ECRM is launching 2021 Global Market: Food & Beverage, a new product discovery experience that will bring together retail buyers and product suppliers from around the world to meet face-to-face on June 28 through July 2.

On average, consumers are expected to spend $179.70 on Easter festivities, a record for the 13 years the federation has conducted the survey. That’s up from $175.85 in 2020.

Award-winning pastry chef Claude Escamilla will introduce his reimagined pastry shop, SWEET SIN by Claude Escamilla, at The LINQ Promenade next month. 

British chocolatier and retailer Thorntons announced it will close 61 retail stores as a result of continued pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic.

CandyStore.com reviewed more than 13 years of candy sales data and the results from more than 10,000 survey responses to map out jelly bean flavor preferences.

ECRM says top-tier buyer participation has also grown over 20 percent since before the pandemic as retailers and foodservice operators have embraced virtual.

Owners of Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier have announced plans to take over a former GODIVA Chocolatier store at the Saint Louis Galleria in St. Louis, Mo.

GODIVA announced in January it would leave its 128 North American stores through sales and closures in order to focus on its online and food, drug and mass retail sales.