Almost many food and beverage products now come with legality or Halal label. Yes, it is true that Halal trend is now flooding the worldwide world learning that many countries are on their way to manufacture Halal products, for example by holding International rate fair of Halal products on June – July 2010.

In fact it is known that countries from Asia are not the only ones that join the fair, countries from Europe obviously enrolled into the fair as a proof that the needs of Halal foods and products are enlarging from time to time. A great number of manufacturers attempt to introduce their Halal products and they involve themselves in the competitive market of Halal foods and products.

According to its history, the cocoa tree, theobroma cacao, originally came from Central and South America. In the past, cocoa beans were used as currency. Mayans and Aztecs used cocoa beans for religious ceremonies. The Aztec king, Montezuma, trusted that cocoa was the source of strength and was a precious aphrodisiac. Today, most people are more familiar with chocolate.

At first, the Aztec served chocolate with chili peppers, spices, and water and as time progressed, people started to prepare it in different way which was by adding sugar instead of chili peppers for better taste. This invention was experimented after Hernan Cortes, Spanish conquistador, opened a plantation and carried cocoa beans in 1524. Later, they realized that cocoa had great commercial potential so they kept the supply secret for one hundred years.

Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published new guidelines over the nutrition labels that many manufacturers and retailers should print on the front of every food packet to reduce confusion. This decision is related to their effort to help consumers and shoppers in choosing healthier food options. However, the step taken by FSA is in fact bringing about various responses from consumer and health groups. Most of them are disappointed because the scheme that will give them the information about the unhealthy food is just an optional.

Food and Drink Expo is one of the largest UK trade exhibitions for the food and drink industry, held at the NEC, Birmingham. The show, organised by William Reed Business Media, generates close to 24,000 visitors across 4 days including key industry buyers and decision makers visit from all sectors of our industry, from retail, wholesale, foodservice, distribution and manufacturing.