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"Choxi+ is an exceptional chocolate that's naturally good for you - a truly positive indulgence" ... those are the words you are greeted with if you log on to Prestat's website. If you are reader of my '7Days of Chocolate Reviews' posts you probably be familiar with my ongoing joke of finding news articles that talk about 'health benefits' associated with chocolate. I have to admit that I just cant buy in to the idea at all - I'm stubborn in my views that chocolate is one of those things that can never be classed as a 'healthy food' and should be eaten as a treat or indulgence. Despite my scepticism Choxi+ was still a brand that intrigued me, and granted it was more the proposition that caught my attention rather than the garish looking packaging.
After seeing them whilst browsing the shelves of my local Waitrose, I decided to give both of these dark chocolate varieties a try - one plain 70% bar, and the other flavoured with Stem Ginger. As I have mentioned above the wrappers weren't to my liking, and I didn't think they did a very good job of reaffirming the premium price proposition, they both looked a little cheap and tacky to me. To make matters worse when I opened both bars the chocolate inside had dusty, bloomed surfaces which sapped my confidence of the product quality even more. Below are my thoughts on each variety.
Prestat Choxi+ 70% Dark Chocolate - Kcal 514 Fat 39.5g Fat(sats) 24.8g Carbs 29.7g (per 100.0g)
Although it may sound strong to the average chocolate consumer, 70% cocoa is a recipe that has seen a lot of success on this site (check out Lindt, Hotel Chocolat etc) so I had my fingers crossed this Prestat offering could hang with the big boys. Cutting right the chase the taste test went on to prove that this was simply just not the case. Just as the appearance of the chocolate suggested the melt was lazy and transcended in a slow, chalky dry fashion. In comparison to the textures the taste wasn't quite as poor, but it suffered as a consequence as the flavour generation was equally slow to develop. The eventual taste was surprisingly mild given the strength of the chocolate, and the unsweetened cocoa flavours were largely forgettable and lacking in definition. On a positive note the aftertaste did have a welcome suggestion of vanilla, however this did little to heighten my overall enjoyment.
Prestat Choxi+ Dark Chocolate with Stem Ginger - Kcal 485 Fat 34.0g Fat(sats) 21.4g Carbs 36.3g (per 100.0g)
Having been totally and completely uninspired by the previous dark chocolate offering it would have been all to easy to settle in to a way of thinking that this Stem Ginger flavoured bar was going to be equally as bad. Well I'm glad to say it wasn't as poor as the plain 70% offering above, but being frank it was still a hell of a way off being a good quality dark chocolate. As you will see in the photo above this bar had small bits of orange ginger distributed throughout the bar. The portioning may not look overly generous, but the ginger flavours came through quite strongly which thankfully gave the bar the desired flavour dimension that the one above was so severely lacking. Once again the cocoa flavours were mild and not as flavoursome as desired, but the ginger did somewhat make up for this with it's sweet and spicy play on the taste.
Overall I was pretty disappointed with both of these chocolates and with health benefit guff aside they were fundamentally just not the quality I was hoping they would be. The textures and mouthfeel that both these chocolates generated was pretty poor in comparison to the likes of Lindt, Hotel Chocolat, Galler etc - all those brands manage to make chocolates that almost caress your mouth and really feel great in their transition of state. Prestat can talk about the health benefits of their cocoa until the cows come home, but the flavour generation within their dark chocolate here was poor, and certainly not up to scratch with any of those brands I have just mentioned. It is never nice to have to write a review that is so downcast and negative about any brand, but I just cannot recommend you buy these chocolates under any circumstances. It would be great to hear some second opinions on these, as I know Prestat is a brand that normally associated with very high quality produce - why not tell me what you think.
Prestat Choxi+ 70% Dark Chocolate - 5.6 out of 10
Prestat Choxi+ Dark Chocolate with Stem Ginger - 7.0 out of 10
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62 comments:
Hmmm I didn't cheat looking at the scores first but by the first few lines I knew these weren't going to do well.
Positioning youself as a chocolate brand with health benefits is a one way trip to disaster.
Are you running a competition this weekend?
What a curious way to try and sell your chocolate. Back in my day we never had anything like this. We had chocolate companies that used to try and sell themselves on the basis that their chocolate was superior tasting to what everyone else was offering. Now it's all about added benefits like toys and 'health' credentials. Its absurd really.
Choxi is only one part of what Prestat make so if I were them I would just sweep it all under the carpet asap and focus on their stuff which is more about being better quality. They make some nice truffles you know, I've tried some pralines from them before and they were good.
I wondered when we would see a review from on of these stupid brands. There is another one called BEYOND CHOCOLATE which is equally as lame claiming all sorts of tripe.
Is it me or does the chocolate look iffy in these pictures? Looks to me like they have a layer of dust on them or something.
Lol I've had a choxi mint bar before and I thought it was ok for what it was. It was just one of those mini mini bars you buy from a coffee shop, I don't remember reading any of that health stuff on the wrapper. Lol I think i was probably just really hungry so ripped into it =-)
Ace review of some rubbish chocolate. Thumbs up big man.
Don't let this put you off all the Prestat chocolates Jim. I've had some of their assorted truffles and I thought they were very nice. They had nothing to do with Choxi, why not give them a try if you can. I would say drop them an e-mail and ask for some samples or something but I don't think you will want them knowing where you live after this one today ROFL :)
Even Ignoring everything else and just focusing on the chocolate you can tell it wasn't going to be very good. I'm looking at your photos and i'm distinctly unimpresed. That layer of white stuff on both of them just looks horrid, I'm not sure I would have eaten them if I were you.
Hmmmm I don't think I will be trying these anytime soon lol. Top review m8.
Are you going to allow comments at the weekend J? I saw you say on Twitter to someone you would reconsider it again because of the abuse you got lol. Soz I didn't meant to be nasty.
x
x
You should given them 1/10 for just talking such crap. How embarassing for them.
Good on you for attempting to show us some new chocs J. You can't always show us good uns I suppose.
It makes me cringe thinking that there is even a company out there that thinks the general public are so stupid that there is an opportunity to launch a make of chocolate that will sell because they can convince us its good for us. Its a reflection on our society if anything.
Hey J
You see el classico on Weds? Omg what the hell was Jose Mourinho up to sticking his finger in that guys ear lol. Was he picking out his wax for him lol ewww. That Messi is just something special isn't he. Part of me wishes he played in the prem but im thankful liverpool haven't had to face him.
There isn't much to admire about these chocs here is there. I think you've managed to put me off these for life lol. If im going to buy expensive chocolates now its hotel chocolat all the way. Forget the rest.
Cheers
N
Best review for ages Jim. I love your hotel chocolat ones but I do find the ones where you find something completely new to me the best. I can't believe there is a brand out there this cheeky. It would be ok if their chocolate was supposedly semi decen't. Looks like they didn't get anywhere close convincing you of that lol.
You lot forget the healthy thing, have you seen the god damn prices.
I nearly spat out my coffee when I read how much their chocolate bars cost. Look at those Choxi things. They are over £2 for just 70 grams. Thats mental.
One of their chocolate boxes is like £42 as well.
It is ridiculous them saying all that but lets be honest there isn't anyone out there who is silly enough to believe it anyway. It doesn't hurt anyone, it just makes them look a bit silly I think.
You were very reserved Jim. you should have torn these people a new one trying to say all that stuff.
OMG JIM!!!!!!!!!!!!
THEY MAKE BANOFFEE TRUFFLES
DO WANTS!!!!!!!!!!
PLS REVIEW THEM
I could see a campaign of 'chocolate being healthy' being a good campaign does as a joke, but basing your brand around trying to substantiate that credibly is just ridic.
In a perverse way I want to try Choxi now just to see if it's as bad as you make out lol.
Oh no. From an English perspective this isn't one of our finer moments.
I groaned when I read that first sentence.
Who the hell do they think they are kidding. How tiresome.
Aren't people like trading standards in charge of stopping companies claiming all these sort of things?
Sorry but a chocolate company saying they are good for peoples health just need to be shut down. Not only is it just plain out lieing but it's misleading for impressionable people.
Boots used to sell their miniature 20g bars but I haven't seen them for a very long time now. They were even smaller than the Green and Blacks mini chocolate bars you can still buy. Lol Green & Blacks are another chocolate brand close to your heart aren't they Jim :P
I don't want to sound like I'm getting on my high horse but I find this quite despicable.
You just can't trust any companies nowadays. How sad.
Lmao. Its not the words putting me off. Its the ginger. Yuuuuuuck!!!
The day they do make healthy chocolate will be the day I finally become slim.
Chocolate is my weakness but it makes me happy :-) Lifes not worh living if you aint smiling. Thats my justification.
Do they make any white or milk chocolates or are they all just dark?
If you disliked their chocolate this much why did you bother reviewing it?
Are we getting snack of the week tomorrow? Can we comment please.
You can't blame them for trying to be different but the route they have gone about achieving it isn't the best is it lol. I don't think I would have been as bold as to claim that it is 'naturally good for you'. Thats just bullsh*t.
If I were them I would have gone for something like 'contains antioxidants that are contribute to ,,,,' Lol that or I wouldn't of tried pulling the whole health concept off :)
Don't ask me why but I get a strong feeling most of us wont even remember who Choxi are this time next year. I think they might disappear very very quickly :)
Thanks so much for this Jim I needed a good laugh.
I hope these haven't put you off prestat completely jim. Looking at some of the other stuff they do it might be loads better. Do you fancy trying these at all?
http://www.prestat.co.uk/chocolates/dark_chocolate_marc_de_champagne_truffles_175g
http://www.prestat.co.uk/chocolates/white_chocolate_wafers_caffe_latte
http://www.prestat.co.uk/chocolates/praline_truffle_ballotine_70g
I think they have some very yummy things on their site.
Omg please tell me these people aren't British. I would hate to think about someone relating UK chocolate to Choxi instead of all the far more credible choc ranges we have. Can we just sweep them under the carpet and be done with them pls.
Hey hun. What a brilliant review, I can tell you were probably holding your tongue a bit, the things Choxi are saying in their advertising is just rubbish lol. Do you think you will ever buy anything of theirs again or are you done with it all? You haven't done a very good job of selling them to me :)
Rxxx
Normally I hope to see you say you have bars left over and that you are giving them away on twitter. Today I can do without thank you :P You wont be getting a retweet off me lol.
I am really struggling to see the redeeming quality that is going to get Choxi out of their hole here. You rightly bring their marketing ethos in to question, and I 100% agree its very flawed in regard to it's topline messaging. What they need to be well worried about by the looks of it though is that you don't rate the chocolate much better. The marketing stuff they can change, but changing their chocolate is loads harder.
SUMMATION: Sucks to be Choxi lol
Oh dear.
High prices, crap marketing and rubbish chocolate. What a great thing they got going on here lol.
Great reviews thank you Jim. I know some people can get stroppy when you review some things you don't like as much and say theres no point reviewing them but I beg to differ. I think I probably would have been intrigued by these if I had seen them in some sort of shop. I think I'm a lot better placed to make a decision whether or not to buy them now. I tell you now it's going to have to be some sort of incredible deal to get my interest now.
I keep staring at the wrappers. Do you know what they look like? Chinese chocolate bars from the 1980s. Those were also in bright, warm colours and had golden decorations.
And the chocolates looked somewhat similar, with ridges around each block and the name scratched in the middle.
Regarding the health claims. Chocolate is a medicinal. But nobody would be able to sell that kind of chocolate because very few people actually like the taste. And that's why sugar and, most of the times, other stuff gets added - to make it palatable... and not healthy anymore.
The claim that it is healthy is ridiculous; it's just like all other products on the market that say they are free of artificial colouring or has wholegrain in it or whatever, while still being high in saturated fats and calories.
I don't mind the wrapping for the ginger stem, but I'm bemused by the garish pink for dark chocolate. If I saw pinkI wouldn't think, dark chocolate.
Hi everyone,
Wow the reaction to today's review hasn't been great has it :D I almost feel sorry for Prestat here, I can't remember a ChocolateMission début before that has been received quite so badly.
When I was reviewing this one I tried not to get too hung up on the whole 'Naturally good for you....' stuff. Like everything else I try to base all the ratings on the 5 criteria in the scoring system and not overly so on their marketing.
I see quite a few of you have reacted quite strongly to this. I will let it all playout over the weekend before commenting more later on. Please continue to to feed in and talk about the Choxi)
As ever time pressures are on my today - I want to leave the office at a sensible hour so I will just get in to some of the questions today.
Anon - No competition this week.
TONY - The chocolate had bloomed for no apparent reason. This is where the cocoa splits itself from the fat properties in the bar.
STEVEN - I think I've seen their chocolate before.
CLAIRE - Take a look at the site tomorrow and find out :D
NIGEL - I did see Barca vs Madrid yes. It was a quality game, they all are though aren't they.
MYSTERIO - Chill with the caps lock chap :D
MICHAEL - Everything they put in their communication will have to be verified by some party yes. I don't think they need shutting down haha! That is a bit drastic.
GOLDEN - 20.0g chocolate bars? That is pretty small isn't it.
ANON - Prestat make all sorts of chocolate but I think the Choxi range might just be dark. Take a look at their site and let us all know.
BEN - Errr because not everything I review is going to be to my liking is it? How boring would it be if I only ever wrote up the ones I liked. The site would be terribly predictable.
ANON - See what I said above. Tune in tomorrow and find out.
ANDREW - I have a feeling you could well be right :D
TRICKY - Request noted. Let me see what I can do.
SALLY - Whats with all this sweeping under carpets today :D A number of you seem to be using that phrase.
RACHEL - I'm always willing to give 2nd chances so don't be surprised if you see them appear again in the near future.
PATRICK - Nice sum up.
GRAEME - I'm glad you approve of the review. Thanks.
ANA - I can't say I'm too experienced with Chinese 80s chocolate bars I'm afraid :D I believe chocolate is partially medicinal because it makes people smile :D
BJ - The choice of colour for the packaging wasn't great huh! What would you have gone for then? I think the hot pink shouldn't of been used. It just doesn't suite the theme of the chocolate does it.
Right everyone the countdown to the weekend begins. 7DaysofChocolateReviews is back tomorrow so be sure to check it out.
Thanks
JIM
I don't want to give the impression I ignore what you write in your reviews but im still half curious about these. Have you though that perhaps the chocs you tried weren't their freshest, again this isn't a criticism aimed at you but the chocolates looked like they had seen better times if your photos are anything to go by.
What a load of rubbish some brands talk about these days. I get the whole trying to be unique thing but I think Prestat are pushing things here. There's making an effort to be different, and then there's just talking complete gobble-de-goop.
Hmmmmm :S Im confused now. I heard a friend raving about how great Choxi was not long ago. I will make me own mind up on this one if I ever get around to it. Cheers for the review Jim.
Wowza. I've not ever seen such a huge amount of negative comments placed on one of your reviews Jim. Granted I normally comment early so don't always see what others have to say.
Just reading through them though it sounds like hardly anyone has a good thing to say about Choxi. Thats a little worrying for a british chocolate maker. Not good at all.
I hope this is one of those times where the people who like work at Choxi come on here and talk to us. They must have done some research before so they must be used to people responding negatively towards them. Lol they must be well versed in battling people challenging their healthy promotion thing.
Some of this reaction is over the top. They are just pointing that their chocolate contains some properties that are beneficial to your health. It's hardly like they are saying 'You need to eat loads and loads of this and you will be super healthy'. Stop reading what you want to read you critical bunch.
Looking in to what they claim more they really come out with some corkers =) lol this one is the best one I think ......."We suggest that you (your parents and your children) eat 10g of Choxi+ dark chocolate a day, which has less calories than an apple."
How on earth a credible company can suggest any eat chocolate over an apple is incredible. Hang your heads in shame Prestat.
You did a sensible thing rating them for just what the chocolate was and not their marketing. Lol I would have been well tempted to take them down a few pegs if I were you jim. Great reviews mate. Well interesting.
Lol i almost feel the need to say something nice about these just because of the amount of people having a go at them.
Lmao its their own fault looking at what they are trying to claim.
Whata broken philosophy on which to try and sell your chocolate. Health and choc just don't mix. Idiots.
Gr8 review but I wouldn't have glossed over their spiel so much in your conclusion. It was crying out for you to dismantle them over that Jim. I think you've held back too much there.
My best friend tried convincing me that dark chocolate was good for your health once. She started rambling on about how it contains all these good for you oxidant things but tbh I just stopped listening as soon as she started. If I want to eat healthy stuff I will have some fruit thanks. Chocolate is chocolate.
It's a shame that the real point of discussion i.e. the chocolate is being lost on people today.
Looking at what Jim has to say it looks like they didn't even create an impression on him in that sense anyways. When you consider that first you realise that all the other stuff just add insult to injury.
Poxi choczi then, hmmm, think I will give these a miss then Jim.
Jim - I think black or brown would have worked well with the design that they are going for. It would have made the gold seem less tacky, and more stylish.
I tried Choxi ones quite along tim agao and we thought it ok from what i remember. I cant remember what variety it was but I dont think it was awful. I think the issues with the chocolate looking bloomed etc are mostly down to the shops storage to be fair, after all shops rarely think like that do they lol.
I quite like the packaging aswell, it is bright but I thought it did a nice enough job and looked quite premium to me :)
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