Confectionery

In love with flavor: Valentine’s Day instigates sweet and savory, indulgent NPD

14 Feb 2019 --- Valentine’s Day offers consumers a chance to spoil their loved ones – and often themselves – with a surge of limited edition NPD including tasty treats and flavorful twists on popular products. In this space, FoodIngredientsFirst takes a look at some of the sweet and savory options on offer this year, in honor of Saint Valentine.

“Genuine chocolate taste”: Cargill launches cocoa powder for baked goods

14 Feb 2019 --- Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate has launched a new cocoa powder, Gerkens CT70, to its cocoa powder brand Gerkens. The launch is specifically designed for baked goods and aims to create “consumer preferred” bakery products by “exceeding their expectations in aroma and chocolate taste.”

Cémoi CEO: Cocoa can be the “friend of the forest,” but crop diversification is key

31 Jan 2019 --- A diversification of trees on cocoa plantations will be key to securing the future of the cocoa and chocolate industry, says the CEO of leading French cocoa group, Cémoi. The company purchases some 145,000 tons of cocoa beans each year, which accounts for approximately 3 percent of the entire global volume.  Patrick Poirrier, who heads Cémoi, stresses that today what it promotes to farmers is that the onus should no longer be on the monoculture of cocoa, with the growth of other crops, including banana and pineapple, necessary to securing the future of cocoa itself. “It is really about farmers being entrepreneurs. Of course we promote cocoa, but we also believe that farmers should diversify their revenue with other different crops,” he told FoodIngredientsFirst at ISM 2019, which finished in Cologne yesterday.

The “fourth chocolate” enters the ISM spotlight: Barry Callebaut paints Cologne Ruby

28 Jan 2019 --- It was Ruby Sunday on the first day of ISM 2019 in Cologne, Germany, as the “fourth type of chocolate” was given its first moment in the major trade show spotlight at the world’s leading sweets and snacks fair yesterday. Just over one year after Nestlé debuted their KitKat Ruby in Japan and South Korea, at least eleven chocolate manufacturers are presenting new ruby chocolate products, from hollows to pralines, at the event.

Despite lackluster Q1 volumes, Barry Callebaut expects sales to pick up in second half

23 Jan 2019 --- Swiss chocolate-maker Barry Callebaut is relying on accelerated sales momentum for the coming year, after its first-quarter volumes inched up by just 1.7 percent, slightly short of expectations. Fiscal Q1 sales volume rose to 541 million tons, according to the company’s statement, while revenue in the first three months increased by 3.7 percent in local currencies, to CHF 1.9 billion (US$1.91 billion), in line with forecasts.

Natural preservation: Expertise in plant science and protective cultures key to preventing spoilage and reducing food waste

23 Jan 2019 --- Human civilization has a long history of preserving food. Long before the commercialization of foods and the growth of the global food industry, distinct natural preservation techniques were developed, including those based on plant extracts and spices. Today, adventurous and mindful consumers are driving innovation and new product development in the natural preservation space, expanding the need for natural solutions that are both safe and transparent. At the same time, there is an increasing need for companies to address more authentic and natural products while also balancing the demands for convenience and food safety.

Crazy for cocoa: Kerry expands its offerings for consumers seeking “new experiences with a stronger origin story”

23 Jan 2019 --- Even though cocoa has been around for thousands of years, it is still one of the most important and widely used ingredients in the sweet and beverage industry. Chocolate continuously remains one of the top flavors in NPD launches across various categories including beverages, bakery and confectionery. For Kerry, this means that in 2019, the company will seek to deliver the best cocoa tastes for its consumers, according to Michel Aubaunel, Kerry Flavour Ingredients Global Development Manager.

Clamping down on unhealthy food promotions: UK government consults on new price and checkout deal restrictions

14 Jan 2019 --- The UK government has opened a 12-week consultation period asking if there should be more restrictions on how retailers promote food and beverages that are high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS). It is part of proposed new rules to restrict some retailers from bombarding customers with strategically placed promotions on confectionery, such as price drop offers and multiple buys deals around shop entrances, at the end of aisles and at tills.

“Fine cocoa varieties”: Herza launches organic chocolate couverture pieces

10 Jan 2019 --- Herza Schokolade GmbH & Co. KG (Herza) is set to launch new chocolate couverture pieces made from specific fine organic cocoa varieties. The products will be presented for the first time at BioFach 2019 in Nuremberg next month.

Veliche Gourmet: Cargill launches artisan chocolate brand in the Netherlands

08 Jan 2019 --- Cargill has launched its artisan chocolate brand Veliche Gourmet in the Netherlands at the country’s leading hospitality fair – Horecava 2019, in Amsterdam. Veliche Gourmet is positioned as a high-quality Belgian chocolate range with outstanding sensorial profile that brings a full, smooth and superior taste to professional artisans in the Netherlands. The brand is dedicated to enable high levels of creativity for professional artisans, at an affordable price.

“Confident in UK chocolate future”: Barry Callebaut acquires UK-based Burton’s Biscuit Company’s chocolate manufacturing assets

10 Dec 2018 --- Barry Callebaut has completed the transaction to acquire Burton’s Biscuit Company’s chocolate manufacturing assets in the UK. It comes after the cocoa giant signed an agreement with the UK’s second biggest biscuit manufacturer, for the long-term supply of more than 12,000 tons of chocolate and compound per year in September. The deal comes just months before the UK is set to leave the EU and Barry Callebaut has highlighted Britain as a significant growth region for the company.

Barry Callebaut, Tony’s Chocolonely and Albert Heijn form partnership for slave-free cocoa sourcing

30 Nov 2018 --- A partnership involving Barry Callebaut, Dutch chocolate company Tony’s Chocolonely and Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn is looking to raise the industry’s standards on cocoa sourcing, in favor of a more equally divided cocoa chain. This step aims to end child labor and modern slavery and seeks to help cocoa farmers with incomes that sustain them.

Clean label red: Chr. Hansen expands its natural colors portfolio

29 Nov 2018 --- Chr. Hansen has developed a “vibrant and minimally processed” red vegetable juice with coloring benefits, that can be labeled simply as fruit and vegetable juices, making it a clean label option. The new color product, FruitMax reds, overcomes the “technical constraints” surrounding the creation of a stable and vibrant color that come with naturally sourced red solutions, according to the company.

Solidifying Indonesian footprint: Barry Callebaut and GarudaFood expand supply agreement

27 Nov 2018 --- Barry Callebaut and GarudaFood are extending their supply partnership in Indonesia after signing a long-term agreement for the supply of an additional 7,000 tons of compound chocolate per year to GarudaFood’s biscuit factory. Expected deliveries of the additional volumes are due to start mid-2019.

Faster technology for confectionery: Rousselot accelerates gummy gelation process

09 Nov 2018 --- Gelatin and collagen supplier Rousselot has introduced a new gelatin-based technology, coined SiMoGel, which the company says can speed up the gelation process of gummies to just five to ten minutes, depending on the type of mold used. There are currently no other gelatin-based solutions available on the market that enable gummy gelation in such a short time, reports the company, which claims this is a new “record” for the gelation of gummies produced in a starchless environment.

Tackling cocoa deforestation: Prince of Wales updated on industry progress

06 Nov 2018 --- More than 18 months after launching the Cocoa and Forests Initiative (CFI), which sets out agreed actions to achieve a sustainable and deforestation-free sector, HRH The Prince of Wales has visited key cocoa growing regions in Ghana and the Cote d’Ivoire, to examine first-hand the progress being made and how key players in the supply chain are working toward a sustainable farming model.

Longer lasting gum? TasteTech launches innovative Gum Kit for sugar-free applications

16 Oct 2018 --- TasteTech has launched a new Gum Kit specifically designed to help chewing gum manufacturers create longer lasting chewing gum. The UK-based company is a manufacturer of controlled release flavorings and ingredients and is at the forefront of microencapsulation technology, pioneering solutions to food manufacturers worldwide.

Vegan innovation in confectionery: Herza Schokolade launches white chocolate pieces

08 Oct 2018 --- Around the globe the demand for plant-based alternatives is growing – not just for basic foods but across all food categories, including confectionery. Manufacturers have been promoting their vegan fruit gums for some time and the consumption of vegan products is on the rise in the chocolate segment, too. Until now, there were no vegan alternatives to white chocolate pieces and Herza Schokolade has now occupied this market niche with the launch of its white chocolate pieces for vegan finished products.

Barry Callebaut expands Russian presence with Inforum acquisition

04 Oct 2018 --- Chocolate and cocoa world leader Barry Callebaut is expanding its presence in Russia, the world’s second largest chocolate confectionery market, after signing a new agreement to acquire Inforum, a Russian B2B producer of chocolate, coatings, and fillings, serving many of the well-known consumer chocolate brands in the federation.

Mars and Snickers makeover: Reduced sugar, added protein for UK chocolate icons

02 Oct 2018 --- New protein-packed versions of Mars and Snickers with up to 40 percent less sugar will hit UK shelves early next year as the demand for healthier alternatives picks up the pace in the confectionery space. More new product developments are also in the pipeline, as Mars Wrigley Confectionery plans to extend its reformulated range to include smaller portion sizes and low-calorie versions of classic candies and chocolates.