Hi-Chew – Grape

When I first tried Hi-Chews over a decade ago, the first thing I noticed was the texture being unlike anything I had up until that point. It was like a hybrid between chewing candy and chewing gum, in the best way possible. I would later learn this was intentional and the product was designed to be a sort of edible chewing gum. Back when the product was first introduced, the creator was trying to create a chewing gum that could be swallowed without ill effect, since removing food from one’s mouth is considered taboo in Japanese culture (like spitting out gum). Hi-Chew seems to have only grown in popularity since its inception, since you can find it all over North America too now, without having to import it or go to specialty stores.

Fast forward to present day, and you can find Hi-Chew in most local supermarkets, though the packaging is slightly different. As snooty as it may sound, I’m certain I’m not the only one that notices a difference between the different variations of Hi-Chews based on where they originate from. For most of the Hi-Chews that are manufactured for North America, they tend to come in shorter sticks with English packaging (obviously). They are usually packaged in wax paper instead of the foil that the Japanese ones tend to come in, and sometimes the colour of the candy itself is different. Perhaps the most telling difference is reading the label and figuring out where it was made. Based on personal experience and what a few of my friends have also said, the Hi-Chews made in Japan are superior to the ones that are made in China or Taiwan. If you ever get a chance to try two of the same flavours from both Japan and China, you’ll notice a difference in both texture and flavour. I’m sure some people would prefer one variety over the other though, so I can only speak to my personal preference. The ones made in Japan tend to be a bit more chewier and have stronger flavour, but the ones made in Taiwan and China are softer and have slightly more subtle flavour.

Because of my preference for the ones made in Japan, I tend to pay extra for those. The price difference can sometimes be as much as double that of the ones made to be sold in North America. I rationalize paying the difference as “quality over quantity”. At Costco you can get a giant bag of them for about $8, but I prefer to go with the $2-$3 per 12 piece pack because I’m a snob that way. While the flavour for today isn’t something new to me, it has been quite a while since I’ve had this particular flavour so I figured I’d share some thoughts about it.

My history with grape flavoured stuff is much like most people with cherry flavoured anything. I tend to stay away from grape flavoured snacks because capturing the flavour of grapes is incredibly hard. What you usually end up with is something really artificial and sweet, and doesn’t really taste like a grape. More like…….purple. I’m guessing people who grew up without the luxury of real fruit would think that’s how an actual grape tastes. Cherry suffers from this same issue, and I can see why so many people hate cherry flavoured items. As much as I agree with those people, cherry flavoured stuff is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine. Cherry flavoured cough drops? Yes please.

At any rate, these Hi-Chews have remained one of my favourite flavours because like all Hi-Chews, it packs strong flavour but without being overly artificial. Hi-Chews actually come in a very large variety of grape flavours, but this one seems to be one of their staples. I’m not sure what variety this one is called, but this along with their Muscat flavour are at the top of my list. Let’s see if it still holds up. Also, is anyone else kind of unsettled by the grape in the corner peeling away it’s skin? Who does that? Who peels grapes before they eat them?!

Opening the pack, I am greeted by that memorable scent of grape – a little floral, a little sweet, and a lot of nostalgia. As is customary with these packages, there are cute little doodles on the packages. I say cute, but if I think of it on any deeper level I might be slightly disturbed by the anthropomorphic creature that has a sentient Hi-Chew candy for a head. But I can suspend disbelief long enough to dig into this and see how it holds up against expectations.

The pieces I pulled out were a little squished, but as mentioned before, they are typically as wide as half a quarter, and slightly longer than one. It may not seem that big, but try to remember that it’s essentially a piece of edible chewing gum, so the size is perfect. Too big and you end up hurting your jaw trying to manage to chew it properly. They really think of everything don’t they? I guess it’s these little things that make me prefer them over their competitors.

There aren’t many things I can say remain consistent over time. Especially difficult to find things that remain unchanged over a decade. Hi-Chew defies that expectation. Looking at what I’ve unwrapped, the piece looks exactly the same as the first one I unwrapped back in 2007. Not only that but the smell is the same as well. You would think rose tinted glasses and nostalgia would lead me to be disappointed by this, but alas it lives up to all expectations. The same could not be said for the many decades old reboots we are getting these days (you know who you are).

Unsurprisingly, the cross section looks exactly as you’d expect. The smell is causing my mouth to water a little. Not sure if nostalgia, or chemical induced response. I better eat this while I can still form full sentences.

As with most any other Hi-Chew, the flavour starts a little subtle and muted, but it very quickly punches you in the face. If you’ve ever been in a rush to finish a bunch of grapes and stuffed a bunch into your mouth before chewing, this is kind of like that, but without all the juice spilling out of your mouth, and a bunch of disgusted faces looking at you wondering what uncouth family raised you. Suffice to say the flavour shall remain one of my favourite ones so far. It captures the essence of grape without being artificial to the point that you just taste sugar or purple. Again, I couldn’t tell you what variety of grape it is based on, but it definitely brings back memories of eating an actual grape (though real grapes aren’t nearly this chewy or seedless).

Speaking of the texture, it has that distinct Hi-Chew mouth feel – a cross between chewing gum and taffy, but without being sticky or melting too quickly. That’s another thing I’ve noticed about Hi-Chews – they don’t tend to stick to your teeth like other chewing candies like Starburst. I wonder if it’s due to the gelatin they put in? This could be a problem for some people though; they very clearly use gelatin so this is a no go for any vegans or vegetarians. Which is a true shame. I’ve tinkered with the idea of going vegetarian, but not being able to consume gelatin, and Hi-Chews by extension are a deal breaker for me. Well, that and gummy bears. And jelly beans too.

It should be fairly obvious, but I would absolutely recommend this to anyone and everyone. Except vegetarians and vegans, because gelatin. Other than that, you must try this. If possible, try and get the made in Japan ones though, since those are the original ones. But if you don’t mind the North American ones work too. I don’t want to say these are life changing, but they will definitely get you hooked.