How we work
From recipe development, production and packaging to just in time delivery – at CCI, all services come from a single source. This means we can guarantee continuous quality and reliability across all production processes. Our trained specialists are dedicated to ensuring brand-appropriate product implementation. Find out how we turn ideas into successful products!
Our dynamic and dedicated local sales and customer service teams are always eager to hear your wishes and ideas. As a private brand supplier, partnering for collaboration is second nature to us. Transparency, commitment and reliability are the basis of our business relationships. We look forward to working with you in developing a successful product range. We create fitting concepts based on consumer trends, market research data and relevance for you as customer.
We plan and coordinate projects from concept, to execution, through to on time delivery. So that you get what we promised.
Innovation & Development
Knowing what consumers want
No future without development and innovation! The world of confectionery is dynamic: consumer needs are changing, the influence of NGOs is growing, product lifecycles are becoming shorter, and a true evolution in private brands is taking place. Being able to adapt to new developments quickly is essential. We monitor, test and advise. We see opportunities and solutions for developing truly innovative concepts in close collaboration with our customers.
Our highly qualified experts and scientists are constantly working on new creations at our test facility in the Netherlands. Their know-how and experience enable us to meet the short-term and future needs of consumers and our customers.
Production
OUR TRUSTED PRODUCTION KNOW HOW
Not only the quality of the recipe is crucial for the production of first-class sweets, so is the production process. We achieve high-quality results by using state-of-the-art technology.
At our four production facilities, we offer both cost leadership, as well as innovation and flexibility. Our approach is key to our successful portfolio with best quality levels and costs.
Our factories are equipped with automated mixing, cooking and packaging equipment that meet the requirements of a wide range of product groups, packaging types and recipes. We use four different production techniques. Read more about each one of these below.
Crunchy sugar coated confectionery
Making dragees involves a coating process. The number of varieties of dragees is virtually unlimited. Our popular jelly beans, for example, are placed in copper kettles and coated with a crispy, sugar coating which provides a crunchy bite experience. Fruit gums are coated with sour sugar, sugar pearls or flour.
Any shape you like
Our large variety of gums and jellies shapes are created by depositing gum or jelly mass into preformed moulds. Made from cornstarch these moulds are known as powder moulds. First, we develop a creative idea for a clear and attractive shape for sweet gums. Next, drawings of the shapes are made using a 3D programme.
Prior to production, moulds are made with the desired shapes pressed into the powder using plaster or aluminium stamps. After heating, liquid jelly or liquorice is poured into these moulds through nozzles. After a drying and maturing process, the freshly made sweets get their firm consistency.
Once the sweets have hardened, the cornstarch is removed by sieving. The colourful confectionery is (almost) ready. For a shiny finish, it is treated with water vapour, vegetable fat or wax. This also prevents the confectionery from sticking together.
The confectionery is now ready to be automatically weighed and bagged on the packaging lines.
Sweet tasted under pressure
Confectionery in liquorice, liquorice in confectionery, liquorice on confectionery or confectionery on liquorice – all these tasty liquorice varieties are created using extrusion production technology.
During extrusion, the viscous mass is pressed through so-called screw presses (extruders) under high pressure and at high temperature. In this process, added starch gelatinises the mixture into a homogeneous mass. The mass comes out of specially shaped nozzles in long strands or bands. This is how, for example, laces or snails are created. Using broader bands we can also produce sandwich-type layered confectionery. For this, several different mixtures with coconut or fruit flavour are processed at the same time, by way of co-extrusion. After emerging from the nozzles, these layers are placed on top of one another under pressure and cut to the desired size using a cutting blade.
As with gums and jellies, the next step in the production process is drying. The sweets are then ready for packaging.
No corners, no edges
For our sugar free hard-boiled candy, we only use casting production technology. Compared to confectionery that is made using cutting or embossing techniques, this high-quality production technique has the great advantage that the confectionery has a particularly smooth shape without any edges.
As this sugar free candy is not cut from one strand, but is poured into small moulds, it has an extremely smooth surface. With no sharp corners and edges, it offers the best candy eating experience and has an attractive appearance.
In this production process, the hot, liquid candy mixture is poured into moulds. Once the candy has cooled, it is pushed out of the moulds using cylindrical pins. The hard candy then progresses to the packaging line, where a variety of packaging options are available.
Packaging
A feast for the eyes
Confectionery belongs to the group of products that are strongly impulse-dependent. In fact, confectionery spontaneously ends up in consumer shopping carts in over 70% of the cases. Reason why, it is important to ensure a striking and appealing presentation of goods at the POS, which draws consumers’ attention to the product.
CCI actively supports you in the design and implementation of your packaging ideas. Our designers collaborate to bring new designs that fit your brand. We can also take care of the printing and production of your packaging.
We’ve got it wrapped!
Appearance is important when choosing packaging, but other key factors include: product quality preservation, food safety, protection of the product and safety during transportation.
Importantly also, packaging provides consumers with purchase-relevant and regulatory product information. The list of ingredients, nutritional information and even storage instructions – all of this information is provided by our QA and is assessed in accordance with food regulation requirements.
What type of packaging do you require? We will gladly advise you which packaging type is best suited for your product. Flexible, automated production technology enables us to quickly adapt to different types of packaging, individual packaging sizes and different product requirements.
Quality management
Tried and tested
Before a product goes on sale, many control points and regulatory requirements must be checked.
We ensure the quality of the products throughout the entire production chain.
We do so through close monitoring: including analytical and sensory control of incoming goods, in-process control and control of outgoing goods.
Continuous quality is also ensured thanks to strict safety and hygiene regulations, regular hygiene checks, training by external specialists and self-monitoring audits. We ensure correct specifications, marketability, product safety and impeccable quality of all our confectionary.
We subject our products to regular tests by independent laboratories. This ensures a consistently high quality that you can rely on at all times. This quality assurance is repeatedly confirmed by numerous independent and external certifications such as IFS (International Food Standard) and BRC (British Retail Consortium).
We receive awards from the DLG (German Agricultural Society) for our long standing product quality. Our products regularly win gold and silver awards.
We care for our environment. Sustainability is essential for us as food producer. We use resources from sustainably sourced palm oil (RSPO), cocoa and chocolate (UTZ, Fair Trade). In addition, we use sustainable packaging that meets the requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
We also constantly focus on reducing our carbon footprint in the chain. This is achieved through effective energy management and the introduction of new energy efficient technologies.
We commit to caring for the people we work with and serve. Health and safety of our colleagues is our top priority. We want all our colleagues to be able to go home in good health each and every day. We achieve this by complying with all regulatory requirements, coaching and training and by making sure our equipment and materials comply with all present and future standards.
Supply Chain & Logistics
We deliver your goods – on time and in full
We share sweet moments with consumers in over 30 countries worldwide.
For you, as a customer, a crucial factor is the optimal availability of our products.
Intelligent supply chain management ensures continuity in the delivery of raw materials, cost-effective warehousing and an efficient flow of goods. Thanks to state-of-the-art goods management and logistics systems, and close cooperation with leading freight forwarders, we are able to guarantee short delivery times, effective order-to-cash process, a high delivery capacity and high product quality.
The supply and delivery of your private brand confectionery is carried out in close coordination with your goods management system and seamlessly fits into your supply chain, on a just in time basis. Accurate sales volume planning ensures the constant availability of goods. We ensure efficient shipping to keep costs low.
On time and reliable delivery of your products at your premises!