Caramac meltdown! Bar axed after 64 years
FOR sweet-toothed shoppers, the axing of any classic confectionary will come as a devastating blow.
So it’s little wonder there’s been an outcry after Nestle announced yesterday that the iconic Caramac bar is set to join other family favourites at the big corner shop in the sky.
The caramel-flavoured bar was launched in the UK in 19 9 by firm Mackintosh’s – which helped to give the snack its name.
Caramac will join the likes of Cadbury Dream, Panda Pops and Mars Delight in being axed due to falling demand.
Nestle said in a statement: ‘We are very sorry to disappoint fans of Caramac. There has been a steady decline in its sales over the past few years and unfortunately we had to make the difficult decision to discontinue it.
‘We know fans will be disappointed to see it go, but this change will enable us to focus on our best-performing brands, as well as develop exciting new innovations to delight consumers’ tastebuds.’ The move came as rival brands introduced their own ‘blonde’ products, with Cadbury’s launching Caramilk in 2021, starting with the classic bar but since branching out to include buttons.
The original Caramac – advertised as ‘smooth as chocolate, tasty as toffee’ – was produced in Norwich until 1996, when it moved to Nestle’s factory in Fawdon, near Newcastle upon Tyne. It is not a chocolate bar as it does not contain cocoa. Nestle, whose headquarters are in Switzerland, confirmed last year that it planned to close the Fawdon site entirely and move production overseas.
One fan yesterday stated it had been her late father’s favourite treat, and added: ‘You can’t take Caramacs away!’
Nestle has also faced a backlash after slimming down their Christmas chocolate tubs by up to 17 per cent in the last five years. Quality Street tubs weighed 720g in 2018 – they now weigh 600g.