Dive Brief:
- Nestle SA is taking its premium chocolate brand Cailler out of Switzerland for the first time to enter the U.S., U.K., and German markets through a partnership with Amazon as well astravel retail outlets in Geneva, Zurich,Dubai,and Singapore. After nearly 200 years, Cailler is Switzerland's oldest existing chocolate brand.
- In conjunction with the chocolate's international debut, Nestle will also launch an aggressive social media campaign to introduce the brand to these new markets.
- With this move, Nestle hopes to better compete with other leading confectionery brands, including Mondelez International and Mars, Inc.
Dive Insight:
The premium chocolate segment continues to grow rapidly in the U.S. "Premium chocolate accounts for about 8% of all U.S. market chocolate sales, and the segment has seen double-digit growth in recent years, according to Candy Industry," USA Today reported.
Atan investor conference last year in Boston, Nestle CEO Paul Bulcke called premium chocolate "my small intimate frustration," which prompted speculation that the company may attempt to acquire a premium chocolate manufacturer in the U.S. However, it appears Nestle has decided to go a different route for now.
