Nestlé USA has announced that it will source 100% certified cocoa beans for the entire line of everyday Nestlé Crunch bars - the company’s 75 year old flagship confections brand.
With this move, the company has launched Nestlé Cocoa Plan in the US. The Nestlé Cocoa Plan is the company's global initiative to help improve the lives of cocoa farmers and the quality of their products while also assuring a sustainable cocoa supply for years to come.
According to the company, by the end of 2013, it will purchase enough certified Nestlé Cocoa Plan beans to produce the entire line of everyday Nestlé Crunch bars.
The beans will be certified by UTZ Certified, an independent organization focused on developing sustainable farming and better opportunities for farmers and their families.
NESTLé CRUNCH everyday bars will display this distinction on-pack later this summer by featuring the seal of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, along with expanded messaging on the back panel. However, there will be no increase in price to retailers and no change to the Nestlé Crunch bar's taste.
Nestlé USA Confections & Snacks president Robert Kilmer said that recent surveys have shown that a growing number of consumers are seeking foods made with responsibly-sourced ingredients.
"Actions taken under the Nestlé Cocoa Plan help socially aware consumers feel good about benefitting people and communities in other parts of the world," Kilmer added.
Nestlé USA also announced today a commitment to increase the quantity of Nestlé Cocoa Plan beans purchased each year for its US confections brands. The company's ultimately plans to produce its entire confectionery line with Nestlé Cocoa Plan cocoa.
The Nestlé Cocoa Plan, first launched globally in 2009, is a $120m effort to help improve cocoa sustainability and the livelihoods of cocoa farmers through a number of innovative social and economic programs.
In addition to the US, the Nestlé Cocoa Plan has been adopted in several other major Nestlé markets including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ecuador.
