Reviews: Little Sesame Partners With Vista Hermosa, Reese’s Gets Nostalgic; Plus, Mojave Mallows, Alvarado St. Bakery

In this reviews roundup, we chow down on Little Sesame’s latest collaboration, a nostalgic spin on Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, organic marshmallows and sprouted sourdough bread.

Little Sesame x Vista Hermosa Mexican Street Corn Hummus

What do you get when you combine hummus and Mexican esquites (aka street corn)? That’s exactly what Little Sesame is trying to find out with its limited-edition Mexican Street Corn Hummus.

Created in collaboration with Vista Hermosa, a brand known for its amazing tortilla products, this product pairs a traditional hummus with sweet corn, cilantro, lime and spices. The product comes in an 8 oz. tub, which uses the Vista Hermosa color scheme of green and yellow.

Things that stand out:

• Amazing flavor. We’re fans of all of Little Sesame’s hummus products, and this one is no exception.
• We haven’t seen a street corn hummus before, and it absolutely seems like a peanut butter-and-jelly level combination.
• The green and yellow packaging pops (especially compared to typically more muted color palettes used by hummus brands), and we think it will stand out nicely on-shelf.

Things to consider:

• The branding feels disproportionately weighted towards Vista Hermosa.
• Why limit this to an LTO? It feels like something that could sell well, with or without the Vista Hermosa partnership.

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Mojave Mallows

Who better to revamp a campfire classic than a pair of former Girl Scouts? Sisters Stephanie and Wendy Chan are the masterminds behind Mojave Mallows, the first-to-market organic marshmallow brand, specializing in an artisanal spin on the s’mores staple. The addition of dates and agave add a caramel tint and taste to the small-batch treats, which are cooked and cured for over 18 hours, according to the company. Flavors include Vanilla Bean, Cocoa Dipped and S’more Speckled.

Things that stand out:

• USDA Organic certified marshmallows fill a gap in the category.
• The package design features colorful and psychedelic graphics and typography, making a gorgeous addition to any gift basket.
• The marshmallows themselves are not perfectly uniform in shape and size, adding handmade appeal.
• Fluffy, dreamy and not too sweet.
• Crafted with premium, organic sweeteners including raw cane sugar, raw agave nectar, molasses, honey and date syrup.

Things to consider:

• Resealable packaging would bring this to the next level. Unless we’re supposed to eat all of the marshmallows in one sitting? (Please advise.)

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Reese’s PB&J Big Cup

Potato chips, pretzels, Reese’s Pieces… You name it – Hershey has likely jammed it into a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. This time, it’s actual jam. Or an approximation of jam.

What began as a thinly veiled April Fool’s prank last week (“Haha! We’re making bread now! We’re crazy!”) turned into a limited-time line extension appropriately revealed on National PB&J Day. Reese’s PB&J Big Cups are available in Strawberry and Grape flavors, featuring a puck of peanut butter nestled in a thin layer of jelly and wrapped in milk chocolate.

Things that stand out:

• Fruity jam plus peanut butter plus milk chocolate? It somehow works.
• A fun and nostalgic twist on a classic confection.

Things to consider:

• Perhaps unsurprisingly, it tastes a bit artificial and cloying.

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Alvarado St. Bakery Sprouted Sourdough Bread

The best thing since sliced bread might be sliced bread made with organic sprouted wheat. In an aisle typically packed with additives, high-fructose corn syrup, stabilizers and preservatives, Alvarado St. Bakery’s loaves are refreshingly simple. The brand’s sourdough offering boasts a short ingredient list, including sprouted organic whole wheat berries, organic whole wheat flour, sprouted wheat sourdough starter, honey and organic sunflower oil.

Things that stand out:

• Hearty and holds up nicely in the toaster – and makes a killer grilled cheese.
• The sprouting process increases availability and absorption of nutrients and improves digestion.
• The bread has more protein and fiber than conventional bread, offering 5 grams and 2 grams, respectively, per slice.

Things to consider:

• Lacks the signature tang of a traditional sourdough bread.

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