FDBusiness.com

Nestlé will explore strategic options for its US confectionery business, including a potential sale. The review covers the US market only and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Nestlé’s US confectionery business had sales of around SFr900 million (€827 million) in 2016. It primarily includes popular local chocolate brands such as Butterfinger, BabyRuth, 100Grand, SkinnyCow, Raisinets, Chunky, OhHenry! and SnoCaps, as well as local sugar brands such as SweeTarts, LaffyTaffy, Nerds, FunDip, PixyStix, Gobstopper, BottleCaps, Spree and Runts. It also comprises the international chocolate brand Crunch.

The strategic review does not cover Nestlé’s iconic Toll House baking products, a strategic growth brand which the company will continue to develop in the US market.

Nestlé remains fully committed to growing its leading international confectionery activities around the world, particularly its global brand KitKat. Nestlé’s global confectionery sales amounted to SFr8.8 billion in 2016.

With sales of SFr26.7 billion in 2016, the US is Nestlé’s largest market. The confectionery business represents about 3% of US sales. Nestlé products can be found in 97 percent of US households under brands such as Purina, Nestlé Pure Life, Coffee-Mate, Gerber and Stouffer’s. The company employs over 51,000 people in more than 120 locations across the US, including 77 factories and 10 R&D centres.

Nestlé will continue to invest and grow in the US, where it has leadership positions across a large number of categories such as petcare, bottled water, frozen meals, infant food and ice cream. Nestlé will continue to innovate across these categories to meet rapidly-changing consumer demand.