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.
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...
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
Corona is launching sustainable, renewable packaging made from surplus barley straw in South America this month, an innovation that it hopes to roll out globally in the future.
With Veganuary in full swing and more popular than ever, Paul Morris, Luker Chocolate’s UK sales manager, chats to ConfectioneryNews about the 123-year-old family run company and its single origin Cacao Fino de Aroma.
A coalition of South American banana growers have warned that the price they receive from European retailers is unsustainable after it emerged Aldi will cut the amount it pays for the fruit next year.
WCF’s Partnership Meeting will be the only global conference dedicated to cocoa sustainability in 2020 when it convenes online on Wednesday 18 November.
Players in Latin America's retail sector have increased their value thanks to investment in digital platforms, according to a recent Kantar report that ranks the region's top 50 most valuable brands.
The Colombian government and food industry have agreed on warning nutrition labels that will become mandatory on unhealthy food and drink products sold in the country.
Founded in 2007, Sanam has been upcycling the waste leftover after coffee production to create value-added products for food, beverage, and nutraceutical industries.
CONACADO cocoa cooperative: 'This could destroy businesses like ours'
The European Union’s proposed organic regulation will break up organic, Fairtrade, and small-scale farmers’ cooperatives, meaning they will struggle to survive in the global market, says Fairtrade International.
Brazilian consumers are interested in buying products made with nopal cactus, seen as a healthy functional food, according to a recent study. But how much export potential does the cactus really have in Latin America?
Simpleat delivers healthy, home-made meals to consumers' doors and is gearing up to launch in Chile and beyond. "We validated our business model in Argentina; it’s time to take it to the rest of Latin America,” says its co-founder.
Growing palm oil on degraded pasture instead of deforested land can reduce net ecosystem carbon losses by 99.7% and results in a crop that is almost completely carbon neutral, according to a Colombian study.
Coffee and cocoa farmers often grow avocado and mango as part of sustainable agroforestry systems - but these are vulnerable to climate change and should be swapped for more resilient crops, according to a recent study.
Nutritional progression will take front and center stage throughout LATAM as public consultations, models and regulations drive change, says a regulatory expert.
The business developer behind Oatly and a team of Bolivian scientists have developed Quiny, a patent-protected and naturally sweet quinoa powder for plant-based milks, and are gearing up for a Latin American launch.
Retailers are pushing suppliers to adopt more sustainable practices in Latin America, says Chain Reaction Research, as it reveals Carrefour Brazil's CEO asked suppliers to map out their deforestation action plans.
Colombia’s Grupo Nutresa posted an 8.9% increase in third-quarter consolidated sales, totaling COP 7.2 trillion (US$ 2.2 billion) with a profit margin of 13.8%.
Front-of-pack labeling of nutritional bars with ‘high protein’ claims can drive consumer choice, especially among men, but only if it wasn’t associated with higher calories, says a new study from Colombian and Spanish scientists.
Ecuador's Alcopalma is increasing the amount added-value palm oil with organic and RSPO certifications - but there are "big opportunities" for conventional palm oil in Latin America, says the CEO.
A smartphone app, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning, can help farmers detect banana plant diseases, including the destructive TR4 that was recently reported in Colombia.
US company C16 Biosciences has developed a way to 'brew' palm oil through microbial fermentation, producing sustainable, deforestation-free palm oil. But what will the impact on smallholder farmers be - and will consumers accept it?
From probiotic cheeses in Brazil to mamey sapote-flavored drinking yogurt in Mexico, we take a look at some products tapping into Latin America's top dairy trends, according to market research firm Zenith Global
Between 65 and 80% of packaged food and beverage products in Colombia would meet criteria to receive front-of-package warning labels, says a new study.
Mexican food design agency Foodlosofia has worked with industry giants such as PepsiCo and Heineken to develop new products, retail concepts and eating experiences. We caught up with its CEO and creative designer to find out more.
Latin American and Caribbean countries are the biggest consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juices in the world, according to a recent study.
Bioactive peptides found in a common microalga inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and E. Coli bacteria by more than 90%, Colombian researchers have found.
Rappi, an on-demand food delivery service, has received an investment of "up to $1bn" from SoftBank and its 'Vision Fund', marking the largest technology investment made for a Latin America-based company to date.
The private sector forms a critical role in securing a universal health model across Latin America but it must be regulated and guided given how influential and complex industry is, says the High-level Commission of the Pan American Health Organization...
Start-up accelerator TIC Colombia is on the hunt for innovative food, nutrition and agriculture start-ups to accelerate in its 2019 nationwide competition.
De-cocainized coca leaf extract makes diet cola sodas taste better, according to a patent, and the scientist behind it is promising "a revolution in soda beverages that benefits the people of South America, not anonymous multinationals".
Adding the Nutri-Score to food and drink resulted in Colombians choosing more green-labeled products - not fewer red ones - and spending more overall in-store. “This is a potential financial incentive to stores,” say the researchers.
By Will Chu, Niamh Michail, Hank Schultz, and Cheryl Tay
The interest in cannabidiol (CBD) use in food supplements, foods, and even as an ingredient in cosmetics has gained much momentum in the past five years, but what is the regulatory situation around the world?
In a global ranking for CBD potential and cannabis market 'readiness', Latin America ranks second. We spoke to experts about how big a role Latino countries could play in an industry predicted to be worth US$2.5 billion by 2026.
Mexican bakery giant Grupo Bimbo posted record sales in 2018 and has expanded its presence in Chile with the acquisition of biscuit and cake manufacturer Nutra Bien.
