Full Breakdown
New Zealand’s Novelty Chocolate Flavour Rankings: Herald Lifestyle’s Verdict
7/16/2026, 9:22:12 PM
Overview of the Ranking
The *Herald* Lifestyle team compiled a poll-driven ranking of recent novelty chocolate products released in New Zealand, assigning each a score from ten (lowest) to one (highest). The list spans releases from 2015 to 2026 and reflects the reviewers’ subjective taste judgments rather than objective market data. Commentators note that the exercise is largely opinion-based, offering personal nostalgia cues and texture preferences as the primary criteria.
Reviewer Commentary Highlights
Across the ten entries, reviewers repeatedly cite nostalgia, flavor balance, and textural expectations. Several critics found the Pascall Hokey Pokey Lumps (2023) underwhelming, describing them as a “weakest (and least memorable) form” of nostalgia. The Whittaker’s Gumdrop Block (2026) was dismissed for its scarce gum-drop content and unusual green hue, while the Cadbury Creme Egg Block (2019) was faulted for an excess of chocolate and insufficient filling. Conversely, the Whittaker’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Block (2021) earned praise for its “delicious” combination despite brand loyalty tensions, and the Pascall Passionfruit Pavlova Lumps (2026) received an “A+” for evoking a festive Christmas flavor.
Notable Flavour Assessments
- Pascall Snifters Lumps (2020) – praised for mint nostalgia but criticized for lacking the original crunchy shell.
- Cadbury Perky Nana Lumps (2019) – highlighted for delivering nostalgic banana flavor without the “teeth-removal” side effect of the full-size bar.
- Whittaker’s Jelly Tip Block (2015) – identified as a staple that successfully translates a beloved ice-cream flavor into chocolate form.
Verbatim Quotes
- “While the Buzz Bar at least gave us a cool bee in a gold chain riding a skateboard, these hokey lumps only gave us nostalgia in the weakest (and least memorable) form.” — Jenni Mortimer
- “Nothing about that experience said “goody” to me, but if you’ve spent your life looking for a pale green, white chocolate-coated bubblegum without a prolonged chew factor, consider yourself fulfilled.” — Kim Knight
- “They gave us the perfect perks of the nana without the complimentary teeth removal and trip to the dentist that the full bar form was well known for.” — JM
- “But when you shove peanut butter and jiggly berry-flavoured jelly (as a stand-in for raspberry jam) inside it, I don’t really care what the chocolate is because it will always be delicious.” — Bridget Jones
