Chocolate

[clylbw]

Hi,

As part of his course, a friend of mine is doing a research project in chocolate, from which some interesting facts are turning up . He would like to broaden his research and has asked for my help, so here it goes.

Can you please indicate:

1. Do you like/dislike a chocolate brand and/or product in particular? If so, why?

2. What causes you to buy a particular chocolate product? Its brand, the product itself, the package, or other features?

3. Would you consider yourself loyal to one brand/product, or do you try around different brands/products?

4. If you seldom eat chocolate, i.e. less than once per month, what puts you off? Don't like the brands/products available, don't like chocolate in general, think it is unhealthy, or consider it is expensive?

5. If you eat chocolate frequently, i.e. more than 3 time per week, what would cause you to reduce the consumption? Unavailability of favourite brands/products, concern about health, or increased price?

Please note: all chocolate here refers to the chunk type; chocolate drinks are not included.

Please PM me if you like to keep your answer in private, and I will transfer the information to him.

Many thanks indeed on behave of my friend.

 

[oatman]

2. I only buy chocolate that has a minimum of 70% cocoa solids. Less than that and for me it's not chocolate.

 

[JTrader]

1. Do you like/dislike a chocolate brand and/or product in particular? If so, why?
I dislike Galaxy chocolate as it is very sugary - but not very chocolatey.
2. What causes you to buy a particular chocolate product? Its brand, the product itself, the package, or other features?
Brand, packaging, ingredients, size of bar, price.
3. Would you consider yourself loyal to one brand/product, or do you try around different brands/products?
Don't eat much chocolate. Like to try new types when possible - Swiss, American etc.
4. If you seldom eat chocolate, i.e. less than once per month, what puts you off? Don't like the brands/products available, don't like chocolate in general, think it is unhealthy, or consider it is expensive?
think it is unhealthy, my are teeth sensitive to it.
5. If you eat chocolate frequently, i.e. more than 3 time per week, what would cause you to reduce the consumption? Unavailability of favourite brands/products, concern about health, or increased price?
Putting on weight.

 

[clylbw]

Many thanks to both of you.

 

[timsk]

Hi Clylbw,
1. I like Cadbury's and dislike Nestle. The former is a traditional English company whose products I've enjoyed all my life; the latter is a huge multi national with its fingers in lots of pies - the phrase 'Jack of all trades, master of none' springs to mind.
2. A mixture of brand and price. Generally speaking, I want quantity, not quality.
3. I prefer manufacturers who are known for their chocolate - e.g. Cadbury, Lindt, Green & Black's etc. I eat a lot of Cadbury's Dairy Milk because it's cheap and available everywhere. For a treat, I'd choose Bendick's Bittermints - not strictly chocolate, I know - but worth mentioning as it is quite simply the finest piece of confectionery ever produced - EVER!
4. This Q. doesn't apply to me as I eat lots of it every day!
5. If there was a health revelation of the magnitude of smoking causes cancer - I would probably reduce my consumption. But the thought of life without chocolate is too horrific to contemplate!
Cheers,
Tim.

 

[oatman]

What is the cocoa content of Cadbury's Dairy Milk? I guess less than 30%. I think you'll find it's classified as "confectionary" anywhere but in the UK.

 

[Racer]

4. If you seldom eat chocolate, i.e. less than once per month, what puts you off? Don't like the brands/products available, don't like chocolate in general, think it is unhealthy, or consider it is expensive?

I don't eat much chocolate at all.. rarely eat bars of chocolate.. I can' remember the last time I ate any!
Brands, not bothered. No it isn't the health or weight aspects that puts me off and money doesn't come into it.
I will eat a chocolate covered biscuit bar on the odd occasion but am not that bothered.
Chocolate is not something I would desire or crave at all.

 

[timsk]

Oatman,
I'm sure you're right, but I pay little attention to cocoa content. My wife on the other hand rarely eats chocolate and, when she does, she insists it contains a minimum of 70% cocoa. In fact, we returned from a recent holiday in Spain with bars of Lindt chocolate which contain 99% cocoa! (You can't buy them in the U.K.) She's welcome to it - I want SUGAR!
Tim.

 

[Racer]

What is the cocoa content of Cadbury's Dairy Milk? I guess less than 30%

I think they add a lot of vegetable fat, unlike
Belgian and continental chocolate

 

[oatman]

99% cocoa must have been very bitter. I don't think I could handle that.
Vegetable oil is used as a preservative(I think). I think its addition stops the formation of "bloom" which is the harmless white fat spots that can appear on the surface.
EU are still arguing against the addition of veg oil :cheesy:

 

[clylbw]

So many thanks to you all.

My favourite chocolate is a Swiss one with 95 - 98% cocoa; I do not like the sweet ones, either. Well, each to his/her own preference.

From the interim result of my friend's research, people seem to have a bitter-sweet relationship with chocolate. A vast majority of those asked like chocolate, but many eat little of it due to health/weight consideration. This is most obvious in Europe and North America, where there is a problem of obesity. Things are different in Asia.

There are other interesting findings; I will put some of them out once it is OK by my friend.

BTW, I have tried to persuade him to become a member here in vain. However, things are looking up with all this help.

 

[ChartMan]

I prefer the taste of German chocolate, ie Ritter Sport.... and dark chocolate. I'm an infrequent eater.