| January 2006 News |
January 30, 2006 - The New York Times has a bit about the new generation of Belgian Chocolatiers many of whom have made there
presence felt here in the United States. Interesting article out of Rochester about Jonathan Leach a local pastry chef / chocolatier and his
firm JonJohn's Specialty Desserts. Chocolate.com and Harmony Sweets have joined together to offer a variety of international chocolates
online.
January 29, 2006 - Article out of Birmingham Alabama about the upcoming Chocolate Festival at the Fernbank Museum in Atlanta listing
some of the many exhibitors. Neat piece about some of the events planned during chocolate month in Hershey Pennsylvania. Fascinating
piece out of the Miami Herald about how ecologist Arturo Gomez-Pompa solved some of the mysteries of Mayan Cacao cultivation.
January 28, 2006 - Small piece about recent chocolate arrival Sweet Riot.
January 27, 2006 - Sales of dietetic chocolate dropped 33.8% in the U.S. last year.
January 26, 2006 - Two groups that advocate for the disabled are suing Stephany's Chocolate in Colorado claiming discrimination
because Stephany's requires each disabled person to be accompanied by a non disabled person. A Tokyo jeweler has created a
chocolate map of Africa and sprinkled it with over 2,000 diamonds. You can purchase this for $5,000,000.
January 25, 2006 - The Elizabeth Shaw chocolate factory in Bristol England is set to close. Built in 1901 as a state of the art facility it is
now slated for redevelopment. Hershey announced today that sales were up 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 2005. Chefs and chocolatiers in
the Louisville, Kentucky area will be banding together to raise money for charity by holding a tasting Feburary 27th. The English firm
Kinnerton is expanding its Fakenham factory to help keep its production up after launching its Cocoa Deli line of chocolate lollypops. A
review of the book ChocolateChocolate by Lisa Yockelson. The San Antonio Botanical Garden has announced an upcoming chocolate
day February 11 with activities for the whole family.
January 24, 2006 - Petra Foods Ltd said it has agreed to buy the chocolate manufacturing and distribution assets of Nestle Philippines
Inc for $5,000,000.
January 23, 2006 - An article on Steve Almond the author of Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America. Schools
in North Somerset England will be banning the sale of candy and fizzy drinks from school vending machines.
January 22, 2006 - Morehead City North Carolina has announced the will be holding the fourth annual Carolina Chocolate Festival
February 3-5. Operating out of there garage the Kanellias family of Norton, Massachusetts have set out to make and sell there own
chocolate creations. Chicago area chefs are banding together to raise money to help defray the costs of a kidney transplant for Abigail
Wodrich. The Love of Chocolate benefit will be held February 11th.
January 21, 2006 - Out of Madison Wisconsin an article about local spas and there offering of chocolate massages. South Bend Indiana's
the Chocolate Company has finally had there bid accepted to expand into the Osco Building. The merchants of Arkansas City are starting
a "Beat the Blues with Chocolate" festival this February to entice customers to keep shopping downtown instead of shopping in the new
Wal-Mart Supercenter.
January 20, 2006 - Kent Connecticut will celebrate its 11th Annual Chocolate Festival the afternoon of February 9th. Moonstruck Chocolate
has unveiled there Valentines Day line for 2006 and they include a silk bear and chocolate bears that are hand painted and look real nice.
A dispute at the docks has left millions of dollars worth of cocoa stranded in New York's Brooklyn docks. Until a few years ago New York
was the busiest cocoa port in the United States but has dropped to third. Interesting article about chocolatier and cooking author Alice
Medrich. A recipe for Matcha " Green Tea" hot chocolate.
January 19, 2006 - Cacao Anasa and Viansa Winery & Italian Marketplace have announced a partnership where the Winery's Tuscan Club
members will be offered the opportunity to purchase truffles from Cacao Anasa. The University Of California Davis has announced that
they have isolated a chemical compound that they believe is in part responsible for some of the health benefits associated with cocoa.
January 18, 2006 - Godiva has announced there Valentines Day promotion for 2006. One lucky winner will receive an $80,000 shopping
spree at jewelers H. Stern and also receive 80 boxes of Godiva Chocolate plus a trip for two to New York City. Check out there site for
details.
January 17, 2006 - After declaring dropping sales in the last quarter of 2005 , Thorntons has become the object of speculation about
possible takeover bids. Nice article from Richmond Virginia about a local woman, Jeanne-Louise Womble chasing her dream and
becoming a chocolatier. From the Philippines , San Isidro Mayor Tomas Abelita is promoting his towns chocolate producing capabilities by
marketing a brand of hot chocolate labeled "Chocolate de San Isidro." The town hopes to entice an investor to build a chocolate factory to
process the towns cocoa harvest. Local farmers have been receiving seedlings and been encouraged to plant and the town hopes to be
able to provide jobs after harvest.
January 16, 2006 - Interesting piece from the Washington Post about a visit to a small Parisian chocolate shop. Article on Hershey
product Kissable which is somewhat like an M&M.
January 14, 2006 - Neat little article about ordering customized M&Ms.
January 13, 2006 - HG Marsh Premium Chocolate Ice Cream has recalled a batch of its Ice Cream as it may contain almonds which
were not labeled correctly. An interesting article about Adora Chocolate Calcium Supplements which are "gourmet" chocolates loaded up
with calcium and vitamins. You can get a free sample at www.adorasamples.com. Two Australian women who started making
chocolate ten months ago have watched there operation rapidly expand. Interesting article about Cadbury and they're efforts to expand into
other markets as there chocolate sales stagnate. The article describes the testing of Trident Splash. Hershey plans a new product line
Hershey Sticks which are low calorie and will come in four flavors: milk chocolate, caramel-filled milk chocolate, mint milk chocolate and
dark chocolate. World's Finest Chocolate Inc. has purchased the Queen Anne line of chocolates. Queen Anne sells thirty million dollars a
year of there chocolate covered cherries. Production of the cherries will be moved to World's Finest Chocolate's factory in Chicago.
Interesting piece on Marketwatch.com that has information on the new book on Milton Hershey as well as how the Hershey trust helps
underprivileged kids and what a well run company Hershey is. Speaking of Hershey they are now making chocolate covered pretzels in
conjunction with Snyders Of Hanover.
January 12, 2006 - Amcor one of the worlds largest packaging companies has teamed up with the Australian firm Plantic to develop
biodegradable packaging. Plantic, only two years old, already makes biodegradable trays for chocolate companies such as Nestle UK and
Cadbury.
January 11, 2006 - Kosher food manufacturer Manischewitz is test marketing its Tam Tam crackers dipped in milk chocolate. The
product is being test marketed in the Boston area at the moment the Boston Herald reported today. Debauve and Gallais have partnered
with Glide Effortless in setting up Glide's first non-digital goods shop. Martha Stewart appears on the Today Show and whips up a
chocolate Angel Food Cake. The recipe and some video of her appearance. Information about Philadelphia's 11th Anniversary Chocolate
Festival that will be held February 4th and 5th. Snapshot Chocolate has announced a new line of greeting cards printed on edible
chocolate. You can also print photos on chocolate.
January 10, 2006 - A recipe for chocolate truffles with pistachios.
January 09, 2006 - British health campaigners are turning up the heat in there campaign to reduce the size of British chocolate bars. A
barge started sinking off the Brooklyn waterfront and several freight cars of raw cocoa took on some water.
January 08, 2006 - From Jamaica an interesting article about Michelle Smith a local chocolatier and how she expanded her operation
from a kitchen setup to her own shop.
January 07, 2006 - The New York Chocolate and Confections Company has announced they will soon resume production and that they
plan no future layoffs. The company had been functioning out of the Fulton , New York former Nestles plant.
January 06. 2006 - Trader Joe's gourmet fudge has announced a recall in eight states owing to walnuts be included in the product and
then not being properly labeled for possible allergic reactions. The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory announced record sales and record
profits today. In Great Britain chocolate makers are being criticized for making available giant size chocolate bars. Many makers had
promised to curb there production and then have apparently failed to keep those promises as Great Britain "struggles" with an obesity
epidemic. British scientists from the University of Salford are working on a diet pill that is made from cocoa extract. They claim that it has
shown the ability to alter the metabolic rate and has the added benefit of tasting like chocolate. The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc.
Board authorizes repurchase of additional shares of common stock from existing excess cash balances up to $2,000,000 worth of
shares. Bangkok, Thailand struggles with a shortage of white sugar even though the country is an exporter of sugar. The Thai government
has tried to control the price of sugar within Thailand, keeping the price artificially low to help consumers which has led to the
disappearance of sugar from store shelves in recent weeks.
January 05, 2006 - British retailer WHSmith has responded to charges by Tory Party leader David Cameron that they push chocolate bars
as opposed to selling healthy food.
January 04, 2006 - The BBC reported today that Tory Party leader David Cameron has criticized Britain's retailers for pushing chocolate
bars and other chocolate products through discounting. He feels they should discount healthy food instead of confectionary items. Britain's
chocolate maker Thortons reported a 4.9% decline in same store sales (369 shops) from last year. Croydon Park Hotel's executive chef
Howard Mander constructed a large chocolate house for children undergoing cancer treatment at The Royal Marsden Hospital, in Sutton
England. National Geographic News has reported that a newly discovered mammal has been named after British candy maker Cadbury.
Named Kryoryctes cadburyi the mammal roamed the planet in the days of the dinosaur. It resembled the spiny anteater and was
discovered in Australia.
January 03, 2006 - The FDA finds the levels of lead found in chocolate acceptable. Hershey Co.'s Chocolate World free tour will be
closed for a three month $5,000,000 upgrade. Among the new attractions will be the addition of three singing cows. The tour is scheduled
to reopen April 01, 2006. Over 63 million visitors have taken the tour since it's inception in 1973. A nice article with photo of Anna Shea
chocolatier, and her shop in Tarrytown , New York.
presence felt here in the United States. Interesting article out of Rochester about Jonathan Leach a local pastry chef / chocolatier and his
firm JonJohn's Specialty Desserts. Chocolate.com and Harmony Sweets have joined together to offer a variety of international chocolates
online.
January 29, 2006 - Article out of Birmingham Alabama about the upcoming Chocolate Festival at the Fernbank Museum in Atlanta listing
some of the many exhibitors. Neat piece about some of the events planned during chocolate month in Hershey Pennsylvania. Fascinating
piece out of the Miami Herald about how ecologist Arturo Gomez-Pompa solved some of the mysteries of Mayan Cacao cultivation.
January 28, 2006 - Small piece about recent chocolate arrival Sweet Riot.
January 27, 2006 - Sales of dietetic chocolate dropped 33.8% in the U.S. last year.
January 26, 2006 - Two groups that advocate for the disabled are suing Stephany's Chocolate in Colorado claiming discrimination
because Stephany's requires each disabled person to be accompanied by a non disabled person. A Tokyo jeweler has created a
chocolate map of Africa and sprinkled it with over 2,000 diamonds. You can purchase this for $5,000,000.
January 25, 2006 - The Elizabeth Shaw chocolate factory in Bristol England is set to close. Built in 1901 as a state of the art facility it is
now slated for redevelopment. Hershey announced today that sales were up 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 2005. Chefs and chocolatiers in
the Louisville, Kentucky area will be banding together to raise money for charity by holding a tasting Feburary 27th. The English firm
Kinnerton is expanding its Fakenham factory to help keep its production up after launching its Cocoa Deli line of chocolate lollypops. A
review of the book ChocolateChocolate by Lisa Yockelson. The San Antonio Botanical Garden has announced an upcoming chocolate
day February 11 with activities for the whole family.
January 24, 2006 - Petra Foods Ltd said it has agreed to buy the chocolate manufacturing and distribution assets of Nestle Philippines
Inc for $5,000,000.
January 23, 2006 - An article on Steve Almond the author of Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America. Schools
in North Somerset England will be banning the sale of candy and fizzy drinks from school vending machines.
January 22, 2006 - Morehead City North Carolina has announced the will be holding the fourth annual Carolina Chocolate Festival
February 3-5. Operating out of there garage the Kanellias family of Norton, Massachusetts have set out to make and sell there own
chocolate creations. Chicago area chefs are banding together to raise money to help defray the costs of a kidney transplant for Abigail
Wodrich. The Love of Chocolate benefit will be held February 11th.
January 21, 2006 - Out of Madison Wisconsin an article about local spas and there offering of chocolate massages. South Bend Indiana's
the Chocolate Company has finally had there bid accepted to expand into the Osco Building. The merchants of Arkansas City are starting
a "Beat the Blues with Chocolate" festival this February to entice customers to keep shopping downtown instead of shopping in the new
Wal-Mart Supercenter.
January 20, 2006 - Kent Connecticut will celebrate its 11th Annual Chocolate Festival the afternoon of February 9th. Moonstruck Chocolate
has unveiled there Valentines Day line for 2006 and they include a silk bear and chocolate bears that are hand painted and look real nice.
A dispute at the docks has left millions of dollars worth of cocoa stranded in New York's Brooklyn docks. Until a few years ago New York
was the busiest cocoa port in the United States but has dropped to third. Interesting article about chocolatier and cooking author Alice
Medrich. A recipe for Matcha " Green Tea" hot chocolate.
January 19, 2006 - Cacao Anasa and Viansa Winery & Italian Marketplace have announced a partnership where the Winery's Tuscan Club
members will be offered the opportunity to purchase truffles from Cacao Anasa. The University Of California Davis has announced that
they have isolated a chemical compound that they believe is in part responsible for some of the health benefits associated with cocoa.
January 18, 2006 - Godiva has announced there Valentines Day promotion for 2006. One lucky winner will receive an $80,000 shopping
spree at jewelers H. Stern and also receive 80 boxes of Godiva Chocolate plus a trip for two to New York City. Check out there site for
details.
January 17, 2006 - After declaring dropping sales in the last quarter of 2005 , Thorntons has become the object of speculation about
possible takeover bids. Nice article from Richmond Virginia about a local woman, Jeanne-Louise Womble chasing her dream and
becoming a chocolatier. From the Philippines , San Isidro Mayor Tomas Abelita is promoting his towns chocolate producing capabilities by
marketing a brand of hot chocolate labeled "Chocolate de San Isidro." The town hopes to entice an investor to build a chocolate factory to
process the towns cocoa harvest. Local farmers have been receiving seedlings and been encouraged to plant and the town hopes to be
able to provide jobs after harvest.
January 16, 2006 - Interesting piece from the Washington Post about a visit to a small Parisian chocolate shop. Article on Hershey
product Kissable which is somewhat like an M&M.
January 14, 2006 - Neat little article about ordering customized M&Ms.
January 13, 2006 - HG Marsh Premium Chocolate Ice Cream has recalled a batch of its Ice Cream as it may contain almonds which
were not labeled correctly. An interesting article about Adora Chocolate Calcium Supplements which are "gourmet" chocolates loaded up
with calcium and vitamins. You can get a free sample at www.adorasamples.com. Two Australian women who started making
chocolate ten months ago have watched there operation rapidly expand. Interesting article about Cadbury and they're efforts to expand into
other markets as there chocolate sales stagnate. The article describes the testing of Trident Splash. Hershey plans a new product line
Hershey Sticks which are low calorie and will come in four flavors: milk chocolate, caramel-filled milk chocolate, mint milk chocolate and
dark chocolate. World's Finest Chocolate Inc. has purchased the Queen Anne line of chocolates. Queen Anne sells thirty million dollars a
year of there chocolate covered cherries. Production of the cherries will be moved to World's Finest Chocolate's factory in Chicago.
Interesting piece on Marketwatch.com that has information on the new book on Milton Hershey as well as how the Hershey trust helps
underprivileged kids and what a well run company Hershey is. Speaking of Hershey they are now making chocolate covered pretzels in
conjunction with Snyders Of Hanover.
January 12, 2006 - Amcor one of the worlds largest packaging companies has teamed up with the Australian firm Plantic to develop
biodegradable packaging. Plantic, only two years old, already makes biodegradable trays for chocolate companies such as Nestle UK and
Cadbury.
January 11, 2006 - Kosher food manufacturer Manischewitz is test marketing its Tam Tam crackers dipped in milk chocolate. The
product is being test marketed in the Boston area at the moment the Boston Herald reported today. Debauve and Gallais have partnered
with Glide Effortless in setting up Glide's first non-digital goods shop. Martha Stewart appears on the Today Show and whips up a
chocolate Angel Food Cake. The recipe and some video of her appearance. Information about Philadelphia's 11th Anniversary Chocolate
Festival that will be held February 4th and 5th. Snapshot Chocolate has announced a new line of greeting cards printed on edible
chocolate. You can also print photos on chocolate.
January 10, 2006 - A recipe for chocolate truffles with pistachios.
January 09, 2006 - British health campaigners are turning up the heat in there campaign to reduce the size of British chocolate bars. A
barge started sinking off the Brooklyn waterfront and several freight cars of raw cocoa took on some water.
January 08, 2006 - From Jamaica an interesting article about Michelle Smith a local chocolatier and how she expanded her operation
from a kitchen setup to her own shop.
January 07, 2006 - The New York Chocolate and Confections Company has announced they will soon resume production and that they
plan no future layoffs. The company had been functioning out of the Fulton , New York former Nestles plant.
January 06. 2006 - Trader Joe's gourmet fudge has announced a recall in eight states owing to walnuts be included in the product and
then not being properly labeled for possible allergic reactions. The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory announced record sales and record
profits today. In Great Britain chocolate makers are being criticized for making available giant size chocolate bars. Many makers had
promised to curb there production and then have apparently failed to keep those promises as Great Britain "struggles" with an obesity
epidemic. British scientists from the University of Salford are working on a diet pill that is made from cocoa extract. They claim that it has
shown the ability to alter the metabolic rate and has the added benefit of tasting like chocolate. The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc.
Board authorizes repurchase of additional shares of common stock from existing excess cash balances up to $2,000,000 worth of
shares. Bangkok, Thailand struggles with a shortage of white sugar even though the country is an exporter of sugar. The Thai government
has tried to control the price of sugar within Thailand, keeping the price artificially low to help consumers which has led to the
disappearance of sugar from store shelves in recent weeks.
January 05, 2006 - British retailer WHSmith has responded to charges by Tory Party leader David Cameron that they push chocolate bars
as opposed to selling healthy food.
January 04, 2006 - The BBC reported today that Tory Party leader David Cameron has criticized Britain's retailers for pushing chocolate
bars and other chocolate products through discounting. He feels they should discount healthy food instead of confectionary items. Britain's
chocolate maker Thortons reported a 4.9% decline in same store sales (369 shops) from last year. Croydon Park Hotel's executive chef
Howard Mander constructed a large chocolate house for children undergoing cancer treatment at The Royal Marsden Hospital, in Sutton
England. National Geographic News has reported that a newly discovered mammal has been named after British candy maker Cadbury.
Named Kryoryctes cadburyi the mammal roamed the planet in the days of the dinosaur. It resembled the spiny anteater and was
discovered in Australia.
January 03, 2006 - The FDA finds the levels of lead found in chocolate acceptable. Hershey Co.'s Chocolate World free tour will be
closed for a three month $5,000,000 upgrade. Among the new attractions will be the addition of three singing cows. The tour is scheduled
to reopen April 01, 2006. Over 63 million visitors have taken the tour since it's inception in 1973. A nice article with photo of Anna Shea
chocolatier, and her shop in Tarrytown , New York.
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