Hackettstown, NJ — Popular Mars Chocolate North America brands will appear on instant-lottery games for participating retailers in the fall of 2010, according to Mars Retail Group.

A licensing agreement will allow Mars to develop lottery game cards featuring its brands, such as M&M’s, Snickers, Skittles, Starburst, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way and Twix. Read more at www.candyandsnacktoday.com

New York — Candy and food advertising increased 3.5 percent to $6.2 billion in 2009 amid broader declines, according to Kantar Media.

Total advertising expenditures fell 12.3 percent to $125 billion compared with the previous year, the researcher reports, while total ad spending in the fourth quarter was down six percent.

Though advertising through most media declined, Free Standing Inserts reportedly grew three percent for the year, but were flat in the fourth quarter. Read more at www.candyandsnacktoday.com

Impact Confections, Inc. is sponsoring Hood Games, an urban youth arts organization that hosts events combining music, skateboarding, live art, dance and fashion to develop positive environments for kids.

Impact will donate $5,000, art supplies and candy, as well as branded apparel, to support the organization, according to Andy Telatnik, director of marketing.

“We think that connecting and improving the lives of our consumers, mainly kids, is important,” he explains. “We’re not just a manufacturer; we’re truly trying to make a difference as well, and we’re using our influence to do that.”

Warheads candy is “a huge hit” among consumers at these events, according to the organization’s founder. A youth art crew will help paint the Warheads skatepark for the ESPN Summer X Games 16 in Los Angeles, CA. After the Summer X Games, the skatepark will be donated to Hood Games, which will host several events throughout 2010. Read more at www.candyandsnacktoday.com

The average person intends to spend $17.29 on candy for Easter this year, compared to $16.55 in 2009, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

The NRF 2010 Easter Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey predicts overall spending for the holiday will reach $13.03 billion. Other categories are likely to see increases in sales, with consumers spending an average of $37.45 on food, $6.30 on greeting cards and $18.16 on gifts.

When shopping for Easter merchandise, 64.8 percent of the 8,281 respondents say they will buy from discount stores, while 33.2 percent plan to shop at department stores. Twenty-two percent say they will shop at specialty stores, 13.1 percent will shop online, and 3.7 percent will buy from catalogs.

The NRF suggests 25- to 34-year-olds will spend the most this Easter at $136.79. According to the survey, 71.3 percent of young adults ages 18 to 24 will buy gifts in 2010, compared with 65.8 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds and 65.5 percent of 35- to 44-year-olds. Read more at www.candyandsnacktoday.com

Gum, mint and breath freshener sales have grown through the recession, and research points to what aspects are encouraging sales of the items.

Posting collective growth of 10 percent since 2007, the segment is predicted by Mintel International Ltd. to continue its strong sales through 2014 — as a result of low price points, innovative packaging and unique flavors.

Mintel’s survey found package functionality — those that are reclosable and easy to open — is important to 50 percent of respondents. The study noted 19 percent of consumers are looking for packaging that is environmentally friendly.

The researchers also found 43 percent of consumers try new brands and flavors because they want variety, while 13 percent experiment in order to find one they enjoy.

In gum and mints, breath freshening remains the most important function as claimed by 43 percent of respondents. Read more at www.candyandsnacktoday.com

Barry Callebaut AG / Barry Callebaut and Malaysian Cocoa Board to cooperate on developing superior quality cocoa and chocolate from Malaysia processed and transmitted by Hugin AS. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

* Collaborative research project aiming to improve the quality of cocoa and chocolate in Malaysia comprises:

o Barry Callebaut to provide its “controlled fermentation” technology to produce consistently high quality cocoa beans, increasing the value of Malaysian cocoa beans.

o The Malaysian Cocoa Board to conduct the research in Malaysia, to provide its state-of-the-art facilities and expert staff, and to help select test sites

* Barry Callebaut Malaysia to use controlled fermented “Superior Grade” cocoa beans in innovative cocoa and chocolate products to be sold mainly under the KLK Cocoa and Selbourne brand Read more at money.cnn.com

Thanks to America’s new-found interest in health and fitness, and corporate America’s swift response to it, the market is being inundated with products boasting all sorts of nutritional claims. New offerings, from high-fiber snack bars and antioxidant-fortified beverages to protein-enriched pasta, make it seem as though every consumer product is now some kind of supplement.  Of course, the supplement industry is as healthy as ever, with even casual exercise enthusiasts wondering whether protein powder or an energy drink should be part of their diets.  One sign of the increased interest in health and proper nutrition is the arrival of supplements in non-specialty shops such as grocery stores and corner stores.  The demand for health products has driven a lot of retailers to expand their offerings to serve consumers. Read more at www.bloginity.com

Washington, DC — The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended more strident examination of the ingredients in foods granted GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

At present, the FDA is not required to review substances, such as spices and preservatives, that are added to GRAS foods.

The GAO suggests the FDA determine the safety of these ingredients, with particular attention paid to regulating engineered nanomaterials. It also recommends the agency develop a strategy to require companies that conduct GRAS determinations to provide the FDA with basic information about the safety of inputs, which food manufacturers are not presently required to do. Read more at www.candyandsnacktoday.com

Total retail sales increased in February by 0.3 percent, according to the U.S. Commerce Department’s Census Bureau.

Sales are up by 3.9 percent compared with 2009, the bureau reports. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales grew 0.8 percent. In addition, the National Retail Federation reports February retail industry sales excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants increased by one percent compared with January.

Results varied by channel, according to the NRF, with sales at food and beverage stores rising 1.3 percent compared with January and 3.9 percent from the previous year. Read more at www.candyandsnacktoday.com