Nestle to Introduce Fairtrade Kit Kat to UK Market

Focusing predominantly on the Ivory Coast, the world's largest cocoa producing country, the aim of The Cocoa Plan is to use Nestle's agricultural and scientific know-how to improve the quality and yield of cocoa plants.

7 Dec 2009 --- Nestle UK has announced that Kit Kat, its leading confectionery brand and the UK's favourite chocolate biscuit - will be certified Fairtrade in the UK and Ireland. This move follows the October launch of Nestle's global Cocoa Plan which represents a 65 million pounds Sterling investment over the next ten years in programmes to address the key economic, social and environmental issues facing cocoa farming communities.

Focusing predominantly on the Ivory Coast, the world's largest cocoa producing country, the aim of The Cocoa Plan is to use Nestle's agricultural and scientific know-how to improve the quality and yield of cocoa plants, offer farmer training and education and improve the social conditions for farmers and their communities.

Fairtrade certification of Kit Kat will facilitate long term direct commitments to cocoa co-operatives including additional payments for the farmers to invest in community or business development projects of their own choice, such as improving healthcare and schools. The first Kit Kats to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark in the UK and Ireland will be the four-finger version from January 2010.

David Rennie, Managing Director, Nestle Confectionery, said: "Nestle sells more Kit Kats in the UK than anywhere else in the world and I am delighted that following the launch of the global Cocoa Plan, Kit Kat - our leading confectionery brand - will now be Fairtrade certified in the UK and Ireland. UK consumers are increasingly interested in how we source and manufacture their favourite products and certifying our largest and most iconic brand is one of the ways in which we are committing to improving the lives of as many cocoa farming families as possible. Over 6000 Ivorian farmers will benefit immediately as a result of announcement."

Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, said: "The Fairtrade Foundation congratulates Kit Kat on this break-through for cocoa farmers. It is sweet news for the nation's Kit Kat lovers and gives a welcome break to all those cocoa farmers in Cote d'Ivoire who need Fairtrade to improve their livelihoods and communities. Mainstream brands such as Kit Kat bring the critical mass that is needed to tip the balance of trade in favour of disadvantaged cocoa farmers."

Describing the Nestle global Cocoa Plan Petraea Heynike, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Nestle S.A. said: "Cocoa is vital to the livelihoods of nearly 50 million people worldwide, including 5 million farmers. The most effective way for cocoa farmers to increase their income is by increasing quality and productivity of their harvests. By combining the funding of farmer training and educations schemes with an extensive tree plantlet programme our Cocoa Plan aims to give farmers the best and most effective means to better their livelihoods."

Commenting on the news Trade and Development Minister, Gareth Thomas, said: "I am glad to see Kit Kat become Fairtrade certified, giving more British shoppers the chance to improve the lives of some of the world's poorest people.

"This will give thousands of Ivorian cocoa farmers better opportunities to trade their way out of poverty."

Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell MP said: "This is real and important progress. There are many competing brands of Fairtrade chocolate available to British consumers and they all help bring progress and stability to the lives of poor farmers in the developing world. The Fairtrade movement has been going from strength to strength and announcement marks further progress."

Nestle has been working in the Ivory Coast, one of the poorest countries in the world, for over 50 years. As a leader in cocoa and coffee plant science Nestle has pioneered techniques to produce higher quality seedlings and help farmers increase productivity, investing over 35 million pounds in sustainability initiatives in the last 15 years and supplying over 17 million coffee and cocoa plantlets to producer countries. Certifying its biggest confectionery brand brings to life a shared ambition between Nestle and Fairtrade to empower Ivorian cocoa farmers to help them improve their lives and give them a better deal in return for high-quality cocoa.

Additional sustainability initiatives which will be funded by Nestle as part of The Cocoa Plan include:
-- Plant expertise - improving the quantity and quality of yields by providing 12 million stronger, more productive cocoa tree plantlets to farmers over the next 10 years.
 -- Farmer training and assistance - teaching more efficient, sustainable farming methods, such as the effective pruning of trees, fermentation and drying of beans.
 -- Improving the supply chain - Nestle is committed to buy beans from farms which use sustainable practices; helping cooperatives and farmer associations by speeding up the process from farm to export.
 -- Better social conditions - Nestle is working with partner organisations such as the International Cocoa Initiative and the World Cocoa Foundation to tackle issues such as child labour and poor access to education.