Mr. Big Candy Bar: History, Varieties & Packaging
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Snack History Nostalgia Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Cadbury has been a big name in the candy bar industry for a long time, and their Mr Big candy bar is the biggest product that they make. This product is a departure from the rest of the Cadbury chocolate lineup, and this product will probably remind you more of some of the offerings that Hershey’s or other major candy corporations create on a regular basis.
This product is most popular in Canada, but it is sold in some other markets as well. You can get this bar in the US in some places as well if you want to give it a try. There is something really unique about this large candy bar, and it can be the right idea for a stocking stuffer or just a fun treat to share with friends and family.
| Mr. Big Candy Bar | Facts |
|---|---|
| Introduced | Prior to 1995 (exact Canadian launch date not specified) |
| Manufacturer | William Neilson (via Cadbury acquisition) |
| Candy Type | Layered wafer, caramel, peanut, and rice crisp bar coated in chocolate |
| Original Flavors | Vanilla wafer, caramel, peanuts, rice crisps, and Cadbury chocolate |
| Still Available | Yes, in Canada, Hungary, Poland, and select US regions |
| Country of Origin | Canada |
| Parent Company | William Neilson |
| Bar Size | Approximately 8 inches long, equivalent to two standard candy bars |
History
Mr. Big is the largest candy bar that Cadbury makes, and when it was first released, it was the biggest candy bar sold in Canada. This was the reason for the name, and it continues to be true that this is a very large candy bar as compared to other sweets in the candy market.
The original candy bar is made with a layered vanilla wafer at the center that is covered with caramel, peanuts, and rice crisps. The whole thing is then draped in delicious Cadbury chocolate. This is a crunchy and sweet candy bar that is really enjoyable when compared with solid chocolate bar products.
The Mr Big Candy Bar is essentially the same size as two standard candy bars put together. This means that you will get a candy bar that is 8 inches or so long. There are various versions of the candy bar as well, with different fillings and flavorings. The current varieties besides the original bar are Mr. Chew Big, Mr Big Fudge, and Mr Big with Maple.
As mentioned before, this candy bar is most well-known and popular in Canada, but it is also sold in Hungary, Poland, and some regions in the US. The Canadian tagline is, “Mr Big: So Big They Call Him Mister”. When the product was launched in the US in 1995, Shaquille O’Neil was used for marketing the candy bar. O’Neil is famously quite large, and many large-size products have used his size to help advertise their products.
There is a mini version of this candy bar that is made for Halloween as well so that the treat can fit into candy bowls all around Canada and the other markets which sell Mr Big Candy Bars. This is the only time that you can get this huge candy bar in any size smaller than the huge regular size.
Nestle used to own the Mr Big Candy Bar, and the license used to belong to Cadbury. William Neilson recently purchased Cadbury and now owns the Mr. Big product line as well.
The bar is currently marketed with a wrapper style that will make people who love candy bars think of Butterfinger Bars. The original bar is sold in a yellow wrapper that proclaims the name of the candy bar in big and bold red lettering. There is a picture of the candy bar on the right side of the wrappers as well, and the flavor of the candy bar is listed below the name of the bar itself.
The bar is slightly bumpy, so the packaging never lays totally flat. This is a slight departure from the way that most candy bars are sold, with the goal of smooth wrappers being at the top of the list for marketing goals. The slightly messy nature of the packaging is offset by the sheer size of the bar, and since large candy bars are increasingly less common, the wrapper will probably not deter anyone from shopping for this kind of candy bar.
The original candy bar was wrapped in a blue wrapper that showed the candy bar exploding through the name of the bar in the middle of the design. The old livery also proclaimed the tagline about being called mister and then indicated what the candy bar inside the wrapper was like. The new branding is more modern looking but less descriptive. It is clear that the product currently leans on the size of the bar itself as the main reason that people will be interested in buying this candy product.
There is something really delightfully retro about the design of the wrapper and livery for this candy product as compared to some of the newer candy bars that are sold in the US. You will be taken right back to your childhood, looking for the perfect candy purchase at the local gas station or corner market. This is quite a lot of candy as well, so you might not need to buy any other candy with a Mr Big Bar in hand!
Mr. Big Candy Bar Timeline
- Pre-1995 — Mr. Big launched in Canada as the largest candy bar sold there
- 1995 — Mr. Big introduced to the US market with Shaquille O'Neal marketing
- Later — Mini Halloween version introduced for seasonal candy bowl distribution
- Later — Additional varieties released: Mr. Chew Big, Mr. Big Fudge, Mr. Big Maple
- Recent — William Neilson purchases Cadbury and acquires Mr. Big brand
- Recent — Packaging updated from blue retro wrapper to modern yellow design
Mr. Big Candy Bar vs Butterfinger
| Feature | Mr. Big Candy Bar | Butterfinger |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Crunchy layered wafer with caramel, peanuts, and rice crisps | Crunchy peanut butter crisp layered interior |
| Chocolate Coating | Cadbury milk chocolate | Chocolate-flavored coating |
| Manufacturer | William Neilson (Cadbury) | Ferrero (formerly Nestle) |
| Primary Market | Canada, with limited sales in Hungary, Poland, and US | United States, widely available |
| Availability | Limited internationally; best sourced online outside Canada | Widely available in stores across the US and internationally |
| Wrapper Style | Yellow wrapper with bold red lettering and bar image | Orange wrapper with bold lettering |
| Size Options | Standard large bar and mini Halloween size only | Multiple sizes including fun size, standard, and king size |
Where Can I Get Mr Big Candy Bars?
You can order this candy bar online, but if you live in Canada, you can probably get Mr Big candy bars at the grocery store, the movie theater, and the petrol station. Sales in Australia, the UK, Tasmania, Germany, and the US are based on regions, so you might not be able to get this candy bar anywhere local to you. Some people around the world have never even heard of this candy bar due to the limited way that it is marketed by Cadbury.
Online ordering is probably your best bet if you have never tried this candy bar due to it being sold outside your local area. Most major online marketplaces sell it, so you should be able to get your hands on this treat if you hop online and place an order.
If you have decided that the Mr Big Candy Bar is your new favorite candy bar, you will be glad to know that there have been a few change.org petitions to bring Mr Big Candy Bar to more markets in the US. This petition-based strategy has actually led to some products coming out of retirement and some products that have not been traditionally sold in the US being offered in limited areas of the US. When it comes to candy products, you can never be too sure about which candy products will be brought back from the dead or moved to a new sales market in the US!
Logo
Ingredients
According to the Amazon entry:
- Sugar
- Glucose Syrup
- Modified palm oil
- Modified milk ingredients
- Rice
- Modified vegetable oil
- Wheat flour with barley
- Peanuts
- Cocoa
- Unsweetened chocolate
- Corn starch
- Salt
- Hydrogenated palm oil
- Malt extract
- Soy lecithin
- Baking soda
- Citric acid
- Natural and artificial flavors
The various different flavors might have other additional ingredients as compared to the original candy bar recipe listed above.
Nutrition
| Serving Size: | 1 bar (11g) | % Daily Value* |
| Amount Per Serving | ||
| Calories | 60 | |
| Calories from Fat | 23 | |
| Total Fat | 2.5g | 4% |
| Saturated Fat | 1.5g | 8% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 20mg | 1% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | 0% |
| Sugars | 6g | |
| Protein | 0.3g | |
| Vitamin A | 0% | |
| Vitamin C | 0% | |
| Calcium | 0% | |
| Iron | 0% |
- Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet.
Flavors
- Original Mr Big Candy Bar
- Mr. Chew Big
- Mr. Big Fudge
- Mr. Big with Maple
- Mr. Big Mini
- Mr. Big Ice Cream- Discontinued in May 2002 in the UK because of poor sales performance. There is currently a version that is on sale in Canada but only in limited areas.
The Mr Big Fudge Bar has a fudgy center, and the Mr. Big with Maple is classically sweet, like Canadian Maple Syrup. The Mr. Big Chew Bar has added caramel which makes it tougher to eat but also really lovely if you love caramel.
The Mr Big Ice Cream product is not sold in many areas, but it is a vanilla-based ice cream product with chunks of the candy bar inside of it. It is probably a bit of a missed opportunity that this ice cream product is not sold in more US regions, as this kind of ice cream is always a big hit in the US. This version of the Mr Big Candy Bar is probably the most likely to perform well in the US as a whole. Perhaps the company will eventually expand its ice cream market for this unique part of the Mr Big Bar lineup.
What Does Mr Big CandyBar Taste Like?
Many Americans feel like there is something that is “just not quite right” about the flavor of this candy bar as compared to more familiar candy bars of the same type that are sold in the US. Many people state that the crunchiness is a bit odd, too as compared to something like a Twix bar. This is a very different product for Cadbury, which is usually known for classic and decadent sweets that are often associated with Easter candy.
While this might not be as popular a product in the US market, that does not mean that Mr Big Candy Bars can’t end up being your new favorite candy! There is a candy bar out there for everyone, and Mr Big Candy Bar might be the best candy bar for your preferences.
Pictures
Commercials
A 90’s era Mr Big Candy Bar ad:
Another Mr Big Bar ad from the 90s:
Another classic ad for this product:
A taste test:
Frequently Asked Questions about Mr. Big Candy Bar
What is inside a Mr. Big candy bar?
The original Mr. Big candy bar features a layered vanilla wafer center covered with caramel, peanuts, and rice crisps. The entire bar is then coated in Cadbury chocolate, giving it a crunchy and sweet flavor profile that sets it apart from solid chocolate bars.
How big is a Mr. Big candy bar?
The Mr. Big candy bar is approximately 8 inches long, making it roughly equivalent in size to two standard candy bars put together. When it was first released, it was the largest candy bar sold in Canada, which is the origin of its name.
What varieties of Mr. Big candy bars are available?
Besides the original bar, there are currently three additional varieties: Mr. Chew Big, Mr. Big Fudge, and Mr. Big with Maple. A mini version of the bar is also produced specifically for Halloween, which is the only smaller size available.
Where can I buy Mr. Big candy bars?
In Canada, Mr. Big candy bars are widely available at grocery stores, movie theaters, and petrol stations. Outside of Canada, sales in regions such as Hungary, Poland, and parts of the US are limited, but the bar can be purchased through most major online marketplaces worldwide.
Who currently owns the Mr. Big candy bar brand?
The Mr. Big candy bar is currently owned by William Neilson, who recently purchased Cadbury and acquired the Mr. Big product line along with it. Previously, the license had belonged to Cadbury, and Nestle had also been involved in ownership of the bar at an earlier point.
I believe it was 2004 or 2005, there was a giant sized Mr. Big bar, about two feet long, being sold at Zellers here in Edmonton, Canada. I remember because I bought one for my then 6 year old daughter. When I got to the till at Zellers to pay for my other items she asked me if she could buy a candy bar, I said yes. Next thing I know she came to the counter with this huge Mr. Big bar! I will forever remember laughing out loud because it was half her size. I love that memory. Mr. Big is still her and my favorite candy bar. 🙂
i am a student doing research and i love mr big bars