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Daniel Bloch, CEO and chairman of the board at Chocolats Camille Bloch SA, Switzerland, has received the 2024 European Candy Kettle Award. The award-ceremony took place at the Hotel Bellevue Palace in Berne on 18th of October.

The European Candy Kettle Club (ECKC) is proud to look back on a great history of over 50 years now. Founded in 1973 by the French publisher and chief-in-editor Guy Urbain the ECKC´s purpose is to support the development of great and innovative sweets and confectionery all over Europe. Consisting of 30 machinery and ingredient suppliers from different European countries, the club awards the prestigious European Candy Kettle Award to a company in Europe every year.

To win the award the companies should be outstanding in criteria such as product quality, development in production, research and technology, performance in sales and marketing as well as international cooperation.

The launch comes as the gluten-free category continues to experience remarkable growth, driven by increasing consumer awareness of gastrointestinal health. Synevo uses a specialised hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) blend that mimics the properties of gluten, meaning it can be incorporated into existing recipes with no reformulation required. “We know many of our baking industry customers are looking to upgrade their gluten-free options,” said Trish Fellowes, Food Sales Manager at ACI Group. “We’re delighted to unveil Synevo as a solution that delivers enhanced product quality for many gluten-free bakery applications, from sliced loaves to cakes, cookies, pasta, and more. “The exclusive HPMC formula eliminates the need to stock multiple HPMCs, and offers improved process stability, encourages a resilient crumb, and eliminates the irregular crumb holes that are a hallmark of many gluten alternatives,” continued Fellowes. “We’re always looking for innovations that can level up our offer to our customers, and we’re excited to introduce our baking industry partners to the limitless possibilities unlocked by Synevo.” The launch of Synevo adds to ACI’s remarkable portfolio of food ingredients and additives, which already includes added fibre solutions, plant-based proteins, functional ingredients, and more. “At a time when supply chains around the world are volatile and margins are being squeezed, the addition of Synevo GR1 to our portfolio means we’re in a stronger position than ever to support the baking industry with our expertise and leading suite of innovations,” concluded Fellowes.

The company will demonstrate the potential of its plant-based Exberry® colors with a build-your-own rainbow snack experience at Food Ingredients Europe. Exberry® colors are made from non-GMO fruit, vegetables, and plants using sustainable production methods. They can deliver a complete spectrum of shades in almost any food and beverage application while allowing manufacturers to maintain natural ingredient lists. At Fi Europe, GNT will give attendees the opportunity to explore the possibilities first-hand. Guests will be able to select from six seasonings to create their own eye-catching Exberry® potato chips. Each seasoning will feature an on-trend flavor as well as different colors from across the rainbow to provide a range of bold sensory experiences. In addition, GNT will showcase the latest coloring solutions in the Exberry® portfolio through a range of food and beverage products. Petra Thiele, Sales Director EMEA at GNT, said: “Exberry® colors are trusted by the world’s leading food and beverage brands to deliver vibrant, stable shades. We’re excited to be able to give Food Ingredients Europe visitors a glimpse into the power of Exberry® with our colorful snack bar experience. We want to inspire manufacturers to think creatively about how they can use plant-based colors to develop exciting food and drink products that really stand out on the shelf.” Throughout the event, visitors will be able to talk to GNT’s experts about the latest industry trends and how Exberry® can be used to meet individual project requirements. GNT’s sustainability team will also be present at Fi Europe. In 2022, the company set out 17 ambitious targets to optimize its environmental and social impacts over the course of the current decade. These include training all contract farmers in sustainable agriculture and cutting the environmental footprint across Exberry® product ranges by 25% by 2030. GNT also secured an EcoVadis silver medal last year and was the first food color supplier to publish a third-party Greenhouse Gas Verification Statement. Rutger de Kort, Sustainability Manager at GNT, said: “We’ve set out a bold sustainability vision to futureproof our supplies and we’re making excellent progress on many of our aims. Thanks to our family ownership, we’ve been able to establish a robust supply chain that will help us to deliver high-quality, sustainable colors for generations to come.”

Hall 3.1, Stand G32

Protein meets whole foods in new bar concept. Arla Foods Ingredients has launched a new concept for high-protein bars with a natural positioning. Whey protein is notably absent from many wholefood bars, as it can react with the natural fruit sugars they commonly contain, causing hardening. The Essentials Bar demonstrates how manufacturers can overcome this challenge and meet three key needs: high protein content, a whole foods positioning and softness throughout shelf life. Making its debut at SupplySide West, the new concept showcases Lacprodan® SoftBar. The whey protein ingredient enables high levels of high-quality protein to be packed into snack bars while maintaining soft texture. In the Essentials Bar it is combined with dairy calcium ingredient Capolac®, as well as dates and nuts for the ultimate wholefood snack. Designed to inspire cleaner-label alternatives to the complex lists found on many bars, the recipe contains only ten ingredients, with no maltitol or added sugar. It meets US and EU standards for snack bars with a natural positioning, and opens up opportunities for a range of on-pack claims, including high in protein and high in fiber. Sarah Meyer, Head of Sales Development, Performance Nutrition, at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: ​ “With the healthy snacking trend still on the rise, consumers want indulgent bars that provide balanced nutrition – including protein – but they also want simpler labels. The Essentials Bar pairs high-quality protein with the natural goodness of dates and nuts in a dream combination that has previously been difficult to achieve. It offers bar manufacturers exciting opportunities to create nutritionally optimized bars with cleaner labels, and to stand out in an increasingly crowded category.” The ‘Essentials Bar’ is one of three concepts being showcased by Arla Foods Ingredients at the SupplySide West expo (30th to 31st October). Exhibiting at Booth #1565, the company will also demonstrate how its Lacprodan® ISO.WaterShake can be used in holistic beverages that combine hydration with the nutritional benefits of whey protein.

A new guide from Product Inspection explains snack safety and quality control. Keep Consumers Snacking Safely. Snacking shouldn’t be stressful – and neither should manufacturing safe and high-quality snacks! With help from METTLER TOLEDO Product Inspection, you can achieve product safety and quality that keeps your consumers snacking safely. Our new Guide to Quality and Safety for Confectionary and Snacks covers everything you need to know about Product Inspection systems: where they go, what they do, and how they help produce quality snacks.

Download our free guide and find out more!

Together, Döhler and Nukoko will scale up the production of Nukoko’s patent-pending chocolate alternative, made from fava beans, in response to the growing challenges facing the global cocoa supply chain. With this partnership, Nukoko aims to revolutionize the chocolate industry with a sustainable, low-emission alternative. Döhler, a global producer, marketer and provider of technology-driven natural ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Nukoko, the innovative company behind the world’s first cocoa-free ‘bean-to-bar’ chocolate. This partnership will enable both companies to scale Nukoko's innovative fermentation process to an industrial level by 2025. Nukoko’s unique process transforms fava beans into a sustainable chocolate alternative, addressing critical issues in the chocolate industry, including rising cocoa prices, environmental impact and socio-economic concerns surrounding cocoa production. The collaboration between Döhler and Nukoko marks a major milestone in the evolution of chocolate manufacturing. Nukoko’s cocoa-free chocolate is made possible through its patent-pending fermentation technology, which mimics traditional cocoa fermentation to create chocolate’s characteristic flavours from fava beans. This breakthrough offers a sustainable alternative to conventional chocolate, reducing carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to traditional cocoa-based products. Rodrigo Hortega de Velasco, representing Döhler Ventures, stated: “Nukoko’s technology presents a groundbreaking solution for the food and beverage industry. We are proud to support the scale-up of their cocoa-free chocolate, which aligns with our mission to drive sustainable food innovations.”

The company has recently completed a €95 million investment at its Świecie containerboard mill, which will increase kraftliner capacity by 55,000 tonnes. The upgrade comprises an extensive rebuild of paper machines PM2 and PM5, a new anaerobic treatment plant including an integrated cooling system, and upgrades to the pulp mill, the recycled fibre line and the energy recovery system. These improvements will allow the mill to meet growing customer demand for heavy-duty packaging for large and heavy products, enhance product quality, and bolster its environmental performance by decreasing water consumption and wastewater emissions and increasing energy efficiency. Since the project’s completion in June, Mondi Świecie has also expanded its ProVantage SmartKraft Brown portfolio with a broader range of grammage options. Offering exceptional strength and enhanced runnability, the brown Kraftliner product meets diverse packaging demands while championing environmental responsibility. “The completion of this project marks a milestone for Mondi Świecie, enabling us to advance our operations and deliver even higher-quality paper to our customers. I am proud of our team’s exceptional skills and commitment, which were crucial in achieving these goals,” said Tomasz Katewicz, Managing Director of Mondi Świecie. The completion of the investment further underscores Mondi’s commitment to operating efficiently and its progress in fulfilling the commitments set out in its Mondi Action Plan 2030 (MAP 2030) sustainability framework. It also reflects the Group’s strong commitment to the region, by providing competitive, high-quality employment and potential to further contribute to the area's economic prosperity.

German packaging machine manufacturers LoeschPack and Hastamat will showcase their extensive range of products at their joint booth located at S-2695. With the LTM-DUO combination line, LoeschPack will present its versatile solution for packaging chocolate bars to trade visitors at PACK EXPO. “LoeschPack and Hastamat’s innovative systems take into account all packaging steps for a wide range of food and non-food products, encompassing everything from feeding to final packaging. In addition to individual machines, our portfolio also includes complete packaging lines,” says Olaf Piepenbrock, Managing Partner of LoeschPack, Hastamat, and the parent company Piepenbrock. Combination line integrates both fold wrapping and cartoning LoeschPack’s combination line provides optimal packaging solutions for machines and features a high degree of automation, minimal staffing requirements, and a small footprint. The flexible fold wrapping machine LTM-DUO packs more than 200 bars of chocolate per minute in a tightly sealed primary wrap. The outer wrap can be executed as a paper envelope from the stack or reel and as a cardboard envelope. The machine is joined by the CMW cartoning module, which fills 30 display cartons per minute. An integrated buffer is utilized between primary packaging and cartoning to minimize product waste during periods of downtime. Only one hot glue device and a controller with the new HMI operated by an operator are required for the entire line. Thanks to its compact design, the combination line occupies much less space than similar layouts. It also can serve as a cost-effective alternative to a configuration with two stand-alone machines.

The company announces today the extension of its Ambiante range of ready-to-whip toppings, with the addition of consumers’ number one patisserie flavor choice: chocolate. A unique topping offering, Ambiante Chocolate Flavor is 100% dairy-free, with no artificial flavors or colors and uses cocoa powder from Puratos’s sustainable Cacao-Trace program. With a smooth, mousse-like texture, Ambiante Chocolate Flavor is ideal for helping customers create consistently high-quality fillings, decorations and toppings for patisserie and desserts in a convenient, cost-efficient way. The new Ambiante Chocolate Flavor contains only 14% fat and boasts an exceptional overrun, gaining up to 3.5 times its original volume during whipping, in comparison to the average overrun of just two times when using a standard dairy cream and cocoa powder combination. Produced using UHT technology, it can be easily stored unopened at room temperature (between 2-20°) for up to nine months. Furthermore, after whipping and applying, patisserie creations are freeze-thaw stable, or they can be stored in a refrigerator for up to five days. Together, these factors mean Ambiante Chocolate Flavor constitutes a long lasting solution with superb visual appeal. Developed using carefully selected cocoa powder sourced through Puratos’s Cacao-Trace program, Ambiante Chocolate Flavor ensures a fine, layered taste, while boosting the finished product’s sustainability credentials. As part of the Cacao-Trace initiative, farmers are paid an annual ‘Chocolate Bonus’: with every 1kg of Ambiante Chocolate Flavor sold, they receive a premium of €0,05 directly or via community funding projects – another step towards creating a truly sustainable cocoa and chocolate supply chain. As Ambiante Chocolate Flavor is 100% plant-based, it also has half the lower environmental footprint of traditional dairy options. This has been verified by GF-impact, using the Product Environmental Footprint Method as part of Puratos’s life-cycle assessment initiative. Ambiante Chocolate Flavor can be used to add visual appeal and a desirable chocolate taste in a wide range of applications, such as traditional truffle cake and creative reinventions of the classic Latin American specialty, tres leches cake, as well as éclair fillings or chocolate mousses. Ideal as a standalone flavor or combined with other types of chocolate, the new ready-to-whip topping has been developed to enhance chocolate desserts.