Candy Review: Hubba Bubba Strawberry Gush Glop

Thursday, October 23, 2008 - by Dan

While it may not have been an altogether satisfying experience, reviewing Hubba Bubba gum’s new Strawberry Gush Glop – pieces of gum that resemble strange red chicken eggs – did at least bring back some sweet childhood memories.

Back in middle school we had a candy dealer who would sell us pieces of original Hubba Bubba (or its archrival, Bubble Yum) for 25 cents each. Everyone wanted that gum. It blew the biggest bubbles of any gum on the market. And it was so sugary that it could rot your teeth before you even got it out of your pocket. I still remember blowing bubbles as big as my head behind the teacher’s back in the sixth grade. Fun stuff!

(Of course, there were those rumors in my school playground about spider eggs being found in the gum… but, really, what are a few spider eggs when the gum they’re in is so delicious?)

So, memories at the ready, I decided to give the newer Hubba Bubba product a try. Way to ruin my childhood memories, Bubba folks. Now, I understand that Hubba Bubba is targeted to kids, not to adults. But still.…

First, the gum isn’t very attractive. Who wants to eat a red chicken egg, after all? But looking at the gum isn’t the worst part. I mean, if you’re going to eat it, that’s much, much worse.

Glop starts out super sweet and sticky. Within 30 seconds, though, it becomes a tough, plastic mass that tastes like pine needles and soap. Of course, kids know what to do: they immediately toss out their piece (because it tastes like pine needles and soap!) and start chewing a new one. Within minutes, the pack is gone and it’s time to buy another pack! Smart move on the Hubba people’s part.

The one good thing I can say about the product is that Hubba Bubba Glop does live up to its name: it certainly felt and tasted like “glop” when I was eating it. With a gooey, cough-syrupy center surrounded by gum in a hard candy shell, Glop has “kids’ favorite” written all over it. Crunchy and chewy, eating a Glop is like chewing gum and celery at the same time, especially if the celery happened to shoot a geyser of strawberry goo thick enough to coat the entire inside of your mouth. For all that, though, the flavor disappears pretty quickly. If I were 10, I’d pop another piece. Luckily, I’m old enough to know better.

Hubba Bubba Strawberry Gush Glop comes five pieces to a resealable pack (why bother!) and will be the hit of middle-school kids everywhere. Adults? Stick to original Hubba Bubba. You can’t go wrong with that. (And remember, spider eggs can’t really hurt you… too badly.)

• Hubba Bubba Glop’s Website

Buy Hubba Bubba Gum Online:

• at Candy Crate
• at Candy Direct
• at Old Time Candy
• at Amazon.com