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After Eight

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the band formerly known as Aftereight, seeCapital Lights.For theTacoalbum, seeAfter Eight (album).

After Eight
Product typeChocolateconfection
OwnerNestlé(1988–present)
CountryUK
Introduced1962;62 years ago(1962)
Previous ownersRowntree's(1962–1988)
Websitenestle.co.uk/aftereight

After Eight Mint Chocolate Thins,often referred to as simplyAfter Eights,are a brand ofmint chocolatecoveredsugarconfectionery.They were created byRowntree Company Limitedin the UK in 1962 and have been manufactured byNestlésince its acquisition of Rowntree in 1988.[1]

The mints were originally manufactured at Rowntree'sYorkfactory, before production transferred toCastleford,West Yorkshire,in 1970. For the UK market they are now manufactured inHalifaxfollowing Nestlé's closure of the Castleford factory in 2012, with over one billion After Eights produced every year.[2]

After Eights were originally made from dairy-freedark chocolate.In 2002, however, Nestlé started addingbutterfatto After Eights made at certain production facilities so as to increase resistance tochocolate bloom.This practice expanded to all production facilities in 2009. Nestlé has also made special editions of After Eights, including orange After Eights andmilk chocolateAfter Eights.

Manufacturing

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The fondant in the centre of After Eights is made from a stiff paste of commonsugar,water, and a small amount of theenzymeinvertase.This fondant can readily be coated with dark chocolate. After manufacture, the enzyme gradually splits the common sugar into the much more soluble sugarsglucoseandfructose,resulting in a more liquid consistency.[3]Once manufactured, each completed chocolate is packaged in a sheath and then loaded into a box.

Religious certification

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After Eights are certifiedkosherdairy by theOrthodox Union.[2]

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Current products

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The After Eight family of products includes:

  • Thin Mints – The original After Eight product, these comprise square dark or (less commonly) milk chocolate, enclosing the mintfondant.There are also Limited Edition Thin Mints with added flavours such as orange, lemon, strawberry, cherry, blackcurrant, gin & tonic and others.
  • Marzipan – Sold inGermanyby Nestlé Deutschland AG.
  • Mint & Blood Orange – This variation on the thin mints was a special edition for Summer 2011. The flavour was reintroduced as Orange Mint in Autumn 2022.
  • Delights – Round sweets of dark chocolate with a mint fondant filling.
  • Straws – Long, thin sticks of soft dark chocolate with a mint fondant filling.
  • Bars – Dark chocolate bar with a creamy mint centre.
  • Biscuits – The newest addition to the After Eight family, these combine dark chocolate with mint in abiscuit.
  • Chocolate Santa Claus – During the Christmas season, Nestlé Germany features a 125gSanta Clausmade out of white or dark mint chocolate.
  • Easter bunny – During Easter time Nestlé releases an After Eight Dark ChocolateEaster Bunny.It does not have a mint filling but is made from peppermint flavoured chocolate and comes in the well known After Eight green wrapping.
  • Bitesize – Plain chocolate with mint fondant filling, similar in appearance to originalMunchies.Originally known as Mintola, then renamed Mint Munchies in 1995,[4]before being brought under the After Eight brand in 2006.[5][6]
  • Mousse – A chilled dessert consisting of mint mousse with layers of dark chocolate.
  • Dessert – A chilled smooth mint and chocolate flavoured dessert.
  • Ice cream dessert - A frozen mint and chocolate flavoured ice-cream dessert in a slicing block, similar toViennetta.
  • Strawberry and Mint – This variation on the thin mints was a special edition for Spring/Summer 2020.[7]
  • Gin and Tonic – Limited edition Thin Mints with a light flavour akin to that of the classic cocktail.

Discontinued products

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  • Chocolate Truffle Pancakes
  • Dark Chocolate Fairy Cakes
  • Ice Cream Van
  • Lemon Sorbet
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  • A silver plated 'After Eight Mint' Royal Coach (mints not supplied) novelty table holder was available from Argos in the UK in the 1980s.[8]
  • Pfefferminz – A variety ofRitter Sportwhich has similar taste to the original After Eight, in the shape of a Ritter Sport.
  • After Eight (cocktail) – A layered shooter consisting ofCrème de cacao,Crème de mentheandBaileys Irish Cream.
  • Royal Mints – A product manufactured byHallorenvery similar to After Eight.
  • Mint Nights – A product manufactured forPoundlandvery similar to After Eight.
  • After Dinner Mints – an Australian product which was similar to After Eights. The manufacturer, Red Tulip, was bought out in the 1980s byCadbury.[9][10]

Notes

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  1. ^Hyde, Dana (March 1991). "The Nestlé takeover of rowntree: A case study".European Management Journal.9(1): 1–17.doi:10.1016/0263-2373(91)90044-q.
  2. ^abTreanor, Jill (10 December 2010)."40 years and billions of mints later, Nestlé to close After Eight factory".The Guardian.Retrieved6 October2012.
  3. ^Dziedzic, S. Z.; Kearsley, M. W. (1995).Handbook of starch hydrolysis products and their derivatives.London: Blackie Academic & Professional. p. 62.ISBN0-7514-0269-9.Retrieved13 April2008.
  4. ^"Our brands - Chocolate and Sweets".nestle.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 19 November 2008.Retrieved3 September2015.Mint Munchies [were launched] in 1957, this product changed its name from Mintola to Mint Munchies in June 1995
  5. ^"After Eights re-invented for a new generation".utalkmarketing.27 September 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 3 September 2015.Retrieved3 September2015.Mint Munchies [..] are being changed into the After Eight brand. [..] "New After Eight bitesize combines the popular Mint Munchies product with the strength of the After Eight brand."
  6. ^"Mint Munchies join After Eight brand"[dead link],irn-talkingshop.co.uk. Article dated 13 October 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
  7. ^"Nestle After Eight Strawberry & Mint Flavour 200g (Germany Import)".Archived fromthe originalon 16 July 2020.Retrieved16 July2020.
  8. ^"Argos No.17 1982 Spring/Summer".Issuu.19 December 2015.Retrieved22 November2018.
  9. ^"Cadbury in Australia".Cadbury.Mondelez Australia Pty Ltd.Retrieved9 May2016.
  10. ^"Bring back Red Tulip After Dinner Mints".Facebook.Retrieved9 May2016.
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