Both come in small chocolate pieces you eat by the handful, both come in a shareable multipack bag, and both are staples of the UK's everyday chocolate aisle. But bite into one of each and you'll find they're built from completely different centres.
Munchies has three centres in every piece
Munchies were originally launched by Rowntree's in 1957 and are now made by Nestlé. Each piece layers caramel, toffee and biscuit together underneath a milk chocolate coating — constructed more like a miniature chocolate bar than a simple button.
Minstrels are just chocolate, through and through
Mars launched Minstrels in 1968, forming the company's Galaxy chocolate — smoother and creamier than Mars's standard recipe — into buttons and coating them in a crisp candy shell. There's no caramel, toffee or biscuit hiding inside; the entire product is the Galaxy chocolate itself, plus the shell.
Same shelf, different manufacturer rivalry
The two multipacks sit side by side in supermarkets, but the rivalry underneath is Nestlé vs Mars, not two versions of the same idea. Munchies competes on layered texture and flavour variety; Minstrels competes on the quality of the chocolate itself.
- Munchies — Nestlé, 1957, caramel, toffee and biscuit under milk chocolate.
- Minstrels — Mars, 1968, Galaxy milk chocolate buttons in a crisp shell.
Both are in our multipacks collection, alongside the rest of our chocolate range.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Munchies and Minstrels?
Munchies have caramel, toffee and biscuit centres under chocolate. Minstrels are Galaxy chocolate buttons in a crisp shell, with no filling.
Who makes Munchies and who makes Minstrels?
Munchies are made by Nestlé, originally launched by Rowntree's in 1957. Minstrels are made by Mars, launched in 1968.
Do Munchies and Minstrels have the same filling?
No — Munchies are layered with caramel, toffee and biscuit; Minstrels have no filling beyond the Galaxy chocolate itself.