Kréma

Kréma is a French confectionery brand associated with chewy sweets, caramel-based products, mints, licorice, and fruit-flavoured candies. The brand became particularly well known in France during the period from the 1950s through the 1970s, when its products occupied a recognizable place in the country's mass-market confectionery culture. Its historical range included Mint'Ho, a white caramel mint; Bat'na, which combined white and brown caramel; and Regliss', a product combining white caramel with black licorice. These products helped define Kréma's identity as a brand built around distinctive textures and combinations rather than around a single confectionery category. Mint'Ho was especially notable for a physical characteristic that distinguished it from many other sweets of its era: the mint could float on water. This resulted from the expansion of microscopic air bubbles incorporated during production, which also contributed to the product's soft, chewable texture. Changes in manufacturing over time meant that later versions no longer retained the floating property. Mint'Ho's formulation has also included animal-derived gelatin and emulsifiers, making it unsuitable for some religious dietary requirements, including kosher observance. The brand has passed through several major ownership changes. In 2000, Kréma was acquired by Cadbury-Schweppes from Kraft Foods. Following the separation and subsequent consolidation of major confectionery businesses, Mondelez International became associated with the brand's ownership. In 2016, Eurazeo acquired Kréma and a portfolio of other established confectionery names from Mondelez International. Those brands, including Carambar, Terry's, La Pie qui Chante, Malabar, Vichy Pastilles, Suchard, and Poulain, were subsequently organized within Carambar & Co, a French confectionery group. Kréma's product identity extends beyond its historic caramel and mint lines. The brand has been offered in flavours including cherry, lemon, raspberry, orange, caramel, pomegranate, iced tea, peach, and apple. Its ingredient profile has included sugar, glucose syrup, hydrogenated vegetable fat, gelatin, skimmed milk powder, licorice extract, acidifying agents, flavourings, colourings, soya lecithin, salt, and sodium bicarbonate. Exact formulations may vary by product and market. Today, Kréma remains part of the Carambar & Co portfolio. Its significance is primarily historical and brand-based: it represents a long-established French sweets label whose strongest period of public recognition came in the mid-to-late twentieth century, while its surviving products and flavour variations continue the brand's association with accessible, chewy confectionery.

Kréma is a French confectionery brand whose strongest period of recognition was from the 1950s to the 1970s. During that period, the brand was associated with chewy sweets and unusual combinations of caramel, mint, and licorice. Its best-known historical products included Mint'Ho, Bat'na, and Regliss'. Mint'Ho was a white caramel mint distinguished by its ability to float on water. The effect was linked to microscopic air bubbles that expanded during production. Those bubbles also made the sweet relatively easy to chew. The floating characteristic was not preserved indefinitely: later changes to the manufacturing process meant that contemporary versions no longer floated. The product's formulation has included animal gelatin and emulsifiers, which has made it unacceptable under some religious dietary rules, including Judaism's kosher requirements. Bat'na combined white and brown caramel, giving it a two-tone caramel profile. Regliss' paired white caramel with black licorice. Together, these products established Kréma as a brand centered on texture and flavour contrast. Over time, the wider range expanded to include fruit-oriented flavours such as cherry, lemon, raspberry, orange, pomegranate, iced tea, peach, and apple, alongside caramel. The brand's corporate ownership changed as the international confectionery industry consolidated. In 2000, Cadbury-Schweppes purchased Kréma from Kraft Foods. Later, the brand became part of the confectionery assets associated with Mondelez International. In 2016, Eurazeo acquired Kréma and a group of other established confectionery brands from Mondelez. The acquired portfolio included Carambar, Terry's, La Pie qui Chante, Malabar, Vichy Pastilles, Suchard, and Poulain. These brands were subsequently grouped under Carambar & Co, creating a dedicated French confectionery group and establishing Kréma's current corporate context. Kréma products have used conventional confectionery ingredients including sugar, glucose syrup, vegetable fat, gelatin, skimmed milk powder, licorice extract, acids, flavourings, colourings, soya lecithin, salt, and sodium bicarbonate. Formulas can differ between products and over time, so historical ingredient descriptions should not be treated as a universal specification for every Kréma item. The brand remains active within the Carambar & Co portfolio. Its historical importance lies in its recognition among French consumers, its distinctive caramel and mint products, and its association with a period when branded chewy sweets became widely distributed in France. Publicly available reference material provides limited information about Kréma's founding date, original founder, current management, detailed manufacturing network, and present-day sales footprint.

• 2016

  Eurazeo acquisition and Carambar & Co grouping

  [1]Krémaen.wikipedia.org

  Eurazeo acquired Kréma and several other confectionery brands from Mondelez International; the brands were subsequently grouped under Carambar & Co.

• 2000

  Cadbury-Schweppes acquisition

  [1]Krémaen.wikipedia.org

  Cadbury-Schweppes acquired Kréma from Kraft Foods.

• 1950

  Kréma becomes prominent in French confectionery

  [1]Krémaen.wikipedia.org

  Kréma was particularly well known during the 1950s, beginning a period of strong recognition that continued into the 1970s.

A traditional French mass-market confectionery brand focused on chewy textures, caramel-based sweets, mints, licorice combinations, and familiar fruit flavours.

• Mint and caramel confectionery

  Mint'Ho

  Mint'Ho is Kréma's historically distinctive white caramel mint. It was once known for floating on water, a result of microscopic air bubbles formed during production. The same structure contributed to its soft, chewable character. Manufacturing changes later removed the floating property. Historical descriptions also identify gelatin and emulsifiers in the formulation, which may conflict with some religious dietary requirements.

• Caramel confectionery

  Bat'na

  Bat'na is a Kréma caramel sweet combining white and brown caramel. Its two-colour and dual-caramel identity made it one of the brand's notable historical products, alongside Mint'Ho and Regliss'.

• Licorice and caramel confectionery

  Regliss'

  Regliss' combines white caramel with black licorice. The product reflects Kréma's traditional emphasis on pairing a familiar caramel base with a stronger contrasting flavour.

• Fruit-flavoured chewy candy

  Fruit-flavoured Kréma candies

  Kréma's broader flavour range has included cherry, lemon, raspberry, orange, pomegranate, iced tea, peach, and apple, in addition to caramel. These flavours extend the brand beyond its historic mint, caramel, and licorice associations.

• 2016

  Eurazeo acquisition and portfolio consolidationM&A

  Background

  Eurazeo acquired Kréma and several established confectionery brands from Mondelez International.

  Action taken

  The acquired brands were grouped under Carambar & Co.

  Aftermath

  Kréma became part of the Carambar & Co confectionery group, where it remains a portfolio brand.

  Source

• 2000

  Transfer of Kréma from Kraft Foods to Cadbury-SchweppesM&A

  Background

  Kréma changed corporate ownership as Cadbury-Schweppes acquired the brand from Kraft Foods.

  Action taken

  Cadbury-Schweppes purchased Kréma.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition placed Kréma within Cadbury-Schweppes' confectionery portfolio.

  Source

• 2016

  Kréma transferred to Eurazeo confectionery portfolio[1]Krémaen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Eurazeo acquired Kréma and several other confectionery brands from Mondelez International. The brands were subsequently assembled under Carambar & Co.

• 2000

  Kréma acquired by Cadbury-Schweppes from Kraft Foods[1]Krémaen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Kréma changed ownership in 2000 when Cadbury-Schweppes acquired the brand from Kraft Foods.

1. 1Krémaen.wikipedia.org