Candy Industry articles from April 2008

Candy Industry archives from April 2008

Now's the time.(OPENING SHOTS)
April 1, 2008... Who jumpstarted 2008? Since the International Sweets & Biscuit (ISM) Fair in Cologne at the end of January, the year has raced forward with a variety of events, accelerating life in the fast lane by quantum leaps. And now it's time for...

Cadbury to create Swiss regional headquarters ...(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... As part of its ongoing reorganization, which included taking part of its U.S. beverage business out of the confectionery division and moving a large portion of its UK manufacturing operations to Eastern Europe, Cadbury Schweppes will establish...

... As it expands into Poland.(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... Upon deciding to close its chocolate factory in Keynsham, England last October, Cadbury Schweppes announced it will construct a new factory in Skarbimierz, Poland and expand on a factory in Wroclaw, also in Poland. The company will be investing...

Necco to close Stark Candy plant.(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... The New England Confectionery Corp. (Necco) Inc. plans to close its Stark Candy plant located in Pewaukee, Wis., by May 30, 2008, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification letter received by the Wisconsin Department of...

French supermarket removes sweets from checkout counters.(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... The French supermarket chain Leclerc has announced its plan to move confectionery treats from the front of the store at checkout counters to the confectionery aisle to help prevent child obesity. The decision was brought about by a government...

Starbucks, Hershey blend coffee with chocolate.(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... With the premium chocolate market continually growing in the United States, Starbucks Coffee Co. and The Hershey Co. have come together to form Starbucks Chocolate, made from the world's finest cacao and inspired by Starbucks' beverages and...

Acquisitions drive Natra's sales, profits growth.(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... Spanish confectionery firm Natra announced a 31% rise in sales to 384 million euros and a 41% jump in gross margins. Natra attributed its increase in profits to the purchase of Belgium-based chocolate firm All Crump. The company also purchased...

Boyer Candy appoints president and ceo.(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... Anthony Forgione II, son of previous owner Anthony Forgione, has been named trustee and president of Boyer Candy Co. after petitioning the Florida courts that put family friend Roy Mollomo in charge five years ago. Anthony Forgione Sr. owned...

ASA rules Nutella ad 'misleading'.(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... The British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules that Ferrero must change its Nutella ad in order for it to appear on television because it breached CAP (Broadcast) TV advertising standards code rules on misleading and inaccurate...

Groups urge World Health Assembly to enact code.(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... The International Obesity Taskforce (IOTF) and Consumers International (CI) have developed the International Code on Marketing of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Children, which they plan to propose to the World Health Assembly this month....

Nestle announces opening of R&D facility.(NEWSLETTER)
April 1, 2008... Nestle announced it will establish its first R&D facility entirely dedicated to the development of premium and luxury chocolate, a Chocolate Center of Excellence, located at Nestle's chocolate factory in Broc, Switzerland. Establishing the...

Barry Callebaut to open Chocolate Academy in Chicago.(CANDY NEWS)
April 1, 2008... Upon having established its North American headquarters in Chicago last year, it only made sense for Barry Callebaut, the world's largest processor of cocoa and chocolate, to set up its tenth Chocolate Academy in the Windy City. Although...

Wrigley revamps gum brands to boost U.S. sales.(CANDY NEWS)
April 1, 2008... Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. has introduced new packaging and flavors for Extra, Big Red, Juicy Fruit, Doublemint, Winterfresh and Wrigley's Spearmint in response to a 7% drop in U.S. sales volume. The gum will come in a Slim Pack, a thin 15-stick...

Candy House receives prominent award.(CANDY NEWS)
April 1, 2008... Candy House Gourmet Chocolates, owned by Terry and Pat Hicklin, was presented with a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Small Business Award, which recognizes the company's achievements in several categories. The company is famous for its...

ALL CANDY EXPO springs forward.(CANDY NEWS)
April 1, 2008... The ALL CANDY EXPO, sponsored by the National Confectioners Association, returns to its spring time slot this year and will be held May 20-22, 2008 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. Close to 500 exhibitors will present their favorite new and...

Hershey welcomes new execs.(People News)
April 1, 2008... Charlene Binder has recently joined Hershey as senior vice president, chief people officer. She will report to David J. West, president and chief executive officer, and be responsible for global human resources, total compensation and benefits,...

Silverstein appointed ceo of Topps.(People News)
April 1, 2008... The Topps Company, creator and marketer of such products as Ring Pop, Bazooka and Push Pop, has named Scott Silverstein president and ceo. Silverstein joined the company in 1993 as general counsel before being promoted in 2004 to president and...

Symrise to acquire Chr. Hansen's flavors business.(Supplier News)
April 1, 2008... Flavor and scent manufacturer Symrise has signed an agreement to purchase the flavors division of Chr. Hansen, previously owned by the PAI Partners capital fund. The transaction will allow Symrise to expand its product portfolio and should be...

Danisco plans to spin-off sugar operations this year.(Supplier News)
April 1, 2008... Danish company Danisco has moved forward its plans to spin-off its sugar division before the end of the year. In 2007, the company announced its intention to split its sugar division from food ingredients, but the board voted against the...

Wolff to sell off part of business.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Hydrocolloids producer and distributor Alfred L Wolff plans to sell part of its business in order to focus on gum arabic and agar-agar. The company will also take control of shellac, dammar and copal. The change should move Wolff away from...

'Choc' full of finds: the 38th International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) featured a record-breaking number of exhibitors (1,675) this year, many of which offered variations on ongoing trends in the industry, such as dark chocolate, health, premiumization and organic.(ISM COVERAGE)
April 1, 2008... Anyone trying to walk the five exhibition halls (encompassing 110,000 sq. meters) at ISM in Cologne, Germany, this past January would have had a hard time avoiding chocolate, much less sampling an exotic piece of theobroma. After all, with 784...

Broadening Roca's reach: since Pierson Clair's arrival as CEO in 2003, Brown & Haley has focused on leveraging its famed Almond Roca brand through a variety of innovative product launches, a move that's delivered impressive sales and profit growth.(Cover story)(Company overview)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Not many midsized confectionery manufacturers talk about consumers having a "relationship" with their product. Pierson Clair, president and ceo of Brown & Haley, does. Of course, Almond Roca isn't your typical...

Field of creams: situated just a few miles southwest of Madison, Wis., Candinas Chocolatier demonstrates the pull of quality chocolate even in the most rural of locations.(CHOCOLATE TRENDSETTER)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Upper Midwest in 1994. The nearest city a modest berg of less than 200,000 people. Cornfields as far as the eye could see. Not exactly a prime location to open a gourmet chocolate shop--particularly 14 years...

Pumped up packaging, flavors.(CATEGORY CLOSE-UP: MINTS & BREATH FRESHENERS)
April 1, 2008... There's no sugarcoating what's been driving the mints and breath fresheners categories these days. According to Euromonitor, sugar-free sugar confectionery sales products grew 27.5% from 2002 to 2007 worldwide and are predicted to keep...

Environmental chocolate bar.(NEW PRODUCT MARKETPLACE)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE COMPANY: Bloomsberry & Co. and Terrapass, Inc., Salem, Mass. THE PRODUCT: Climate Change Chocolate THE HOOK: Bloomsberry and Terrapass have joined to create an environmentally friendly chocolate bar. The...

Smart and Sour Candy Canes.(NEW PRODUCT MARKETPLACE)
April 1, 2008... THE COMPANY: Spangler Candy Co., Bryan, Ohio THE PRODUCT: Sour Punch and Smarties Candy Canes [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE HOOK: Spangler is coming out with a new idea for candy canes for Christmas 2008: Sour Punch and Smarties candy...

Healthy eating.(NEW PRODUCT MARKETPLACE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... THE COMPANY: Sorbee International Ltd., Philadelphia THE PRODUCT: EatRite/BeFit line of sugar-free products THE HOOK: Sorbee recognizes the role health plays in consumer lifestyles today. Consequently, it created a line of sugar-free...

Madelaine Chocolates.(At a glance)
April 1, 2008... Rockaway Beach, N.Y.-based Madelaine Chocolates is coming out with bite-sized peanut butter truffles and caramel truffles for the holiday season. The peanut butter truffles depict the face of a jolly Santa while the caramel truffles show a...

Pearson Candy.(At a glance)
April 1, 2008... Based in St. Paul, Minn., Pearson Candy has given a new look to their Salted Nut Roll. The snack now has a more prominent logo along with a larger picture of the snack. This way, consumers will more easily notice the salty peanuts, creamy...

New World Management.(At a glance)
April 1, 2008... Fort Lee, N.J.-based New World Management, has introduced a line of 11 Major League Baseball-themed candy tins called Team Tins. The company plans on releasing tins of all National and American League teams by 2010. The tins retail for $3.99.

Mars Snackfood.(At a glance)
April 1, 2008... During National Cherry Month (February), Mars Snackfood, based in Hackettstown, N.J., introduced new M&M's Wildly Cherry Chocolate Candies. Consumer tests found cherry to be the number one favorite fruit-flavored M&M's chocolate candy. The bags...

Kathy Chocolaterie.(At a glance)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Bruges, Belgium-based Kathy Chocolaterie has developed a new image for itself and its chocolates. Kathy defined its six product groups: special gift, deluxe, pleasure, pralines, seashells and classic mix. Each of these groups will have its own...

Wrigley.(At a glance)
April 1, 2008... Chicago-based Wrigley has expanded on its packaging of Orbit gum by creating a mint variety pack containing two packs each of peppermint, spearmint, crystal mint, cinnamint and sweet mint. The product has reduced sugar and calories. ...

Coffee in a chew.(NEW PRODUCT MARKETPLACE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... THE COMPANY: The Ginger People, Marina, Calif. THE PRODUCT: Hot Coffee Ginger Chews THE HOOK: The Ginger People are expanding on their Original Ginger Chews with a new treat. This all-natural chew fuses arabica and robusta coffee from...

Lollipops that dip and swirl.(NEW PRODUCT MARKETPLACE)
April 1, 2008... THE COMPANY: Perfetti Van Melle, Erlanger, Ky. THE PRODUCT: Dip Pops THE HOOK: The producer of Airheads, Airheads Xtremes and Mentos is launching a new candy treat called Dip Pops. This gourmet lollipop is dipped into a tasty, creamy...

Energized lolly.(New Product Spotlight)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... THE COMPANY: Charms Division, TRI Sales Co., Covington, Tenn. THE PRODUCT: Maxxed Energy Pop THE HOOK: Maxxed Energy Pops contain taurine, ginseng, guarana, B vitamins and caffeine to revitalize energy. The pops come in a can,...

Number of new confectionery products launched globally by sub-category.(NEW PRODUCT MARKETPLACE)
April 1, 2008... Number of New Confectionery Products Launched Globally by Sub-Category Date Chocolate Snack/Cereal/ Confectionery Gum Energy Bars Jan 2007 710 78 142...

Number of new confectionery products launched in the U.S. by sub-category.
April 1, 2008... Number of New Confectionery Products Launched in the U.S. by Sub-Category Date Chocolate Snack/Cereal/ Confectionery Gum Energy Bars Jan 2007 140 9 32...

Juiced up jar, taste.(NEW PRODUCT MARKETPLACE)
April 1, 2008... THE COMPANY: Wrigley, Chicago THE PRODUCT: Sugar-free Gum THE HOOK: Juicy Fruit has not only introduced new packaging for its gum, but also a new flavor. Strawberry Lime gum is still sugar-free, but now features a juicy liquid center...

Wine lovers' chocolate.(NEW PRODUCT MARKETPLACE)
April 1, 2008... THE COMPANY: Gia Brands, USA THE PRODUCT: Brix Chocolate THE HOOK: Brix, defined as the measurement of the mass ratio of dissolved sugar to water in a liquid, has acquired an additional definition: "chocolate for wine lovers." Gia...

Dark raspberry hot chocolate.(NEW PRODUCT MARKETPLACE)
April 1, 2008... THE COMPANY: Cost Plus, USA THE PRODUCT: World Market Cocoa Mix THE HOOK: Cost Plus combines the rich taste of dark chocolate with a sweet, tart raspberry taste in a delicious cocoa mix. The flavor combination makes for a warm treat....

Fourth-generation, Sugarless Evoglass debuts.(CREATORS' BRIEFS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Symrise's new Sugarless Evoglass technology was created in response to the popularity of sugar-free products. Sugarless Evoglass works better in hard candy than previous generations of Evoglass because it melts at the same rate as the candy....

Gadot creates new sweetener.(CREATORS' BRIEFS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Gadot Biochemical is introducing a new, multi-purpose sweetener called NRGylose. This isomaltulose sweetener features a low glycemic index (GI), prolongs energy levels and avoids the erosion of tooth enamel. Because energy is released over a...

Cargill sweetener gains formal recognition.(CREATORS' BRIEFS)
April 1, 2008... Cargill's polyol sweetener Zerose erythritol has received formal recognition from all European Union Member States as an officially approved sweetener and food additive. Beginning on February 15, 2008, EU States were required to acknowledge the...

10th Annual European Suppliers Roundtable.(SPECIAL REPORT)(Interview)(Discussion)(Company overview)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pockets prosperity Despite concerns about a global recession, executives from European-based ingredient and equipment suppliers remained upbeat about the confectionery industry this year. Noting that market...

It's show time! Interpack 2008.
April 1, 2008... After months of preparation and years of research and development, exhibitors stand ready to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors at interpack 2008. With 1.8 million sq. ft of net exhibit space on display, this global triennial event...

Stacy Shoup joins Spangler's marketing team.(CANDY NEWS: extra)
April 1, 2008... Hired as a marketing administrator by Spangler Candy Co. earlier this year, Stacy Shoup, a marketing major from University of Toledo, will handle a variety of responsibilities including performing public relations duties, updating trademarks...

Blommer Chocolate's Krueger retires, McCullough to head Signature Line.(CANDY NEWS: extra)
April 1, 2008... Martin "Marty" Krueger, senior executive vice president of Chicago-based Blommer Chocolate Co. with 27 years of service, retired January 2008. Krueger joined Blommer in 1981 to run the East Greenville, Penn. start-up location. As the 'hands-on'...

Chocotech promotes McDermott to head sales, marketing.(CANDY NEWS: extra)
April 1, 2008... CHOCOTECH GmbH of Wernigerode, Germany-based Chocotech GmbH, a fully owned subsidiary of the Sollich Group, has promoted Martin McDermott to director of sales & marketing. McDermott, who has more than 20 years of technical sales experience in...

J.L. Clark's premium metal container line available in low quantities.(CANDY NEWS: extra)
April 1, 2008... Rockford, Ill.-based specialty packaging manufacturer J.L. Clark has introduced a new line of premium metal containers available in low minimum order quantities and with a variety of highly desirable sizes, styles, and customization options....

Lloveras' Innovation Center opens doors to collaboration: "as suppliers to the confectionery, snack and health industries, we bare the responsibility of ensuring continuous contribution and accountability ... in these rapidly changing industries.".(INTERNATIONAL SUPPLIERS SPOTLIGHT)
April 1, 2008... What greater satisfaction can a host of an open house have than greeting guests and sharing the hospitality and warmth of his or her home? And although an Innovation Center doesn't quite replicate a home, the executives behind Lloveras' "Open...

Candy wrapper.(Interview)
April 1, 2008... Not everyone is born into confections. Take Eddy Rubin, actor/entrepreneur living in Los Angeles, who's the mastermind of Wrench Mints, a company making a name for itself through targeted marketing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Born in...