'It was with regret that I stepped down from the magazine to concentrate on a less harmful - but certainly less sweet - career.'
Mr Kennedy has been editing the magazine for the last 20 years.
He was dubbed ‘Willy Wonka’ in October 2010 after some of the world’s biggest manufacturers hired him as a chocolate taster.
After landing the taste testing job, he sampled more than 200 new products per month - around 30,000 in total - while earning £30,000-a-year.
Manufacturers including Mars and Nestle relied on his experience and sophisticated palate to sample new treats ahead of production.
At a trade show, he would often eat up to 3lbs of goodies - approximately 20 bars of Dairy Milk or 25 Creme Eggs - in less than 12 hours.
His monthly magazine is more than 120 years old and is sent to 5,000 subscribers worldwide.
But following the birth of his fifth child earlier this year, he decided to have a check-up - and was told to quit the chocolate or face a 'future of ill-health'.
Mr Kennedy has now employed a new editor and a team of tasters, but added: 'I’ll really miss being Willy Wonka.'
