Dutch company, Caotech, can offer grinding and mixing equipment for use in the cocoa and chocolate industry. This equipment is widely used in the confectionery and cocoa industry.

Equipment for cocoa processing starts with a pre-grinder, a Beater Blade Mill type N5000 - a joint development between Caotech and Dr.-Ing. Bauermeister - for the continuous pre-grinding of cocoa nibs. Equipped with specially composed alloy-blades, the mill generates a high output - capacities up to 5,000kg/hr - with minimal maintenance requirements.

Suzanne Callander examines some of the latest chocolate tempering machines on the market.

The trick to chocolate tempering is to accurately control the temperature of melted chocolate - first cooling and then heating slightly, while also ensuring that the chocolate is mixed in just the right way. This ensures that the chocolate crystals form in a uniform way. We take a look at some of the latest tempering machines on the market and find out about some of their features.

Suzanne Callander takes a look at confectionery manufacturing innovations from Swiss based companies.

Swiss-based Sigpack Systems, part of the Bosch Group, uses state-of-the-art robotic pick & place technology to ensure profitability for its confectionery customers, which include Chocolat Frey.

Although the manufacture of toffee is often considered a traditional process using traditional equipment, there is a huge amount of innovation taking place in the development of modern toffee cooking systems. Suzanne Callander reports on a few of these.