Brand News

Baileys new Strawberries and Cream Cake continues F&D collaboration

Finsbury and Diageo are extending their partnership by adding a Baileys Strawberries and Cream Celebration Cake to the UK market.

Following on from its Limited-Edition Strawberries and Cream liqueur drink launched last year, the new cake, from Finsbury Food Group, consists of a light strawberry sponge cake, infused with Baileys Strawberries and Cream throughout the frosting and topped with dried strawberry pieces.

Jack Cook-Broussine, Brand Manager for Finsbury Food Group, said: “We can’t promise that we’ll have a great British Summer but we can promise that you can enjoy a delicious Baileys Strawberries and Cream cake – whatever the weather!

“We know people have loved the chance to enjoy the rich taste of Baileys infused in a cake and our new Baileys Strawberry and Cream cake ensures we’re continuing the tradition of creating the perfect combination of a light touch of liqueur with

“We have already enjoyed great success with Finsbury and our range of Baileys-infused cakes and have no doubt this is going to be one to be enjoyed throughout the summer!”

luxurious cake. We will keep introducing new and fun ways to give adults the chance to enjoy two of their favourite treats together in one delicious serving!”

Declan Hassett, Senior Licensing Manager at Diageo, said: “We have quickly seen that ripe strawberry flavourings mixed with our wellloved creamy liqueur are a firm favourite in the summer months. We want to ensure that we’re giving the many Baileys lovers the chance to enjoy the smooth flavourings in different and exciting ways.

“We have already enjoyed great success with Finsbury and our range of Baileys-infused cakes and have no doubt this is going to be one to be enjoyed throughout the summer!”

The full range of Baileys cakes includes: Baileys Hot Chocolate Freakshake Cake, Baileys Chocolate Yule Log and Baileys Salted Caramel Cupcakes. New additions to the range are planned for later this year.

Nestlé drops Fairtrade over KitKat cocoa sourcing

Confectionery giant, Nestlé announced on 23rd June that it would source cocoa for British KitKats from Rainforest Alliance-certified producers - dropping a 10-year association with Fairtrade which claimed a lifeline for poor farmers.

The firm said it was making the switch in October to Rainforest Alliance, one of the major certification bodies for sustainable development products, to harmonise its sourcing accreditation. The move applies to cocoa produced in Ghana and the Ivory Coast for its KitKat chocolate wafers sold in Britain and also in Ireland. “We have a very large portfolio of confectionery products globally, and the rest is certified by the Rainforest Alliance/UTZ, so it makes sense for us as a business to have one scheme for responsible sourcing across the board,” Nestlé said in a statement. Responding to the company’s latest decision, the Ivorian network highlighted a study from Fairtrade International that showed 58% of cocoa producers in Côte d’Ivoire live below the poverty line. They claimed the research demonstrated that collective efforts to support farmers are now needed more than ever. In addition, Nestlé noted that the present Fairtrade agreement has enabled access to education and healthcare for children, electricity, as well as wider improved living standards for remote communities. Fairtrade Foundation Chief Executive Michael Gidney added: “We urge Nestlé: listen to farmers, do not choose this moment of global crisis to exacerbate the inequalities in the cocoa industry.” But Nestlé insisted that while it won’t be paying the Fairtrade premium, “we will in fact be paying more for cocoa in the 2020-21 season than we have done this season with Fairtrade.” Simon Billington, Global Technical Manager of Nestlé, stated that the move was critical to is sustainable cocoa

“We want to continue working with our Fairtrade farmers and we will pay for them to get to the level required by the UTZ standard...”

programme and would pay over and above the farm price for cocoa decided by the Ivorian and Ghanaian governments, a US$400 per tonne premium called the Living Income Differential, plus the Rainforest Alliance premium of US$60 per tonne, which goes directly to the farmer. Nestlé have stated they are aware that the change would have an impact on some farmers and will therefore invest in initiatives to support farmers and cocoa-growers, including £1 million to develop a “living income pilot” as well as a further £500,000 for community products. The company said it would also pay for Fairtrade farmers to certify with Rainforest Alliance as well, if they wish. Billington added: “We want to continue working with our Fairtrade farmers and we will pay for them to get to the level required by the UTZ standard, which since 2018 has been part of the Rainforest Alliance certification programme. If farmers are not able to do this in time for the next crop, we will also provide them with financial support for the coming year. “Our successful partnership with Fairtrade is ending as we harmonise our certification for sustainable sourcing internationally. Over the last 10 years, Fairtrade and KitKat, together with millions of KitKat lovers in the UK, have supported cocoa farmers in the Cote d’Ivoire. We are grateful to the Fairtrade organisation and proud of the work that KitKat has supported with them.”