Caravan is back: The South African chocolate bar making a surprise return

For anyone who remembers the unmistakable combination of caramel, wafer and milk chocolate, there is a sweet surprise waiting at Checkers, Cape {town} Etc reports.

The retailer has quietly brought back Nestlé’s Caravan chocolate bar, years after the nostalgic treat disappeared from South African shelves.

The comeback is only temporary, however, with the Shoprite website confirming that Caravan has returned as a special-edition offering.

Caravan was made up of a layer of caramel sandwiched between light, crisp wafers and covered in smooth milk chocolate – the kind of combination that earned plenty of fans over the years.

But its disappearance was a sign of changing times in the confectionery aisle.

Originally developed by Wilson-Rowntree, a South African-British joint venture, Caravan eventually became part of Nestlé’s South African portfolio.

The chocolate was later discontinued as Nestlé streamlined its product range. The company had previously indicated that declining sales and consumer demand meant the bar no longer justified ongoing mass production.

Caravan isn’t the only familiar name to vanish from South African shelves.

Other discontinued treats include Nestlé’s Chocolate Log and Nesquik, as well as Cadbury’s Tempo, Inside Story, FFWD and Holey Moleys.