Cargill said its planned investment of $5m over the next three years in sustainable cocoa initiatives will help address the worst forms of child labour in cocoa growing communities in the Ivory Coast and Ghana.
Industrial chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut has secured a key, long-term supply contract with Kraft Foods, which will see the Swiss firm invest €51m to expand production capacity in North America, the Ivory Coast, Malaysia and Europe.
Olam International is planning to invest $43.5m to build its first, large greenfield cocoa processing plant in the Ivory Coast as well as additional primary processing and warehouse facilities.
Specialist fat supplier reports strong growth in cocoa butter alternatives, sustaining an increase in operating profits in spite of growing market uncertainty.
Recent cocoa bean price volatility is due in large part to hedge funds attracted by quick returns taking short-term positions on the commodity, according to a leading analyst.
Research from scientists based at the Nestlé research centre in the UK and the University of Nottingham shows that mixing ethylcellulose with lecithin is an alternative to high concentrations of lecithin to enhance the flow of reduced fat chocolate.
The reported purchase of 240,100 tonnes of cocoa on the London futures market by a sole trader will not impact hugely on supply to industry, as cocoa processors have already shored up bean stocks for the next four months, claims the International Cocoa...
Leading industrial chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut reported buoyant third quarter sales volume gains of 11.3 per cent, based it said upon growth in Asia-Pacific and the luxury chocolate category.
Healthy hydrogenated trans-free and short chained fatty acid-free solid alternatives to cocoa butter for chocolate production can be produced from sunflower oils enriched in stearic and oleic acids by means of a solvent fractionation method, claims a...
Dairy giant Danone comes out top of the list for category dominance in the European food sector, followed by Unilever and Nestle, according to a new report.
Ensuring consumers reap the benefits from the beneficial compounds in cocoa may mean formulating products with more sugar, suggests a new study from Kraft.
Archer Daniel Midland is proposing to close its cocoa processing plant in Hull, UK, this summer because there is overcapacity in the market place and demand for semi-finished cocoa is shifting to Central and Eastern Europe.
Partial substitution of cocoa butter in confectionery products may be achieved with tea seed oil, a by-product of tea processing, says new research with the potential to help chocolate makers cut costs.
A standard for measuring the antioxidant-rich cocoa flavanols in chocolate products, a broadening of the market for functional chocolate as well as boosting consumer awareness are the objectives of a new alliance between Mars Inc and Barry Callebaut.
The difference between British and continental European chocolate preferences means the acquisition of Cadbury by Kraft would not present competition problems, the European Commission has said, as long as Cadbury’s concerns in Poland and Romania were...
Brands such as Kit Kat and Wispa are performing well but new data shows the UK chocolate confectionery market appears to be taking a hit from the economic downturn
The levels of antioxidant activity and flavan-3-ol levels in chocolate products are stable over a controlled shelf life of one year, according to a new study.
Barry Callebaut has signed an agreement to acquire Spain’s Chocovic, in a deal that will give the chocolate giant its first manufacturing plant in Spain.
Combining inulin with the bulking agent polydextrose may reduce the sugar and fat content of milk chocolate, without affecting consumer acceptance, suggests a new study.
Drinks or high sugar-containing chocolate may be the best formulations for boosting antioxidant levels in the blood, suggests a new study from Kraft Foods.
Vegetable milk made from a blend of peanuts and cowpea may offer an alternative to dairy for milk chocolate formulations, suggests a new study from Ghana.
FoodNavigator’s Snack Size Science brings you the week's top science every two weeks. This week we look at the science behind chocolate cravings, and how to formulate a tasty, low-fat chocolate treat.
Nestle has opened a chocolate research centre in Switzerland to inspire new formulations, product concepts and packaging designs in the luxury segment.
Wild has launched a blend of plant extracts to help chocolate manufacturers create antioxidant rich products without needing to buy special quality cocoa beans.
Producers in the world’s largest cocoa-producing country, Côte d’Ivoire, are taking part in the first independent audits in preparation for the UTZ Certified code of conduct; a programme that sets internationally recognised standards for responsible cocoa...
Delfi Cocoa, a division of Petra Foods, has started production at its new processing plant in Hamburg, Germany, as it positions to better serve its European customers.
UK-based Cadbury is hoping to extend its presence in India with the confectioner reportedly set to use the country as a major regional production centre for its cocoa supplies.
Cargill has officially opened a new plant for chocolate fillings and coatings in The Netherlands, as part of a wider plan to grow its cocoa and chocolate operations.
A confectionery association has joined forces with the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) to improve the lot of cocoa growing communities in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and help ensure a sustainable supply.
As the prospect of a fat tax on unhealthy food is raised once more, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has spoken out on behalf of the industry against calls for a tax on chocolate.
Barry Callebaut is a step closer to boasting about the antidepressant properties of cocoa on its product labels after a study funded by the company found that it could have a mood-lifting effect.
Media-shy Cemoi, France's number one chocolate maker, ramps up its image with a new logo, new products and a clear drive to become the number two industrial chocolate supplier in Europe.
While industry observers and stakeholders continue to speculate on whether chocolate is, or is not, 'recession-proof', Belgium's Barry Callebaut expects the number of consumer products containing its health and wellness Acticoa chocolate...
Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) is continuing its march into the European chocolate market and moving closer to its customers on this side of the Atlantic with the acquisition of the German firm Schokinag.
Chocolate consumers are becoming more adventurous, enjoying darker, more unusual flavour combinations with higher cocoa percentages, according to Mintel.
Continuing our focus on innovative product ideas showcased at this year's SIAL event in Paris, we present a round-up of new food designs yet to hit the market.
ADM has launched a new range of cocoa liquors for Asian chocolate-makers, which is said to leverage the characteristics of specific cocoa beans – including fine Papua New Guinean beans.
Confectioners and food firms in the UK are on the alert after the country's food watchdog announces the recall of certain batches of White Rabbit products from China containing up to 60 times the melamine limit.
Costs for cocoa have fallen from a peak of $3000 per tonne in July, to $2551.33 on Monday, but reports of the damaging black pod disease in Ivory Coast could drive prices upwards, compounded by political uncertainty that may see chocolate buyers eager...
British confectionery firm Cadbury has recalled all of its chocolate products manufactured at its Beijing plant as a precautionary step 'after monitoring' melamine-contamination events in China, the chocolate maker said this morning.
Two major confectionery players have this month announced inroads into Russia, demonstrating that cocoa ingredients suppliers and their customers are seeking to spear fresh wins in Russia's emerging, and burgeoning, confectionery market.
Confectioners may seek to develop new formulations that use cocoa powder and baking chocolate, as new evidence suggests these two chocolate foods deliver the highest levels of the health-busting antioxidant resveratrol.
Cereal, cocoa and fruit ingredient prices may have soared in the past year, but these building blocks in confectionery formulation hold sway, evident in the recent swathe of product designs that boast a health and wellness twist.
Focusing further on cocoa bean sourcing and processing, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut spins-off Chococam, the last of its consumer activities in Africa, to South African food firm Tiger Brands.
Herculean efforts are required by the global chocolate industry to
ensure that sourced cocoa supplies are not linked to exploited or
trafficked child labour, underlines labour watchdog International
Labor Rights Forum.
The wave of health and wellness comes ashore for chocolate makers,
with latest figures from Mintel showing the fresh healthier image
for dark chocolate has brought a much-need, and strident, upward
shift in sales for 2007.
