Cocoa production in Colombia has increased by over 60% in the past 12 years and according to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), in 2020, Colombia ranked 10th in the world in terms of annual cocoa production.
Launched in October 2018 at the World Cocoa Foundation’s (WCF) Partnership Meeting in São Paulo, CocoaAction Brasil is coming to the end of its initial five-year cycle. The recent publication of an Impact Report reveals how it has helped cocoa regain...
Luker Chocolate, a Colombian family-owned business-for-business (B4B) chocolate manufacturer that provides chocolate and cocoa to many private label and artisan companies in the UK, has highlighted a remarkable story of two women who bridge the digital...
Brazilian cocoa farmers are putting pressure on the government to suspend imports from Cote d’Ivoire over a fear the cargo will also include insects and weed seeds such as Striga weed, putting local cocoa farms at risk.
PRONATEC, an owner-run Swiss family company that maintains long-standing partnerships with cooperatives in the countries of origin, has been a pioneer in the global organic and Fairtrade movement for 45 years. In 2022, it opened its own impressive and...
Digital payments are increasingly accepted in cocoa-growing origins and after decades of farmer-level cash transactions, cocoa farmers in Brazil and Ecuador were the first in Barry Callebaut’s supply chain to go digital with payments.
Colombian Chocolate Manufacturer Luker Chocolate has announced it has acquired a majority stake in Slovakian Lyra Group in a deal that will strengthen Luker’s product capabilities and increase flexibility in logistics for European clients.
William Reed – the publisher of award-winning B2B brands including FoodNavigator and NutraIngredients - has acquired a majority stake in agri-food summit organizer Rethink Events.
Mondelēz International has announced net revenues grew 8.1% year-on-year in the third quarter this year, driven by stronger pricing and volume. The Chicago-headquartered company also raised its full-year results forecasts and announced more price hikes...
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s presidential election win in Brazil will make it easier for food and beverage companies to comply with their zero-deforestation commitments, it has been claimed.
The Mexican bread titan reported record sales and profits for Q3 2022, along with the acquisition of the UK bakery manufacturer, in a deal thought to be worth more than £300m.
Sustainability has rapidly evolved from a check box exercise for many food companies to something that impacts decision making throughout the supply chain. But how are firms measuring sustainability, how reliable is industry data in this respect, and...
Will a large percentage of flavors, colors and sweeteners be made in bioreactors by 2050 or are the costs and challenges associated with precision fermentation technology such that it only makes sense to produce a handful of high-value ingredients in...
CSM Ingredients is entering Latin America through a strategic partnership with Chilean player ICB. FoodNavigator catches up with CSM CEO Aldo Uva to learn more about how this expansion positions the European supplier for further growth.
Could agave shortages and rising production costs stop the trending drinks in its tracks? The good news is that agave alternatives are ready to step in and fill the gap.
The European Cocoa Forum, held recently in Rome, Italy, was marked by frank and open discussions on how best to safeguard and direct the future of the hugely important global of the cocoa sector, said Paul Davis, European Cocoa Association (ECA) president.
Oat m!lk chocolate brand, HAPPi, is teaming up with Luker Chocolate to create Kids for Nature, an exciting new project that aims to protect the remarkable wildlife of Colombia by educating the next generation to become guardians of their ecosystem.
Canpack S.A., part of the Canpack Group, will increase its manufacturing capacity of aluminum beverage cans with a new production facility in Poços de Caldas, in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
The Mexican bakery giant reported a doubled second-quarter net profit and raised its sales and operating earnings outlook, citing strong demand from regions including the US and Europe.
Colombia’s Cordillera Chocolates is a world pioneer in cocoa development. Established almost 60 years ago it has been training cocoa growers in various areas of agricultural practices, sustainability issues, disease control and productivity – and the...
Palm oil acceptance in the European Union (EU) is not impossible if the industry engages in proper marketing based on scientific facts, with changes already being seen in some countries, according to a panel of experts.
JBS has set targets to stamp out deforestation in its supply chain and move to net zero emissions by 2040. Former World Wildlife Fund (WWF) sustainability expert Maurício S. Bauer tells us why he has decided to transition from the NGO sector and join...
Six of the world’s largest food and agribusiness companies have developed a new method to tackle deforestation and grassland conversion for soy crops in Brazil’s biodiversity-rich Cerrado region, which neighbours the Amazon.
Connecticut-based healthy snack food brand GoodSam Foods has announced a new venture with Colombian chocolate manufacturer Luker Chocolate to boost educational programmes in cocoa communities.
Moolec Science – which has developed a ‘molecular farming’ platform to produce plants that express animal proteins – is going public via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)* in a deal expected to close later this year.
Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU) has released its 2021 Diversity, Equity & Belonging report, highlighting its successes over the past 10 years, and laying out goals for the next three.
JBS is often accused of indirectly sourcing cattle from unscrupulous Brazilian farmers who have illegally started fires in order to clear large areas of land.
Peru is the world's ninth largest cocoa producer (roughly 71,175 tons a year) and the world’s largest organic cocoa producer, and it is now on a mission to develop a deforestation-free supply chain by 2025, making it ready for new European market...
Colombian cocoa supplier Luker Chocolate has announced it has joined the Tent Partnership for Refugees (Tent), a global business network of more than 200 major companies around the world committed to supporting refugees, including by hiring and training...
ConfectioneryNews talked to Jose Puyana, ProColombia's Regional Director for Europe, ahead of a Trade Mission to the UK (31 March to 3 April) to attend the London Coffee Festival, where cocoa producers will be also in attendance.
More than half of parents and pregnant women (51%) surveyed for a new WHO/UNICEF report say they have been targeted with marketing from formula milk companies, much of which is in breach of international standards on infant feeding practices.
Brazil’s cocoa beans production continues its upward curve with the latest figures released this month showing grindings have already increased up to 5% in 2022.
With the help of a $7m fundraise, Startup De La Calle is bringing to more Americans nationwide a modern version of the beloved and naturally functional Mexican “street vendor treat” tepache – a probiotic beverage made from fermented organic pineapples...
Mexican bakery giant Grupo Bimbo posted a 66.9% increase in fourth quarter net profit, along with a 74.7% bump up for FY 2021 to reach 15.9 billion pesos ($78m).
The Round Table on Sustainable Soy (RTRS) is launching a Corn Standard for certified soy farmers currently located in Argentina, Brazil, India, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
The Argentinian soybean meal and oil output and exports are predicted to increase in 2021-22 despite significant headwinds, noted a review by S&P Global Platts.
Natural color supplier Oterra continues its shopping spree as it strives to become a leading force in the highly fragmented food color segment with the acquisitions of Food Ingredient Solutions and Diana Foods – both of which expand its global footprint.
Bananas are not doomed, say experts. But their survival depends largely on retailers and consumers being prepared to pay more for their bananas, and the sector exploring different varieties.
Grupo Bimbo, owner of well-known bakery brands including Sara Lee and Thomas English Muffins, is leading a Series A funding round for Ecuador-based LiveKuna, an emerging brand of superfood snacks, cereals, pastas, and alternative baking flours.
