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Your e-Mails

John Kenny Digestive Review	Before I retired from the biscuit industry over 10 years ago Digestives were, for very many years, consistently around 15% of the total branded and own-label sweet and semi-sweet biscuit market - a quite mind boggling proportion. I remember many debates about introducing new Digestive variants but we mostly remained to be convinced they would do any more than fragment the market. New biscuit products which settle in and survive with a steady market share have always been very few and far between and difficult to formulate. Presumably the up and coming marketing whizzes have recognised this and are now proliferating all these mutations of Digestives arguing that this is what the market needs whilst hoping to justify their existence by increasing sales volumes. Does anyone know the proportion of the market occupied by the Digestive family now and how successful this strategy has been? A bald, retired, biscuit basher
	Nicey replies: Hello John, I'm sure many of the people who drop by the site once in a while would know the answer, however they might not wish to share it. The bewildering proliferation of Digestives in the last 18 months may well throw up a one or two long lasting additions to the family, time will tell. Still I'm pleased to see some actual biscuit innovation activity around such a major brand to capture our attention, rather than just some marketing push that ropes in some obvious high profile media types. Even the biggest cash cows need the occasional spot of nurturing or else they eventually start to show signs of decline.
Gareth Griffiths	Dear Nicey et al, On the subject of more people drinking coffee over tea, I think some blame must be lain on the office environment. Where I work, there isn't a kitchen, only vending machines. I can't get through the day without several hot drinks so I have to make due with this vile abomination - however, and this is my point, that even truely foul vending machine coffee tastes a damn sight better than the utterly disgusting and insipid liquid that tries to pass itself off as tea in these things!! I have to make up my tea ration when I get home by drinking it out of a HUGE mug! Gareth
	Nicey replies: Excellent, I've just blown the dust off the vending machine icon.
Ben Hardy	Dear Nicey, Wifey and the Younger Members of Staff It appears that disaster is upon us and tea is now being outsold by coffee as reported by the Guardian. Is there any hope for humanity? Apparently it is due to the rise in herbal tea drinking... Ben
	Nicey replies: That story seems to be laying the blame with the 20-30 year olds for not drinking enough tea, but in these circumstances I blame the parents too. My niece who will soon be 18 up till now hasn't drunk tea, coffee or anything much really (water and squash I suppose). She realised that to make her way in this world she has to drink tea. Therefore she has taught herself how to do this in the last six months. Naturally we are all very pleased and somewhat relieved. Especially my sister who feels she is somewhat off the hook now, re raising a non-tea drinking daughter. We can all do our bit to help by making sure that everybody who should be drinking tea does so. Gentle persuasion such denial of access to biscuits unless drinking tea can help. Personally I think it's morally just to insist tea drinking is mandatory in all new employees, unless they can produce some medical reason why not. It should be on CVs in the beverages section, just above qualifications. Coffee drinking can just about be tolerated as most coffee drinkers are tea drinkers in waiting. People who just drink fizzy pop should be strongly encouraged to tea, or emigrate to some country where this is acceptable. People who just drink herbal tea need to sort it out and start drinking proper tea (again medical exceptions will be grudgingly accepted as long as they accompanied by a 'I'd rather drink proper tea if I could'). There that's not too unreasonable is it?
Hannah Hough Malted Milk Review	Dear Nicey, To further the Malted Milk discussion… I’m sure I used to nibble around a gate and a cow! I am familiar of the big cow little cow motif but am surprised and slightly concerned at the state of my memory that no-one else seems to be aware of the cow and gate combo. Have you come across any brands with this design? I’m thinking as far back as the mid-eighties! Hoping I’m not bonkers, Smiley Han
	Nicey replies: Hannah, Churns cow, cow gate and cow cow. Hope that clears it up for you.
Racheal Oliveck McVitie's Milk Chocolate and Orange Digestive Review	Dear Nicey, A dull trip to somerfield was enlivened no end with the discovery of mint chocolate digestives! I didn't know such a thing existed, and the hubby and I had no trouble seeing off an entire packet in the lull between getting home and having dinner. They were reminiscent of Viscounts, which I am very fond of but can't eat without hearing my mother's disapproving tone. I haven't tried the orange digestives but didn't like the caramel ones at all. Mint ones, however, rock! Are they limited edition or likely to stick around a while? Regards as ever, Rachael
	Nicey replies: Hello Rachael, Yes I mentioned them at the end of the last newsletter, they were announced back in April but have only just hit the shops. Something about the Mint ones makes them seem much more fully realised to me than the Orange ones. They have that certain indefinable air of maturity which I felt was lacking from the Orange digestives, which seemed experimental by comparison. The Mint ones seem to have a much more substantial texture to their digestive and as you say the mint flavour is excellently executed. I must check back with the Orange ones again to see if their digestive has changed from the very early versions I tried. The good news is that Mint Chocolate Digestives look to be a permanent addition to the range.
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