Is Willy Wonka working for Trident? (Trident Sweet Kicks Sugar Free Gum)

Member Name: Foxy-Lady

Product:	Trident Sweet Kicks Sugar Free Gum
Date:	19/12/08 (780 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unusual flavour

Disadvantages: Not enough chocolate for me!

I'm not really a fan of chewing gum...which I suppose is not a great start to a review about gum! I don't dislike it but it just seems like I'm chewing for no reason and more often than not, it makes me feel hungry. And when other people make horrible clacking sounds whilst chomping on gum it drives me mad!

In recent months I've tried some more unusual gum flavours in the form of Trident Splash. Strawberry and Lime, Apple and Apricot...something a bit different and I really like them. Now I've discovered Trident Sweet Kicks!

The green and brown packaging caught my eye as I was waiting at a supermarket check out. It looks quite different to the other Trident variants as the colours aren't particularly bright. It still succeeds in being eye catching though. The design is quite 'playful' and it has a 70's inspired swirly effect (reminding me of Tales of the Unexpected) combined with tiny female silhouettes. I just had to take a closer look to see what the flavour could possibly be. As I edged closer...Chocolate Mint chewing gum?? Surely that's just wrong. But then I thought "Actually, it might be quite nice!" and stuck a packet on the conveyor.

Trident claim that their new release is "...a heavenly tongue-in-chic gum that is the perfect way to get that chocolate hit. It's gum-defying indulgence of the sweetest kind."

A little research tells me that Sweet Kicks is aimed at women and is to be sold as a snack substitute, attracting those who would not normally buy gum. It apparently offers indulgence in the chocolate mint flavour but as it's sugar free and low calorie, it doesn't come with the guilt of snacking on a piece of chocolate. Sounds a bit too good to be true!

So can the Sweet Kicks moment of pleasure really replace good old choccie?...

Sliding the blister pack out of the cardboard sleeve I can see nine white tabs of gum. Slightly disappointing as I was envisaging Minstrels and expecting a dark brown shell to adorn the pieces, emphasizing the chocolatiness. The shape of each tab looks a little bit different to regular Trident - a tad shorter and fatter in proportion, but on the whole, just like chewing gum!

Popping a piece through the foil my nostrils are instantly greeted by a delicious, unmistakable smell. Mouthwatering mint chocolate reminiscent of a Mint Aero or an After Eight mint. Oooohhhh...this is so promising!

Placing the tab on my tongue it initially feels cool, minty and slightly tongue tingly. I cracked through the shell with my teeth to release a sudden lovely burst of chocolate flavoured brown liquid. A tiny splodge providing a really quick choccie taste (must be the 'kick') and then it's virtually gone. It lingers for a very short time, mingled with the mintiness of the shell. I can still detect a very, very slight hint of chocolate after about 10 minutes, after which it is gone completely and just a regular minty gum is all that remains. Not at all unpleasant but simply normal in terms of chewing gum. Perhaps a bit boring after the unusual introduction and I'd even go as far as to say that it was a bit of a let down for me.

The overall mint taste is good, lasting for about half an hour before beginning to lose flavour. The gum itself starts to get really bland after about 50 minutes but a refreshing after taste is left, accompanied by a tiny bit of tongue tingle. At this stage the gum is still chewable too. Breath does remain fresh for quite a while but I don't know if that is particularly important in relation to this product. I suppose it depends upon what you are actually expecting from Sweet Kicks and what you want it to achieve.

Due to the low calorie claim I thought I'd check out the nutrition figures. These are given per 100g (see below) which I find is a bit annoying - I want to know per piece!

Energy: 690kj/165kcal
Protein: 1.4g
Carbohydrate: 65.6g
(Of which: Sugars 0g, Polyols 65.6g)
Fat: 0.2g
(Of which: Saturates 0.1g)
Fibre: 0g
Sodium: Trace

My immediate thought is great, no sugar...but what on earth is a Polyol?? Google tells me that; "Polyols are sugar-free sweeteners. Polyols are carbohydrates but they are not sugars. They are used volume-for-volume in the same amount as sugar is used, unlike aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose which are used in very small amounts"

That explains it! But hang on, the ingredients state that other sweeteners are used as well...

Sweeteners (Malitol, Sorbitol, Erythritol, Aspartame, Acesulfame K, Sucralose), Gum base, Flavourings, Stabiliser (E422), Gelatine (Bovine), Colours (E171, E150d), Emulsifier (Soya lecithin), Glazing agent (E903), Flavour enhancer (E620), Thickener (E466).

And while I'm investigating the content I may as well tell you that from an allergen point of view, Sweet Kicks contains Soya and may also contain nuts and sesame seeds. It contains a source of phenylalanine. Oh, and excessive consumption may produce a laxative effect!

One particular gripe I have with Sweet kicks is the product consistency. As I worked my way through the packet over a course of a few days, I found that the tabs of gum were a bit hit and miss. The first piece I sampled provided a real squirty burst of liquid centre. Some of the following pieces seemed to have the liquid missing as there was no burst! Biting into them I could see that the filling was there but it wasn't runny enough, therefore didn't create the desired effect on release. It was as if the liquid had soaked in. The chocolate flavour was still present though...the sensation just wasn't quite as satisfying. This occurred with roughly 4 out of the nine pieces so a bit disappointing.

At 50p a packet it doesn't exactly break the bank and if you're looking for a change to your regular gum then I wouldn't discount Sweet Kicks. After all, we all have varying tastes and you may find that you enjoy it much more than me. Personally, I know this is not something that I will buy on a regular basis although I may purchase occasionally.

I'll admit that Sweet Kicks is a unique chewing gum experience offering a new twist on tradition but in terms of Trident's selling proposition, it doesn't hit the mark in my eyes and I just can't visualise the gum as a snack substitute. The balance of flavours isn't quite right in my opinion...more chocolate and less mint would do it for me! I think it's great that Trident are pushing boundaries and experimenting with exciting products and flavours. Although this particular one didn't overly impress me, it may be a winner with many people. I find that the whole thing is quite quirky and it makes me think of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. What will be next...three course meal flavour gum?!









Trident Gum is produced by the Cadbury Trebor Basset group.

For further information:

www.tridentgum.co.uk

Trident Customer Service Team, PO Box 7008, Birmingham B30 2PT.

0800 818181

Summary: Chocolate mint flavour chewing gum