Could a Candy Bar Be the Packaged Food Game Changer We Need?

I knew chocolate would be my savior.

Here’s the deal. I don’t take the time to write about companies or products unless they really impress me or really piss me off. I am so pleased with the idea of UNREAL that I wanted to get the information to you as soon as possible.

A new candy company, UNREAL, is set to launch their products in stores such as Target, Walgreens, and Kroger in the coming months, right next to the leading candy brands on store shelves. You may have already seen UNREAL in CVS or Michael’s at the time of this posting. Why am I, a person who shuns excessive sugar and discusses the idea of strict moderation touting the merits of candy?

UNREAL seeks to compete with the big kids; we need to get behind them. Plus, it’s damn delicious candy.

The Important Stuff 
Here is an example of the nutritional info listed on the back of UNREAL’s “Unreal 5” candy bar (similar to a Milky Way). This is one of the longest list of ingredients. Other products have less:

UNREAL 5^TM

NUTRITION FACTS: SERVING SIZE: 45G

AMOUNT PER SERVING:

CALORIES	170	SODIUM	130mg	VITAMIN A	(0% DV)
FAT CAL	60	CARBS	28g	VITAMIN B	(0% DV)
TOTAL FAT	7g	FIBER	5g	CALCIUM	(6% DV)
SAT FAT	4g	SUGAR	19g	IRON	(4% DV)
TRANS FAT	0g	PROTEIN	4g	PERCENT DAILY VALUES (DV) ARE BASED ON A 2,000 CALORIE DIET.

INGREDIENTS: Milk Chocolate (cane sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milk powder, organic blue agave inulin, skim milk, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), Caramel (tapioca syrup, cane sugar, fructan (prebiotic fiber), organic palm kernel oil, whey, milk protein concentrate, organic cream, vanilla extract, salt, soy lecithin), Tapioca Syrup, Cane Sugar, Milk Protein Concentrate, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Skim Milk Powder, Cocoa Powder, Salt, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Evaporated Cane Syrup, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract
*Contains milk, soy. May contain peanuts, tree nuts, wheat.

From the perspective of eating whole, real foods, this isn’t perfect. “Hydrolyzed Milk Protein” and “Soy Lecithin,” for example, aren’t my favorites *BUT* only because they are extracted from real ingredients–processed. Compare this list to a traditional candy bar, and you’ll quickly choose UNREAL. What I love, though, is that the founders of UNREAL unabashedly admit that this isn’t “health food.” From their FAQ’s: “We don’t consider candy to be “healthy” for you. It’s a delicious treat that we love. What we’ve done is give people a better choice, so that when they go looking for candy, they have the option to avoid the junk.”

THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING, PEOPLE!

Finally, a company that gets it. Product choices don’t have to be so black and white. I enjoy a convenient treat reminiscent of my childhood as much as the next gal. But I don’t want a slew of hydrogenated oils nor high fructose corn syrup to go with it! “Unjunked” options can exist in mainstream markets and don’t have to hide out in specialty stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.

UNREAL feels like a game-changer. They promise to be sold at the same price-point as other candy bars. If UNREAL is successful at competing with the likes of Hershey, M&M/Mars, & Nestlé, it proves that consumers DON’T WANT fake ingredients. It proves that consumers DON’T WANT TO PAY for better options. It proves that big brands will have to change their tactics. Could this mean the end of GMO’s, corn syrup, artificial colors and preservatives in packaged foods? And think of how this growing company could redefine candy-focused celebration events like Trick-or-Treating or Easter baskets!

Take a look for yourself. Check out the products & story behind UNREAL and follow them on Facebook & follow them on Twitter @getunreal & #getunreal. It’s an exciting time to love chocolate 🙂

What are your thoughts? Will you buy products from or support companies like UNREAL or just stick to the basics?