A curious incident involving chocolate has captivated social media, after Harry Seager, a 34-year-old man from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, came across a Mars bar devoid of its characteristic ripple. This unusual find didn’t just spark intrigue; it stirred up discussions among members of the Dull Men’s Club Facebook page, where his post garnered significant attention, becoming the hot topic of conversation among the group’s 1.4 million followers.
On his way to a classic car show in Birmingham, Seager purchased the candy from a service station. Little did he know, he was about to upload the most talked-about candy bar of the season. Many commenters deemed the smooth Mars bar as “unsettling” and “hideous.” Interestingly, this absence of ripple led Seager to initially believe it was indicative of some sort of cost-cutting measure by the manufacturer.
Seager, who works as a content handling specialist, reported being perplexed and went directly to Mars Wrigley UK seeking clarification. While the company acknowledged the anomaly—stressing the bar “slipped through” their production line—there was little to glean about what may have allowed such a rare occurrence to transpire. After reaching out, he received £2 worth of vouchers as compensation, enough for two more Mars bars, though he reported feeling slightly dissatisfied with the lack of information provided.
“I think £2 is great,” Seager remarked to the BBC, “It will be two free Mars bars. Maybe they could have sent me more but I’m not being ungrateful. I think it’s amazing after everything that's happened.” Yet the core of his inquiry, how the manufacturing slip occurred, remained unanswered. He expressed his curiosity about the production methods of the bar.
Seager also noted responses from industry insiders who commented on his original post, offering insights about the manufacturing process. According to them, the bars pass through something called an 'enrober,' resembling a waterfall, and are air-blown along the top to create the distinctive ripple effect. The recommendation was made known, hinting at processes where employees should remove any bars lacking the signature ripple before they reach consumers.
“I don’t know what happens to them then,” Seager mused. “I suppose they got put on products such as cakes and things.” This captivating blend of curiosity about the manufacturing techniques paired with the amusing public reaction has brought both Seager and the smooth Mars bar unwarranted fame.
A representative for Mars Wrigley commented on the situation, confirming the uniqueness of this event among their massive production of 2.5 million bars daily at their Slough factory. “We can promise fans this smooth Mars bar is certainly a rare find, and we’re committed to ensuring the classic swirl remains part of our product.” Mars bars, after all, have been delighting chocolate lovers since their inception by hand back in 1932.
While Seager may not have gotten all the answers he sought, his experience has provided bittersweet delight, transforming what was once mere curiosity about confectionery production shortcomings and consumer expectations, turning him briefly—if not entirely—into the poster boy for chocolate curiosity.