Canadian Mars Bars

Posted by in Chocolate Reviews on May 8 2010 | Leave A Comment
Canadian Mars Bars

Being of a certain age, I remember when Mars Bars were gigantic. I mean seriously big. So big that getting to the end of one could have potentially bring upon a diabetic coma. And they only 10p too…

To be honest, I hadn’t really given much thought to Mars Bars recently until they started showing a tv ad for the Mars Slim all the time. The Mars Slim, as its slogan helpfully explains, is the same legendary Mars Bar, only slimmer as if the only thing that was stopping some people from having a Mars was its girth. But it did make me wonder what other kinds of Mars are on Canadian shelves, so I present for you the Canadian Mars Family.

Canadian Mars Bars

First up is the classic Mars Bar, weighing in at 58g. It really isn’t too different from the Mars Bar I remember from all those years ago – lots of not very special chocolate, a decent amount of chewy caramel and the nondescript nougat to take up the remaining space. It’s far too sweet for my palate these days, but not an unpleasant experience. It does makes me smile to see that it is labelled as an “Energy Bar” though, because I’m pretty sure that nobody is really eating it for that reason.

Next, the afore-mentioned Mars Slim, which is a mere 40g. Not only has the bar been reworked to less intimidating dimensions, it has also been split into two pieces which are more or less bite-sized if you have an average-sized mouth. Obviously it is being marketed as one of those calorie-counted portions because nothing else could explain its pointless existence. And don’t worry if you can’t find them in shops because you could just cut a normal Mars in half to get a similar effect, especially if you do it long ways.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrLvGu8QLK4

Continuing the Canadian habit of making dark chocolate versions of bars, there’s also the Mars Dark. And just like every other dark bar, it is just a little bit smaller than the normal bar – 50g in this case. This is the real surprise because the dark chocolate of an undisclosed percentage makes for a nice contrast to the usual contents, with an almost almondy undercurrent. It really doesn’t seem so sweet anymore and if I felt the urge to eat a Mars, I could quite happily pick up one of these again.

Canadian Mars Bars

Finally, there’s the unexpected Mars Caramel. At 45g, it just gets rid of the nougat to make a chewier, more aerodynamic bar that was my second favourite behind the dark. I’ve never really cared for that nougat because it always made me think of Milky Ways which I thought were the dullest childhood chocolate bar. Mars decided to make these as competition for Cadbury’s Caramilk bars, but it is far too Mars-like to be a valid alternative. I suspect these will disappear from the shelves relatively quickly.

So there you have it – Mars Slim is a stupid idea, but covering anything in dark chocolate makes it better. Now you’ll have to excuse me because I have the inexplicable urge to work, rest and play…

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Comments On This Post

  1. I am from Washington State in the US, saw the Mars bar blog. Thought I’d let you know besides making a slim version of the bar, they have a new “division” called Dove Chocolate Discoveries where independent contractors called chocolatiers have chocolate home parties with free tastings and really great products that they don’t sell in stores.
    Like a Tupperware party only with mousse or chocolate martinis. They are always doing new things to keep the chocolate love going.
    We don’t ship out of the US though or I’d send something.

  2. Neil Tungate

    I used to use Mars bars as energy sources on long cycle rides, and they were pretty good for that being very high in sugar. But there are so many more interesting genuine energy bars these days that I no longer bother with Mars.

  3. Oh I wouldn’t have even thought of a chocolate for long cycle rides, I just think pretty desserts,hand made candy and chocolate martinis which also wouldn’t be for bike rides just parties or celebrations which is what the Dove Chocolate Discoveries is created for. They don’t even have candy bars except for making the dark mousse or baking mix recipes.

  4. Neil Tungate

    Well, Mars bars hardly count as chocolate – more like pure sugar with a thin chocolate coating. Hence the high energy value.

  5. I didn’t even know they made Mars bars anymore! So many varieties. I wonder if there just not available n some areas of the United States. They didn’t have them in Austin, Texas and I haven’t seen them in Chicago for about 10 years. I would love to try the dark one.

  6. Mars Inc is one of the leading manufacturers of candies in the world and just started doing a premium line through independent consultants see http://www.dovechocolatediscoveries.com/denisekelce.
    But here is a wikepedia version with lots more info about the Mars bar’s history. Lots more info at Wik.

    The Mars bar is a chocolate bar manufactured by Mars, Inc. It was first manufactured in Slough, Berkshire in the United Kingdom in 1932 as a sweeter version of the American Milky Way bar which Mars, Inc. produced in the USA (not to be confused with the European version of the Milky Way, which is a different confection). A different chocolate bar with the same Mars bar name was sold in the USA until 2002, when it was discontinued. However it was relaunched in 2010. It contains plain nougat, almonds, caramel and milk chocolate and is broadly similar to the British “Topic” bar.The Original Mars bar in “Believe” packaging was sold in the UK from 18 April 2006 until the end of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in July. “Believe” took prominence on the packaging (“Original Mars” appeared in smaller print) to indicate support for the England national football team. Advertising in other nations of the UK was tailored to reflect their own teams after the public condemnation, although in Scotland the “Believe” packaging was still used – causing negative publicity.[10]

    On 30 July 2008, the Tasmanian government announced that it had secured a major sponsor, Mars for a bid to enter the Australian Football League in a deal worth $4 million over 3 years and will temporarily change the name of its top-selling chocolate bar in Australia to Believe, to help promote Tasmania’s cause.[11]

  7. Christine

    Years ago you could get an almond Mars bar in Australia that was delicious. It wasn’t around for very long though 🙁

  8. donna

    You have the stupidest commercial on T.V. it makes me and everyone I know never want to eat a Mars Bar ever again. Please get that stupid commercial off T.V.
    Thanks!

  9. Aeu Laframboise

    I never, never buy some cadbury products since I saw that pub

  10. donna

    what do you mean
    ?

  11. Colleen

    Too right. Dumbest commercial on TV. Poor Sammy Davis Junior must be spinning in his grave. And before you go on about ‘demographics’ and ‘focus groups’, let me tell you a true story. I’m a drama teacher and often start a class in circle with a question. The rules are simply that each person answers or passes, but no one else talks until it’s his or her turn. The questions start out innocuous enough at the beginning of term and get more searching as trust is built up. Anyway (making a short story very long, I realize…), our question one day was ‘what is your favourite commercial on TV?’ We went around the circle until this one student said, “I don’t really have a favourite, but I can tell you the one I hate the most. It’s that stupid Mars Bar ad.” Well. That opened the flood gates! Comments like: What is it about that stupid woman? Why is she pumping her arms like that? Does she know how dumb she looks? And then the kids got into how it’s the same Mars bar, just broken up into two smaller pieces. As one student said, ‘How dumb do they think we are?’
    Anyway, it sure helped break the ice, I must say, but that’s the ONLY positive thing I can say about it.

  12. Stan O'Grodnik

    Another poster said it perfectly: it’s a commercial for the same product that they’ve been selling for forty years…Only now it’s slightly smaller.

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