Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Aft'noon all, Trying one or two very mediocre chocolates from a 'Thornton's Classic' box today after a number of years without eating them, I was reminded of the period when this brand was family owned and set a high standard. The small white box of 'Belgian' chocolates...some with fresh cream....from their range, being my favourite in the early 1990s. Has anyone else noticed how ordinary this brand has become? I did hear that they were bought out at some point. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted June 2, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 2, 2015 I think the rot started when they were first sold by Tesco, they have been in decline ever since, if you make something for a low price the ingredients have to be cheap. DD2 says house of chocolate is the way to go for good chocolates now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I've noticed over recent years that various boxes of Thorntons chocolates are often stacked high and on 'special offer' at the likes of Tesco. Certainly more 'ordinary' in their availability. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 In the 80s, Thornton's chox were a treat. But has the quality actually gone down or have we been spoiled by more frequent access to better things in the intervening years? If I wanted to spoil Mrs Lurker now it wouldn't be with Thornton's chocolates, it would be with Leonidas or Godiva Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Best Chocolate I find is from LIDL, quality & taste first rate. I buy the Fin Carre brand, Dark Chocolate, 35p for 100g Brit15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 .....run of the mill stuff in the 80s and 90s were brands such as 'Milk Tray', with Thorntons products several cuts above. We now have chocolates of a similar standard to Milk Tray in a Thornton's box. There is no longer anything special about them and it isn't simply that the other brands have caught up/marched past them. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Aft'noon all, Trying one or two very mediocre chocolates from a 'Thornton's Classic' box today after a number of years without eating them, I was reminded of the period when this brand was family owned and set a high standard. The small white box of 'Belgian' chocolates from their range being my favourite in the early 1990s. Has anyone else noticed how ordinary this brand has become? I did hear that they were bought out at some point. Dave I think they went through several changes of ownership, possibly being 'floated' on the Stock Market (or more likely on AIM) at one point; unfortunately, when that sort of thing happens, the priority becomes to increase the value of shares, by increasing sales and skimping on the quality (and thus cost) of ingredients. I haven't bought any of their chocolates for yonks, but the last time I had their Treacle Toffee, it was but a pale shadow.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Only actual Belgian and Swiss chocolates consistently cut it for me - and nothing less than 70% cocoa solids. Currently working my way through a batch of 100% cocoa solids. Gorgeous. Very good with wine. Anything else is rubbish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 If you want decent chocolate then it's Lidls or Aldis own brands. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 The rot started whe they were sold to Sainsburys in 2001 - No the rot started long before that. I remember them from my childhood my Grandfather near Nottingham used to think they were an extra special treat for us kids (he would always have a bag of their truffles hidden away round the house and one was a prize if we could discover them. The dark rum truffles were always a special favourite. their tuffies were also something special. Once they started really expanding into the high street and became a common sight across the country they ceased having that "individually hand made" exclusiveness. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted June 2, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 2, 2015 The rot started whe they were sold to Sainsburys in 2001 Once they started really expanding into the high street and became a common sight across the country they ceased having that "individually hand made" exclusiveness. Are you sure - I don't recall any sale to Sainsburys although they did expand their sales into a number of supermarkets. In the latest local news reports they are blaming poor sales in the supermarkets where they are in competition with a number of others and have to be priced accordingly resulting in a lower profit margin. A number of their High Street stores are also closing and so you don't get so many exclusive sales outlets. 16% of the shares in the company are owned by an investment fund. Half Year Report here http://investors.thorntons.co.uk/download/pdf/half-year-report-2015.pdf . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Thornton's own website confirms my own (often skatty) memory http://www.thorntons.co.uk/content.jsp?pageName=100_years_of_thorntons But I remember tm from the late 1950's In September 2001, the Thorntons Brand was first sold into J.Sainsbury with five lines.note "into" rather than "in" implies a merger/takover or some other buy out. So perhaps they need to rework that page. Even if still independent they have long gone downhill as they tried to please a wider market of possibly less discerning taste. A business only does this by increasing production runs or making products that compete with the mass market Cadbury's/Nestle/Mars of the world. A potential lowering of ingredient quality, maybe as profit becomes the goal, but I'd rather suspect it is simply the move to a "sweetie" market taste and popular appeal. I actually believe that all chocolates have gone down this route as food in general has gone for the sweet tooth and sugar gets added in great excess to everything we eat to make it more appealing for the masses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Lamb Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 The Heston brand from Waitrose seems to get the vote from my family. Heck of a job to ever find them in a shop so others I presume are of a similar opinion. Thorntons at one time had a shop on the main street but that went long ago and they started selling them in the Tesco branch almost opposite. I think that was the beginning of the end. Bernard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted June 2, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 2, 2015 I used to adore their Viennese truffles in the 1980's as a youngster. Now their continental range feels very ordinary and even though many of the old favourites are still there I find they are not at all special in the way they once were. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted June 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 2, 2015 This one gets the thumbs up in the 4630 household; http://www.butlerschocolates.com/about-us/ A product of the Irish Republic but available in the UK through their online store, and I seem to recall also offered through John Lewis and Waitrose in the pre-Christmas period. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 ....we ate some gorgeous Swiss chocolate in Zermatt whilst on a Great Rail Journey....I can still savour the flavour....certainly the standard by which all others are measured. The nearest alternative were champagne truffles sold at Schipol airport, Amsterdam....a 3 letter brand....Luc, I think. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted June 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 2, 2015 ...Swiss chocolate ........ Zermatt Did you re-mortgage your house for that treat ? We did when we bought a cup of coffee when there, luckily we got 2 straws so we could both enjoy it..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 This is some of the stuff currently working its way through my internal system Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judge Dread Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 This is some of the stuff currently working its way through my internal system There's brave. I brought some home from an exhibition in Belgium. A small piece was all I could manage and my wife managed a couple of pieces before admitting defeat. Before any one asks I didn't bring home a chocolate w***y but Rippers bought two. One was for his mother, now there's proper brave! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 There's brave. I brought some home from an exhibition in Belgium. A small piece was all I could manage and my wife managed a couple of pieces before admitting defeat.... If you still have it lying around, I'll gladly take it off your hands. It does keep well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 J D Gross 81% dark choc from Lidl is my bar of choice. I usually melt it down and add some finely ground up raw cocoa nibs and a bit of chilli and cast it into little individual bite size roundies. MMMmmmm . Just for variety I sometimes add some finely chopped crystalised ginger and re-cast it as a new slab... JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 J D Gross 81% dark choc from Lidl is my bar of choice. I usually melt it down and add some finely ground up raw cocoa nibs and a bit of chilli and cast it into little individual bite size roundies. MMMmmmm . Just for variety I sometimes add some finely chopped crystalised ginger and re-cast it as a new slab... Ever thought of going into business as an "artisan choclatier"? Nobody will ever know your work started in Lidl. Well, almost nobody..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 This is some of the stuff currently working its way through my internal system Oh 'eck..page bookmarked for future excess Thanks JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Ever thought of going into business as an "artisan choclatier"? Nobody will ever know your work started in Lidl. Well, almost nobody..... Yeah..Jon Fitness' average choco gloop workbench ..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Yeah..Jon Fitness' average choco gloop workbench .....You could make (f)artisanal chocolates in the shape of signals..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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