Thursday, April 29, 2010

Pretzel M&Ms

Pretzel M&MsThe newest variety of M&Ms is just hitting the stores. Pretzel M&Ms were introduced at last year’s NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) show. I love the fact that they brought back the skittish and paranoid Orange M&M character for these, he used to be the mascot for the discontinued Crispy M&Ms (which also came in a blue package).

The new product is just what it sounds like: a salty pretzel sphere covered in milk chocolate then the colored M&M candy shell.

The little X-ray of the M&M shows the pretzel inside him. Well, it shows a twisted pretzel, what’s inside here is pretzel nugget.

Pretzel M&Ms

Though the bulk of the package is similar to the Peanut ones, the weight is not. There were 16 candies in my package but it weighs only 1.14 ounces. (Milk Chocolate M&Ms are 1.69 ounces.) The front of the package has the new “what’s inside” nutritional info: 150 calories. That’s a great tally - a respectable and filling snack but not so many calories to displace a nutritionally balanced diet. The back of the package says that there’s 30% less fat than the average of the leading chocolate brands. This appears true, there are 132 calories per ounce, where most of the chocolate candies I review are between 142 and 160 calories per ounce. The pretzels are a lot of air and of course made of flour, a carbohydrate.

Pretzel M&Ms

The candies vary in size; they’re about 2/3 to 3/4 of an inch in diameter. They come in five colors: Red, Green, Blue, Brown and Orange. (Milk Chocolate and Peanut M&Ms also come in Yellow.) As near-spheres they’re vexing for snacking at my desk. When I tried to line them up and separate by color they just rolled around ... the Milk Chocolate obloid spheres definitely have the advantage there.

They’re crunchy, a little salty and sweet. The crunches are different - there’s the candy shell which is light and sweet, then the malty and salty pretzel center. The milk chocolate gives a little cocoa and milk flavor along with a creamy note.

I didn’t love them completely, I don’t know what was missing for me, maybe it was that there wasn’t enough chocolate for me. I also prefer dark chocolate on my pretzels to milk chocolate. Still, they’re a great addition to the line and more snack than dessert. They’re an excellent movie candy since they’re not too filling, have a savory and sweet mix and of course the are easy to share. They should be placed in every movie concession stand for the summer season.

Pretzel M&Ms are available at WalMart now, they’ll be in wider distribution starting in June 2010.

Related Candies

  1. Limited Edition M&Ms Coconut
  2. Candy Tease: All Candy Expo 2009 - Mars
  3. Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzel Bites
  4. Revisit: Take 5, Sunkist Fruit Gems & Snickers Almond
  5. M&Ms Premiums
  6. Disneyland Candy Palace - Candy Case Chocolates
  7. M&Ms Line


Name: Pretzel M&Ms
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Mars
Place Purchased: sample from Sweets & Snacks Expo
Price: $.89 retail
Size: 1.14 ounces
Calories per ounce: 132
Categories: Candy, Mars, Chocolate, Cookie, 7-Worth It, United States

POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:36 am Tracker Pixel for Entry     CandyReviewMarsChocolateCookieKosherM&Ms7-Worth ItUnited States

Comments
  1. dear M&M please send me samples!  I think I am in love with this concept!  LOL

    Comment by vanillasugar on 4/29/10 at 11:57 am #
  2. I agree with you, Cybele.  It’s not that I disliked these at all, but there’s just -something- missing.  Maybe a little more chocolate, maybe even a little more salt on the pretzel.  I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to have them again.

    Comment by ruffy on 4/29/10 at 12:41 pm #
  3. I gotten a sample of these the other week. I thought they were good.

    Comment by Sheri on 4/29/10 at 2:42 pm #
  4. I would totally buy these…

    Comment by Elise on 4/29/10 at 4:43 pm #
  5. I agree on your rating.  These are a good cheap way to get chocolate covered pretzels, but the chocolate flavor was really lacking.  They were just like sweet pretzels to me.  They were good in ice cream though.

    A dark chocolate version would be so much better.  I suppose I could get some pretzel nuggets and melt chocolate over them myself, but that takes work and doesn’t leave you with a candy shell (which is always good).

    Comment by Paul on 4/30/10 at 5:29 am #
  6. I ordered a free sample via Facebook several weeks back, and received them yesterday.  I got the single-serve bag, in a small M&M rectangular box (they used to sell this shape at concession stands when I was a kid), in a slightly larger shipping box.  I haven’t tried them yet but I like milk chocolate better than dark, so I hope I like them!

    Comment by DJ on 4/30/10 at 10:08 am #
  7. I reviewed these for GrubGrade.com this past week. I really liked them, although I think I would have liked a somewhat saltier product. I like Paul’s idea of a dark chcocolate as well. Considering they now have dark chocolate peanut M&M’s, perhaps this could be in the works for the future?

    Comment by Adam on 4/30/10 at 12:04 pm #
  8. i only had 15 pieces in my pack.  i feel gypped. smile

    Comment by paige on 5/01/10 at 6:07 pm #
  9. great concept. sounds like it still needs to be tweaked a bit, but a good starting point. i’m going to look for a package of these….

    Comment by bagnatic on 5/02/10 at 3:00 am #
  10. I got these at Kroger last night. I was a little disappointed. They’re not bad, but they just make me want a real chocolate covered crunchy pretzel. The pretzel inside them isn’t salty enough to give you that nice mix of salt and sweet taste. Plus the texture is off and it’s not crispy enough. I haven’t had the peanut ones in a while, but to me they taste almost alike. Better off buying plain chocolate covered pretzels.

    Comment by Amy on 5/02/10 at 6:01 pm #
  11. i finally got my hands on these!  any thoughts on why there is no yellow?

    Comment by laura on 5/03/10 at 3:49 pm #
  12. I totally agree with Ann…“disappointed” is what I wanted to post, too!  For me, it almost felt like eating a malted milk ball.  I didn’t get any real “pretzel” taste, and I wanted them to be crunchier, not as dry and crispy.  I might give them another go, just to see if I like them better the second time around!  smile

    Comment by Kristine on 5/07/10 at 7:52 am #
  13. Oops…I meant that I agree with AMY!  Sorry!  And I got my pack at Kroger, too.

    Comment by Kristine on 5/07/10 at 7:53 am #
  14. these were SO disappointing :( i really thought they would be great! too much crunch from the shell and pretzel but not enough chocolate for me. and sooo dry.

    Comment by laurag on 5/08/10 at 12:15 pm #
  15. I love these! I found them at Wal-Mart and was so excited that I had to rip the bag open right there in the candy aisle. When I decided I loved them, I picked up extra bags, for my own personal stash! After all the reviews, I expected to want more chocolate, and while I do agree, they should put just a tad more chocolate, I’m ok with it as is! It’s just as described: a crunchy pretzel sphere surrounded by milk chocolate (I prefer milk over dark chocolate)and covered by a candy shell. I did get a craving for chocolate covered pretzels while I was enjoying these, but these are so fun and addicting! I hope M & Ms continues to make these. I was VERY disappointed that they discontinued the dulce de leche/ caramel and the crispy flavors.

    Comment by Makai on 5/08/10 at 6:42 pm #
  16. Is it true they are bringing back crispy M&M’s and discontinuing the dark chocolate varieties?

    Comment by Pmoney on 5/21/10 at 6:05 am #
  17. I was excited when I heard about these and signed up right away for a free sample, which I received in the mail about 2 weeks ago. I’m glad I didn’t spend money on them. I was really disappointed. I just didn’t think they were very good. I love chocolate covered pretzels, but for some reason adding that candy shell gives them a funky taste that I just did not like. I will not try them again.

    Comment by Lisa May on 5/26/10 at 5:26 pm #
  18. I actually liked these - they were pretty okay. They’re no crispy M&M though! Truth be told though, I’ve never had a chocolate covered pretzel, so I think I’ll go out and buy some dark chocolate ones next time I’m at Winco and see how I like those.

    Comment by Chrissy on 5/30/10 at 10:25 pm #
  19. Where can I buy these?!  I have looked at Costco, Gordon Foods in MI, Sams Club to no avail.  ]]

    I want them for my daughter’s graduation open house this weekend!

    Comment by Lory on 6/07/10 at 6:53 am #
  20. Hi Lory!

    I would also try Target and Wal-Mart, and by a post I read earlier, Krogers. If you’re still having a tough time, I’d try finding them online.  Hope you get them for this weekend!

    Comment by Makai on 6/07/10 at 1:47 pm #
  21. These are amazing and I cannot find them anywhere. They are out everywhere I go. They are perfect too if you like crunchy crispy and cant eat nuts! They did a great job of keeping the inside crispy…and that little bit of salt is perfect!

    Comment by Dianna Sloyer on 8/18/10 at 12:07 pm #
  22. I don’t like them.  I think they’re too salty and not enough chocolate. 

    I wish they’d come out with a cookie M&M.

    Comment by Kelly on 9/18/10 at 11:31 pm #
  23. how come every store seems to be sold out of the pretzel m&m’s???

    Comment by Dawn on 9/21/10 at 12:38 pm #
  24. Please send a free sample. I love m&m.

    Comment by sheila long on 10/04/10 at 2:12 pm #
  25. I tried the pretzel m&m’s, I thought id love em cause I absolutely love chocolate covered pretzels, and m&m’s, but they tasted kinda blah to me, I miss the crispy m&m’s I wish they’d bring those back!

    Comment by liz on 10/07/10 at 8:32 pm #
  26. Pretzel M&M’s are the worst M&M’s ever made. I only ate 3 of them and threw the rest away!

    Comment by Anonymous Girly on 10/12/10 at 6:07 am #
  27. I Love them!!! The taste is light and amazing!! I look for them to buy every chance I get!! Yum Yum Yum!!!!

    Comment by Yum on 10/14/10 at 10:09 am #
  28. I got some of these recently and really liked them.  I like the coconut-flavored ones, too.

    Comment by June on 10/14/10 at 5:52 pm #
  29. We run a school vending machine called SnackTron and we just recently started selling these and they’re like so popular we’re running two rows!

    Comment by Ashley on 12/08/10 at 5:45 am #
  30. I emailed M&ms; asking for dark chocolate pretzel ones…just to let them know there is a market!! And I get this:

    In response to your email regarding M&M’S PRETZEL CHOCOLATE CANDIES.

    Thank you for your email.

    It was thoughtful of you to offer your creative ideas. Unfortunately, it is our policy not to accept unsolicited ideas. At Mars Chocolate North America, we rely on our extensive Research and Development staff to design, develop and refine product concepts. Sometimes research and development can take years before a finished product can be marketed. To avoid confusion of ownership, we must refuse the thousands of suggestions we receive every year, many the same as yours. Although we appreciate your interest, we hope you will understand our business position.

    Have a great day!

    Your Friends at Mars Chocolate North America


    BAH!!! If you don’t listen to customers, how do you know what they want?!! I’m going to Hershey.

    Comment by Steve on 2/17/11 at 1:11 am #
  31. hi just saying they come in six colors!!! you forget the orange DUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Judy on 2/24/11 at 11:48 am #
  32. I agree with Laura, NO YELLOW=NO FUN!!!! Whats up with that????

    Comment by Stevie on 2/24/11 at 11:53 am #
  33. I love M&M so much I dress up like one when I play with my cats

    Comment by Dominate on 4/26/12 at 3:53 pm #
  34. this is good

    Comment by Nick Fajarda on 1/15/13 at 7:41 am #
  35. Was wondering if pretzel m m go bad?  Can th pretzel get moldy inside th chocolate?

    Comment by rock on 4/01/13 at 4:51 pm #
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