Nestlé has recently announced the discontinuation of the beloved Caramac bar, leaving many fans feeling devastated. The decision was attributed to declining sales in recent years. Caramac, known for its distinctive red and yellow wrapper and caramel flavor, has been a popular treat for over 60 years. However, the emergence of similar “blonde” chocolate products from rival brands, such as Cadbury’s Caramilk range, has impacted Caramac’s market performance.
The news of Caramac’s discontinuation sparked an outcry from fans on social media, with many expressing their disappointment. Some fans lamented the loss, while others expressed surprise as they had not seen the bar in years. Nestlé acknowledged the disappointment of fans but stated that the change would allow them to focus on their best-performing brands and develop new innovations.
A bakery in Scotland, known for using Caramac in its pastries, expressed sadness over the discontinuation and stocked up on the bars. This led to an outpouring of support from followers, with one fan even suggesting launching a petition to urge Nestlé to reconsider. Originally created by Mackintosh’s, Caramac has been a staple in UK confectionery since its launch in 1959. Despite its unique flavor and texture, the bar has struggled to compete in the confectionery market, leading to its discontinuation.
Caramac, a combination of “caramel” and “Mackintosh,” won over fans with its cocoa-free composition. However, with other Nestlé chocolate bars taking precedence, Caramac’s sales have declined. Despite its nostalgic appeal and iconic packaging, the bar’s performance in the competitive market has been insufficient. As a result, Nestlé has made the difficult decision to discontinue the production of Caramac, leaving many fans saddened by the loss of this classic treat.
Original news source: Fans lament as Nestlé axes Caramac bar after 64 years (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Students will be divided into small groups. Each group will be tasked with summarizing the article about the discontinuation of Caramac bars in three sentences. Afterward, each group will present their summary to the class, and the class will vote on which group captured the essence of the article best.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements about the discontinuation of the Caramac bar and its impact on consumers and the market. Students will walk around the room and sign their names next to the statements they agree with. Afterward, discuss as a class which statements had the most signatures and why students feel strongly about those points.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary from the article (e.g., discontinued, devastated, emergence, innovations, nostalgia) on individual slips of paper. Students will take turns drawing the word they pick for their team to guess. The team that guesses the most words correctly wins.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have students work in pairs to discuss and write down their predictions about the future of the confectionery market without the Caramac bar. Encourage them to use modal verbs for speculation (e.g., might, could, will). Pairs will then share their predictions with the class, and the class will discuss the possible outcomes and their likelihood.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: Ask students to write their own catchy headlines for a news article about the Caramac bar’s discontinuation. Encourage creativity and wordplay. Share the headlines with the class and vote on which one is the most attention-grabbing and reflective of the article’s content.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What reason did Nestlé give for discontinuing the Caramac bar?
2. How long had the Caramac bar been a popular treat before its discontinuation?
3. What impact did the emergence of similar products from rival brands have on Caramac’s market performance?
4. How did fans react to the news of Caramac’s discontinuation on social media?
5. What did Nestlé state the discontinuation of Caramac would allow them to focus on?
6. What unique feature of Caramac won over its fans?
7. Who originally created the Caramac bar and in what year was it launched?
8. What did a bakery in Scotland do in response to the discontinuation of Caramac?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Nestlé has recently announced the discontinuation of the beloved Caramac bar, leaving many fans feeling (1)______. The decision was attributed to declining sales in recent years. Caramac, known for its distinctive red and yellow wrapper and (2)______ flavor, has been a (3)______ treat for over 60 years. However, the emergence of similar “blonde” (4)______ products from rival brands, such as Cadbury’s Caramilk range, has impacted Caramac’s market performance.
The news of (5)______’s discontinuation sparked an outcry from fans on social media, with many expressing their disappointment. Some fans (6)______ the loss, while others (7)______ surprise as they had not seen the bar in years. Nestlé acknowledged the disappointment of fans but stated that the (8)______ would allow them to focus on their best-performing brands and develop new innovations.
A bakery in Scotland, known for using Caramac in its pastries, expressed sadness over the discontinuation and stocked up on the bars. This led to an outpouring of support from (9)______, with one fan even suggesting launching a petition to urge Nestlé to reconsider. Originally created by Mackintosh’s, Caramac has been a (10)______ in UK confectionery since its launch in 1959. Despite its unique flavor and texture, the bar has struggled to (11)______ in the confectionery market, (12)______ to its discontinuation.
Caramac, a combination of “caramel” and “Mackintosh,” won over fans with its cocoa-free composition. However, with other Nestlé chocolate bars taking precedence, Caramac’s sales have declined. Despite its (13)______ appeal and iconic packaging, the bar’s performance in the (14)______ market has been insufficient. As a result, Nestlé has made the (15)______ decision to discontinue the production of Caramac, leaving many fans saddened by the loss of this (16)______ treat.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is your favorite childhood candy or chocolate bar, and how would you feel if it was discontinued?
2. How do you think the emergence of similar products impacts the sales of classic treats like Caramac?
3. Do you believe that companies should discontinue products solely based on sales performance? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever participated in a petition or social media campaign to save a product you love? What was the outcome?
5. What is the role of nostalgia in keeping certain products alive, and do you think it’s a strong enough factor for companies to consider?
6. How would you feel if a product you hadn’t seen in years was suddenly discontinued?
7. Do you think it’s important for companies to focus on innovation rather than preserving traditional products? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever stocked up on a product that was about to be discontinued? What prompted you to do so?
9. What is your opinion on “blonde” chocolate compared to traditional milk or dark chocolate?
10. Do you think social media outcries can truly influence a company’s decision to discontinue a product? Why or why not?
11. What is your perspective on the importance of unique packaging in the success of a confectionery product?
12. Do you like trying new confectionery innovations, or do you prefer sticking to classic flavors and brands?
13. How do you think the discontinuation of a product like Caramac affects small businesses that rely on it for their own goods?
14. Do you think a company should consider the environmental impact of discontinuing a product, with the potential waste of unsold stock?
15. What is your reaction to the idea of a product being discontinued due to competition, even if it has a loyal fan base?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. Nestlé
2. Caramac
3. Scotland
4. Caramel
5. Cadbury’s
6. Mackintosh’s
7. Cocoa
8. Confectionery
Meanings:
(a) The company that produced Caramilk
(b) A type of sweet, sticky sauce
(c) The company that announced the discontinuation of Caramac
(d) The country known for its pastries
(e) A substance derived from cacao beans
(f) The company that originally created Caramac
(g) The category of sweet food items
(h) The brand known for its distinctive red and yellow wrapper
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What is the reason for Nestlé discontinuing the Caramac bar?
(a) Declining sales
(b) Overwhelming popularity
(c) Ingredient shortage
(d) Change in company leadership
2. What has impacted Caramac’s market performance?
(a) Increase in advertising
(b) Emergence of similar “blonde” chocolate products
(c) Decrease in production costs
(d) Introduction of new flavors
3. How did fans react to the news of Caramac’s discontinuation?
(a) Indifference
(b) Outcry on social media
(c) Joy
(d) Surprise
4. What did Nestlé state as the reason for discontinuing Caramac?
(a) To reduce production costs
(b) To make room for new products
(c) To follow a new company policy
(d) To focus on best-performing brands and develop new innovations
5. Which country’s bakery expressed sadness over the discontinuation of Caramac?
(a) France
(b) Italy
(c) Scotland
(d) Germany
6. When was Caramac first launched?
(a) 1975
(b) 1983
(c) 2001
(d) 1959
7. What is the origin of the name “Caramac”?
(a) Combination of “caramel” and “Mackintosh”
(b) Combination of “caramel” and “chocolate”
(c) Named after a famous chef
(d) Named after a popular candy store
8. What is the composition of Caramac?
(a) Cocoa-based
(b) Nut-free
(c) Cocoa-free
(d) Dairy-free
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Caramac was originally created by Mackintosh’s and has been a staple in UK confectionery since its launch in 1959.
2. Nestlé has made the easy decision to continue the production of Caramac to neglect their best-performing brands and avoid new innovations.
3. Caramac’s sales have declined despite its unique flavor and texture.
4. Nestlé has declared the continuation of the Caramac bar due to increasing sales.
5. The Caramac bar is known for its distinctive red and yellow wrapper and caramel flavor.
6. The absence of similar “blonde” chocolate products from rival brands has impacted Caramac’s market performance.
7. The news of Caramac’s discontinuation sparked an outcry from fans on social media.
8. A bakery in Scotland, known for using Caramac in its pastries, expressed happiness over the continuation and did not stock up on the bars.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What specific reasons did Nestlé give for discontinuing the Caramac bar?
2. How did fans react on social media to the news of Caramac’s discontinuation?
3. Which bakery in Scotland is known for incorporating Caramac into its pastries, and how did it respond to the discontinuation news?
4. What was the original creator of the Caramac bar, and in what year was it launched?
5. Despite its unique cocoa-free composition, why has the Caramac bar struggled in the confectionery market?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What reason did Nestlé give for discontinuing the Caramac bar?
Nestlé attributed the discontinuation of the Caramac bar to declining sales in recent years.
2. How long had the Caramac bar been a popular treat before its discontinuation?
The Caramac bar had been a popular treat for over 60 years before its discontinuation.
3. What impact did the emergence of similar products from rival brands have on Caramac’s market performance?
The emergence of similar “blonde” chocolate products from rival brands, such as Cadbury’s Caramilk range, impacted Caramac’s market performance negatively.
4. How did fans react to the news of Caramac’s discontinuation on social media?
Fans expressed their disappointment on social media, with many lamenting the loss and others expressing surprise as they had not seen the bar in years.
5. What did Nestlé state the discontinuation of Caramac would allow them to focus on?
Nestlé stated that the discontinuation would allow them to focus on their best-performing brands and develop new innovations.
6. What unique feature of Caramac won over its fans?
Caramac won over fans with its cocoa-free composition.
7. Who originally created the Caramac bar and in what year was it launched?
The Caramac bar was originally created by Mackintosh’s and was launched in 1959.
8. What did a bakery in Scotland do in response to the discontinuation of Caramac?
A bakery in Scotland expressed sadness over the discontinuation and stocked up on the bars, leading to support from followers and a suggestion from one fan to launch a petition to urge Nestlé to reconsider.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) devastated
(2) caramel
(3) popular
(4) chocolate
(5) Caramac
(6) lamented
(7) expressed
(8) change
(9) followers
(10) staple
(11) compete
(12) leading
(13) nostalgic
(14) competitive
(15) difficult
(16) classic
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. Nestlé
Answer: (d) The country known for its pastries
2. Caramac
Answer: (a) The company that produced Caramilk
3. Scotland
Answer: (h) The brand known for its distinctive red and yellow wrapper
4. Caramel
Answer: (b) A type of sweet, sticky sauce
5. Cadbury’s
Answer: (c) The company that announced the discontinuation of Caramac
6. Mackintosh’s
Answer: (f) The company that originally created Caramac
7. Cocoa
Answer: (e) A substance derived from cacao beans
8. Confectionery
Answer: (g) The category of sweet food items
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What is the reason for Nestlé discontinuing the Caramac bar?
Answer: (a) Declining sales
2. What has impacted Caramac’s market performance?
Answer: (b) Emergence of similar “blonde” chocolate products
3. How did fans react to the news of Caramac’s discontinuation?
Answer: (b) Outcry on social media
4. What did Nestlé state as the reason for discontinuing Caramac?
Answer: (d) To focus on best-performing brands and develop new innovations
5. Which country’s bakery expressed sadness over the discontinuation of Caramac?
Answer: (c) Scotland
6. When was Caramac first launched?
Answer: (d) 1959
7. What is the origin of the name “Caramac”?
Answer: (a) Combination of “caramel” and “Mackintosh”
8. What is the composition of Caramac?
Answer: (c) Cocoa-free
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Caramac was originally created by Mackintosh’s and has been a staple in UK confectionery since its launch in 1959. (Answer: True)
2. Nestlé has made the easy decision to continue the production of Caramac to neglect their best-performing brands and avoid new innovations. (Answer: False)
3. Caramac’s sales have declined despite its unique flavor and texture. (Answer: True)
4. Nestlé has declared the continuation of the Caramac bar due to increasing sales. (Answer: False)
5. The Caramac bar is known for its distinctive red and yellow wrapper and caramel flavor. (Answer: True)
6. The absence of similar “blonde” chocolate products from rival brands has impacted Caramac’s market performance. (Answer: False)
7. The news of Caramac’s discontinuation sparked an outcry from fans on social media. (Answer: True)
8. A bakery in Scotland, known for using Caramac in its pastries, expressed happiness over the continuation and did not stock up on the bars. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
