Jolly Rancher Awesome Twosome Chews: No. Na’wesome.

I love Ranchers. Old school yummles. So it's perfectly logical for me to expect Rancher Chews - with the word "awesome" in the title - to be just that, no?

Reviewed by Matty

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August 15, 2011

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Even if you don’t like Jolly Ranchers as much as I do, if you’ve ever eaten them, you know their very distinctive flavors. I haven’t done the research but I think they were the first watermelon and green apple made into mainstream candy. And I’ll argue ad nauseum that they hold the title for best flavors in a hard candy, and longest lasting – from 1st suck through final crunch, usually a 10 minute eating process.

So given that the original Jolly Rancher is all about flavor, is it not perfectly logical for me to expect these Jolly Rancher Chews – with the word “awesome” in the title – to be just that?!

Yeah well guess who couldn’t be more disappointed.

Hershey, owners of the franchise since 1996, appears to be using the good name of the brand to get us to buy into the mediocrity.

  • The two flavors available in the bag are Watermelon/Green apple & Cherry/Orange. Watermelon/Green apple I get – they ARE two J Ranch classics. But Cherry/Orange? How many people had to lie in the consumer tests that orange was a favorite to get these things made? Is their an orange candy lobby that I don’t know about? Orange is fine, and cherry Ranchers are the best cherry hard candy around, I’ll grant you that. But never would I suggest the two together. How about Grape/Lime? Doesn’t that sound good? Hershey, my friends, let’s not make this harder than it should be.
  • There are only 2 flavors in the bag? When you go with just 2 flavors, they better be insane. 2 flavors says, “hey – these things are so good that if we had 3 or more flavors, you couldn’t handle the amazingness.”
  • The candy consists of a marzipan like outside with a thick goop inside. Similar to the insides you see in the new filled twizzlers. They are soft on all sides. My suggestion would be to make the outside really chewy, like a red rope consistency, and then keep the inside soft. When I tried these about 3 weeks ago, and didn’t like the all-out softness, I left them in the open package in the pantry, hoping that when I went to write the review, they would be aged nicely. No such luck. Exact same mush. Not good.
  • The flavors aren’t totally awry…The undertones definitely say Rancher. But the overtones say plastic, and the ratio of the two isn’t something to brag about.

Here’s the hard part that I almost don’t want to admit. The kids in the family like these. I didn’t ask for an opinion but when I gave a chew to the 7-year old, she said, “these are good. It really tastes like watermelon.” When I did ask the 5-year old what she thought, she made gestures like she just scored the winning goal and said: “good…Fantastic!”

And thus why Hershey’s likely doesn’t give twosome shitsomes of what I think about the Awesome Twosome chews.

But these aren’t for me. These are for the (forgive me, daughters) Less Discerning.

Zolli Candy

10 Comments

  1. Lilly Watts

    I am 24, and I am addicted to this candy but all the candy-reviewers on blogs dislike the flavor. I usually dislike chewy candy, but I had a craving for sweets and there was no gelatin in the product so I find myself buying these every time I crave refined sugar.. however I am no candy expert. I just really enjoy the two-somes and I hope we get the tropical version in the States, I read canada already has them.

    Reply
  2. Jessica the Adult.

    I really like the candy. I think there’s a chance that you got a bad bag if your’s were soft all-around. I’ve eaten probably three or four bags since they came out and mine were a great consistency–harder (similar to the filled Twizzlers you mention)on the outside and soft in a paste fashion on the inside. And, I actually find the flavors really great and vibrant compared, once again, to the new filled Twizzlers.

    I hope that a candy critic, such as yourself, wouldn’t base the review on ONE particular bag. As we all know–many things can cause candy to taste different, it’s age on the shelf, the temperature it’s stored at, etc.

    Reply
  3. matty

    Oh thanks Michelle 🙂

    Reply
  4. michelle hong

    OMG, that’s hilarious!!! Hersey’s exec really does need a vacation! And for the record, I happen to know that you are an awesome parent!!!!

    Reply
  5. Martha

    Matty,

    I guess they really DO care what you think! If, in fact, the comment was really left by a Hershey’s executive, that is. The grammar mistakes lead me to believe otherwise. Or maybe it doesn’t take a genius…

    Martha

    Reply
  6. Hershey Executive

    We don’t articulate our candies around sullen tastebuds of critics. WE care about the kids, you don’t give a rats behind about them do you. Your a bad parent.

    Reply
    • Matty

      Wow Hershey’s Exec. Did you read the review? As I said in there – these are obviously for kids, who DID like the candy. And no, this site isn’t for kids. It’s for adults, although kids are welcome.

      And because I didn’t like the candy doesn’t mean I’m a bad parent. The fact that you think my personal musings on candy has anything to do with how I parent either means you are’t very smart, or what I’m assuming is more likely given your title — that you need to chill out and perhaps take a vacation.

      Also next time, if you are upset at a review, and you really do work for a candy company, leave your name.

      -Matty

      Reply
      • Erin

        This was clearly a joke.

        Reply
    • highschoolkid

      It’s you’re. You’d think a real executive would know the difference between your and you’re. I really like this candy… although after eating a entire bag they do seem to tear up your mouth.

      Reply
    • Jonny

      Waaaaa! I’m with the high school kid: the “executive” is a douche.

      Reply

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