Nestlé’s Rowntree’s is unveiling new formulations of two of its best-selling products, Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles and Rowntree’s Randoms, which contain 30% less sugar than previously.
As part of the recipe change, the sugar removed has been replaced by increasing the fibre content in the sweets. The new products also have fewer calories and remain free from artificial flavours, colours and sweeteners.
Nestlé enlisted 9,000 consumers to try the new products as part of a large-scale blind taste test led through social media, and initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
The launch follows the food giant’s announcement in early March that it will remove 10% of the sugar across its confectionery portfolio by 2018.
Dame Fiona Kendrick, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé UK and Ireland said: “Our announcement last month was all about improving our existing products while this launch is all about choice. These new products will sit alongside our existing range and offer a real alternative for consumers.
“We are delighted that our innovation gives consumers the option of a significantly reduced sugar version of both Fruit Pastilles and Randoms® and, as consumers make the switch to the less sugar version, it can help deliver a reduction in the amount of sugar consumed overall.
“Confectionery can play as much of a part in the efforts to reduce sugar and tackle obesity in the UK and Ireland as any other category and, as we’re demonstrating, we’ll take every opportunity to innovate and reformulate to improve our products.
We have worked incredibly hard to create these brand new versions of our favourite sweets.
“There have been as many as 76 different versions of the recipe over two years of research and development to ensure that what we have ended up with is just as good as the full sugar products.”
Last week, Nestlé also announced that its flagship chocolate brand, KitKat, will introduce extra milk and cocoa to provide a sugar reduction to the chocolate bar’s formulation.
Nestlé has stated it is employing a number of initiatives to reduce sugar in its products that ‘when added up, are a positive step overall to help improve the nation’s diet while still maintaining taste’.
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