Vice Versas are a type of chocolate formerly produced in the UK by Nestle, similar in composition to Galaxy Minstrels, though decidedly more complex. A vice versa can exist in one of two varieties; one consisting of milk chocolate encased in a white coloured sugar coating; the other of white chocolate in a brown coating.
History
Vice Versas were first produced in the UK in 1991, but production was later discontinued. The chocolate sweet was re-launched in 2004, only to be withdrawn once more, roughly a year later. Nestle offered the following explanatory statement on their website following the second discontinuation of Vice Versa production:
"We are sorry to inform you that the products have been withdrawn from our range due to the high cost of production and the relatively low level of sales. We would like to assure you that the decision to withdraw any product is reached only with great reluctance and we regret any disappointment this product's absence has caused you."[1]
Today
There exists a cult following for Vice Versas,[2] and an online petition was drawn up following the second discontinuation of sale. This petition, which was in support of the re-launching of Vice Versas, received over 470 signatures[3].
1 Currently manufactured by General Mills in the U.S. and Canada. Produced by Cereal Partners under the Nestlé brand elsewhere. 2 Brand owned by General Mills; U.S. and Canadian production rights controlled by Nestlé under license. 3 U.S. production rights owned by The Hershey Company. 4 U.S. rights and production owned by the Smarties Candy Company with a different product. 5 U.S. rights and specific trade dress owned by Nestlé; rights elsewhere owned by Associated British Foods. 6 Produced by Cereal Partners, branded as Nestlé. 7 Produced by Cereal Partners and branded as Nestlé in the U.K. and Ireland. Produced by Post Foods elsewhere. 8 Philippine production rights owned by Alaska Milk Corporation. 9 Singaporean, Malaysian and Thai production rights owned by Fraser and Neave. 10 Used only in Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia. 11 Used only in the Philippines. 12 U.S. production rights owned by the Ferrara Candy Company. 13NA rights and specific trade dress to all packaged coffee and other products under the Starbucks brand owned by Nestlé since 2019. 14 Brand owned by Mars, sold by Nestlé in Canada. 15 Produced by Froneri in the U.S. since 2020.