US/UK. US Giant makes a hostile offer for British Chocolate Maker

Is there any comments about this takeover that you have heard on the street.

I'm agen it!

Kraft is a mighty giant who like some other giants are not interested in the product or service IMO. They are only interested in the 'buck'.

Cadbury is a part of England and should not be ruled from America.

I've seen the way Kraft operates and it ain't pretty. To be fair they are no different than several other companies.

Why do these corporations buy out companies and they lay off people because they are loosing money. I think I answered this earlier.

The union is doing the right thing in protesting the take over because they pretty well know their jobs will go.

As a few of you know a lot of chocolate and candy production has moved from the US to Mexico, by the likes of Hershey, because it is the thing to do.

Off my soap box.

This is my opinion and I can't provide any facts.

Haven't heard anything on the street, though I'm sure the punters would give me their tuppence worth if asked.

I kinda agree too but then it's the way of the world. It is a British institution but is it? To be fair Cadbury has shifted a lot of production to Poland so it is isn't entirely British anymore although it is still ruled from the UK. Cadbury's has bought out companies and done the same thing regarding laying off people etc. But Kraft, well they are just too big and I am not convinced it would be the best course of action. I thought Cadbury's had rejected the offer already? I suppose it'll be down to the share holders or for Kraft to lure them with the buck....then again Hershey's could step in. Hershey already manufactures Cadbury chocolates in the US. Pity Nestle isn't interested, then it could move from being British to be European. But then again, I suppose Nestle is an overbearing Giant too. Is there any company worthy of taking over Cadburys? How ethical is Kraft? Would they continue using fairtrade for purchasing the cocoa? Lots of questions.

But it does work in reverse, this corporate buying of national companies. Years ago there was ad here that said 'We have 50 million Americans sticking their tongues out at us every day and we love it' or something akin to that. I forget the company but it was a UK company (Allied-Lyons rings a bell?) that had purchased Baskin & Robbins!!

But short of the company being owned by the gov't, I can't see how they can be stopped. Which is a shame.

Cadbury is a part of England and should not be ruled from America.

So was Landrover - now it's Indian.  Globalization is a [you know what], isn't it?

As long as the chocolate doesn't change to taste like most American chocolate, I don't care.

As long as the chocolate doesn't change to taste like most American chocolate, I don't care.

I've heard and I think it was on here that chocolate in the US is made so as to handle the heat??? I hope that makes sense.

The heat is a big factor in it, also just local taste in general. 

I'm sure it is different. I think it is to do with the fat and amounts of cocoa mass/solids used. I believe in the US they don't use cocoa butter but cocoa butter substitutes to increase the melting point.

As long as the chocolate doesn't change to taste like most American chocolate, I don't care.

It is already made differently in the US by Hersheys under Cadbury's license. I would think they (Kraft) would leave things as they are at present.

Any one in here ever done a taste comparison between the Cadbury US version vs the UK Cadbury version?

Any one in here ever done a taste comparison between the Cadbury US version vs the UK Cadbury version?

Yes, and the taste is markedly different. To me and my husband, anyway.

The US Cadbury does taste different.  Canadian tastes different to both IMO.  Symphany bars taste more like UK Cadbury than US Cadbury does.

I prefer British chocolate to Hersey or Mars products, but I like dark chocolate more than the really overly sweet British milk chocolate.  Not horrible, but a bit much sometimes.

Yes, and the taste is markedly different. To me and my husband, anyway.

That's one taste test I've never done. Yet. It'd be intersting to know what the differences are, ingredients, manufacturing or both?

When ya say marked, is it a good marked or eww this is not Cadburys sort? I know everyone will have differing opinions but just curious.

Thanks Legs A. Odd that the the Canadian is yet again different.

I'm not a big fan of the run of the mill chocolate bars US or UK but I really like Hershey's and again I really like good strong chocolate - 70/80% continental type chocolate. By no means am I a chocolate snob. Put a 39p bag of Somerfield white ''chocolate'' mice in front of me and yea I'd scarf the lot. Primarily, does it have sugar? Yes? Thank ya ma'am, that'll do nicely.
 

The worst thing about American chocolate in general to me is it's lingering, almost artificial aftertaste.  Hershey's is the absolute pits, it smells like feet and has this bizarre powdery texture which is like chocolate that's been left in a shop window for 45 years.  Ugh.

The worst thing about American chocolate in general to me is it's lingering, almost artificial aftertaste.  Hershey's is the absolute pits, it smells like feet and has this bizarre powdery texture which is like chocolate that's been left in a shop window for 45 years.  Ugh.

Ah I can see it now: along comes Joe chomping on his Hershey's, coming towards him in the opposite direction is Marcel, fawning all over his Camembert, equidistant from them is an open manhole....

You've not had bad chocolate until you've eaten chocolate made during the Cold War from behind the Iron Curtain...

The worst thing about American chocolate in general to me is it's lingering, almost artificial aftertaste.  Hershey's is the absolute pits, it smells like feet and has this bizarre powdery texture which is like chocolate that's been left in a shop window for 45 years.  Ugh.

Hersheys, to me, has a faint aftertaste of vomit.  I have no idea why!

US chocolate is manky, including US Cadbury's. A friend of mine did a direct taste test, side by side, with a US Cream Egg and a UK Cream Egg. The UK one was bigger, the chocolate was thicker, and the inside was less cloyingly sugary. I'm not a huge fan of Cream Eggs, but I would have chosen the UK version any day. Go away Kraft, leave Cadbury's alone!