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For the first time, the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) is creating a dedicated reparations role, appointing Prof. Keon West—a Rhodes Scholar and author of The Science of Racism—to lead the effort. West, who also serves as a visiting professor at the London School of Economics and heads research at the Runnymede Trust, will begin his tenure later this month. The appointment arrives amid intensifying global calls for former colonial powers to confront historic injustices. West’s mandate is to map how enslavement, indentured labour and European imperialism fed the supply chains of Rowntree’s iconic brands such as KitKat, Fruit Pastilles and Smarties. Founded in 1904 when philanthropist Joseph Rowntree endowed the trust with profits from his chocolate and cocoa ventures, JRCT operates on Quaker principles aimed at tackling the roots of inequality. Recent research, spurred by the Black Lives Matter movement, uncovered that African and Asian workers were exploited in Rowntree’s production lines throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Historical investigations by the Rowntree Society revealed that, while the family never directly owned enslaved people, their businesses sold commodities produced by enslaved or unfree labour as far back as 1822. The company also benefitted from the indenture system, acquiring plantations in Dominica, Jamaica and Trinidad in the 1890s to grow cocoa, bananas and other crops. Further links to colonial exploitation include purchases of cocoa from Portuguese‑controlled São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as commercial interests in Nigeria, Ghana and apartheid‑era South Africa. In the early 1980s, Black workers at the South African subsidiary Wilson Rowntree faced harsh labour suppression. In 2021, JRCT issued a public apology, stating it was “deeply sorry” for its historical connections to “abhorrent practices” and acknowledging the lasting impact of these actions on systemic racism today. West will design a comprehensive reparations programme that engages directly with affected communities—“Black people, brown people and people of colour”—to develop long‑term restorative justice strategies. He said, "I am honoured to accept this role. It offers the power and the responsibility to make real, meaningful changes in the lives of those who have been exploited." JRCT chief executive Nicola Purdy expressed enthusiasm, noting that the reparations initiative aligns with the trust’s charitable purpose of promoting peace, equality, human rights and climate action. Financially, JRCT allocated £13.5 million in grants in 2025, supporting organisations that advance its core missions. In 2023, it contributed £10,000 to an all‑party parliamentary group advocating for a formal UK apology for slavery and colonisation. The Rowntree family, alongside fellow Quaker dynasties Fry and Cadbury, were central to the British confectionery trade during the colonial era. Their brand was later acquired by Nestlé in 1988, but the trust’s new reparations focus underscores a broader reckoning with the historical foundations of the industry.

A massive heist involving over 12 tons of KitKat chocolate bars has occurred in Europe, just ahead of the Easter holiday. The stolen shipment, consisting of 413,793 units of KitKat's 'new chocolate range', was pilfered on March 26 while en route to Poland.The truck, which left a factory in central Italy, was intercepted by thieves, and the vehicle and chocolate have not been recovered. No one was hurt during the heist, according to a Nestlé spokesperson.Nestlé, the parent company of KitKat, confirmed the theft and is investigating the incident with local authorities and supply chain partners. The company warned that the stolen bars could end up in unofficial markets.The stolen chocolate bars were from KitKat's new Formula One line, which features race car-molded bars with KitKat's iconic chocolate-covered wafers. This product line was launched after KitKat became the official F1 chocolate bar last year.Nestlé officials noted that law enforcement can trace stolen products through batch codes assigned to individual bars. The company also expressed concern about the increasing trend of cargo theft, stating that it has chosen to go public with its experience to raise awareness.“We've always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat,” Nestlé said in a statement. “But it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 tons of our chocolate.”