2024's top confectionery flavour trends
Discover the five flavour trends taking over the confectionery world, from 'swicy' sensations to nostalgic treats and functional delights
Premium
New Product Development
What’s hot in confectionery? New product development from Cadbury to Smart Sweets
From cannabis-infused candy to a better-for-you Twix, meet the latest confectionery launches disrupting the industry
New Product Development
What’s hot in confectionery? New product development from Oreo to Barratt
Blonde chocolate, ice cream-flavoured cookies and fudge, oh my! Meet summer’s hottest confectionery launches
The top 4 premium trends in confectionery in 2024
Luxury, artisanal and quality collections are drawing in shoppers with a love for elevated indulgence and premiumisation. Here's what's disrupting the market
Can cultivated cocoa solve the chocolate crisis? ‘It’s like cultivating meat, but simpler’
With climate change threatening the future supply of cocoa, could cellular agriculture offer a solution? Israeli start-up Kokomodo thinks it can, and is emerging from stealth mode to prove it.
How can luxury food brands succeed?
While luxury brands in beverage have been highly successful, luxury food brands are, as of yet, less prominent. What foods have the potential to be luxurious?
Sustainability
Ferrero reports solid progress towards sustainability targets
Ferrero said the release of its 15th Sustainability Report demonstrates considerable progress across its key sustainability pillars: protecting the Environment, Sourcing Ingredients Responsibly, Promoting Responsible Consumption, and Empowering People.
Sustainability
Luker Chocolate on course to impact 1,500 farmers by 2027
Luker Chocolate, the premium Colombian Business-for-Business (B4B) chocolate manufacturer, has revealed significant progress towards Its 2027 sustainability targets, including increasing income for farmers, social wellbeing, and deforestation-free cocoa.
Sweets & Snacks Expo 2024
Endangered Species Chocolate threatens to disrupt Sweets & Snacks Expo with innovative new treat
Endangered Species Chocolate (ESC) is set to captivate the snacking world by unveiling Dip 'n Joy - a one-of-a-kind, interactive chocolate experience at the Sweets & Snacks Expo 2024 in Indianapolis.
Marketing
Tony’s Chocolonely partners with Oxfam and Glastonbury for free tickets giveaway
Dutch disruptor brand Tony’s Chocolonely is partnering with Oxfam and Glastonbury for a second year to raise money to fight poverty by launching limited edition bars that offer fans the opportunity to win tickets to the legendary arts and music festival.
Retail
Cocoa Canopy’s full hot chocolate range to be listed on Ocado
Online grocery store Ocado has announced it is to stock the entire Cocoa Canopy range of drinking chocolate from May.
M&As
pladis completes integration of GODIVA chocolates, with Steve Lesnard as president
Premium chocolate brand GODIVA joins the pladis portfolio of iconic brands after a process that started in 2023. Prior to its integration, GODIVA Company was acquired in 2008 by pladis’ parent company, Yıldız Holding of Türkiye.
Company news
Grupo Nutresa reports 11% revenue growth, pledges $1.5bn to cocoa sustainability
Latin American food conglomerate Grupo Nutresa has launched a new sustainability programme to continue strengthening Colombia’s cocoa chain after posting revenues of $18.9 billion in 2023, representing a growth of 11% compared to the previous year.
Unilever to spin off ice cream division as it looks to become ‘simpler, more focused company’
The consumer goods giant has admitted that its ice cream division requires ‘a very different operating model’ and a separation would allow the company to focus on growth.
Easter 2024
Pierre Marcolini presents 'Easter in colours' chocolate collection
Luxury chocolatier Pierre Marcolini has launched a new 'Easter in colours' collection ro celebrate the purest form of spring influenced by bright flowers, budding new shoots and vibrant leaves.
Easter 2024
Lindt adds Easter sparkle with Golden Bunny TV advert
Creative agency Leo Burnett UK developed the latest ad for the business, titled ‘Golden Trails’.
Financial results
Lindt reports double-digit growth for its premium chocolate
Lindt Sprüngli Group has reported double-digit organic sales growth for the third consecutive year despite a slowdown in the global chocolate market.
Special report: Dominican Republic organic cocoa
YACAO’s organic cocoa becomes first in LATAM to be ROC-certified
Swiss subsidiary with a long history of sourcing its premium organic cocoa from Dominican Republic sees demand skyrocket as suppliers look to other regions for sustainable beans.
Premium
Lily O’Brien’s adds Desserts Chocolates to its gifting portfolio
Irish luxury chocolatier Lily O’Brien’s has unveiled a new and exclusive Desserts Collection to complement its boxed chocolate gifting portfolio.
Jobs
Barry Callebaut to axe 18% of global workforce
Barry Callebaut Group, the world’s largest chocolate and cocoa supplier, has announced it is cutting approximately 2,500 manufacturing and administration jobs across its global operations.
Legal
Tony’s Chocolonely sued by Mondelēz for copying Milka bars in critical cocoa campaign
Arch disruptor brand Tony’s Chocolonely is appealing an injunction against Mondelēz International after the Dutch brand launched four temporary wrappers in Germany, mimicking the design of well-known chocolate bars from Ferrero, Mars, Milka, and Nestlé.
Amsterdam Cocoa Week
2023 Cacao of Excellence Awards winners celebrate the beauty of the bean during Amsterdam Cocoa Week
Along with the World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting, Chocoa’s Cocoa Sustainability Conference, Amsterdam Cocoa Week was also the setting for the Cacao of Excellence awards, which recognize excellence in cacao cultivation while supporting and...
Financial results
Tony’s Chocolonely funnels more cash for cocoa farmers after sharing record revenue
Premium Dutch ethical brand Tony’s Chocolonely has reported record revenue growth of €150m ($162m) while successfully scaling up its sustainable impact model with six new partners joining its collaborative industry initiative.
Special report
How one organic cocoa cooperative in the Dominican Republic is outstripping the market
With its link between Europe, North America, and the rest of Latin America, the tiny country on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola is set to be a significant player for premium cocoa as demand soars due to a global shortage of beans.
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...
WCF PM 2024
Chocolate Cordillera achieves early wins for its female cocoa farmers
At the end of 2023, Colombian sustainable brand Chocolate Cordillera announced that 106 female cocoa farmers from Urabá Antioquia had completed the first module of its ATENEA sustainability program, giving some the confidence to become fully independent...
Financial results
Knoops strikes chocolate gold with Wonka movie tie-in
Knoops, the UK retailer of artisan chocolate drinks, is celebrating a merry Christmas after announcing solid financial growth and ambitious expansion plans for 2024 – partly the result of becoming the brand partner of choice for Wonka, the hit film...
Special report
How Cacao Fino de Aroma put Colombia back on the map
It was almost 20 years ago that Colombian cocoa was officially recognized by the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) as Cacao Fino de Aroma (fine aroma beans). Almost 95% of Colombia’s total cocoa production is classed as Cacao Fino de Aroma by the...
Sustainability
EXCLUSIVE: Cocoa certifications becoming an ‘administration hell,’ farmers and cooperatives claim
Attempting to comply with the numerous levels of certification imposed on farmers, suppliers, and producers in terms of cost and bureaucracy has been described as ‘administration hell’ by one cocoa cooperative director, who spends up to 80% of his time...
Premium
To’ak chocolate - and why it makes the perfect high-end and sustainable Christmas gift
To’ak Chocolate routinely charges over $300 for a single bar of chocolate, which is claimed to be the most expensive chocolate in the world. The brand justifies its price because it is responsibly sourced from a cacao variety, Ancient Nacional, native to...
Podcast
Fine Chocolate Industry Association launches new membership plans to attract international professionals - LISTEN
Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA) has launched a new membership drive with special incentives as it seeks to attract more craft chocolate companies and grow its impact.
Seasonal
Cocoa Runners to host London’s Christmas Craft Chocolate Fair
Sustainable craft chocolate stockists Cocoa Runners is celebrating its tenth anniversary by hosting the Christmas Craft Chocolate Fair in London on 2 and 3 December, at Fidelio, a music venue, cafe and restaurant.
Financial news
Hotel Chocolat founders bag £144m each after takeover, but has Mars paid ‘silly money’ for the struggling UK brand?
The co-founders of Hotel Chocolat, Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris, will receive £144m ($180m) each after agreeing to sell the UK luxury chocolate business to Mars, which has agreed to pay £534m for the high-end chocolatier.
M&As
Mars buys luxury UK chocolate brand Hotel Chocolat in shock deal
Mars has bought ailing UK business Hotel Chocolat for approximately £534 million ($662.25 million) in a deal announced to the London stock market this morning.
Salon du Chocolat 2023
Māori chocolate carves out its own niche at the Paris Salon du Chocolat – WATCH!
The Salon du Chocolat’s reputation for showcasing artisanal chocolatiers from across the globe was enhanced this month with Paris providing an ideal backdrop to an event that attracted 250 exhibitors, drawing more than 60,000 people over five days to the...
Sustainability
Host city wanted for next ICCO Symposium on Cocoa Research
The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) has put a call-out for bids to host the 3rd edition of the International Symposium on Cocoa Research (ISCR).
Sustainability
Hotel Chocolat launches new bar with 100% sales going to cocoa growers
Luxury UK chocolatier and cacao grower Hotel Chocolat has launched two new chocolate bars, pledging 100% of the bar sales to fund a ‘better way for cacao farming’, as part of the brand’s drive for positive change for nature and farming families.
EXCLUSIVE
The ‘Cocoa Chanel’ effect: Salon du Chocolat woos Paris with mix of high fashion, taste and the best in bean-to-bar chocolate - WATCH!
This year, the chocolate industry’s most glamorous trade fair spanned five days and commanded two floors of the Paris Porte de Versailles exhibition centre, engaging and delighting the general public and attracting chocolatiers and chefs from across the...
ISM Middle East 2023
ISM Middle East sells out in Dubai and announces expansion plans for 2024
As ISM Middle East prepares to open the MENA region's premier trade fair for confectionery and snacks at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 7 to 9 November, organisers Koelnmesse has announced it will be moving its usual November date to September...
Podcast
How York Cocoa House is keeping the city’s chocolate industry alive
A recent article in National Geographic described York as ‘England’s chocolate capital’. The city was home to two major confectionery companies, Terry’s founded in 1767 and Rowntree’s in 1862, the inventor of KitKat, which is still produced today at the...
Special Edition: Natural & Clean label confectionery
What it means to eat ‘clean’
In the realm of the food and beverage industry, few terms carry as much weight and complexity as the term 'clean.
Ingredients
Chocolat Madagascar drops baker-friendly buttons for UK market
Ingredients supplier Henley Bridge has unveiled a new range of chocolate drops from Chocolat Madagascar created directly in response to customer demand.
EXCLUSIVE
Belcolade opens first carbon-neutral chocolate factory in Belgium
Belcolade, the Puratos-owned Belgian Chocolate brand, has opened a new carbon-neutral chocolate factory, running on 100% renewable electricity, sourcing 90% of its water from collected rainwater, and using five times less energy in heat production.
Webinar
The importance of women in the cocoa value chain
Cocoa production is decisively linked with women, and sustainable value chains are, too. However, how will their roles differ with the upcoming EU legislation on deforestation, and in a broader issue, will it threaten cocoa and chocolate exporters?
Special report
Colombia set to be key player in global cocoa sector after impressing at NorthWest Chocolate Festival in Seattle
With 95% of exported beans classed as ‘fine flavour cacao’, Colombia's reputation in the world of chocolate is unparalleled, and after a successful showing at Seattle’s NorthWest Chocolate Festival by a quartet of artisanal companies, the word is quickly...
Special report
Indian craft chocolate aims to be a global player with a new brand raising the bar
India’s West Godavari region is emerging as a craft chocolate capital, and the launch of Manam Chocolate could well put Indian cocoa on the global map.
Production
PRONATEC reports a clean bill of health for its organic cocoa beans
The family-owned company has been processing cocoa beans into cocoa mass, butter, and powder at its own exclusively organic plant in Winterthur, Switzerland, since June 2022 and says an assessment carried out this month shows there have been no pesticide...
Cacao guide aims to help producers communicate the quality of their cacao
For a long time, there has been no commonly agreed way of assessing and communicating the quality of cacao, the seed from which stems cocoa and chocolate. Now, however, a new initiative has been unveiled that will aim to do just that, with contributions...
Business
Grupo Nutresa wins Colombia’s 2023 National Exports Award thanks to its sustainable Cordillera Chocolate brand
Recognition of its B2B division reaffirms Grupo Nutresa's commitment to globalisation and the purpose of brands such as Cordillera in developing businesses with a sustainable vision.
M&As
Nestlé to acquire majority stake in Brazil’s premium chocolate company
Nestlé has announced an agreement with Advent International to acquire a majority stake in Grupo CRM, which owns more than 1,000 chocolate boutiques under the Kopenhagen and Brasil Cacau brands across the county, along with a strong and growing online...