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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

Cadbury's Takeover


Matt H

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Now the takeover, going bust, or loss of companies / businesses has never bothered me before. As far as I was concerned, they were businesses, there to make money purely and simple. But things change over time; ‘life’ if you will.

 

But I can’t help but feel somewhat disappointed about the loss of Cadbury to America’s Kraft; a company that brought us plastic cheese for our burgers.

 

Like a lot of people, I’ve been to Bourneville and visited Cadbury’s world and was amazed at what Cadbury once stood for in Birmingham.

 

It wasn’t just a business; it was an institution, a model of the work / life relationship, where Mr Cadbury and his partner helped his employees. He built a town, a place where he put his workers well-being in high priority: education, community, health etc.

 

For this reason I feel it is such a shame that Cadbury is being taken over. I only hope they honour this history that was built up all those years ago. It would be such a shame (in my eyes), to see Bourneville being shut down and disbanded, much like Kraft promised they wouldn’t do with (I think it was) Terry’s.

 

On another note, you can keep your fancy Belgium nibbles and fancy chocs. Give me a big hearty bar of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk or Caramel any day. Oh, and a Wispa on the side ;) :D. Maybe sneak a Crème Egg in there too. And if I’m going to buy some chocolates for the missus, I’ll give her a box of Milk Tray, so I can munch on them all.

 

What do you think? Shame? The signs of the times? Or not fussed either way?

 

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/04/0411_cadbury/image/dairy-milk.jpg

 

http://www.fashion-stylist.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/image/cadburyDairyMilkCaramelNibbles.jpg

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Very sad to see it sold, but that's economics I guess. Reading the papers, it sounds like Cadburys could/should have held out for a better offer at least.

 

The politicians annoy me: Gordon Brown has gone on record saying something along the lines of he would do everything he could to ensure Cadbury's British jobs would be protected. Translation for those who are unable to see past the spin: we'll do nothing and leave it to market forces.

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I don't really care as long as the products remain the same. Of course it would be a shame if the heritage was lost but that is just the way of the world at the moment. You have to blame the owner of the company though, it is greed. I don't think Cadbury's have went any time without making a profit. Clearly the offer from Kraft was enough for their eyes to "cha-ching" so what does that say about them?

 

Barrs are holding on firm to Irn-Bru at the moment, as Coca-Cola desperately want to take over so that they can say they have the best selling drink in every country of the world :D

 

Don't know how long that will last though, money talks.

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I just hope they don't ruin the chocolate! I love Cadbury's. :(

 

Agreed! As long as they don't go changing the taste and trying to buy ingrediants on the cheap!

 

Saying that if you've ever bought Cadbury's in a region like Asia where the ambient temp is a lot warmer it's got a lot less milk in it so tastes horrible :(

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Can't stand Cadbury, not real chocolate IMO sorry grew up in Belgium eating real chocolate, so I guess the takeover from the "plastic cheese" guys is ok ;)

 

It's not the chocolate so much as the British heritage that is in jeopardy.

 

Belguim nibbles are over rated; give me a glass and a half anyday ;)

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So can you give some examples of your 'real' chocolate then, as all the European stuff tastes of wax to me? ;)

 

Examples would be good too.

 

The only Euro stuff that is half decent from what my taste buds tell me is Milka.

 

It can't be said that just because it's from Belguim, it's superior quality than anything else.

 

What brands are top of the pops over there? Or is it the small independant places that are highly thought of? :search:

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I think the chocolate blend is different in this country to most other countries. IIRC it contains more vegetable fat in this country (and hence less cocoa), and tastes all the better for it!

 

I got some Dairymilk in America and it was terrible compared to the stuff I'm used to. I went into one shop and managed to get the UK stuff which was imported and stored in a chiller lol.

 

Saying that, even the dodgy American stuff with the no trans-fat rule is better than anything they produce themselves. (hersheys ewww)

 

Can't stand Cadbury, not real chocolate IMO sorry grew up in Belgium eating real chocolate, so I guess the takeover from the "plastic cheese" guys is ok ;)

 

Real chocolate as in dark chocolate? I absolutely love a real 70% coco chocolate. Milk chocolate is kiddy's stuff but I love that too. The likes of Lindt (milk) etc do nothing for me and all taste like calander chocolate. Cadburys all the way for me, I can eat Galaxy if there is no Cad around but thats about it.

 

So can you give some examples of your 'real' chocolate then, as all the European stuff tastes of wax to me? ;)

 

Agreed. Nothing compares to Cadbury's IMO. As far as milk chocolate goes anyway.

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As long as the chocolate does not become like that powdery burnt tasting rubbish stuff in America, I really dont care who own's cadburys.

 

How about this.... why dont we support the little manufactures of choc, one of the best i have ever tasted was from a small chocolate factory in wales, such an amasing taste so smooth and full of flavour, makes cadbury taste like a watered down version of chocolate.

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I absolutely understand where you guys are coming from being a long standing British company and it's more a heritage thing than anything else because the chocolate itself, I don't really rate it, it has a soapy texture and leaves a burning feeling in the mouth...

 

We also don't need to state the obvious things like the fact that this is capitalism and all that... Terrys is also owned by Kraft but their Chocolate Orange is very good. I don't think that Kraft is going to change the recipees, it's just a capital takeover methinks.

 

The Euro-Belgian stuff I like are chocolate truffles from Neuhaus, pralines from Leonidas, Milka, Cote d'Or (too many to chose from), Callebaut and Meurisse (owned by Kraft as well). Walking in Brussels you find small places that sell chocolates and biscuits like Maison Dandoy, honestly you can't compete with!

 

Indeed euro chocolate is a little richer in cacao :)

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Bad news in terms of a british icon which we have all grown up with.

Sadly we don't have the laws that other countries seem to regarding protecting companies from takeovers. There was a clause regarding the british interests(can't think of the correct wording of said clause) but this was removed and so the government even if it wanted to is totally unable to act.

 

Some info i got from another site:

 

In 1993 Kraft took over Terry's of York with a promise production in the UK was safe.

 

Within 10 years, the product line had been cut to a range of Chocolate Orange and All Gold - both of which were made to different recipes.

 

By 2005, production of the remaining products had moved to Poland!

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