Nestlé speaks with LSST about becoming the first brand to use the all-new ‘ruby’ chocolate
By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 18 January 2018
Nestlé – the world’s largest food and beverage company – speaks with LSST about becoming the first company in the world to commercialise a natural pink ‘ruby’ chocolate.
The all-new chocolate is made from the ruby cocoa bean with a characteristic pink hue. The new chocolate will be available in KitKat products at KitKat Chocolatory and pop-up stores across Japan from 19 January.
KitKat – just one of Nestlé’s 2000 global brands – will become the first to use the new type of chocolate. This will be the first time a new chocolate has entered the market since Nestlé discovered white chocolate in 1935.
Delighting consumers all over the world, KitKat has become a popular chocolate treat owing to its 350 plus variety of formats. In turn, Nestlé has a great product market stream attracting strong interest from chocolate connoisseurs across the world.
Nestlé has teamed up with revered Swiss cacao company Barry Callebaut – the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products – to launch the new ‘Ruby’ KitKat. Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of Barry Callebaut, informed LSST: ‘I am very pleased that our innovative breakthrough ruby chocolate has come to life so quickly through our partnership with Nestlé and the pioneering KitKat brand.’
Speaking with LSST about bringing the ruby chocolate to the UK, Nestlé said: ‘It is very exciting that KitKat will be the first brand in the world to use this new ruby chocolate. It will be exclusive to Japan for now but we will be keeping a close eye on how the launch goes and looking at options for other formats and other markets in the future.’
Mr Mohammad Haider, LSST’s Programme Leader of Business Courses, said: ‘This bold and brilliant move by Nestlé cleverly appeals to the millennial consumer audience and will be the option of choice during the Valentine’s Day run up. It is sheer genius on many business levels.’
The KitKat brand has shown its edge and has set a trend that Nestlé, in turn, has managed to capture customer interests globally.
Commenting on where the product can fit in today’s market, Mr Ali Jafar, LSST’s Admissions and Marketing Director, said: ‘Nestlé should be commended. There are too few dominant chocolate choices in the market so the addition of a ‘ruby’ chocolate will offer consumers a new taste experience and enhance both the KitKat brand perception and experience.’
Observing Nestlé’s business principles, Mr Mohammaed Zaidi, LSST’s Deputy CEO, commented: ‘Nestlé’s purpose is all about enhancing the quality of life and contributing to a healthier future. It is a company that ensures its purpose, values, strategies and business model are aligned. Nestlé houses one of the strongest nutritional profiles of any large food organisation and it is now time for other food and beverage organisations to catch up.’
Nestlé has over 328,000 employees across the world and sells over 2,000 brands in more than 191 countries. Nestlé’s products have seen a reduction in sugar content for many years. Between 2000 and 2010, the company reduced the overall sugar content of its products by 34%.
Please email the author of this article kunal.mehta@lsst.ac for any questions or comments.