Fats and oils
At Kinder, we principally use vegetable fats, such as oils, fats and cocoa butter, in our recipes, while the only animal fat we use is cow-milk butter. None of our recipes use hydrogenated fats.
Shea butter
The fruit is green coloured and consists of a thin pulp that surrounds a big seed. After harvest the fruit treatment begins with removal of the skin and the pulp, boiling the seeds, which are rich in fats, and then drying in the sun. Once the seeds are dried, they are ground and the fat part is extracted. The fat obtained is then transformed into shea oil and butter. This precious raw material is then used in the food industry and, in smaller quantities, in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. In Kinder we use shea in Kinder hollow figures, and in Kinder Surprise to give the products the right texture and consistency.
Shea tree growing does not require irrigation or agronomic techniques that would be rarely available in these poor areas of the world. The presence of the "Shea Belt", moreover, contributes to slowing down the desertification of the sub-Saharan area. Shea and the other products obtained from this plant represent an important income source for the rural families in this part of Africa, that offers few employment opportunities and where agriculture is often practised with difficulty and with very low yields. Women are usually involved in harvesting the fruit.
Sunflower oil
What we usually call the flower of the sunflower is actually an inflorescence, formed by a number of flowers grouped according to a precise scheme: yellow on the outside and, generally, grey-black on the inside. Each inflorescence can contain more than 1.000 fruits, the external shell (pericarp), strong and inedible, contains a seed that has a big industrial and food interest.
From the sunflower seeds we extract an oil rich in unsaturated acid fats, especially oleic and linoleic. Moreover, in recent decades some varieties with high oleic acid content have been selected, which have opened new possibilities to the use of this crop. In Kinder we use this type of sunflower oil, rich in oleic acid, because it is more stable and particularly suitable for our recipes since it does not interfere with the other ingredients’ aromas, guaranteeing the unique Kinder taste.
The product that uses sunflower oil is, Kinder Bueno White.
Kinder selection and quality control
The subtle differences in taste and texture that are found in Kinder products are so numerous that it is impossible to explain, for each individual product, how we achieve the results you expect from us.
One of the secrets to this great variety is undoubtedly the constant study that goes into finding the right balance between fats that are naturally present in our ingredients, like milk, cocoa and hazelnuts, and the ones we expertly add.
This equilibrium is the subject of extremely detailed study by our experts. They look into the best way to combine the various properties of different fats to make our fillings extra creamy, and balance the elastic nature of some fats with the hardness of others to create some particularly crisp and crunchy products while others are spongy and soft.
These careful combinations are often useful in blending our ingredients and their flavours together and so create the particular taste we are looking for. The delicate touch of a fat can cushion stronger flavours, making the whole experience more refined for our palate.
The goal behind all this patient work is simple: achieving that perfect harmony between texture and taste that is so dear to those who love our recipes.
Obviously, behind all of this study is the careful selection of our raw materials. Kinder technicians use stringent quality standards when choosing the fats we use. High resistance to oxidation as well as improved flavour and texture stability over a product's entire shelf-life are very important, as is ensuring that the fats we use possess the properties and characteristics we need when preparing the unique and complex recipes that are the fruit of Kinder's expert know-how. None of our recipes use hydrogenated fats.
Kinder technicians use stringent quality standards when choosing the fats we use. High resistance to oxidation as well as improved flavour and texture stability over a product's entire shelf-life are very important, as is ensuring that the fats we use possess the properties and characteristics we need when preparing the unique and complex recipes that are the fruit of Kinder's expert know-how.
For detailed information on Ferrero's sustainable agricultural practices visit:
We at Kinder principally use vegetable fats, such as oils, fat and cocoa butter, in our recipes, while the only animal fat we use is cow-milk butter.
None of our recipes use hydrogenated fats.
