In an era of rising health consciousness, the confectionery industry finds itself at a crossroads. Traditionally associated with indulgence and guilty pleasures, confectionery products are now undergoing a transformation to meet the demands of a more...
We’re getting ready for Easter in this week’s new-product roundup. There’s everything from egg-cellent (not sorry!) mini-egg ice cream to egg-citing (still not sorry!) dairy-free chocolate eggs. There’s also a range of drinks from energy-sparking mixers...
In the wake of California’s Food Safety Act, Pennsylvania is the latest state proposing a ban of several food additives from the food supply, as trade groups like the National Confectioners Association (NCA) are calling into question the law, arguing...
From Cadbury Mini Eggs Chocolate Cookies to a Popcorn Easter Egg, there’s certainly a bounty available for chocoholics. But Easter isn’t all about chocolate, so we’re also shining a spotlight on better-for-you Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Eggs, a Moist Supreme...
Emphasizing the value of exisiting products appeared to trump breakthrough innovation this year at Natural Products Expo West where many companies either introduced smaller sizes of existing SKUs to lower the entry point or more prominently called out...
Confectionery sales in the United States hit $48 billion in 2023 (up from $42.6bn in 2022 ), according to the National Confectioners Association’s 2024 State of Treating report, which was released at its Cconference in Miami this week.
Foodtech company Incredo expands its sugar reduction solutions with the launch of Incredo Sugar G2, a concentrated version of its clean label, protein-sucrose blend Incredo Sugar made from cane and/or beet sugar and a dairy- or plant-based protein to...
The recent passage of the California Food Safety Act, which bans several food additives in the state, created a template for other states to introduce similar legislation, warn food toxicologists Craig Llewellyn and James Coughlin during a recent webinar...
The Hershey Company may be best known for its eponymous chocolate bars, but the company is betting big on gummies this year with significantly increased production capacity to support innovation and a new partnership model, including a collaboration with...
‘Performance flapjack’ brand DuelFuel is warning the functional foods market of potential VAT challenges after its business was devastated when made to sell its products as confectionery due to its health ingredients, making it subject to 20% VAT.
Bakery ingredient supplier Dawn Foods launched a European-style chocolate buttercream that is ready to use for bakers, Allison Hornev, senior director marketing core portfolio
& innovation, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Better-for-you confection newcomer Rotten’s early distribution gains since it launched in September underscores an unmet consumer desire for candy that cuts back on sugar and artificial ingredients, but not the fun.
Less is apparently more when it comes to the amount of sugar used in the creation of the perfect chocolate bar. So will manufacturers reduce the amount of sugar they use in the making of this sweet treat and will consumers welcome the change?
This Valentine's Day, consumers are predicted to spend a record amount on sweet treats from chocolates to gummy candies, as the confectionery industry navigates supply-chain challenges and increasing demands for better-for-you indulgences.
Love may be in the air this Valentine's Day – but so is the eye-watering price of cocoa on the market, making the cost of the key ingredient in chocolate more expensive than ever, according to analysts.
Finding a reliable manufacturer that can meet product specifications and has production capacity that aligns with supply needs is one of the biggest challenges brands face, but a new matching platform launching today could simplify and dramatically shorten...
Justin’s launch of its Dark Chocolate Candy Pieces continues the brand’s emphasis on offering clean confectionery ingredients that are USDA-certified organic, use Rainforest Alliance cocoa and are Non-GMO Project Verified, aligning with the brand’s corporate...
Hershey is launching a multi-year cost-savings strategy that will lean heavily on enhanced automation and a more efficient operating model, which could result in job cuts, to help offset historically high cocoa prices and elevated sugar costs that are...
From confectionery to cakes, breakfast cereals to beer, sugar is a huge part of the modern diet, but why is the cost of one of our most indulgent ingredients increasing and how will this affect both food manufacturers and consumers?
Introduced by Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, the Illinois Food Safety Act (SB 2637) would ban brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, red dye No.3 and titanium dioxide from retail food products -- potentially making it the strictest...
The founder of startup Harken Sweets, which launched earlier this month, wants to “nutritionally overhaul” the candy bar category by using “the power of the date fruit,” like how she helped Caulipower reinvigorate the pizza category with the “power of...
Children's food brand Once Upon A Farm launches its A2/A2 whole milk shakes “to fill the gap no for added sugar dairy snacks” with milk sourced from grass-fed cows on regenerative farms, company CEO John Foraker told FoodNavigator-USA.
Eco labels, from Fairtrade America to Marine Stewardship Council to Non-GMO Project, can help tip the scales when consumers are deliberating between products at shelf and even encourage them to try a new or unfamiliar brand, according to leading sustainability...
A resounding theme of “better” emerged at the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas last week, where more than 1,200 specialty food companies came together to showcase the latest innovations in cheese, condiments, baked goods, snacks and more.
Food-tech startup Voyage Foods’ clean-label cocoa-free chocolate offers manufacturers a one-to-one replacement for traditional chocolate that it says doesn’t compromise taste or texture but, according to a new life cycle analysis, bypasses many of the...
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has announced the eight confectionery industry professionals selected for its 2024 Future Leadership Programme.
Global snack maker Mars expands its snack production with the purchase of a new $237m baking facility for Nature’s Bakery in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a Chicago-based Global Research and Development Hub that will focus on chocolate and nuts testing and...
Japanese candy brand HI-CHEW launched a direct-to-consumer (DTC) website as part of a broader strategy to appeal to Gen Z consumers, Joanne Hsu, senior brand marketing manager at Morinaga America, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Consumers are increasingly focusing on their health without compromising on taste, which is why healthy indulgence has become a serious trend. Millennials (Gen Y) and Centennials (Gen Z) are looking for foods and beverages that are tasty, good for you,...
Biotech company Oobli is expanding its confections portfolio with the release of a line of milk chocolate bars, demonstrating sweet proteins' potential for chocolate applications, company CEO Ali Wing told FoodNavigator-USA.
Spurred on by a drive to pursue positive impact and leave the corporate world, four founders came together to launch their Mediterranean cacao-free chocolate brand.
As an early adopter of the “triple bottom line” framework, the premium confection company Endangered Species Chocolate has been “doing well by doing good” for 30 years by responsibly sourcing ingredients, supporting fair trade, prioritizing sustainability...
WNWN Food Labs’ recent completion in Mondelēz International, Inc.’s CoLab Tech accelerator is “just the beginning” for the cocoa-free brand, Johnny Drain, co-founder, WNWN, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Large chocolate and cocoa companies, including multinationals including Mars, Ferrero, Mondelēz, Hershey, Nestlé, and traders like Barry Callebaut and Cargill, are not paying prices that allow cocoa farmers to earn a living. This is the conclusion of...
FDA has approved the use of Oterra's and Ecoflora's natural blue color created from the fruit of Colombian jagua trees for use in foods and beverages, Nicolás Cock Duque, executive chair for Ecoflora, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Snacking in the US continues to climb, according to data from Circana, despite predictions that a surge in the frequency and sales of snacks during the pandemic was unsustainable and would revert to pre-COVID levels as consumers returned to in-person...
Mars Incorporated has launched a first-of-its-kind digital and out-of-home campaign that ‘reuses’ fan-favourite advertisements, giving them a second life and claiming the new messages bring hope and progress around climate action.
As part of Mars Inc.’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the confectionery major is optimising product recipes to include more environmentally friendly ingredients.
Fetch is gamifying the shopping experience and data collection with a reward-based app that gathers information about how consumers are buying products in specific categories, like chocolate, company VP of Partner Development Anne Hill told FoodNavigator-USA....
Front of package nutrition labeling intended to help consumers select healthier foods and beverages by potentially calling out the amount of added sugar and other nutrients of interest could unintentionally expose children to higher levels of non-nutritive...
Increased scrutiny of environmental sustainability claims by regulators and competitors has many brands turning to third-party certifications to reassure consumers about claims’ veracity and to protect against litigation – but recent movements in the...
While allulose may technically be a ‘rare’ sugar, marketing it simply as sugar could mislead consumers to believe it is or is the same as common table sugar, the National Advertising Division of BBB National Programs determined in a recent decision.
Warning letters sent last week by the Federal Trade Commission to two food industry trade groups and a dozen online health influencers questioning the adequacy of paid partnership disclosures may not be a harbinger of impending enforcement that some believe,...
Snacking giant Mondelez has highlighted continued strong demand for its snack brands such as Oreo and Cadbury in emerging markets as key to its Q3 profitability, playing down threats from cheaper supermarket private label products.
This week, join FoodNavigator-USA and stakeholders across the supply chain, including Eat Just, The Hartman Group, Oishii, NotCo, Instacart, NIQ, Consumer Brands Association, FMI – The Food Industry Association, Cargill and more for our three-day Futureproofing...
Research showing consumer preferences for sweetness intensity may not be as easy to reduce as their preferences for sodium suggests a “stealth health” approach of slowly lowering added sugar across the food supply may not be an effective strategy for...
According to tastemakers at the nutrition and ingredient giant ADM, consumers are ready to “unapologetically” embrace luxurious, indulgent flavors and whimsical, vivid colors in their foods and beverages after years of holding back due to limited options...
Last week’s launch of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University marks an inflection point for food-based health care interventions, which have steadily grown from small community-driven and...