The Caramac – discontinued last year to widespread disappointment – has returned to shelves for a limited time in response to customer demand. The caramel-flavoured confectionery is on sale again from Tuesday in the form of the classic single bar, a three-bar multipack and a sharing bag of buttons, Nestle said. Advertisement Advertisement Sign up to our daily newsletter , get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
However, the revival is temporary, with bars available only for a limited time. They will remain available in retailers nationwide while stocks last. Nestle confirmed in November that it was discontinuing the treat after 64 years due to falling sales.
However, the company said it decided to create an opportunity for fans to enjoy it again for a limited period after shoppers claimed its removal had caused a “national scandal”. Lisa Butterworth, a brand manager for Nestle UK & Ireland, said: “The calls for the return of Caramac were heard loud and clear, and for this unique bar we wanted to create a special opportunity for fans to enjoy it once more. “We hope that this limited release gives people the opportunity to savour and stock up on Caramac as a gesture of our appreciation for the longstanding support of our confectionery fans throughout the years.
” Announcing its discontinuation last year, Nestle said: “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.
” Caramac was produced in Norwich until 1996, when it moved to Nestle’s factory in Fawdon, near Newcastle upon Tyne. It was originally created by husband and wife team John and Violet Mackintosh, who ran a confectionary firm in the north of England, which later merged with Rowntree’s. Advertisement Advertisement The bar they produced was named Caramac from the abbreviation of caramel and Mackintosh, selected as the winner of a competition held at the brand’s factory to name the confectionery.
It is not a chocolate bar because it does not contain cocoa. Nestle, whose headquarters are in Switzerland, confirmed in 2022 that it planned to close the Fawdon site and move production overseas. The company discontinued a further two of its chocolate bars - the Breakaway and the Yorkie Biscuit - earlier this year.
The decision sparked a flurry of social media posts, with one fan posting to X, formerly Twitter: “What. Please. God.
No! Nestle please tell me you’re not ditching # caramac it’s the only ‘chocolate’ I eat! Don’t let it disappear! I love the stuff!!” Others wrote: “This is a national scandal, how can they get rid of Caramac ?” and “I know a lot is made about how the Brits don’t get upset about anything, but the ire being levelled at @NestleUKI for getting rid of # Caramac shows there’s fight in the old dog yet.” Comments Want to join the conversation? Please register or log in to comment on this article..
