Monday, June 19, 2006

Pink Grapefruit Mentos

One of the things that I was asked in the FAQ was about the benefits of being the “famous” candy blogger and did I get an all-access, backstage pass. Well, no (not yet, anyway) but there are a couple of small but tasty benefits.

imageWitness this from last week: on Wednesday morning a large box appeared at the front door. It was marked Perfetti Van Melle. I thought, “Cool, they sent me more Airheads!” But when I lifted the package, it felt like there were three books in there.

When I was at the All Candy Expo I asked at the booth if they had any of the Pink Grapefruit (Pamplemousse) Mentos that I’d heard are so good but sold only in Canada and Europe. I saw that you can order them online, but I really didn’t want to commit to a full box of them without having a taste. But they didn’t have any samples at the Mentos booth. They said they’d send me some, and I figured that’d be the last of it, maybe I’d have my husband pick them up on his travels.

As you can already tell from the photo, they sent me not two or three rolls, but two full boxes of 20 rolls each! I scurried back to my little photo studio and quick-snapped some shots before going off on a long weekend trip to my sister’s wedding. I found that a couple of rolls of Pink Grapefruit Mentos make a lovely hostess gift when staying at a family member’s house. They are the perfect traveling candy.

image

The color is lovely, like the center of a Ruby Red Grapefruit. The ingredients are pretty intriguing too, with the first three being: sugar, glucose syrup, grapefruit juice (3%). Wow! The front of the package says artificially flavored, but mentions nothing about the natural part!

They don’t smell like anything, which make me a little suspicious at first, but a bite and a chew later and not only is there a wonderful citrusy tartness, but an intense aroma of freshly sliced grapefruit. There’s no hint of that terrible bitterness you can get with grapefruit, but it’s not lacking in complexity at all. There are the sweet and sour notes, but also that oily zesty feel and the fresh scent of grapefruits. There’s a lingering feeling of that grapefruit peel long after the candy is gone - far different from the green apple chemical feeling in the mouth.

It’s actually a fun candy to be around other people when they’re eating it. It’s like someone has lit an aromatherapy candle (the grapefruit scent is supposed to “increase self-esteem and bolster confidence”). Our Canadian neighbors are quite lucky to have these as a regular product. If I were a motivated person, I’d petition Mentos to sell them in the States, but part of me knows that it probably wouldn’t play well here.

I know someone is wondering if the grapefruit ones will work to make an explosive soda fountain, but I’m not gonna be the one to find out, I’m eating all of mine!

UPDATE 5/31/2008: I have word that Pink Grapefruit Mentos are discontinued. They are no longer listed on the Mentos website and I got confirmation from Mentos North America (as if they ever carried them here). However, they are also made in a Kosher version for Israel and still seem to be available at Kosher stores (I found them at Munchies in Los Angeles earlier this week). I took advantage of what may be a temporary loophole and bought a box of 40 of them from Koshermania out of Cleveland, OH a couple of weeks ago.

Related Candies

  1. Mentos - Pine Fresh (Pineapple)
  2. Mentos Plus Citrus Mix
  3. Mentos Fuji Apple
  4. HiCHEW Yuzu & Valencia
  5. Dalandan & Juicy Ponkan Mentos
Name: Pink Grapefruit (Pamplemousse) Mentos
    RATING:
  • 10 SUPERB
  • 9 YUMMY
  • 8 TASTY
  • 7 WORTH IT
  • 6 TEMPTING
  • 5 PLEASANT
  • 4 BENIGN
  • 3 UNAPPEALING
  • 2 APPALLING
  • 1 INEDIBLE
Brand: Mentos (Perfetti Van Melle)
Place Purchased: samples from Perfetti Van Melle
Price: $17.00/box of 20 online
Size: 1.32 ounces per roll
Calories per ounce: unknown
Categories: Chew, Netherlands, Perfetti Van Melle

POSTED BY Cybele AT 6:30 am Tracker Pixel for Entry    

Comments
  1. I must admit, I am incredibly jealous of you right now.  I had some of these a year ago in France.  It was amazing to see all the cool flavors they have over there!  I loved these, but my favorite probably had to be the black currant.  I’m a sucker for anything black currant.

    Comment by Alex on 6/19/06 at 6:51 am #
  2. Those look SO good!

    But do they make Diet Coke fountains as well as the regular ones?

    http://eepybird.com/dcm1.html

    Comment by :: jozjozjoz :: on 6/19/06 at 7:33 am #
  3. See, I’m of two minds about these.  One, they sound delicious and I’m sad we can’t get them here.  Two, it’s probably better that we can’t get them here our I’d eat them ALL THE TIME.

    Comment by eliza on 6/19/06 at 7:47 am #
  4. Oh, man! That’s like my dream candy. I need to make more Canadian friends or something.

    Comment by Adrien on 6/19/06 at 8:19 am #
  5. I wonder why they only rated a “tasty”, though. I was sure I’d see them as a “yummy”, at least.

    Comment by Pam on 6/19/06 at 9:18 am #
  6. Cybele's avatar

    Pam - I really shouldn’t be blogging when I’m jet-lagged. Pink Grapefruit Mentos are a 10! (All fixed now)

    Joz - I forgot the link! (all fixed now) I was talking with a family friend over the weekend, she wasn’t to figure out how to make an egg cannon out of some PVC, Mentos and a bottle of soda.

    Alex - black currant sounds pretty good too, I don’t even recall seeing that on the “flavors of the world” store.

    eliza - I may feel differently after eating about 20 rolls of them. After 6 rolls I’m still pretty jazzed though.

    Adrien - Candy Swaps!

    Comment by Cybele on 6/19/06 at 9:35 am #
  7. i’m so jealous!  i’ve never even heard of these, but i immensely enjoy grapefruit!  but like you, i am not willing to commit to a full 17 dollar box!  but that’s just cause i’m cheap.  lucky!

    Comment by jessica on 6/19/06 at 10:10 am #
  8. :D now i wish i liked the taste of grapefruit (but maybe not since they’re so difficult to get.)

    Comment by Pam on 6/19/06 at 10:46 am #
  9. amazon.com has the same box of 20 for only $11.99

    Comment by Trevor on 6/19/06 at 12:57 pm #
  10. Oooh, those sound so good. I love grapefruit candy.

    Comment by Grace on 6/19/06 at 1:06 pm #
  11. mmm i had those last summer in Switzerland…they’re amazing. enjoy!

    Comment by Brenda on 6/19/06 at 3:18 pm #
  12. i first had these in Argentina almost 3 years ago and they’re my favorite!!!  i think i’ll have to go order a box now that i know they sell them online smile

    Comment by suebee on 6/20/06 at 2:34 am #
  13. Those sound so good.  Maybe I can convince a friend to split the box of them with me so we can order online.

    Comment by g on 6/20/06 at 4:03 am #
  14. Grapefruit seems to be a rising flavor these days, what with Fresca coming back.  I guess it’s not just for old folks anymore.

    Comment by Franca on 6/20/06 at 6:33 am #
  15. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they cause a fountain, but my friend and I dropped a couple of these into a very small bottle of diet coke recently, and there was a good bit of fizz in result. Some twelve hours later the Mentos still were far from completely disolved, however, which was unexpected.

    Comment by Katherine Delany on 6/20/06 at 5:07 pm #
  16. My absolute FAVORITE candies are the Haribo gummy grapefruit wedges - so divine.  Now I can’t wait to get my hands on some of these here grapefruit Mentos.  Thanks for the review!

    Comment by Sarah on 6/20/06 at 5:45 pm #
  17. This is perhaps the best candy ever!  I first had them in France, but you can definitely find them in the States now.  I have seen them a lot in NYC and also in Asian groceries.

    Go out and get them!  Go!

    Comment by colleen on 6/21/06 at 6:46 am #
  18. Wow… [drooling all over] I had never heard of these before now. Now I need an excuse to travel up to the border. I’ll be looking out for these whenever I see a candy display. Thanks!

    Comment by Pandax on 6/21/06 at 10:16 am #
  19. They had these at the gas station near my house.  I had no idea that was such a great find.  I bought a roll a month or so ago, not because I like Mentos, but because I’m a sucker for grapefruit flavored candy.  Unfortunately, my husband ate most of the roll, so I only got to enjoy a few pieces.  I haven’t seen it back at the gas station since then.

    Comment by TJ on 6/22/06 at 10:05 am #
  20. I picked one of these up today and they are real good.  Thanks for the suggestion!  I also noticed they had green apple flavor.  Did you try that one yet?

    Comment by Corinne on 6/22/06 at 2:00 pm #
  21. I need to find a local source for these.  Or else I’ll probably keel over out of deprivation.  I’m really tempted to order a box of 20 from Amazon,but somehow I just can’t bring myself to do it.  Knowing me, they’d all be gone in three days.

    Comment by Alex on 6/23/06 at 10:57 am #
  22. Cybele's avatar

    colleen & trevor - thanks for the tips on finding them in the States.

    alex - if it helps, I’ve had them for a week and I still have 21 rolls left…. personally I’ve only eaten four rolls.

    Corinne - there was a green apple in the Sours flavor set I tried. It was okay ... but green apple isn’t really my thing.

    Suebee - let us know how the amazon order goes. I’m always happy to pass along feedback about onlines stores.

    Sarah - I love the Haribo grapefruit gummis, they’re one of my alltime favorites.

    Comment by Cybele on 6/23/06 at 3:53 pm #
  23. I bought a roll of these at a little convenience store on Hollywood Boulevard two weeks ago. They were delicious.

    Comment by Cynthia on 6/23/06 at 6:13 pm #
  24. I liked these a lot and my daughter (age 7) liked them better than the sour apple flavor.

    Comment by Grommie on 6/24/06 at 9:25 am #
  25. just went to the 99cent store(the original ones)and saw the pink grapefruit and or licorice mentos for 3 for 99cents both are real good

    Comment by david on 6/24/06 at 12:56 pm #
  26. I just ordered a box from the seller on Amazon. With shipping and handling it turned out to be $18.48 Not a bad deal. That’s about .93/roll. Directly from Mentos it worked out to about $1.30/roll after s&h.

    I can’t wait to try ‘em! Now all I need to know is how to get the blackcurrant ones from Australia.

    http://www.mentos.com.au/catalogue.shtml

    Comment by Bruce on 6/26/06 at 4:30 am #
  27. YUMMMMMMMMMM I love anything grapefruit…I am going out to look for these now!!

    Comment by Amy on 6/26/06 at 8:03 am #
  28. If you are in need of “the grapefruit” and you live near Riverside and or will be passing through and have to have them, then you can find these delicious edibles at the campus store at UCR. Just bought four of them today grin

    Comment by Feryal on 6/27/06 at 11:12 am #
  29. Hi, I was waiting on line near the candy part of a convenience store & there were your pink grapefruit Mentos. They are awesome, just like you described them. They also look pinker than the photo shows them. I enjoy your blog smile

    Comment by Elizabeth on 7/01/06 at 2:48 pm #
  30. We’ve eaten half of the box we ordered! These are SO good! Not too sweet, not at all bitter, just a perfectly balanced pink grapefruit flavour. I’ve only got one piece left in the roll I brought to work with me, and I’m trying so hard not to eat it, but I can’t resist…

    Comment by Bruce Anderson on 7/05/06 at 12:40 pm #
  31. I first found the Pink Grapefruit flavour after I moved to China, almost 3 years ago. Curious why they only have limited avilability.
    Unfortunately, they seem to be being phased out - they’re becoming harder and harder to find now :((
    I think they’re delicious - however, I can’t stop at just one, so if I buy a packet, I eat a packet; if I buy a pack of three, I eat a pack of three :(( I’ve not bought a whole box yet!

    Comment by Max Waterman on 7/10/06 at 7:54 pm #
  32. I coudn’t stand it anymore.  I finally broke down and ordered a box from Candy Direct.  OMG they do taste just like grapefruit.  And I cannot stop eating them.  I hope they dont phase these guys out.  They are fantastic.

    Even better, my kids hate them, so I don’t have to share!

    Thanks for the tip Cybele.  (How do you pronounce your first name, btw?)

    Comment by Karen on 7/22/06 at 2:18 pm #
  33. You can order all sorts of Mentos floavors at this site as well:
    http://www.us.mentos.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.100.exe/scstore/c-Flavors_of_the_World.html?L+scstore+jjrs7554+1154043322

    Comment by Amy on 7/27/06 at 8:54 am #
  34. I saw these at the grocery store on Saturday and picked up a roll.  When I first popped one in my mouth, the shell tasted funny (my husband agreed).  It wasn’t until my third or fourth one that I started to enjoy the flavor.  It wasn’t nearly as intense as I had hoped.  But they’re still good.  I’d probably only give them about a 6, though.  wink

    Comment by MusicalMom on 8/07/06 at 7:32 am #
  35. Update:

    So I finished the roll last night and YUM!  I don’t know if the time in the glovebox of the hot car changed them or if I had eaten something before I tried them the first time that soured me on them, but they were so good last night, that I might have to pick up some more!

    Comment by MusicalMom on 8/11/06 at 10:07 am #
  36. I found these (as well as the Mentos liquorice flavor) today at
    Holland American Market
    10343 Artesia Blvd
    Bellflower, CA 90706
    Telephone 562 867 7589
    http://www.1dutchmall.com
    Worth the trip to Bellflower!

    Comment by Robert Rose on 9/20/06 at 6:35 pm #
  37. Small boxes of citrus mix Mentos are available in some groceries here. They have lime, orange and grapefruit, which is how I got to taste these. I hope they’re the same at least.

    Comment by c on 9/24/06 at 12:02 am #
  38. these sound soooo good!  i love fruity mentos.  my other favorite candy are the sour skittles. 

    ..they really don’t sell grapefruit mentos in the US?  Do they have any plans to do so?  how do they come to these decisions?  (ie., how do they decide what gets sold where?)

    Comment by c(h)ristine on 9/29/06 at 2:48 pm #
  39. Hey guys, I would love to be able to get some of these, so if you post to say you’ve found some, please post where that is exactly. ‘Here’ doesn’t help too much smile

    Thanks!

    Comment by Max on 9/29/06 at 2:50 pm #
  40. Cybele's avatar

    c - I’ll keep an eye out for the citrus mix. I just got a bunch of Pacific flavors (from the Philipines!).

    c(h)ristine - I’ve been seeing them around here and there - especially at gourmet and 99 cent stores, so you never know. I’ll keep poking Mentos headquarters, maybe they’ll do a wider release. Thank goodness for webstores!

    Max - can you give more info about where you are or where you want to buy them? Amazon seems to have the best price.

    Comment by Cybele on 9/29/06 at 3:07 pm #
  41. I’m live in Beijing, China, but just happen to be in Campbell, CA at the moment. They used to be widely available in Beijing, but not any more; long enough to get me hooked though.

    If people can put where they find them, then others (ie me) can take advantage of the info if they happen to be in the area. Of course, info can go out of date, but still.

    Amazon don’t deliver to China, unfortunately, and I go back tomorrow :(

    Comment by Max on 9/29/06 at 3:12 pm #
  42. I have not been able to find the grapefruit ones on amazon.com.  They are available, however, from candydirect.com and from the mentos US website.

    Comment by Karen on 9/29/06 at 6:19 pm #
  43. In case any of you live in the Portland, OR metro area, I was able to find the pink grapefruit flavored Mentos along with peach, green apple, and licorice ones at Fabric Depot in Gresham!  They are delish!  They also carry other imported candies as well.  And you’d never know unless you were buying fabric!

    Comment by Natalie on 10/30/06 at 1:46 pm #
  44. To those in Seattle, Washington, I have two words for you: Bartell Drugs.  If that’s not enough words, try ‘The Haven of Rare Candy.’  Not only do they have at least kinds of Mentos (including this) they have the mint Hershey’s, the Cup-of-Gold, the Idaho Spud—and all fresh!  The only sad thing is that they don’t have the three for ninety-nine cents sales you see at Safeway.

    Comment by Sophia on 11/07/06 at 3:51 pm #
  45. Alert: Tonight, I stopped by the mom n pop liquor store on California at Thompson here in Ventura CA, and there they were: Green Apple and Pink Grapefruit Mentos flavors! Hopefully, that means they will come your direction soon! And OMG they are deeee-lish.

    Comment by Becky on 3/12/07 at 7:46 pm #
  46. Just a note: I have just purchased a couple of the pink grapefruit from the restaurant in my office building here in Westwood. They were in a box marked “Limited Edition”. Let’s hope they’re popular enough to become a permanent addition to the US Mentos lineup.

    Comment by Bruce Anderson on 4/18/07 at 8:02 am #
  47. If anyone lives in Pittsburgh, PA, there is a store that carries the pink grapefruit mentos!! I just bought a package today (I wish I bought more) at the Smithfield Outlet on Forbes ave., right outside of market square (next to The Exchange CD store). The best part is, They were 2/$1!! SO if you live in or near Pittsburgh, this is the place to get cheap grapefruit mentos!

    Comment by Caitlin on 3/10/08 at 3:17 pm #
  48. MAN that looks SOOOOOOOOO good! I want some….NOW!

    Comment by Candy Lover on 7/10/08 at 6:25 am #
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