Cocoa content question

You might remember I recently emailed Nestles and Cadburys to ask why they don't use a minimum of 30% cocoa solids in their chocolate.  That was two weeks ago.  I have had no reply yet from Cadburys, but have received today a strange one from Nestles. 

It's a long convoluted reply but certainly sounds like they have something to hide.  To paraphrase, they thanked me for my query but said they don't accept "unsolicited suggestions about their products, promotions or advertising."  They went on to say chocolate making "is a complicated process" and they have a number of in house experts who determine what ingredients are used in their products.  They also said that while I might think my suggestion is a new one developments might be already underway.

Does anyone think that tells me why they don't use a minimum of 30% cocoa solids?  I have emailed back asking if my query has been mixed up with someone else's

Bounty

[Cherry_Ripe]

It was probably a standard 'form' email they sent; those are never particularly pertinent.

I am sure I got your reply word for word a year or so ago when I suggested a new product.

They aren't interested in the person in the street.

[chocadmin]

It's almost certainly down to cost issues, why make a 30% cocoa product if a 20% will do and cost a penny less. There are also issues with market expectation, most people expect chocolate to taste a certain way in this country and thats heavy on the vege fat and low on the cocoa. One can only hope that in time market researchers will increasingly focus on the trend towards wanting 'higher quality' products instead.

Nestle send that standard email back because their laywers don't want them at risk if a member of the public turns round and says 'hey that mega popular product was all my idea i want compensation', no surprise that Cadbury didn't reply in my experience they rarely do.

Thanks Choocmeister.  I certainly have turned the corner in terms of high quality chocolate.  My Mum has bought me a Cadbury's Egg with buttons and a Chocolate Utopia Egg with eight chocolates.  The difference in the quality of the chocolate is staggering.  The Cadbury's is OK with a cup of coffee in a yummy sort of way but the CU Egg is just on a different planet.  It's magnificent.