Swiss food giant Nestlé is combining two of its well-known confectionery brands in the UK and Ireland – Aero and Milkybar.
The Aero Milkybar is launching in select stores today (13 July) with a nationwide roll out planned from August.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Nestlé said the combination brings together the “bubbles of Aero with the creamy white chocolate of Milkybar to create the perfect treat to share with family and friends”.
The new product is produced at the company’s UK factory in York and is available in the bar format and bite sized.
Marketing manager Rachel Beaufoy said: “We’re very excited to see fan reactions to the team up of two of our classic brands. The iconic Milkybar white chocolate combined with the signature Aero bubbles is a duo we know fans will love.”
Aero traces its roots to 1935 while the original Milkybar was launched a year later in 1936.
Nestlé’s York site dates to the days of Rowntree, which the food major bought in 1988 for £2.5bn ($3.3bn today).
The York facility also produces Yorkie chocolate bars, Polo mints and KitKat.
In June, Nestlé said the York factory would also produce a KitKat using Wildfarmed “regeneratively farmed” wheat.
After trials last year at York in northern England, the company is now including the wheat in production at the factory.
Nestlé said 51% of the wheat used in each bar is from Wildfarmed, with the rest sourced from the confectioner’s existing suppliers.
“Moving to regenerative farming at scale takes time, our ambition is to increase the proportion over time. Using 51% allows us to help support the transition, guarantee supply, quality and quantity, and test, learn and scale responsibly,” Nestlé said.
Wildfarmed, set up in 2018, supplies its ingredients to food manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators. According to the UK firm, its practices can support its customers’ efforts to increase biodiversity, improve soil health and reduce carbon.
