Cadbury is “going faster and further” in pushing its Fairtrade chocolate portfolio, the UK group’s chief executive told just-food this morning (14 December), days after Nestle announced it would switch its Kit Kat line to the ethical label.
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Todd Stitzer said he “welcomed” Nestle’s moves, announced last week, to switch the Kit Kats on sale in the UK and Ireland to Fairtrade certification from next month.
Cadbury started producing Fairtrade Dairy Milk for the UK and Irish markets this summer and has announced plans to roll out the initiative to Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Stitzer said it was these plans that indicated that Cadbury was ahead of its Swiss rival. “We welcome any moves to support cocoa farmers. It’s great for a sustainable world,” Stitzer said.
However, he added: “Cadbury went first and we are going faster and further than other people. Our competitors have focused only on the UK and Ireland because they are imitating the moves that we have made.”
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By GlobalDataCadbury’s decision to switch Dairy Milk to Fairtrade in the UK is expected to increase Fairtrade sales by around GBP200m (US$325m). Total UK sales of Fairtrade chocolate alone exceeded GBP35m in retail value in 2008.
The first Fairtrade product to be launched in the UK was Green & Black’s Maya Gold, with cocoa from Belize in 1994.
The first 100% Fairtrade chocolate brand, Divine Chocolate, was established in 1997.
