Research & Innovation

From 2019, Cadbury Dairy Milk will be available in a new bar with 30% less sugar, offering consumers greater choice and helping them to manage their sugar intake. The new bar, which will sit alongside the standard bar on shelves, marks the most significant innovation in the brand’s history, and underscores Mondelēz International’s ongoing commitment to play its role in tackling obesity, including childhood obesity, in the UK and Ireland.

For almost two years, a team of 20 scientists, nutritionists and chocolatiers at Mondelēz International’s Reading and Bournville research and development facilities have been working to find a way to achieve the much-loved Cadbury Dairy Milk taste whilst delivering 30% less sugar with no artificial sweeteners, colours or preservatives and no increase in calories. By harnessing their leading-edge understanding of flavour technologies and material science, the team has successfully replaced the physical functionality of the sugar in solid chocolate in a way that not only preserves the structure of chocolate but also stays true to the unique texture and taste profile of Cadbury Dairy Milk. If successful with consumers, Mondelēz International will also look to apply to the approach to other Cadbury Dairy Milk products.

This new Cadbury Dairy Milk variant is just one of a number of lower sugar innovations planned for the UK market over the next two years as part of Mondelēz International’s strategy to increase well-being choices across its portfolio and help people to enjoy treats, such as chocolate, in moderation as part of a balanced lifestyle. These include; Cadbury Boost+ Protein, which will contain 12g of protein per bar and 32% less sugar than the standard Boost bar, ‘30% less sugar’ variants of Maynards Bassetts hero products,Wine Gums and Jelly Babies, and a ‘40% less sugar’ line extension on BelVita.

Glenn Caton, President, Northern Europe, Mondelēz International, commented: “Our approach to health will always be led by both the consumer and by scientific evidence, which is why we won’t reduce sugar at the expense of increasing calories. But we recognise that people want to manage their sugar intake and that’s why we have worked tirelessly to create a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar with 30% less sugar as part of our commitment to a wider sugar reduction programme. Taking sugar out of our products isn’t easy and will take time. Ultimately they are treats and people expect them to taste great, but we’re working hard to find innovative solutions that provide more choice without compromising on their world-renowned taste and quality.”

As well as reformulating across its most loved brands, Mondelēz International is continuing its strong track record of offering people well-being choices through portion control options. The company voluntarily introduced a 250 calorie cap on all single-serve chocolate bars and launched a 98 calorie Cadbury Dairy Milk bar and over 90% of its Cadbury Dairy Milk products enjoyed by kids are under 100 calories, including Freddo and Buttons. It now plans to launch Cadbury Dairy Milk Perfect Pieces, a 19g individually wrapped portion of chocolate which is under 100 calories and is the perfect size to satisfy those looking for a small chocolate treat.

Mondelēz International is also supporting Be treatwise, which was recently re-launched as an initiative with other leading confectionery companies to remind people that confectionery is a treat, designed to be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle. This supports the company’s global approach to empower people with practical tips and tools on how to snack more mindfully and in moderation. The company will be extending the Be treatwise logo onto all its Cadbury chocolate products and its entire Maynards Bassetts range in 2019.

Be treatwise reinforces the company’s long-standing commitment to offering clear, nutritional information and education, particularly around calories, to help consumer make informed decisions. Mondelēz International was a pioneer of the GDA labelling scheme and has provided UK consumers with front of the pack nutritional information since 2006.