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Milk Tray - what happened?!

(55 Posts)
Kate22 Sat 31-Dec-22 13:10:21

Dear Gransnetters, I was given a large box of Milk Tray at Christmas. I haven’t had one for decades so I was delighted and without parents to tell me not to eat them all at once I tore off the lid and began to eat ( well, gobble my gut be a truer description) but realised by about the sixth that not only did they all taste the same but that gorgeous Cadbury flavour was missing. My adult children helped in my taste test and they all thought the same. I appreciate that like Roses and Quality Street the quality and quantity have changed in order to keep them at a reasonable price point but these really were incredibly bland. Has anyone else found this? Or have we been spoiled by eating chocolate with a much higher percentage of cocoa solids than we had in the past?

Grandmabatty Sat 31-Dec-22 13:20:46

The use of palm oil I believe has changed the taste

Blondiescot Sat 31-Dec-22 13:22:39

Cadbury's chocolate has definitely changed - and not for the better - since the company was taken over by Mondelez.

NotSpaghetti Sat 31-Dec-22 13:23:57

There is a recall on these apparently.
Stop eating them I think.

Urmstongran Sat 31-Dec-22 13:33:58

I find Cadbury chocolate ‘greasy’ nowadays. I don’t eat it often but I’ve gone off it. I thought it was my tastebuds but your comment Grandmabatty seems to tie in better!

Dickens Sat 31-Dec-22 13:33:59

I'm not sure, but word has it that they reduced the amount of cocoa butter and increased the sugar or vegetable fat - or both - to compensate.

No prizes for guessing the reason why.

I've stopped buying it.

Cadbury is a British multinational confectionery company owned by Mondelēz International. It is the second largest confectionery brand in the world after Mars. Cadbury is headquartered in Uxbridge, London, and operates in more than fifty countries worldwide.
according to Wikipedia

Maggymay Sat 31-Dec-22 13:37:42

Used to love Milk Tray in the past DH loved all the soft centres and I liked the hard centres, now they are bland and taste the same and they are all soft centres.

MarilynneT33 Sat 31-Dec-22 13:43:49

I'm not very impressed with all the chocolates at the moment Roses, Quality Street, Heroes and Celebrations. Last Christmas we got a Christmas Wreath from Hotel Chocolat and although it was nice I still couldn't go overboard about it. I did get some Violet, Rose and Strawberry creams from our local garden centre gift shop which excelled all the rest. Maybe my taste has changed as I've got older. The only chocolate bar I like is Galaxy.

Casdon Sat 31-Dec-22 13:57:02

MarilynneT33

I'm not very impressed with all the chocolates at the moment Roses, Quality Street, Heroes and Celebrations. Last Christmas we got a Christmas Wreath from Hotel Chocolat and although it was nice I still couldn't go overboard about it. I did get some Violet, Rose and Strawberry creams from our local garden centre gift shop which excelled all the rest. Maybe my taste has changed as I've got older. The only chocolate bar I like is Galaxy.

Lindt Lindor is still nice too, but I agree with you about Galaxy, it’s the only one that tastes the same as it always has to me. Thornton’s, which used to be lovely has also gone right down the tubes.

25Avalon Sat 31-Dec-22 13:59:02

My M&S box of white, dark, and milk choccies, given as a present are delish.

pandapatch Sat 31-Dec-22 14:28:36

We have just finished a box of Lindor - they were yummy!

JaneJudge Sat 31-Dec-22 14:31:19

has there really been a recall? as I've got a box in the utility room

Fleurpepper Sat 31-Dec-22 14:49:33

Grandmabatty

The use of palm oil I believe has changed the taste

There used to be regulations for some countries re chocolate- they no longer apply to the UK. That means firms can choose to use palm oil and a lot more sugar, and no cocoa at all.

Result - disgusting! Sad.

Calendargirl Sat 31-Dec-22 14:51:41

I bought a couple of large boxes of Green and Blacks Organic assorted chocolate bars, bargain price.

Only realised when home they expired end November sad.

Still gave one away, didn’t think the recipient would notice or if he did, wouldn’t worry about it.

The other one didn’t go to intended person as she is a bit fussy about ‘best before’ dates.

DH and I have been forced to eat them ourselves, still here to tell the tale, and even nicer being a good buy.

NotSpaghetti Sat 31-Dec-22 14:56:52

www.google.com/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/money/shoppers-slam-vile-cadburys-milk-28801956.amp

Sorry it's the mirror jane bouncing about in the car

Fleurpepper Sat 31-Dec-22 14:57:27

The UK used to follow the same directives. they no longer do, and follow the USA model.

'*Specific Requirements for Cocoa and Chocolate Products*

To ensure that manufacturers follow exceptionally high food quality standards, the EU has passed a Directive that sets specific standard rules for cocoa and chocolate products.

It determines the minimum percentage of cocoa butter, cocoa solids, cocoa powder, milk fat, or dry milk solids for particular chocolate or cocoa products. The produced products should meet the requirements of their respective product category.

Moreover, vegetable fats in the final cocoa or chocolate product should not exceed 5 %. The vegetable fats used must be cocoa butter equivalents, defined according to technical and scientific criteria.'

25Avalon Sat 31-Dec-22 14:58:28

Calendargirl chocolate is ok to eat 6 months after the best before date so don’t give anymore away! I used to go into the Cadbury factory staff shop and most of the chocolate at seriously reduced prices had an earlier date.

Greyduster Sat 31-Dec-22 14:58:42

I’ve always been a fan of Thornton’s Continentals - the factory used to be a small concern near to where I grew up, but the last time I was given a box I was disappointed to find there was nothing particularly special about the fillings now and the chocolate is nowhere near as nice as it used to be. We were always rather proud of Thornton’s - it was an institution. We had a German student staying with us once and I sent her back to Hamburg with a large box of Continentals for her mother, who said they were some of the nicest chocolates she’d ever had. I doubt if she’d still think the same now.

Greyduster Sat 31-Dec-22 15:01:04

Have to say that if I give chocolates now, they are usually Lindt.

SpringyChicken Sat 31-Dec-22 15:02:28

We don't buy any of the 'old' varieties of chocs any more. They have all been dumbed down to make production cheaper.

GagaJo Sat 31-Dec-22 15:03:25

I no longer eat Cadbury chocolate. It doesn't taste milky anymore, just greasy. And I was a big fan of Dairy Milk in the past.

LadyGracie Sat 31-Dec-22 15:03:33

Palm oil gives the chocolate a cloying oily texture/taste. Even my favourite Maltesers have changed.

Calendargirl Sat 31-Dec-22 15:04:28

Thanks 25Avalon, but ‘best before’ dates for chocolate have never worried me, just don’t like to give them to others who may be fussier.

Calendargirl Sat 31-Dec-22 15:08:40

Isn’t it sad when even Cadburys can’t be relied upon to be what it was?

Remember the 1d, 2d, 6d bars?

The cheap ones were really thin, got progressively bigger until you got to the bars with chunks of yummy chocolate. All the chocolate was good though, just not enough of it.

Oh, such happy days!

JaneJudge Sat 31-Dec-22 15:12:56

It is just a shame because of the whole original ethos and Bourneville. They'll be adding alcohol next and then we'll all go to hell