I picked these up for two reasons, one: because it looked pretty, and two: because it's a gummy, and gummy candies are my favorite.
A strawberry gummy candy is a pretty safe bet no matter where it comes from or who makes it, so I thought this was going to be a short and simple review. I was wrong.
Visually, the packaging is very appealing. (And we all know I am a sucker for a pretty package design.) The plastic pouch itself is shaped like a burlap basket holding giant strawberries, which caught my eye right away. It's a unique shape, especially in the peg-bag area of the candy aisle where it's mostly rectangular bags (which are more cost effective, so I get it.) Other than it's interesting shape, the simple bold graphics and vivid food imagery are also really appealing.
Now when it comes to the candy itself, all we really have to go on is the "gummy" on the front of the bag, all the strawberry imagery, and the two illustrated berry-images on the front. I assumed the candies inside would be individually wrapped, which is pretty common for gummy candies from Asia, and that they'd likely be shaped like the little illustrations suggested.
They. Were. Not.
Inside the overall package are individual candies, but they are HUGE. This is way bigger than any Japanese gummy candy I have ever had. At first, I thought this might be a good thing. Since I love gummy candies, how can bigger not be better? And the individual wrappers were really cute to boot, what could go wrong?
When opened, these look like...red eyeballs. They are giant, and very sticky, and not what I was expecting. They're about the size of a large grape, and ovate like a grape, but somehow these are meant to be strawberries? Something isn't adding up.
Other than the shape, I did notice that these didn't have much of a smell either. There is a faint fruitiness, but it's significantly weaker than even the most generic of fruit snacks, and the texture is so damn sticky. It feels like the sticky hands I used to get in gumball machines at the grocery store. (Do they still make those? I really hope they do.)
Even though the gummy is rather large, it's still easy eaten in one bite, but sadly...there is practically no flavor to be found. I thought the Vampire kisses were weak, this is a whole new level! It's more of a texture than a flavor, which isn't bad, I definitely don't want to spit it out or anything, but it certainly isn't satisfying.
Does it taste like strawberry? Kind of. It's more like how Chapstick always smells so great, but whenever you lick your lips it tastes weak and disappointing. It's like that, but in sticky gummy-form. Bummer.
What can I say? I'm a sucker for cute packaging. I keep getting burned by pretty packages and I never learn my lesson. Would I buy these again? No. Which makes me sad because I had high hopes that this would be something like my beloved Kasugai, but in the end, it's sad sticky lipbalm.
Similar, but BETTER strawberry gummies: Strawberry Fettuccini, Kasugai Watermelon or Lemonade, or FleChe Peach
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