The Dallas Chocolate Festival is going virtual Sept. 12-13, allowing attendees to participate from the comforts of home with “The World of Chocolate – In a Box.”

Atkinson Candy Co. plans to unveil an updated version of the classic Chick-O-Stick during Sweets & Snacks Expo, set for May 21-23 in Chicago. 

Parker Products, a leading provider of inclusions and other specialty ingredients for the baking, dairy, beverage, confectionery, foodservice and RTE and snack industries, is holding a grand opening ceremony for its new manufacturing facility in Fort Worth on April 18.

The continued growth in demand for Snickers, Skittles and Starbursts is prompting Chicago-based Mars Wrigley Confectionery to invest $30 million in expanding its Waco, Texas facility.

Mexican entrepreneurs Roberto Arreguin and Leslie Norton, co-owners of Virc LLC, were joined by the Free Trade Alliance San Antonio and city officials for the grand opening of its new gummy manufacturing plant in Selma, Texas, a suburb of San Antonio. The plant will manufacture gummy candies ranging from traditional varieties to low sugar, sour and spicy types.

The Riverside Co., a global private equity firm, will acquire specialty ingredients supplier Parker Products later this month.

Lufkin, Texas-based Atkinson Candy Co. is among the companies lining up to help disaster relief after Hurricane Harvey pummeled the Gulf Coast region of the Lone Star State.