RJ's Candy Coated Strawberry Chocolate Balls product reviews

I enjoy a lot fo the RJ's products, so seeing the candy coated strawberry chocolate balls I requested them straight away and was delighted to see not one, but two of the flavours in my review box - yay for my household getting spoilt!!!

My two girls spotted these first and the squeals said it all - pink, and chocolate, and big like giant jaffas - was there any doubt they would like them? We opened them up and were immediately hit with a delicious smell - "just like strawberry milk, Mum!" - oh my goodness - I was excited to try them!!

The packaging is very distinctive - the black white and silver with a picture of the product - and the window so you can actually see what you are getting. A change that they look to have made from the chocolate coated variety is that the packet is now resealable - awesome RJ's - love that change. opening the bag up I was quite impressed by the amount of pink balls in there - and that each serving is 3-4 balls, with there being 8 servings total. If you have good self control and willpower, you might be able to get them to last longer!

The crispy outer shell on the balls is not too thick or thin - I did not find one cracked one in the packet which is great. They really do taste like strawberry milk, and I savoured this by choosing not to bite into my first one. As I reached the chocolate layer I was again delighted - smooth delicious chocolate, not too sweet though and then the little licorice piece - which I found out is like a slice of a smaller licorice log - and delicious and chewy also. The flavour was not very strong in the licorice, but with the candy outer and the chocolate, worked really well.

All the family were impressed with these lovely pink balls of goodness - and we have already purchased them again. They are a perfect wee treat for the kids, to add to icecream, or even for a date night out at the movies!

What do I like about RJ's? Several things actually, like yummy licorice and chocolate, but the main thing is the way they continue to introduce new products into our market that are made in their factory in the relatively small town of Levin. I totally respect that they operate in New Zealand for New Zealanders and I will continue to support this fantastic icon by buying their products.

I was really pleased to see that RJ's have bought out a hard shell candy coated sweet, as I really enjoy eating sweets that have that crunch factor. The strawberry flavour is probably not on offer in any other comparable hard coated sweets that I've seen in the NZ market, so I instantly thought it was a great point of difference. I loved the light pink colouring of the balls and it was awesome to have a wee viewing window in the packet, so I can see the product inside easily. I opened the handy resealable bag and I was impressed with how many candy balls were in the bag and the general aroma of strawberry. I bit into a ball and the coating crunched nicely and it was just the right thickness as well. Inside the shell, there was famous RJ's smooth chocolate that encased a cut rounded section of strawberry licorice. The tastes blended beautifully together in my mouth, the soft strawberry flavour of the shell and the creamy chocolate really complimented each other very well.

I would definitely recommended these candy coated balls to everyone who enjoys a good quality sweet, with the added bonus of not worrying about the chocolate melting and sticking together in the bag as the shells prevent this!

The first thing I noticed about RJ's Candy Coated Strawberry Chocolate Balls was the bright pink balls on the packet. There is a small window which allows you to see the pink balls which are a reasonable size. When I went to open the packet I noticed that it was resealable which was a huge bonus as I didn't have to worry about looking for clips to close the packet. I had a good sniff in the bag and it smelt like strawberry chocolate which was a good start and when I tried them I was actually surprised to find that they were chewy. I had failed to read the description and hadn't twigged that the pink bit in the picture was as small cylinder of soft strawberry licorice! The Strawberry balls have a strawberry coated shell that thankfully doesn't melt in your hand (not that they stayed in my hand for long!!)

My daughters had one each and the eldest said that it reminded her of strawberry milkshake. My youngest was content to suck on it until she was left with just the licorice and both really enjoyed them. They were quite sweet so you wouldn't need too many before they started to get sickly.

I made a batch of cupcakes and decided to add one to each cupcake and these were a huge hit and tasted great. They sank to the bottom so you couldn't see them at first but they maintained their shape and my youngest commented on how it made the cupcake around the ball taste of strawberry. Although I really enjoyed them, there are other products in the RJ's range that I prefer more. That being said, I would definitely buy these again to add to the cupcakes!

A resealable pack! That is the first big positive for this product straight off the bat. Other products have a simple tear open design that- while easy to open - leaves the product open to ants or going stale. A resealable pack feels like quite an obvious choice for a product that contains multiple servings (not that many of their products survive a single sitting. Usually it's all consumed in one go with my insatiable sweet tooth). Very easy to tear open, and easy to reseal.

Opening the pack, there is definitely a fruity scent, and it matches the flavour of the bright pink candy coating, which is reminiscent of a strawberry milkshake. Consistent in colour and flavour, the strawberry coating does have a slight tang to it, as if a hint of raspberry has been added. The casing is also reasonably thick, and quite hardy. While it breaks apart with ease when you bite into it, it holds its shape in the bag really well, and isn't messy if you hold them in your hands (which the jaffas were notorious for doing if they got warm at all).

The balls remind me of the old kiwi favourite Jaffas, though the balls are larger, with a diameter of around 2-3 cm. Sitting the ball on the tongue, the flavour of the coating is of a good strength and when you finally decide to break through to the insides, there is an amazing burst of flavour as the chocolate hits the tongue. the texture of the chocolate and cocoa ratio is ideal and works really well complementing the coating nicely.

The licorice portion, however, I was less enthused about. While it is a unique product and idea, the licorice doesn't really gel with the rest of the product. The licorice is quite solid and very subtle in flavour, which makes it come off like you have a soft piece of plastic in the mouth, as the casing and chocolate has melted away long before the licorice is consumed. While I understand that RJs is a licorice company that makes licorice products, I think this product doesn't fit together well. I would much rather the product with out the lump of licorice, and of course with other flavours available for the candy coating and chocolate.

If they are certain that they want to combine chocolate and licorice in this way, they may need to tweak the formula a bit to reduce the solidity of the licorice, so it isn't such a large contrast of texture, and inject some more flavour into it.

Not a bad product by any means. I love the candy coating and chocolate combination, and would love some more varieties of that product (maybe orange & chocolate, mint & dark chocolate, or even a peanut butter & chocolate variety). The presence of the licorice does nothing for me, however.

Before I even opened the packet I could smell the strawberry scent oozing thru. Pulling the tab open was an absolute breeze and I love the fact that you can reseal the packet once you are done. I was then smacked in the face with an even more smell of sweet strawberries. My daughter who was sitting at the end of the couch even commented what was that yummy smell. It was about then that I became a tad worried that it was going to be extremely sweet and I was not going to enjoy it. I put my hand in the packet and then I was faced with different sized balls and oddly shaped circles. Three hands were all out so I grabbed the biggest ones for my two daughters and husband and then I took a smaller sized one for myself.

Now for weeks the girls have been asking me to buy these and the only reason I did not was because of how pink they looked and it was concerned about the taste. We always have RJ's Licorice in the fridge and the last packed of Raspberry twists did last quite a while as I found them oddly too sweet. Usually with licorice one piece is never enough but in that occasion one piece was more than enough. As the Irish Moss never last more than two days it was great timing to get this variety in the house.

The first thing I noticed was the crunchy candy and how big they really are. I usually like to suck on mine but too be honest I was in a rush to find out what the chocolate tasted like. It was very smooth and then I was left wandering well where is the licorice and then I found a small square of it right in the center. Thankfully that were not as sweet as I was fearing. We all agreed after chewing for a while that there really were yummy and my fears were not required.

My second ball I bit right down the middle so I could examine the insides. It was then that I realised that the licorice is rather solid and is extremely yummy. I am not sure why the outter shell is as pink as it is I would of preferred more of a red colour but it does not deter from the taste at all. These have quickly became a favourite of the family and I have already been out and brought another packet. So glad I got to try because honestly I am not sure if I would of purchased otherwise.

Chocolate coated anything is always great so when I saw that RJs had covered their licorice in chocolate and then put a candy shell around the outside, I think I died and went to heaven! RJs licorice is the only licorice I will buy, there's just no competition. It is, hands down, the best licorice on the market and if anyone disagrees with that statement they should stop reading right now and send me something they consider better. When I saw this new product come up for review I was really hoping I'd get a chance to try it. I've tried another brand's candy coated chocolate balls and thought this one might be similar. Boy, was I wrong!

First off, I have never tried a Strawberry flavoured candy coated chocolate ball before and I had no idea what to expect with that. The strawberry flavour and smell was divine. The candy outer layer was solid but easily broken when bitten so you don't have to worry if you have delicate teeth. The chocolate layer was smooth and creamy and not sickenly sweet and the centre was pure strawberry licorice although I did not that this licorice didn't have a hugely strong strawberry flavour. Most of the flavour from this little ball came from the candy shell and the chocolate which, to be honest, was perfectly fine for me.

My kids saw the packet and immediately claimed that they were having some for dessert that night. Since my husband and I had already opened the packet and had 2 each we couldn't exactly refuse them. My daughter especially loved the colour and thought it was the cutest candy she'd ever seen. Both kids thoroughly enjoyed their 2 pieces and happily asked if they could have the same dessert all week, I didn't have the heart to tell them that the packet probably wouldn't last the night with the way my husband and I knocking them back.

I think it's safe to say that these Candy Coated Strawberry Chocolate Balls are going to become a regular treat in our household and one that I may have to introduce to a few key people to make sure they are stocked at various other houses I visit with my kids too (like their grandparents).

Wow as soon as I opened the bag, which was easy enough to open and I loved the resealable tab as well I got the smell of strawberry. I loved the first smell and I could not wait to try them. I put one in my mouth and noticed I had to really open my mouth to try and bite into it, it was bigger then I thought. I loved the flavours and textures once I had started to bite into the ball. I liked the chocolate hit but felt it was a mild chocolate flavour rather then a strong chocolate flavour. I loved the balls though and went back for another. I had to put them aside to let others try them so I sealed the bag up and hid it at the back of the pantry.

When my partner got him I got him to try it, again I noticed when I opened the bag the smell of strawberry which he commented yum. He tried one and straight away asked for more, he said you better hide those from me. He really enjoyed the strawberry coated balls and wanted to eat more. I got my son to try them who also really enjoyed the ball, he said it needed more of a chocolate hit though but he said he still really enjoyed them.

I will definitely be recommending these to friends and will be buying them for the house, how ever they will not last long. My partner is a real sweet tooth and loves his snacks and lollies so he would be straight into them as soon as he seen them. I love the packaging and I find the picture really captures the eye and is exactly what the balls looks like. I think they have really nailed the packaging and I will be looking out for them in the supermarket.

RJ's - just when I didn't think your products could get any better you create this AMAZING gem! I only have one complaint - my review box only arrived this afternoon and already my bag is empty (although I did leave half of it at my partners house as I knew I'd make my way all the way through the whole bag, and my waist line just didn't need that!).

I picked up the bag (straight after taking a photo of all of my products to put on the KIWIreviews Facebook page - I couldn't wait any longer!) and as I was looking at it my partner offered me scissors to open it. Thankfully I didn't need them as there was an easy open tear tab at the top of the bag. Under the tear tab I noticed that the bag with resealable - although I did wonder why as surely noone ever puts the bag back in the cupboard without emptying the contents into their mouth first?! I do like bags that are resealable as it stops me from having to look through the draws to try and find a twisty tie. This bag is an RJ's classic - their branding is very seamless and I love that they colour depending on the product. It certainly helps with picking an item quickly off the shelf when in the supermarket or shop. I like the clear window in this bag that allowed me to see the product. The balls were actually a lot bigger than I thought.

Upon opening the bag I was met with the strongest smell of strawberry lollies, it was amazing! I was actually talking to my partner and stopped to say "mmmmmm" as the smell hit my nose! I couldn't wait to try one. Upon taking my first bite my teeth crunched into the crispy outer shell. The flavour of strawberry was very much present, and I was surprised at the chewiness of the licorice in the centre - I guess I hadn't forgotten that they are a licorice product. The chocolate was nice and creamy and matched well with the strawberry flavour. The only issue was that the strawberry candy flavour was so strong that when eating it as a whole you miss out on the strawberry licorice flavour. I did make sure to bite one in half and pull the licorice out of the middle just to taste it by itself, and it was definitely strawberry however far more subtle in flavour. This was confirmed a little more when I found a tiny ball at the bottom that was just a bit of chocolate with the candy shell. Eating it just like this is still tasted the same as when it did with the licorice, so the majority of flavour definitely comes from the candy shell and the chocolate.

Thank you RJ's. This product has gone to the top of my treat list! I don't think you could have made it any more perfect. My partner also loved it. When I asked what he thought he simply replied with "yum" - being a man of few words! Will be one we buy again that's for sure! If I could give 100 for personal choice I would - it is well above 10/10.

RJ's you are an absolute favourite brand in my household and also now of other family members and friends, you always have such exciting and delicious new products popping up on supermarket shelves and every time I come across them I think to myself "surely these can't be better than the last products which you released", however sure enough each time you top your last product. When I first saw these AMAZING sounding candy coated strawberry chocolate balls come out one day on a facebook page I went searching for them in supermarkets though I was not fortunate enough to find them, so luckily I was able to get some for review.

There was no doubt at all in my mind that these were more than likely about to become my new favourite RJ's treat after all strawberries and chocolate are 2 of my favourite foods, and when they are combined they are absolutely divine. The packaging of these delightful treats is very eye-catching and attractive I love the combination of the silver package (which is resealable) with the black, gold and pink accents. There is a small see-through gap in the package where you can see the exact product you are getting which resembles exactly that of the images on the front package.

I was most impressed by the number of contents that each bag holds, especially as there 8 servings per package, and each serving would be roughly 3 or 4 balls each time and these are quite large in size, they remind me of the size of the giant Jaffas I used to eat as a child. Miss 5 was rather excited by these beautiful pink balls (after all pink is her favourite colour) and was begging to eat one right then and then, how could I say no to that? Biting into my first ball I was greeted with a lovely crisp candy shell outer, which reminded me of strawberry milk, the chocolate layer was smooth and sweet, but not too sweet and was a perfect thickness and in my opinion had a taste of strawberry, most likely due to the strawberry licorice and candy coating it was sandwiched between. The strawberry licorice was soft and chewy with a very mild flavour, however, this worked well with the other flavours and didn't overpower them, if I was wanting to eat the licorice on its own however I'd probably want a stronger flavor.

My partner and Miss 5 were equally impressed by this product and definitely agreed it is one of our favorite RJ's flavors so far, we loved all of the different textures and flavours, Miss 5 loved the lolly hiding inside the chocolate and we have decided these need to be purchased when we happen to come across them. Usually I love buying RJ's to help support New Zealand companies, however, on reading the back of the packaging I see these are made in Australia which has left me a bit puzzled as all my other RJ's products I have on hand are made in New Zealand! This won't stop us buying these again luckily. I can't wait to see what you bring out next RJ's, but I think it would awesome if you could extend on your range of chocolate candy coated balls.