Ivory Coast and Ghana are cancelling all cocoa sustainability schemes that U.S.-based Hershey runs in their countries, accusing the chocolatemaker of trying to avoid paying a cocoa premium aimed at combating farmer poverty. In a letter addressed to Hershey and seen by Reuters, the Ivorian and Ghanaian cocoa regulators accuse Hershey of sourcing unusually large volumes of physical cocoa on… Read more »
In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers have demonstrated that consumption of cocoa flavanols can improve efficiency in blood oxygenation in the frontal cortex — a brain region that plays a key role in planning, regulating behavior and decision-making — of young healthy people and that it is likely to contribute to improvements in cognitive function, but only when cognitive… Read more »
Grand cru chocolate is the finest of all chocolate. The deliberate use of nothing but single-origin cacao beans gives it an intense and sophisticated flavour. As a pioneer in grand cru chocolate in Switzerland, Haut Chocolatier Sprüngli is launching a world first: Grand Cru Absolu – an intense chocolate experience created using the entire cacao fruit. Grand Cru Absolu is… Read more »
M&M’s six-decades-old slogan “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand” might sound quaint to modern ears, but chocolate that won’t melt at warm temperatures while still maintaining its natural taste and texture may be the holy grail of the candy industry. And M&M-maker Mars is still on the hunt for chocolate that can fulfill M&M’s promise without its protective… Read more »
The Callebaut Group established an online initiative to help chocolatiers and bakers delivery and boost their marketing during the COVID-19 lockdown. The initiative was born from the desire to support the community of chefs, pastry chefs and chocolate makers, hard hit by the quarantine situation during the most important of the year: Normally, graduations, spring holidays, Mother’s Day and Father’s… Read more »
Bean-to-bar chocolate Chocolate is one of everyone’s favorite sweets with its unique and complex taste of sweet, bitter, nutty and even fruity flavors. Chocolate is made from cacao beans, but those who only encounter the final product often forget that the beans come from fruit pods. A new movement in the chocolate world is the rise of craft chocolate makers… Read more »
The long black pruning poles looked cumbersome. But the farmers moved quickly, swarming over the small plot of land and hoisting the poles up to slice through cacao branches with ease. On the bottom end of the pole was a small gasoline engine; on the top, a chain saw. Buzzing sounds mixed with the humming of insects echoing through this… Read more »
Vegan diets are on the rise, and food producers that aren’t making plant-based products are starting to take notice of this. Cadbury, one of the world’s best-known chocolate makers, is the latest company to jump on the trend by launching a new plant-based version of its Dairy Milk chocolate bar. “We’re always listening to our consumers, so we can develop… Read more »
To’ak, the Ecuador-based chocolate producer, might not be the most expensive chocolate maker on earth, but it’s certainly the most expensive one the average consumer has ever come across. The offshoot of a rainforest conservation project, the company was founded by Chicagoan Jerry Toth and Austrian native Carl Schweizer. “Company” doesn’t do this outfit justice: with its small-batch, handmade product… Read more »
Barry Callebaut—one of the world’s largest chocolate manufacturers—recently introduced vegan “Milk” Chocolate as part of its Plant Craft line. The company says the new chocolate has a traditional creamy milk chocolate flavor and texture and is made with “an ingredient of natural origin,” exclusively available to Barry Callebaut. It took the company’s research and development team two years to develop… Read more »
