News from Smarties

Nestlé Brings Back SMARTIES Favourite

In 2007 we were graced with an array of comebacks from a bygone era: Take That, The Spice Girls, Prince, Boyzone and even Led Zeppelin! Leading the trend for 2008 is another blast from the past - the celebrated Blue SMARTIE.

This February, after nearly three years’ absence, the favourite returns to rejoin its Green, Red, Orange, Pink, Brown, Yellow and Violet friends as part of a SMARTIES line up with no artificial colours.

In 2005 Blue was banished from the newly designed Hexatube as part of Nestlé’s commitment to make SMARTIES free from artificial colours. Its removal sparked a consumer outrage with thousands of SMARTIE lovers petitioning Nestlé to ‘Bring Back Blue’.

So, after years of scouring the globe for a solution, Nestlé has found a way to create the much-loved variety with no artificial colours and flavours. This has been done by extracting the blue colouring from a seaweed called Spirulina found in many of the world’s oceans.

Michelle Roberts, Brand Manager for Smarties said: “Nestle UK is committed to ensuring its children's confectionery brands have no artificial colours or flavours. Due to this Blue Smarties were removed in 2006. We are now delighted to have found a solution that allows us to bring back blue Smarties with no artificial colours and flavours, just like the rest of the Smarties range.”

Originally introduced in 1989, the blue sweet quickly became a firm favourite with confectionery fans across the UK and remained a fully-fledged member of the SMARTIES family for over fifteen years.

Nearly two decades after Blue was first launched, a genuine fan base still exists with over 20 Facebook groups and nearly 2,000 members asking what happened to Blue and demanding its return.

From this February, Blue will join the “no artificial colours and flavours” SMARTIE family which have been enjoyed by consumers across the UK since 2006.

Notes to Editors
• Blue is Back SMARTIES packs will be in stores from February 2008
• SMARTIES are available in the following formats
o Hexatube: 38g - 175 kcal per tube (10% of child's GDA)
o Multi-pack: 5 x 38g Hexatubes
o Minis: approx 18 units per bag – 66 kcal per unit (4% of child's GDA)
o Sharing bags: 150g packs – 171 kcal per 1/4 pack (10% of child's GDA)

For more information on SMARTIES visit www.SMARTIES.co.uk


About Nestlé in the UK
Nestlé has approximately 5,500 employees across 23 sites and comprises: Nestlé UK (Food & Beverage, Confectionery and Food Services), Nestlé Ireland, Nestlé Purina Petcare, Nestlé Waters, Nestlé POWWOW, Cereal Partners UK (a joint venture with General Mills) and Lactalis-Nestlé Chilled Dairy (a joint venture with Lactalis).

In the UK, the company manufactures some of Nestlé’s most popular and iconic brands, including KitKat (the UK’s No 1 selling biscuit), Quality Street, Nescafé, Shredded Wheat, Buxton Water, Ski and Friskies.

For more information on Nestlé in the UK, click on the following link: www.nestle.co.uk