In the 11th edition of “Chocolate Candy Market in the U.S.,” Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, reports that premium chocolate makes up just 18 percent of total chocolate dollar sales and 14 percent of unit sales, but it still leads the way in developing flavor trends and new product formulations, particularly in the use of clean-label ingredients.

Confectionery distributor Nassau Candy has acquired certain assets of Hobbs & Dobbs, Inc., a leading novelty and specialty candy distributor.

Flamous has released two new flavors of chips: Sprouted Multigrain Zatar and Original Falafel.

No Everyday & Summer Seasonal event would be complete without the Buyer’s Choice Awards, sponsored by Candy Industry Magazine and ECRM. Participating candy companies submitted new products for retail buyers to taste. The buyers also voted for their favorite in each of three categories: Chocolate, Non-Chocolate and Novelty.

Fortunately, the participating sellers, buyers and I won’t be the only people to benefit from the three-day ECRM show. At the end of the event, 300 boxes of unspoken-for candy were donated to Boo at the Zoo, an annual fundraiser hosted by the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans and the nearby Audubon Zoo.

The employees, represented by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 6 (BCTWGM), have been working under contract terms that expired in June. Wages, health insurance and pensions are among employees’ concerns.

The announcement, made Wednesday at Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference,  comes a week after the Illinois-based snack and confectionery giant halted discussions with The Hershey Co. about acquiring the company.

Gearharts Chocolates has tapped East Coast spirits producers to put a twist on its line of holiday confections.

Label Insight says 73 percent of 2,021 consumers surveyed would pay a premium for products that offer complete transparency in a variety of areas, including certifications, ingredients lists, nutritional breakdowns, allergens lists, and information on how products are sourced, produced and handled.

Molly Cook, who also took home the People’s Choice Award, competed against 19 other chocolatiers, including Norman Love Confections Chef Chris Botterman.