Headline Chocolate News
The Vice Governer also states that chocolate can, "cure breast cancer, get rid of chronic coughs, and enhance brain power."
Could this promotion have anything to do with the Nigerian chocolate industry? Of course not, it's purely based on science...not. Viagra isn't just to enhance the "fun" of sexual relationships, it's to treat a physical disorder that many men suffer from. I'm generally in favor of natural medicine and have knee-jerk reactions against pharmaceutical companies, but in this case I just don't think that a simple swap of chocolate for Viagra is going to help a lot of people. Maybe chocolate, relationship counseling, yoga for stress reduction, and a healthier diet over all might be an effective cocktail--but what the Nigerian government is doing is oversimplifying a complex issue.
Moneycontrol IndiaLindt&Sprungli Goes Single-Origin
Citing consumers' desire to know more about where their chocolate comes from, L&S will release the "Excellence Origin Collection" featuring chocolates from beans grown in Ecuador, Peru, and Madagascar.
This is great--the more consumers know about where their chocolate is coming from, the better able they will be to make informed decisions based their personal ethics.
Food NavigatorGirl Stabs Mother Over Improperly Made Cocoa
The ten-year-old from England flew into a rage because her cocoa had "skin" on it. She grabbed a knife and stabbed her mother in the head.
I'm frightened at how frequently I see reports of violence committed over incidents that seem to be of miniscule importance. Clearly there are much deeper issues going on under the surface, but for some reason, chocolate seems to drive the occasional flare-up.
The SunConsumer Ethics is Driving the Demand for Organic Cocoa
As customers become willing to spend more for organic products, it enables farmers to grow their cacao in ways that are healthier for them and for the environment.
Historically, cacao has been a crop that is saturated in pesticides. Cacao is a very sensitive plant with many pests, and the only inexpensive way to protect these delicate trees has been to do massive spraying. However, a willingness to pay more for organic cocoa allows the farmers to opt for pest management methodologies that are more time consuming but less damaging. Although to many that cost might seem too high, it's infinitely lower in the long run.
Food NavigatorHershey Launches High-End Chocolate Line Called "Cacau Reserve."
The product line is said to include premium dark and milk chocolates as well as drinking cocoa.
I wonder if these new, premium products will boast the "Hershey flavor" (i.e. the taste of sour milk) that Hershey is so proud of. Whether or not they do, I am interested to see whether those who love Hershey for its simplicity and its history will be invested in these new products. On the other hand, will those who are used to being chocolate snobs be interested in something with the Hershey name on it? I'll let you know when I find out.
The Drinks Business Review On-LineJaimie Oliver brawls with his supermarket sponsor over junk food in childrens' lunches
While doing a program about the school lunch program (Oliver has been working hard in the past few years to get healthy food into school cafeterias), Oliver noticed that 75% of the bagged lunches that students brought to school included items like chocolate bars, soda, and chips. In a well-publicized outburst, Jaimie, who has two daughters of his own, used various insulting epithets to refer to parents who pack lunches like that for their children. Sainsbury, a grocery store that pays him as their spokesman and makes millions each year from the sales of candy bars, soda, and chips, told him he should have kept his mouth shut.
I completely agree with Jaimie Oliver, although I like to think that I have a gentler approach than he does when confronted with issues such as this. The truth is, though, it is possible to make very inexpensive and healthy meals for children to eat at school. If a child's lunch consists mainly of sugary items, how can they be expected to concentrate in the classroom for the rest of the afternoon. Well nourished children are more attentive and behave better, according to several studies that I've read, but which I have been unable to re-locate--but it makes perfect sense. I know how I feel an hour after eating a chocolate bar or drinking a sweet drink, and it's not a state in which I achieve great clarity. I think Oliver's feelings are understandable, but that if he wants to make headway, he'll need to convince parents (and help them find healthy alternatives) rather than pissing them off. On the other hand, I think that the supermarket should do the same thing--let them make money on healthy lunchbox items rather than chips and soda.
The Evening StandardIn Other News...
The News and Observer
The Capital
Yahoo Business
WCAX Burlington
- Folks from Ithaca, NY and Two Rivers, WI battle over who invented the Ice Cream Sundae.
The Cornell Sun - Bay Area visionaries push chocolate-making into new territory.
The San Francisco Chronicle - Berkeley Students arrested over pot brownies.
The San Francisco Chronicle - A Review of Dominos new brownie "squares."
The LA Times - The State of PA gives money to Hershey for a Museum dedicated to providing information about Milton S. Hershey.
Yahoo News - Kashi introduces healthy new cookies, including a chocolate oatmeal cookie.
Business Wire
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