Unilever is looking for new ideas to help it reduce the sodium levels in its food products by a further 15 to 20% without compromising taste - just one ‘want’ on its newly launched open innovation platform.
Associated British Foods (ABF) is on track to deliver strong, full-year growth, however, high raw material costs in a competitive environment has seen the group struggle against stronger, more aggressive players in the ingredients market.
Food giant Nestle has recorded modest growth in 2011 driven by strong performance in China and other emerging markets leading its CEO to say wealth potential is moving from West to East.
UK chocolatier Thorntons has suffered a 63% decline in profits in its half yearly report and intends to close almost half of its own stores and focus on commercial retail sales.
AarhusKarlshamn (AAK) has posted modest growth in its fourth quarter (Q4) and final year results driven by raw material price increases and strong performance in its core food ingredients segment.
Cargill has announced plans to invest €20m in two cocoa and chocolate production facilities in Germany as it looks to boost its presence domestically and in Eastern Europe.
The chocolate and cocoa industry has backed an EU resolution to tackle child labour in cocoa production and warns children may still have produced cocoa that is 100% certified.
A downturn in sales throughout Western Europe has seen Barry Callebaut fail to meet its projected growth for the first quarter. However the Swiss chocolate supplier said it is still outperforming the market.
Barry Callebaut has submitted an article 13.5 health claim dossier to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) linking cocoa flavanols and healthy blood flow.
UK-based polymer firm Revolymer has gained novel foods approval in the EU for a gum base that degrades faster than conventional bases and is seeking commercial partners to launch chewing gum products in the EU.
Any growth in the mature Belgian confectionery market lies in fair trade chocolate and chewing gum, according to an analyst at Leatherhead Food Research.
Confectionery sales in Europe dwindle as new product developments (NPD) have not met consumer preferences which demands more definite health claims, according to an analyst at Mintel.
Leading confectionery and ice-cream brand owners are switching to colouring foodstuffs over natural colours, as consumer demand for clean label products continues unabated, and retailers acknowledge the potential they hold in terms of brand value, claims...
Ingredients firm ADM has launched range of mildly fruity cocoa powders; cocoa masses and chocolate that it has said can reduce bitterness in chocolate based products and appeal to more consumers.
Danish company Palsgaard said a US $30m emulsifier factory located in Malaysia will be operational in just over 12 months and will bring the company closer to the supply of its key raw material - palm oil.
Ingredients firm Wild has launched a range of exotic fruit flavours for jelly gums as it claims there is potential for firms to offer products that are distinct from competitors.
Ingredients firm Chr. Hansen has doubled the number of products in its fruit colouring food stuffs range, which it said will allow manufacturers to diversify sweet confectionery products and keep an e-number free label.
German ingredients group, Wild said it has extended its colouring foodstuffs portfolio to include a blue hue for confectionery products derived from the algae Spirulina platensis.
Taura has launched an ingredients range that it claims allows manufactures to combine 100% ultra rapid concentrated (URC) fruit and vegetables with other ingredients for the first time in premium confectionery and baked goods.
Italian confectioner Ferrero has been ordered by a German court to change the labelling on its Nutella brand or face €250,000 fines per individual case.
Health ingredients firm Biothera has been granted novel foods approval in the EU for its immune health ingredient yeast beta glucan and said there were prospects for manufacturers in a variety of food formulations.
Irish researchers have patented the process for a non-sticky, biodegradable gum that uses cereal proteins to replace rubber gum bases in chewing gum and are looking for companies to commercialise the product.
Arla Foods Ingredients has announced that a dairy bulking agent for chocolate and bakery formulation that it said offers cost savings on sweet whey powder (SWP) is set for global roll-out in 2012.
ADM (Archer Daniels Midland) Cocoa has released a new addition to its Unicao range of cocoa liquors from Ghana cocoa beans, following the release of a similar product from its Ivory Coast facilities last month.
Children’s familiarity with snack foods influences how full they feel after eating them, according to a new study from psychologists at the University of Bristol. The research, which could have important implications for remedying childhood over-eating,...
ADM Cocoa claims to have overcome the barriers that have historically prevented the development of premium bakery and confectionery fillings with a long shelf life through the use of lipid technology.
Marshmallow colour and flavour innovation and an extension of its red shade portfolio have been the focus of recent R&D work at natural ingredients producer Wild.
A call from the Netherlands to end European import duty on sustainably produced palm oil has been welcomed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The proposal is designed to encourage the uptake of sustainable palm oil by offsetting some of...
Mars has announced that Maltesers will be its first brand to carry the Fairtrade mark from June 2012, the commitment follows similar moves from Cadbury and Nestle.
Newly identified types of cacao plants with unique flavours that could be in the confectionery industry have been identified by researchers exploring the Peruvian Amazon Basin.
Consumers seeking a healthier alternative to sugar-coated chocolate sweets are willing to pay up to a 10 per cent premium for tooth-friendly variations of sweets and confectionery products, if they came to market, according to Beneo
A new report from the World Development Movement (WDM) links financial speculation to the rising cost of foods, and calls for effective regulation to curb banks betting on food prices in financial markets.
ADM (Archer Daniels Midland) Cocoa has extended its Unicao range of cocoa liquors produced from Ivory Coast cocoa beans, for use in premium milk and dark chocolate products.
Kerry Group’s acquisition of sweet ingredients provider SuCrest will extend its technology and expertise in that arena, said the global flavour and ingredients powerhouse.
A German research team has identified key aroma and taste compounds of cocoa relying on molecular sensory science and report a way to improve the taste of chocolate, which could manufacturers control and improve the flavour of cocoa products.
Confectionery giants such as Nestlé, Haribo and Cadbury have been at the forefront of efforts to move away from artificial additives, as the general industry makes a shift to natural food products, according to Leatherhead Food Research.
Cargill’s drive to secure a good quality and sustainable supply of cocoa beans is filtering down to famers in Cote d'Ivoire as it has just made premium payments totalling more than US $2.2m.
Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) has announced that it will expand its cocoa processing capabilities at its facility in Singapore to enable it to keep pace with growing demand for cocoa and chocolate products from Asian markets.
There will be no dramatic drop in cocoa prices in the coming months as forecast by numerous speculators hoping to cash in on a downward trend, reports a cocoa market specialist.
Kraft Foods has said it intends to split into two companies, in a move that would create a global snacks powerhouse separate from its North American grocery business.
Results from recent research aiming to better understand variation in chocolate consumption behaviour suggest that formulation experts at leading brand owners might consider developing different products targeted at suckers and fast chewers.
