Lacks the seeds to change my opinion of it! (Seeds of Change Milk Chocolate Apricot and Cashew)

Member Name: rosebud2001

Product:	Seeds of Change Milk Chocolate Apricot and Cashew
Date:	15/06/09 (90 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Organic, unusual flavour combination

Disadvantages: Expensive, ordinary chocolate, hardly any nuts

Seeds of Change is an organic food line that I first heard of just a couple of months ago. I was at my sister-in-law's house during a visit to London and she served up pasta in a tomato and basil sauce that my daughter loved and requested I purchased once we got home.

I was then given the opportunity to test a couple of Seeds of Change's chocolate bars as a Bzzz Agent (yes, there's a reason for the proliferation of reviews on this stuff!) and as someone who loves chocolate, signed up immediately.

This bar weighs 100 grammes and is wrapped in silver foil and then covered in thick paper. This product is definitely aimed at the higher end of the market and I feel the packaging reflects this.

I was a little apprehensive when I saw this flavour as I am neither a huge fan of apricots, nor cashew nuts. However I got something for almost nothing - and Seeds of Change wanted to know what I thought of their products, so my diet was put to one side for the day as I reached for the bar.

At first glance the Seeds of Change chocolate looks like most other premium chocolate brands - and upon opening this impression remains as the bar is thinner than standard bars of this size made by Cadbury or Galaxy.

Of course this brand isn't trying to compete with those market leaders - Seeds of Change are targeting a more ethically minded consumer with this organic confection and I tend to find the brands aiming at the more specialist market tend to produce thinner bars of chocolate.

So far so good - I broke off a piece of the chocolate, and took a bite.

The taste was...well - pleasant enough. I suppose I had been expecting something more luxurious with a rich, chocolate flavour, but I actually thought the milk chocolate was really rather ordinary.

I am the first to admit I have a bland palate and am a philistine when it comes to some foods, but I will eat most kinds of chocolate (except American chocolate, which frankly, is vile) and expected more from a premium brand such as this.

It lacked the rich chocolate flavour one gets from a brand such as Green & Blacks or Lindt and given these are the brands Seeds of Change wish to compete with, I was disappointed.

When it came to the cashew nuts, well all I can say is they are seriously rationed, and consist of tiny flakes of nut rather than chunks. I couldn't even taste them, let alone feel the sensation of nuts in my mouth when I ate the chocolate which was very disappointing. I find the sensation of nuts and melting chocolate irresistible usually!

The one saving grace for this product was the apricots. Again, Seeds of Change have opted for small pieces of dried apricot inside the chocolate, but the texture is lovely and chewy and while the flavour is still a little bland, the combination of chocolate and apricot is delightful.

Seeds of Change chocolate bars retail at around £2 although you can find them on promotion sometimes.

Personally, I wouldn't pay that for a bar of chocolate - I am not a huge organic food shopper - but when I do buy organic it is invariably meat or fresh vegetables I buy - and this doesn't provide me with a chocolate bar I feel is of a high enough quality to justify the additional cost. Frankly I would rather buy some Lindt chocolate at that price and experience some really good quality chocolate.

You can learn more about Seeds of Change products on their website but I will briefly tell you that one 100g bar contains 525 calories, thus ensuring that my diet went on hold for the day!

www.seedsofchange.co.uk

Summary: Nice for a change but nothing out of the ordinary here.