The 85-year-old retired Waitati man yesterday attempted to scale a 7.5m climbing wall in the Octagon, in Dunedin.
"I never worked there [at Cadbury's] but I eat it, and I like it. I had about 12 squares before I arrived," Mr Norrish said, as he produced the crumpled wrapper of a favorite brand from his pocket.
A retired motor mechanic, he said he enjoyed a challenge, but would not compare climbing times with a personal best set on the wall five years ago.
Cheered on by family and passers-by, Mr Norrish almost made the top of the wall.
His daughter, Sue Harvey, of Dunedin, revealed the extent of Mr Norrish's "sweet tooth", which she said she and seven siblings had inherited.
"He has about 40 king-size blocks in the house at any one time," she said.
His doctor was surprised that despite his high chocolate diet, Mr Norrish was in good health.
He frequently helped out at a family member's farm, she said.
But it is not just a sweet tooth which runs in family.
His granddaughter, Adele Cleverley (18), an Otago Institute of Sport physical education student, took to the wall immediately after Mr Norrish and gave something of a speed climbing demonstration.
Mrs Harvey said her father was also inspired to take on the climbing wall to commemorate the death of his wife, Alma, on July 15 last year.
"She was so proud of Dad when he climbed it when he was 80," she said.
