Candy Business articles from January 2005

Candy Business archives from January 2005

Our promises kept.(EDITORIAL)
January 1, 2005... WHAT A DIFFERENCE six years makes. When we launched CandyBUSINESS a half dozen years ago, we thought the time was right to introduce a news- and issues-oriented publication tailored to the needs of candy makers. Of course, like any new kid on...

Buyers accept price hikes, expect more to come.(NEWS)
January 1, 2005... HERSHEY, PA -- Hershey Foods Corp.'s increase in wholesale candy bar prices by an average of 5.8 percent has drawn a quick reaction throughout the industry. Hershey says higher costs for materials, transportation, benefits and fuel are...

Huffman takes reins at Warrell Corp.(NEWS)(Appointment of Patrick J. Huffman )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... CAMP HILL, PA -- Patrick J. Huffman is promoted to president and COO at The Warrell Corp., from vice-president of manufacturing. He replaces retiring President Richard P. Billman. Huffman, who previously held executive posts with Wilbur...

RFID spending still at minimum levels.(NEWS)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... BOSTON -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.'s top 100 suppliers have spent as little as possible to comply with the company's RFID mandate--not enough to achieve significant benefits from the technology, a study shows. AMR Research reports Wal-Mart...

Americans pick candy, chocolate to ease fears.(NEWS)(Candy industry market research )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... ANN ARBOR, MI -- American consumption of chocolate and candy rose dramatically in the Fall, nearing levels in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Researchers at the University of Michigan attribute the surge in comfort products to stress brought...

Hospitality Mints purchased by investment group, plans growth.(NEWS )(American Capital Strategies Ltd. acquires Hospitality Mints)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... BOONE, NC -- American Capital Strategies, Ltd. has purchased Hospitality Mints LLC in a deal valued at $46 million. Hospitality is said to be the largest producer of custom-imprinted and packaged mints for the foodservice and corporate markets....

Symrise, Arla team for flavor development.(NEWS)
January 1, 2005... BELTSVILLE, MD -- A new generation of flavor and sweetener blends said to offer good mouthfeel and taste have application in low-glycemic confections, according to the North America flavor division of Symrise GmbH & Co. KG. Symrise and...

Tate & Lyle tightens availability of sucralose.(NEWS)(Tate and Lyle PLC)
January 1, 2005... LONDON -- Unexpectedly high levels of demand for Tate & Lyle plc's Splenda-brand sweetener has prompted the company to suspend offering the sweetener to new commercial customers in the U.S. Although the company says it will fill customer orders...

Jelly Belly adds manufacturing, marketing execs.(NEWS)(Appointments)(Jelly Belly Candy Co.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... FAIRFIELD, CA -- Jelly Belly Candy Co. appoints four executives in its manufacturing and sales divisions. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jim McGovern is now plant manager at the North Chicago manufacturing facility. Most recently...

Duyvis buys Weiner assets, Caotech hires sales, project management staff.(NEWS)
January 1, 2005... KOOG AAN DE ZAAN, THE NETHERLANDS -- B.V. Machinefabriek P.M. Duyvis has purchased the assets of Weiner & Co. Apparatenbouw b.v. Sources tell CandyBUSINESS the purchase price was about $2.88 million. Duyvis purchased the Weiner name and...

Ingredient supplier slates chocolate seminar.(NEWS)
January 1, 2005... MORRIS PLAINS, NJ -- Palatinit GmbH, maker of sugar replacer Isomalt, is hosting a seminar on "Processing Chocolate with Sugar Alcohols" April 20 at the SAS Renaissance Hotel in Dusseldorf, Germany. Papers will be presented by B.V....

Bazooka Joe to introduce series of DVDs.(NEWS)(Topps Company Inc. signs licensing deal with Genius Products)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- The Topps Co., Inc. has inked a DVD licensing deal for its Bazooka Joe bubble gum character. The character will introduce each title on a line of classic and contemporary animated movies for adults and children produced by Genius...

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut joins Hershey's stable.(NEWS)(Hershey Foods Corp. acquires Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp.)
January 1, 2005... HERSHEY, PA -- Hershey Foods Corp. has purchased Hawaii-based Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp. for $112.4 million. Mauna Loa is said to hold a 40 percent share of the macadamia nut market. "We're excited about the opportunity to unlock Mauna...

Tropical appoints marketing director.(NEWS)(Appointment of Arnie Stone)(Tropical Foods Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... CHARLOTTE, NC -- Tropical Foods, Inc., names Arnie Stone director of marketing. He was previously marketing vice-president for Cargill Meat Solutions and served as marketing director for McCormick & Co.'s foodservice division. Tropical...

Consumers do read nutrition labels.(NEWS)(Food labeling)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- A recent survey by The New York Times indicates as many as 85 percent of consumers read nutrition labels some or all of the time, while two-thirds say the information drives their buying decisions. Twenty-nine percent say they...

Zachary promotes two top executives.(NEWS)
January 1, 2005... FRANKFORD, IN -- Patrick W. Zachary is now president and CEO of Zachary Confections, Inc., and Jack Zachary III is executive vice-president. Their father, Jack Zachary Sr., is retiring from the presidency, but continues to serve on the board...

Kraft sheds U.K. desserts unit.(NEWS)(Kraft Foods Inc. sells its United Kingdom desserts business to Premier Foods )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... NORTHFIELD, IL -- Kraft Foods Inc. is selling its UK desserts business to Premier Foods plc for $135 million. The sale, expected to close in the first quarter of 2005, includes the Bird's, Angel Delight and Dream Topping brands, which generated...

FONA appoints technical manager.(NEWS)(Flavors of North America, Inc. )(Appointment of Jean Gallagher )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... CAROL STREAM, IL -- Flavors of North America, Inc. names Jean Gallagher as technical manager for sweet flavors. Gallagher has more than 25 years experience in the food and flavor industries, with particular expertise in the development of...

Chocolate maker quadruples sales.(NEWS)(House of Brussels Chocolates Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... HOUSTON -- House of Brussels Chocolates Inc. says it is becoming profitable with the quadrupling of its second quarter sales for the period ending October 31, 2004. Brussels' sales were $4.1 million for the second quarter, a 290 percent...

Ritter slates expansion in Russia.(NEWS)(Ritter Sport Schokolade in Chekhov near Moscow)(Ritter Sport bars)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... WALDENBUCH, GERMANY -- Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG will build a new factory in Russia. The plant, currently in the design phase, is expected to begin producing Ritter Sport bars early in 2007. Torsten Baar, general director of the company's...

Frutarom reports consecutive high earnings.(NEWS)
January 1, 2005... HAIFA BAY, ISRAEL -- Frutarom Industries Ltd., which purchased International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.'s Food Systems business in Germany and Switzerland last Fall, reports its 20th consecutive quarter with positive growth. The company...

Fineburg gets nod at Lindt.(NEWS)(Appointment of Lawrance Fineburg)(Lindt and Sprungli USA)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... STRATHAM, NJ -- Lindt & Sprungli (USA), Inc. appoints Lawrance Fineburg vice-president of sales, with responsibility for the company's wholesale channel marketing strategy. Fineburg, who joined Lindt in 2004, also leads the direct retail sales...

Gelnex opens south American gelatin plant.(NEWS)(Gelnex)(beefskin gelatin plant in Brazil)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... MANHASSET, NY -- Gelnex has opened a beefskin gelatin plant in Brazil with a production capacity of more than 3,000 tons. The plant is aimed at meeting growing demand for gelatin in the U.S. and EU. CEO Ross Priebbenow says the largest...

Cocoa Pete co-hosts radio talk show.(NEWS)(What's Cookin' show)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... CAMPBELL, CA -- Pete Slosberg, the founder of Cocoa Pete's Chocolate Adventures and Pete's Wicked Ale microbrewed beer, is co-hosting a chocolate segment on the Cable Radio Network's What's Cookin' show. Slosberg joins program cohosts Mike...

Worth mentioning ...(NEWS)(Tate & Lyle plc purchases South African ingredient supplier Dolcre)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... UK-based sweetener company Tate & Lyle plc has purchased South African ingredients supplier Dolcre... In November, Jelly Belly Candy Co. CEO Herman Rowland joined California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on a trip to China to promote the...

Candy China 2005 to rival Sweets China show.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... GUANGZHOU, CHINA -- A new show, Candy China 2005, might challenge Sweets China as the country's premiere international candy show. Slated May 12 to 14 at the Chinese Export Commodities Fairground in Ghangzouh, Candy China is part of a massive...

Red Vines honored with waste reduction award.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... UNION CITY, CA -- The American Licorice Co.'s Red Vines manufacturing facility recently received a waste reduction award from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. The award recognizes the company's recycling and reuse efforts in...

Reilly takes American Food post.(NEWS)(new vice-president of sales and marketing for American Food Products, Inc., )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... METHUEN, MA -- Tom Reilly joins American Food Products, Inc., as vice-president of sales and marketing. Reilly, formerly Director of Merchandising and Marketing at CVS Corp., has 25 years of retail experience. He began his career with CVS...

Markem bundles RFID system.(NEW PRODUCT NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... SMARTSTART IS A plug-in solution for manufacturers seeking compliance with customer RFID and EPC tagging mandates. Developed by Markem Corp.'s Applied Intelligence Solutions group, the system offers manufacturers the ability to quickly...

New option for to-go packs.(NEW PRODUCT NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... MANUFACTURERS SEEKING a new take on to-go packaging have another option with the introduction of Easy Go bags from Easy Snap, a division of Bosch Packaging Technology's recently acquired Doboy division. The stand-up bags feature the Easy Snap...

Extruder produces four colors, flavors in variety of shapes.(NEW PRODUCT NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... THE 4 COLOR, 4 FLAVOUR TWIST extruder is new from UK-based BCH Ltd., a subsidiary of Coates Engineering Group. It is said be suitable for use with any viscous product, including sugar pastes, caramel, fudge, chocolate, nougat and chews. The CIP...

Loma unveils entry-level x-ray, multi-frequency inspectors.(NEW PRODUCT NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... THE SENTRY XR is a new entry-level x-ray inspection unit designed to handle small products. According to Loma Systems, Inc., the unit is ideal for detecting contaminants in foiled and blistered items and, at $30,000, costs 50 percent less than...

GRAS sweetener debuts.(NEW PRODUCT NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... VITAFOOD FLAVORS' new Oh! So Sweet is a GRAS sugar substitute classified as a natural flavor, spice or natural extract by the FDA. Derived from citrus aurantium, the sweetener is said to be suitable for use in candy, chocolate, chewing gum and...

PEZ streamlines back office.(NEWS EXTRA)(PEZ Candy Inc. licenses iRenaissance enterprise resource planning program)
January 1, 2005... ORANGE, CT -- PEZ Candy, Inc. is turning to an integrated supply chain software program to manage its Connecticut facility's operations, replacing thousands of spreadsheets it once used to coordinate business transactions. PEZ has licensed...

Industry Leader: Terry O'Brien; Brach's CEO talks about the challenges, successes and changes at the century-old candy company.(VIEW FROM THE TOP)(acquisition of Brach's Confections by Barry Callebaut AG.)(Chicago plant shut down and production moved to Mexico.)
January 1, 2005... INNOVATION IS THE WATCHWORD at Brach's Confections, Inc., and CEO Terry O'Brien isn't shy about touting the company's drive into new markets and channels. "It's a turnaround story," says O'Brien, who took over as part of the 2003 buyout by...

Outlook 05: 2005 stacks up as a transitional year as candy and chocolate makers gear up to meet increasing demands for improved nutrition and more indulgence. CandyBusiness editors examine the trends and issues that could shape the coming year.(THE YEAR AHEAD)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS EACH YEAR, the editors of CandyBUSINESS analyze the leading events expected to affect the fortunes of candy makers in the year ahead. Springing to the top of this year's list of influencers is the rapidly expanding...

RFID: the bottom line benefits of visibility; Although implementing RFID will be costly, its long-term promise to reduce costs is becoming more clear. Guest author and RFID expert Matt Ream details the bottom-line benefits of product traceability.(TECHNOLOGY UPDATE)(radio frequency identification)
January 1, 2005... IT'S BEEN 31 YEARS since a pack of Wrigley's gum became the first product with a UPC symbol to be scanned in a supermarket. Now the confectionery industry has a new technology to chew on--radio frequency identification (RFID). It will not...

Sugar candy at the crossroads: pressed by high costs, resourceful sugar candy makers are making the most of a bad situation. Dave Hoffmann reports.(SECTOR ANALYSIS)
January 1, 2005... THE RAW FACTS ARE SOBERING, particularly if you're trying to make hard candy in the United States. More than 7,000 candy manufacturing jobs have been lost during the past five years and in 2003, 30 percent of all non-chocolate candy sold in the...

Chocolate, kids' items seek acceptance from retailers, consumers.(SCOUTING REPORT)
January 1, 2005... Chocolate sales continue to climb and candy makers are taking advantage of the growth with launches aimed at the mass market as well as upscale outlets. * Rocklets, from Arcor USA, are candy-coated lentils in milk chocolate and peanut....

Meeting consumers needs: Brooks Pharmacy buyer Matt Kirk says making solid sales means putting the consumer first.(RETAIL PERSPECTIVES)
January 1, 2005... CANDY BUYING ISN'T ALWAYS about analyzing sales figures, poring over spreadsheets and examining growth charts. For instance, 2004 PROFESSIONAL CANDY BUYER OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD winner Matt Kirk says his job involves much more than...

Caraustar looks beyond the box: Caraustar Industries, Inc. opens its doors for a look at how new packs take shape.(SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT)
January 1, 2005... IT'S SAID THAT FIRST IMPRESSIONS are almost always wrong. But when it comes to displaying products to their best advantage, the initial opportunity to grab consumer attention is often all you get. According to Caraustar Industries, Inc.'s...

You say you want a resolution?(THE FREAK REPORT)(new year resolutions)(Column)
January 1, 2005... MUCH LIKE THE GENERAL POPULATION, we Candyfreaks tend to get reflective when the New Year rolls around. We look back upon the year that was and take stock, meaning, of course, we make sure we have enough candy to last through the inevitable...

Calendar.(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... THIS CALENDAR IS PROVIDED AS A SERVICE TO OUR READERS AND CandyBUSINESS ASSUMES NO LIABILITY. FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS FOR COMPLETE LISTINGS AND TO SUBMIT EVENTS, PLEASE VISIT WWW.CANDYBUSINESS.COM 2005 JANUARY 24-27 MARKETING TO U.S....

Location choices hit home: following up on its groundbreaking 2003 confectionery cost study, The Boyd Co. details the hard facts of life behind doing business in 42 North American production centers.(RESOURCE CENTER)
January 1, 2005... ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, a San Francisco-based candy maker could cut its operating expenses by more than 58 percent if it moved production 600 miles south to Mexico. For those more interested in staying cool, the same company could slash its...

Hyperbole award, 2005!(CONFIDENTIAL)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... HYPERBOLE AWARD, 2005! It's only January, but this goes to the guy with the guts to peddle a box of chocolates for a cool grand. I wish the online marketer of One in a Million Zhocolate all the luck in the world, but I predict a tough go. Even...

A sure thing comes from Fran Bigelow, who heads up gourmet chocolatier Fran's Chocolates, Ltd.(CONFIDENTIAL)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... A SURE THING comes from Fran Bigelow, who heads up gourmet chocolatier Fran's Chocolates, Ltd. She's put her secrets down in a book: "Pure Chocolate: Divine Desserts and Sweets from the Creator of Fran's Chocolates." It features 75 recipes with...

A lot of what legislators do is pointless, but one Massachusetts state representative has a great idea: she wants Necco waf rs declared the official state candy, joining the official state cookie, dessert, beverage and muffin.(CONFIDENTIAL)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... A LOT OF WHAT legislators do is pointless, but one Massachusetts state representative has a great idea: she wants Necco wafers declared the official state candy, joining the official state cookie, dessert, beverage and muffin. I suspect it's no...

Hershey had a bright holiday idea--morning wake-up calls for those Black Friday shoppers who couldn't wait to join the throngs on the busiest day of the buying season.(CONFIDENTIAL)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... HERSHEY HAD A BRIGHT holiday idea--morning wake-up calls for those Black Friday shoppers who couldn't wait to join the throngs on the busiest day of the buying season. Bargain-hunters could arrange an automated call courtesy of Hershey's...

Beam me up, scotty!(CONFIDENTIAL)(diet of candy and desserts aboard the international space station)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY! In the midst of the rising hoopla about obesity comes some good candy news from outer space. During the recent food crisis aboard the international space station, orbiting crew members were forced to subsist for five weeks...

Which knucklehead put the truffle in the safe?(CONFIDENTIAL)($52,000 rare, 1.9-lb fungus rots.)
January 1, 2005... WHICH KNUCKLEHEAD put the truffle in the safe? It's not the chocolate variety, but after a London restaurant paid the hefty sum of $52,000 for the rare, 1.9-lb fungus, they locked it up for safekeeping where the gourmet treat rotted. The...

Barely bearable is all I can say about the contestant who flashed New York City passers-by in her failed effort to sell her quota of M-Azing bars during a recent episode of the hit reality show "The Apprentice.".(CONFIDENTIAL)(Masterfoods)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... BARELY BEARABLE is all I can say about the contestant who flashed New York City passers-by in her failed effort to sell her quota of M-Azing bars during a recent episode of the hit reality show "The Apprentice." The eye candy was one thing, but...

Cheers & jeers.(CONFIDENTIAL)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... CHEERS To President Bush for tapping Carlos Gutierrez as the new Commerce Secretary. As head of Kellogg, Gutierrez knows the food world and stood up against the sugar barons. Let's just hope that attitude stays with...