What a treat! The Queen visits Mars factory

 
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5 April 2013

For any child, a visit to a chocolate factory is the stuff of dreams. But the same apparently held true today when the Queen toured the Mars factory in Slough.

Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, the 86-year-old monarch was fascinated to see how the firm’s famous snacks are made - or discarded, in the case of a giant vat of Maltesers that had failed to pass tough manufacturing standards.

She was presented with something the chocolatiers had found more challenging - their model version of the Irish State Coach. “That’s very clever,” she said, as she was shown the work of Mike Zietek and Nicos Charalambous. “It’s rather detailed, isn’t it?”

Prince Philip, spotting the model coach, which was made out of sugar, chocolate and gold leaf, asked: “Are you expecting it to be eaten or kept?” The good news for the Queen’s grandchilden is that it will be delivered to Windsor castle, with a recommendation that it be eaten within a month.

The royal couple were shown raw cocoa pods, how caramel is made, how Maltesers are made and how Snickers get covered in chocolate. The plant is where the Mars bar was first produced and Maltesers were invented.

Fiona Dawson, president of Mars Chocolate UK, said: “We have been manufacturing chocolate in Slough for over 80 years and it was a real privilege to have the opportunity to share our UK manufacturing heritage with our guests and introduce some of our fantastic associates.

“We have over 1,000 associates working on the site and everyone was thrilled to be part of the visit. It has been one of the most exciting days at Mars Chocolate UK since we first opened the factory in 1932.”

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