MEMORIES:
eightieslady remembers...I found this at World Market and I tried it and I loved it.They are so good.The next time I go ... More »
Posted on 12/06/07
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Trivia:
Bite through the outer layer of milk chocolate, and into the soft filling, riddled with tiny pockets of air. Let the fluffy chocolate cloud melt in your mouth. This distinctively sensual experience is Aero.
UK candy makers Rowntree Mackintosh of York introduced Aero in 1966, calling it "the new chocolate." Initially available only in Northern England, within two years, it was gaining popularity throughout the country, and abroad.
In 1988, Rowntree was acquired by Nestlé, who has kept the bar afloat. Aero is still produced in the same facility in York. Teams of ten people work in shifts to produce the bars, both for local consumption, and for export to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. (In that country, it is known as BROS.) Naturally, the method for making for the airy middle is a well-kept secret.
The unique feel of the chocolate center has always been key to the Aero allure. Early ads called it "Lovely Bubbly Aero." During the 1990s, the bar was marketed to female consumers as a way to de-stress, to "float away with an Aero." Currently, the tagline reads, "Have you ever felt the bubbles melt?"
Aero has spun off a number of successful variations: Mint Aero, Dark Chocolate Aero, White Aero, and the discontinued Orange Aero and Strawberry Aero. Australians enjoy Aero Temptations, with an added caramel layer. In Japan, Vanilla Milkshake Aero is an exclusive. Other spin-offs include an Aero hot cocoa drink, and bite size candy nuggets known as Aero Bubbles, pitched on TV by a shirtless hunk named Jason Silver.
During the 1970s, Nestlé introduced a similar airy chocolate bar, Choco-Lite, to the United States. Choco-Lite failed to catch on, perhaps because the name was a bit misleading (It was not a low calorie food.) Fans of Choco-Lite are often delighted to discover Aero at the import section of their local grocery, a perfect fit when that craving for airy chocolate hits. Aero is truly the cloud nine of candy bars.
