Hi-Chew Doubles – Kawachi Bankan with Grapefruit

Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to innovate or improve things that we fail to ask the key question of whether we should. We are too busy asking questions like “can we do this” or “can we make it better” or “can we combine these two”, without ever giving consideration to whether we “should do this” or “should we make it better” or “should we combine these two”.

Fortunately, the combination today does not suffer that problem, and I can tell you that indeed, it is a combination that should be done. I am of course referring to another one of the new flavours Hi-Chew is come up with. This one is the marriage of kawachi bankan and grapefruit. My understanding is that the fruit is known colloquially as Japanese grapefruit, and is some form of cirrus hybrid fruit, where it shares similarities with a pomelo. The fruit apparently eats like a sweeter, milder version of the pink grapefruit that we find more readily available here in the North. They are considered an ideal summer fruit, so I’m guessing it’s got refreshing properties going for it. Realistically, I’m expecting it to just be a less tart, bitter version of pink grapefruit.

I really don’t like pink grapefruits. As a child, I was fooled by it’s enticing ruby red flesh. As a child and not knowing any better, I peeled it similar to how I peeled oranges. I separated them into slices and was excited to try this pretty, colourful new fruit. I guess looking back, the smell should have warned me that this was going to be a bad time. I didn’t know that something could look so tasty, but still be so bitter and tart at the same time. I don’t think I’ve ever had grapefruit on it’s own since then. As part of a fruit salad or some strange concoction? Sure. On it’s own? Never. Now that we have level set and we all know where I stand, let’s continue.

The previous double flavour I reviewed was the green apple and grape combo. While the combo was kind of strange and seemed counter-intuitive at first, it kind of sort of worked on a strange level. Had I been born with a palate that enjoyed green apple as a flavour, I would say it’s a win. I imagine though, since this one is a mash up of what is essentially Japanese grapefruit and pink grapefruit, the combination is going to be more natural. Whether or not you like a flavour is separate from whether or not you think the flavour works as a whole. For example, I may like pickles and peanut butter, but the combination is a flavour that really, really doesn’t work out. Granted I’m not crazy about pink grapefruit, but if there’s anything I’ve learned in all my years of snacking, it’s that artificial flavours are always tinkered with to make them more pleasant to most palates, which works out great for me in this case.

As far as packaging goes, it’s your standard 12 piece stick. As always, the foil packaging on each of the pieces is cute little addition to hold your attention as you unwrap those little morsels.

As advertised, the pieces are a slightly mild yellow on the outside, similar to a pink grapefruit peel. The inside is a somewhat reddish pink hue to it, not quite ruby red but dark enough to give you the impression they were going for a pink grapefruit aesthetic.

Having never had a kawachi bankan in person (at least not that I can remember), I can’t really tell you what the outside layer tastes like. I guess a sweeter, milder version of pink grapefruit is the best I can do. It’s like if you took the smell of pink grapefruit, but added sugar, removed most of the sourness and bitterness, and turned that into a candy. That what the outer layer tastes like. The inner layer is a bit stronger, not quite as sweet but has more tartness to it. There isn’t much bitterness that I tend to associate with pink grapefruit, so I guess they did away with that citrus rind flavour. i can’t be sure though, so I have to go in for more.

Three pieces later, I have to confess that I’m still not completely sold on grapefruits as actual fruits for consumption, but I am sold on this combination. I honestly feel like the combination of the two flavours is largely marketing, and to someone with my unsophisticated citric palette, I could be just as well served by a grapefruit flavour. No gimmicks, just grapefruit. That isn’t to say that Hi-Chew isn’t doing authentic flavours. One thing I find about Hi-Chews made in Japan is that their flavour are much more nuanced and perhaps not quite as strong as the Taiwan or USA made ones, but they make up for it in recreating some of the complexities of the actual fruits they are recreating. And for that, I have to commend them for the effort they put in.

Would I buy this again? Yes, but only if it’s either more readily available than the normal grapefruit flavour, or if its the same price. I do like the flavour itself, but I wouldn’t pay a premium for the double up gimmick, as much as I think it works. I feel like the gimmick works better with vastly different fruits, as opposed to two fruits that are essentially just two varieties of the same general category. Still absolutely worth a try!