An Ambitious Crossover
A new image circulating online proposes a significant partnership between two household names: M&S and Nestlé. The design shows a familiar green box for the M&S Colin the Caterpillar Cake, but this version is co-branded with the Smarties logo. The concept is straightforward. It replaces the standard chocolate sprinkles on the cake with whole, colourful Smarties.
This would be a major collaboration. Colin is M&S’s signature celebration cake, an icon of office parties and birthdays for decades. Smarties are a foundational Nestlé product, launched in 1937. While food brands often partner up, a crossover at this level, between a retailer’s flagship own-brand product and a global confectionery giant, is rare. The pack design is simple and effective. It just works.
The Expansive Colin Range
The Colin the Caterpillar brand is far more than a single cake. Over the years, M&S has expanded the line into a huge franchise that occupies significant shelf space. Alongside the original M&S Colin the Caterpillar Cake and the smaller Mini Colin the Caterpillar Cakes, there is a vast confectionery range.
The sweet bag selection alone is extensive. It includes M&S Colin the Caterpillar Softies, Speckles, Cola Gums, Fruit Gums, Sour Stomps, Cherry Gums, and Fruit Sours. The branding has also moved beyond edibles entirely, with M&S Colin the Caterpillar Party Cups and Paper Plates solidifying his status as a complete party solution. The caterpillar is a platform.
A Logical Next Step?
A Smarties edition would be a logical addition to the core cake offering. The standard Colin is a simple chocolate sponge roll filled with chocolate buttercream, coated in milk chocolate. The defining decoration has always been the scattering of sugar-shelled chocolate beans along its back. The range already includes Colin the Caterpillar Speckles, which are effectively generic, unbranded Smarties.
Upgrading these anonymous sprinkles to official Nestlé Smarties feels like a natural evolution. It would add a premium, branded element to the cake without fundamentally altering its structure or flavour profile. The change is purely decorative, but one that carries enormous brand recognition. For many, it’s a surprise it hasn’t happened already.
What the real range looks like
The current M&S Colin the Caterpillar range is extensive, going far beyond the original chocolate log cake. It includes Mini Colin the Caterpillar Cakes, a huge variety of sweets like Cola Gums, Fruit Sours, and Softies, and even partyware like Paper Plates. A Smarties edition would be a new take on the core cake, using a branded sweet rather than generic sprinkles.
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Cake
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Softies
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Speckles
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Cola Gums
- M S Mini Colin the Caterpillar Cakes
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Fruit Gums
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Party Cups
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Party Time
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Sour Stomps
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Cherry Gums
Frequently asked questions
- What exactly is a Colin the Caterpillar cake?
- It’s a chocolate sponge log roll filled with chocolate buttercream, covered in a milk chocolate shell. It’s decorated with a white chocolate face and chocolate sprinkles on its back, and is a staple of birthday parties and office celebrations in the UK.
- Are there other versions of the Colin cake?
- Yes, M&S frequently releases special editions for occasions like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. There is also a perennial partner cake, Connie the Caterpillar, and a wide range of Colin-branded sweets and party supplies.
- Is the Smarties Colin the Caterpillar cake real?
- No, this is a Snackfish. The Smarties Colin the Caterpillar cake is a mockup concept created by the online page UK Snack Attack. It is not a real M&S product and is not available to buy anywhere.
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- A Terry’s Chocolate Orange Colin the Caterpillar Cake
- M&S Bakery Teams Up With Twinings For Doughnut Concept
You have been Snackfished!
Snackfish :
[sn-a-ck-fish] verb
A snack that lies about its legitimacy as an official product online for internet clout and attention. Most commonly fabricated in Adobe Photoshop or using the unofficial Snackfish AI