Wild targets regional tastes with strawberry launch

16-May-2012 - Manufacturers of fruit gums, milk cream fillings and ice cream can now benefit from a range of natural strawberry flavours that has just been launched by flavours firm Wild in Germany.

Zetar’s nuts hit by raw material price inflation

15-May-2012 - Zetar took a 5% hit in annual group revenue after exiting from low margin core commodity sales, particularly in processed and packed nuts, at the beginning of 2012.

Blommer predicts looming cocoa supply crisis

10-May-2012 - Demand for cocoa is expected to climb 30% in the next 10 years creating a 25% shortage of current supply, according to North American cocoa processor and chocolate ingredients supplier Blommer Chocolate Company.

Cocoa waste may become valuable source of pectin, suggest researchers

10-May-2012 - Cacao pod husks – a major by-product of cocoa processing – could provide industry with a new, environmentally friendly source of pectin, say researchers.

Dutch bar manufacturer VSI opens third factory

09-May-2012 - Dutch non-branded bar manufacturer VSI has begun operations at a €10m plant in Leerdam, Holland, which incorporates a research and development (R&D) centre and has the capacity to make triple-layered bars.

News in brief

Natra profits soar after operational improvements

07-May-2012 - Spanish ingredients firm Natra has upped its operating profit 71% on last year in its first quarter (Q1) results due to operational changes in its main cocoa and chocolate business.

Spanish researchers spell out 2020 consumer food trends

04-May-2012 - ‘Eater-tainment’, ‘SuperSense’ and ‘Food Telling’ are among the food consumer trends predicted to be prominent in 2020 by researchers at Spain’s Azti-Tecnalia research and development centre.

EU egg shortage: An alternate view on how long it will last

11-Apr-2012 - The bakery and confectionery industry claims it has been hit with a “dire and unprecedented” EU-wide egg shortage as suppliers of egg replacers look to profit and offer up their opinions on how long the situation will last.

Functional health ingredients fail to take off in confectionery - Leatherhead

06-Apr-2012 - Functional health ingredients have failed to move into mainstream confectionery and have not penetrated the market as expected, according to a report from Leatherhead Food Research.

Dispatches from Anuga Foodtec 2012

‘Unique’ flavour analysis can optimise chocolate taste profiles – ex Kraft flavourist

04-Apr-2012 - A combination of sensory and analytical flavour analysis that is hardly commercially available can optimise the taste of chocolate, according to a flavour consultant.

Callebaut outpaces market but profits hit by partnership and supply chain costs

02-Apr-2012 - Barry Callebaut has outshone the global chocolate market in its six month results, but profits were stunted by recent partnership-related costs and supply chain investments.

TNO and Dutch firms aim for next generation of non-stick chewing gum

22-Mar-2012 - Dutch gum manufacturers along with research group TNO have partnered with the Foundation NederlandSchoon in a research project to make chewing gum less sticky and easily degradable.

Shear cocoa butter to crack ‘holy grail’ of chocolate fat bloom, say researchers

21-Mar-2012 - Researchers suggest shearing to be more effective than seeding in preventing oil migration and possibly fat bloom formation in chocolate

Unilever cranks up open innovation activities

20-Mar-2012 - Unilever is looking for new ideas to help it reduce the sodium levels in its food products by a further 15 to 20% without compromising taste - just one ‘want’ on its newly launched open innovation platform.

Additional EU sugar imports expected as industry squeezed by quotas

15-Mar-2012 - The European Union is expected to allow additional sugar imports to the market in the coming weeks in a move welcomed by the confectionery industry.

Clean label toffee gums contain 20% less fat, claims Rousselot

12-Mar-2012 - Gelatine firm Rousselot has launched a toffee gum concept that it claims can reduce fat and calories over a traditional butter caramel candy.

Natural push: Nestle UK stamps out artificial colours in confectionery

02-Mar-2012 - Nestle has announced today that it has removed all artificial ingredients in confectionery products in the UK.

ABF’s ingredients division needs self-improvement: Analyst

27-Feb-2012 - Associated British Foods (ABF) is on track to deliver strong, full-year growth, however, high raw material costs in a competitive environment has seen the group struggle against stronger, more aggressive players in the ingredients market.

News in brief

ADM extends chocolate decorations range

23-Feb-2012 - ADM Cocoa has added marbled buttons and layered chocolate chunks to its chocolate decoration range aimed at the confectionery and bakery markets.

Cutting out ‘unperceived’ salt could slash sodium in snacks: Study

20-Feb-2012 - Altering the release profile of salt in crisps and snacks could help to lower levels of ‘unperceived’ sodium without affecting taste, say researchers.