MONDELĒZ INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES EIGHT NON-HFSS PRODUCTS ACROSS BISCUITS, CONFECTIONERY AND DRINKING CHOCOLATE

Tuesday, August 09, 2022

Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) is continuing its strong track record of offering a wide range of snacking options for consumers by innovating to create new products or reformulating products that will not be classified as high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) from beloved brands including belVita, Cadbury Drinking Chocolate, Maynards Bassetts and The Natural Confectionery Company.

As part of the business’ purpose to ‘offer the right snack, for the right moment’, the UK business is launching eight non-HFSS products to offer consumers more choice when it comes to snacking mindfully and managing their overall diet. Committed to Mindful Snacking, the business has long invested in offering wellbeing choices for consumers, from launching portion-control pack formats to adding Snack Mindfully icon to all packs and supporting consumers with information.

For 2022, the business will launch new belVita Soft Bakes Apricot Filled, a line extension to existing non-HFSS product Soft Bakes Strawberry Filled, which will be available from UK & Ireland retailers from mid-August. It will also introduce a new belVita Fruit Crunch Range, launching Apple & Pear 30% less Sugar and 70% less sat fat, as well and Raisin & Currant 70% less sat fat compared to the average market of sweet adult biscuits. These NEW individual bars are also under 100kcal per biscuit and will be available in UK & Ireland retailers from September. The business plans to launch further non-HFSS belVita products in January 2023.

Louise Stigant, UK Managing Director at Mondelēz International, commented: “I’m proud of the non-HFSS ranges that we are developing in categories such as biscuits, confectionary and drinking chocolate. This is a result of a significant amount of work and investments that we have made to find opportunities to innovate and reformulate products so that we can give consumers more choice.

“As custodians of some of the UK’s most beloved and iconic brands, we need to carefully balance the journey towards more non-HFSS products, alongside the need to meet the expectations of our consumers, we want to ensure we don’t compromise on taste or quality. This remains a complex challenge for the industry and one which requires ongoing partnership with Government.”

Teams of makers and bakers also developed non-HFSS products for its iconic candy brands in the form of Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums Juicies, Maynards Bassetts Sports Mix Juicies and The Natural Confectionery Co. Juicy Snakes, each of which includes 30% less sugar. These new launches contain fruit juice, natural colours and flavours which do not compromise on taste. The Natural Confectionery Co. Juicy Snakes will be available in UK & Ireland retailers from mid-August, while Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums Juicies and Maynards Bassetts Sports Mix Juicies will be available from UK retailers only from mid-August. The company releases these new non-HFSS products alongside the original products consumers have known and loved for over a century.

In 2023, Mondelēz International will further continue its journey to provide consumers with greater choice, including through offering products with improved nutritional profiles, by reformulating it Cadbury Drinking Chocolate and Cadbury Instant Hot Chocolate packs to make them non-HFSS. This move compliments the existing non-HFSS products it already offers in the category, including Bournville Cocoa, Cadbury Highlights Milk Choc, Highlights Bournville, Green & Blacks Cocoa and Green & Blacks Hot Chocolate.

All these new products are made possible thanks to the significant R&D footprint Mondelēz International has in the UK across Bournville and Reading which are home to two of 15 global research hubs Mondelēz International runs worldwide.

The Business is reformulating products where possible to give consumers a broad portfolio of choice for different needs and occasions. However, reformulating chocolate is very difficult given the role that sugar plays in the product, contributing to the texture, bulk and structure as well as the taste. Chocolate formulation is also prescribed by statute which prohibits the use of starch, artificial sweeteners, polyols and other sugar replacers.

Mondelēz International has made significant investments to give consumers broader range of choice, this is easier for some products than for others depending on their nutritional composition, meaning the business can, and will, only launch products that meet the expectations of its consumers. The snacking leader strong launch plans in place to drive consumer awareness and trial and will explore extending the new technology across other products.