Chocolate and confectionery ingredients

Sweets & Snacks Expo

Ferrero North America builds US manufacturing facility, expanding chocolate production for the first time outside of Europe

06-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The company’s manufacturing plant in Bloomington, Ill.n will feature a chocolate processing facility and a Kinder Bueno production line. The plant is expected to strengthen the company’s presence in the US, while showcasing its diverse portfolio, Hugh...

Sweets & Snacks Expo

Study reveals consumer preference for softer gummies over traditional gelatin-based varieties, says Cargill

05-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Cargill's consumer preference study revealed that despite the widespread popularity of gelatin-based gummies, participants overwhelmingly favored a softer gummy texture made from alternative ingredients like pectin or tapioca.

Sweets & Snacks Expo

Snack marketing for multicultural consumers

02-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

As brands seek cultural fluency to develop products for different demographics, Kellogg’s presentation during the Sweets & Snacks Expo explored the various nuances of the multicultural and generational differences of the American snack consumer, specifically...

Sweets & Snacks Expo

How retailers can enhance impulse purchases in-store and online

31-May-2023 By Deniz Ataman

While e-commerce impulse buys are evolving, in-store purchases are still critical in capturing snack and candy consumers—with the self-checkout lane offering tremendous potential growth for both brands and retailers, Kathy Risch, senior vice president,...

Sweets & Snacks Expo

Unwrapping consumers' candy and snack preferences across generations

31-May-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Despite inflationary pressures, consumers at all life stages continue to treat themselves both in-store and online with candy and snacks, Acosta Group's Kathy Risch shares in this first story in the two part series about consumers' candy and...

News In Brief

DouxMatok rebrands as Incredo, lands $30m to expand production of sugar reduction solution

24-May-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

In a bid to create a more “memorable” identity, Israeli food-tech company DouxMatok is rebranding to share the same “single, powerful” name as its signature sugar reduction product – Incredo – which it plans to further develop and commercialize with the...

Private label products hold their own as retailers leverage brand recognition, shopper loyalty and distribution networks

17-May-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Private label products have transitioned from price-focused to standalone brands for retailers to cater shifting consumer preferences and trends.

Discount retailers benefit from consumer shift as grocery prices rise

02-May-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Discount stores need to keep a close eye on pricing strategies to remain competitive and balance affordability with product displays and differentiation, advises one industry insider.

Hershey's net sales grow as it expands commercial capabilities amidst rising commodity and logistics costs

28-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Hershey's net sales increased 12.1% to $2.98bn thanks to price and volume gains across both confectionery and salty snack segments, driven heavily by consumer demand and media investments.

Mondelez raises guidance after ‘best quarter ever,’ successful price hikes

28-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Biscuit and chocolate giant Mondelez International nearly doubled its outlook for fiscal 2023 after delivering its “best quarter ever” with organic revenue growth up 19.4% to $1.5bn over the same period last year and “significantly ahead of [an] already...

SweetLeaf and American Diabetes Association sweeten up another partnership through events and resources to promote diabetes awareness

20-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Similar to previous partnerships between SweetLeaf and the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the collaboration intends to bring more visibility towards diabetes risk and management and provide actionable ways for people with diabetes to improve their...

Modern data platform, Crstl, facilitates B2B e-commerce between CPG brands and retailers

17-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The no-code electronic data integration software offers automatic compliance testing, certification services and onboarding amenities to connect food and beverage brands with a network of trading partners.

Blast from the past: Nostalgia drives food and beverage brands back to the present (and future)

14-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Bringing back a nostalgic food and beverage brand "is about relaunching smartly," explained Purvi Shah, assistant professor of marketing, Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Hello Alice’s Business Health Score helps small CPG companies access capital

13-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The fintech platform, along with the Global Entrepreneurship Network, intends to help small to medium-sized businesses access capital with the launch of the Equitable Access Program and its first product, the Business Health Score.

CSPI et al’s letter to the FDA urges the immediate and formal removal of Red Dye No. 3, industry trade groups representing color additives request comment deadline extension

11-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Citing numerous studies that suggest Red Dye No. 3 could be carcinogenic, The Center for Science in the Public Interest and a coalition of 23 other associations want FDA to remove the color from its list of approved additives in foods, dietary supplements...

Shrinkflation-weary consumers turn to private label

07-Apr-2023 By Ryan Daily

Raising prices while simultaneously shrinking products to offset higher inflation could cost brands more in the long term, suggests a new survey from YouGov that found consumers turned off by shrinkflation are turning to private label.

Easter 2023

Candy expected to take up a large chunk of Easter spend, US research reveals

06-Apr-2023 By Anthony Myers

US Consumers plan to spend a collective $24 billion on Easter this year, up from $20.8 billion in 2022 and the previous record high of $21.7 billion in 2020, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights...

Financial results

Barry Callebaut lowers sales volume guidance after ‘flat to modest’ growth

05-Apr-2023 By Anthony Myers

In news over-shadowed by the shock resignation of CEO Peter Boone, Barry Callebaut announced sales volumes in the six months ending 28 February fell 2.9% to 1.13 million tonnes and has lowered its sales volume guidance as inflationary pressures continue...

Natural Products Expo West

Upcycling food ‘is really one of the biggest opportunities facing the food industry’

04-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Upcycling food, or turning would-be wasted byproducts from one product into something delicious and nutritious for people, has emerged as one of the hottest trends in food and beverage in recent years with the market projected to grow at a compound annual...

Easter 2023

Is there a right way to eat a chocolate Easter bunny? Confectionery industry looks forward to a bumper weekend

03-Apr-2023 By Anthony Myers

A new survey commissioned by the National Confectioners Association (NCA) reveals 84% of Americans say they plan to celebrate the 2023 Easter season by sharing or gifting some kind of confectionery treat.

What’s sweet in permissible indulgences? Marshmallow flavors, twists on classic cookies

31-Mar-2023 By Ryan Daily

Mars, Kellogg, Mondelez, and other CPG players are launching seasonal sweets and snacks to mark the start of Spring and Easter with unique and classic flavors as well as bite-size formats that also satisfy consumer demand for permissible indulgence.

Hershey: ‘The salty business … is now $1.2b in sales, and it is in a moment of scale’

31-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Hershey plans to aggressively scale its salty snack business with ambitious goals to take SkinnyPop popcorn and Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels from second and third place respectively to first in their categories “in the next couple of years” by building brand...

Hershey expands US confection lead with ‘occasion-based’ innovation, personalized marketing

30-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Hershey is gaining market share in the US confection market while its top competitors fall farther back by replacing its old playbook of innovating and marketing to masses with a more targeted “occasion-based” approach to product development and “mass...

Natural Products Expo West

Simple Mills is creating market demand for biodiverse crops, pushing for equity

28-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Better for you snack brand Simple Mills is taking is mission and products beyond its initial “free from” roots to embrace a “for more” approach that not only skips artificial ingredients that consumers are avoiding but gives them more of what they want...

Hershey reimagines manufacturing to navigate lingering supply chain challenges

28-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Hershey is making more of the sweets and snacks consumers want with less and overcoming extreme supply chain challenges by replacing and repurposing underutilized manufacturing capacity, ditching conventional lines in favor of more efficient modular operations...

Sustainability

Sweet news for chocolate lovers - and cocoa farmers - as more products added to Fairtrade

13-Mar-2023 By Anthony Myers

Strong consumer demand for affordable, sustainable products will drive the Fairtrade market in 2023, the organisation said after a successful awareness campaign in the UK brought ethically sourced products, such as chocolate, bananas and coffee, into...

Expo West Trendspotting: From beverages bursting with boba to munchable mochi and plant-based beyond meat and dairy

13-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Emerging and maturing trends revealed at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim last week ranged from dips delivering delightful dinners, mochi moving into multiple day parts, plant-based expanding beyond analogues, and beverages brimming with better-for-you...

Supply chain

Cote d’Ivoire’s cocoa regulator expects exporters to honour contracts

22-Feb-2023 By Anthony Myers

Conseil du Café-Cacao (CCC), Cote d’Ivoire’s cocoa regulator, has issued a statement that it expects the country’s cocoa exporters to fulfill their contracts despite supply chain issues at ports.

Moving beyond COVID dynamics: How Mars Wrigley, Upfield are retooling approaches, marketing to consumers in 2023

17-Feb-2023 By Ryan Daily

As 2023 comes into focus, CPG brands are addressing yet more changes to supply chains, marketing, and how they approach consumers, retailers, and the markets they serve, as shared in a recent IRI and Boston Consulting Group webinar.

Sustainabilty

Chocolate processors Baronie & Cémoi join Tony’s Open Chain to improve its cocoa traceability

08-Feb-2023 By Anthony Myers

Tony’s Open Chain, an initiative by Tony’s Chocolonely that invites other chocolate manufacturers to ramp up sustainability efforts in their own supply chains, has announced it is partnering with chocolate processor Baronie & Cémoi.

FDA will not object to limited health claims regarding cocoa flavanols and cardiovascular disease

06-Feb-2023 By Lauren Nardella

FDA will allow a very narrow set of claims linking cocoa flavanols in high flavanol cocoa powder and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease following a petition from Switzerland-based chocolate and cocoa product manufacturer Barry Callebaut AG.

Strawberry flavors, 'sour singles' sweeten up Valentine's Day candy launches

03-Feb-2023 By Ryan Daily

From limited-time offerings to licensed products, this Valentine’s Day candy season is shaping up to be a big one in terms of sales and product launches, with many leading CPGs providing sweet treats for those romantics – and even some for those who despise...

‘Chocolate and salty snacks rank a two of the top three resilient treats that consumers are not willing to forgo’

Hershey doubles down on advertising to offset impact from price hikes, reinforce consumer connection

03-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sweets and snacks giant Hershey will double down on advertising and production capacity for its fastest growing brands, including Reese’s and Skinny Pop, in the coming year to help offset price elasticity and meet consumer demand, which executives say...

US Snack Index reveals consumers' fear of running out of snacks during the Super Bowl

03-Feb-2023 By Gill Hyslop

Shockingly – in the run up to the country’s biggest watched sporting event – Frito-Lay’s latest Snack Index found that almost half the country’s Super Bowl fans would rather see their team lose than have to sit through the game without snacks.

Mondelez holds off on promotions, price roll-backs despite retailer pressure as inflation remains high

01-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Mondelez executives see no reason to lower prices or increase promotions for their iconic sweets and snacks despite reported retailer requests that brands across the board do so as some consumers begin pulling back on spending in the face of ongoing inflation.

Godiva CEO says premium chocolates remain ‘very resilient’ ahead of Valentine's Day

31-Jan-2023 By Ryan Daily

The Valentine's Day candy season is poised for growth in 2023 with year-over-year sales expected to grow 5% to around $4bn, despite rising inflation and supply chain issues, according to the National Confectioners Association.

Sustainability

Fairtrade launches new map to identify human rights and environmental risks in cocoa and other commodities

26-Jan-2023 By Anthony Myers

In a statement, Fairtrade said: ‘Risk assessment and collaboration with farmers and workers are cornerstones of sustainable supply chains and essential for evolving due diligence requirements’.

Ayana Bio targets cacao bioactives production, ‘upgrades’ plant cell culture with synthetic biology and metabolomics

18-Jan-2023 By Elaine Watson

Ayana Bio — one of a new wave of startups seeking to unlock the potential of plant cell culture in the food and nutrition industry — is turning its attention to cacao bioactives with a $3m investment it claims will also benefit the wider industry.

Unilever outlines 3-prong plan to capture market share in growing ice cream segment

17-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Over the next three years, Unilever plans to expand its lead in ice cream sales by offering more premium products, expanding in emerging markets and leveraging digitization to boost sales online and out of home, a top executive recently revealed.

Could reframing ‘shrinkflation’ as portion-control boost sales?

16-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Many packaged food and beverage manufacturers that have trimmed serving sizes without lowering cost in recent years to mitigate inflation have tried to do so in stealth mode for fear of losing value-seeking shoppers, but new research suggests if they...

Corn prices to stay elevated as global supplies ‘remain tight’

12-Jan-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Procurement intelligence and analytics provider Beroe predicts that corn prices will remain high due to supply chain disruptions and increasing production costs.

Kerry sours on sweets, IRCA to purchase sweet ingredients portfolio

12-Jan-2023 By Ryan Daily

In an effort to streamline its portfolio, ingredient manufacturer Kerry has entered into exclusive negotiations to sell its sweet ingredients business to food ingredient company IRCA for €500m ($538m).

M&As

Mars snaps up premium whole-fruit snacking brand Trü Frü

21-Dec-2022 By Anthony Myers

Mars, Incorporated has acquired better-for-you, whole-fruit snacking brand Trü Frü for an undisclosed amount, the confectionery giant has announced.

'Cocoa used to be in a fruit on a tree. Through technology we make it in a cell mass in a bottle...'

Lab-grown cocoa? Celleste Bio backs plant cell culture to solve ‘chocolate supply crisis’

21-Dec-2022 By Shane Starling

Israeli start-up Celleste Bio is building momentum to disrupt the chocolate supply chain… by growing cocoa in a lab.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Emerging flavor trends cater to comfort, nostalgia & whimsy

28-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

The stressful one-two punch of pandemic lockdowns followed by runaway inflation has many consumers looking for comfort and escapism from their food and beverages, which industry leaders say is driving demand for new flavor combinations that are nostalgic,...

Hershey braces for elasticity moderation even as it predicts ongoing strong sales through Q4

07-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

While consumer spending on groceries has yet to dramatically slow in the face of rising prices to offset inflation, some CPG companies – including Hershey – are bracing for an eventual pushback, even as they continue to pass additional costs through to...

Mondelēz plans for December price increases but sees strong consumer brand loyalty

03-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

While consumers are tightening their purse strings and cutting down on many discretionary purchases, snacking is one area many are not, according to Mondelēz International, which continues to see consumers opt for name brands over private label and value-priced...

Barry Callebaut unwraps ‘second generation’ of chocolate: ‘It gives a cocoa bite, instead of a sweet bite’

03-Nov-2022 By Flora Southey

The chocolate major is ‘redesigning’ how it farms, ferments, and roasts cocoa beans to develop a range of chocolate. We ask Bas Smit, Vice-President, Global Marketing and R&D, how the company is putting ‘cocoa first, sugar last’.

Mondelēz International to invest $600m to scale cocoa sustainability program

26-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Mondelēz International is investing an additional $600m by 2030 in its cocoa sustainability program, Cocoa Life, for a total investment of $1bn since the start of the program 10 years ago.

Nestlé plans further price increases, 'Pricing will need to continue,' says CEO

21-Oct-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Nestlé is continuing to fine tune its portfolio through ongoing SKU rationalization paired with an increased focus on high-growth segments of coffee and its Nestlé Health Sciences division with plans to introduce additional pricing actions to keep up...