I had a hard time picking the category for candy type with this treat. I went with gummy, because that’s what I first thought it was when I bought it and it was pretty much the closest definition I could give it. I will say that it was a toss up between gummies and chewy or soft licorice. My first instinct when I bit into it was that it was closer to a chewy licorice than a gummy, but the shape and how it was presented really felt more like a gummy. Needless to say, I feel these are gummies, but with an odd texture.

Flavour wise the bag says it all “made with strawberry juice” and “natural flavours and colours”. These have a very authentic flavour to them, which can be seen in two ways. I find that real fruit flavours are often a little more subdued, or some might even call them boring/bland. You have to remember that candy is more often than not flavoured and themed with extremes, so when you go subtle it can sometimes feel a little lesser. I didn’t mind it, but I don’t think I’m going to give them extra points for it either. I like that there’s real strawberry, but objectively the flavour doesn’t pack the punch that other gummies do.

One thing to note about these is that they’re doing everything they can to make these natural and ethical. The fact that they’re “carbon neutral”, “palm oil free” and “vegan” is mentioned many times on the package. In general I actually like it when candy companies do this kind of thing, although sometimes it can become the theme of the candy. When ethics become the only theme of the candy, occasionally the quality and flavour of the candy can suffer. I wouldn’t say that these suffer too much, but I did feel a little bit like I was being preached at.

I would say these gummies(?) taste pretty good, I enjoyed eating this bag and I would even try other flavours they make. The chewy texture was a little tougher than I expected, but it was a fine enough challenge to overcome.