Chocolate makers could see savings from new research that sets out
to tackle the common problem of fat bloom, an unsightly white
powdery film that forms on the outside of chocolate, writes
Lindsey Partos.
Switzerland's Barry Callebaut group has made no secret of its
desire to move into the added-value segment of the confectionery
market, reducing its reliance on the volatile commodity segment
through a number of acquisitions....
Lindt & Sprüngli, the Swiss confectionery group, has ended the
first half of 2004 in the black - the first time the company has
completed the first six months of the year in profit. Increased
marketing expenditure - helped by...
For 47 years, the UK's most consistently popular chocolate bar has
been advertised with the slogan 'Have a break, have a Kit Kat', a
phrase which has entered the British lexicon and become synonymous
with the two- or...
Two of the biggest chocolate makers in the UK are to launch
products which will directly compete with some of each other's
biggest brands - an indication, perhaps, that the rich vein of new
product innovation of the last few...
Leading chocolate ingredients supplier Barry Callebaut is targeting
the European chocolate and cappuccino vending mix business with the
acquisition of cappuccino mix company AM Foods from Nordic dairy
firm Arla Foods.
Hanging as a persistent threat to the chocolate industry witches'
broom disease is capable of wiping out entire cacao crops and
sending the price of chocolate rocketing. Despite ongoing research
into the threat confirmed by the...
Danish firm Palsgaard has ramped up production of its food
emulsifiers for chocolate makers as demand has risen on the back of
global approval and a growing interest from the chocolate industry
to cut costs, writes Lindsey Partos.
US agri-giant Cargill has carved a deeper position in the European
chocolate market after Swiss firm Nestlé sold two cocoa processing
activities to the acquisitive private company.
Despite cheaper alternatives to cocoa butter on the market and new
European rules allowing vegetable fats in chocolate formulations,
uptake for the replacers has been slower than expected as reticent
food makers and marketers stick...
Keeping French consumers interested in chocolate has been the
driving force behind brand owners' investment in innovation in
recent years, and the latest product launches highlighted by the
Global New Products Database (GNPD)...
With a plethora of brands from which to choose and long-established
patterns of consumption, the prospects of significant growth in the
French chocolate market might seem remote. But a new report
suggests that there is plenty of movement...
The dynamic performance of the Romanian chocolate sector continues
to gather pace with the announcement from Supreme Chocolat that it
has increased its sales in the first quarter by an impressive 120
per cent.
War and disease have marked volatile prices for cocoa in the past
three years, peaking at 17 year highs in 2002 when the Ivory Coast
?source of two fifths of the world cocoa crop ?endured civil war.
Research into genomes could contribute...
The British are the biggest consumers of chocolate in Europe,
munching their way through more than 10 kg each every year. A
reflection of Britain's ongoing love affair with snacking - and
consumers' reluctance to choose...
Hard negotiations followed by new European rules put to bed
long-standing disputes over labelling issues that hung over
chocolate manufacturers. As more European manufacturers turn to
vegetable fats, the challenge is on for ingredients...
Controversial changes over two years ago to Europe's chocolate
rules - that had cocoa puritans and producers up in arms - came
into force in the summer, providing ingredients companies with a
raft of new opportunities.
Fresh from acquiring starch derivatives company Cerestar,
privately-held US company Cargill throws another European
ingredients company into its shopping trolley with the purchase of
French cocoa and chocolate ingredients company...
The UK's FSA has published guidance notes to accompany the new
cocoa and chocolate product regulations in an effort to achieve a
'more consistent application and enforcement of the regulations'.
Two European industry associations have named Archer Daniels
Midland subsidiary ADM Cocoa's De Zaan cocoa liquor as the standard
in joint research on chocolate production.
A strong rise in sales volumes in Western Europe helped Barry
Callebaut to post steady profit rise for first nine months. Company
on course to meet its target of EBIT SF200 million in 2002/03.
Swiss chocolate group Barry Callebaut has extended its already
substantial presence in the gourmet and speciality product market
with the acquisition of Luijckx, which makes ready-to-use products
for the catering sector.
The latest visit to Mintel's Global New Products Database shows
that there is no risk of any slowdown in the number of innovative
and unusual food products being launched across the world, with
cheesy ice cream just one of the...
As Valentine's Day approaches, a new report from Datamonitor looks
at how sales of chocolate - the favoured gift of lovers everywhere
- differ from market to market, and how manufacturers have cashed
in - or not - on love.
Results from research carried out at the University of California
reinforce the recent revelations concerning chocolate's potential
cardiovascular benefits.
The International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) held last month in
Cologne, Germany, clearly illustrated the key confectionery trends,
write market analysts Euromonitor. Particularly evident, the
dichotomy between fun sugar confectionery...
Next January will see the launch of Fruity Smarties, a new
variation on the popular Nestle chocolate confectionery brand which
contains a fruity jelly produced by Haribo. Is this the start of a
beautiful relationship between the two...
More research to suggest that chocolate could be of benefit arrived
this week with scientists in the US suggesting that dietary
flavonols found in certain chocolates and cocoa could improve blood
vessel function.
Wilbur Chocolate, a unit of agribusiness giant Cargill said on
Monday that it has purchased rival Peter's Chocolate from Nestle
USA, making it the top US supplier of chocolate to confectionery
makers and bakers.
New research from the US claims that new, high-yielding selections
of Theobroma cacao, may offer new hope to the world's cacao
growers - and to chocolate manufacturers and chocolate lovers
across the world.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said this week that it is
to establish a standard of identity for white chocolate.
The standard will provide for the use of the term `white
chocolate' as the common or usual name of...
Cadbury-Schweppes and Nestle are reported to have struck agreement
on the brands and assets each would undertake if their joint bid
for Hershey Foods is accepted.
After cocoa bean costs soared to 15 year highs chocolate lovers
could soon be paying heavily for their indulgence. Shortages in the
world market supply of cocoa beans forced prices up by 50 per cent
in London last week - a rise not...
Confectionery maker Hershey Foods on Monday was downgraded to
"neutral" from "buy" by Merrill Lynch, which cited concern that a
sale of the company could prompt Hershey to give up powerful
licensed brands such...
Potential buyers for US confectionery giant Hershey are close to
putting their bids on the table, despite ongoing legal hitches,
sources familiar with the situation said on Sunday.
Following the concretisation of a European Directive for chocolate
regulations, due to come into force in Europe in the summer of
2003, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) said this week that it is
to host a short seminar to discuss...
Shares in food giant Nestle jumped 2.8 per cent on Wednesday as
investors bet a US court would intervene in the sale of Hershey
Foods, reducing the odds that Nestle would overpay for the
chocolate icon.
Adding to the increasing body of evidence that suggests chocolate
may be beneficial to the health comes new research that reveals
this 'ultimate temptation' may help fight off cancer and heart
disease, and, with a certain...
Nestle and Cadbury, the two European confectionery giants, are
reported to be discussing a joint bid for Hershey, the US chocolate
maker. But while a joint bid is unlikely, both firms could profit
from the sale.
Nestle believes it will walk away with lucrative US rights to its
KitKat brand whether or not it wins a takeover battle for American
chocolate icon Hershey because of a deal dating back to 1970,
reports Reuters on Thursday.
Danish oils and fats company Aarhus Oliefabrik on Thursday reported
a drop in operating income to DKK93m (€12.5m) for the first six
months of 2002, down from DKK 125m (€16.8m) for the same period
last year, but despite this the company...
Food giant Nestle yesterday moved to quell market speculation it
was poised to launch a top-dollar bid for US chocolate maker
Hershey Foods, suggesting it would only pursue deals that met
certain growth and cost criteria.
Food conglomerate Nestle has emerged as the favourite to win a
multi-billion auction for American chocolate icon Hershey Foods
although investors took a cautious approach to reports a firm offer
was already on the table.
The UK Food Standards Agency is this week consulting on draft
regulations to implement a new European Directive that defines
chocolate. The new directive means that the UK's traditional milk
chocolate recipe can stay the same,...
Swiss food group Nestle on Friday declined to comment on market
talk it might want to buy US confectionery maker Hershey, but said
it would be keen on regaining its top-selling Kit Kat brand in the
United States.
US confectionery group Hershey Foods on Tuesday sweetened its
second-quarter earnings forecast amid cost cutting and anticipated
demand for the Halloween and back-to-school seasons, reports CBS
Marketwatch.
Europe's chocolate manufacturers yesterday strongly rejected a US
lawsuit alleging that they had failed to disclose that some of
their products contained hazardous levels of toxic metals.
