GCC Confectionery Insights Courses℠ are unique to the industry and are collaborations between Judy Cooley and other confectionery experts in each category. Courses are specifically designed to be presented to companies, with your company’s needs in mind, presented in your facility and typically include hands-on activities to maximize learning for your employees. Class size may be limited depending on your facility and requirements. Please see details about each course including instructor information.  Courses can also be “tailor-made” for your company.

Is there a difference in cacao and cocoa? What makes some chocolate so very smooth and creamy while others seem to be more waxy? Would you like to know more about where cacao comes from and why it is called “the food of the gods”?  If so, this course is for you!

This course encompasses the art of chocolate making – from proper cacao bean selection to cocoa processing resulting in the perfect chocolate flavor for your finished product! Chocolate topics include QA/QC, manufacturing, trouble-shooting of cocoa and chocolate processing.

Instructor: Craig Rank | Assistant Instructor: Judy Cooley | Learn More

What is cool about mints? Why are some mints more refreshing than others? Why do some chewing gums enable bubble blowing while others do not? If you could benefit from insight into the world of mints and gum, this course is for you.

This course is for newcomers to the cool business of mints and chewing gum who could benefit from some technical insights. It is designed for sales professionals, customer service, distributors, ingredient suppliers, applications specialists, procurement and anyone who wants to know more about how mints and chewing gum are made. 

Instructors:  Judy Cooley and Craig Rank | Learn More

Starch moulding is the process by which gummi bears, orange slices, jujubes and other “shaped” chewy candies are made. This is our only highly technical course and encompasses ingredients, formulation, starch mould design, processing, drying, finishing, starch conditioning, product defects and troubleshooting.

Instructors: Judy Cooley | Learn More

How are products developed in the confectionery industry? What is the process for managing innovation? How do we align and integrate with our customer’s innovation? If you need to understand and navigate the way companies conceive, develop and commercialize innovations, or you need to optimize your own process and practices, then this course is for you!

This course is for newcomers to the confectionery industry or confectionery “insiders” who could benefit from understanding the process and practices for innovation and creation of new products in their own companies, and in those of their customers and clients. Topics include product development, pipeline management and open innovation. The course is designed for sales professionals, customer service, distributors, ingredient or equipment suppliers, contract manufacturers and co-packers, applications specialists, procurement and anyone who wants to know more about how new chocolate and candy products are developed. 

Instructor: Judy Cooley | Learn More

How is the coating applied to jelly beans in such a perfectly smooth, consistent manner? Why do chocolate-coated almonds have such a smooth, shiny coating? Why is the coating on some products soft while others have a crunch? Panning is an art as much as a science. These courses are designed for R&D or production personnel and will provide tools to problem solve, increase efficiency while providing cost-effective solutions for different center materials for everyday or premium brands.

Courses are specifically designed according to the needs of your company, can include “hands-on” activities in your facility, can cover either chocolate and/or sugar soft or hard panning depending on need. Available in Spanish!

Instructors: Jorge Bouzas and Judy Cooley | Learn More

Candy is a treat for consumers all over the world! What will consumers be reaching for in the coming year? What are the biggest companies doing to bring innovation to this ever-changing category? How is the confectionery industry changing its offerings to meet the growing demands of health-conscious consumers in various parts of the world?The global confectionery industry is dynamic and rapidly changing to accommodate the preferences of today’s Millennials, Baby Boomers, Generation Z and the aging population. This course highlights the 2016-2017 confectionery industry trends, bringing you up-to-date insight into the innovation path being chosen by confectionery companies all over the world. Available in Spanish!

Instructors: Jorge Bouzas and Judy Cooley | Learn More