Easter is over which means what chocolate is left on shelves is available at a discount. Within those shelves, one of the last true Easter offerings is the candy-coated chocolate egg. Some may argue it is the similar, malted-milk Robin Eggs however, in my household, the argument is always about whose chocolate miniature egg is superior: Cadbury, Hershey’s, or FRANK?
Cadbury Mini Eggs* | Hershey's Eggies** | FRANK cracks you up | |
|---|---|---|---|
Origin | United Kingdom | United States of America | Canada |
Description | "Solid milk chocolate eggs in a crisp sugar shell" | "Candy coated milk chocolate" | "Milk chocolate mini eggs" |
Ethical sourcing commitment | None | ||
2026 CAD/200g (unofficial Saskatoon comparison) | $7.99 | $6.39 | $5.99 |
* Hershey owns the rights to produce/market Mini Eggs in the United States | |||
** "Eggies" is the name given to the product imported into Canada; Americans know this treat as Hershey's Candy Coated Eggs | |||
Believe it or not, the use of the word ‘chocolate’ is not universal. Depending on the country of origin, what is described on the label can differ by nuances, and those minute differences change how each candy tastes. It is no coincidence that Europe and chocolate have such intertwined reputations, as their standards for milk chocolate are the strictest and requires the most solid cocoa. Cocoa solids are the remnants of the bean after the butter has been removed from the chocolate liquor.
In the United Kingdom, milk chocolate must contain a minimum of 25% cocoa solids, 14% milk solids, and 3.5% milkfat. These conditions ensure that the chocolate produced in Europe tastes smooth and earthy, allowing the chocolate notes to dominate other ingredients. Any changes to this formulation, for example if the milk used is replaced with a higher fat dairy or ingredients are added for flavour, must be clarified on the label, as the general understood definition of milk chocolate no longer fits.
Canada follows similar regulations for milk chocolate (25% cocoa solids, 12% milk solids, 3.39% milkfat) and labelling requirements if sweetened with additives. The reduced inclusion of milk, although minor, means Canadian milk chocolate is more reliant on sugars/sweeteners and flavourings to compensate quality. Such is even more true for American milk chocolate, which regulates with the same milk solid and milkfat standards as Canada, but requires a minimum 10% chocolate liquor inclusion instead of cocoa solids.
The candy coating, too, can vary between products depending on the country’s ingredient availability and alternate food regulations. Many European countries have spent time cracking down on food additives and necessitating additional label warnings depending on perceived risk. For example, although the food colouring Red 40 or Allura Red is allowable in the United Kingdom (and, in fact, listed as a colourant for Eggies), Mini Eggs opt for agents like beetroot and paprika. Titanium dioxide, the food whitening agent banned in the European Union and currently between American crosshairs, is used in FRANK’s in large part due to Canada’s evidence-based risk assessment process. If FRANK were to be available outside of Canada, which they are not, perhaps ingredients would be more representative of international regulations however, it is important to remember that the inclusion of titanium dioxide does not reduce product safety and that small candy businesses sometimes must rely on ingredients with long shelf lives to remain competitive with bigger brands.
In large part due to climate disaster and supply chain weaknesses, the cost of cocoa is rising. When chocolate prices do not rise in response, it can force farmers to exit production, as livelihoods can no longer be supported by the income gap. When the price of luxury goods increases, consumers look for substitutes that provide a similar feeling when consumed that do not break the budget as badly. In the candy industry, the rise in chocolate has moved our preferences towards sugary, chocolate-free offerings like gummies. These are incomplete substitutes so, when major chocolate holidays like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Easter roll around, we feel justified in our splurge.
The limited supply of cocoa is being stretched to its maximum, with many major chocolate brands altering their favourite recipes to replace the high-cost ingredients to remain competitive. The length of chocolate supply chains means we are unlikely to see true price relief within the next year however, by committing to ethically sourced products, the industry can set the standards for fair pricing. There is no right or wrong candy-coated chocolate egg choice but there are big shifts in the cocoa market that may start making the reasons for our brand preferences more obvious.
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