Lexi Webster
Maltesers are a British chocolate confectionery product manufactured by Mars Inc. that has gained popularity in Australia. The chocolate balls have a crunchy malt centre and are covered in milk chocolate. While the classic ball-shaped Maltesers are made at the Mars factory in Ballarat, Victoria, some customers have noticed that the Maltesers bars are manufactured in China. Australian-made Maltesers have a distinct taste due to the locally sourced milk, differentiating them from Maltesers made in other parts of the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Manufacturer | Mars |
| Manufacturing location | Ballarat factory in regional Victoria |
| Ingredients | Sugar, milk solids, cocoa butter, glucose syrup (sources include wheat), barley malt extract, cocoa mass, vegetable fat, emulsifiers (soy lecithin, 492), wheat gluten, raising agents (500, 501), salt, natural flavour (vanilla extract), pectin |
| Taste | Australian Maltesers have a slightly different taste compared to those made in other countries due to the use of Australian milk |
| Production deal | In Australia, Mars signed a production deal with MacRobertson's in 1954, then switched to Cadbury in 1963 |
| Availability | Sold in plastic bags, cardboard boxes, tubes, and buckets of various sizes |
| Consumption | Eaten by grabbing a handful, sucking off the chocolate coating, or savouring one ball at a time |
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What You'll Learn
Maltesers' unique texture
Maltesers are a unique chocolate confectionery product manufactured by Mars Inc. First sold in the UK in 1937, they were originally aimed at women. They have since been sold in Europe, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and the Middle East.
Maltesers consist of small, round balls, similar in size to a pea, with a malted milk centre surrounded by milk chocolate. The chocolate coating is made from cocoa solids, milk powder, and sugar, and it is this coating that gives Maltesers their signature taste and texture.
The unique texture of Maltesers is due to the malted milk ball inside the chocolate coating, which is filled with tiny pockets of air. These pockets of air create a light, crunchy, crispy, and fluffy texture that is both delicious and satisfying. When you bite into a Malteser, you get a satisfying crunch that is unlike any other chocolate candy. The crunchy malt filling then dissolves in your mouth, leaving a gooey, malty mess.
There are many ways to eat Maltesers. Some people like to suck off the milk chocolate coating slowly until they are left with the crunchy honeycomb centre, which they can then either crunch or let dissolve slowly. Others like to stuff a handful of Maltesers into their mouths and crunch away, while some prefer to nibble delicately on one Malteser at a time.
The texture of Maltesers has played a role in their popularity and has led to their use in television commercials. In the 1930s, advertisements claimed that the Malteser's malted milk centre was one-seventh as fattening as ordinary chocolate centres, positioning it as a beneficial snack for weight loss.
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Australian ingredients
Maltesers are a British confectionery product manufactured by Mars Inc. that has gained much popularity in Australia. The chocolate balls have a crisp malt centre covered in smooth milk chocolate. The milk chocolate in Australian Maltesers is made with Australian milk, giving it a slightly different flavour from Maltesers made in other parts of the world.
In Australia and New Zealand, the ingredients are as follows: sugar, milk solids, cocoa butter, glucose syrup (sourced from wheat), barley malt extract, cocoa mass, vegetable fat, emulsifiers (soy lecithin, 492), wheat gluten, raising agents (500, 501), salt, natural flavour (vanilla extract), and pectin.
The unique taste of Australian Maltesers is often credited to the Australian milk used in the chocolate. The honeycomb centre also sets Maltesers apart from other chocolates. The crunchy malt filling is said to dissolve in your mouth, creating a light and fluffy texture.
Maltesers are produced in two stages. Firstly, the inner crunchy part is made by forming small pellets from a dough-like mixture. These pellets are then placed in a low-pressure container, causing the bubbles in the mixture to expand, resulting in larger pellets. Finally, the pellets are coated in chocolate and polished.
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Production deal history
Maltesers, a British confectionery product, were first sold in the UK in 1937. They were originally aimed at women. Over the years, they have been sold in Europe, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and the Middle East.
In Australia, Mars signed a production deal with MacRobertson's in 1954, but then switched to Cadbury in 1963. Mars has been making Maltesers for the Australian market for more than 40 years. However, in 2020, it was discovered that some of Mars' products, including Maltesers, were being made in China, Egypt, and the Netherlands. The classic ball-shaped Maltesers are still made at Mars' Ballarat facility in Victoria.
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Overseas production
Maltesers are a British confectionery product manufactured by Mars Inc. They were first sold in the UK in 1937 and were originally aimed at women. Since then, they have been sold in Europe, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and the Middle East.
In Australia, Mars signed a production deal with MacRobertson's in 1954, but then switched to Cadbury in 1963. The classic ball-shaped Maltesers are made at Mars' Ballarat facility in Victoria. However, in 2020, it was discovered that some Maltesers products for the Australian market were being made in China, Egypt, and the Netherlands. This shift in production was reportedly due to the normal production line in Ballarat undergoing upgrades.
The Maltesers made in China include the Maltesers bars and the Maltesers Teasers chocolate bar, which launched in 2019. Twix bars for the Australian market are produced in Egypt, and Snickers bars are made in a Chinese factory near Shanghai.
Customers have criticized Mars for moving production overseas, claiming that the company is "sacrificing Australian jobs in the pursuit of higher profits." There has also been feedback that the taste of the products made overseas is noticeably different and "nothing like the originals."
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Taste comparison
Australian Maltesers are known for their unique taste, which has garnered a loyal fan base over the years. The chocolate treats consist of a crunchy malt filling encased in a layer of milk chocolate. The malt centre is described as airy and light, with a honeycomb-like texture that dissolves delightfully in the mouth.
While the original Maltesers were first sold in the UK in 1937, the Australian version has developed its own distinct flavour profile. The key difference lies in the milk added to the chocolate, which can vary in taste depending on the country of origin. Australian milk is said to impart a unique flavour to the chocolate, setting it apart from Maltesers made in other regions.
Reviews from Australian consumers highlight the special appeal of their local Maltesers. Many describe the joy of indulging in a movie theatre staple, with a packet of Maltesers on their lap. The act of savouring each Malteser is a beloved ritual for some, who take their time to enjoy the contrasting textures and flavours. Some prefer to slowly suck on the milk chocolate coating, relishing the sweetness before succumbing to the satisfying crunch of the malt centre.
However, not all reviews are positive. Some long-time fans have expressed disappointment with the current Maltesers, claiming a decline in quality, size, and taste. They lament the loss of the distinct malt flavour, describing the modern Maltesers as overly sweet and lacking the satisfying crunch of the original. Shape inconsistencies have also been noted, with some Maltesers deviating from the perfect spherical shape they once boasted.
Despite the mixed reviews, Australian Maltesers remain a beloved treat, with their unique flavour and texture combination continuing to captivate consumers. The debate over their taste persists, with some purists yearning for the original recipe while others embrace the evolving variations, such as the honey-comb flavoured Maltesers and the dark chocolate variety.
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Frequently asked questions
The classic ball-shaped Maltesers are made at Mars' Ballarat factory in Victoria.
The ingredients of Maltesers in Australia are: sugar, milk solids, cocoa butter, glucose syrup (sources include wheat), barley malt extract, cocoa mass, vegetable fat, emulsifiers (soy lecithin, 492), wheat gluten, raising agents (501, 500), salt, natural flavour (vanilla extract), and pectin.
Maltesers are made in two stages. First, the inner crunchy part is made by making small pellets of a dough-like mixture. This is placed in a low-pressure container, which forces the bubbles in the mixture to expand, making the pellets larger. Then, the pellets are coated with chocolate and polished.
