FROM THE EDITOR


EDITORIAL Editor


Kiran Grewal


kgrewal@kennedys.co.uk Features Editor


Suzanne Callander scallander@kennedys.co.uk


Production & Design Marc Miller


ADVERTISING


Business Development Manager


Gary Smythson


gsmythson@kennedys.co.uk 01622 699183


Subscriptions Manager Nic Wood


nic.wood@c-cms.com EVENTS


Gary Smythson


gsmythson@kennedys.co.uk 01622 699183


ACCOUNTS accounts@datateam.co.uk


EDITOR’S LETTER T


here’s something about turning the page that reminds you just how much can change in a short span. You may notice that this issue of Kennedy’s Confection looks a little different. We’ve given the magazine a gentle


redesign: cleaner lines, a more modern pace, and, I hope, a layout that reflects the clarity and energy of the stories we’re telling. We’d love your thoughts on it, so don’t hesitate to reach out.


This month, we bring some new voices to our readers. On page 10, we sit down with Niels Wielaard of Satelligence, who’s harnessing satellite data to monitor deforestation in cocoa-producing regions. And on page 12, Mark Golder of Win-Win speaks candidly about disrupting the very idea of chocolate itself, with a cocoa- free alternative that’s already generating equal parts curiosity and acclaim.


Our features this month are stories of transformation, whether it’s fermented ingredients changing the sustainability equation (page 16), or the emergence of robotics that can handle delicate confections with almost human finesse (page 22). There’s also a close look at the GS1 digital barcoding (page 26), and the rise of hybrid packaging materials (page 32) that are challenging brands to rethink not just how they wrap, but how they’re read by consumers.


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Kennedy’s Confection magazine is available by subscription at the following rate for 10 issues: UK £99 • Europe £149


Rest of World £149 • Online £75 All enquiries to nic.wood@c-cms.com


Published by:


Kennedy’s Publications, 15A London Road Maidstone, Kent ME16 8LY Tel +44 (0) 1622 687031


www.kennedysconfection.co.uk


Kennedy’s Confection ISSN 1474-3841


Set up in 1890, Kennedy’s Confection is the longest– established magazine in the trade and is distributed


exclusively worldwide to manufacturers of chocolate, sugar confectionery and bakery products.


Kennedy’s Publications


Part of the Datateam Media Group Media Director Paul Ryder


Registered in England No. 1771113. Entire contents © 2025 Kennedy’s Publications, part of the Datateam Media Group. Material may not be


reproduced in any form without the publisher’s written approval.


For details on reprints and permissions, contact the director of Kennedy’s





Kiran Grewal, Editor kgrewal@kennedys.co.uk


MAY 2025 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • 3


And then there’s the London Chocolate Forum 2025, which we preview on page 6 with no small amount of excitement. We’re thrilled to announce two Silver Exhibitors: Hames Chocolates and CAPOL, each bringing a legacy of innovation and craft to the table. Equally exciting is the keynote we’ve just confirmed: Salomon Kalou—yes, the former Chelsea FC forward (!!)—will take the stage to share the story behind his new venture, Oumé. If you caught wind of their soft launch earlier this year, you’ll know this is far more than a celebrity side project. Oumé is a serious effort to create ethical, community-rooted chocolate, and Salomon’s move from the pitch to the plantation is as unexpected as it is inspiring. Early bird tickets are still available, but for a really limited time now, so I would grab them while you can!


Elsewhere in the issue, Movers and Shakers (page 42) highlights the individuals reshaping the business from within. These are the people making the industry smarter, more agile, and more open to new ways of thinking. They remind me that behind every trend is a person—or more often, a team—willing to take a risk before the rest of us see the opportunity.


As ever, I hope these pages give you both substance and spark. If they prompt a second look at your supply chain, or make you see a familiar product with fresh eyes, then we’ve done our job. And if they remind you—like they’ve reminded me—that our industry is as much about people as it is about product, then we’ve done something even better.


Thanks for reading, and for being part of this story.


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