Reviews: Blobs Go Sour; Plus, Two Spoons, Harken Sweets

In this reviews roundup, we take a bite out of Two Spoons’ no-sugar-added ice cream, Harken Sweets’ Lil’ Ones and Sour Blobs low-calorie candy.

Two Spoons Ice Cream

Two Spoons Creamery uses allulose to sweeten its frozen desserts, which pack 30 grams of protein per pint with zero added sugar. Flavors include Rocky Road, Fudgy Brownie, Caramel Swirl and Strawberries & Cream.

Things that stand out:

• Rocky Road contains generous inclusions of fudgy brownie chunks, almonds and a marshmallowy swirl – a surprisingly indulgent experience when considering its relatively low calorie and high protein contents.
• No weird or chalky tastes and texture so frequently found in light ice creams.
• Fairly simple formulations of primarily milk, eggs, olive oil, whey protein plus gums and fibers.

Things to consider:

• The products require at least 10 to 15 minutes to thaw prior to eating.
• The Caramel Swirl falls flat compared to Rocky Road and Strawberries & Cream.
• The “30 grams of protein” callouts on the packaging should indicate the amount is per container, not per serving.
• The brand markets its products as “GLP-1-friendly,” which could be appealing to some consumers and off-putting to others.

Rating:

Harken Sweets Lil’ Ones

Earlier this year, Harken Sweets unveiled a snack-size version of its low-sugar, high-fiber, plant-based candy bars. The Lil’ Ones lineup offers a portable, portion-controlled spin on the brand’s core flavors – The Crunchy One, with pretzels and date caramel; The Nutty One, with peanuts, nougat and date caramel; and the Gooey One, with nougat and salted date caramel – plus a fourth addition featuring shredded coconut, date caramel and diced almonds. All of the products are wrapped in creamy oat milk chocolate-flavored coating.

Things that stand out:

• The Lil’ Coconutty Ones stand out as a delicious doppelganger of a fun-size Almond Joy.
• A single bar has 65 to 70 calories with 1 gram of protein and 7 grams of fiber, providing a nutritious solution for a sweet craving.
• The new format expands the brand’s footprint to the candy aisle following its strong debut as an impulse item near the checkout lane.
• The products are free of dairy ingredients with no added sugar – a rare feat in chocolate confection.
• The packaging for The Lil’ Ones is eye-catching with key callouts, enlarged product imagery and the brand’s slogan – “Love Candy Again” – in large block letters.

Things to consider:

• A couple of minis pack a fiber punch – binge with caution.
• Peanuts are sadly subtle and scarce in The Lil’ Nutty Ones.

Rating:

Sour Blobs

Low-sugar candy brand Blobs launched sour varieties, including a mixed pack containing Watermelon-Lychee, Strawberry-Yuzu and Black Raspberry-Cherry flavors as well as a Watermelon-Lychee single-flavor pack. Featuring the brand’s signature irregular shapes, the candies contain no sugar alcohols and are sweetened with allulose, cane sugar and monk fruit extract.

Things that stand out:

• One bag contains only 50 calories and 2 grams of sugar with an eye-popping 12 grams of fiber.
• The candies are colored with turmeric, radish and spirulina – an especially appealing attribute as synthetic dyes come under increased scrutiny.
• Tart and tasty with unique flavor combinations.

Things to consider:

• Lower-sugar sour gummy candies are an increasingly competitive category with less and less differentiation. How is Blobs standing out among a spate of emerging entrants?

Rating: