Cadbury Bournville – Rich Cocoa/Cranberry/Raisin and Nuts

It was now time for some supposedly Indian dark chocolate. It would be my first taste of Cadbury Bournville and I sure was expecting a lot. The packaging was a distinct dark-brown colour signifying the noir (dark) cocoa. Very clean and very simple, it compelled the consumer to make a purchase. On reading the ingredients carefully, I noticed that it contained milk solids and was only 50 per cent dark (much lower than the 60 per cent minimum required for international level). I first tasted the Cadbury Bournville ‘Rich Cocoa containing 50 per cent cocoa. On opening the cover, it was further wrapped in another smooth paper with stamps of 50 per cent over it. Rather impressive for a 33 gram bar priced at Rs 40. As I bit into it, there was an instant sense of disappointment. I felt misled and fooled because it actually tasted like a cross between dark and milk chocolate. Not very smooth or fine on the palate, it just did not work for me. Period. The next was the Cadbury Bournville ‘Cranberry’ (50 per cent dark). It had similar packaging as the ‘rich cocoa’ with some ‘cranberries’ on the cover. As much as the cover impacted the purchase decision, the chocolate failed to impress as it lacked fineness and any natural notes of fine dark chocolates. At Rs 40 for a 33 gram bar, it did have a good amount of almonds and some cranberries too. But everything else was flat.

My last of the Cadbury Bournville series was the ‘Raisin & Nut’ (50 per cent dark) bar. At Rs 40 for a 33 gram bar, it had a lot of nuts and raisins, but there is nothing much to write about it. It felt more like a smoked-bar variant of the regular Cadbury Fruit & Nut. Nevertheless, the nuts and raisins were a saving grace.

Impressive packaging but the chocolate fails to impress. Cranberry and Raisin & Nut variants worked better than the plain one. The overall experience was not exactly what you would expect from a dark chocolate. After all, there was milk in it! Though an attractive price point, Cadbury has not done the Indian chocolate lover any favour. A first-time customer who wants to upgrade to dark chocolates may end up being disillusioned. Cadbury, it’s time the customer is looked at more seriously.