Markets

Ekachai Savetsomphob. Pic: ISM

ProSweets/ISM 2024

Thai confectionery market recognised at ISM 2024

By Anthony Myers

Ekachai Savetsomphob, Managing Director of Sino-Pacific, Thailand’s largest food and snack imported is being honoured with the ISM Award 2024 for his contribution and fluence in the development of the market in Southeast Asia.

Lindt's continued brand building will be key in 2024. Pic:  Lindt & Sprüngli

Market watch

Lindt & Sprüngli hit with child labor allegations in cocoa supply chain

By Anthony Myers

Swiss premium chocolate company Lindt & Sprüngli is among the leading players in the premium chocolate space with a presence in over 120 countries worldwide and a portfolio of chocolate brands including Russell Stover, Ghirardelli, Caffarel, Lindor,...

West Africa's cocoa crop has been boosted by the weather. Pic: CN

Markets

Rains in West Africa lift cocoa prospects for the region

By Anthony Myers

Unseasonable and welcome rain in West Africa is expected to boost the main cocoa crop, improve the quality of beans and lower the price of cocoa on the market, according to farming sources.

GettyImages/ChayTee

Plant-based sector braces for ‘a rough’ 24 months

By Oliver Morrison

The plant-based sector remains an enormous long-term growth opportunity, though investor retrenchment will continue in the short term, investors told the recent Plant-Based Protein Manufacturing Summit in Amsterdam.

Pic: GettyImages

Economy

Sterling crisis will impact cocoa farmer incomes, Fairtrade warns

By Anthony Myers

After the pound hit a record low against the US dollar at the end of September, the Fairtrade Foundation is warning of the potential impact of the market volatility, both on farmers in low-income countries and the UK shoppers who buy the food they grow.

Olam International (OIL) is the parent company of OFI and OGA. Pic: OIL

Financial results

OFI remains on course for London listing

By Anthony Myers

Singapore-based Olam, OFI’s parent company, said it is tracking global markets following Russia's invasion of Ukraine this week to determine the potential impact on the timing.

The Hostess brand’s history dates back to 1919, when the Hostess CupCake was introduced to the public, followed by Twinkies in 1930. Pic: Hostess Brands

Twinkies and CupCakes rescuer exits Hostess

By Gill Hyslop

Dean Metropoulos – punted as the man to have rescued the Hostess brand from extinction – has notified the company that he will resign as chairman of the Board of Directors at the end of 2020 to pursue other commitments.

Barry Callebaut issued its first Schuldscheindarlehen in February 2019. Pic: Barry Callebaut

Financial

Barry Callebaut places its second ‘Schuldscheindarlehen’

By Anthony Myers

The transaction further strengthens the Group’s committed long term liquidity structure by extending the average maturity at attractive interest rates and reducing its reliance on short-term funding sources.

Paul A Young combines film classics with chocolate for 12-piece collection. Photo: Paul A Young

How chocolates for Valentine’s Day have changed over the years

By Jenny Eagle

Chocolatier, Paul A Young, has fused together romantic movies through the decades with chocolate to create a 12-piece collection for Valentine’s Day, claiming he has seen a reduction in consumers buying chocolate hearts for the occasion on February 14.

Pic: iStock/thodonal

Healy leverages cocoa shells for natural sugar reduction

By Katy Askew

Healy Group, the Ireland-based ingredient supplier, has developed a process to turn cocoa shells – an otherwise under-utilised by-product of cocoa production – into a micronised cocoa fibre that can help with sugar reduction in chocolate.