Alyse Thompson-Richards

Created by Melissa Evans, a mother of four, these USDA-certified organic lollipops contain pectin and honey, which are meant to help soothe sore throats.

The global chocolate and confectionery machinery market will grow 7.1 percent over the next five years, reaching nearly $4 billion in 2021, says a new report about food processing equipment by The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based research firm.

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) has launched an online map documenting flavor profiles of cocoa produced by the nonprofit humanitarian organization’s farmer and cooperative partners.

Organic ingredients supplier Ciranda has shifted 100 percent of its ownership to its employees, the Hudson, Wis.-based company announced last week.

What do pizza slices, CeeLo Green and futuristic fuel pumps have in common? They were all at Chicago’s McCormick Place last week for the NACS Show, sponsored each year by what was once known as the National Association of Convenience Stores. (Now the association goes by NACS, the Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing.)

Zollipops, created by 12-year-old “kidpreneur” Alina Morse, has become the top-selling sugar-free hard candy on Amazon, just before Halloween.

Chocolate brand FlavaNaturals will launch FlavaBar chocolate bars and FlavaMix drinking chocolate with cocoa flavanols at levels shown to support brain, heart, skin and circulatory health.