Exclusive: Caobisco joins World Confectionery Conference 2023 plans

Our World Confectionery Conference is set for a return later this autumn, as we bring the event to the UK, celebrating the entire value chain of the industry. Editor Neill Barston quizzes our latest keynote speaker Barbara Blohberger, vice president of Caobisco, chocolate, biscuit and confectionery association, on her speaking role at this year’s show

With our plans taking shape for the World Confectionery Conference, we are placing issues of sustainability, business resilience and innovation at the heart of our event, which will showcase the sector’s diverse talents. As the industry collectively responds to significant ongoing challenges within supply chains, as well as increased costs of operating, we are aiming to place a spotlight on some of the most pressing issues for manufacturing, ingredients and finished product categories alike.

From our keynote speakers from the likes of Ferrero, Fairtrade and insights group FMCG Gurus, through to our in-depth Q and A session and accompanying World Confectionery Awards, we will once again be offering a packed programme for our show on 5 October at the Harrogate Convention Centre, Yorkshire, UK. As an additional element to the event on Friday 6 October, courtesy of York Cocoa House, we will be offering an optional day exploring the region’s strong confectionery heritage, as well as the chance for a practical experience of chocolate making to round off the schedule in style. Notably, discounted early bird entry rates are available for our conference until 30 April. For the core day on 5 October, our keynote speakers will offer perspective on major topics impacting on the industry, including a contribution from Barbara Blohberger (main image and below), vice president of Caobisco, who also serves as Mondelēz International’s senior director of corporate affairs for central Europe. Here, she offers some key industry views.

Firstly, can you please tell us about how you feel about continuing Caobisco’s involvement with the World Confectionery Conference, joining us this autumn in the UK?
Caobisco is grateful to once again participate in the World Confectionery Conference. Such an event brings together the key players in the industry, and this conference is of enormous value – these days more than ever. In a global marketplace, where one issue can quickly become everyone’s issue, building networks to share information and building capacity can undoubtedly help to accompanying the confectionery industry into the future. On a personal level, I am delighted to represent Caobisco as vice president and I thank you for the opportunity to give a keynote speech.

Caobisco has been extremely supportive of the confectionery sector over many years. Are you encouraged by the state of the industry presently?
Caobisco is composed of 13 “National Member Associations” as well as direct member companies and affiliated members, and so Caobisco is the voice of more than 12,000 chocolate, biscuit, and confectionery manufacturers all over Europe. Our sector is a large employer and a major player in the European economy, with over 225,000 direct employees and an annual turnover of over €42 billion. For over 60 years, Caobisco has had the privilege of representing a prominent and dynamic food sector in Europe. Carrying a rich heritage of savoir-faire and culture. We provide delicious and innovative products to our consumers to bring them pleasure. Our overarching priority for manufacturers is to provide their consumers with products that are safe and sustainable as well as manufactured in compliance with European legislation and other international safety standards. But our industry must also be sustainable – economically, environmentally, and socially. In the current context, the industry has shown strong resilience to provide safe and quality products to consumers, whilst coping with the huge regulatory, geopolitical, environmental and societal challenges. Food availability and affordability remain under severe pressure in the EU today, affecting our global competitiveness.

Can you tell us a little more about your role as vice president, and what you enjoy most about being part of the sector? Let me start with the relevance that Caobisco has for us at Mondelēz and why we engage ourselves very much in this association. We want to offer our consumers products they love and enjoy, but this comes from our perspective also with a responsibility. This approach is deeply rooted into the DNA of Mondelēz and is even manifested in our company purpose “empower people to snack right”. We have just added sustainability as a strategic pillar to our Vision 2030 which underpins our commitment to play an active role in this area. The same commitment is true when it comes to Mindful Snacking and the role confectionery plays within a balanced diet. So, what I am doing at Caobisco is very close to what I do at Mondelēz, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to bring contribute the perspective of a leading company in this sector to ensure we address current issues, but also identify opportunities and last but not least to play a role to accompany the industry into a sustainable future. I really enjoy the broad field of topics, the exchange within the association, but also the opportunity to discuss relevant topics with my colleagues at Mondelēz and to align how we can support best – or where we see needs that Caobisco can support the industry best.

There have been challenges in the confectionery and snacks industries, including in terms of logistics costs, supply of ingredients – how can Caobisco best offer support?
On the supply of ingredients, and I would like to add a point specifically on sugar supplies: availability and price peaks for agricultural commodities such as sugar or other sweeteners, is severely striking our sector’s competitiveness globally. A similar situation to what is happening in the UK, as you could read in the press. And this comes atop logistics challenges after Covid-19 and the Ukraine War, to further complicate. For the last six years we have seen beet areas being reduced and a deficit in the EU sugar market balance, creating an unsustainable EU sugar market and jeopardising as a consequence, our capacity to be self-sufficient and support accordingly all sugar users. This has consequences on prices reaching record highs and us being more and more faced with difficulties to pass on the important price inflation to our customers in the food retail sector, prices are acting as a major driver of food inflation, putting a strain on consumers’ budgets wherever this price inflation occurs. To remedy the situation, we have repeatedly called about the EU legislators to liberalise the EU sugar market temporarily (ie opening the market for imports but without any success so far).

EU due diligence frameworks being created are taking shape in terms of supply chain traceability and support for farmers in key locations such as Ghana and Ivory Coast. How important is it that this legislation is implemented?
We believe that a due diligence legislation is crucial to improve and harmonize the EU regulatory framework on company law and corporate governance. Many Caobisco members have their initiatives that empower farmers and their communities to improve their livelihoods while contributing to environmental protection. But these need to be accompanied by harmonised due diligence systems to be able to assess, address and report on human rights and environmental risks in a more systemic way, seeking greater transparency and collaboration along supply chains to address them.

• The World Confectionery Conference is on 5 October 2023 at the Harrogate Convention Centre, Yorkshire UK, with additional activities on 6 October. Early bird rates end 30 April (£160 entry), contact event manager Lauren Hine, at [email protected] or see www.confectioneryconference.com to register and for event updates