Multinational confectionery group Mondelēz International recently unveiled its first operational Technical Centre for research and innovation in Asia, in Singapore.
Japanese confectionery giant Meiji is expanding production of health-focused chocolate in response to the growing consumer demand for cocoa’s purported health benefits.
Barry Callebaut may build another chocolate factory in China as its current 30,000-suqare-meter site in the Suzhou Industrial Park is ‘already operating at near full capacity,’ says the company’s Asia Pacific president, Ben De Schryver.
Nestlé Japan will become the first confectioner to launch a product with Barry Callebaut’s ruby chocolate as it plans to introduce KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Ruby.
Chocolate manufacturers will have to fall in line with the constraints of food safety and standards regulations after India’s health ministry placed all types of chocolate under the regulator’s purview.
Mondelēz Australia has invested around $2.9m in its Hobart, Tasmania, factory to produce two new lines – Cadbury Dark Milk and Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvelous Creations Spider – with new equipment.
Most food items will be cheaper with the introduction of GST on July 1, according to Harsimrat Kaur Badal, though drinks manufacturers are looking at increases of up to 10% on their products.
Chocolate and cocoa supplier Barry Callebaut has increased its number of product lines available in China after seeing sales of its gourmet range doubling over the last four years.
Character confectionery brand Yowie has returned to the Australia and New Zealand markets; brand owner the Yowie Group has also signed a partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
Taiwan has introduced new regulations to govern the labelling of several foods in a bid to improve food safety and protect consumers' rights, the Food and Drug Administration said.
Riding on a trend towards premiumisation, craft beer, though still a very small market in China, is likely to continue gaining considerable share and should enjoy remarkable performance.
Wedding candy brand from Fujian Province Hollygee (好邻居) has acquired the largest Chinese domestic chocolate confectionery company Le Conte (金帝) for 230m RMB ($33m).
A simple labelling mis-translation gave rise to widespread rumours that an international chocolate brand’s formulation contained alcohol, Dubai authorities have revealed following a probe.
Mondelēz International has named the managing director for its India business months after inaugurating a chocolate plant in Andhra Pradesh that will be its largest Asia Pacific plant.
Euromonitor International has pinpointed several promising chocolate markets that may help manufacturers offset slowdowns in traditional emerging markets such as China and Brazil.
Chocolatier, Susumu Koyama, owner and chef of Patissier Es Koyama, (formerly Chocomania) Japan, has picked up a hat trick of awards in gold, silver and bronze for its packaging, at The Academy of Chocolate 2016 Awards.
The chocolate market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow around 2% faster than Europe and North America up to 2019, according to a Transparency Market Research’s (TMR) report.
Chocolate consumption in Australia is on the rise, according to market research that found that the proportion of Australians chocoholics has increased from 65% to 69% between 2013 and 2015.
Adding a mangosteen fruit by-product to cheaper low cocoa chocolates could improve their nutritional content without compromising flavour, researchers have discovered.
The global industrial chocolate market is expected to grow volumes 2.4% a year up to 2019 as Barry Callebaut, Cargill and others make headway in Latin America and Asia, says Technavio.
Mondelēz International has launched what it claims is India’s first aerated chocolate by bringing Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk Bubbly to the world’s fastest growing chocolate market.
Barry Callebaut has announced it will establish a chocolate plant on the premises of Indonesian biscuit firm GarudaFood to supply it 10,000 metric tons of compound chocolate per year.
Special edition: Beyond 2020 - The future of sustainable cocoa
Asia is poised to help meet rising demand for cocoa, but its key producer Indonesia faces quality concerns and its government lacks incentive to grow the sector.
Japanese consumers are eating more dark chocolate at the expense of milk varieties as interest grows in cocoa polyphenols, says leading domestic chocolatier Meiji.
Multinationals chocolate companies and the public and private sector will come together this week to assess the future of cocoa sustainability in Asia and how to capitalize on rising chocolate demand in the reg
