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London, UK – From Easter eggs in the UK and Germany to refined gifting boxes in France and Switzerland, Europe continues to dominate the seasonal chocolate industry, accounting for half of the world’s top 10 seasonal chocolate markets by value, according to market intelligence company Euromonitor International.

Among those top markets, the fastest value growth in 2025 is being recorded in Switzerland (23%), Germany (18%) and France (18%). However, this surge is largely price-driven rather than demand-led, reflecting the impact of tariffs and the passthrough of high cocoa commodity costs. Outside of Europe, the US, Japan, Canada, Brazil and Australia appear on the ranking.

Meanwhile, the global seasonal chocolate market reached USD 16 billion globally in 2025, underlining the category’s enduring importance even as consumers become more price conscious.  According to Euromonitor International’s Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyle Survey, fielded January to February 2026, 29% of global consumers tend to eat snacks during the holidays, a figure that remains unchanged from 2025.

Carl Quash III, global insights manager for snacks at Euromonitor International, said: “Despite chocolates made with costly cocoa still in market and evolving geopolitical risks, like global conflicts and SNAP food restrictions, demand for seasonal chocolate is holding up better than others because of the strong emotional and tradition-driven value assigned to it.”

Retail takes the lead as supermarkets shape Easter chocolate innovation

Supermarket retailers have emerged as some of the most dynamic innovators in the seasonal chocolate space, with retailers such as Aldi, M&S, Waitrose and Costco driving growth through curated collections, limited-edition ranges and experience-led products that tap into consumer demand for novelty and shareability.

According to Quash: “Supermarkets are uniquely positioned in that they hold large consumer reach with real-time visibility into purchasing behaviour, emerging preferences and now more tapped into social media trends – even displaying visually striking ‘Dubai-style’ chocolates and other pistachio-infused creations for example. Unlike traditional retailers, supermarkets provide scale for testing limited editions, rotating seasonal offerings and fulfilling consumer affordability demands through private labels. Retailers are also evolving to quickly reposition brand identity and create in-store experiences that feel fresh, relevant and exclusive.”

Climate change and geopolitical tensions impact the market in the coming years

While seasonal chocolate continues to show strong global growth, the underlying story is less about rising consumption and more about rising costs. Value gains across key markets are being driven primarily by higher prices linked to the ongoing cocoa supply crisis, itself exacerbated by climate change and sharp harvest decline in major producing countries. At the same time, geopolitical tensions, including trade disruptions and tariffs on key inputs such as cocoa butter, sugar and dairy are adding further pressure to already strained supply chains.

Quash added: “Behind the headline growth in Easter chocolate lies a more complex reality. Climate-related disruptions to cocoa production, combined with geopolitical pressures on trade and inputs have pushed prices higher globally, meaning consumers are often paying more for less, even as the emotional importance of seasonal chocolate remains unchanged.”

Read more insights on Chocolate Confectionery at Euromonitor’s Insights Hub to explore how global trends, pricing pressures and innovation are shaping the future of seasonal chocolate.

CA/India, Apr 06: CriticalRiver Inc. and Anthropic today announced a partnership that positions CriticalRiver among a select group of global organizations chosen to help enterprises adopt and deploy Claude at scale. The partnership marks a significant milestone in CriticalRiver’s evolution as an Agentic Enterprise enabler, bringing its deep implementation expertise to one of the most consequential AI programs launched in 2026.

The AI economy represents a multi-trillion dollar opportunity in the making. Capturing it requires more than access to frontier AI models. For enterprises, it requires a partner who understands their systems, their constraints, and the outcomes they are accountable for. That is precisely the gap this partnership is designed to close, combining Anthropic’s frontier capabilities with CriticalRiver’s deep enterprise implementation expertise to deliver responsible AI where it matters most.

Anthropic has assembled a select group of global partners to serve this role: organizations with the domain depth, engineering rigor, and enterprise reach to take Claude from proof of concept to production. CriticalRiver’s inclusion in that group reflects a decade of outcomes-led work across global enterprises. This is not a badge. It is a mandate.

Backed by an initial $100 million investment for 2026, the Anthropic Claude Partner Network provides enablement, resource acceleration and joint market development for partners helping enterprises adopt Claude, with Anthropic expecting to invest even more over time.

Through the partnership, CriticalRiver gains access to Anthropic’s Partner Portal, Anthropic Academy training materials, priority support, and the first Claude technical certification. For CriticalRiver’s customers, this translates into deeper implementation expertise and faster deployment.

Speaking at the launch of the Anthropic Claude Partner Network, Steve Corfield, Head of Global Business Development and Partnerships at Anthropic, set out the ambition behind the program:

“This infrastructure is built so that any firm, at any scale, can build a Claude practice. Our partners are instrumental in getting enterprises from proof of concept to production with Claude, and we’re making sure they have everything they need to do it,” said Steve Corfield.

At Anthropic’s inaugural Partner Summit in Carlsbad, California, he added, “We really want to demonstrate that Anthropic is the most committed AI company in the world to the partner ecosystem.”

Among the organizations Anthropic has chosen to help deliver on that commitment, CriticalRiver brings the implementation depth to take Claude from pilot to production across some of the world’s most complex enterprise environments.

“Our partnership with Anthropic is a defining step in CriticalRiver’s evolution as an Agentic Enterprise enabler. Anthropic’s commitment to responsible, high-capability AI is exactly the foundation our clients need, and we are proud to be the trusted partner that makes that vision a reality,“ said Anji Maram, Founder and CEO, CriticalRiver Inc.

Invited as part of the first cohort of global partners, the CriticalRiver team attended the Partner Kickoff Summit held earlier this month at Carlsbad, California. The invite-only event brought together select Hyperscaler, System Integrator, Services, and ISV partners for two days of executive keynotes, strategic vision sessions, and go-to-market alignment, themed Win Enterprise AI. Together.

For Tarun Srivastava, Chief Customer Officer at CriticalRiver Inc., the summit reinforced the scale of what is now in motion:

“Feels like one of those early moments you remember later. The focus is not on incremental use cases. It’s on productivity at scale, agentic workflows, and building truly transformational products. There is strong, deliberate investment in the partner ecosystem. The intent is clearly to co-build and take these capabilities into real enterprise environments,” said Tarun Srivastava.

Enterprises that partner with CriticalRiver gain a direct path from AI ambition to AI impact. Enterprises working with CriticalRiver gain access to Claude’s advanced language and reasoning capabilities across their core workflows, from optimizing existing systems and automating manual processes to deploying pre-built vertical solutions that deliver measurable results faster. Whether the goal is reducing operational overhead, accelerating software delivery, or building intelligent agents for complex workflows, CriticalRiver brings the implementation expertise to make it real. As Anthropic continues to scale the Anthropic Claude Partner Network globally, CriticalRiver is positioned to serve as the trusted implementation partner for organizations ready to move from AI ambition to AI reality.

Five new projects span more than 84,000 sqm and create 500 jobs, extending KEZAD’s strong 2025 growth momentum

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 06 April 2026: Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi – KEZAD Group, one of the largest operators of integrated and purpose-built economic zones in the region, today announced that it has attracted five new industrial and logistics projects across KEZAD Al Ain and KEZAD Al Ma’mourah – Abu Dhabi, with investors committing a combined investment of AED 147 million, a total footprint of over 84,000 square metres, and the creation of 500 jobs.

The projects include Haber/Elixir, which will establish an oilfield chemicals blending facility; Grand Line Industries, which will set up a car cleaning products manufacturing facility; Precent Enterprises Metals Coating, which will develop a metal forming and coating facility; Unibal Group Investment, which will develop its second industrial and logistics warehousing project in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its first project in KEZAD Al Ain (Unibal Park II). Meanwhile, Al Lul Transport & General Contracting, will develop a major industrial and logistics warehousing project in KEZAD Al Ma’mourah.

The projects add to the momentum KEZAD built in 2025, when it reached 73.6 sq km of leased land, recording 3.3 sq km of net new land leases, with 67 per cent of total land leases linked to industrial and manufacturing activity. The AD Ports Group’s Economic Cities & Free Zones cluster, which KEZAD Group is a part of, also reported AED 2.87 billion in revenue in 2025, up 45 per cent year on year. 

Abdullah Al Hameli, Chief Executive Officer, Economic Cities & Free Zones, AD Ports Group, said: “These new projects reflect steady demand for industrial and logistics assets that support real economic activity in Abu Dhabi. The combined scale of investment, the diversity of sectors involved, and the 500 jobs these projects are expected to create are the highlights of these projects. This is the kind of growth that strengthens Abu Dhabi’s industrial base in practical terms, adding production capability, warehousing capacity, and long-term value across the wider trade ecosystem.”

Four of the projects are in KEZAD Al Ain, where they represent a little more than a combined 37,400 square metres, AED 47 million in investment, and 200 jobs. The fifth project, located in KEZAD Al Ma’mourah in Abu Dhabi, represents more than 46,500 square metres, AED 100 million in investment, and 300 jobs, making it the largest of the five by both value and employment.

The latest agreements show that businesses continue to choose KEZAD for infrastructure that is ready, connected, and built for growth. From specialist chemicals and metal processing to warehousing and logistics development, these projects add depth to KEZAD’s industrial offering and support its role in enabling investors to scale with confidence in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The new agreements come at a time when KEZAD continues to expand its industrial and warehousing base. In 2025, the Economic Cities & Free Zones cluster delivered 146,000 square metres of new warehouse capacity, while maintaining 91 per cent warehouse occupancy despite this additional supply. KEZAD also continued to advance specialised hubs including Metal Park, Rahayel Auto and Mobility City, Agtech Park, and Abu Dhabi Food Hub, widening its offer across core industrial sectors.

As Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen its industrial and logistics base, KEZAD Group remains focused on enabling investors with integrated solutions that bring together industrial land, warehousing, utilities, and connectivity within one operating environment.

Virgin Atlantic is increasing services between London Heathrow and Bengaluru (Bangalore) from 11 to 13 flights per week from 1st June 2026 through to the end of the Summer season, marking a significant step towards double–daily operations on the route. 

The enhanced schedule builds on the airline’s growing Bengaluru presence and follows the introduction of additional frequencies earlier this year. The move reflects Virgin Atlantic’s continued focus on strengthening its India network and optimising connectivity across key global markets. 

With India representing Virgin Atlantic’s largest area of growth outside the United States, the expanded Bengaluru schedule complements the airline’s double daily services from London Heathrow to both Delhi and Mumbai. It also further deepens the airline’s partnership with IndiGo, enabling seamless connections to more than 30 destinations across India, including Goa, Amritsar and Jaipur. 

As one of India’s leading technology and innovation hubs, Bengaluru plays a critical role in global business travel. Increasing frequency on the route will support more consistent connectivity between the city and the UK, while improving access to onward destinations across North America, including Toronto, Seattle, San Francisco and New York JFK, through Virgin Atlantic’s joint venture with Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM. 

The Bengaluru service continues to be operated by Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, offering 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium and 192 Economy seats, alongside the airline’s signature Upper Class social space.

Virgin Atlantic has significantly grown its presence in India since 2019, increasing capacity by over 250% and now offering more than 500,000 seats annually between the UK and India. With the continued growth of its Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru services, Virgin Atlantic is also increasing its crew complement on India routes, raising the number of crew per flight to six to further enhance the onboard experience.

 Shivani Singh, Country Manager – India, Virgin Atlantic, added: “India continues to be one of Virgin Atlantic’s most dynamic and fastest‑growing markets, and Bengaluru is central to that growth. Our enhanced schedule ensures a more consistent and well‑timed service during the busy summer season, complementing our double‑daily flights to Delhi and Mumbai. We are proud to offer customers greater choice and seamless connectivity across the UK, North America and beyond. This milestone reinforces Bengaluru’s position as a key market for Virgin Atlantic and reflects our long‑term commitment to India and to making every journey thoughtful, seamless, and memorable.” 

Virgin Atlantic also announced that flight VS358/359 operating on the London Heathrow–Mumbai (LHR–BOM) route will temporarily switch from the Boeing 787 to the Airbus A350 between 28th March and 15th May 2026. This change adds 30% more capacity on the route, further strengthening connectivity during the busy travel season.

Industry veteran to scale Refroid’s AI datacenter infrastructure business globally, leveraging India-based engineering and manufacturing

India – Apr 06 — Refroid Technologies, an India-headquartered datacenter infrastructure company focused on enabling next-generation AI and high-performance datacenters, today announced the appointment of Vijay Sampathkumar as Chief Business Officer (CBO). In this role, Vijay will lead Refroid’s global go-to-market strategy, partnerships, and business expansion, taking the company’s Make-in-India datacenter infrastructure innovations to international markets.

Vijay brings extensive leadership experience in the datacenter cooling and infrastructure ecosystem and has played a key role in advancing next-generation cooling technologies across emerging and high-growth data center markets. At Refroid, he will focus on strengthening strategic partnerships, accelerating adoption of advanced cooling technologies, and scaling the company’s presence across global AI datacenter ecosystems.

Satya Bhavaraju, CEO of Refroid Technologies, commented, “Vijay brings deep domain expertise and a global perspective on datacenter cooling and infrastructure technologies. As AI workloads drive unprecedented demand for high-density datacenters, Refroid is focused on building innovative infrastructure solutions from India for the global market. Vijay’s leadership will be instrumental in scaling our global go-to-market strategy and strengthening our position as an emerging innovator in AI datacenter technologies.”

Vijay Sampathkumar, Chief Business Officer, Refroid Technologies, said: “India is rapidly emerging as a global hub for AI and datacenter innovation. Refroid has a unique opportunity to build globally competitive, Make-in-India datacenter technologies from hybrid load banks to advanced liquid cooling and deliver these innovations to datacenters worldwide. I am excited to help scale Refroid’s global footprint and strengthen partnerships across the AI datacenter ecosystem.”

Prior to joining Refroid, Vijay served as Vice President & Country Manager – India and Southeast Asia at ZutaCore, where he led regional business expansion and drove adoption of direct-to-chip liquid cooling technologies across India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

At Refroid, his role will extend beyond cooling technologies to include the company’s broader portfolio of datacenter infrastructure innovations, including: Single-phase direct-to-chip liquid cooling (DCLC), Immersion cooling systems, Hybrid load banks & Advanced datacenter testing and validation infrastructure

In the initial phase, Vijay will focus on expanding partnerships with server OEMs, AI infrastructure providers, and datacenter operators, while accelerating adoption of liquid cooling technologies including single-phase DCLC and immersion cooling. Refroid will also position its hybrid load banks as a critical solution for testing and validating high-density AI datacenter infrastructure.

With engineering and manufacturing rooted in India, Refroid aims to leverage the Make in India initiative to build globally competitive datacenter technologies that support the growth of energy-efficient and sustainable AI infrastructure worldwide.