One of the America’s biggest baking companies, Hostess Brands, which owns the iconic Twinkies brand, has filed for bankruptcy. The Texas-based company operates 36 bakeries in the United States and employs up to 19,000 people. According to reports, the company owes US$944 million to the U.S. Bakery & Confectionary Union & Industry Pension Fund alone. Hostess Brands announced yesterday (12 January 2012) that it has filed voluntary petitions for reorganisation under Chapter 11 of the U.S.... ...Read more »

Consumer concerns surrounding health issues such as obesity are giving the confectionery markets a challenging time in the EU, where sales of sugar and gum confectionery have remained stagnant over the past four years (2008-2011), from €8.6 billion in 2008 to an estimated €8.9billion in 2011. According to global market research company Mintel’s latest research, sales declined the most in mature markets such as Germany, which despite remaining the largest market in Europe has seen sales drop... ...Read more »

The findings just released of a nationwide survey by Australian consumer research group, Roy Morgan Research, reveal which confectionery brands Australians are choosing to buy, and why Australians decide to eat sweets in the first place. Roy Morgan Research sampled the views of 18,483 Australians aged over 14 years who said they had consumed sweets such as lollies, toffees, éclairs and caramels in the past four weeks. The survey was carried out between October 2010 and September 2011. Of those surveyed,... ...Read more »

In one of the most unexpected launches at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the Reese’s brand, makers of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, yesterday unveiled the latest mini-innovation in candy snacks – Reese’s Minis. Billed as the “Next Big, Little Thing,” Reese’s Minis are the smallest Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups ever, and the first snacking candy to be introduced at CES. Reese’s Minis, from The Hershey Company, are approximately the size of a dime... ...Read more »

US chocolate maker Hershey has filed a lawsuit against confectionery rival Mars Inc, accusing it of copying Hershey’s packaging for its Dove Promise squares. The lawsuit, filed in the federal district court of Pennsylvania last week, argues that Mars packaged its Dove peanut butter chocolate Promise squares in such a way that it mimics the patented orange, brown and tan wrappings of Reece’s peanut butter chocolate products. Hershey said in the complaint that the use of the colours is... ...Read more »

US conglomerate ConAgra Foods has joined forces with Mars Inc to launch a range of confectionery for the Christmas season. ConAgra’s Peter Pan peanut butter brand and Mars’ M&M’s Holiday milk chocolate candies have joined to create three products, the manufacturers announced yesterday (23 November). Holly Jolly Peanut Butter Cookies, Jingle Bell Balls and Holiday Magic Peanut Clusters will be promoted on Facebook and via 5m on-pack lid stickers for the Peter Pan brand. As part... ...Read more »

Rising living standards, burgeoning incomes and changing consumer demographics have spurred the demand for quality products across consumer market segments including confectionery products in China. Globally, the confectionery markets appear to have been most affected by the economic recession as well as a concurrent trend of health consciousness. With alarming statistics of diabetes patients in various Asian countries, consumers are cautious of the ingredients, more specifically of the calories... ...Read more »

Immense opportunities in the Indian confectionery market are encouraging confectionery companies from the West to enter into the Indian horizon by launching more and more new products for Indian consumers. India, today, is in its ‘sunshine period’ owing to the fast paced economic development in the country. The country’s healthy growth has insulated it from the impact of the global economic turmoil. All these have led to higher consumer spending in the country. As a result, many multinational... ...Read more »

Kraft Foods has opened a facility in Switzerland to develop new products for a slew of Cadbury-owned confectionery brands, including Trident gum and Halls candy. The US food giant said it had spent US$14m setting up the R&D site in the Swiss town of Eysins. The facility will focus on creating more products under brands including Trident, Halls, Bassetts and The Natural Confectionery Co. Chuck Davis, vice president of research, development and quality for Kraft’s European division, said... ...Read more »

Kraft Foods today announced it has signed an agreement to sell Cadbury’s E. Wedel-branded chocolate and sugar confectionery operations in Poland to Lotte Group for an undisclosed sum. The sale, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, includes the E. Wedel business, its related brands and a manufacturing facility in Warsaw. Approximately 1,000 Cadbury Wedel employees will transfer to Lotte Group.Kraft Foods will keep the remaining Cadbury business in Poland, including the Halls brand... ...Read more »