Tag Archive: chocolate manufacturing

Mars Inc – Chocolate Factory Coming to India

Current U.S.-based chocolate manufacturer Mars Inc, the third largest confectionery business globally, says plans for the company to add another global manufacturing plant are underway.

Mars Inc just recently announced their intention to open a new plant in India.

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Mars Seeks a Disclaimer

There are a lot of patented and trademarked foods made by multinational companies and sold around the world.  But sometimes, they get used in ways that the companies don't intend.   For example, Mars chocolate bars are being deep fried to give them a whole new taste and appeal to a new market.

A shop located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, called Carron Fish Bar has been claiming for years that it was the place of origin of deep fried Mars bars.

The Mars company has openly stated to the public, and owners alike, that serving their product fried totally deviates from the principles of healthy living that the company stands for.
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Is Your Chocolate Ethical?

That's an interesting question, isn't it?  Perhaps not something you've considered.  In our chocolate classes, two important lessons include "Responsible Cacao Farming" and "Preventing Exploitation in the Chocolate Industry."

But answering that single question may be even more complex that what most of us may think. Chocolates are undeniably tied to many cultures, many holidays, and many more celebrations.

There are chocolate birthday cakes, chocolate eggs for Easter, chocolates for Valentine's Day, and even chocolate bars for Halloween.  These are just a sampling of the occasions that utilize these sweet and luscious treats.
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Shift in Chocolate Production

In this cutthroat world, companies have to work their tails off  to reach the top. If the top is too much to ask, then it's good to at least keep themselves afloat.

It may be such a tearjerker, but I guess everyone is aware of the widespread economic recession going on. Even the giant countries are not lucky enough to be given immunity. Everyone is at risk including the production of cocoa!

Pardon me for wanting to start this article on a serious note. Because for an aficionado, anything and everything that involves chocolate must not be taken for granted. But do not worry because I will not bore you with that. Heck no.
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Chocolate Recession?

Living in a third world country is not easy breezy. Most of the population has below average income and do not experience eating three full meals a day.  There are definitely no snacks in between!  I am no millionaire, but I have enough to feed myself and still go on and on, even if my stomach could no longer contain it. I just feel sorry for others who are unfortunate.

I have come to realize that not only poor countries suffer from economic problems. There is a saying that the more you soar high, the greater you fall. That is downright devastating.

For the giants of the world, such as Europe and United States, who seem to have all the best in the world, they are also the best targets for the recession that is happening right now. The ones that are affected within these countries are several industries of businesses and banks. Sad to say, my beloved chocolate manufacturers are not exempted. I just felt a tinge of pain in my heart right there.
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Part-time Rower, Part-time Chocolate Maker

Many of us have dreams. For some, those dreams include the Olympics.

Will Newell is a world class rower who trains much of his time at the Oklahoma City High Performance Center in the Devon Boathouse and Olympic Qualifier.  He pointed out that  many countries around the world provide their athletes with provisions that are much higher compared to United States athletes.  That means the U.S. athletes have to find a way to make a living.

The Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation sponsors athletes and helps them find jobs and housing while training as Olympic athletes.  Newell and his fellow athlete Robin Prendes are currently members of a four lightweight crew.  They have earned their way to the 2012 Olympics and are currently working part-time for Devon Energy.
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Technology on the Cacao Farm

More than 100,000 cacao farmers in Ghana will take advantage of the application of mobile phone text messaging, as well as voice mail, to gain access to information in an effort to enhance the production of cacao.

The program is called Cocoa Link. It is an attempt of the Hershey Company, a pioneer in the world of chocolate and sugar confectionery, to improve cacao farming. They work hand in hand with the World Cocoa Foundation and the Ghana COCOBOD.

According to Andrew McCormick, vice-president in-charge of Public Affairs at Hershey, farmers will be given relevant information regarding the best practices in cacao cultivation to be able to increase the production.
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Solar Energy Helps Melt The Chocolate

The manufacturers of the Las Vegas favorites Ethel M Chocolates, Mars Chocolate North America, just recently stated that a solar power system at its Henderson, Nevada, chocolate factory will be opened.

The installation is being referred to as "garden" by Mars since the solar panels are located beside the Botanical Cactus Garden in their factory. During peak hours of operation, it provides all the electrical current required to power up the Ethel M’s plant.

The solar power system is composed of 2,112 solar panels on 4.4 acres mounted into the ground. Allegedly, the installation is the biggest of its kind among manufacturers of food based in Nevada, and it is said to be able to produce 1,258 megawatt hours of electrical current in a year. That would be equal to what 115 average households in Nevada make use of.
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The Largest Cacao Producing Countries

Cacao is cultivated mainly in the lands of Asia, Central and South America, as well as in West Africa. The largest cacao producing countries are Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Indonesia. Such countries account for a huge percentage of the total worldwide production of cacao.

During the beginning of 1970, growing of cacao was almost exclusively done in countries like Brazil and Nigeria as well as Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Today, the cultivation of cacao has widened its horizons and has reached certain areas like the Pacific region, in which you can observe remarkable growth rates in terms of producing cacao with countries such as Indonesia.
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A Global Chocolate Shortage?

Devastatingly, there has been a global shortage of cocoa beans. And this might be the reason for the skyrocketing of the price of chocolate in the near future.

Chocolate makers are thinking of different helpful strategies that can remedy the situation such as upping the amount of nuts, fillers, or any other ingredients just to bulk out chocolate candies.

The reasons behind this demand are said to be the rise in the popularity of cocoa in China, the spread of awareness about the many health benefits of chocolate, and the constant and rising demand for dark chocolate.
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