Barry Callebaut has launched Cabosse Naturals, a range of 100% pure cacaofruit ingredients including pulp, juice, concentrate and cascara, a fine flour made from the peel of the fruit.

Consumers are also increasingly interested in organic products, including candy.

Cargill has launched CocoaWise, a digital portal that allows food and beverage manufacturers to have increased knowledge of the origin of the products they source from Cargill’s direct supply chain.

Cargill’s donation matches the cash award that comes with the Nobel Peace Prize and is in recognition of the organization’s efforts to combat hunger, help build a world free of conflict and to prevent the use of food as a weapon of war.

The American Association of Candy Technologists has awarded Eric Schmoyer, senior project manager - R&D, Barry Callebaut, with the Stroud Jordan Award.

Guittard Chocolate Co. is launching the Cultivate Better cocoa initiative, a new program that engages with cocoa-growing communities to improve and protect unique flavor profiles while also developing integrated community initiatives that yield collaborative impact traceable to the farm level.

With 20 years of experience in the food industry, Thompson has helped guide FONA with his diverse background knowledge and growth mindset.