Chocolate should be a treat built on simple, quality ingredients. Nowadays, many products on shelves are no longer made with what can legally or traditionally be called real chocolate. 

WHAT IS REAL CHOCOLATE? (The Nerdy Bit)

Real chocolate is defined by the presence of cocoa butter, the natural fat extracted from cocoa beans. Under EU and international standards, real chocolate must meet specific cocoa content requirements depending on type:

Dark chocolate: Made from cocoa mass and cocoa butter, typically containing 50–70% cocoa solids or more.
Milk chocolate: Contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk (or milk powder) and sugar.
White chocolate: Made from cocoa butter, milk and sugar. While it contains no cocoa solids, it still comes directly from the cocoa bean and qualifies as real chocolate.

WHY ARE COMPANIES USING IT LESS? (The Smarty Bit)

Chocolate has gotten ‘spenny. Due to climate change, poor harvest & supply shortages, prices have sky-rocketed. Cocoa butter is one of the most expensive chocolate ingredients, and many manufacturers reduce costs by replacing it with cheaper vegetable fats such as palm oil or coconut oil.

These alternatives are commonly sold as compound chocolate, chocolatey products, or chocolate-flavoured bars. While they may resemble chocolate, they don’t deliver the same flavour, mouthfeel or quality — and crucially, they are not real chocolate.

WHO’S REAL THEN? (The Consumer Bit)

If cocoa butter isn’t listed, the product is not made with real chocolate.

At Broderick Brothers, we proudly use real chocolate across our range — made with cocoa butter and proper cocoa levels — even when market pressures push others to compromise. We believe real chocolate isn’t a luxury; it’s the standard.

Next time you’re savouring our Rocky Road, do so knowing it’s all, totally, REAL.