With less than a month to Easter, it’s time to put the weight loss campaign/no sugar commitment to one side and commit to the cocoa bean. Food & Drink Business takes a look – and taste – at what’s on offer.
Food & Drink Business has already given a nod to Caramilk hot cross buns and even alerted readers to the Vegemite and cheese variety, which is still being given the side-eye in this office. (Ed: the Woolworth’s brioche variety lends itself to a superior bread and butter pudding.)
Cereal juggernaut Kellogg’s didn’t want to be left out so has produced a Hot Cross Bun Sultana Bran, which makes us wonder, what’s next? Hot cross buns scented washing detergent? (Sit down Unilever.)
But for those legitimately or lifestyle choice avoiding gluten, the focus is squarely on the chocolate.
Nestle is doing its bit for the environment and our nostalgia with its range that has reduced packaging on some of our childhood favourites like Freckles and Allen’s Party Mix.
Freshly rebranded Menz has launched new Easter products with Violet Crumble and FruChocs. There's a 'Shake Me' egg, gooey apricot creme filled centres, hollow eggs, filled eggs, solid eggs and more.
While Darrell Lea, already a favourite in the Food & Drink Business office for its impressive return and expansion of its Lifesavers brand – I’m sure I’ll slow down on my consumption of Blackcurrant Pastilles any day now – has hit the shelves with old favourites and new faces. Fruit Tingles even get an Easter range.
The Darrell Lea Bilby is back – part of a fundraising partnership the confectioner began with the Save the Bilby Fund in 1999. For every chocolate bilby sold, 20 cents is donated to the fund. That’s right, eat it for the Bilbies. It’s the kind of virtue signalling we can all get behind.
All of Darrell Lea’s chocolate is also palm oil free so you are basically saving the planet through your chocolate consumption.
There’s a range of Easter Bunnies, Easter Eggs, little eggs, and speckled eggs, but most importantly, its Nougat Easter Egg is back. Dentist’s look away, it will be over soon.
Meanwhile, Koko Black has really raised the bar with its 2022 Limited Edition Easter Collection, inspired by Autumn in a theme titled the Koko Forest. It is next level.
The collection draws upon the shapes, animals and foliage of a forest, using 100 per cent natural premium ingredients. Apart from the actual product range, it has also developed an interactive online and instore Easter egg hunt.
This year, Koko Black expects to produce more than 40,000 Easter Bunnies, 200,000 Easter Eggs, and 90,000 Praline Eggs. Hop to it, as they say.
Koko Black said customer favourites are back: Hot Cross Bites, A Dozen Praline Eggs, and Caramelised Coconut Flecks in Milk Chocolate, alongside new delights such as Golden Apricot Bites, Vegan Raspberry Crunch Mylk Chocolate Eggs, and a Golden Chocolate Bunny.
The vegan-friendly Apricot and Almond Mylk eggs are a new addition, created by head chocolatier Remco Brigou.
Also, in the vegan-friendly realm is the Easter collection from Loving Earth. It too has expanded its range this year, with a creamy range of solid and creme eggs.
We spoke to co-founder Scott Fry on the podcast late last year about the company's absolute commitment to fair, transparent, and ethical supply chains. You can also read our interview with its chief chocolatier Thibault Fregoni and product development manager Emil Kroll here on how Loving Earth chocolate is as creamy as it is.
It is so refreshing these days, that whatever the reason you can’t have chocolate does not relegate you to carob.
The UK’s most popular vegan and chocolate-free brand NOMO has arrived in Australia. Its products are free from diary, gluten, eggs, and nuts, meaning people with an allergy or intolerance no longer have to miss out on the seasonal gluttony.
It has a range of favourites: Sea Salt & Caramel Egg, Fruit & Crunch Casket, and its Creamy Choc Egg, which has been expanded this year to include a Cookie Dough Bunny (a cookie-dough centre with rice cereal and cocoa pieces) and Caramel filled Egg and Bar.
