Is This The End Of Your Favorite Candy? Nestlé CEO Plans To Sell Its US Confectionery Business

Nestlé, the parent company of popular candy brands, is making some changes to its portfolio and Americans might not be too happy about it. The company announced that it will be selling its candy division in the U.S., and the deal is expected to close by the end of 2017.

The news is a clear signal that the company aims to focus on growing its healthier brands and expanding on categories including pet care, bottled water, frozen meals, infant food, and ice cream, according to the press release.

Ulf Mark Schneider, chief executive officer of Nestlé, has gone against the grain of his predecessor, Paul Bulcke, who hoped to revamp the confectionery business, Bloomberg reported. Although the company plans to part ways with the U.S. candy market, the sale won't cover the Toll House baking products, which means U.S. customers can keep making those iconic chocolate chip cookies, and will continue to grow the sweets category on a global scale.

Nestlé has also continuously invested in a health-science unit to try to develop healthy food products to help prevent obesity and other health problems, which aligns with Schneider's vision of a healthier company.

To read more about how the candy industry wants to cut back on sugar, click here.