General News
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Lick The Spoon unveils Easter range
31 January 2018Wiltshire-based chocolatier Lick The Spoon has unveiled its range of products for Easter 2018. The collection, which features hand-painted designs and differing flavour combinations, has been created by Master Chocolatier Diana Short. The highlight is a large Easter Egg made with single origin 45% cacao milk chocolate, which features a hand-painted cherry blossom design on the product. The egg is also available in a dark chocolate variant, containing 75% cacao house blend Madagascan Raisetrade dark chocolate that is roasted and conched in Madagascar. The item, which weighs in at 800g including chocolates, has a RRP of £85. Also in the 2018 Easter range is a Bronde Easter Egg with soft salted caramel pearl chocolates, an Emerald Pistachio and Sesame Egg, and a new Pure Dark Chocolate Easter Egg. For children, the chocolatier has revived its Easter Chick and Spring Lamb chocolate novelty, presented in colourful boxes that tell the story of their Raisetrade Madagascan Chocolate. There are also a collection of mini eggs: 12 containing salted caramel, strawberry caramels and pistachios; and another dozen Salted Caramel eggs, which retail for £10.
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Chocolate sensory language launched at ISM
30 January 2018At this week’s ISM in Cologne, Barry Callebaut introduced a sensory language and tasting ritual designed to help chocolate professionals and consumers to understand and express the richness of chocolate taste. Cocoa and chocolate sensory scientists from Barry Callebaut and flavour house Givaudan conducted extensive research to develop this chocolate sensory language and tasting ritual, inspired by what has already been created for wine, coffee and craft beer categories. The chocolate sensory language finds its foundation in a book titled Hidden Persuaders in Cocoa and Chocolate. A Flavor Lexicon for Cocoa and Chocolate Sensory Professionals. Pablo Perversi, chief innovation, quality & sustainability officer of the Barry Callebaut Group, says: “More and more consumers, and especially millennial foodies, share their experiences on social media. They are increasingly curious about food and taste. But while wine, coffee and craft beer could already be tasted, described and discussed in a rigorous and professional way, we lacked a language that did justice to the richness and complexity of chocolate experiences. Containing over 20,000 identifiable chemical compounds, cocoa is one of the most complex foodstuffs on earth. The sensory language that we have developed for chocolate will allow consumers to share their passion for a specific chocolate taste much more accurately”. Pairing cocoa and chocolate sensory research with consumer understanding, Barry Callebaut developed the Consumer Chocolate Sensory Wheel with 87 descriptors, covering the flavour, texture and aroma of chocolate. A Chocolate Tasting Ritual requires the five senses - sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste - and enables chocolate professionals and consumers to discover new dimensions of chocolate experience and appreciate chocolate even more. The science-based publication on how to create a sensory language for the chocolate industry was officially presented during the ISM exhibition in Cologne.
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MIA lands in the UK
26 January 2018MIA (Made in Africa), a new super premium ethical food brand, has landed in the UK with its first products – a six-strong range of Madagascan single origin, bean-to-bar chocolates. Each and every MIA product is crafted from start to finish in Africa to give greater benefit back to the communities they come from, and the products officially launched in the UK in January 2018. The new MIA dark chocolate line includes 100% Cocoa, 75% Dark Chocolate, 65% Coconut, 65% Almond & Coconut, 65% Hazelnut & Cranberry and 65% Candied Orange, and carry an RRP of £3.99 – £4.49 per bar. The bars come in 75g packs in cases of ten, and feature embossing and gold foil finishes to create a texture and shine that MIA hopes will add a premium feel. The entire chocolate making process – from roasting, shelling and grinding to tempering and packaging – takes place under one roof to ensure each bar’s premium quality and the unique flavours of the terroir. The Criollo, Amelonado and Trinitario cocoa used, which is all classed as fine flavour cocoa by the International Cocoa Organization, is sourced directly from independent farmers in the Sambirano Valley of northwest Madagascar.
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New memoir by Angus Kennedy to take the U.S. by storm!
25 January 2018Contemporary memoir offers chocolate producers a once-in-a-lifetime PR opportunity for US market Apollo Publishers of New York plan to take on the national U.S. book market by storm this summer with an eclectic mix of literature and chocolate. The US based press, led by co-publishers Alex Merrill and Julia Abramoff, is a premier publisher of topical adult nonfiction based in the city of New York, with a list of books covering food, politics, war, and religion, among other subjects The publishers signed up Angus Kennedy, editor of Kennedy’s Confection magazine as one of just seven up-and-coming authors from across the globe for 2018. The new book titled Bittersweet (Apollo Publishing, retailing at £17.99) is being released in May 2018 in the United States and will be backed by a solid national media campaign right across the States. The public relations will be headed up by Justin Loeber, CEO of mouth: digital + public relations, one of America’s premier boutique PR agencies in New York City. Justin will be heading up the ‘Chocolate Campaign’, as he terms it, and is currently talking with interested brands that wish to sponsor the effort—in turn, companies will be presented in 14 regional TV stations in front of millions of viewers. Along with the product mentions, sponsors have the opportunity to be part of a chocolate mailing, which will accompany the book—going out to national and local TV, radio and print media outlets across the States. Justin added, “This book is a dream come true for a publicist and for likely chocolate producers to get noticed across the States. Who doesn’t love chocolate! And this, combined with the author’s unique and contemporary writing skills, makes for a brilliant national PR opportunity. We are looking forward to working with Angus, Apollo and key sponsors in the chocolate sector who are looking to gain some of the best exposure one can buy in the US chocolate consumer market this year.” Justin and his team are planning for Angus to tour the U.S. media in May with live chocolate testings and offering the best chocolates from around the world and the chance for producers to get involved. Julia Abramoff, Publisher & Director of Editorial, Apollo Publishers LLC said, “At Apollo Publishers, we publish hard-hitting nonfiction by authors with compelling new ideas and expertise on their subjects. I originally reached out to Angus because I’d heard him say some amazing and controversial things about the cocoa bean… and I knew this would be attention-grabbing around the world. I knew it was a subject readers would want to know more about. What I didn’t know when I first spoke with Angus was that an incredible memoir, Bittersweet, would soon be written and that we would have the honour of featuring it on our debut list. It’s a tearjerker on occasion, but also laugh-out-loud funny and incredibly enlightening: an insider look at the chocolate industry, its secrets, and what’s ahead. Angus Kennedy, author added, “If you don’t give up on the dream and continue to believe in yourself and your ability, that’s all you have to do! Took me 32 years to get signed up by a publisher; sure been worth the wait! I know it’s a good book and can’t wait to work with these amazing talented people in the U.S. Not least, I am looking forward to talking to chocolate producers personally and working with them and getting their products some unprecedented publicity. It’s going to be a ride as my last UK video alone landed just short of 10 million views setting new records for Business Insider. You don’t get a better PR opportunity than this for chocolate producers.” (Left – Julia Abramoff, Publisher & Director of Editorial, Apollo Publishers LLC. Right – Alex Merrill, Publisher & Director, will be heading up sales of Bittersweet at Apollo). Chocolate producers can contact Kennedy’s direct or Justin Loeber at the New York agency direct on Justin. For those that wish to get a copy of their first edition. Bittersweet by Angus Kennedy, out May 8th 2018, is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Click here to pre-order today!
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Mars and Wrigley join forces in Canada
25 January 2018Mars Chocolate and Wrigley Canada are now officially operating as one business, known as Mars Wrigley Confectionery, part of Mars Canada Inc., the legal parent company for Mars segments in Canada. This newly created business segment is part of Mars, incorporated, one of the world's largest privately owned, family companies. A manufacturer of chocolate, chewing gum, mints and fruity confections in Canada, Mars Wrigley Confectionery includes brands such as M&M's, Skittles, Excel, Snickers, Twix, Starburst and Juicy Fruit. Part of the Mars Wrigley Confectionery business is the newly renovated manufacturing facility in Newmarket, Ontario. The facility is the first in North America to produce Maltesers, and it is also leading the way in peanut-free manufacturing, the company states. "This is a symbolic start to 2018," says Jeremy Daveau, Canadian General Manager of Mars Wrigley Confectionery. "The Mars Wrigley Confectionery segment combines the successful century-long heritages of Mars Chocolate and Wrigley, with a future focused on driving growth and reaching our highest potential. Together, we will help deliver category leadership to our customers and beloved brands to our consumers."
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Strong chocolate sales for Barry Callebaut
24 January 2018Barry Callebaut has reported that its three-month sales (to the end of November 2017) grew by 8% compared to the same period the year prior. This news comes during a time in which the global chocolate confectionery market also grew by 3.1%. The Swiss chocolate and cocoa manufacturer states that all the key growth drivers contributed to this market outperformance. The strong sales volume growth, which reached to over 532,000 tonnes during the three-month period, was fuelled by all regions and product groups. Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of the Barry Callebaut Group, remarks: “We had a strong start to the new fiscal year, with significantly above market growth. I am pleased to see that our increase in volume is broad-based, with positive contributions across all regions and good momentum amongst all key growth drivers.” The European chocolate confectionery market volume grew by 3.6% in this timeframe, and Barry Callebaut’s sales volume in the EMEA region recorded double-digit volume growth of 10.3%, to over 248,000 tonnes. However, overall sales revenue for Barry Callebaut amounted to CHF 1,872.2 million, which is a slight decline of -0.7% versus the prior year. This is mainly due to the impact of lower cocoa prices and other lower raw material prices, which – based on the company’s cost-plus model – are for the majority of its business passed on to customers. Looking ahead, Saint-Affrique adds: “We have good visibility on our sales portfolio and expect the market recovery to continue. This, along with the diligent execution of our ‘smart growth’ strategy, gives us the confidence that we are on track to deliver on our 2018/19 mid-term guidance.”
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What will 2018 bring? Angus Kennedy takes a glimpse into the future
22 January 2018‘Mind the future’ – Editor’s predictions what will 2018 bring? by Angus Kennedy, Editor of Kennedy’s Confection – originally published in the January 2018 issue of Kennedy's Confection I love predicting the future – mainly because no one can say I am wrong, at least not yet anyway. And then, by the time you all realise I am wrong (likely); well, we have probably all forgotten what I said anyway! Okay, so with 30 years of being an editor in this industry, I can say confidently that 2018 is going to be a great year and also a year of massive changes. But before I get into that; a great year for Kennedy’s too it has been, and we are very pleased to provide you with (again), a huge record-breaking issue of our special January Cologne show preview edition of Kennedy’s Confection. An issue with some of the best firms to visit at ProSweets and all our friends in the iSM show halls – over 100 plus pages. Print was never out of favour really. Copies of this special issue will be arriving to subscribers this week, and will also be available throughout the halls at both ProSweets and ISM. Markus Rustler, CEO of Theegarten has been on a roll too, announcing exclusively to Kennedy’s his reasons for their quite remarkable milestone to achieve €65m turnover in this month’s cover story. We also report in our latest issue extra news on some great companies to see at iSM that we recommend you pop along to see, including: Walker’s Nonsuch, Barry Callebaut, Golden Casket, Jelly Belly and Tunnocks. So, what will happen for 2018? An up-and-coming trend for 2018 I predict, will be the continued growth and diversification of the free-from and sugar-free markets; in particular Vegan, Gluten and Lactose-free and the rising number of flexitarians who in general, will be harder to monitor as they don’t wish to be called anything. They simply have made a conscious effort to reduce their milk, meat or sugar intake, for example, but without the awkward baggage of being classified as ‘different’. Something that many ‘free-fromers’ now increasingly would like to experience. But it won’t stop there. Aspartame and other more controversial ingredients could fall out of favour completely, while more natural alternatives like fruit additives will, if positioned correctly, see a significant rise in their popularity in 2018 as they have done so already. Another trend will be a more natural sugar reduction of products each year by producers to fit in line with new government quotas. This trend; not being a case of taking it all out and marketing it specifically, but a gradual and more natural reduction process that goes more or less unnoticed and subsequently resulting in the education of a new palette that is not so needy of the ‘sweet’. Therefore, many more grades of ‘less sugar’ – particularly percentages of less sugar chocolates and other industrially supplied products – will come onto the market. A time eventually will come where we will be in a position where a little sugar goes a long way. And soon it will be how consumers can make a purchasing choice that enables them to assist their planet; which possibly they feel powerless to do, even with food industry increasing claims to have helped. So those of you onto these sentiments that hold the truth, which of course many of do, you are onto an increasing winner for 2018. Another trend I predict in 2018 is the ‘mindful one’. I am rather pleased about this as it finally brings in a kind of necessity to keep ‘in mind’ consumer’s spiritual needs while developing new product concepts. There are a couple of references to the seeding Mindful diet already in this issue. Perhaps more hidden is the fact that the planet and mother nature is taking back her control – read my weekly Friday Light blog if you want more. This month, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have said openly that a temperature rise of just 2.1 degrees centigrade might put an end to the chocolate industry by 2050. They could say that as they won’t be around then perhaps, and also there are trees being bred now to withstand this. Do keep track on this seeding story in 2018. But also take a look at the weather systems (you can’t miss it right). There is much disinformation on causes of the new weather, don’t believe in the fallacy of the two clever government constructed words ‘global warming’. It’s a diversion of the truth to what is really happening to our planet. Some know the reason, me included, but the public is not ready for that! Things will get a lot more turbulent. Another huge change, and one that I haven’t even celebrated yet, is mine! Yes, mine. In May this year, Angus Kennedy, your humble author, flies to New York to launch his new book. For new readers, that’s me okay. I will be talking to 14 television stations in front of millions of consumers talking about what makes a great chocolate with my latest book, Bittersweet (finally and officially published) – took 32 years. If you would like me to tal ...
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Mondelēz commits $5m to help protect forests in Ghana
22 January 2018Mondelēz International has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Forestry Commission of Ghana, Ghana Cocoa Board and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to help reduce emissions in its cocoa supply chain across Ghana. Through ‘Cocoa Life’ – Mondelēz's sustainable cocoa sourcing programme – the company will take a leading role in implementing projects to deliver the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Program (GCFRP), which aims at tackling deforestation and forest degradation. Hubert Weber, executive vice president and president Europe at Mondelēz, comments: “Deforestation makes up the largest part of our carbon footprint, which is why it's so important for us to address this issue head on. Through this collaboration, we can be even more efficient in safeguarding the environment and helping cocoa farmers become resilient against climate change”. He continues: “This partnership builds on Cocoa Life's ongoing forest protection efforts. It's an exciting new chapter in our work in Ghana and fits with the commitment we made by signing the Cocoa & Forests Initiative Framework for Action at COP23”. As one of the largest cocoa-producing countries, Ghana supplies about 20% of the world's cocoa. According to the GCFRP, Ghana also has one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa at 3.2% per annum. This is primarily due to unsustainable expansion of cocoa and other agricultural crops. Mondelēz International is contributing $5 million (£3.6m) over five years to the GCFRP, which aims to significantly reduce the high rate of deforestation and forest degradation, as well as their associated greenhouse carbon emissions, from cocoa farming within Ghana's High Forest Zone. Together with these partners, Mondelēz will execute an action plan that focuses on: mapping all land uses, including cocoa farms; implementing climate smart cocoa practices to increase yields and sustainability; improving access to finance to foster good practices by farmers and communities; legislative and policy reform to support program execution; and coordination and measurement, reporting and verification.
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KITKAT first to launch Ruby chocolate
18 January 2018Marking the first ever launch of Ruby chocolate, Nestlé Japan will release a Ruby chocolate version of its KITKAT brand in KITKAT Chocolatory stores in Japan and South Korea, as well as online. Created and introduced by Barry Callebaut five months ago, Ruby chocolate has been dubbed the ‘fourth type of chocolate’ – next to dark, milk and white – and the new KITKAT Chocolatory Sublime Ruby product will be available from January 19, in time for Valentine’s Day. Since the announcement of Ruby chocolate in Shanghai in September 2017, Ruby chocolate has attracted strong interest from chocolate connoisseurs throughout the world. The Ruby chocolate used in ‘KITKAT Chocolatory Sublime Ruby’ reportedly offers a fresh berry-fruity taste and a characteristic colour. Ruby chocolate is made from the Ruby cocoa bean, and no berries, berry flavour nor colour are added. The bean has a specific set of attributes, which Barry Callebaut managed to unlock through an innovative process that took many years to develop. ‘Sublime Ruby’ was created through the craftsmanship of top pâtissier Yasumasa Takagi. It will be available for purchase in the KITKAT Chocolatory stores as well as online. KITKAT Chocolatory is a specialty store in Japan and South-Korea selling premium KITKAT chocolates created with meticulous attention to ingredients and preparation methods under the direction of Yasumasa Takagi, owner-chef of Le Pâtissier Takagi. Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of Barry Callebaut, comments: “I am very pleased that our innovative breakthrough Ruby chocolate has come to life so quickly through our partnership with Nestle and the pioneering KITKAT Brand in Japan. Nestle was very quick in spotting the trend and in introducing a Ruby chocolate version of KITKAT, which will entice consumers across Asia and beyond.”
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Nestlé to sell U.S. confectionery business to Ferrero
17 January 2018Following a great deal of speculation, Nestlé has agreed to sell its U.S. confectionery business to Ferrero for CHF 2.8 billion (£2.11bn) in cash. Nestlé’s 2016 U.S. confectionery sales reached about CHF 900 million (£677m), and the transaction is expected to close around the end of the first quarter of 2018 – following the completion of customary approvals and closing conditions. Nestlé CEO, Mark Schneider, comments: "With Ferrero, we have found an exceptional home for our U.S. confectionery business where it will thrive. At the same time, this move allows Nestlé to invest and innovate across a range of categories where we see strong future growth and hold leadership positions, such as pet care, bottled water, coffee, frozen meals and infant nutrition." Nestlé’s U.S. confectionery business represents about three percent of U.S. Nestlé Group sales. It includes popular local chocolate brands such as Butterfinger, Crunch, BabyRuth, 100Grand, Raisinets, Chunky, OhHenry! and SnoCaps, as well as local sugar brands such as SweeTarts, LaffyTaffy, Nerds, FunDip, PixyStix, Gobstopper, BottleCaps, Spree and Runts. The transaction covers the U.S.-focused confectionery brands only and does not include Nestlé’s Toll House baking products, a strategic growth brand which the company will continue to develop. Nestlé remains fully committed to growing its leading international confectionery activities around the world, particularly its global brand KitKat. With sales of CHF 26.7 billion (£20bn) in 2016, the U.S. is Nestlé’s largest market. Nestlé products can be found in 97 percent of U.S. households under brands such as Purina, Nestlé Pure Life, Coffee-Mate, Gerber and Stouffer’s. The company employs 50,000 people in more than 120 locations across the U.S., including 77 factories and ten R&D centres.
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