COLOGNE, Jan 27 — Candies and chocolates inspired by the tropical and exotic flavours of Brazil may become increasingly popular around the world as Brazilians spend their growing spare change on confectionery, and the country doubles their exports of sweets to countries like the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea.

As an emerging economic powerhouse, Brazil has become the third largest confectionery industry in the world, exporting to 145 countries.

At the world's largest confectionery trade show in Germany this month, a group of candy manufacturers will try to sweet talk more countries into importing the flavours of Brazilian sweets -- flavours that have driven up international sales from US$152 million (RM462 million) in 2000 to US$304 million (RM925 million) a decade later.

Flavours indigenous to Brazil will be showcased in hard and soft candies, chocolates and gums that include: nuts, cherries, passion fruit, mango, coconut, bananas and acerola, a vitamin C-rich sweet-and-sour fruit that looks like a cherry.

Other product launches at the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair will feature coffee, lemon balm, mint, corn sugar and peanut-flavoured sweets.

Meanwhile, the Jelly Belly Candy Company also took inspiration from a popular Brazilian beverage for their newest product launch: a Guarana-flavored jellybean.

Guarana is also known as the ‘eyeball fruit' for its dark spot in the centre and is the size of a coffee bean but contains twice as much caffeine. The fruit is used to flavour carbonated beverages and energy shots or is used as an ingredient in herbal teas and has a distinct ginger ale-apple flavour.

The Guarana jellybeans are caffeine-free.

The International Sweets and Biscuits Fair is expected to draw 1,400 suppliers from around the world to the show in Cologne, Germany, on from January 29 to February 1. — AFP-Relaxnews