Ovaltine is different in Brazil
I mean, beyond the name, where it’s called “Ovomaltine”, which apparently is how the whole world calls it except English-speaking countries?
Well, anyway, when it was introduced in the country, there were some issues with the production line and the product didn’t turn powdery enough, becoming flaky and crispy when mixed in milk, creating a nicely texturized chocolate-y drink. I tried the “proper” one in Europe and was not that impressed: it felt too much like all the other soluble chocolate thingies you find in the market. I’m not sure if it’s because I drank the Brazilian “defective” version first, or if the recipe is different, but the lack of flaky chocolate to chew while drinking also bothered me a bit.
Anyway, it took some time searching around, but I found a photo that shows how it looks like. Bear in mind that it’s a promotional picture, but the end result is actually kinda like that. I got it from here.
I just think it’s funny how a staple worldwide product can end up so different due to issues with the production line while turning that into its signature taste/texture/look. Apparently, Brazil is the second-largest market of Ovomaltine, and it has the second-largest factory in the world. It’s kinda wild to think it happened by accident.
Anyway, this version exists only there, but supermarkets elsewhere with aisles of Brazilian products sometimes stock them up. Stores specialized in Brazilian cuisine might have some too, because it also makes a killer milk-shake.