Nestlé strengthens its commitment to sustainable cocoa sourcing by certifying its flagship UK confectionery brand
Nestlé 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 Nestlé’s global Cocoa Plan which represents a £65 million 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 (Côte d’Ivoire), the world’s largest cocoa producing country, the aim of The Cocoa Plan is to use Nestlé’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.
