KitKat Announces Global Commitment to Sustainable Cocoa
01 Sept 2015 --- Global chocolate biscuit brand, KitKat, manufactured by Nestlé, has announced that it will use only sustainably sourced cocoa to manufacture all of its products, and will do so from the first quarter of 2016. It is the first global brand to make such a move.
The confectionery industry has been under scrutiny as reports that child labor still exists on its cocoa farms have been uncovered.
KitKat’s move is part of Nestle’s goal to source 150,000 tons of sustainably produced cocoa annually by 2017. Nestle began switching KitKat to Fairtrade cocoa in the U.K. in 2010 and has been expanding its use of certified beans to Canada, Australia, South Africa and throughout Europe.
Sandra Martinez, Head of Confectionery for Nestlé, said: “We’re delighted to be a flag bearer for the industry, as the first global chocolate brand to announce such a move.
“Sustainable cocoa sourcing helps safeguard the livelihoods of farming communities and delivers higher quality cocoa beans. This announcement will only strengthen consumer trust in KitKat as a responsible brand.”
The initiative, which coincides with KitKat's 80th birthday, is part of Nestlé’s commitment to source 150,000 tonnes of sustainably produced cocoa by 2017 via the Nestlé Cocoa Plan.
The Nestlé Cocoa Plan aims to improve the lives of cocoa farming communities and the quality of the cocoa Nestlé purchases.
