If You're Bored This Weekend, Make a Meiji Chocolate House!

Thorntons' founder bewails fate of his chocolate factory

Quote of the day:

I do fear that if Thorntons survives at all, it may well finish up as another Cadburys - a tiny part of some huge foreign multinational with employees thrown out of work, factories closed, shops closed and the usual and unseen damage to the locality and the country.

Peter Thornton, member of the founding family and former Thorntons chairman foresees a sticky end for the confectioner.

'Disaster is inevitable,' he intones.

Original article by Rebecca Burn-Callander

http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/features/1135844/thorntons-founder-bewails-fate-chocolate-factory/

Dark chocolates cut heart attack risk? Not quite

If you are thinking of throwing out your cholesterol medication and chomping on dark chocolate instead, don't.

A group of cardiologists here has rubbished a recent study in Australia which claims that eating dark chocolate is a cost-effective way of cutting one's risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study is flawed, they say.

Just published in the British Medical Journal, the study claims daily consumption of dark chocolate over 10 years would cut the number of fatal strokes and heart attacks by 15 for every 10,000 people, and the number of non-fatal strokes and heart attacks by 70 for every 10,000 people.

The team from Monash University said: “Daily dark chocolate consumption could be an effective cardiovascular preventive strategy.”

Flavanoids, found in dark, but not milk, chocolate, are known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels – two risk factors for heart attacks.

The Australian researchers calculated that if the country invested A$40 (US$39.78) a person a year in a “chocolate strategy” with advertisements, education and possibly a subsidy, it would reap good returns.

Reginald Liew, a cardiologist at Singapore's National Heart Centre, said while it is true that previous studies have shown the beneficial effects of eating dark chocolate, the researchers did not take into account the large amount of sugar and fat that would also be consumed, “which may undo some benefits found in this study”.

This is a failing even the Monash team admits.

Another flaw which limits the usefulness of the result is that the study was based on statistical modeling, meaning that the outcomes are “hypothetical” and not based on “real data”, said Liew.

He added that even if the findings were real, people would need to eat a lot of dark chocolate daily over 10 years – for “very modest benefits”.

Pipin Kojodjojo from the National University Heart Centre said: “Before you rush out to stock up on dark chocolate, be aware that the study has many flaws.”

It is unrealistic to expect people to eat a 100g bar of dark chocolate every day of their lives, he added. Even if one assumes that a chocolate bar costs only S$1 (78 US cents), it would cost more than S$40 million to prevent 70 non-fatal strokes and heart attacks and 15 deaths among 10,000 people.

Kojodjojo added: “I would argue that we'd prevent more strokes and heart attacks and save more lives if we could get 10,000 people to exercise for 20 minutes daily for 10 years, or 10,000 smokers to stop smoking for 10 years, or 10,000 at-risk patients to eat a healthier diet for 10 years.”

via thejakartapost.com

They have a good point. Eating better, exercising or giving up smoking are probably better options.

Sir Bob Geldof Urges Change to give Cacao farmers more say.

Sir Bob Geldof addressed the audience of the first CHOCOVISION conference sharing his views on a sustainable development in the world, with a particular focus on Africa, and the urge for the cocoa industry to commit to a sustainable future for all. And the time for action is now.

Mr. Geldof urges the industry as a whole to take its responsibility and to advance in the direction of long-term growth for everyone involved in the supply chain, rather than short-term shareholder value. The actual economical model proves to have failed as shown by the deep crisis we are in. There is an urgent need to invent a new model where poor people are given a voice, a fight Mr. Geldof has taken on for almost 30 years. Yet, “when you can only live to survive, the creative mind doesn’t switch on, there is no time, no space for it”, says Geldof. Hence, the industry needs to support the creation of a sustainable future for these farmers.

Mr. Geldof also highlighted the risks faced by the industry: the narrow band around the equator where chocolate is bound to be finite:

“By 2050, if climate change continues the way it currently does, half the land for cocoa cultivation will disappear.”

As pointed out by Mr. Geldof, one of the ways to get out of this circle is to get more engaged with farmers, give them the power to be part of price negotiations, invest in capacity building programs at farm level and in local infrastructures to foster the development of these communities. The solution to the challenge can be overcome by collaboration: collaboration with NGOs, with farmers, with all the partners in the supply chain.

Mr. Geldof is convinced that the cocoa industry has the possibility and the power to improve the situation. However, it is now time to act for a sustainable growth in all parts of the chain.

Full article: http://www.chocovision.ch/blog/?p=206

 

New Cadbury Flake Advert From India

Mars Chocolate grows use of sustainable cocoa

The company announced Thursday it had accomplished a goal of purchasing 10 percent of its cocoa — roughly 30,000 tons — from sustainable sources in 2011, and it expects to purchase 90,000 tons of sustainable cocoa in 2012. Three years ago, Mars pledged to purchase all its cocoa from sustainable sources by 2020, when it is expected that demand will far outweigh supply for the sweet treat. In order to achieve higher yields of cocoa, Mars and its partners are working to do research on cocoa plants, apply technology and new agricultural methods to the millions of small individual cocoa farms, and use certification to make sure best practices are followed. Through three organizations — the Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International and UTZ Certified — a set of standards are used to verify that cocoa farmers are using best sustainability practices. "A successful certification program is so important to our effort because it is the most effective tool we currently have to reach millions of cocoa farmers at scale," said Barry Parkin, head of global procurement and sustainability, in the company's announcement. "It took a lot of hard work from farmers, certifiers and others along the supply chain to meet this milestone, and we are pleased to see their energy paying off." via njbiz.com http://www.njbiz.com/article/20120604/NJBIZ01/120609942/-1/daily/Mars-Chocola...

Sustainable and Fairtrade. That's what the chocolate industry should be aiming for.

Work Rest Play Your Part for England

Mars Chocolate to Purchase Nearly 90,000 Metric Tons of Certified Cocoa in 2012

MOUNT OLIVE, N.J., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Mars Chocolate, one of the world's leading chocolate manufacturers, announced today that it has made significant progress in just three years towards fulfilling its 2009 pledge to purchase its entire cocoa supply from certified sustainable sources by 2020. The company stated that it had met its 2011 goal of purchasing 10 percent of its total cocoa supply as certified sustainable, and in 2012 it will exceed its original target of 20 percent, making it the largest user of certified cocoa in the world. Based on current buying arrangements, the company projects that they will purchase nearly 90,000 tons of certified cocoa.

Mars believes certification is the best tool industry has to support effective extension services to reach as many of the world's 5 to 6 million cocoa farmers as possible and provide them with the material support and organization they need to be successful.

Estimating that demand for cocoa will outstrip global supply by one million tons by 2020, Mars Chocolate has developed a comprehensive strategy to manage this challenge under the guiding principle of putting cocoa farmers first. Mars' Sustainable Cocoa Initiative is one of the largest, most far-reaching efforts within the cocoa industry to increase productivity, strengthen communities, and encourage better farmer incomes.

"We are pleased to have reached another critical milestone in our Sustainable Cocoa Initiative," said Barry Parkin, Global Procurement and Sustainability Head for Mars Chocolate. "A successful certification program is so important to our effort because it is the most effective tool we currently have to reach millions of cocoa farmers at scale. It took a lot of hard work from farmers, certifiers, and others along the supply chain to meet this milestone, and we are pleased to see their energy paying off."

In 2011, Mars' cocoa purchases were certified according to the Rainforest Alliance's and UTZ Certified's standards. Last year, Mars announced it will be partnering with Fairtrade International, and purchases of Fairtrade cocoa began in 2012. Currently, six Mars products worldwide are labeled through the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ Certified. Since the company's primary goal is to reach 100% certification by 2020 and encourage more industry commitments to buy larger volumes of certified cocoa, Mars will purchase certified cocoa for all products by 2020, even though some products may not be explicitly labeled.

Mars Chocolate is focusing on three distinct, critical elements with the Sustainable Cocoa Initiative: cocoa science research, including mapping the cocoa genome in conjunction with IBM and the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the transfer of technology and agricultural methods to encourage productivity among cocoa farmers, especially through the company's Vision for Change program in Cote d'Ivoire; and third-party certification. Mars Chocolate is the only large global chocolate manufacturer to work with the three leading certification organizations, the Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International, and UTZ Certified.

"Certification has great potential to benefit hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of cocoa farmers," said Andy Harner, Global Cocoa Vice President for Mars Chocolate. "However, to be truly meaningful, certification must bring industry together to prioritize real change at the farm level ahead of all other interests. We are truly grateful to our certification partners the Rainforest Alliance, UTZ Certified, and Fairtrade International for sharing this vision and for the commitments they have made to putting cocoa farmers first."

For more information on the company's effort supporting cocoa sustainability, please visit www.mars.com/cocoasustainability . Additionally, you can read about the sustainability team's ongoing initiatives at the blog www.cocoasustainability.com .

About Mars, Incorporated

In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the philosophy of a "mutuality of benefits" for all stakeholders - this vision serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $30 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and approximately 70,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare - PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, KITEKAT®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital and NUTRO®; Chocolate - M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley - DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5(TM) chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints. Food - UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks - ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS(TM), THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY(TM), KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience - COCOAVIA(TM), WISDOM PANEL(TM) and SERAMIS®.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com . Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars.

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

via marketwatch.com

Good news. Hope other large chocolate companies follow suit.

It's true! Chocolate really can improve your health - but only if it's dark

Can chocolate really be good for us? It’s a bit like saying that ice cream will make you live longer. How can something so naughty, so delicious, be good for us? Stories about the health-giving properties of chocolate appear from time to time and I greet each one with profound scepticism, not forgetting that there are nearly always some commercial interests behind publicising the supposed benefits. Research by the food and pharmaceutical industries can’t be true, can it?The evidence on chocolate is accumulating and may have just reached the tipping point. We’re talking about the dark kind, not the more addictive milk variety. The latest study examined the effects of chocolate on stress in 30 healthy people for two weeks.Every day, each volunteer was given 40g (about four squares) of dark chocolate, eating half in the morning and half in the afternoon.Using standard, accepted psychological and biochemical tests, stress levels were measured before, during and after the study. The results surprised me. We know chocolate soothes, pampers and spoils. But it also turns out it relieves stress. The levels of stress-related hormones like cortisol dropped in everyone, including those who were highly anxious at the beginning. The research concluded that eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day as part of a healthy diet can help people who are stressed. You’ll notice I keep repeating “dark chocolate”. In the study, the chocolate was made of 70% cocoa solids and it’s these that are rich in the alkaloid chemicals, which affect cellular metabolism. If you’re not convinced, there are two more studies. The second involving 1,000 people found those who ate chocolate a few times a week were, on average, slimmer than those who hardly ate it at all.The scientists claim chocolate contains ingredients that may favour weight loss rather than fat accumulation. The third study confirms that moderate quantities of dark chocolate can lower blood glucose and bad LDL cholesterol and therefore the risk of heart disease. But it only works if you don’t gorge.