Universal Yums Subscription Box Review – July 2015

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universal yums japan july 2015 box

This month’s Universal Yums took us on a candy adventure to the Land of the Rising Sun.  Universal Yums is a monthly international snack subscription box. Every month you’ll take a trip to a new country and munch on brand new snacks. Yum Yum! There are two sizes of box, the Yum ($13) and the Yum Yum ($25). This is the Yum Yum box, and this subscription is a really solid subscription that shines each and every month. It’s definitely a whole-family favorite.

universal yums japan july 2015 cardFor July Universal Yums went to Japan!  If you are looking for ultra-cute treats with sometimes-bizarre themes, this is the place.

universal yums japan july 2015 flag

I love the tissue paper set up to look like the country of the month’s flag.  It’s a simple touch that makes the box even more fun to dig in to.

universal yums japan july 2015 information

The information card has descriptions of all the snacks. This month they switched to a fold-out card and have provided the translated ingredients right on the card, instead of on the site.  The card is not as visually bold (and is harder to photograph), but it is nice to have the ingredient/potential allergen breakdown right at hand.

universal yums japan july 2015 unbox

Under the flag were two giant bags of puffed snacks…

universal yums japan july 2015 unboxing

…and even more below.  Multiple layers with lots to unpack.

universal yums japan july 2015 review
All the Yums in the July Yum Yum box.  The smaller items come in multiples, so you can share your box without fear of missing out on a one-off item.

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Bourbon Baum Roll:  Contrary to the brand name, this little cake roll does not seem to be soaked in bourbon.  Instead, you get a light and tasty lemon cake roll.

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Meiji Chocolate Hello Panda:  A classic.  The little, crisp cookies are a kid’s favorite.

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The little puffs are filled with chocolate creme and feature little panda prints on the outside.  This box had the new sports-themed pandas.

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Cookies & Cream Pocky:  Pocky are another Japanese sweet treat that has met great acclaim internationally.  The cookies & cream variety featured a darker biscuit stick than that found in most other varieties, coated with cream and bitty chocolate cookie bits.

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Mango Hi-Chew:  HiChew was developed as a gum alternative, meant to simulate the chew of gum without hanging around forever (and eventually ending up stuck somewhere).  The texture is very chewy and gum-like, but the candy quickly dissolves.  The mango flavor is sweet and tastes like I imagine a mango Starburst would taste.

Botan Rice Candy:  The inner wrapper is a dissolvable  rice paper wrapper meant to be eaten with the candy.  I can’t help but think that there is some Japanese food etiquette that served as the inspiration for this configuration, as it is an odd pairing.  The candy itself is a tasty fruit-flavored hard candy that far outlasts the wrapper.  Comes with a cute sticker of a leopard sticking his head out of a jet(?). universal yums japan july 2015 IMG_2777

Kuro Ame Brown Sugar Candy:  In production in Japan since around the time of the U.S. Civil War, this candy has a hard center, but it appears to ooze sticky sugar, as it is very sticky but is not coated in a deliberate fashion.  I think they liquify slightly like real caramels.  The card makes it sound as if the taste is not good, but I found it quite pleasant.  Has the taste of “burnt” sugar, like the crispy top on a creme brûlée.

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Netsle Aero Matcha:   I’m very hit and miss on green tea / matcha.  Some has a subtle and delightful flavor.  This bar struck me as being on the “fishy matcha” end of the spectrum, which isn’t my thing.  I found it funny that the fishiest candy in the box featuring flavors from country that loves fishy stuff was made by a Swiss company!  The texture is the unique melty Aero texture that creates a lot of tasting service from a small bite. Brandy hates fish but loves matcha (and these) – even though she doesn’t drink tea of any sort. Go figure.

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Kasugai Flower Kiss Candy:  Regardless of wrapper, these hard candies have a passion fruit, papaya, mango, etc tropical fruit punch flavor.  The wrappers have unique text labelling the flower variety featured on each wrapper, but the candies are the same.

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Kasugai Gummies:  tender and clean tasting, these gummies have a smooth texture and nice bright flavor.  Our box came with doubles of kiwi, melon (not identifiable as a particular variety), lychee (an eyeball-textured fruit with a pleasant flavor similar to non-tart kiwi), and ramune (Japanese take on lemonade).

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Savory Snacks!

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Calbee Wasabi Shrimp Chips:  Contrary to the assertion on the card, I can definitely detect the shrimp in these!  The flavor is nice (I don’t mind a hint of fishy in stuff that actually contains seafood), and the spicy seasoning is very assertive.  Crunchy and crisp.

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Saya Snow Pea Crisps:  real pea puree is extruded in the shape of, what else, a peapod, and fried into crispy sticks.  The savory sweet taste is one you enjoy more with each bite — a stealthily addictive snack.  The flavor is more akin to fresh peas than the greasier versions made by others.
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Meiji Karl Cheese: Unbelievably Meiji (maker of Hello Panda) determined to make Japan’s first savory snack food back in 1968, and came up with “Curl” or “Karl.”  Lighter in flavor and texture than the western puffed Cheeto, these are very tasty.  Its odd that the first savory snack was introduced in 1968, as I always think of rice and sesame crackers, wasabe peas, etc, as traditional Japanese snacks.  I would love to know the origin of the chubby guy on the package — I assume its a caricature of a rural cheese farmer.

universal yums japan july 2015 clue

There’s also a clue to next month’s box! Looks like India! I’m pretty excited about this!

This is one of the consistently great snack boxes, and it is a pretty good value considering the obscurity of some of the selections and the trouble it would be to round them up yourself.  For a box that features candies and snacks catering to other-than-American consumers, we are surprised to find we thoroughly enjoy nearly all the items.

Visit Universal Yums to subscribe or find out more. You can see all our Universal Yums Reviews or check out all the international food subscriptions in the directory!

The Subscription: Universal Yums
The Description: Each month, you’ll receive a box of unique, delicious snacks from a different country delivered right to your door. No repeats! 0% Yuck, 100% Yum.
The Price: Cost: $13 (Yum Box) $25 (Yum Yum Box) per month.

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