Ferré & Consulting Blog (English Version)

Latest research from Mintel on the sugar and gum confectionery market in Europe reveals that in the big five European countries, 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 €8.9bn in 2011.

Sales particularly declined in the most mature markets such as Germany, which despite remaining the largest market in Europe has seen sales drop from €3.8bn in 2008 to €3.6bn (est.) in 2011. Meanwhile, the UK market has remained stable at around €1.8bn both in 2008 through to 2011. Similarly, France has seen modest growth, from €1.4bn in 2008 to €1.5bn (est.) in 2011. In Spain and Italy, the market managed to post a growth, although modest, from €1bn (Spain) and €768 million (Italy) in 2008, up to €1.1bn (est. Spain) and € 795m(est. Italy) in 2011.

David Jago, director of innovation and insight at Mintel, says “Prolonged economic uncertainty has affected consumer confidence, and now people have started cutting down on non-essentials items, affecting a market that was supposed to be recession proof. Other factors hampering sales include a plethora of other snacking products, healthy eating trends, and an ageing population. Overall, both sugar and gum confectionery markets are mature in Western Europe and have little room for further growth; however Eastern European markets offer more opportunities.”

However, it is not all bad news for the confectionery industry. Mintel’s research shows that Europe has been active in new product launches for the sector, accounting for 27% of global sugar and gum new product launches during January 2011 to June 2011, down a small 1% on the previous six months. Asia Pacific was the leading region in new product development during this period, accounting for 42% of total launches. Mintel’s GNPD recorded some 965 new products in Europe in this period in sugar and Gum confectionery, with the UK (20%) leading in terms of NPD activity among the big five European countries during this period, closely followed by Germany with 18% and Spain with 12%.

When it comes to the latest trends, the most noticeable one is the introduction of more natural ranges and the elimination or reduction of additives and preservatives. Indeed, the ‘no additives/preservatives’ claim was the second most popular across Europe during the six months to June 2011, accounting for around 20% of the gum and confectionery launches, a figure which more than doubles the 9% seen globally.

Meanwhile, the ‘low/no/reduced sugar’ claim dominates in new product development in the category, with 22% of new launches with this claim over the past six months. The claim is however far more popular within the gum confectionery market, with 56% of new gum products featuring the claim.

Pastilles, gums, jellies and chews remain the largest sub-category in Europe for NPD at 23% of the launches for the review period, followed by gum (14%), toffees, caramels & nougats (12%), and boiled sweets (9%). In particular, the sub-categories that saw above average activity compared to the global market included standard & power mints (8%), Llquorice (8%) and medicated confectionery (7%). With flavours, traditional flavours remain extremely popular in Europe, with fruit varieties dominating (30%) the market, followed by berry fruit (21%) and herbs (20%).

Source: Confectionery Production

Confectionery confectionary, Mintel

Marshmallows no longer need to be just pink and white, thanks to a breakthrough development from natural flavourings and colourings company Wild. The company is now offering manufacturers a broad spectrum of natural colours – including reds, yellows and oranges – for the popular confectionery item, using sources such as safflower, and elderberry.

“Our R&D department are very proud to have overcome the technological challenges of using natural colours in marshmallows,” said Hélène Möller, product manager, ingredients at Wild.

Wild has also announced new flavourings for marshmallows, including raspberry, lemon, cherry and vanilla.

The challenge for product developers was, according to Möller, determining the correct dosage for different shades. This depends on aeration strength with colours suitable for the application. “In the end we found form-stable colours and flavours, both from natural sources,” she says.

Source: Ingredients Network

Confectionery colors, marshmallows

Barry Callebaut’s Terra Cacao line has been nominated for a Fi Excellence Award in the confectionery innovation category.

The award recognizes individuals and businesses for their exemplary work and contribution to the industry. Winners are selected by a leading panel of industry experts and will be announced during an awards ceremony on Nov. 29 at the upcoming FI Europe show.

Terra Cacao was originally launched in Feb. 2011 and relies on new cocoa cultivation and fermentation methods developed by Barry Callebaut in collaboration with local cocoa growers. This process is designed to produce virtually zero defects or off flavours, resulting in a 100 per cent natural chocolate with an unprecedented harmony of pure tastes and rich aromas.

For Terra Cacao, Barry Callebaut searches for plantations on flavour-enhancing terroirs in equatorial regions. The cocoa beans are then handpicked at the precise moment when they contain a maximum of flavors and aromas. The cocoa is then fermented with the company’s 100 per cent natural method to enhance even the most delicate flavours and aromas. Afterwards, the beans are roasted in their shells until they release all of their inherent flavours. Finally, the chocolate is conched for hours until the right texture, aroma, taste and flavours are found.

The Terra Cacao range covers several milk and dark chocolate references varying from 33.5 per cent to 70.5 per cent cocoa mass. The line, shaped as callets, is packed in 10 kg bags and will be available to food manufacturers worldwide.

Source: Bakers Journal

Confectionery Barry Callebaut, Terra Cacao

The American Peanut Council forecasts a bright future for high protein peanut flour in line with increased demand for quality plant protein. Recent reports have predicted a boom in the high quality protein market as consumers begin to recognise protein’s weight management potential. Once only the domain of the sporting elite, protein is reaching a wider consumer audience and quality expectations are rising. As a result, sales of ‘novel’, high quality proteins, such as peanuts, are estimated to reach £1.71 billion within the decade.

Containing 40%-50% high quality protein, depending on the level of fat, peanut flour can be used to add flavour and nutrition in a number of applications, including nutrition bars and snacks, sauces and marinades and baked goods. Defatted peanut flour harnesses the protein of roasted peanuts through the partial extraction of oil. Peanut flour offers manufacturers a cost effective way to formulate high protein in foods that are both healthy and gluten free.

Louise McKerchar, European marketing director, American Peanut Council, comments, “Health conscious consumers are more aware than ever of protein’s benefits, which include weight management and satiety. However, protein fortified products often suffer from taste and textural issues. More innovative formats, such as bars and beverages, also need to be offered. Peanut flour can help manufacturers overcome each one of these challenges, thanks to its textural properties, versatility and healthy, flavoursome profile. We therefore expect more manufacturers to turn to peanut flour as they look to meet growing demand for protein-rich products derived from plants that look and taste great.”

Source: Confectionery Production

Confectionery high protein, peanut flour

Barens Chocolate – an international Swiss confectionery brand is launching a high quality but affordable chocolate range called Amador, as it looks to shake up the UK chocolate confectionery sector and become a nationally recognised brand within two years.

Made in the tradition of the world renowned Swiss chocolatiers, Barens prides itself on using only the finest ethically sourced, natural ingredients to produce chocolates of the highest quality. Each 125g bag is made up of individually wrapped, filled milk chocolates, which are available in three popular flavours – mint, hazelnut and orange.

Set up in 2000 by a group of Swiss confectionery professionals, Amador is the first of several ambitious product launches scheduled for the next 12 months.

Source: Confectionery Production

Confectionery Barens Chocolate

Food scientists have made a fundamental insight about sugar that could lead to a better-tasting caramel in your favourite candy bar.

Casting doubt on the long-prescribed belief sugar melts, new research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that sugars such as sucrose decompose as they become liquid.

Food scientists have made a fundamental insight about sugar that may lead to a better-tasting caramel in your favourite candy bar. (AP- Gerald Herbert)

“What happens with sucrose, and there’s other sugars that do this, too, is that the loss of crystal structure occurs because you get decomposition of some sucrose molecules and that causes the structure to fall apart,” explains Shelly J. Schmidt, a professor of food science at the University of Illinois.

In the case of sucrose, the sugar breaks down into glucose and other components as it is heated; whereas during the melting process, the chemical identity of a substance stays intact as it changes state.

This decomposition can begin almost instantaneously if the sugar is at a high heat, but can also occur at selected lower temperatures over longer periods of time.

And that means sugar can be caramelized over a range of temperatures.

Schmidt says the Willy Wonkas of the world can benefit from this information, because they will no longer have to rely on high-heat recipes to make their caramels.

“Now you’re stuck with whatever the high-temperature reaction gives you,” says Schmidt.

“So in addition to nice-tasting compounds, you get bitter compounds and ones that are less desirable, but you’re kind of stuck with those.”

Schmidt says there have been hints over the years that caramels could be created at different temperatures, but they were often dismissed because of the belief that sugar melts.

“It was out there, it wasn’t like people didn’t notice it,” she says.

A better understanding of this science will help candy-makers “optimize” the flavour profiles of the caramels they make, or possibly create new ones, by heating their sugar at lower temperatures.

“Like new flavours, like new hints of a caramel flavour that is different because now you can do it under different conditions,” says Schmidt.

Scott Birss, a Toronto-based chocolatier, says it is news to him that sugar can be caramelized at lower temperatures. But he sees the applications for confectionary creators.

“There’s a range of caramelization from very light to burnt. And the degree to which you cook your sugar changes the flavour of it, changes the flavour of your caramel,” says Birss.

“So caramels that are cooked more tend to be more bitter, but they also have a stronger flavour and some people prefer that. So I suppose that if you could fine-tune that process, if you could control it at a lower temperature, it would be hugely beneficial.”

Schmidt says the advent of being able to caramelize sucrose at lower temperatures over a longer period of time might not be very useful for large-scale candy manufacturers who rely on producing product as quickly as possible.

With the early scientific literature suggesting that low-temperature caramelization takes significantly longer than the existing high-temperature process, Birss says candy-makers will have to decide whether a longer production process is worthwhile financially.

“It’s something that individuals will have to weigh, to see how much time it takes and how much it improves their product. And there will be a value judgment to be made based on the benefits,” says Birss.

The many faces of sugar when making candy

Sugar can take on many textures as it is heated, which are used to make different types of candy.

There are several stages that sugar reaches when it is being boiled, which are known by the following descriptive names:

Soft Ball (around 240 F)

Hard Ball (around 260 F)

Soft Crack (around 285 F)

Hard Crack (around 300 F)

Source: CTV News

Confectionery, Ingredients caramel taste, sugar

Researchers are helping usher in the era of robot maids and mechanoid butlers.

However bad you might be at baking, you can take heart that the PR2 robot finds it a heck of a lot more tricky that you will. Researchers at MIT are going through the painstaking process of teaching the robot to make chocolate chip cookies, and that involves a surprising amount of work.

While a human cook has relatively little trouble mixing the ingredients and mixing them into cookie dough, PR2 has to be taught step-by-step. First, the robot scans the table to locate the cookie sheet at the butter, and then it identifies all the ingredients. The researchers placed the ingredients in different colored bowls so that the robot could tell them apart. The robot then adds the ingredients to a mixing bowl, and begins to mix them all together. At least, that’s the plan; the robot is currently working with dry beans, as it hasn’t quite mastered mixing yet and so makes a lot of mess.

It’s taken a lot of effort to get the robot to the level it’s at now, and it’s still a work in progress. Graduate student Mario Bellini has spent months working on the initial stages, and another grad student, Jenny Barry, is working with a team of undergraduates on getting the robot to do things like open the oven door and wipe down the counter when it’s finished.

Teaching a robot to bake might seem like a slightly frivolous thing to do, but it does neatly illustrate how hard it is to get a robot to follow a complex set of instructions. This is the kind of work that has to be done if we ever want to see Star Wars style droids and baking is no better or worse than any other task. Also, who wouldn’t want to try a potentially delicious robot-made cookie?

Source: MIT

Confectionery cookies, MIT, robot

The sugar confectionery category in China achieved growth of 3 and 4 per cent in retail value and volume terms respectively in 2010, according to estimates from Euromonitor.

Pastilles, gums, jellies and chews remained the most dynamic category within sugar confectionery last year, reports analyst Francisco Redruello, with the segment growing 8 per cent in retail value sales, due in part to variety in packaging design and flavours.

He notes that the Frutips brand, launched by Nestlé China in 2008, contain eight different flavours including mango and litchi.

“With the melamine contamination scandal fading away, as well as the country’s economic recovery, both retail value and volume growth were slightly faster than in the previous year,” said the analyst.

The industrial chemical melamine was detected in the milk based White Rabbit brand of Chinese sweets during the 2008 contamination scandal.

Gum remains dynamic

Sugar-free gum is also achieving strong growth in that market, as Chinese consumers there become more health conscious, and higher disposable incomes among the middle-class allows them to eat snacks with indulgent as well as functional properties.

Last year, retail volume and value sales for sugar free gum increased by 7 and 6 per cent respectively, said Redruello.

The category in China is dominated by two global brands, Extra and Mentos, with the latter experiencing impressive growth in 2009 due to its unique packaging and cube shape, he continued.

Many leading gum makers have been stressing the health benefits of the ingredient Xylitol to Chinese consumers, either on the packaging or through advertising, said Redruello.

Dark chocolate makes strides

Dark chocolate also recorded strong growth in 2010 due to its health-related benefits, with its lower fat content particularly favoured by female consumers, remarked the analyst.

Mars China and Ferrero China launched Dove Xinshui dark chocolate and Ferrero Rocher Lang Mu respectively in late 2009 and 2010, notes Redruello.

“In contrast with the rapid growth of dark chocolate, plain white chocolate declined in 2009 and 2010, mainly thanks to its relatively high fat content,” added the confectionery market specialist.

Source: Confectionery News

Confectionery chinese, melamine, Sweets

Chocolate manufacturers are the target of a new, easy-to-open and recloseable pack style for horizontally packaged products developed by Germany’s Bosch Packaging Technology in conjunction with Amcor.

Enabling manufacturers to add a lap seal anywhere on a package, the company said new pack style – Bright Side – can enhance brand differentiation and convenience and is particularly suited for chocolate tablets, bars and wafers in a variety of pack sizes.

Johanna Bauer, a spokesperson for the Bosch packaging technology division, told this publication that the technology has been nominated for a packaging award at the German trade event Interpack next month.

The film development for Bright Side was done by Amcor, she added, and the technology allows packaging speeds in the range of 80 packs per minute.

In addition, said Bauer, the German firm is launching new equipment at the Dusseldorf show aimed at the production of airtight and hermetically sealed packages for confectioners – its new Sapal Starpac 600 HL.

Bosch claims that with this equipment, single-wrap die-fold packages can now be produced with hermetic seals, allowing for higher quality chocolate products.

Bauer said that the Starpac is the first to fold and wrap hermetically with a single material around the product. “We hold a patent on this new wrapping style,” she added.

For products requiring more rigorous safety assurance, the company said it will also be showcasing the Pack 301 LD (Long Dwell) flow wrapper at Interpack, which uses a longer dwell head to strengthen seal integrity.

The 301 LD is particularly ideal for fresh, perishable goods where Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is required, added the German firm.

Bosch is also flagging up a new OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) consulting service provided by its in-house specialists at the show, which it claims will “identify the root causes of inefficiency to enable manufacturers maximize profits.”

Confectionery, packaging Bosch, packaging technology

Confectionery, Ingredients Corn Products International, Erysta 3656, Erythritol, sugar-free