Here are the culprits to your toothless childhood, what a time to get into the dentistry industry, business is just booming
In this post:
1.Chewing Gums: ●PK ●Juicy Fruit ●Fresh ●Orbit ●Stimorol ●Dentyne ●Trident
2. Hard Candy: ●Skittles ●M&M’s ●Tic Tac ●Jaw Breaker ●Rola Cola ●Big Daddy ●Patco
3. Mints: ●Tropical Mints ● Tic Tacs ●Mentos
4.Nostalgic Treats: ●Eclairs ●Double Mint ●Mr Berry
1. CHEWING GUM
Just when you desperately need to occupy your jaws, chewing gum comes into clutch, and offers a good workout with no membership fee required, alongside providing the flavor you have been craving for. And if you get a bubblegum, you get to occasionally blow the bubbles that is if you have the lung capacity of an opera singer.
Below are some of the common chewing gum brands that you see around, maybe curious about some? I have tried them all and I will be giving some opinions. Each brand caters to different demographics, flavor profiles, and consumer needs
The first three cater to budget-conscious consumers, above that we have sugar-free options which cost starting from triple the amount of budget gums and beyond.
a) PK
Cost: KSh 25
Honestly, I don’t know what the abbreviation P.K means, and I wouldn’t lie; it keeps me up at 3am sometimes. But finally, I actually grew some chest hairs to look it up and there’s no clear answer. PK is owned by Wrigley which makes 3 more brands of gum listed in this article. It is speculated that the PK brand is a tribute to the CEO, Philip Knight Wrigley; that is the first two names. The other theory is from the slogan,’‘ Packed tight, Kept right”
PK has 3 variants; Peppermint(Green), Menthol(Blue), and Cinnamon(Red). Menthol is by far the most common, it is intense that it will have you get the cold air intake; by breathing in with your mouth. Peppermint is mild with some sweet notes, Cinnamon is in between the two flavors, and it is spicy but not scary spicy.
b) Juicy Fruit
Cost: KSh 25
Juicy Fruit belongs to the PK family, owned by the same company, Wrigley. It is the fruity version as evident from the name “Juicy Fruit”. It is not specific which exact fruit flavors the gum. Bright yellow in color and lately has got different variations added to the lineup- The red Juicy Fruit Strawberry. These gums are sweet and flavorful and the go-to choice if you don’t want something that tastes minty, spicy, or just angry.
c) Fresh
Cost: KSh 15
Fresh chewing gum is basically P.K but “copy my homework but don’t make it obvious” kinda vibes. I love Fresh because it offers the same flavors but for cheaper. Fresh is a local brand by Kenafric Industries and I love supporting home brands; so should you.
Everything is the same in terms of coloring and flavoring as discussed in PK above. However, the flavor doesn’t stick long enough but that is fair because you pay less I guess?
d) Orbit (Sugar-Free)
Cost: KSh 70
They are at it again! Wait, who are we talking about? It is Wrigley’s, ladies and gentlemen. They are by far dominating this list. Orbit is their offering in the higher-end gum market segment and caters to sugar-free conscious consumers. The flavors that I know of that are sold in Kenya include; Strawberry(Red), Spearmint(Green), and Bubble Mint(Pink) not exactly sure if that is pink or maroon, or purple, (the top-most gum); I’m not good with colors, my bad.
Other flavors from Orbit include; Grape Fruit, Fresh Mint, and Water Mint among others
Orbit gums are good as the flavors are intense and last long regardless of which variant you choose. In case you have never tried a sugar-free gum, you are probably wondering if it is sweet? Yes, it is. It is sugar-free, yes, but keep in mind sugar is not the only sweetener, artificial sweeteners exist.
f) Stimorol (Sugar Free)
Cost: KSh 160
Stimorol, not a very common gum brand in Kenya, is by far my favorite and go-to gum. It is long-lasting and packs good flavors( except for the wild cherry).
My favorite is the one pictured above, Infinity Tropical. It just tastes like all fruits are dancing in your mouth, smells heavenly too!
Infinity mint while the first impression is how intensely pungent it is, smells like (menthol-plus balm), it actually has some sweet notes to it. It tastes clean and not harsh like PK menthol for instance.
Stimorol is manufactured by Cadbury Adams, an extension of Cadbury and a subsidiary of Mondelez International. It resembles Trident discussed below in almost every aspect
A small 14g pack comes in two flavors; Wild Cherry, and Mint. The bigger pack comes in more flavors including Tropical and Mint. The smaller pack has gum pellets while the bigger pack has gum strips.
g) Dentyne (Sugar Free)
Cost: KSh 350
You know a gum is serious when it incorporates the prefix dent- (relating to teeth) to its name. If you want flavor, this isn’t the gum for you. Its focus is freshening breath and has a cooling effect. Flavors are mostly minty-based, tbh its flavor game could use a boost.
Being a dental-focused gum, it is obvious that it is sugar-free, and the flavors offered include Spicy Cinnamon, Peppermint, Spearmint, Arctic Chill, Glacier Mint, Iceberg Mint, and Winter Mint.
There are other tiers called ‘Dentyne Pure’ and these focus heavily on freshening breath; offered in Mint+ Herbal, and Mint + Melon accents.
h) Trident (Sugar-Free)
Cost: KSh 265
Just like Dentyne, Trident is a dental-focused gum, the suffix -dent tells it all. It however packs more flavor and is attractive over Dentyne in my opinion. The name Trident is from the 3 ingredients the gum is made from (Tri) and then the suffix -dent.
It is reputable for long-lasting flavors, a single piece can keep you going up past the 40-minute mark. It is expensive but I find it worth it since I wouldn’t be shuffling new pieces all the time. Just like Stimorol, it is packed in long strips individually wrapped. This preserves the freshness of your gum strips. Once the packet is opened, you can keep them in your backpack for as long as you want. Trident is sugar-free.
Trident Flavors are mostly fruity or minty as follows: ●Original ●Spearmint ●Tropical ●Cinnamon ●Pineapple ●Strawberry ● Bubblegum ●Lime Passion ● Watermelon Twist and more
2. HARD CANDY
Hard candies, those rock-solid soldiers of sweetness. These tiny treats are like stubborn pebbles that refuse to yield, however, they can last longer than your favorite 3-minute UK drill, but not as long as an Imperial Leather sticker.
a) Skittles
Cost: KSh 100
The mention of the word ‘Skittles’ makes the roof of my mouth sensitive, thanks to the green crazy sours. Skittles are basically a rainbow in a bag that burst flavors once in your mouth. Despite the rainbow appearance, they all taste the same in my opinion. I feel cheated about the whole taste the rainbow slogan.
There are 5 Skittles flavors but only two are sold in Kenya; Original and Crazy Sours. They are a topping option in most ice cream places and notably, In Coldstone
b) M&M’s
Cost: KSh 160
M&M’s, not the rapper or wrapper (pun intended), are similar to Skittles; they are both rainbow-colored candies except that M&M’s have an m graphic on each candy. They are preferred by a lot of people, but I am not a lot of people and my unpopular opinion is, I prefer Skittles. Boo me if you want.
I still appreciate M&Ms as they are more original and even creative, (they have a filling inside) either chocolate or peanut, and the outer shell is just candy acting like armor. Meanwhile, Skittles are just a solid hard candy. Maybe I love purity, (not a girl named Purity) Read more on M&M, Skittles, and Tic Tac on the first link at the end of this post.
c) Jawbreaker
Cost: KSh 120
“Those bastards lied to me”, years later my jaw is intact. Jawbreaker is a giant hard candy that is supposed to do literally what it says; break your jaw. It is so big that it sometimes won’t fit in your mouth, and you’ll have to lick off the layers till it can fit in your mouth as a lollipop. The layers are different colors and flavors. In the center, you may get bubble gum to finish off your adventure by blowing bubbles. Just get a jawbreaker on a stick, it is less messy.
d) Rola Cola
Cost: KSh 10
Spelled as “roll a cola”. These are hard cola sweets packed in a cylindrical roll, thus their name. Rola Cola are from India and they taste like some solid Cola soda, but sweeter with no carbonation. They are just decent and were my favorite childhood go-to, as they offered better value for my KSh 5. There is an assorted version but with a different name; Poppins and a mint version, Mintol
I don’t see them around consistently, but they still exist.
e) Big Daddy
Cost: KSh 10
A lollipop is a hard candy made from dried sugary syrup dried on a stick. What can I say except this is the most common lollipop brand, it is a kid’s favorite because it paints tongues. It has a gum center too. I wish someone called me big daddy
f) Patco Mints
Cost: KSh 150
Patco Mints played a vital part in the childhood of many late millennials, and early Gen Z’s. These are white sweet mints, the confectioneries are not individually wrapped, so you have to buy a whole packet. Got some early this year after I was surprised they still exist; for that nostalgic kick. The taste hasn’t changed, they taste like the good old days. They are brittle and sweet, just imagine you are having giant tablets of chalk but flavorful.
They have ”mints” in the name but I wouldn’t consider them mints, that is why they are not in our next tier of mints
3. MINTS
Oooh please, you are not one of those people who use mints as mouthwash? You know mints are not a substitute for brushing your teeth or flossing? They just freshen breathe and don’t kill or remove bacteria.
a) Tropical Mints
Cost: Ksh 10 for 3pcs
Kenyans be extra, you are now using tropical mints for what? I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that. Commonly known as Tropicals, they’re Kenyan-made by Kenya Sweets Limited (KSL). They’re literally found everywhere, I guess they are the best sellers, especially for hawkers.
Here is another unpopular opinion, they’re kinda overrated. Don’t get me wrong they are decent mints and for dirt cheap, but I find them not consistent, and taste changes depending on how long they have been in your mouth, infact they sometimes get bitter instead of minty and I have to throw out the remaining piece.
Yes, you won’t find tropicals in my pockets or backpack. However, there is a lollipop version of this which I love and would prefer. I used to love the dark green circular koo,(Kenyan Drops) that were magically used to remedy flu
b) Tic Tac
Cost: KSh 50
Tic Tac is a brand of small hard oval-shaped mints in a plastic enclosure with a resealable lid. Flavors in Kenya include; Strawberry(Pink), Orange(Orange literally), Mint(White), and Intense Mint(Blue). Manufactured by Ferrero the Italian company that makes, rocher chocolates, kinder chocolates, kinder Joy, and Nutella
c) Mentos
Cost KSh 80
The mention of mentos brings a dumb YouTube thumbnail in my head, you know; adding mentos to cola soda and watching it all explode. But here I am too, dumber, writing about sweets on the internet. SMH. What a time to be alive.
Mentos are sugar-free and come in multiple flavors, in Kenya we get Strawberry and Mint
4. NOSTALGIC TREATS
a) Cadbury Eclairs
If you are an adult with cavities, I know these are the excavators. You probably celebrating because they are not available locally anymore. Wondering why?
Well, the tax-hungry government decided to tax them as chocolates and not candy or sweets. This would mean they would sell for over Ksh 10 a piece, as if the initial KSh 5 a piece wasn’t ridiculous enough.
Eclairs are chocolate-layered confectionery with a caramel filling inside. Notorious for sticking on teeth but making up for it by being silky, delicious, and bursting with flavor. I miss them tho 🙁
You can get eclairs from other brands but honestly, they are not even 10% a match to the real deal, Cadbury Eclairs.
b) Double Mint
This is a Wrigley classic, probably the oldest? Since 1914, WW1 delicacy. From the name, this is a mint-flavored gum, double mint means it should have double the amount of mint from standard gums. Well, last time I didn’t find it that intense, just mild like a peppermint PK. The brand exists, it’s just that I have never seen it in at least 5 years
c) Mr. Berry
You probably ingested more strawberry flavor from Mr. Berry compared to all other strawberry products in your entire life combined, or should I just speak for myself? Well, If there’s a gum addiction I ever had it was this! Thanks alot Mzuri Sweets. Coins could not just settle, even the church offering was diverted to fund my Mr. Berry addiction. Lord please, I was just a child.
Conclusion
Candy is good, but take it in moderation. You are probably a grown-up and don’t need to be constantly reminded “Ooh sweets are bad for your teeth”. Queens especially are sweet tooths,( or should I say sweet teeth?) for guys it ain’t much of a problem. Just mints.
Just like drinking, be responsible with confectionery, dentists are very expensive and it’s not like you can grow another set of teeth.
Related Links
The Ultimate Mega Guide To Snacks In Kenya: Candy, Chips & More
Review: 10 Supermarket Ice Cream Brands in Kenya
Taste Test: Ranking The Best Yoghurt Brands in Kenya
