Chocolate is one of those things that people either gorge on or enjoy a little piece once in awhile. I fall into the latter. I have friends who obsess over chocolate. Of course, they are all female, because as marketing dictates to us, chocolate is generally for women (with the exception of Yorkie in the UK which prides itself on being NOT for girls). Names like Bliss and Fling (which, by the way, has a site pumps out more estrogen than The View and they call their chocolate “fingers” — use your imagination) allude to the sexy, flirty nature that apparently my fellow sisters act like under the influence of chocolate (and sometimes appletinis). The folks at M&M’s/Mars have jumped on the bandwagon with their new line of “premium” chocolate.
I love chocolate and raspberry. It’s probably my favorite classic combination, besides steak and potatoes; dingoes and babies; and NASCAR and drunk rednecks shameless corporate sponsorships. However, I don’t like just any chocolate uniting with raspberry. It should be just dark chocolate, but unfortunately the M&M’s Premiums Raspberry Almond says that there’s raspberry flavored white chocolate and SOME dark chocolatey goodness in it (their website also tells you to enjoy them while you have your afternoon pedicure, because you know we all get those every day),
The M&M’s Premiums Raspberry Almond have a really cool metallic shell that’s eye catching if you’re the type of person who puts candy out in crystal bowls for your lovely guests, but I think that might be the only premium thing about them. The chocolate is good (if you like white chocolate and a light dark chocolate taste), but I can’t really call it premium. The size of the individual pieces aren’t even larger than the standard M&M’s with Almonds (which are getting harder and harder to find), but I guess that’s the folks at M&M’s/Mars saying, “You gals need to keep your figures slim.”
When opening the box, and the little baggie they come in, you get a huge whiff of artificial raspberry goodness, but when popped into the mouth, the raspberry flavor wears off rather quickly. It’s similar to the Fruit Stripe Gum conundrum; where you’re excited by the smell and you get that burst of flavor, but then it vanishes, like 80% of the people who were on American Idol. For the price, there’s a heck of a lot more choices to satisfy a chocolate craving, including great European chocolates from Lindt (those truffle balls are bangin’) and Toblerone, both of which are in the same price range as the M&M’s Premiums.
And a note to all chocolate manufactures: Just because it’s pink and has a cute name or package, we are not going to buy it. We will buy chocolate purely on the idea that it is chocolate.
(Nutrition Facts – 1.5 oz (about ¼ cup) – 240 calories, 17 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, 4 grams of protein, 6% calcium and 6% iron.)
Item: M&M’s Premiums Raspberry Almond
Price: $4.99
Size: 6 ounce
Purchased at: CVS
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Aesthetically pleasing for fancy candy dishes. Nice raspberry scent. Being able to get away with innuendo in marketing. Fresh almonds.
Cons: Way too expensive for what you get. Flavor isn’t that strong. Overuse of the word premium. No green ones to make you horny.
If I want to pay that much for some M&M’s, I’ll just buy them at an airport or movie theater or strip club.
Hahaha, great review Kayla. Even as a guy (man?) I cringe when I see stuff so blatantly (and mindlessly) marketed towards women for no particular reason or based on 1970s marketing research. I always wonder about things like the Luna Bar too……does that really help it sell more….it sort of means I can never buy one lest I be judged by my obnoxious frat boy buddies.
“The chocolate is good (if you like white chocolate and a light dark chocolate taste…” – Ummmmm, that sort of seems like an oxymoron to me. White chocolate is not really chocolate and and “real” chocolate lover will probably same the same and I’m just saying it before anyone decides to go postal on you for it 😛
You know….I’m not a big fan of Raspberry especially the “great artificial Raspberry flavor”. Unless of course they’re fresh berries. Have you tried any of the other M&Ms prememiums? I wonder how they are.
$5.00 for M&M’s?! Crazy. Ha ha, no green M&M’s…
@Marvo.. they have M&M’s at strip clubs? I can us that at my excuse…”honey, I just wanted to stop and get you some M&M’s since I knew you were having a bad day.”
@Kayla my mom was one of those people who loved to put candy in dishes for decoration, of course she also use to work in a candy store. So that may have just been a work habit lol. There better be some jewelry (man I’m due for some anyway lol) hidden in those M&M’s for me to pay that much for them especially if they aren’t all that premium.
@Bear Luna Bars are really good! Your into being healthy so I think that you would really like them! The Caramel Chocolate Brownie is the balm!
I agree that this is way too much for M&M candy. Plus no green ones?!?!? Those are my favorite and I always pick them out and save them for last to eat. 🙂
Wait, there are some people in the world who go without daily afternoon pedicures? Poor souls.
I’m glad that you reviewed them, because I see them all the time at the grocery store as I fight myself away from the candy aisle. I’ve had the M&M premiums mocha flavored ones, which are pretty good. A very strong mocha taste, not just a hint. And they’re shiny and kinds sparkely, which makes me like them more.
But all in all, sounds like M&Ms should have known better than to eff with the magical combination that is chocolate and raspberry. Or perhaps they shouldn’t have discontinued their limited edition Razzberry M&M’s ( http://candyaddict.com/blog/2007/08/16/get-razzed-with-limited-edition-razzberry-mms/ )
That sounds awfully disapointing. This is good to know since I have been eyeing them up for awhile too like @Adrienne.
Sometimes non-fancy is cheaper AND tastes better. I’d take regular peanut M&M’s over these any day.
A few weeks ago I saw Transformers themed Strawberry Banana flavored peanut butter M&Ms and though it sounded repulsive I couldn’t help but buy and enjoy. However, I only saw them once at a Walgreens and nowhere else since.
Same goes for the cherry flavored M&Ms which I’ve only seen at Target. I eat all things candy though so maybe I’m not the best judge.
I had those pb&j ones 2. Yummy!! Also they have new coconut flavored ones that are freaken awesome! Bonus they come in green!!!!
@ Kayla,
Why doesen’t m&m come out with somthing that is really really good, I mean, the green ones are a neccessary! how agout just a big ol’ bag of green ones?!
@WIBIA I’ve never seen candy at a strip club. Only pretzels, peanuts and depending on the club a ‘free buffet’. There’s also a strip club near me that apparently serves steak dinners while you watch jugs.
It seems as if there’s more and more gender specific marketing recently, which strikes me as odd given that it immediately cuts the potential audience in half by ignoring males and then in half again by alienating females who find the ads distasteful. Given that it’s primarily my male friends who get off on chocolate, I’m eager to ask them if the lack of advertising love bothers them.
@Adrienne Those limited edition ones were delicious! They were slightly chubby and packed with flavor. You said the Mocha ones are good, I would like to try them, but if I want chocolate and coffee flavor I would go for some dark chocolate espresso beans.
I love the green mms but my favortte is the red and blue
how about beer flavor
THAT IS ALL
Dingoes and babies! I love it!
I guess the premium refers to their fancy paints…which for m&ms is super fancy! They may have used premium properly…because much like Crayola, you know the 24 pack has nothing on your 64 pack! Go metallic m&ms!!
Thanks for your review! I didn’t realize that some of these new flavors are made with white “chocolate” (yuck x 10). I also hate that there isn’t an actual shell on these M&M’s. No matter how sparkly these may be, airbrushed food coloring is not enough for me to drop $5 for crappy chocolate.
Where’s as with the review review? angry bob can’t be expected to count the paragraphs for himself.
I did not like the raspberry ones but the purple ones I totally loved, plus, it’s glittery purple look won me over, Target had a sale going 🙂
Does that 80% include Glambert?