The reviews are coming in on Whittaker’s much anticipated Oat Milk Chocolate, and it seems consumers are not impressed.
The biggest issue appears to be the fact that, despite being called OAT MILK chocolate, the product doesn’t actually contain any oat milk.
Instead, according to the normally beloved chocolate company, “Whittaker’s found a way of using existing factory equipment to grind locally sourced Harraways oats to create Whittaker’s Oat Milk.”
Meaning, the chocolate contains ground toasted oats, not oat milk, and according to some who’ve tried it, this gives the chocolate a grainy texture and bad taste.
Many vegans were incredibly excited about the prospect of a creamy, plant-based milk chocolate from one of their favourite local brands. Unfortunately, it seems Whittaker’s have missed the mark on this one.
It also leads to a question of labelling. When is mylk not mylk?
What would a reasonable consumer expect the product to be? Most consumers looking at a chocolate called OAT MILK chocolate will assume the dairy milk has been substituted with oat milk. Perhaps the label should have read OAT milk chocolate, or Toasty Oat Chocolate or simply Oat Chocolate would have been more appropriate.
Misleading consumers is no way to make or keep loyal fans. A good reminder for other local manufacturers when branding, say what it is rather than obfuscate.
