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Nestlé has introduced the first KitKat made with cocoa mass from beans grown by farmer families participating in the company's income accelerator programme. The company aims to connect consumers with the farmers in the programme and raise awareness about the sustainability of the cocoa used in its KitKat bars. The initiative, launched in January 2022, aims to address income disparity among cocoa-farming families and mitigate the risk of child labour. Additionally, it strives to advocate and implement enhanced agricultural practices while promoting gender equality. Farming families involved in the programme receive aid in adopting sound agricultural methods, participating in agroforestry endeavours, diversifying their income sources and sending their children to school. Nestlé's income accelerator initiative has already made a positive impact on over 10,000 families in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa, with plans to expand its outreach to Ghana this year, benefiting a total of 30,000 families. Nestlé envisions that by 2030, the programme will bring about substantial and widespread improvements, reaching approximately 160,000 cocoa-farming families within Nestlé's global cocoa supply chain. To achieve this objective, Nestlé has forged partnerships with diverse collaborators and suppliers, including the Rainforest Alliance, in an effort to transform its global cocoa sourcing methods. The aim is to achieve complete traceability and physical segregation of cocoa obtained through its income accelerator programme. This involves the ability to monitor the entire journey of cocoa beans, ensuring they are kept physically separate from other cocoa sources, from their origin to the factory. The cocoa mass from the income accelerator programme adheres to one of the highest traceability standards, ensuring 'mixed identity preserved' traceability, enabling cocoa to be traced and stored separately. In addition, by mid-2024, Nestlé plans to use segregated cocoa butter for all its KitKat chocolate in Europe, with plans to expand to other regions in the future. Corinne Gabler, head of confectionery and ice cream for Nestlé, said: "KitKat has consistently embraced innovation, centred around its iconic 'Have a break, Have a KitKat.' Today, this innovation is brought to life through the Breaks for Good initiative that puts cocoa farmers at the centre of our product through our income accelerator programme. We couldn't think of a better brand than KitKat to represent our efforts to create a meaningful impact in cocoa communities." Thierry Touchais, manager of strategic accounts for the Rainforest Alliance, commented: "We're delighted to collaborate with Nestlé on their journey towards more sustainable cocoa sourcing. It's encouraging to find a company of this scale using a 'mixed identity preserved' model in which cocoa can be traced back to Rainforest Alliance-certified farmers engaged in Nestlé's income accelerator. The approach showcases the potential for positive change in the industry." The KitKat Breaks for Good are available at retailers in 27 European countries and launch in the UK in May. In addition, a limited-edition KitKat, with 70% dark chocolate that is also made with cocoa sourced from the income accelerator, has been launched in the UK market as a pilot.