Nestle has declined to comment on “market rumours” the company plans to offload Italian hard candy brands Picchi di Sole, Fondenti, and Rossana, as well as pastry brand Ore Liete, but has suggested it is putting less focus on growing the products.

Speaking to just-food, a spokesperson for Nestle’s Italian business said the company “will focus on the categories that make us win, without spreading out resources on no longer strategical segments like candies and Ore Liete biscuits”. She said the products “represent no more than 5% of the total production in the Italian San Sisto factory showing a market share far lower than 2%”.

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The spokesperson declined to comment specifically on what the plans for the hard candy brands were, with media speculation suggesting Nestle is looking to sell the brands on.

The spokesperson said Ore Liete biscuits would continue to be produced at the San Sisto factory.

“The group is making specific strategic decisions to give value to those products and brands that enable us to be successful, also in line with our commitment to nutrition, health and wellness,” she added.

Yesterday (3 March), Nestle announced plans to turn its Italian Baci Perugina chocolate into a global brand, promising to invest more than EUR60m (US$65.7m) over the next three years. Nestle said it would upgrade the production site in San Sisto commune and would establish a new business unit to drive the global growth of the product. 

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