Mondelēz International, the parent company of Cadbury, has developed technology that could lead to the creation of alternative versions of some of its much-loved chocolate and biscuit brands, with up to 75% less sugar and fat.
Mondelēz food scientists and researchers collaborating across research and development sites in Reading, Bournville, Europe and the US have developed a unique way to replace the sugar and fats contained in a range of chocolate bar and biscuit fillings with plant-based fibres. The technology has the potential to be used to create lower fat, lower sugar, lower calorie versions of fillings including honeycomb, caramel, nougat, marshmallow and fudge – without compromising on taste or texture.
This new technology places Mondelēz International in an enhanced position to, in the future, produce alternative non-HFSS versions of iconic products such as Cadbury Crunchie, Cadbury Double Decker, Cadbury Fudge and Fry’s Turkish Delight with up to 75% less sugar and fat, and lower calories.
Adam Harris, Principal Scientist, Wellbeing and Global Chocolate Technology Lead, Mondelēz International, said: “This an exciting step on our continuous innovation journey to help give our consumers more choice when enjoying a treat. We know that consumers are not willing to compromise on taste or texture, especially when it comes to Cadbury products, so we are working hard to understand how we can apply this technology to new products as well as creating alternative, great-tasting versions of some of our best loved chocolate bars and biscuits. We’ve had a team of scientists working on this technology for several years, and we’re really proud of our progress so far and excited about the product opportunities it can bring in the future.”
Rimi Obra-Ratwatte, European Lead Nutrition Strategy & Communications, Mondelēz International, said: “Our product portfolio strategies and initiatives at Mondelez International are underpinned by a robust team of Nutritionists who partner with our scientists and product developers to guide our approach and ensure that we deliver credible and meaningful choices for our consumers to enjoy. Creating treats which are non-HFSS has taken years of careful development and it is a proud moment to have new technology that can help evolve our portfolio with new products which further enables consumers to treat and snack in a more mindful way!”
Earlier this year, Mondelēz International launched a number of non-HFSS (non-high fats, sugar or salt) products in the UK & Ireland including new Juicies, which joined the ranges of Maynards Bassetts and The Natural Confectionery Co (containing 30% less sugar than the standard equivalents), and the belVita biscuit range was also expanded to include belVita Fruit Crunch belVita and Soft Bakes Filled Apricot.
As part of its Snacking Made Right agenda, Mondelēz International has also removed more than 10 billion calories from the UK market annually, by capping products typically bought by parents for children to under 100 kcal and its Cadbury multipacks to 200 kcal.
