This isn't the kind of photo content you normally expect from DWN, but it raises an interesting question: when is a chocolate bar not actually a chocolate bar?
In the first blog post in this series, we explored how chocolate is legally defined in Canada. The key takeaway was that chocolate isn't just a flavour—it's a regulated standard. Products sold as chocolate must meet specific requirements for cocoa solids and cocoa butter.
To see how this works in practice, I bought a few products off the shelf: IKEA Belöning, Cadbury Dairy Milk Mini Eggs, Nestlé Aero, Hershey's Milk Chocolate, Coffee Crisp, and Caramilk.
The IKEA bar, Dairy Milk, Aero, and Hershey's are all labelled as chocolate because they meet the requirements to be sold as milk chocolate products.
Coffee Crisp and Caramilk tell a different story. If you look closely at the packaging, both are marketed as candy rather than chocolate. While they contain chocolate-flavoured components and coatings, their overall composition doesn't meet the legal standard required to be marketed as chocolate.
As consumers, we often focus on flavour, but ingredient standards tell another story. The next time you're in the candy aisle, take a closer look at the package. You might be surprised to discover which products are actually chocolate—and which ones are candy wearing a chocolate disguise.
If reading about chocolate has sparked your curiosity, why not experience the chocolate-making process firsthand? Gather a group of friends and join one of our tasting & workshop experiences. You'll sample cocoa beans, cocoa butter, and a variety of chocolates while learning how cacao is transformed into finished chocolate. The workshop also includes a guided tasting, a behind-the-scenes look at the bean-to-bar process, and the opportunity to create your own custom chocolate bars to take home.
