Chocolate Coating in Belt Coaters There are several factors to consider when trying to model coating times At the end of the coating process the chocolate coating must be largely crystallised, otherwise it will soften as latent heat is released after coating Chocolate for coating is untampered hence it will crystallise more slowly than would …
Mar 07
Operational Efficiency – A simple tool to improve your understanding of operations
Operational Efficiency All businesses are under pressure at the moment, there seem to be so many things conspiring against small, medium and even large companies trying to build a future. It is therefore essential to question everything and to operate your business as efficiently as possible to create value and to maximise the benefits from your …
Mar 07
Raw Cocoa – Importance of Primary Processing
Primary Cocoa Processing at plantations is important in achieving bean quality and hence final product quality I have included this in the discussion because it illustrates the importance of primary ingredient processing and quality in the production of high quality finished products. In spite of its botanical origins being in South America, the large scale …
May 16
Chocolate Process Optimising
A major confectionery manufacturer based in the Gulf states needed to re-evaluate their chocolate making process to reduce fat usage and consequently enhance profitability. It was essential not to affect the quality, viscosity or process performance of their high quality chocolate. It was also important that the manufacturing operations were not interrupted by the tests …
Feb 19
Sustainability
Our industry tries to make headlines with sustainability, but in reality are we really considering the issue seriously enough? First of all let’s consider what we actually mean by “sustainability”, I suspect for some it means “how do we make even bigger more efficient manufacturing units”, for some it’s “how do we grab a few …
Jan 07
Some figures on the use of alternative fat approaches in Cocoa products
These calculations show the effect of using higher levels of cocoa butter alternatives on the amount of cocoa bean required for solid chocolate manufacture Modern coca butter alternatives – produced at close to historic cocoa butter prices – could be used with minor recipe changes – such as small increases in cocoa mass levels – …
Jan 07
Cocoa supply and cost investigation
Cocoa “Shortage” – Some Radical Thoughts – Part 2 In part 1 of this article some alternative ideas were proposed for the medium to long term issues associated with Cocoa supply. This article considers the alternatives suggested above in a little more detail Accept Higher Costs and Reduced Supply Raising prices and seeing demand reduced is …
Jan 07
Cocoa Supply Shortage part 1
Cocoa “Shortage” – Some Radical Thoughts – Part 1 There is currently a substantial shortfall in Cocoa crops and factors such as social, political and climate change are probably going continue to steadily (and sometimes radically) reduce traditional sources in the future. Furthermore, most Cocoa is produced by small farmers, and you can’t move small farmers …
Mar 07
Opportunity Alignment
There are fundamentally three “forces” within a business which can contribute to significant changes in its products, efficiency and profitability. Marketing Manufacturing Research and Development It is arguable that finance is a fourth dimension, but in this context the role of finance is often more about evaluating rather than identifying opportunity. However that department can have …
Feb 19
Alternatives to Dairy Ingredients in Confectionery
There are now a number of ingredients which are used as alternatives to dairy products in confectionery. However many of them are essentially non-functional, whilst they provide a bulking agent and a label claim, they do little or nothing to replicate the flavours and textures normally associated with dairy ingredients A series of new technical developments …