Trader Joe's Fans Have A Problem With Its Returning Summer Snack
Every company has its hits and its flops, and even the best of the best comes out with some questionable or divisive items from time to time. For example, Aldi's summer iced coffees arrived to mixed reviews, and many employees and customers alike caution against eating certain items at big chains like Burger King.
And then there's Trader Joe's. While generally many are in favor of the store's new item releases, Trader Joe's does, on occasion, release items that have fans at a loss as to what they think when they try something new. The return of its Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake created a dispute between fans — some claimed the dessert tasted more like lip gloss than like real strawberry. Similarly, Trader Joe's Watermelon Jerky was not the hit the grocery chain likely expected it to be, with many customers having nothing nice to say. And now, the return of another watermelon item is currently making waves with TJ's fans.
How do these snacks stack up a year later?
Last year, Trader Joe's impressed fans with the release of dark chocolate watermelon sticks. The naturally flavored "gummy" treats were met with rave reactions from excited shoppers who were highly optimistic of how they'd taste, comparing them to similar chocolate-covered products in raspberry and orange. But this time around, it seems fans have changed their tune a bit.
@TraderJoesList excitedly announced the return of the once popular snack on Instagram, and was met with a mix of both stellar and less enthusiastic responses. The Instagram caption did note that the smell of sugar is quite overwhelming when you open the bag, adding that the flavor is "much more artificial than any real fruit." However, they suggested the treat would taste better after being frozen.
There were many highly praising reviews, like @copilotcallie who noted they found them "delish" and @billsgirlgina who "bought 1 bag last year" and "ended up loving them." But on the flip side, one commenter expressed that they "wished it was real dried watermelons," while another said the "flavors are super weird together" and the texture leaves much to be desired. Instagram user @smbroadley16 described them as a "Bit like jellied watermelon-ish cough syrup covered in chocolate." If these comments are any indication, you may want to try and sample this summery snack before you buy it.