Editor's Blog

Showtime
Date: 04/01/2012
4 January 2012 – It’s that time of year when we are all preparing to attend Prosweets. The event is running from 29 January ... more >
Prosweets preparation
Date: 02/12/2011
2 December 2011 – I am just back from a manic Food Ingredients Europe show, and although it is predominantly a food show, there wa... more >
FiE predictions
Date: 22/11/2011
22 November 2011 – This week many of you will be preparing to attend FiE, either as exhibitors or visitors. Come and meet Confecti... more >
Cargill's cocoa
Date: 27/10/2011
27 October 2011 – Yesterday I visited Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate in Mouscron, Belgium. Brigitte Bayart, marketing manager and M... more >
Candy focus
Date: 14/10/2011
14 October 2011 – This week I attended Sweet Tec, a conference which addressed trends and innovations in the sugar confectionery m... more >
Africa's chocolate meltdown
Date: 06/10/2011
6 October 2011 – Climate change not only threatens the production of staple food crops, but could transform the cherished chocolat... more >
Maltesers go Fairtrade
Date: 29/09/2011
28 September 2011 – Chocolate giant Mars made a pledge two years ago that all cocoa used within its chocolate products would be su... more >
Speciality chocolate fair
Date: 09/09/2011
9 September 2011 – The Speciality Chocolate Fair is the only event in the UK dedicated to fine quality chocolate. The fair present... more >
Going wild
Date: 02/09/2011
2nd September 2011 – This past week I have spent in Canada in the province of Nova Scotia visiting the Wild Blueberry Association ... more >
Improving heart health with chocolate
Date: 01/09/2011
1 September 2011 – Previous studies have found that chocolate, particularly that of a higher cocoa percentage, contains compounds ... more >
Protecting against price increases
Date: 23/08/2011
23 August 2011 – Volatile cocoa prices and recent supply issues, have resulted in many confectioners and bakers looking for a solu... more >
Confectionery growth
Date: 12/08/2011
12 August 2011 – Nestlé’s market share has grow from 15.5% YTD in 2010 to 16.5% for the same period this year (mid Ju... more >
Essential oils for flavour
Date: 26/07/2011
26 July 2011 – On Friday, I visited F D Copeland's facilities in Woolwich, London to see the distillation, rectification and blend... more >
Growth of emerging markets
Date: 21/07/2011
21 July 2011 – The high populations and increasing disposable incomes of Asia and South America have led to confectionery manufact... more >
Nestle heads to China
Date: 06/07/2011
6 July 2011 – Nestle, the world's largest food maker, has now confirmed that it is in preliminary takeover discussions with Chines... more >
Radio interview!
Date: 27/06/2011
27th June 2011 – This morning I was invited to Radio York to comment on the topic of rising chocolate bar prices and consumption t... more >
Stevia success
Date: 16/06/2011
16 June 2011 – To help food manufacturers meet growing consumer demand for healthier, all natural products that offer great taste ... more >
Fluctuating wheat prices
Date: 07/06/2011
7 June 2011 – This year, wheat prices have continually fluctuated, Francisco Redruello, senior packaged food analyst at Euromonito... more >
More health benefits...
Date: 02/06/2011
2nd June 2011 – Once again another study has been completed which provides evidence for the health benefits of cocoa. In the s... more >
Who benefits from sugar quotas?
Date: 27/05/2011
27 May 2011 – After getting backing from member states in the EU sugar management committee, on 26 May, the European Commission wi... more >
Home from Interpack
Date: 18/05/2011
18 May 2011 – Interpack, as expected, proved to be a huge event, with approximately 2,700 exhibitors from about 60 countries. The ... more >
Real Food Festival
Date: 10/05/2011
10 May 2011 – This month’s Real Food Festival featured over 400 carefully selected food and drink producers. Unlike other ev... more >
Chocolate and wine tastings
Date: 27/04/2011
27 April 2011 – I’m sure many of you will have watched a Channel 4 documentary - Willie's Wonky Chocolate Factory – in... more >
Chocolates a la Amy
Date: 20/04/2011
20 April 2011– I spend most of my time writing and reading about chocolate, so I thought it was about time that I tried to make so... more >
Should we ban artificial colours?
Date: 07/04/2011
7 April 2011 – The Food and Drug administration has recently voted that foods containing artificial colours do not need to c... more >
Road trip!
Date: 21/03/2011
21 March 2011 – I arrived home from Bali yesterday at 5.30 am and despite my jet lag I managed to drag myself out of bed and come ... more >
Preparing for Interpack
Date: 03/03/2011
3 March 2011 - Next week I will be in Bali on holiday. I will think of you all slogging away at work whilst I am basking in the su... more >
Cocoa embargo continues
Date: 24/02/2011
This week, Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognised winner of November’s presidential election in Ivory Coast, has extend... more >
Confectionery confusion
Date: 11/02/2011
11 February 2011 - I am completely confused about what consumers want from their confectionery and what manufacturers should be doing to... more >
Tasty treats at ISM
Date: 02/02/2011
2 February 2011 - I’m writing this comment on the last day of ISM and I am thoroughly exhausted. I completely underestimated the s... more >
Hello!
Date: 25/01/2011
25 January 2011 - Welcome to my first comment as editor of Confectionery Production magazine. I am completely new to the confectione... more >
Technical expertise
Date: 10/12/2010
If you are reading this in your office as soon as it arrives, you have just missed out on an excellent event. I’m writing this com... more >
Is wine or milk most crucial when snowed in?
Date: 06/12/2010
We have all emerged from the deep snowdrifts of England with slight cabin fever and debates on what is most crucial to be stocked up on ... more >
Icy steering
Date: 26/11/2010
The first cold spell of the year is taking hold in the UK and as always I’m very grateful for my 4x4 when manoeuvring out of the c... more >
Healthy hopes
Date: 19/11/2010
I spent a considerable amount of time at Health Ingredients Europe in Madrid this week talking about subjects only relevant to a minor s... more >
Two heads are better than one
Date: 15/11/2010
I am delighted that a strong working relationship has matured this week after spending time with the UK Food and Drink Federation’... more >
It's supplier profile time again
Date: 09/11/2010
I wanted to take the opportunity to remind you that the December/January issue will feature the supplier profile section – the ann... more >
Chinese whispers
Date: 29/09/2010
It is apparently time again for another round of ‘How dare any international company consider a possible purchase of a proud, Brit... more >
Prepare for Russia
Date: 24/09/2010
Leading Ukrainian confectionery manufacturer Roshen Confectionery has announced plans to build a new production facility in Cosyrevka, l... more >
How do you react to a toffee cow pat?
Date: 16/09/2010
Job titles can have the most bizarre consequences. My title as editor of a confectionery magazine has made people openly comment o... more >
Fino Fingers
Date: 06/09/2010
The launch of the new Twix Fino - a less-calorific wafer version of the classic Twix chocolate bar - has set tongues wagging in the Brit... more >
Cheers for chocolate
Date: 12/08/2010
Max Brenner has opened a chocolate café in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. My initial thought was that it seems to be a good fit, the ... more >
Playing with sporting sponsorship
Date: 05/08/2010
Cadbury’s new ‘Spots versus Stripes’ ad campaign aims to engage with consumers and fight the stereotype that confectio... more >
The Ipad of confectionery
Date: 21/07/2010
21 July 2010 – I nodded in agreement to Ariel Leve’s comment on superfoods in one of this weekend’s newspapers. &... more >
So much for the opinions of analysts...
Date: 01/07/2010
Ending months of speculation, Asian confectionery giant Lotte Group is set to acquire Cadbury’s old Wedel business in Poland from ... more >
It's a chocolate ambush
Date: 22/06/2010
Ambush advertising strategies have been a hotly debated topic at the World Cup, which may be a welcome English distraction from the perf... more >
We have risen once more
Date: 15/06/2010
As you will probably have seen in your inbox, I have finally been able to re-establish my weekly connection with you. Working on a month... more >
The nature of new products
Date: 03/06/2010
Considering the list of new products that were launched at Sweet and Snacks Expo in Chicago, alongside the NCA’s summary of trends... more >
Communicating sustainability to consumers
Date: 13/05/2010
Attending the Food Innovation day at Leatherhead Food Research 12 May was eye-opening in several ways, particularly considering the comm... more >