| May 2007 News |
| Any comments or suggestions, contact us and let us know what you're thinking. |
May 30, 2007 - DeBrand has a neat little deal. Purchase $50 worth of their chocolates and you can buy a "Chocolate Lover" T Shirt for
half price. Just enter SUMMERTEE2007 as the promo code at checkout. This offer ends June 15th. Yahoo India News reports that actor
Orlando Bloom had weight issues as a child and was so addicted to chocolate that his mother had to have him hypnotized in order to break
the addiction. Hershey, Pennsylvania is racing for record crowds this year as Hershey celebrates the 100th Birthday of the Hershey Kiss
and Hershey Park. Hershey has also unveiled a new $21,000,000 Boardwalk which should add to the excitement. The Stoweflake resort
in Vermont was the home to the first Chocolate Show held in the state. Local chocolate makers exhibited their products along with
companies like Belgium's Mary's Chocolates. Taste Of Home magazine sponsored a contest for the best cupcake. The winner was Mary
Bilyeu of Ann Arbor, Michigan for her cupcake that has four types of chocolate and brewed coffee.
May 29, 2007 - The school year is winding down and DeBrand has a nice item to say "Thank You" for that special teacher in your child's
life. They are a milk chocolate apple filled with a mixture of caramel and pecans and are the size of a standard apple. The government of
Ghana has been investigating reports of child labor in the cocoa fields and has issued a report . The report finds that most of the child labor
takes place on family farms and they find that some of the work children do such as lifting heavy loads and being exposed to pesticides is
dangerous. They do find most of the child labor takes place on weekends and that most children are registered and attending school. Lindt
is introducing a new product which is an extension of their product line in dark chocolate. It's a line of chocolate 70 per cent cacao content
bar shells with a mousse center. The bars come in orange, cherry chili and chocolate mousse flavours. The Rocky Mountain Chocolate
Factory on East Chicago Street in Naperville, Illinois has been participating in a program with Naper Elementary, and the Downtown
Naperville Alliance that allows kids the opportunity to learn about the business. The kids shadow employees and help in making product.
Researchers from the City University, Madrid, and the University of Barcelona have issued a report where they have found that the husks
from cocoa production can be used as a source of fiber. The fiber material is high in anti oxidants and could be useful in the making of
chocolate cake and other products that require bulk.
May 28, 2007 - It looks like everyone is interested in purchasing the soft drink arm of Cadbury Schweppes USA. At least 12 private equity
firms have shown some sort of interest and it looks like two different consortiums have will be bidding. Cadbury Schweppes produces the
Dr. Pepper and 7UP lines among many others. Barry Callebaut, the Swiss chocolate maker, is switching to renewable energy sources for
its plant in Wieze, Belgium. The Wieze processing facility, the companies largest, will get its power from a 35-megawatt installation from
the company Electrawinds. The biofuel plant will function by burning stearin a byproduct of palm oil refining.
May 27, 2007 - Thomas Linemayr, president of Lindt & Sprungli USA stated that increased demand by American consumers has led to
Lindt's US expansion. The Lindt facility in Stratham, New Hampshire is undergoing a 300,000 square foot expansion. The new building has
20 + shipping docks and allows Lindt to better serve their customers. Blocks of chocolate that weigh a ton are imported from Switzerland
and then melted down to make Lindt's product line. Speaking of Lindt share prices in the company rose when rumours started that
Cadbury might reinvest the money they'll receive from selling off their US soft drink business to purchase Lindt. Cadbury won a victory in
Australian court this week when their suit against Darrell Lea was brought back to life in Federal Court. In Melbourne three Federal Court
judges ruled that when the suit was initially dismissed the judge erred by not allowing expert testimony. Cadbury has claimed that Darrell
Lea appropriated the color purple associated with Cadbury and has been using it in an attempt to confuse consumers and to cash in on
Cadbury's reputation for quality product. Switzerland-based machinery manufacturer Buhler has introduced their FlexiStamp system to
streamline production by making chocolate shells through cold stamping. Plaisir du Chocolat the highly regarded Edinburgh, Scotland
chocolate shop run by Bertrand Espouy may yet survive its recent financial difficulties. The shop being overseen by
PriceWaterhouseCoopers while it is in administration may have a buyer who would keep it open. The future of the Nestlé Rowntree plant
in York, England seems a little more secure after 1,800 unionized workers voted in a recent election to agree to a sweeping plan that
changes the way the plant does business. The plant which produces Aero bars will stay in operation. Amano Artisan Chocolate is weighing
in with their position on the recent FDA and what defines chocolate dust up. Amano sides with those who feel the current system is Okay
and don't want to see the current guidelines diluted. You can read Amano's Press Release here.
May 25, 2007 - We apologize for being off line for a few days. We had some server problems which took awhile to fix and we will catch
up on all of the newest chocolate and confectionary news in the next few days.
A Tulane University doctoral candidate has released his newest research. Arman Sadeghpour the candidate has found an extract of cocoa
may be a natural alternative to fluoride. The extract helped harden tooth enamel in tests on animals and if his research is correct it would
be the first major innovation to toothpaste since most manufacturers started adding fluoride in 1914. Cadbury Confectionery Malaysia is
holding a contest to choose an animal for them to make the largest chocolate statue in Malyasia's history. The statue is being made to
celebrate Malyasia's 50th Anniversary and will be six feet in size. The Chamber Of Commerce of Oakdale California has announced that
they will keep on holding their annual Chocolate Festival even though Hershey is moving their local factory to Mexico. This year will be the
towns fifteenth festival and the last while Hershey is still located in the town. Masterfoods, makers of Mars products in England, has
backed down on their decision to add rennet, a product from calve's stomachs, to their products. The sizable vegetarian community
mobilized and Masterfoods was soon being barraged by over 6,000 phone calls a day as well as a petition signed by 40 members of
Parliament. The company has apologized and their will be no animal products in their chocolate products. The San Francisco Chronicle
has a fascinating article about two companies different experiences with Internet advertising. On one hand Lake Champlain reports a great
deal of success with their pay per click plan but on the other hand Charles Chocolates makers of artisanal chocolates in Emeryville,
California had to abandon their plan when it didn't produce the results they were hoping for.
May 19, 2007 - Thieves in the Kirkby area of Liverpool, England made off with a trailer filled with $276,000 of Cadbury Flakes bars. Local
police are asking for people to be aware of the missing chocolate. The Aero Bar has been popular in England for years and now it looks
like American chocolate makers are going to start pumping air into their bars. The Bubble Chocolate Company out of Abington,
Pennsylvania is releasing three different bars milk, dark and coffee milk. They describe the bars as "bubbles wrapped in chocolate".
Hershey also has scheduled for release a Reese's Whipps which will have fewer calories due to all the air pumped into it. Green & Blacks
the organic chocolate makers have entered the ice cream business with organic ice cream. They've released three flavors dark chocolate,
vanilla, and white chocolate with strawberry.
May 18. 2007 - Burton's Foods, the second largest biscuit maker in the United Kingdom, has announced they will be closing their factory in
Moreton, Wirral, England. The company was purchased by Duke Street Capital earlier this year and the new owners are making the
company more competitive. The factory currently makes Cadbury chocolate biscuits. The Gulf Coast Kid's House in Florida raised over
$30,000 with its Chocolate Fest 2007. Nineteen local restaurants provided the eats for hundreds of area residents. Number 10 Jersey
Street , here in Manhattan, was home to the Hawley & Hoops factory which started up in the late 1800s. The factory for many years made
chocolate cigarettes and cigars. The property has recently been renovated and is now the newest branch of the New York Public Library.
Lindt & Sprungli has a new line, Creation 70%, a Dark Chocolate, Mousse-Filled Bar Line. The bars come in three different flavors
chocolate mousse, Cherry Chili and Orange. You can read the Press Release here. The French Pastry School in Chicago will be the place
that hundreds of culinary professionals who will be competing May 19th for a chance to move up in the World Chocolate Masters
sponsored by Barry Callebaut. You can read the Press Release here.
May 17, 2007 - Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. has declared a dividend of ten cents a share for the first quarter pf 2007 payable
June 15th to shareholders of record on June 1, 2007. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. has also announced a buyback of
$5,000,000 or 350,000 shares. Over the last 7 years they have repurchased 3,000,000 shares at an average price of $4.47 a share. Luxury
chocolate-maker Plaisir du Chocolat from Scotland has been put into administration. No one argues that they produce a high quality
product but they ran out of cash and they are hoping after reorganization to make the operation more efficient. Hershey is closing yet
another plant, there last in Canada. 580 employees at the Dartmouth, Canada operation will be let go by December. Christopher Curtin
proprietor of Éclat Chocolate, has started making three different items for the Franklin Institute exhibit "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age
of the Pharaohs." One is a chocolate King Tut head that works in gold leaf along with the chocolate. He also produces a winged scarab and
hieroglyphic chocolate shards. The items will be produces concurrently with the exhibit which closes September 30, 2007.
May 16, 2007 - In Utah all is well in the artisan chocolate market. Many of the states chocolate experts , there are more than we realized,
weigh in with their feelings about the current state of the market. A new study estimates that dark chocolate sales in the United states have
increased 49% between 2003 - 2006. Consumers are catching on to the wide range of tastes available and are also focussing on dark
chocolates health benefits. Winans , an Ohio chocolate firm, has undergone some expansion through franchising over the last few years.
They are up to eight stores two of which are located in Oklahoma. This article has lots of interesting information about the Oklahoma
chocolate market. It's fun to read about developing products. Granville, Ohio is the home of The Readers Garden Bookstore owner Jo Ann
Geiger. In an attempt to increase revenues in her bookstore Ms. Geiger and her husband created Josie Posie Snaps. The Snaps are
cookies and they have taken off in her local market. We here at eChocolateNYC wish her all the best and hope to be able to try the cookies
some day when they become available here in New York. D'Kawi Chocolate from Malaysia is looking to expand into the African and Middle
East markets. They expect to export 2,000 metric tons to both areas this year. They have found an increase in sales since they displayed
their wares at Gulf-Food 2006 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Third Graders at Pope Elementary School in Jackson, Tennessee are
learning fractions a new way. They break Hershey bars down into smaller pieces and then relate the pieces to fractions. Hershey provided
a book to help the teacher present the lesson.
May 15, 2007 - Vosges Haut - Chocolat has two exciting announcements. The first is the release of their first peanut butter product,
peanut butter bon bons. The bon bons are made from organic fresh pressed peanut butter, pink Himalayan salt, Fleur de Sel salt and
deep milk chocolate. They come 9 pieces for $35. The second announcement is Vosges has received organic certification and will be
switching over existing products to organic starting with their caramel collection. Vegetarians in Great Britain may soon start boycotting
products from Masterfoods makers of the Mars bar, Maltesers, Snickers and Twix among others. Masterfoods has switched to less
expensive animal derived whey. Whey which contains rennet an enzyme found in the stomachs of calves. It can be replaced by a vegetarian
friendly rennet produced from molds but that alternative is much more expensive. Hershey has been forced to revise its trading
expectations as it has to factor in it's growth in deal making over the last few months and the increases in dairy and cocoa prices.
May 10, 2007 - Food From Britain (FFB) has released a report stating that English firms are enjoying growth in the export of sweets to the
Gulf States. There are 650,000 visits from the UK to Dubai yearly as well as 115,000 expatriates living in The United Arab Emirates.
Chocolate is also becoming more popular among the residents of the area which is also helping to fuel growth. Scharffen Berger has
teamed up with Peet's Coffee to bring a new drink " The Freddo" to market. The drink is composed of Peet's Major Dickason's coffee,
Scharffen Berger cocoa powder, caramel and then the whole thing is topped with whipped cream, drizzled caramel and chocolate
shavings. Check this link as you can print out a two for the price of one coupon that is good through Monday, May 14, 2007. The link also
has a picture of the drink which looks great. Hershey has launched a new website that covers much of the world of chocolate. The site
allchocolate.com is a tremendous resource for anyone interested in chocolate and is loaded with recipes and product information. If your
here in New York City on Thursday, May 17th you might want to attend the Vosges tasting event. Vosges Haut Chocolat is always doing
something worth taking a look at. On the 17th from 7 - 9 pm they will be tasting truffles from the Les Fleurs du Chocolat collection. This
assortment combines red rose petals, purple orchids, yellow marigolds and orange nasturtiums with dark, milk and white chocolate.
There will also be wine served as well as hibiscus pomegranate martinis, party favors and a tarot card reader. At $30 a ticket it sounds like
a great time and well worth it. Give them a call at 212.625.2929 to reserve tickets.
May 5, 2007 - Wrigley posted a 17% rise in sales worldwide last year. The company topped $1.6 billion in sales and even though sales in
the USA were slow the company experienced solid growth in developing markets. Revenues in Asia were up a solid 23% and the company
had real growth in the Middle East and parts of Europe. Scientists in Spain are reporting development of a new process to make cocoa
powder with eight times the levels of some flavonoids linked to chocolate's beneficial effects.
May 4, 2007 - On May 3rd we wrote about the Mulia Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia and the chocolate handbags they are selling. Each of these
links are of a photo of the workers making of these handbags. Phillips Candy House, Boston's oldest chocolatier, is supporting Rosie's
Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women. For every signature chocolate covered cherry sold in the month of May a portion of the
proceeds will be donated to Rosie's Place. A photo of Nestle chocolate bars on sale in Beijing , China. A photo of some different chocolate
products on sale at a grocery store in New Delhi, India. Len Libby Chocolates in Scarborough, Maine has a 1,700 pound chocolate moose
on display. Billed as the worlds only life sized chocolate moose it was made 10 years ago. Nestle has released the results of a new study
that finds chocolate texture can be affected by the type of gas used in producing the chocolate. Chocolates made with argon and nitrogen
were judged to have different properties than chocolates made from carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. Nestle UAE has recalled Kit Kat
Chunky Caramel bars as bits of plastic may have mixed into the chocolate. Scientists working for the Australian army are working on
modifying chocolate so that it can last longer and maintain its vitamins in higher temperatures. The scientists are replacing some of the
fats with other fats that have higher melting points. If you're going to be anywhere near the Gulf Coast of Florida on May 12th you may want
to take a look at Chocolate Fest being held at the Cordova Mall. There will be activities for kids as well as the opportunity to sample wares
from 20 different restaurants. The Hershey plant in Oakdale, California will be closing. The production of Hershey syrup and Hershey
kisses with almonds will be moved to Pennsylvania and the production of Hershey miniatures will be moved to Mexico. A very nice looking
recipe for chocolate strawberry shortcake. The closing of the Hershey plant in Oakdale, California will not only affect its 575 employees but
will also affect milk producers in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. The plant used large quantities of local milk which will now have to be
sold elsewhere.
May 3, 2007 - Clay County District Court in Iowa was the scene of a dismissal of a lawsuit over a spilled cup of hot water that was
supposed to be used to make hot chocolate. Marilyn Conway went through a Burger King drive through in Spencer, Iowa in December
2003. She ordered a cup of hot chocolate and was given a cup of hot water along with the powder to mix herself. The cap on the cup came
loose causing hot water to burn her foot. The judge ruled against her and she has until May 18th to appeal. The BBC weighs in with an
updated report on the use of child labor on cocoa plantations in the Ivory Coast. Conditions for many of the children are bad and
implementation of the Harkin-Engel protocol which many of the industries biggest companies signed in an effort to ameliorate some of the
suffering has been slow. Hersheypark is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year. They've added a Boardwalk that overlooks their water
park attractions. The Boardwalk will open May 26th and has a Nathans to give it that Coney Island feel. The Mulia Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia
is offering a range of chocolate based products that are somewhat unique. They are selling a line of handbags, literally made of chocolate,
for $100 - $400 each. The bags only last a week or two but have become quite popular as gifts. The bags are decorated with floral motifs.
The Hotel is also selling a range of chocolate cosmetics such as compact powders, lipsticks, blushes, nail polish, eye shadow and mouth
spray.
half price. Just enter SUMMERTEE2007 as the promo code at checkout. This offer ends June 15th. Yahoo India News reports that actor
Orlando Bloom had weight issues as a child and was so addicted to chocolate that his mother had to have him hypnotized in order to break
the addiction. Hershey, Pennsylvania is racing for record crowds this year as Hershey celebrates the 100th Birthday of the Hershey Kiss
and Hershey Park. Hershey has also unveiled a new $21,000,000 Boardwalk which should add to the excitement. The Stoweflake resort
in Vermont was the home to the first Chocolate Show held in the state. Local chocolate makers exhibited their products along with
companies like Belgium's Mary's Chocolates. Taste Of Home magazine sponsored a contest for the best cupcake. The winner was Mary
Bilyeu of Ann Arbor, Michigan for her cupcake that has four types of chocolate and brewed coffee.
May 29, 2007 - The school year is winding down and DeBrand has a nice item to say "Thank You" for that special teacher in your child's
life. They are a milk chocolate apple filled with a mixture of caramel and pecans and are the size of a standard apple. The government of
Ghana has been investigating reports of child labor in the cocoa fields and has issued a report . The report finds that most of the child labor
takes place on family farms and they find that some of the work children do such as lifting heavy loads and being exposed to pesticides is
dangerous. They do find most of the child labor takes place on weekends and that most children are registered and attending school. Lindt
is introducing a new product which is an extension of their product line in dark chocolate. It's a line of chocolate 70 per cent cacao content
bar shells with a mousse center. The bars come in orange, cherry chili and chocolate mousse flavours. The Rocky Mountain Chocolate
Factory on East Chicago Street in Naperville, Illinois has been participating in a program with Naper Elementary, and the Downtown
Naperville Alliance that allows kids the opportunity to learn about the business. The kids shadow employees and help in making product.
Researchers from the City University, Madrid, and the University of Barcelona have issued a report where they have found that the husks
from cocoa production can be used as a source of fiber. The fiber material is high in anti oxidants and could be useful in the making of
chocolate cake and other products that require bulk.
May 28, 2007 - It looks like everyone is interested in purchasing the soft drink arm of Cadbury Schweppes USA. At least 12 private equity
firms have shown some sort of interest and it looks like two different consortiums have will be bidding. Cadbury Schweppes produces the
Dr. Pepper and 7UP lines among many others. Barry Callebaut, the Swiss chocolate maker, is switching to renewable energy sources for
its plant in Wieze, Belgium. The Wieze processing facility, the companies largest, will get its power from a 35-megawatt installation from
the company Electrawinds. The biofuel plant will function by burning stearin a byproduct of palm oil refining.
May 27, 2007 - Thomas Linemayr, president of Lindt & Sprungli USA stated that increased demand by American consumers has led to
Lindt's US expansion. The Lindt facility in Stratham, New Hampshire is undergoing a 300,000 square foot expansion. The new building has
20 + shipping docks and allows Lindt to better serve their customers. Blocks of chocolate that weigh a ton are imported from Switzerland
and then melted down to make Lindt's product line. Speaking of Lindt share prices in the company rose when rumours started that
Cadbury might reinvest the money they'll receive from selling off their US soft drink business to purchase Lindt. Cadbury won a victory in
Australian court this week when their suit against Darrell Lea was brought back to life in Federal Court. In Melbourne three Federal Court
judges ruled that when the suit was initially dismissed the judge erred by not allowing expert testimony. Cadbury has claimed that Darrell
Lea appropriated the color purple associated with Cadbury and has been using it in an attempt to confuse consumers and to cash in on
Cadbury's reputation for quality product. Switzerland-based machinery manufacturer Buhler has introduced their FlexiStamp system to
streamline production by making chocolate shells through cold stamping. Plaisir du Chocolat the highly regarded Edinburgh, Scotland
chocolate shop run by Bertrand Espouy may yet survive its recent financial difficulties. The shop being overseen by
PriceWaterhouseCoopers while it is in administration may have a buyer who would keep it open. The future of the Nestlé Rowntree plant
in York, England seems a little more secure after 1,800 unionized workers voted in a recent election to agree to a sweeping plan that
changes the way the plant does business. The plant which produces Aero bars will stay in operation. Amano Artisan Chocolate is weighing
in with their position on the recent FDA and what defines chocolate dust up. Amano sides with those who feel the current system is Okay
and don't want to see the current guidelines diluted. You can read Amano's Press Release here.
May 25, 2007 - We apologize for being off line for a few days. We had some server problems which took awhile to fix and we will catch
up on all of the newest chocolate and confectionary news in the next few days.
A Tulane University doctoral candidate has released his newest research. Arman Sadeghpour the candidate has found an extract of cocoa
may be a natural alternative to fluoride. The extract helped harden tooth enamel in tests on animals and if his research is correct it would
be the first major innovation to toothpaste since most manufacturers started adding fluoride in 1914. Cadbury Confectionery Malaysia is
holding a contest to choose an animal for them to make the largest chocolate statue in Malyasia's history. The statue is being made to
celebrate Malyasia's 50th Anniversary and will be six feet in size. The Chamber Of Commerce of Oakdale California has announced that
they will keep on holding their annual Chocolate Festival even though Hershey is moving their local factory to Mexico. This year will be the
towns fifteenth festival and the last while Hershey is still located in the town. Masterfoods, makers of Mars products in England, has
backed down on their decision to add rennet, a product from calve's stomachs, to their products. The sizable vegetarian community
mobilized and Masterfoods was soon being barraged by over 6,000 phone calls a day as well as a petition signed by 40 members of
Parliament. The company has apologized and their will be no animal products in their chocolate products. The San Francisco Chronicle
has a fascinating article about two companies different experiences with Internet advertising. On one hand Lake Champlain reports a great
deal of success with their pay per click plan but on the other hand Charles Chocolates makers of artisanal chocolates in Emeryville,
California had to abandon their plan when it didn't produce the results they were hoping for.
May 19, 2007 - Thieves in the Kirkby area of Liverpool, England made off with a trailer filled with $276,000 of Cadbury Flakes bars. Local
police are asking for people to be aware of the missing chocolate. The Aero Bar has been popular in England for years and now it looks
like American chocolate makers are going to start pumping air into their bars. The Bubble Chocolate Company out of Abington,
Pennsylvania is releasing three different bars milk, dark and coffee milk. They describe the bars as "bubbles wrapped in chocolate".
Hershey also has scheduled for release a Reese's Whipps which will have fewer calories due to all the air pumped into it. Green & Blacks
the organic chocolate makers have entered the ice cream business with organic ice cream. They've released three flavors dark chocolate,
vanilla, and white chocolate with strawberry.
May 18. 2007 - Burton's Foods, the second largest biscuit maker in the United Kingdom, has announced they will be closing their factory in
Moreton, Wirral, England. The company was purchased by Duke Street Capital earlier this year and the new owners are making the
company more competitive. The factory currently makes Cadbury chocolate biscuits. The Gulf Coast Kid's House in Florida raised over
$30,000 with its Chocolate Fest 2007. Nineteen local restaurants provided the eats for hundreds of area residents. Number 10 Jersey
Street , here in Manhattan, was home to the Hawley & Hoops factory which started up in the late 1800s. The factory for many years made
chocolate cigarettes and cigars. The property has recently been renovated and is now the newest branch of the New York Public Library.
Lindt & Sprungli has a new line, Creation 70%, a Dark Chocolate, Mousse-Filled Bar Line. The bars come in three different flavors
chocolate mousse, Cherry Chili and Orange. You can read the Press Release here. The French Pastry School in Chicago will be the place
that hundreds of culinary professionals who will be competing May 19th for a chance to move up in the World Chocolate Masters
sponsored by Barry Callebaut. You can read the Press Release here.
May 17, 2007 - Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. has declared a dividend of ten cents a share for the first quarter pf 2007 payable
June 15th to shareholders of record on June 1, 2007. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. has also announced a buyback of
$5,000,000 or 350,000 shares. Over the last 7 years they have repurchased 3,000,000 shares at an average price of $4.47 a share. Luxury
chocolate-maker Plaisir du Chocolat from Scotland has been put into administration. No one argues that they produce a high quality
product but they ran out of cash and they are hoping after reorganization to make the operation more efficient. Hershey is closing yet
another plant, there last in Canada. 580 employees at the Dartmouth, Canada operation will be let go by December. Christopher Curtin
proprietor of Éclat Chocolate, has started making three different items for the Franklin Institute exhibit "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age
of the Pharaohs." One is a chocolate King Tut head that works in gold leaf along with the chocolate. He also produces a winged scarab and
hieroglyphic chocolate shards. The items will be produces concurrently with the exhibit which closes September 30, 2007.
May 16, 2007 - In Utah all is well in the artisan chocolate market. Many of the states chocolate experts , there are more than we realized,
weigh in with their feelings about the current state of the market. A new study estimates that dark chocolate sales in the United states have
increased 49% between 2003 - 2006. Consumers are catching on to the wide range of tastes available and are also focussing on dark
chocolates health benefits. Winans , an Ohio chocolate firm, has undergone some expansion through franchising over the last few years.
They are up to eight stores two of which are located in Oklahoma. This article has lots of interesting information about the Oklahoma
chocolate market. It's fun to read about developing products. Granville, Ohio is the home of The Readers Garden Bookstore owner Jo Ann
Geiger. In an attempt to increase revenues in her bookstore Ms. Geiger and her husband created Josie Posie Snaps. The Snaps are
cookies and they have taken off in her local market. We here at eChocolateNYC wish her all the best and hope to be able to try the cookies
some day when they become available here in New York. D'Kawi Chocolate from Malaysia is looking to expand into the African and Middle
East markets. They expect to export 2,000 metric tons to both areas this year. They have found an increase in sales since they displayed
their wares at Gulf-Food 2006 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Third Graders at Pope Elementary School in Jackson, Tennessee are
learning fractions a new way. They break Hershey bars down into smaller pieces and then relate the pieces to fractions. Hershey provided
a book to help the teacher present the lesson.
May 15, 2007 - Vosges Haut - Chocolat has two exciting announcements. The first is the release of their first peanut butter product,
peanut butter bon bons. The bon bons are made from organic fresh pressed peanut butter, pink Himalayan salt, Fleur de Sel salt and
deep milk chocolate. They come 9 pieces for $35. The second announcement is Vosges has received organic certification and will be
switching over existing products to organic starting with their caramel collection. Vegetarians in Great Britain may soon start boycotting
products from Masterfoods makers of the Mars bar, Maltesers, Snickers and Twix among others. Masterfoods has switched to less
expensive animal derived whey. Whey which contains rennet an enzyme found in the stomachs of calves. It can be replaced by a vegetarian
friendly rennet produced from molds but that alternative is much more expensive. Hershey has been forced to revise its trading
expectations as it has to factor in it's growth in deal making over the last few months and the increases in dairy and cocoa prices.
May 10, 2007 - Food From Britain (FFB) has released a report stating that English firms are enjoying growth in the export of sweets to the
Gulf States. There are 650,000 visits from the UK to Dubai yearly as well as 115,000 expatriates living in The United Arab Emirates.
Chocolate is also becoming more popular among the residents of the area which is also helping to fuel growth. Scharffen Berger has
teamed up with Peet's Coffee to bring a new drink " The Freddo" to market. The drink is composed of Peet's Major Dickason's coffee,
Scharffen Berger cocoa powder, caramel and then the whole thing is topped with whipped cream, drizzled caramel and chocolate
shavings. Check this link as you can print out a two for the price of one coupon that is good through Monday, May 14, 2007. The link also
has a picture of the drink which looks great. Hershey has launched a new website that covers much of the world of chocolate. The site
allchocolate.com is a tremendous resource for anyone interested in chocolate and is loaded with recipes and product information. If your
here in New York City on Thursday, May 17th you might want to attend the Vosges tasting event. Vosges Haut Chocolat is always doing
something worth taking a look at. On the 17th from 7 - 9 pm they will be tasting truffles from the Les Fleurs du Chocolat collection. This
assortment combines red rose petals, purple orchids, yellow marigolds and orange nasturtiums with dark, milk and white chocolate.
There will also be wine served as well as hibiscus pomegranate martinis, party favors and a tarot card reader. At $30 a ticket it sounds like
a great time and well worth it. Give them a call at 212.625.2929 to reserve tickets.
May 5, 2007 - Wrigley posted a 17% rise in sales worldwide last year. The company topped $1.6 billion in sales and even though sales in
the USA were slow the company experienced solid growth in developing markets. Revenues in Asia were up a solid 23% and the company
had real growth in the Middle East and parts of Europe. Scientists in Spain are reporting development of a new process to make cocoa
powder with eight times the levels of some flavonoids linked to chocolate's beneficial effects.
May 4, 2007 - On May 3rd we wrote about the Mulia Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia and the chocolate handbags they are selling. Each of these
links are of a photo of the workers making of these handbags. Phillips Candy House, Boston's oldest chocolatier, is supporting Rosie's
Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women. For every signature chocolate covered cherry sold in the month of May a portion of the
proceeds will be donated to Rosie's Place. A photo of Nestle chocolate bars on sale in Beijing , China. A photo of some different chocolate
products on sale at a grocery store in New Delhi, India. Len Libby Chocolates in Scarborough, Maine has a 1,700 pound chocolate moose
on display. Billed as the worlds only life sized chocolate moose it was made 10 years ago. Nestle has released the results of a new study
that finds chocolate texture can be affected by the type of gas used in producing the chocolate. Chocolates made with argon and nitrogen
were judged to have different properties than chocolates made from carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. Nestle UAE has recalled Kit Kat
Chunky Caramel bars as bits of plastic may have mixed into the chocolate. Scientists working for the Australian army are working on
modifying chocolate so that it can last longer and maintain its vitamins in higher temperatures. The scientists are replacing some of the
fats with other fats that have higher melting points. If you're going to be anywhere near the Gulf Coast of Florida on May 12th you may want
to take a look at Chocolate Fest being held at the Cordova Mall. There will be activities for kids as well as the opportunity to sample wares
from 20 different restaurants. The Hershey plant in Oakdale, California will be closing. The production of Hershey syrup and Hershey
kisses with almonds will be moved to Pennsylvania and the production of Hershey miniatures will be moved to Mexico. A very nice looking
recipe for chocolate strawberry shortcake. The closing of the Hershey plant in Oakdale, California will not only affect its 575 employees but
will also affect milk producers in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. The plant used large quantities of local milk which will now have to be
sold elsewhere.
May 3, 2007 - Clay County District Court in Iowa was the scene of a dismissal of a lawsuit over a spilled cup of hot water that was
supposed to be used to make hot chocolate. Marilyn Conway went through a Burger King drive through in Spencer, Iowa in December
2003. She ordered a cup of hot chocolate and was given a cup of hot water along with the powder to mix herself. The cap on the cup came
loose causing hot water to burn her foot. The judge ruled against her and she has until May 18th to appeal. The BBC weighs in with an
updated report on the use of child labor on cocoa plantations in the Ivory Coast. Conditions for many of the children are bad and
implementation of the Harkin-Engel protocol which many of the industries biggest companies signed in an effort to ameliorate some of the
suffering has been slow. Hersheypark is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year. They've added a Boardwalk that overlooks their water
park attractions. The Boardwalk will open May 26th and has a Nathans to give it that Coney Island feel. The Mulia Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia
is offering a range of chocolate based products that are somewhat unique. They are selling a line of handbags, literally made of chocolate,
for $100 - $400 each. The bags only last a week or two but have become quite popular as gifts. The bags are decorated with floral motifs.
The Hotel is also selling a range of chocolate cosmetics such as compact powders, lipsticks, blushes, nail polish, eye shadow and mouth
spray.