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Ferrero UK is launching Kinder Bueno Dark, aiming to tap into premium dark chocolate demand while driving incremental value for retailers.

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The new variant, rolling out this month (Feb 2026) in Tesco and Morrisons, keeps the brand’s established wafer-and-hazelnut format but replaces the milk coating with dark chocolate and a dark drizzle.

By retaining the core format, Ferrero limits operational complexity for retailers while introducing flavour-led news into the fixture.

The move comes as branded suppliers look for value growth in a market shaped by elevated cocoa costs and cautious consumer spending.

Dark chocolate continues to skew towards young adult shoppers and carries stronger premium cues, offering scope for trade-up and improved margin mix versus standard milk lines.

Kinder Bueno is currently the fourth-largest brand in the chocolate snack category by value, with 77% brand recognition in the UK.

Rather than launching a new sub-brand, Ferrero is leveraging that equity to broaden the range across white, milk and now dark variants – a strategy designed to deepen shelf presence and encourage basket spend without fragmenting the fixture.

For retailers, the commercial test will be incrementality. If Kinder Bueno Dark attracts new shoppers to the brand or drives higher average spend, it strengthens the case for flavour-led premium extensions as a lower-risk route to growth in a competitive and space-constrained chocolate aisle.