York has created a chocolate world first – continuing its centuries-old tradition of confectionery innovation.
Nestlé UK unveiled Milkybar Wowsomes on Monday (March 26), the first chocolate bar in the world to use the firm’s innovative sugar reduction technique.
Scientists at the Product Technology Centre in York have transformed the structure of sugar.
And this major breakthrough means that Milkybar Wowsomes have 30% less sugar than similar chocolate products and contain no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colours or flavourings.
Yet they retain the same sweetness.
Creative candy
[arve url=”https://youtu.be/9Nh2rESPr2A” title=”Introducing: Milkybar Wowsomes” /]
Inspired by candy floss, experts created aerated, porous particles of sugar that dissolve more quickly in the mouth.
This allows someone to perceive the same level of sweetness as before while consuming less sugar.
“It is with great pride that the UK and Ireland becomes the first market in the world to use this exciting technology to create such a great tasting confectionery product,” said CEO of Nestlé and Ireland Stefano Agostini.
“We have an unrivalled research and development network and the experts at our Product Technology Centre in York have been instrumental in this breakthrough.”
Nestlé says it have already taken out more than 60 billion calories and 2.6 billion teaspoons of sugar from across its food and drink portfolio in the last three years.
And this product will take this trend to a new level.
“A new product like Milkybar Wowsomes introduces greater choice and allows parents to treat their children with chocolate that tastes great but has less sugar,” Stefano said.
Milkybar Wowsomes – fact file
Milkybar Wowsomes comes in two variants, white chocolate and a combined milk and white chocolate
Each piece is made of smooth white or white and milk chocolate and has a creamy-tasting centre containing crispy oat cereal pieces
The largest sized bars are 18g and have 95 calories each
This is also the first time in Milkybar’s 81-year history that it has contained both milk and white chocolate in the same bar
Milkybar Wowsomes will appear in stores across the UK from next week
Enormous ambition
“The ambition behind Milkybar Wowsomes was enormous and it has been a real challenge for us to get to this stage,” said Jas Scott de Martinville, head of Nestle’s Confectionery Product Technology Centre in York.
“To create a confectionery product in just 12 months which has 30% less sugar than similar chocolate products and contains no artificial sweeteners is extraordinary.”
While the new technology is the most obvious new development for the brand, this is also the first time in Milkybar’s 81-year history that it has contained both milk and white chocolate in the same bar.
Invented in 1936, Milkybar is credited with being the first white chocolate. It was created by Nestlé as Nestrovit, then later launched as a confectionery brand.
The first Milkybar Kid TV ad aired in 1961 with Terry Brooks in the saddle as the star.