Chocolate and confectionery ingredients

Ad block: Smaller confectioners to stop advertising to kids under new scheme

17-Mar-2016 By Vince Bamford

Six US confectionery businesses have pledged not to advertise directly to children below the age of 12 under a new industry initiative.

Expo West 2016

The number of bites, not calories, influences satiety, Enjoy Life Foods CMO says

15-Mar-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Research showing the repetition of taking multiple bites is more satiating than one piece or bite regardless of the calorie-count is what inspired Enjoy Life Food to develop mini versions of its popular full-sized soft and crunchy cookies and to launch...

Sampling on flights, in hotels can generate more exposure than in-store demonstrations

15-Mar-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

In-store demonstrations and sampling at events are tried and true ways to drive initial consumer trial and boost sales, but using the tactic in unconventional places – like on airplanes or in hotel rooms, can provide a more memorable experience and lasting...

Food, bev & ag startups talk sustainability at FoodBytes! Brooklyn

07-Mar-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Rising food, beverage and agriculture start-ups joined leading retailers, investors and celebrity chefs at Rabobank North America Wholesale's FoodBytes! Brooklyn pitch-slam March 3 to discuss advancing food culture, sustainability and farming.

ELEMENT Snacks aims to “reinvent” rice cakes with help from $2 million in Series Seed funds

03-Mar-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

An injection of $2 million in Series Seed funds will help startup ELEMENT Snacks “reinvent rice cakes into fun snacks” by enabling it to expand distribution and roll out new packaging and branding, the company announced March 3.

Many Americans continue to drink sugary beverages daily, CDC research concludes

02-Mar-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Fewer Americans are reaching for sugar sweetened beverages, but consumption remains high – prompting a call for more aggressive measures to further reduce ingestion, according to new research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

LaLoo’s Goat Milk Ice Cream wants consumers to “move their hooves” & be more social

29-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

LaLoo’s Goat Milk Ice Cream may be healthier for people and planet than more traditional cow milk varieties, but it is still an indulgence, which is why the brand’s new marketing campaign encourages consumers “to get out and move their hooves,” the company’s...

US launch for Nestlé Turkish premium chocolate bar brand Damak

25-Feb-2016 By Vince Bamford

Nestlé is bringing Turkish premium chocolate brand Damak to the US market.

Dieting is out – find out what is “in” at our Weight Management forum March 16

25-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Normally about this time of year the airwaves and social media begin to buzz with messages about getting ready for bikini season or offers to help consumers shed the last few stubborn holiday pounds with special diet foods – but increasingly these types...

Parents’ anxiety, depression correlates with fussy eating in kids, study finds

23-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Putting on a happy face could help children have happy plates, suggests new research that links parents’ anxiety and depression with an increased risk of children becoming “fussy eaters.”

Bite-sized snacks offer added convenience, portion control over bars, E&C Snacks CEO says

22-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The nutrition bar category has thrived in part by offering consumers convenience and portion-control, but a new generation of bar-like “bites” entering the market suggests on-the-go snacking could be even easier.

USDA expands insurance for farmers transitioning to organic production

19-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The financially daunting three-year transition to certified organic production just became a little less risky for farmers thanks the USDA expanding crop insurance to better reflect the product’s actual value.

Consumers more likely to trust iconic brands, but are open to innovative startups, survey shows

19-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers are more likely to trust iconic brands from large corporations with long track records of consistent performance, but younger, smaller companies can edge out Big Food with meaningful innovation and positive, direct consumer engagement online,...

Nestle’s nutrition profiling system helps target reformulations

17-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Carefully balancing consumers’ age-specific nutritional needs with how and when they eat different foods helped Nestle successfully reduce sodium, sugar and fat significantly in some of its most frequently consumed foods without sacrificing taste.

Abbott’s new snack brand Curate takes “sophisticated approach” to crowded bar category

17-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

With cutting edge flavors, trendy ingredients and vibrant, fresh packaging, Abbott Laboratories’ new line of six snack bars promises a level of category disruption typical of startups, but with the financial backing and industry connections of a well-established...

Innovation award underscores consumer demand for healthy, natural and boldly flavored products

12-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The food and beverage industry is in the middle of an innovation renaissance that is far outpacing many other consumer goods categories as illustrated by the winners of the 2016 Product of the Year award for innovation announced Feb. 11.

Tootsie Roll posts 2015 growth as Warren Buffet and potential suitors lurk

11-Feb-2016 By Douglas Yu

Tootsie Roll has grown net sales and earnings in the fourth quarter and full-year 2015, which one analysts says may intensify interest from Warren Buffet or Turkish firm Yildiz Holdings.

Simple Mills exhibits almond flour’s versatility with bake mix line

10-Feb-2016 By Adi Menayang

From pizza to pancakes to pumpkin muffins, Simple Mills uses only almond flour as its base ingredient, and as of now, it’s the only brand of its kind.

'Expand and expand': Magnum chocolate harbors global ambitions after premium refresh

10-Feb-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Unilever’s Magnum chocolate range has entered retail outlets across Western Europe after a recent rebranding and plans further global expansion, says contract manufacturer Kinnerton Confectionery

Long-term trends at foundation of accelerator AccelFoods’ latest investments

10-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Based on the latest additions to AccelFoods ’portfolio, the packaged food and beverage accelerator is betting that cold brew coffee, ethnic flavors, gluten-free and the one-two punch of protein and fiber are long-term trends that will continue to influence...

Fresh prepared food elevates groceries, drives foot-traffic

08-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Fast-growing and increasingly sophisticated fresh prepared food services at supermarkets are a double-edged sword for consumer packaged goods with one side defending against competition from restaurants and the other cutting into center-store sales by...

Mars to ditch all artificial colours from its entire global food portfolio

08-Feb-2016 By Niamh Michail

Food giant Mars has pledged to phase out all artificial colours from its global food and drink portfolio in the next five years.

'Eye-catching': Morinaga revamps Hi-Chew packs to advance US business

08-Feb-2016 By Douglas Yu

Morinaga America (MA) has redesigned packs for its entire Hi-Chew candy line as it looks to grow US company sales 400% in the next five years.

Ben & Jerry’s vegan frozen desserts could pave the way for more mainstream plant-based alternatives

08-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ben & Jerry’s new line of vegan frozen desserts could accelerate the already fast consumer adoption of plant-based alternatives to conventional products and inspire more mainstream product manufacturers to follow suit, advocates say.

GUEST ARTICLE: Click for Cupid…Maximizing Valentine’s Day sales online

08-Feb-2016 By Keith Anderson, VP, strategy & insights, Profitero

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), a quarter of Valentine’s shoppers went online to shop and/or buy gifts in 2015, up from 16.3% the prior year.

Financial Results

Hershey sees international glitch driven by China's weak chocolate appetite

30-Jan-2016 By Douglas Yu

Hershey’s international sales plummeted 26.8% to $281.5m in the fourth quarter primarily due to declines in China.

Natural & Organic Health Association drops plans for “natural” seal

28-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Organic & Natural Health Association is abandoning its plan to create a certified seal that demonstrates when products are natural, but it remains dedicated to defining the widely used, but loosely understood marketing term.

Exclusive CEO interview

Fannie May eyes drug and c-store expansion as it rebrands classic range with Chicago pride

27-Jan-2016 By Douglas Yu

Fannie May hopes to enter new distribution channels after rebranding packs for its premium chocolate range to designs that resonate with Chicago pride, says its CEO.

Dispatches from the Winter Fancy Food Show

Holy smoke Batman! Jelly Belly plans DC Comics line and talks consumer trends

27-Jan-2016 By Douglas Yu

Jelly Belly will launch a DC Comics line in May after signing a licensing contract with Warner Bros, the company said at the Winter Fancy Food Show.

Top comfort foods vary by occasion, but all are indulgent, survey finds

26-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Americans may talk big game about eating healthier, but for many that flies out the window when they are stressed – creating an opening for manufacturers of indulgent products that might otherwise be shunned.

More isn’t always better: Simplified packaging boosted Annie B’s sales

25-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Bigger and brighter isn’t always better when it comes to product selection and packaging, the owners of Annie B’s discovered when they purchased the caramel and popcorn company from its original family-owners in 2013.

From bean to bottle: RAU Chocolate starts a cold-pressed cacao revolution

25-Jan-2016 By Elaine Watson

A cold-pressed dairy-free beverage made from raw cacao beans, RAU looks like chocolate milk (it’s not); tastes super-indulgent (but has just 90-120 cals per 12oz bottle); and can claim the ‘superfood’ moniker because its use of high-pressure-processing...

Green Chef extends suppliers’ reach into homes nationwide with transparency

22-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The co-founder and CEO of Green Chef infuses his passion for transparency into every aspect of the fresh meal kit delivery company, and in doing creates new marketing opportunities for its suppliers and helps them increase consumer awareness of their...

CSPI urges FDA to ban artificial colors, or at minimum encourage companies not to use them

21-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Center for Science in the Public Interest is taking FDA to task for “failing to protect children” from artificial dyes that it says cause behavior problems, but which FDA defends as safe.

Potential compromise reached on food fight about school meals

20-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

A bipartisan Senate agreement and proposed legislation slated for markup Jan. 20 could end the long, drawn out food fight over healthier school meal standards laid out in the aggressive Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

Hershey seeks innovation partner to ship chocolate in hot weather

20-Jan-2016 By Hal Conick

Hershey has launched a contest calling for companies to help it develop a lightweight, affordable shipping system that will keep chocolate cool even in the warmest months.

Sales of sweet baked snacks slow, but single-serve holds promise, Packaged Facts finds

18-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of single-serve packages is a rare bright spot in the otherwise beleaguered sweet baked snack category, sales of which are slowing dramatically as consumers reach for healthier options or freshly baked goods when they do indulge, according to Packaged...

The money diet: Spend more on food to be healthier, says 2000-strong study

18-Jan-2016 By Eliot Beer

People who increased the amount they spent on food made healthier choices, ate less energy-dense food and lost weight, which has implications for food taxes and consumer subsidies, say the authors of the long-term Spanish study.

2016 Super Bowl marketing campaigns heavily feature online components

14-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

As football teams across America vie for a coveted spot in the upcoming Super Bowl 50, so too are food and beverage makers for a spot on viewers’ big game day party menus.

Cado avocado-based “ice cream” could be game-changer in non-dairy frozen dessert category

08-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The ever versatile and increasingly popular avocado continues its expansion beyond savory snacks to enter the confection category with the launch of Cado avocado-based ice cream, which could be a game-changer in the non-dairy frozen dessert segment.

Global food prices plunged by nearly 20% in 2015

07-Jan-2016 By Niamh Michail

In 2015 prices of the world’s major commodities fell for the fourth year in a row, averaging nearly one fifth (19.1%) lower than in 2014, says the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Sakara Life secures $4.8 million to expand nationwide meal delivery service that feeds body, mind

07-Jan-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Most players in the increasingly crowded subscription food delivery category focus on providing high quality nutrition and hard-to-find or novel ingredients, but Sakara Life sets itself apart from the pack by going one step farther and also promising...

Step away from the buffet: The recipe to eating a healthy festive dinner

23-Dec-2015 By Will Chu

It’s no secret that people eat more than usual during the festive season, but the buffet holds nutritional promise too. We visited a few...

Holiday grocery spending on the rise, Acosta finds

22-Dec-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nearly three-quarters of US consumers will host a meal or a party this holiday season, and to ensure their guests leave jolly and full 57% of shoppers say they will spend more on groceries during this season than last, according to a new study by Acosta.

Supplemented chocolate: A new confections category set for growth, says Energems

21-Dec-2015 By Douglas Yu

Energems has been accepted as a member at the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and says the new confectionery category of chocolate energy supplements it has created is poised for growth.

Back to Nature Foods Co. repositions SnackWell’s as a “free-from” line

17-Dec-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Back to Nature Foods Co.’s revitalization of the recently acquired iconic SnackWell’s brand is an example of how established companies can refresh aging brands that are struggling to better compete with new products from disruptive startups.