USA- Confectionary giant Nestlé has announced the launch of its sustainably sourced chocolate product range in its travel retail wing, through offering customers in select airports chocolate products sourced from sustainably sourced cocoa beans.
According to Nestlé, the product range will contain visuals and provide more information to customers regarding its sustainable cocoa plan and its collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance.
The products will be available in recyclable paper pouches, a sustainable strategy used by competitors like Smarties.
Aura Sanchez, Nestlé Travel Retail’s Head of Marketing said, “Through creative branding, we can provide transparency on the origin of the cocoa used in our chocolate.”
“It enables us to raise awareness about our longstanding commitments to supporting cocoa-farming families and the long-term sustainability of cocoa production.”
The move is part of Nestlé’s strategy of responding to changing customer preferences and appealing to a particular market segment. The sustainability agenda is slowly gaining traction in the travel retail sector, with as much as 71% of all routine travellers revealing a company’s sustainability agenda influences their purchase decisions, according to ForwardKeys Mindset Research.
The launch is the confectionary giant’s latest attempt to implement sustainable practices in its business model.
In 2022, the company revealed plans to invest more than US$1 billion to help Nestle source sustainable coffee beans. In January this year, Nestlé also pioneered the first KitKat made with traceable cocoa ingredients.
Several players in the cocoa industry face continued pressure to sustainably source its cocoa beans in what market analysts predict is an underlying market factor that will affect purchase decisions and overall market dynamics in the long term.
In early June, Hershey announced plans to expand its cocoa supply chain by establishing full sourcing visibility for its cocoa beans both in Ghana and Ivory Coast by the end of 2025.
The move comes at a time when the cocoa market is facing a myriad of challenges, including record-high prices and supply chain disruptions caused by a shortage in cocoa beans. It also comes at a time when the company faces criticism and controversy over accusations of excess sugar in its baby food product line.
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