Nestlé International Travel Retail (NITR) is set to introduce the first KitKat made with cocoa sourced from beans grown by families engaged in its income accelerator programme. These KitKat products will be initially available in European travel retail in the coming months.
The latest offering under Nestlé’s Breaks for Good programme underlines the confectionary company’s strong sustainability credentials. The initiative aims to connect travellers with Nestlé’s farming community and promote the sustainability of the cocoa used.
The KitKat wrapper will feature a bold Sustainably Sourced Cocoa stamp and QR code, linking consumers to further details on the programme and its impact on the lives of cocoa-farming communities.
Chocolate made with sustainably sourced cocoa will be used in most KitKat products, including KitKat’s new Destination Packs, KitKat Chunky, Mini Mix and its popular Sharing Bags.
The launch of this offering will be supported by an extensive Breaks for Good campaign.
NITR General Manager Stewart Dryburgh said: “KitKat is a key brand, not just for us, but generally in the travel retail confectionery category.
“KitKat has consistently embraced innovation, centred around its iconic ‘Have a break, Have a KitKat’ tagline, and is now taking a huge step to embrace sustainability. Breaks for Good puts cocoa farmers – and our mission for a sustainable future for all involved in the cocoa and chocolate production chain – at the centre of our products. And, of course, at the centre of the confectionery category in travel retail.
“KitKat is such a noticeable brand, perfect to represent Nestle’s efforts to create meaningful impact in cocoa communities.”
Launched in January 2022, Nestlé’s income accelerator programme was designed to improve the livelihoods of cocoa-farming families and to help fight child labour risks through changes in behaviour and rewarding positive practices – both within the home and on the farm.
The initiative also focuses on the advancement of agriculture practices.
Payments are equally divided between the male and female heads of family, empowering women to represent positive change by saving, investing and sharing responsibilities.
The programme builds on the progress of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, which was launched in 2009. It has benefitted more than 150,000 cocoa-farming households so far, building on three pillars: better farming, aiming to improve livelihoods in communities; better lives, aiming to improve social conditions for families; and better cocoa, aiming to improve product sustainability.
The income accelerator programme marks another major step towards reaching Nestlé’s ambition to transform its global cocoa sourcing and achieve full traceability and physical segregation of its cocoa product from origin to factory.
Cocoa-farming communities are affected by significant challenges, from rural poverty and increasing climate risks to a lack of access to financial services and basic infrastructure, such as water, healthcare and education. These factors can lead to social issues, including the prevalence of child labour risk on family farms.
Nestlé, through this initiative, aims to combat child labour risks and deforestation by incentivising cocoa-farming families that enrol their children in school, implement good agricultural practices, engage in agroforestry activities, and diversify their incomes.
The scheme rewards cocoa-farming families not just for the quantity and quality of their cocoa beans, but also for practices that bring value to the environment and local community.
So far, the programme has benefitted over 10,000 families in Côte d’Ivoire and is expanding to Ghana this year to reach some 30,000 families.
By 2030, Nestlé’s target is to include around 160,000 cocoa-farming families in its global cocoa supply chain to create an impact at scale.
The company has teamed up with various partners and suppliers to support its journey towards sustainable cocoa sourcing and achieving complete traceability through the programme.
According to Nestlé, the cocoa mass from the income accelerator programme adheres to one of the highest traceability standards, ensuring ‘mixed identity preserved’ traceability, enabling cocoa to be traced and stored separately.
Cargill Product Line Director Cocoa & Chocolate, Europe West Africa Michiel van der Bom said: “Cargill is committed to supporting Nestlé’s longer-term goals and their progress on delivering the income accelerator programme.
“As a partner on Nestlé’s sustainability journey, we are implementing solutions to source sustainable ingredients for Nestlé in ways that help restore the environment, support families, and increase incomes. Through our partnership, we are building a stronger, more resilient supply chain together.”
Rainforest Alliance Manager Strategic Accounts Thierry Touchais added: “We’re delighted to collaborate with Nestlé on their journey towards more sustainable cocoa sourcing.
“It’s encouraging to find a company of this scale using a ‘mixed identity preserved’ model, in which cocoa can be traced back to Rainforest Alliance-certified farmers engaged in Nestlé’s income accelerator. The approach showcases the potential for positive change in the industry.”
By the middle of the year, Nestlé plans to use segregated cocoa butter for all its KitKat chocolate in Europe, with plans to expand to other regions in the coming years. ✈
