Food Biz Kids: 'Why are they shaped like pretzels?'

FruitzelsAssorted FlavorsWaymouth Farms Inc., Minneapolisabriel Jacobs, 7th grade:

Fruitzels' packaging looks great, and the whole thing smells nice. The bright colors on the package are a real eye-grabber. They are a little too chewy, but they taste amazing. This could be a real money maker.

Sylvia Friedman, 7th grade:

Like most other gummy candies, these are translucent, which, in my opinion, is visually appealing. I think the packaging should have a window in the front so you can see that these are not really pretzels. They do taste good, but not exceptional. The texture is fine , like gummy bears.

I think Fruitzels are muy sabroso, very tasty! The packaging is very colorful, which is good. I love stretching them. They taste better than gummy bears because the flavors are more distinct. Does the world need them? No, but we don't need a lot of other products we have, so why not?

Itamar Menuhin, 7th grade:

I look at the Fruitzels package and I see them all over the bag. No games or cartoons , that's refreshing. I bite down; my taste buds are flooded , delicious, lemony, sweet and yummy to taste. They run smoothly along my mouth , slippery chewiness running wild. This is the best food I found like this.

The packaging is really appealing with all of the colors. If I saw them in the store, I would buy them. The texture is chewy and they taste good. The flavors are all good. The packaging says it has vitamins C and E; that would convince some parents to let their kids buy the product. I just don't get why they're shaped like pretzels.

Atayjia Brown, 7th grade:

Pretzel-shaped Fruitzels taste fruitylicious. The texture is sticky and soft. The packaging is appealing, but hard to open. This product is needed because it gives me a reason to eat fruit snacks.

Katherine Reifler, 7th grade:

The packaging is good, but I think it should be even brighter so teens would be more attracted to it. They taste great, but exactly like gummy bears. The texture is great. Pretzel shapes are not the greatest idea for a gummy snack. Why not fish or something a little less salty? You don't want a salty-sweet snack , it's a bad combination. So I would choose a different shape.

Monique Brown, 7th grade:

They aren't too sweet or too sour , just right. They leave a dry taste in your mouth. The text on the packaging could be a little more appealing. How about some crazy, out of place text? I like the pretzel all over the bag.

Amber Allen, 7th grade:

The taste is wonderful. All the flavors are good; they sort of burst in your mouth. It's like a flavor party on your tongue. The texture is wonderful , sort of gummy , but it isn't sticky and doesn't get your hands all messy. The packaging is really appealing and colorful. It has everything a package needs.

If you have a new product you want to test on our seventh-and eighth-grade panelists, contact Diane Toops at [email protected], or 630-467-1300, ext 321.