Caramilk is a brand name used for two distinct chocolate bar products made by Cadbury. Both were introduced in 1968.[1][2] The Canadian version of Caramilk is a milk chocolate bar filled with caramel. In Australia (also available in New Zealand, the UK and Ireland) the Caramilk brand is used for a caramel-flavoured white chocolate bar.

Caramilk
Australian Caramilk logo
TypeChocolate bar
Created byCadbury
Invented1968; 56 years ago (1968)
Similar dishesList of Cadbury products

Similar chocolate bars to the Canadian version of Caramilk are marketed as Cadbury Caramello in the United States, as Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramello in Australia and New Zealand, and as Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel in the UK.

Canada edit

Variations edit

Variations available, some of them limited editions, include Caramilk made with dark chocolate, maple flavoured, chocolate flavoured, or cappuccino. A thicker version called Caramilk Thick has also been introduced.

Production edit

Canadian Caramilk bars are produced at one location, the company's Gladstone Chocolate Factory in Toronto.[3]

Ingredients edit

Caramilk bars contain unsweetened chocolate and cocoa butter but are labelled as candy since only solid chocolate bars may be labelled as chocolate bars in Canada.[4]

Advertising campaigns edit

One of the advertising campaigns for Caramilk bars revolved around the question of how the centre of the confection was put into the chocolate flavoured exterior.[1] This theme led to the production of over fifteen separate television advertisements since the candy was introduced, making the series one of the most productive advertising efforts in Canadian history.[1] The "Caramilk Secret" ad campaign was conceived by Gary Prouk when he was at Doyle Dane Bernbach. When Prouk left DDB to join Scali McCabe Sloves, the Cadbury account went with him. One notable advertisement involved two cone head aliens who were complimenting each other on successfully concealing the secret from humans, and also creating some of earth's other long-standing works of wonder (e.g. the pyramids).

Another ad, featuring Leonardo da Vinci drawing the Mona Lisa as she eats a Caramilk, has won a Clio award.[5][6]

Similar products edit

Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel edit

In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a bar similar in premise (caramel-filled chocolate) but differing slightly in taste, shape, ingredients and packaging is sold as Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel.

 
Caramello

Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramello (Australia and New Zealand) edit

In Australia and New Zealand, a caramel-filled milk chocolate covered bar similar to the Canadian and United Kingdom product is sold as the Caramello variant of the Cadbury Dairy Milk line of blocks.[7]

Cadbury Caramello (United States) edit

In the United States, a similar bar (which has been produced under license by The Hershey Company since 1988) is sold under the brand Cadbury's Caramello.[8] It gained popularity in the 1980s when advertising to children with the slogan, "I was right in the middle of a Caramello when I found gold."[9]

Australia, New Zealand, UK and Ireland edit

Australian Caramilk bars were introduced in 1968 and discontinued in 1994.[2] The product was reintroduced in New Zealand as a limited edition of one million bars in 2017.[10] The product was then reintroduced in Australia as a limited edition in 2018, 2019 and 2020.[2] In 2021, the product was launched in the UK,[11] and Ireland.[12]

Variations edit

Variations available in Australia include a limited-edition Dairy Milk Caramilk Top Deck (a milk chocolate bar topped with Caramilk),[13] Caramilk Marble (marbled milk chocolate and Caramilk with a hazelnut praline filling)[14] and Caramilk flavoured Philadelphia cream cheese.[15]

In 2020, Cadbury launched Caramilk Hokey Pokey in New Zealand; this consists of Caramilk with honeycomb toffee pieces.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Carr, D. (2003). Candymaking in Canada: The History and Business of Canada's Confectionery Industry. Dundurn. p. 91. ISBN 978-1-55002-395-4. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Starkey, Erina (2020-06-23). "Cadbury is bringing back Caramilk to distract us from the real prize – Caramilk Hokey Pokey". delicious.com.au. Retrieved 2021-08-11.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Chiasson, Gail (2008-10-01). "Caramilk Celebrates its 40th Birthday". PubZone. Archived from the original on 2012-09-10. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
  4. ^ "Labelling Requirements for Chocolate and Cocoa Products". Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  5. ^ Welcome Archived 2009-06-27 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ How off Burghardt are Base and Burghardt?, Strategy Magazine, December 16, 2002 Archived 2012-07-30 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Cadbury New Zealand - Caramello Product Page Archived 2012-04-12 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Cadbury chocolates at Hershey's Archived 2009-01-01 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "1985 Cadbury's Caramello Chocolate Bar Right in the Middle When I Found Gold (tracking issue)". YouTube. July 21, 2013. Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  10. ^ Scanlan, Rebekah (2019-08-21). "Rumours are rife Cadbury Caramilk chocolate bar is returning". news.com.au. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  11. ^ "Cadbury confirms UK version of Caramilk bars will be released next week". metro.co.uk. 2021-06-17. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  12. ^ "Calling all chocoholics: Australia's favourite chocolate bar has landed in Ireland". LovinDublin.com. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
  13. ^ "You can now buy Caramilk Top Deck bars – and they look so tasty". metro.co.uk. 2021-06-12. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  14. ^ "Cadbury combines two cult favourites into one new block". c-store.com.au. 2021-04-08. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  15. ^ "Cadbury releases Caramilk Philadelphia cream cheese". metro.co.uk. 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2021-08-11.

Further reading edit

External links edit