The World Confectionery Conference opens in Brussels, Belgium

The 2024 edition of the World Confectionery Conference has opened in Brussels, with the event being opened by Caobisco president Can Buharali.

The senior executive, (pictured below), who is also a group policy specialist for Mondelez, underlined that while progress on sustainability is being made, there remain challenges in the market, including regulatory issues and meeting the demand for consumers, who are seeking ever-more diverse ranges of products.

Other presentations in the morning included Mintel addressing key shifts in consumer behaviour including healthier options with smaller portion sizes and private label production also proving a key factor.

Notably, Ferrero’s presentation included a celebration of Nutella’s 60th anniversary, as well as further presentations from Kruger & Salecker on its chocolate moulding lines and advances in its German-manufacturing machinery.

The Cargill Group also offered a keynote presentation on climate change and companies approaches putting sustainability strategy Into action, and wider trends that are happening within the sector. James Ede, a key expert for the business also noted the company’s connections with Nestle’s accelerator sustainability strategy.

Lyn Pitt of DT&G offered a presentation on factories of the future and how it is working with several other relating confectionery equipment companies including Rinsch, for shared efficiency gains.

Another highlight from the morning came from Adrian Ling, CEO of Plamil Foods, who asked the conference ‘does chocolate make you happy’ exploring his family’s connection with founding the vegan movement, and how the business has evolved over the decades.

The morning was concluded by Danish-based Palsgaard, offering insights into its emulsifiers for the confectionery sector, including for chocolate production. See Confectionery Production for further coverage of this year’s event.