Category: Sugar & Confectionery

Russell Stokes appointed CEO of Kind North America amid push beyond the snack bar aisle

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US – American healthy snack company Kind has announced the appointment of Russell Stokes as the new CEO of Kind North America, effective immediately.  Stokes who recently joined the company from Mars and has been working as the company’s chief growth officer will report to Juan Martin, KIND’s Global President and CEO.  “Since joining KIND earlier this year, I have been inspired by our team’s deep commitment to uphold the KIND Promise as we grow and expand,” said Stokes.   “I’ve enjoyed watching this purpose-driven brand grow and evolve into the household name…

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European sugar production rise as effect of beet yellows virus wanes

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EUROPE – Sugar production in the European Union is set to rise to 16.6 million metric tons (MMT) in Raw Sugar Equivalents (RSE) in the market year (MY) 2021/22, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).  USDA attributed the rise in sugar production to a healthy sugar beet crop that suffered less from beet yellows virus (BYV) disease when compared to the MY 2020/21 production.  For sugar beet, the main source of sugar for the EU, USDA has forecast production for…

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Ferrero breaks ground on project to build first chocolate processing facility in North America

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USA — Italian manufacturer of branded chocolate and confectionery products Ferrero Group has broke ground on a new US$75 million, 70,000-square-foot chocolate processing facility in Bloomington, Illinois.   The plant under the group’s North America division will be Ferrero’s third facility that processes chocolate, and it’s first outside of Europe.  The new facility is an expansion of Ferrero’s existing Bloomington manufacturing center and will produce chocolate for Crunch, 100 Grand, Raisinets, and other Ferrero products for the North American market.  “The ability to process high-quality chocolate here in North America is instrumental…

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Barry Callebaut opens new center in Dubai to drive innovation in Middle East chocolate industry

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UAE – World leading manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa products Barry Callebaut Group, has inaugurated its relocated Chocolate Academy Center in Dubai.  According to the company, the center, which is now at the foot of the iconic Burj Khalifa, will serve as a creative platform where chefs and artisans can showcase and develop their talent and skills.  The center’s dedicated team of chefs is also expected to continue inspiring and educating the chocolate industry and introducing new techniques to artisans, pastry chefs, confectioners, bakers and caterers.  This, according to Barry, would play an important…

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Low sugar output to nick South Africa’s sugar export in 2021/2022

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SOUTH AFRICA – Troubled South Africa sugar industry expects a 7% fall in raw sugar production to 2 million MT in the 2021/22 Marketing Year (MY), from 2.1 million MT in the 2020/21 MY. This is attributed to reduction in the quantity of cane delivered to the mills, limited crushing capacity due to the closure of two sugar mills, and a decline in mill efficiencies. According to a semi-annual report by USDA, production of sugar cane crop is forecasted to fall by 2 percent to 17.9 million MT in 2021/22,…

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Angola seeks to build agro-biofuels sector, SA sugar industry seeks to venture into energy production

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SOUTHERN AFRICA – The government of Angola has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Angola’s National Oil, Gas and Biofuel’s Agency (ANPG); Sonangol, the parastatal that oversees petroleum and natural gas production in the country; and Eni Angola, an energy company, to jointly develop the agro-biofuel sector in the country. Under the MoU, Eni, ANPG and Sonangol will develop a de-carbonization path for the country through a circular economy approach, assessing in particular the development of low-ILUC (indirect land‐use change) cultivations such as castor beans on degraded lands and…

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Barry Callebaut expands presence in Southeastern Europe with inaugration of US$64m chocolate factory in Serbia

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SERBIA –  Barry Callebaut Group, the world’s leading manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa products, has officially inaugurated its new chocolate factory in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city.   The facility’s inauguration was attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, at the invitation of Peter Boone, CEO of the Barry Callebaut Group.   The state-of-the-art factory, built at a cost of 55 million euros (U$64m), has an initial annual production capacity of over 50,000 tonnes of chocolate.   Its operation will allow Barry Callebaut to supply customers with a wide range of chocolate, compound, and…

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Kilombero Sugar inks cane supply agreement with sugar cane growers in Tanzania following expansion plans

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TANZANIA – Kilombero Sugar Company Limited (KSCL), Tanzanian subsidiary of Illovo Sugar Africa, has signed a two-year contract with 20 Kilombero Sugarcane Cooperative Unions to manage production and supply of the commodity to the sugar processing company. The deal which was signed between KSCL’s Managing Director, Guy Williams and Chairman of Kilombero Sugarcane Cooperative Union (KSCU) Onesmo Mwakyambo gives the out-growers a reliable and lucrative market for their commodity. “This agreement is very important because it provides us with a guarantee of the sustainable supply of cane as a raw…

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Premium dried fruit snacks company ReelFruit secures US$3m funding to expand production

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NIGERIA – Nigeria’s leading dried fruit snack brand, ReelFruit, has raised a Series A investment of US$3 million to expand its production fivefold, increase its product offerings and double down on exports to the US and other international markets. The funding round was led by Alitheia IDF which invested 67 per cent or US$2 million, while other investors including Samata Capital and Flying Doctor Healthcare Investment Company also took part in the round. Founded in 2012, ReelFruit pioneered the dried fruit snack industry in Nigeria and remains its market leader.…

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Cadbury Dairy Milk enhances sustainability profile with switch to recycled plastic packaging

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UK –  Cadbury Dairy Milk made in Bournville and sold in the UK and Ireland is to be made with packaging containing up to 30% recycled plastic, a statement from Mondelēz International has revealed.   The transition to recycled packaging is expected to commence in 2022 with an initial rollout of the packaging innovation on more than 28 million sharing bars.   The shift, according to Mondelēz is part of a broader global commitment by the business to reduce the use of virgin plastic material in its overall plastic packaging portfolio by 5% by 2025,…

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