Reviews: Rotten Taps into ‘Swicy’ Trend, Bronco Bets On Frozen Breakfast

Bronco Bagels Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches

Created by The DropOut Companies (the team behind Jams), Bronco Bagels is a newly launched line of frozen breakfast bagel sandwiches now rolling out nationally at Target. Positioned as a better-for-you option in the freezer aisle, the sandwiches highlight 15 to 20 grams of protein per serving and the absence of seed oils. The lineup debuts with Turkey Sausage Egg & Cheese and Turkey Bacon Egg & Cheese, with this review focused on the latter as it was the SKU that was supplied to us.

Things that stand out:

• Easy preparation in an air fryer or microwave oven. The packaging recommends that you thaw the product first, but we found that it worked just as well from frozen.
• Bagel texture is crisp and fluffy, especially when prepared in an air fryer. It’s a really good quality bagel for a frozen breakfast sandwich. The eggs and cheese also taste fresh and not overly processed.
• Strong protein content at 15 grams per sandwich (with 290 calories, 13 grams of fat, 2 grams of sugar) for the variety that we sampled.
• Fun, retro-western branding that clearly differentiates itself from the competition. It’s playful and fun, which is something that feels lacking with the established brands.

Things to consider:

• Turkey bacon does not crisp up well and visually resembles ham more than bacon.
• On-pack imagery sets expectations for bacon texture that the product does not fully meet.

Rating:

Rotten Sour Spicy Gummy Cruncheez

Rotten has expanded its line of Gummy Cruncheez, a better-for-you take on the wildly popular Nerds Gummy Clusters, with the introduction of a Spicy Sour flavor. The gummy rings are coated in tart candy pieces and crafted with a mix of allulose and glucose syrup, chicory root, monk fruit, cayenne and ground pequin chili. Each single-serve (1.8 oz.) bag contains 58% less sugar than the leading brand, Rotten claims.

Things that stand out:

• The product taps into rising consumer demand for “swicy” (read: sweet and spicy) packaged food products.
• “It’s sour…then spicy” callout is spot on, and the taste bud journey is an enjoyable one: the dual sensations create a unique candy experience.
• On-theme flavor names like Spicy Loopy Lime, Slobberin Strawberry, Spicy Messy Mandarin, Scary Cherry and Spicy Weirdo Watermelon.
• Packaging stays true to Rotten’s gross-out culture-inspired identity. Bonus points for giving mascot Frankie his own flame-thrower.

Things to consider:

• The spice level is not for the faint of heart, as the ground pequin chili packs a real punch!

Rating: