Monde's Voice in the Competition

When a product becomes a hit in the market, its competitors are never far behind. They make their own version and brand of the product and try to outdo other players in the market. I remember Monde having an aggressive marketing campaign during its initial launch, yet I cannot say for certain which company was the first in creating this innovative snack. So far Rebisco is the only company that has an answer for Monde's wafer sandwich and with Combi's previous review, it's time to judge Voice Combo.

In terms of taste, Voice is pretty good. Each bite bursts with the sweet flavor of strawberry. Unlike Rebisco Combi which has one flavor only, Monde has released other varieties of the wafer sandwich. If I'm not mistaken, Voice is also available in butter cream and chocolate. At Php 36 for a 10-pack set, it is cheaper than Combi but it is considerably smaller in size. Despite these positive points, Voice still has its drawbacks.

The biscuit's texture is absolutely brittle. The cracker easily crumbles when a small amount of pressure is applied. It's best to eat Voice by the sink or over a plate since each bite scatters crumbs everywhere. In a word, it is a messy eating experience. The most frustrating part of the experience is opening the sandwich pack. The packaging is lined with a thin film of tough clear plastic which takes me forever to tear open. This is an annoying combination of packaging and product because when I tear open the pack with the necessary violent force, I destroy the brittle crackers in the process. Does anyone else have this kind of experience?

For an overall evaluation, I would say that Voice Combo Sandwich is a product decent enough for snacks and sharing with friends. But I recommend this product more to those with the patience and strength to tear open that blasted plastic seal. Probably it's best not to try this food when you are already weak from hunger.

Rebisco Combi

A recent development in the biscuit industry is the cracker wafer sandwiches. Instead of having a flavored cream filling, it has a layer of sweet wafer in between the crackers. Rebisco is just one of the few companies who launched their own brand of such a snack.

At first glance, a single pack of Combi looks larger than your average-sized biscuit. That's because it is. It turns out that one pack contains two square pieces of cracker wafer sandwiches instead of one solid serving. It can guarantee hunger satisfaction and it can also be shared. Rebisco is already a veteran corporation trusted for the quality taste of its products so I want to focus on the texture of Combi. Compared to the other biscuits I have tried, this snack has the most stable structure. It is firm enough to preserve its form yet its crunchiness is not compromised. That's good news for consumers who hate losing biscuit and wafer crumbs to the ants. The product is priced at Php 41.50 for a 10-pack set. It is a bit more expensive compared to the average price of biscuits which is Php 36 per set. But given its bigger size and better texture, Rebisco Combi is really worth trying if you're not on a strict budget.

Band Name Fail?

I found this Australian dairy product in our local supermarket. I'm not sure what the brand managers are thinking but I definitely think the product name fails hard. If you're still clueless, click HERE to find out why.

Going Large

Ever since the shift of consumer preference to healthier lifestyles, manufacturers have been boosting the volume of their products to satisfy the market's demand. Take these two beverages for example: Del Monte has recently launched a 1-Liter Fit'n Right juice drink in their product line. On the other hand, URC felt that their 1-Liter C2 Tea Drink wasn't enough to satisfy their customers so they launched a gigantic 1.5 -Liter variety. It was the biggest bottled ready-to-drink tea I've ever seen.

So, what are the implications of such quantity upgrades? First, it obviously means that the demand in consumption for such healthy products is so high that manufacturers can afford to create large-scale version of their goods. In theory, the number of heavy consumers makes it viable for companies to increase their product's volume per package and lower the costs. Second, the bigger quantities can also mean that the products have gone beyond personal consumption and spilled over into groups. The sense of a healthier lifestyle is now an ideal that is shared by people within communities and families. A bigger bottle of juice or tea shows more than just the magnitude of consumption. It exhibits the kind of lifestyle people want to share with each other and achieve together.

Fish Fail

I found this fish at the seafood section of the supermarket in our neighborhood. This type of fish is often caught with another smaller fish in its mouth. Kind of cannibalistic and messed up if you ask me... Now, does this picture look familiar?

It should

[Photo Source]

Coffee Desserts: Black Forest

Here is another food twist from URC: Great Taste Coffee Desserts Black Forest Flavor. I was excited when the product was first released around November of 2008. In fact, I was even invited in a sponsored event to give a taste test and feedback. The unique selling proposition was promising since it was the first coffee to have a new kind of flavor. Coffee is usually mixed with vanilla, mocha or hazelnut extracts but this one is infused with the essence of cake! What made the product more exciting is that black forest is my favorite dessert. The sweetness of chocolate and cream complements the fruity taste of cherry jelly to dazzle the taste buds.

But is the product holding up to its promise? Unfortunately, the faint black forest flavor is only noticeable in the aftertaste. A single 20-gram sachet may be insufficient to give intense taste when diluted in a regular mug. Either one uses 2 sachets of coffee or dissolves 1 sachet in less water in order to enhance and bring out the product's true flavor. Great Taste Coffee Desserts is a great alternative to the classic instant coffee . It offers affordable flavored coffee at around Php 5.00 per sachet. However, if it is flavor that you are searching for, it's best to stick to expensive, restaurant-grade coffee.

What Great Syrups Are Made Of

No reviews about chocolate drinks for today. I want to share something I saw at the supermarket. It's a box of red, luscious raspberries. That fruit is normally grown in countries with cold climates so obviously it is nowhere to be found in this tropical country. As an imported good, it carries a hefty price tag and it can be bought in A-market areas. I found this in a grocery in Makati City.

I love raspberry in its processed form like syrups, candies and fruit ice cream. The mildly sweet taste of this produce makes it a great additive or flavoring. The fruity essence of raspberry syrup complements the bitterness of drinks such as coffee and black tea. As for its raw fruit form I still have yet to try it, though. I bet it will pack a strong citrus taste, which is absent in its processed form.

I'm not entirely sure about the existence of raspberries grown in the Philippines. In Baguio, I saw a boxes of blueberries but they are only sold in small quantities. Probably the farmers there are in the verge of perfecting the cultivation of berries. Hopefully there will be locally-grown raspberries in the future instead of just strawberries. And speaking of strawberries, check out this box of fat suckers I found in the same grocery.

URC's Answer to Rebisco

Shortly after Rebisco released its Extreme Choco Sandwich into the market, URC (Universal Robina Corporation) countered with its own version of chocolate-infused crackers. Using their sandwich product line, Magic Creams, the company created a chocolate cream filled variety with choco coating. URC is notorious for having quick answers to almost anything their competitors can throw at them. The aggressive nature of this manufacturing giant makes them a formidable rival in the industry. URC may have the edge in market performance, but what about the all important taste of the product? Unfortunately, I'll have to put this question on hold for now because I haven't tasted Magic Choco Coated Creams yet. But from the looks of the product, I think I can predict that Magic is less intense than Rebisco Extreme. The crackers are plain and don't have chocolate flavor. It also looks like there are no chocolate sprinkles. Maybe it compensates with its thick coating? I'm not sure. I'll have to buy one on my next visit to the supermarket to find out.

Now That's Extreme!

I'm really not a fan of any cream-filled biscuits. Probably because the manufacturers didn't put enough flavor in those fillings turning them into plain bland crackers. But all that changed when Rebisco released it's new product, the Extreme Choco Sandwich. Just how extreme is it? Let's see... it's made of chocolate crackers, filled with layers of chocolate cream, generously covered with chocolate coating and topped off with chocolate sprinkles! It's a good fix for your average chocolate addict.

What makes this snack great is that the chocolate doesn't taste cheap, unlike those over-sweetened and artificially flavored imitation choco creams. You can really taste the deep, dark and bittersweet essence of REAL chocolate with every bite of this biscuit. I'm not really sure if I remember the retail price correctly but I think it's around Php 42 for a pack of 10. That's how most 10-pack biscuits cost in the market. And at that price, the Rebisco Extreme could probably be the snack that gives you the most value for your money. Now if only they have Extreme in vanilla, butter and strawberry...

For September, It's All About...

Whew! It feels good to be back blogging again. The last half of August was just crazy. I've been taking care of application forms, both for employment and for review classes. Also, I finally had the guts to ask the apparel store in our neighborhood if they accept resellers. I've decided that the companies I applied for are either taking too long to reply or have rejected my applications. Now it's time to take matters into my own hands. I'm prepared to take the risk of becoming an online merchant. At least I answer to nobody, I have my own schedule and most of my work can be done at home. yay! From my calculations, the earnings may not be so high, but I'll never know, right?

The past month wasn't all about submitting forms. I've been taking some household responsibilities by doing some chores, mainly the groceries. This chore ain't so bad. I've been going to the supermarket with my mom ever since I was little so I'm pretty familiar with standard product prices, discount deals and the methods on how to spot fresh meat and vegetables. The best part is that I get to buy the latest snacks and beverages out in the market. And that is what I plan to blog all this September (hopefully I'll be able to keep this commitment). It's about reviewing, criticizing and maybe even promoting the latest food products on the grocery shelves.