A leading Australian researcher at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology has designed new compounds that mimic the activity of antioxidants found in wine and chocolate, which have potential applications in fighting disease. Dr Aaron Micallef is a free radical chemist and associate investigator for the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology. He believes the new compounds will promote the body’s natural antioxidant... ...Read more »

Cadbury Dairy Milk Australia, the flagship of the Cadbury brand recently purchased by Kraft Foods, is celebrating its successful Facebook marketing campaign this week, having reached a milestone 100,000 fans on the social media website. The company said the fan base is a “landmark” in Australia, and that it has put the Cadbury Dairy Milk facebook page in the top 10 Australian food/beverage branded facebook pages generated for Australian consumers, according to SocialBakers.com, a social... ...Read more »

Nestlé has launched a new addition to its Kit Kat range, the Kit Kat Chunky3, which features the brand’s signature wafer, topped with three breakable chunks containing three separate textures – fudge, crisp and sauce. The new chocolate bar will be available in three flavours – chocolate, caramel and cookies & cream. The new line was developed over two years from an idea sourced from the factory floor at the Nestlé factory in Campbellfield in Melbourne, which produces the majority... ...Read more »

Cadbury has apologised to Naomi Campbell after its Dairy Milk Bliss adverts “upset” the supermodel. The print campaign for Dairy Milk Bliss featured the slogan: “Move over Naomi, there’s a new diva in town”. After Campbell threatened to sue the company, the chocolate manufacturer published an apology on its website on Friday (3 June). Cadbury said that it was “seriously sorry” and that it was not its intention to “offend Naomi, her family or anybody... ...Read more »

Mars Chocolate Australia has announced that it will source enough Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa to cover the production of its iconic Mars Bar, which will bear the Rainforest Alliance treefrog logo. The move follows Cadbury’s switch last year, when the company began purchasing enough Fairtrade cocoa to cover the production of its Dairy Milk blocks. Mars Chocolate Australia said that chocolate lovers want to know that their special treat not only tastes delicious, but has been produced... ...Read more »

The Fairtrade Association of Australia & New Zealand (FTAANZ) has urged all Aussies to show off their swap to Fairtrade Certified and fair trade products this Fair Trade Fortnight, whether it be their morning coffee, afternoon cuppa, chocolate treat, their t-shirt or even the Mother’s Day gift they give. Fair Trade Fortnight (7-22 May) is Australia’s biggest annual celebration of all things fair trade, recognising the life-changing difference fair trade makes to the lives of more than six... ...Read more »

With the Easter bunny looming large, comedian and Jenny Craig ambassador Magda Szubanski, who has shed 25kg with the program, offered her tips this Easter for avoiding overindulging in the season’s biggest temptation – chocolate. “The Jenny Craig program has taught me some nifty tricks which allow me to socialize and have fun but still keep the weight off,” Magda said. “Easter can still be fun. You don’t need to completely avoid sweet treats such as chocolate, just learn to consume... ...Read more »

Cadbury has released a newly reformulated range of Mousse chocolate, in chocolate, caramel and hazelnut flavours. The new Mousse blocks feature large triangular instead of square pieces, with more up-market, less playful packaging than standard Cadbury Dairy Milk blocks, aiming at a luxury/indulgence buyer and the after-dinner market. The new product will be advertised with the tag line “So delicious it’s best kept hidden”. Cadbury Dairy Milk Mousse is available from Coles, Woolworths,... ...Read more »

Chocolate and cocoa supply giant Barry Callebaut has announced plans to strengthen its offering of healthier confectionary alternatives, with plans to reduce saturated and hydrogenated fats, and practically eliminate the use of trans-fatty acids. The company, which supplies many of the world’s largest food companies with their confectionary raw materials and ingredients, said that it was developing healthier confectionary applications in response to growing demand for products with lower saturated... ...Read more »

Chocolate giant Lindt & Sprüngli has won its trademark dispute with Austrian company Franz Hauswirth GmbH, with the Vienna Commercial Court ruling that Hauswirth must stop producing and selling its Easter bunny, which is wrapped in gold foil and carries a red or red-white-red ribbon. The Court confirmed that there is a risk of confusion with the ‘Gold Bunny’ trademark of Lindt & Sprüngli, which the company registered as an EU three-dimensional Community Trademark in 2000. “The... ...Read more »