Latest news with #chocolate
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Cadbury's chocolate factory in Malaysia churns out 100 million chocolate bars every year... but it's not all for us
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 – It was either a gift your grandparents secretly snuck into your pocket, a reward for an A in your school test, or a last-minute birthday gift for a dear one. Chocolates have been these and much more to its fans over the years. And in Malaysia, chocolates very often meant Cadbury chocolates ever since the brand formally entered the country over 75 years ago. Even today when there are many more chocolate brands—including Malaysian ones—in the market, Cadbury still holds a special place in our taste memories. What not many people know is that Cadbury chocolate bars have actually been made here in Malaysia for South-east Asia for more than half a century. Founded over 200 years ago in the United Kingdom, Cadbury established its factory in Shah Alam in 1974. The factory spans the size of five basketball courts and is Cadbury's sole manufacturing hub for South-east Asia. The factory has nine production lines, manned by some 250 workers. Every year, the chocolate factory churns out over 14 metric tonnes of chocolate, or the equivalent of 100 million of 135g chocolate bars. Tempering allows the chocolate to stabilise through heating and cooling for consistency in texture, colour and flavour, before it is poured into the mould. — Picture courtesy of Mondolez International Mondolez International marketing head (Malaysia and Singapore) See Mei Sin said Malaysia is still the largest market for Cadbury chocolates in the region, making it the market leader of the chocolate industry here. (Mondolez International acquired Cadbury in 2010.) See said the central region or Klang Valley alone make up for half of the local consumption and said the appetite for chocolate keeps growing every year. 'Malaysia is still the largest market in South-east Asia, mainly because we are the rare few Commonwealth countries (in the region). 'Commonwealth countries usually make up a larger chocolate market than non-Commonwealth countries because chocolate is a British legacy. 'There is also a shift in consumers' palates. More and more consumers are craving for richer, creamier and more chocolatey bars,' she said. The demand prompted the company to roll out a richer, creamier version of its signature Cadbury Dairy Milk this year. The upgrade also saw the introduction of a new King Size 200gm bar and a redesigned chunk shape across the entire range. So, what goes on inside the factory? Visiting a chocolate factory is... to awaken the child in you. It was so much fun. See said Cadbury sources its cocoa beans from sustainably-cultivated farms in Indonesia, Ghana and Ivory Coast to meet its massive production demand. The beans are fermented, dried, roasted and winnowed before they are ground to form a chocolate paste. The chocolate then undergoes 'conching' to give it a smooth texture. After that, the chocolate is sent for tempering, where it is stabilised through heating and cooling for consistency in texture, colour and flavour. The liquid chocolate is then poured into special moulds and cooled to set before it is finally packaged. Pro-tip: Always keep your chocolate bars wrapped in the gold foil when storing them in the fridge. It helps to prevent chocolate bloom – the hazy white coating that appears when fat or sugar re-crystallises on the chocolate surface. The Shah Alam factory, that spans the size of five basketball courts, is Cadbury's sole manufacturing hub for South-east Asia. — Picture courtesy of Mondolez International Going an extra half in every bar Before John Cadbury started serving chocolates at his grocery shop in Birmingham in 1824, chocolates were a luxury that only royalty and elites could afford and consume. So, he strived to make chocolates accessible to the masses. Two hundred years on, his mission is still reflected in the 'glass and a half' logo on the Cadbury logo. See said the confectionery always adds an extra half amount of milk than required in any recipe of chocolate that they make. Every year, the chocolate factory churns out over 14 metric tonnes of chocolate, or equivalent to 100 million of 135g chocolate bars. — Picture courtesy of Mondolez International 'That is also why we also take pride in our iconic chocolate bars. When you share chocolates in other formats, it is a passive form of sharing. 'But, when you break a Cadbury bar and share it with someone, it forms connections.' No wonder writer Roald Dahl used a childhood memory of Cadbury sending test packages to schoolchildren for their opinions on new products to write Charlie and the Chocolate Factory... which later inspired the Willy Wonka movies.
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Shoppers spot ‘banging' new Cadbury's chocolate bar on shelves of bargain UK supermarket
EAGLE-EYED shoppers have spotted a brand-new Cadbury's chocolate bar on the shelves in a bargain UK supermarket. Cadbury teased the launch of the twist on a fan-favourite chocolate bar earlier this month, but has already said the treat won't be on shelves forever. 1 Sharing a video of the Twirl White Dipped, the British chocolatier said: "OK but we've really outdone ourselves with this one." The chocolate makers described the new bar, which is similar to a Twirl bar, but dipped in white chocolate as being "unreal, indulgent, smooth, swirly, creamy, melty, new, and mouthwatering". And now, the new bar has been spotted by hawk-eyed snack fans in Morrisons. Posting in the Newfoodsuk Facebook group, one confectionary lover said: "The new Twirl Bars are now available at Morrisons." Attached to the post was a picture of the limited edition bars on sale for £1 at the supermarket. The price tag indicated that the chocolate bar is part of Morrisons' £4 Meal Deal. Excited shoppers flooded the comments section of the post, to share their love for the sweet treat. One person said: "I've tried these and they are gorgeous." A second person said: "Tried it, was banging." A third person, tagging a friend said: "They're in Morrisons now! 'So excited' say Cadbury Ireland fans as new chocolate bar flavour to hit shelves TODAY "I know where I'm off to tomorrow." The chocolate bars have also been spotted in local convenience stores, with another Newfoodsuk post stating: "Wow, these are outstanding - closest bar you'll ever get to a Cadbury Snowflake! "We spotted these at our local convenience store!" Katya Savelieva, Brand Manager for Twirl at Mondelez International, said of the new bars: 'Cadbury Twirl has always been a fan favourite, so it's no surprise that limited editions like Cadbury Twirl Orange and Cadbury Twirl Mint had everyone talking. How to save money on chocolate We all love a bit of chocolate from now and then, but you don't have to break the bank buying your favourite bar. Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how to cut costs... Go own brand - if you're not too fussed about flavour and just want to supplant your chocolate cravings, you'll save by going for the supermarket's own brand bars. Shop around - if you've spotted your favourite variety at the supermarket, make sure you check if it's cheaper elsewhere. Websites like let you compare prices on products across all the major chains to see if you're getting the best deal. Look out for yellow stickers - supermarket staff put yellow, and sometimes orange and red, stickers on to products to show they've been reduced. They usually do this if the product is coming to the end of its best-before date or the packaging is slightly damaged. Buy bigger bars - most of the time, but not always, chocolate is cheaper per 100g the larger the bar. So if you've got the appetite, and you were going to buy a hefty amount of chocolate anyway, you might as well go bigger. "With smooth white chocolate surrounding our iconic milk chocolate swirls, the new Twirl White Dipped is an indulgence you won't want to miss - grab it as soon as you can and experience Twirl like never before.' The bar first hit shelves on June 2, and since it won't be around for ever, sweet-toothed snack fans should consider stocking up whilst they're still on shelves. Twirl bar were first released in Ireland in 1985, as a single finger bar. They hit UK shelves two years later in its classic double finger form. Eventually the Twirl bar solidified itself as a fan favourite among Cadbury customers. It has since earned its place in the coveted Cadbury's Heroes tin, available at Christmas.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Sweet treat sours: high bacteria count in Hong Kong Godiva dark chocolate ice cream
Hong Kong authorities have ordered a branch of the Belgian luxury chocolatier Godiva to stop selling its dark chocolate soft ice cream. This decision came after a sample was found to have a total bacterial count that was 46 times above the legal limit. The Centre for Food Safety said on Thursday that the sample collected from the shop at Cityplaza in Tai Koo had 2.3 million bacteria per gram – the legal limit is 50,000. 'The centre has informed the vendor involved of the irregularity and instructed it to stop selling and immediately dispose of the affected product,' a spokesman said. 'Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.'
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Nestle to launch THREE new chocolate bars this month including two KitKat flavours
NESTLE has just dropped three new chocolate bars and it includes a twist on a new a real classic. The three new bars - KitKat Chunky Funky, KitKat Chunky Salted Caramel and KitKat Blue Riband Vanilla - will be available in shops from this week. 1 The first bar - the KitKat Chunky Funky - is a crispy cocoa wafer and smothered in a marbled mix of creamy milk and white chocolate. While the KitKat Chunky Duo Salted Caramel is just like a normal KitKat Chunky but with salted caramel in its milk chocolate. And there's a new Blue Riband vanilla flavour launching too. It has 83 calories, which is less than the normal milk chocolate version which has 92 calories. KitKat's assistant brand boss, Rida Ahmed, reckons they'll be a hit with fans. She said: 'KitKat Chunky has a fresh look while keeping the delicious crispy wafer and chocolate that our fans adore. "It's such a fun product, and we can't wait to see how shoppers react!' We've asked Nestle for their recommended retail prices and the calories and we'll update this story asap. We've outdone ourselves with this one' say Cadbury Ireland as they reveal new limited edition bar 'coming soon The triple launch couldn't have come at a better time, with Nestlé fans still reeling from the shock axe of Clusters, a breakfast staple loved by many. It comes hot on the heels of the disappearance of Cheerios Vanilla O's, also binned by the brand last summer. Why are products axed or recipes changed? ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders. Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether. They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers. There are several reasons why this could be done. For example, government regulation, like the "sugar tax," forces firms to change their recipes. Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs. They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable. For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018. It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version. Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year. Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks. While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose. New treats hitting the shelves Meanwhile, over in B&M, shoppers are going wild for Cadbury's new Dairy Milk Caramel Mudcake bar, with stock already flying off the shelves. The drop follows a string of Cadbury summer launches, from Iced Latte Dairy Milk with cool-changing packaging, to the nostalgic return of Dairy Milk Balls, likened to '90s Cadbury Tasters. While Digestives has launched a new pink version which tastes of raspberry and cream. And there's also a new mango and passion fruit Jammie Dodger. We rounded up all the treats hitting shelves soon - but would you try them? How to save money on chocolate We all love a bit of chocolate from now and then, but you don't have to break the bank buying your favourite bar. Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how to cut costs... Go own brand - if you're not too fussed about flavour and just want to supplant your chocolate cravings, you'll save by going for the supermarket's own brand bars. Shop around - if you've spotted your favourite variety at the supermarket, make sure you check if it's cheaper elsewhere. Websites like let you compare prices on products across all the major chains to see if you're getting the best deal. Look out for yellow stickers - supermarket staff put yellow, and sometimes orange and red, stickers on to products to show they've been reduced. They usually do this if the product is coming to the end of its best-before date or the packaging is slightly damaged. Buy bigger bars - most of the time, but not always, chocolate is cheaper per 100g the larger the bar. So if you've got the appetite, and you were going to buy a hefty amount of chocolate anyway, you might as well go bigger.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Tesco glitch sees shoppers strip shelves bare of luxury chocolate bars reduced to clear in ‘system error'
TESCO has accidentally slashed the price of a viral luxury chocolate bar. Shoppers are racing to the retailer to snap up the popular treat that was reduced to clear. Tesco has recently launched Godiva's Pistachio & Kadayif chocolate bars, inspired by the viral sensation that took social media by storm. The sweet treat contains creamy milk chocolate, rich pistachio paste and crispy shredded filo dough used in Middle Eastern pastries. Godiva's take on Dubai chocolate weighs 122 grams and scans at the till for £10 a bar. Tesco Clubcard members can get a deal and pay only £7.95 instead. However, some shoppers have spotted the luxury chocolate selling for half the price. One user posted on Linkedin an image of Godiva's bars on the shelves with a "reduced to clear" sign. The post read: "Yet another fad is reduced to clear. "Instead build the brand by focusing on the core customer propositon for long term commercial success." The chocolate bar hit the Tesco shelves for a limited time which led to speculations as to why it was discounted. One person wrote: "Or maybe people who walk into a store aren't the audience on the dubai-chocolate train, it's those who shop online." Another person said: "Dubai Chocolate flooded the market, it's everywhere local corner shop, home bargains, b&m, garage forecourts, it lost its exclusive appeal." A spokesperson for Godiva told the Grocer that they saw a "strong" demand for the product and it has been "selling well". They added that the reduced price was "due to a supply chain system error". Tesco has now fixed the glitch and the Godiva's bars are selling at their regular prices in all stores. Tesco spokesperson told the Sun: "An error on our system caused Godiva Pistachio & Kadayif Milk Chocolate bars to be incorrectly marked down in price in some stores on Tuesday (June 24). "The error has now been corrected, and the product is at normal price in all our stores." Shoppers might be disappointed to learn that retailers don't have to honour the low price of a product if it's a glitch. Shops might choose to honour the price on the label, and it's worth asking them to just in case. But the shop can just withdraw the item for sale and say it's not available if the price is a mistake. If the glitch goes through at the checkout and you buy the item at the lower price, you won't have to pay the money back. Citizen's Advice says they're only legally entitled to ask you for more money if you'd talked about the price (eg £100) and they ended up charging you much less instead (eg £10). If you're looking for Godiva's bar alternatives, this isn't the first time retailers have tried to cash in on the Dubai chocolate craze. Aldi has recently unveiled their version of a "Dubai-style" chocolate which is easy on the pocket at just £3.99. Lidl's JD Gross version flew off the shelves, and Waitrose offers a similar pistachio white chocolate bar for £2.75. Morrisons stocks its own version—Bolci Dubai Chocolate—for £5. To get the best deal, savvy shoppers are encouraged to compare prices using online tools like PriceSpy, Google Shopping, or Idealo. These platforms let you check price histories and spot deals across retailers.
