Candy Industry articles from October 2005

Candy Industry archives from October 2005

Honing a perspective.(candy having organic ingredients)
October 1, 2005... My wife, Basia, and I were just chatting the other day about those "good old days," you know those blurry flashbacks recalling our times as "yutes." This flashback revolved around school days--the missus is an assistant principal at a West Side...

USDA tries to combat sugar losses.(Newsletter)(United States Department of Agriculture)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... To try to deflect the sugar losses caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the USDA announced it will increase the amount of domestic sugar that is allowed to enter the market. The increase means that all refined sugar that beet processors can...

Countries accuse EU of not limiting sugar production.(Newsletter)
October 1, 2005... Two months before scheduled World Trade Organization talks in Hong Kong, Australia, Brazil and Thailand accused the European Union of ignoring its promise to decrease sugar production. Although the WTO ruled in May that the EU must cut...

First anti-lead candy bill passed.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... In California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the country's first anti-lead candy bill. Bill AB121 was drawn up by state assemblyman Juan Vargas, which focuses on products containing tamarind and chile, ingredients often found in traditional...

Nestle and Hershey develop candy stick products ..(Newsletter)
October 1, 2005... In an effort to appeal to diet-conscious consumers, both Nestle and Hershey are preparing portion-control candy products. Nestle's Stixx, individually wrapped 90-calorie wafers filled with cream, will feature Butterfinger, Dark Crunch and...

... While Nestle creates new investment fund.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... During its board meeting late last month, Nestle announced the creation of the Nestle Growth Fund, with committed capital of 500 million euros, to allow the company to invest in new businesses in science and nutrition areas. The fund should be...

German confectioner announces new production facility.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Katjes Fassin, Germany's third largest confectionery company, announced details of a major new production facility near Berlin. The factory will cost 12 million euros and will create about 100 jobs. Construction will begin in Feb. 2006 with...

Snack and candy manufacturer buys Tom's Foods, Inc.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Charlotte, N.C.-based Lance, Inc. announced it was the successful bidder for the assets of Tom's Foods, Inc. in a U.S. Bankruptcy Court auction. Tom's Foods products include candied peanuts, sandwich crackers and other snack food items which...

Bimbo and Arcor announce distribution agreement.(Newsletter)
October 1, 2005... Mexican bakery and confectionery company Grupo Bimbo SA signed a distribution agreement with Argentinean confectioner Grupo Arcor this month. The agreement gives Bimbo's Barcel snacks division exclusive distribution rights in Mexico of Arcor's...

Wonka line too popular for Nestle UK.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Due to the extreme popularity of the recently introduced Wonka bars, UK-based Nestle Rowntree will be forced to delay the introduction of the candies as a permanent line because it cannot meet with retailer demand. The line was introduced as a...

Study reports flavanol levels in all natural cocoa products.(Newsletter)
October 1, 2005... A new study released late last month confirms the presence of antioxidants in chocolate products. Sponsored by The Hershey Co. in conjunction with Cornell University and Brunswick Laboratories, the study concluded that all products containing...

Terry plant closed in UK.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Kraft Foods International-owned Terry's closed its York, UK plant this month resulting in the loss of more than 300 jobs. Production has been transferred to various sites across Europe since its closure was announced in April. A Kraft spokesman...

New method for creating xylitol announced.(Newsletter)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Russian scientists claim they have found a less expensive method of producing sugar substitute xylitol. Traditional xylitol is produced from wood chips and is at least twice the cost of sugar. This new method uses leftover grains from breweries...

New Orleans redux: New Orleans candy companies Aunt Sally's and Southern Candymakers are back to serving customers and filling orders.(CANDY NEWS)
October 1, 2005... Just over a month after Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Louisiana, Aunt Sally's became the first store in the French Market (a section of the French Quarter home to restaurants, shops and a farmers' market) ready for business when it opened...

H&N Packaging appoints new president.(People News)(Jerry Decker)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Colmar, Pa.-based H&N Packaging named Jerry Decker its new president this month. Decker, who previously managed plant operations at sister-company Multifilm Packaging, brings an extensive background in plant and process management to H&N. ...

SPI Polyols names Krukar to national accounts post.(People News)(Mitch Krukar)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... SPI Polyols, Inc., headquartered in New Castle, Del., has added Mitch Krukar to its polyols sales team, naming him national accounts manager. Krukar, who has more than 20 years experience in the food ingredients and flavors industry, will focus...

Aarhus United and Karlshamns merge.(Supplier News)
October 1, 2005... AarhusKarlshamn may be a mouthful, but it's a name that most food manufacturers, particularly chocolate companies, will soon commit to memory. Last month, Karlshamn's, the Scandinavian-based fats and oils supplier joined forces with...

Aasted-Mikroverk launches bakery/snack unit, appoints new North American sales rep.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... When Farum, Denmark-based Aasted-Mikroverk created its Bakery Equipment division, it did so by launching a new innovative extruder dubbed ALICE, setting entirely new standards for handling dough with inclusions. In targeting North...

A spicy segue: the Hershey Co.'s acquisition of Grupo Lorena, coupled with its partnership with Thalia Sodi, has "significantly" expanded its presence among Hispanic consumers.(Company Profile)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2005... Fernando Topete, the man who invented the Pelon Pelo Rico product in his home more than 30 years ago, is not the kind of man to forget his roots nor his employees. The founder of Grupo Lorena, the Guadalajara, Mexico-based manufacturer of spicy...

A seller's survey.(Hershey Mexico S.A. de C.V., Juan Carlos Zayas)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2005... Guadalajara is not Mexico City. And while one needs to be aggressive, drivers tend to obey the rules of the road. Thus, it actually proved possible to visit several different retail locations without undergoing white-knuckle symptoms. As...

Producing caramel gold in a silver lagoon: seventy years young, Embare uses its dairy connection to produce caramel and toffees sought worldwide.(International Profile)(Embare Industrias Alimenticias S.A. acquired Laticinios Lagoa da Prata )(Company Profile)
October 1, 2005... When Carlos Jose Bernardes Nephew founded Lagoa da Prata in southwestern Brazil in 1896, he didn't bother to romanticize about the town's proximity to the San Francisco River, the nation's second largest waterway. Dubbing the place Pantano, or...

Beyond obliqations.(Embare Industrias Alimenticias S.A.)
October 1, 2005... Haroldo Antunes quickly dismisses the idea that Embare supercedes its "corporate responsibility" in the way the company treats its workers, engages with the community and invests in the future generations. "It's matter of meeting my...

Femme-focused confections: former stay-at-home mom Jean Thompson joined the Seattle Chocolate Co. asceo in 2002 and gave the company a much needed makeover, including launching a made-for-women chocolate line.(Chocolate Trendsetter)
October 1, 2005... Be it the suffrage movement, women's lib or the current movement toward recognizing the work of stay-at-home moms, women have always banded together to support each other. Although feminist ideals don't usually apply to the candy industry, one...

Focused on a trio of trends: the organic confectionery market.(health and wellness, premium and convenience)
October 1, 2005... Consider today's three mega-food trends: health and wellness, premium and convenience. It's no coincidence that today's organic confectionery market has set its sights on addressing those movements. For example, parents today can purchase...

Can Do Kid.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Can Do Kid: A spin-off from the book / Can Do Anything!, the company launched a line of nutrition/energy bars in two flavors: Cookies & Cream and Chocolate Crunch. Size: 1.41 oz; SRP: $1.89. Certifications/claims: organic (70%), trans-fat free,...

Clif Bar.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Clif Bar: Introduced Clif Nectar Bars, a new line of organic food/snack bars, available in Cranberry, Apricot & Almond, Lemon, Vanilla & Cashew, Dark Chocolate & Walnut, and Cinnamon Pecan. Each bar contains the equivalent of two servings of...

Corn Candies BV.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Corn Candies BV: Has extended its Candy Tree line of organic candies with six products: Organic Licorice Ropes, Organic Strawberry Vines, Organic Cherry Licorice Ropes, Organic Licorice Bites, Organic Lemon Lollipops and Organic Orange...

Dagoba.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Dagoba: Created a new single-origin chocolate line consisting of three 68% cocoa mass dark chocolate products: Milagros made with Peruvian beans, Pacuare from Costa Rican beans, and Los Rios from Ecuadorian Arriba beans. Size: 2 oz; SRP: $3.99....

EcoNatural Solutions.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... EcoNatural Solutions: Extended its St. Claire's line of fruit tarts packed in pocket boxes with three products, Organic Green Apple Tarts, Grape Tarts and Peach Tarts. Size: 0.48 oz; SRP: $0.99. Certifications/claims: organic, vegan and...

Green & Black's.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Green & Black's: The company added two gift box items: Espresso (with real ground coffee) and Mint. Size: 4.2 oz; SRP: $7.99. To its baking line, the company added Baking Bar with 72% cocoa mass (size: 5.3 oz; SRP: $5.99). To its chocolate bar...

Living Harvest Conscious Nutrition.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Living Harvest Conscious Nutrition: Launched a new line of hemp seed whole food bars with two flavors: Cocoa Passion Bar (hemp seeds, agave nectar, sunflower seeds, almonds, apples, dates, unsweetened cocoa powder and chilies) and Forbidden...

Maramor Organics.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Maramor Organics: Launched three new organic snack lines licensed by the Sierra Club. There are three trail mix products: Organic Trail Mix (raisins, mixed nuts, cranberries and bananas), Organic Sierra Mix (peanuts, raisins, dark chocolate and...

Nature's first law.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Nature's First Law: Introduced Raw Chocolate, which are unfermented and unroasted cacao nibs. Size: 8 oz; SRP: $9.99. Certifications/claims: organic, vegan, and dairy-free. The company also introduced a line of raw snack bars called Raw Crunch...

Nature's Path.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Nature's Path: Has added two products to its line of Optimum Organic Energy Bars: Peanut Butter containing whole peanuts, soy nuts, oats and peanut butter and ReBound, a post-workout recovery bar made with banana, almonds, Matcha green tea and...

nSpired natural foods.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... nSpired Natural Foods: Extended its line of organic single-serve snacks with five flavors: Organic Dark Chocolate Almond, Organic Dark Chocolate Blueberries, Organic Dark Chocolate Cranberries, Organic Dark Chocolate Raisins and Organic Dark...

Rapunzel pure organics.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Rapunzel Pure Organics: Added two flavors to its Organic Sticks line: Organic Raspberry Yogurt, a milk chocolate enrobed raspberry yogurt filling and Organic Latte Macchiato, white chocolate covering an espresso creme (hazelnuts and ground...

Stretch Island fruit.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Stretch Island Fruit: has added one new flavor, Organic Apricot Fruit Leather, to its line of organic fruit leathers. The line is a recommended part of the National 5-a-Day for Better Health Program. Size: 0.5 oz; SRP: $0.45....

Think Products.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Think Products: Launched a new line of food bars called Thinkorganic! In four flavors: Cherry Nut, Chocolate Coconut, Apricot Coconut and Cashew Pecan. Size: 1.8 oz; SRP: $1.79 to $1.99. Certifications/claims: organic, vegan, 3 g fiber, wheat...

Thompson brands.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Thompson Brands: The company introduced Premium Organic Chocolate Nuggets available in 70% dark chocolate and milk chocolate (Size: 3.2 oz; SRP: $2.99) and Premium Organic Chocolate Baking Chunks, (Size: 8 oz; SRP: $3.99). The company also...

Valrhona.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2005... Valrhona: Introduced a new line of organic chocolate bars in two flavors: Organic Dark Chocolate with 70% cocoa mass and Milk Chocolate (made with organic ingredients). Size 3.53 oz; SRP: $4.50 to $5.00. Certifications/claims: organic....

Verve naturals.(ORGANIC CONFECTIONS ROUNDUP)(new products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Verve Naturals: Added to its Real Organic Bar line the Real Omega 3 Bar with flax, blueberries and apples as a source of omega-3, fiber and antioxidants. Size: 50g; SRP: CAD $1.99. Certifications/claims: organic, Kosher, high in fiber,...

No adults allowed: bubblegum manufacturers cater to kids with their newest products.(Category Close-up: BUBBLE GUM)
October 1, 2005... Adults usually don't chew bubblegum. (At least few openly admit it.) They chew gum that is sugar-free, whitens their teeth or freshens their breath (or some combination of the three). Kids don't care about having fresh breath, though. They want...

Filling the pipeline: organic ingredients continue to grow in popularity, leaving suppliers struggling to keep up.
October 1, 2005... Economics, in its simplest form, is all about supply and demand. A product won't sell if there's too little interest or not enough product to go around. Many organic ingredient companies don't need to worry about the demand side of the...

Fancy flavors.(NEW PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2005... The Company: Plush Puffs, Sherman Oaks, Calif. The Product: Plush Puffs The Hook: A twist on the hot chocolate and S'mores favorite, these oversized gourmet marshmallows can be eaten plain or used in one of the company's available...

Well-traveled chocolate.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Vosges Haut-Chocolat Exotic Candy Bar from Vosges Chocolates Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The Company: Vosges Chocolates, Inc., Chicago The Product: Vosges Haut-Chocolat Exotic Candy Bar The Hook: Adding to the company's current line of gourmet candy bars, the new exotic bars feature flavors from around the world. The...

Miniature mints.(Junior Mint Inside Outs from Tootsie Roll Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The Company: Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc., Chicago The Product: Junior Mint Inside Outs The Hook: Instead of chocolate on the outside, mint on the inside, these candies offer the opposite: a chocolate mint center covered by a sweet...

Chocoholics Divine Desserts.(Chocoholics Diet Plan Chocolate Kit )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Extending their Chocoholics line, Clements, Calif.-based Chocoholics Divine Desserts releases the new Chocoholics Diet Plan Chocolate Kit. Based loosely on the food pyramid, the novelty kit includes a package of Chocolate Pasta, a jar of...

Guylian Chocolate.(At a glance)(Guylian Twists)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Belgium-based Guylian Chocolate introduces trial size versions of their popular Guylian Twists. Each miniature tent box holds four Twists in three flavors: one marbled chocolate with a hazelnut praline center, two milk chocolates with rich...

Taste of Nature, Inc.(At a glance)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... In anticipation of the premier of King Kong by Universal Pictures in December, Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Taste of Nature, Inc. introduces new KONG Cotton Candy and Sour Gummies. The cotton candy includes three flavors in each package--pina...

Just Born.(At a glance)( Marshmallow Peeps )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Based on the popularity of last year's yellow Peeps chick inside a chocolate egg, Bethlehem, Pa.-based Just Born announces a new version of the product for this Easter season: a pink Marshmallow Peeps chick inside a crispy milk chocolate egg....

Country-based bars.(Organic Single Origin Chocolates from Dagoba Organic Chocolate)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The Company: Dagoba Organic Chocolate, Ashland, Ore. The Product: Organic Single Origin Chocolates The Hook: One of the first single origin chocolates to be certified organic, the new line of dark chocolate comes in three different...

Crunchy, confections.(Florida Tropic Milk Chocolate Break-A-Part Orange from SweetWorks Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The Company: SweetWorks, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y. The Product: Florida Tropic Milk Chocolate Break-A-Part Orange The Hook: Adding to their current Break-A-Part Orange line, SweetWorks releases three new flavors: Milk Toffee Crunch, Milk...

Encapsulated citric acid.(CREATORS BRIEFS)(PrimeCAP Citric Acid from Primera Foods )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Cameron, Wis.-based Primera Foods produces PrimeCAP Citric Acid, a unique form of encapsulated citric acid. When used in confectionary applications, it minimizes the problems of reduced shelf life, color and flavor degradation and premature pH...

Soybean oil for low trans-fat products.(CREATORS BRIEFS)
October 1, 2005... In conjunction with the Monsanto Co., Cargill Incorp, is getting ready to increase production of Vistive, a low-linolenic, soybean-based oil. According to the companies, the soybeans used in this oil will reduce the need for partial...

New flavor class offered by FONA.(CREATORS BRIEFS)
October 1, 2005... Flavor producer FONA International, Inc., based in Geneva, Ill., announced the addition of a confectionery flavor class to their Flavor University. Confectionery Flavor 201 will begin in early 2006, which will be offered in addition to the...

New roll-fed labelers.(Innovations In Packaging)(Marathon XLU from B and H Labeling Systems)
October 1, 2005... Ceres, Calif.-based B&H Labeling Systems has introduced its new Marathon U Series of roll-fed labelers. Featuring a 180[degrees] U-shaped conveyor and a servo-driven infeed feedscrew, the Marathon U Series labelers maximize container stability...

Chupa Chups teams with Crown in fashioning colorful tins.(Innovations In Packaging)
October 1, 2005... Chupa Chups Group, the world's largest lollipop maker, selected CROWN Speciality Packaging, a Philadelphia-based affiliate of Crown Holdings, Inc. to create a series of promotional metal tins for its gourmet confections. Much like the...

Automatic cartoner resolves footprint constraints.(Plant, Processing and Packaging Technology)(Goa Linda)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Kliklok Woodman, headquartered in Decatur, Ga., resolved an end-loading challenge for Goa Linda, an Icelandic confectioner, when it installed an automatic end load cartoning line to pack bags of chocolate covered raisins and wafers. ...

Frozen Cone technology improves filled pralines quality.(Plant, Processing and Packaging Technology)(Turin Chocolates)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The Mexican manufacturer Turin Chocolates has achieved at least 50% improved shelf-life for alcohol-filled pralines cold-pressed in two steps using Frozen Cone technology. First a praline shell of milk-chocolate is pressed up, followed by...

High-speed feeding.(Plant, Processing and Packaging Technology)(Jointech)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Since the start-up in 2000 of its flow wrapping center of excellence, Jointech, OPM (Sympak Group) has supplied several automatic high speed feeding systems directly linked to its electronic servo flow-wrapping machines. After several...

Sweet profile.(David Abel )(Interview)
October 1, 2005... When David Abel attended Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, he often visited a chocolate store in the city. As a chocolate devotee, he thought the place was "fantastic." A little research led him to discover that the place was owned by...