrific coffee growth!’ But Mondelez shrinks beverage business

'Snacks powerhouse' unveils plan to shrink beverage business

‘Terrific coffee growth!’ But Mondelez spits out Tassimo not Trident

By Ben BOUCKLEY

Mondelez CEO Irene Rosenfeld insists the firm’s coffee interests backed by brands such as Tassimo are ‘very attractive’ but says the deal to shrink its beverage business fits a core snacks focus.