wonka-chocolate-yapperz-speak-out-loud - odugutumad's posterous

These come in at number one for us because of their genius and oddity in equal measure! The idea of covering peanut butter in chocolate came from Harry Nurnett Reese, a former employee of Milton S. Hershey in 1923 but really hit the big time in the 1940s and 50s.

Even more of an acquired taste than the Baby Ruth and definitely more suited to the American market, nevertheless Reese's Peanut Butter Cups can now be bought in many countries across the world, including in the UK. If you haven't tried them, give them a go - you'll love them or hate them and as the company says, "There's no wrong way to eat a Reese's"!

Demand for the most popular American brands of candy, sodas and foods has been steadily increasing for many years, but it is only recently - in the last three to five years - that it has really taken off. The growth in popularity of American sweets and other foods - not to mention drinks as well - is down to several factors.

First of all, UK audiences have been exposed to American culture, including the food they eat, the drinks they drink and the candy they enjoy, through television, film, books and magazines. Product placement, especially in popular television programmes like Friends, ER and other sitcoms and drama series, is common place and their constant presence has permeated the consciousness of the UK consumer.

At the very least this has led to a general interest in giving them a try and at most has led to consumers actually sourcing them, sometimes directly from the United States. The same sort of product placement occurs in American produced films but it is becoming more and more common for American products to appear in non-US films, magazines and books, adding to the effect.

The number of Americans living and working in the UK has also increased demand for American sweets and foods as they long for a taste of home. As well as getting friends and family to send over 'care packages', they have taken to ordering from suppliers direct.

Having sourced their home comforts, US expats have introduced them to their British friends and colleagues who in turn have created even more demand.

It is not just the American influence that has led to increasing demand for American candy and food, however. The introduction of American brand names directly into UK shops as UK products has led to greater awareness of the American versions.

Examples of this include Gatorade, Vanilla Cola and Pop Tarts, all of which are American 'inventions' now being sold under licence in the UK. Even Mountain Dew, a sweet citrus drink and one of the most famous brands in the US, made a brief appearance in the UK. They are not, however, the same as the 'real thing'.

Demand for the 'real thing', the proper American taste, has increased so much that online retail businesses have been set up in the UK, supplying American food and drink directly from the US to the UK market. Googling "American sweets", "American candy UK", "American food", "buy American food" and similar phrases will return the biggest online retailers stocking the widest range of American products in the UK.

Wonka Chocolate

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