Nestle for Men: The manly chocolate bar

November 6, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

Big Papa may have felt left out of the Halloween festivities, because today he hauled out his very last ‘Nestle for Men‘ bar. Yep. For men.

We purchased this bar some time (years) ago in Armenia, because…well, you never know when a guy might need a manly boost.

The Nestle company launched the bar in 2005 for its Russian market. This is a big bar of chocolate, thick, rectangular, and divided into large pieces, “which will not be lost on a man’s palm” (as you can see in this photo).

I don’t read Russian, but our Armenian translator at the time, said something to the suggest this chocolate is “untouchable man’s property.” Protect from women was the product’s slogan.

Here are the ingredients in Russian and in Armenian. Taste-testers, Big Papa included, suggest that “big” flavor does not go hand-in-hand with this hefty bar. But hey, how many guys in the U.S. get to take a bite out of a bar like this one?

There was also an advertising campaign to go along with the bar and I recently found this Youtube video. No comment on stereotyping women as sub-par drivers.

And thanks for being my spokesmodel Big Papa!

Take the road less traveled, Beth

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Great minds think alike: Pinot and chocolate

February 22, 2012 by Beth Shepherd

Last night, Big Papa and I returned from a week of relaxation in San Diego and Baja, Mexico. It was just what the doctor ordered. Sunshine (most of the time), time spent with friends, desert vistas, whales and even a few glorious days without internet or cell phone service!

Our trip began on February 14^th, Valentine’s Day. When we arrived at Keating House, our B&B for our first three days on the road, Big Papa and I pulled out our Valentine’s gifts for each other and set them on the bed.

Side by side lay two Valentine’s cards, each with a reference to our upcoming whale watching trip, two half-bottles of Pinot Noir wine (Adelsheim and Clos du val) and two boxes of Theo’s Chocolates! In fact, the exact same chocolates: Theo’s limited version Casanova Caramel Sampler with Ginger Rose, Pink Salted, Honey Saffron and Lavender Jalapeno chocolates.

Wine and chocolate–the perfect way to kick off a much-needed vacation. We sat and sipped and daydreamed about the days that lay ahead.

What can I say? Great minds think alike!

Want to munch on more brilliant tidbits? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!

Manly chocolate

October 20, 2010 by Beth Shepherd

Yesterday I went on a Theo Chocolate factory tour with my aunt and uncle who are visiting from New York. It was great fun, an excursion worthy of its own post. The tour got me thinking about chocolate in general and then, about a particular purchase Big Papa and I made on one of our trips to Armenia, namely the ‘Nestle for Men’ bar.

Yes, that’s right, a chocolate bar devoted to men and men only! Who would have thought? Obviously someone in Nestle’s Russian marketing department! Other than ‘Nestle for Men,’ all the text is in Russian. I presume the assumption is that men who read Russian will be able to ascertain that this bar is for them. A translator read the rest of the wording on the bar which strongly suggests “protecting” this bar from the prying hands of women. No sharing with your gal pal, guys!

Big Papa and I purchased several bars and offered them as gifts to our manly friends. So far, the Nestle for Men bar gets an A+ for novelty. It’s hard not to crack a smile when you see this burly bar. One of my friends has a pre-teen son, who upon seeing the bar asked: Is this for boys too? I suppose so, if you want to put some hair on your chest!

Foodie reviews, however, have been less than favorable. One recipient reported “The chocolate wasn’t that great.” I’m not surprised. The real bang for the buck lies in the packaging, not the flavor. Nestle for Men is a milk chocolate bar with three variations: plain milk chocolate, milk chocolate with almonds or milk chocolate with peanut and raisin. Studies revealed that milk chocolate is where it’s at for men: 48% of men prefer milk chocolate, 37% of men prefer dark chocolate, and 15 % choose other types of chocolate (white and mixed). Though let me tell you a secret, guys, the health and psycho-emotional benefits come with dark chocolate…the darker, the better in fact.

Nestle for Men makes me laugh because, historically, chocolate marketing has been aimed squarely at women. Chocolate stimulates “feel good” serotonin levels in the brain. It’s marketed to help women recover from heartache, celebrate new love, deal with menstrual tension or menopausal woes. Plus, chocolate has anti-oxidants. It’s practically healthy. Some studies show that small amounts of dark chocolate may even lower blood pressure. And, everyone knows women just LOVE chocolate. What do men get women after jewelry and flowers? Chocolate, of course!

Who knows, maybe Russian marketing is onto something with their macho bar. Here you go boys…dive in. Your very own chocolate bar.

Wanna devour some more? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!