Reviews: Gigantic Candy Returns, Tusol Flexes Into Protein Bars

Gigantic Candy Deluxe

Gigantic Candy has returned with refreshed packaging and an updated take on its better-for-you candy line. The new look swaps the brand’s previous minimalist style for bold, graffiti-inspired typography and black boxes accented with color-coded highlights for each flavor. The line includes four varieties: Salted Peanut, Almond Horchata, Double Dark Mint, and Crispy Coconut, each presented in a box of five individually wrapped, 19-gram bars. True to Gigantic’s ethos, these bars are vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, and made with a simple, transparent ingredient list. Each bar clocks in at 90 to 100 calories and contains 4 grams of added sugar, striking a balance between indulgence and moderation.

Things that stand out:

• Eye-catching . While the old branding felt safe and established, the redesign – featuring graffiti-style branding and bold accent colors – feels eye-catching and modern.
• A clean ingredient list with no artificial sweeteners or additives and appropriately portioned bars makes for something that feels very on-trend.
• All four flavors are top notch. They use flavors that are familiar and can be found in mainstream candy bars, but with their own Gigantic twist.

Things to consider:

• The small-bar multipack format may challenge shopper expectations in the traditional candy aisle and create some challenges for in-store placement.

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Tusol Protein Bars

Tusol’s protein bars are an extension of the Tusol Wellness brand, which largely consists of blender mixes and smoothies. It touts the pedigree “By a World-Renowned Chef” on the front label and is USDA Organic certified. The brand is spare and precious and seems to be mostly available by subscription. Flavors include Chocolate + Peanut Butter and Caramel + Sea Salt.

Things that stand out:

• The scent on the Caramel + Sea Salt immediately recalls underrated Halloween treat Brach’s Caramel. The Chocolate + Peanut Butter smells like a Tootsie Roll.
• The packaging is clean, zen and contemporary, with a prominent and well-positioned protein callout.
• A short ingredient deck and 10 grams of fiber are very on point for the times.

Things to consider:

• Flavor and texture on both are underwhelming and blunted by the protein mix. The texture is like hard, wet sand (and not like a fine Pate Sablée, either. See below).
• Who is this “world renowned chef”? You have to turn it over and practically unwrap the bar to find out. Also, something this funky-tasting could have come out of a lab as much as a kitchen.
• The brand could call out superfoods on the label to lower flavor expectations: “Chef Engineered Superfood Bar.”

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