Nestle alters Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband recipes as cocoa costs surge

Swiss food giant Nestlé has revised the recipes for its popular Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband bars, prompting the confectionery to lose its official ‘chocolate’ designation in the United Kingdom. The company now describes these bars as ‘encased in a smooth milk chocolate flavour coating’, a change driven by surging cocoa prices and broader pressures on ingredient costs.

In the UK, products must contain at least 20 per cent cocoa solids and 20 per cent milk solids to qualify as ‘milk chocolate’. Following the reformulation, both Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband fall below this threshold due to increased use of vegetable fats, which are more cost effective alternatives. This adjustment means the treats are no longer permitted to be marketed as chocolate.

Nestlé stated the changes were essential given substantial increases in cocoa costs over recent years, citing poor harvests in Ghana and Ivory Coast linked to extreme weather events. The company emphasised that the new recipes were carefully developed and sensory tested to maintain quality. There are currently no plans to alter the recipes of other products in the range.

The price of chocolate in Britain has risen sharply, ascending by 18.4 per cent year on year, in line with figures from market research firm Worldpanel. Market volatility is expected to persist through 2025, with cocoa and coffee costs projected to remain high due to ongoing climate disruptions in key growing regions.

Similar measures have been adopted by other manufacturers; for instance, McVitie’s modified its Club and Penguin bars, reducing cocoa content to the point that they are now labelled merely ‘chocolate flavour’. This signals a broader industry response to pressures on chocolate supply chains and profitability.

Toffee Crisp, first launched in 1963, and Blue Riband, which debuted in 1936, have both played a significant role in British confectionery history. The recipe adjustments mark a notable shift, reflecting evolving economic and environmental challenges within the global food sector.