Candy Industry articles from March 2004

Candy Industry archives from March 2004

Russia revisited.(Opening Shots)
March 1, 2004... Wasn't it author Thomas Wolfe who coined the phrase, "You can't go home again?," I believe that also applies to memories, be they childhood, young adulthood, or merely the last 24 hours. Thirty years ago I was fortunate enough to be a...

Rumors surface that Coke interested in Lenny.(Newsletter)
March 1, 2004... Wall Street analysts were abuzz with speculation that Hershey Foods Corp.'s ceo Richard Lenny, will step down to become chief executive of The Coca-Cola Co, reported The Patriot-News. Coca-Cola is looking to replace chairman and ceo Douglas...

UN will enter Ivory Coast to build peace in West Africa.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The decision by the United Nations Security Council to send more than 6,000 peacekeepers to the Ivory Coast will not only lift a huge burden from France, but also has emphasized the important need for a world organization to become involved in...

Nestle sees profits fall, although growth continues.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Although Nestle SA was hoping for a more positive 2004, the company posted an 18% fall in net profits to approximately $4.8 billion. Nestle stated that higher costs and the weak dollar had combined to make 2003 a challenging year. The group...

Symposium affirms cocoa's health benefits.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... During the first-ever day-long meeting called, "Theobroma Cacao: Ancient Crop. Medicinal Plant, Surprising Future" Symposium, scientists from around the globe discussed the newest research on cocoa and its role as a model crop to enhance the...

Parmalat trying to sell chocolate maker.(Newsletter)(bankrupt diary giant interested in selling Streglio, upscale chocolate maker)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Italian bankrupt dairy giant Parmalat is trying to sell its chocolate business, Streglio, in what would be the first asset sale in a court-appointed administrator's strategy to save the company, stung by a fraud scandal. Parmalat is accepting...

Glisten's acquisitions keep company's profits rising.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... United Kingdom-based Glisten, a two year-old confectionery group whose products include mint imperials and chocolate-coated raisins, raised profits 11% and expects to be able to maintain its aboveaverage growth in a mature confectionery market....

Minnesota wants to ban candy from food stamps.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Minnesota is asking federal permission to prevent people from using food stamps to buy candy bars, soda and other snack foods. If the U.S. Department of Agriculture approves, Minnesota would be the first state to impose such restrictions. The...

Candy producer to eliminate suggested retail prices.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... To halt price competition among retailers, Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd. had decided to eliminate suggested retail prices starting in April. This major Japanese confectionery producer hopes to bring an end to the price wars among retailers, whom use...

Nestle asks for review of Brazilian antitrust veto.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Nestle has asked the Brazilian antitrust agency Cade to review its unprecedented decision in January, which forces the global conglomerate to sell Chocolates Garoto, the chocolate company it acquired for $230 million in 2002. Cade said Nestle...

M&M's chocolate candies and packaging get updated.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Masterfoods USA returned the color to M&M's chocolate candies this month. Two months after engineering a complete transformation of M&M's by replacing the classic multi-colored candy and all associated packaging and displays with an offering of...

Obesity issues dominate NCA's industry overview.(News)
March 1, 2004... With a record number of candy industry executives assembled in Orlando, Fla., last month for the National Confectioners Association (NCA)'s State-of-the-Industry Conference, the association took the opportunity to focus on the national obesity...

People on the move.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Raleigh-based Axon Corp. appoints George Albrecht as its new vice president of sales. John Stachowiak promoted to vice president--internal audit for Hershey Foods Corp., Hershey, Pa. Stratham, N.H.-based Lindt & Sprungli USA announced the...

We request the pleasure of your company ... Kettle Awards.(Kettle Invite)
March 1, 2004... Candy Industry Magazine, the chairman and members of the Kettle Committee will present the 59th Kettle Award at a gala reception on June 9th, during the All Candy Expo in Chicago. The event will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the...

2004 Kettle Award nominees.(Kettle Ballot)
March 1, 2004... * Jorge Farber President Madeleine Chocolate Novelties Inc. Queens, New York Jorge Farber joined Madelaine Chocolate Novelties in 1984, beginning his career there as plant manager. Five years later, he took on vice president...

Russian triptych (1).(confectionery operations of Andrei Korkunov, Krupskaya Confections and Prosto Petro Group)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... "On with the journey!... Russia! Russia! When I see you... my eyes are lit up with supernatural power. Oh, what a glittering, wondrous infinity of space... What a strange, alluring, enthralling, wonderful world!" --Nikolai Gogol ...

Upakovka Upak Italia.(Conference coverage)
March 1, 2004... There was snow on the ground, but that's normal for Moscow in late February. And as far as temperatures go, most of the locals considered the 20[degrees] to 30[degrees] F. range almost balmy. Inside the city's ZAO Expocentr, the weather outside...

The American Black Walnut.
March 1, 2004... A Story to Go Nuts Over Nuggets of Nutrition Whether you've long enjoyed the benefits of using nuts in your formulations or never given them a try, you're in for a treat. The Black Walnut is the latest in a long line of "nut"-ritious...

Toffee temptations: a new retail location, Internet cafe and an expansion keep Enstrom's reaching higher altitudes.(Chocolate Trendsetter)
March 1, 2004... Some would say it's the high altitude that makes Enstrom's almond toffee irresistible. Well, scientifically speaking, cooking in less atmospheric pressure by having a candy kitchen located in Grand Junction, Colo., at an elevation of nearly...

Nothing in moderation: an increasingly sophisticated taste for chocolate coupled with a strict eye on budgets and waistlines is making the confectionery middle ground inhospitable territory.(Industry Overview)
March 1, 2004... In the 1990s, when the U.S. food industry was falling all over itself to capitalize on the fat-reduction craze, a surprising thing happened. People who were snatching up SnackWell's fat-free cookies and TCBY frozen yogurt as if fat were evil...

Unforgettable in a delicious way: candies can create memories that are too enjoyable to forget.(Category closeup: nostalgic candies)(related article: Candies not forgotten )
March 1, 2004... Good old American traditions--like politics and candy--seem to go hand in hand. Take for example, Wesley Clark, who just a few months ago ended his campaign for the Democratic nominee for president. Along the campaign trail, supporters passed...

Tooth decay headway: can you whiten teeth and chew gum at the same time? By doubling benefits, manufacturers have enjoyed double-digit gains.(Candy R&D: trends & applications in ingredient technology)
March 1, 2004... "For strong healthy teeth," "For a shiny smile" and for a "Just brushed clean feeling," consumers need to look no further than the candy aisle. Tooth-whitening and cavity preventing products saw double-digit growth last year and that excludes...

Wider usage.(Creators Briefs)(Nutrinova's Sunett)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Sunett (acesulfame K) high intensity sweetener, manufactured by Somerset, N.J.-based Nutrinova, has been approved as a general purpose sweetener and flavor enhancer for the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration. Sunett can now be applied in...

Flavor stabilizer.(Creators Briefs)(Eficacia from Colloides Naturels Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Eficacia, an acacia-based stabilizer for emulsion applications from Bridgewater, N.J.-based Colloides Naturels Inc., allows a reduction of three to five times in the typical use level when formulating flavor emulsions. Eficacia is effective at...

Dichotomies prevail at global sweets fair: good news, bad news. Bad news, good news. Good news ... well, you get the drift. At the 34th International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) in Cologne, Germany, there seemed to be plenty of dichotomies circulating at the confectionery industry's annual global get-together.
March 1, 2004... For example, good news that China has opened up its marketplace to confectionery imports. Bad news that there are more Chinese companies entering the global confectionery marketplace, capitalizing on much lower labor costs. Good news that...

Everlasting energy.(New Products)(Everlast Nutrition Bars from Vitamin Branding Corp)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... THE COMPANY: Vitamin Branding Corp., New York THE PRODUCT: Everlast Nutrition Advanced Energy Bars THE HOOK: With 30 grams of protein and zero sugar, new energy bars from Everlast Nutrition are fit for the fittest consumer... and other...

Fruity bites.(New Products)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... THE COMPANY: Au'some Candies, Monmouth Junction, N.J. THE PRODUCT: Snerdles-Fun Candy Fruit Bites THE HOOK: Snerdles-Fun Candy Fruit Bites are bite size candy fruit snacks made with real fruit and coated with a yogurt flavoring. The...

Imported chews.(New Products)(Kookaburra Licorice imported from Australia)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... THE COMPANY: Kookaburra Licorice, Monroe, Wash. THE PRODUCT: Chapel Gift Box THE HOOK: Kookaburra Licorice, importers of gourmet licorice from Australia and New Zealand, released a new line of licorices in three graphically designed...

Sarcastic flare.(New Products)(Blue Q Gum )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... THE COMPANY: Blue Q, Pittsfield. Mass THE PRODUCT: Blue Q Gum THE HOOK: Interested in politics, hygiene or just hooking up? Blue Q's 10 new sarcastic gum varieties are guaranteed to freshen outlooks as well as breath. Just tell the...

Organic freshness.(New Products)(VerMints Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... THE COMPANY: VerMints Inc., Saxtons River, Vt. THE PRODUCT: VerMints THE HOOK: VerMints, the all-natural breath mints and pastilles made with organic and natural ingredients, now has three new flavors--Gingermint, Chai and Cafe...

Yosha! Enterprises Inc.(At a glance ...)(Momints new flavors and packaging)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... After the August 2003 launch of the original peppermint-flavored Momints, Westfield, N.J.-based Yosha! Enterprises Inc. released Momints in two new flavors--Cinnamon and Winter Burst. In addition to the full-size package, Momints' iridescent...

Madelaine Chocolate.(At a glance ...)(Madelaine Chocolate Novelties Inc.'s Bumble Bees)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Everyone's buzzing about Rockaway Beach N.Y.-based Madelaine Chocolate's new solid milk chocolate Bumble Bees. The bees are individually wrapped in bright yellow and black "bumble bee" foil. With 60 pieces featured in graphically coordinated...

PEZ Candy Inc.(At a glance ...)(partnership with Sesame Street)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... PEZ Candy Inc., Orange, Conn., and Sesame Street, which began celebrating its 35th anniversary in August 2003, have teamed up to create the first-ever Sesame Street Classic Dispenser assortment. The set includes six well-known characters: Big...

Adams & Brooks'.(At a glance ...)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Los Angeles-based Adams & Brooks' 1-ounce Unicorn Pops offer a new count format so sales will sprint off the shelves. Unicorn Pops, a twisted rope of yellow, orange, red, blue, green and lavender colors, tantalize taste buds for a suggested...

Cooking innovations.(Plant, Processing and Packaging Technology)(Klockner Hansel Process Machinery)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Klockner Hansel Processing's devotion to the candy industry encompasses more than 90 years. In recent years, the Hannover, Germany-based company has focused more on developing groundbreaking processing technology, such as in the cooking of...

Versatile small, large cookers.(Plant, Processing and Packaging Technology)(Stephan Food Processing Machines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... During the period of the last fifty years, Stephan Food Processing Machines, a subsidiary of the Sympak Group, has developed--in close cooperation with technical schools and consumers--machines and processes for the confectionery industry. The...

Compact, economical steam injection.(Plant, Processing and Packaging Technology)(Pick Heaters Inc.'s cookers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Pick Heaters' Sanitary Cookers are ideal for starch- and gelatin-based candy applications. The West Bend, Wis.-based company's Direct Steam Injection Cookers are 3A-Certified and used worldwide for clear jelly and gummy products. Pick's...

Engineered for growth.(Plant, Processing and Packaging Technology)(Savage Brothers Co. cooking equipment)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Savage Firemixer from Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based Savage Bros. Co. provides candy makers with a full range of cooking options with its superior control, maximum flexibility and high-quality cooking performance. With its variable speed...

High-speed vacuum cylinder cooker.(Plant, Processing and Packaging Technology)(Robert Bosch Corp.)
March 1, 2004... The vacuum cylinder cooker BKK 0500 from Robert Bosch Corp., Bridgman, Mich., is used in the confectionery industry for the continuous thickening of low- and high-boiled milk sugar masses. The heating in the cooker is done under vacuum at a low...

Stagnito's Obesity Summit 2004: food industry crisis & opportunity.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... June 24-25, 2004 * Indian Lakes Resort * Bloomingdale, IL (Suburban Chicago) No public health issue has shaken the foundations of the food industry like the obesity crisis. America--and the entire industrialized world--is fat and getting...

Sweet profile.(Candy Wrapper)(Ted Cohen, Hillside Candy)
March 1, 2004... Ted Cohen can appreciate the benefits well as the sacrifices that go in being born into a family business. The New Jersey native recalls summers when he would get up before dawn (4 a.m. to be exact) and drive over from New Jersey to Brooklyn to...

Clif Bar bulks up on protein.(Candy Wrapper)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Limiting carbs is one thing, but actually adding protein is another. At least that's the next evolution in the healthy diet phenomenon Clif Bar believes is occurring. As a result, it's introduced a new line of 2.4-oz. energy bars dubbed...