Swiss chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut has entered into an agreement to supply up to 16,000t of chocolate and compound products annually to Japanese confectionery firm Morinaga, over the next ten years.
Spanish chocolate and cocoa processor Natra has signed a Belgian chocolate supply contract in China with an unnamed distributor that it says will boost sales in the market by 70% in 2012 and help it grow in Asia.
Partnerships will be crucial in tackling the supply chain challenges in the surging cocoa and chocolate industry – this was the key message at Barry Callebaut’s Chocovision conference.
Algerian food processing firm Cevital plans to establish rice and cocoa processing capabilities in Ivory Coast, as a part of its plan to expand to international markets.
US Chocolate giant Hershey has entered a sales and marketing partnership with Asian expansion group DKSH to help raise its profile in the emerging Malaysian market.
German confectioners are uneasy about their prospects in 2012 as EU sugar prices threaten financial results, according to a survey from German confectionery association BDSI.
Market expansion group DKSH has announced plans to open its second innovation centre in Mumbai, India to help companies introduce confectionery and bakery products tailored to the Indian market.
Worldwide sugar prices have fallen in the second quarter (Q2) of 2012 as the market is projected to record a surplus for the next two seasons, according to Rabobank International.
Australian manufacturers have been busy innovating to keep the chocolate and confectionery market afloat amid tough economic times, volatile commodity prices and import competition, a report shows.
The European Commission has passed a regulation permitting the use of a food additive commonly used in beverages to print celebratory messages on hard confectionery after a request from Mars Chocolate UK.
