FROM THE EDITOR


Confection Kennedy’s


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


Our interpack Review begins on page 12 with an editorial report aimed to capture the scale and specificity of what was on show in Düsseldorf. Across automation, packaging, and processing, there was a consistent theme I took away: flexibility is an operational requirement. That thread runs through everything we saw on the show floor.


On page 16, we also feature an exclusive press event hosted by Syntegon and alongside this, pages 20–23 features not one, not two, but three keynote reports that each approach the industry from a different angle — from digital transformation and sustainability pressures, to the resolute expectations of global consumers. They offer a useful snapshot of how quickly the agenda is shifting, particularly as manufacturers balance efficiency with increasingly complex product and regulatory demands.


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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 © 2026 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


Kiran Grewal, Editor kgrewal@kennedys.co.uk


MAY 2026 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • 3


That sense of forward motion is mirrored in our own plans. We are pleased to announce the first two speakers for the London Chocolate Forum 2026, taking place on 5 October at the iconic Hippodrome Casino in London. The programme continues to take shape, and these early confirmations already signal the breadth of perspectives we aim to bring together this year. Jonas Rosales of Islands Chocolate and Semilla Escuela de Cacao will bring insights grounded in origin and long-term sustainability, drawing on his work across Nicaragua’s emerging fine-flavour cocoa landscape. Alongside him, nutrition expert Charlotte Radcliffe of The Nutrition Consultant Ltd. will explore the growing influence of GLP-1 treatments on chocolate consumption patterns and what that means for format, positioning, and product development across the category. It’s an increasingly important conversation, particularly as consumer behaviour begins to shift in ways the industry is still learning to interpret.


Elsewhere in this issue, we look at how functional ingredients are moving further into mainstream confectionery applications (page 24), how automation and AI integration is accelerating across production environments (page 30), and how lean manufacturing principles are being re-examined in the context of smart factories and IIoT (page 34). Our quality control feature (page 40) rounds this out with a practical look at inspection challenges and the technologies being deployed to address them.


I hope you enjoy the in-depth reportage we aim to provide you every issue, and take away something new. We welcome any feedback and comments, so don’t hesitate to reach out to the Kennedy’s team!


EDITOR’S LETTER T


here’s a particular clarity that follows a major trade fair, after the adrenaline and ache in your feet wears off (just me?). Having taken a good look at the numerous photographs snapped on my phone at interpack 2026 just a few


short weeks ago, or listening back to the various transcripts from interviews and keynotes, we see what it really reveals about where confectionery manufacturing is heading next, and the real drivers for packaging and processing.


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