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World / 4 hours ago
Who really powers the world’s hot chocolate market?
The Netherlands has emerged as the world’s largest hot chocolate exporter, which accounts for 23.5% of global exports and is valued at approximately $813 million, according to the World’s Top Exports. The Netherlands has emerged as the world’s largest hot chocolate exporter, which accounts for 23.5% of global exports and is valued at approximately $813 million, according to the World’s Top Exports. The country’s dominance reflects its long-established role as a global cocoa processing and food manufacturing hub, centred around the Port of Amsterdam and advanced agri-processing infrastructure.
Business / 5 hours ago
Most popular cola brands in Germany
Coca-Cola has been Germany’s leading cola brand for decades, supported by extensive bottling infrastructure, aggressive marketing and deep integration into the country’s retail and hospitality sectors. Coca-Cola has been Germany’s leading cola brand for decades, supported by extensive bottling infrastructure, aggressive marketing and deep integration into the country’s retail and hospitality sectors. According to Statista, Coca-Cola consistently ranks as the most purchased soft drink brand in Germany, far ahead of competitors in both sales volume and brand recognition.
Business / 7 weeks ago
China dominates global apple market
The world’s appetite for apples continues to grow, and at the centre of this fruity boom is China. According to a recent graphic showing the world’s largest apple producers, China alone is estimated to cultivate around 48 million metric tonnes of apples in 2024, by far the largest single-country output. That figure is backed by the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS), which, in its “China: Fresh Deciduous Fruit Annual” report, estimates China’s apple production at approximately 48 MMT for the marketing year 2024/25.
Culture / 8 weeks ago
Spanish dominates South America, but its linguistic map tells a richer story
Across South America, it’s the colour orange on the language map that stands out most. Spanish is the official language in most countries of the continent, with green marking the territory of Portuguese, namely Brazil. From Argentina to Venezuela, Spanish is the dominant official language. Brazil remains the notable exception, with Portuguese as its sole official language.
Business / 8 weeks ago
Global wheat consumption hits record levels as demand surges across Asia and Europe
Global wheat consumption is climbing to record highs, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The 2024/25 season is expected to see both production and demand increase, led by strong harvests in Asia and Europe. Wheat, one of the world’s most essential grains, remains a critical part of diets across continents, from bread and noodles to cereals and animal feed, and current figures show no sign of slowing demand. China stands as the world’s largest wheat consumer, using about 148 million metric tonnes annually.
Politics / 8 weeks ago
UN votes to end U.S. embargo on Cuba
In the latest United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) vote on October 29, 2025, 165 countries supported a resolution calling for an end to the decades-long U.S. embargo on Cuba. In contrast, only seven voted against and twelve abstained. It’s the 33rd time the UN has called for the embargo to be lifted, yet the United States remains firm in its position. According to Reuters, the countries opposing the motion were the United States, Israel, Ukraine, Hungary, Paraguay, Argentina, and North Macedonia, a small group standing against near-universal consensus.
