"Cadbury" news and stories

British chocolate maker Cadbury accepted a $19.5 billion buyout bid from American giant Kraft Foods in a move that will form the world's largest candy company, the Associated Press reported.

Both Kraft and Hershey were bidding for the U.K. chocolatier. Shareholders are expected to accept Kraft's bid.

Kraft, maker of Toblerone chocolate, Velveeta processed cheese and Oreo cookies, will gain ownership of products including Dairy Milk chocolates and Dentyne gum. Combined, Kraft and Cadbury would have 40 candy brands each with over $100 million in sales, AP reported.

Some people are worried that in the not too distant future, chocolate could become much more rare and expensive... and it's not because of global warming (at least not for the most part). In fact, John Mason, of the Nature Conservation Research Council (based in Ghana), says that "in 20 years chocolate will be like caviar."

This terrible fate is possible mostly because of poor farming practices in Western Africa, where most of the world's chocolate is grown. According to this article from CNN online, farmers clear cut sections of rain forest and work that land to death. The problem with that method of farming is that it is not sustainable: cacao trees (from which chocolate is ultimately produced) on the clear cut land live about 30 years, compared to 75-100 years in the regular rain forest. The farmers would have to then clear another section of rain forest to grow trees on.

There may be hope, though. A handful of different groups have come together to try and solve this problem, including farmers, environmental groups and Cadbury, the British chocolate maker. The interests of each group intersect, and so they've created a scientific research unit to study ways to farm cacao trees sustainably. There may be hope for humanity (and chocolate) yet.

Yesterday, I brought you a story about a victory for Ferrero Rocher. Well today, here's a victory for the little guy.

There's been a five year court battle between Cadbury and an Australian chocolate maker, Darrell Lea. The international chocolate giant claims that it owns the color purple as far as packaging and marketing chocolate is concerned. Cadbury says that Darrell Lea, who uses purple for "its store signage, uniforms and products was too similar to its own and confused customers."

There are only so many colors, in all reality. There are far more people making chocolate products than there are colors to go around. As long as one isn't directly copying the look of another, I think that we can share a few colors.

Source

Time to check in with our sister site GreenDaily for some environmental/food news:

• Water bottles: filters on the go; why we probably don't need as much water as everyone says we do

• Produce: not enough land to grow local stuff?; neighborhood gardening; cantaloupe salmonella scare; raw food safety tips; urban agriculture at its finest; try what one poster calls a "superfood berry"; how far has your fruit traveled?
  

• Milk: California might ban it; buy the best container; try organic; consumers fight back

• Chocolate is even better with when it comes complete with antioxidants and carbon offsets

• Junk Food: Cadbury goes green; organic ice cream; Sun Chips get sunnier
  

• Ball parks: all-you-can-eat seating; will the Nationals stadium be named after PETA?
  

Here's a synopsis of the latest food products and politics news being covered by our fellow bloggers over at Slashfood sister site, GreenDaily:

• Top British scientist predicts a severe food crisis if we continue to have babies, burn fossil fuels, and eat meat
• Headed to SXSW this year? Here's where to eat and drink
  
• Cadbury's commitment to using less plastic will make those chocolate eggs taste even sweeter
• Wish you could cook your hamburger while you drive? Your dreams have come true...
• Prepare yourself for Armageddon with Cheeseburger in a Can
• If you must buy your food from a big box store, at least go to one of these
• The green restaurant movement is picking up steam

Check out GD for tons of food-related info...it's amazing how often the topics of environment and food overlap, especially as farmers explore greener methods and more food goes organic.