Products Reviewed: Aequare Fine Chocolates, 21-piece assorted chocolates, Single Origin Mandarin Orange Bar, Single Origin Lemongrass Bar, Single Origin 55% Chocolate, Single Origin 70% Chocolate

Packaging/Labeling: The 21-piece assorted chocolates box is a work of art! The box itself is elegant, tied with a simple ribbon featuring the Aequare logo.  The box is sealed but once it’s open, you’ll be amazed at the works of art inside.  21 pieces (3 each of 7 flavors) of colorful chocolates, some easy to distinguish such as the moccha, featuring a contrasting coffee bean on the chocolate, or the lemongrass, with small airbrushes of leaf blades.  There are also chocolates with stars (Amazon-Ishpingo and cinnamon) and multi-colored stripes (blackberry cobbler) and other unique and colorful designs.  I love the fact that the entire Aequare story is featured on the inside of the box – something to read while you indulge!  A small brochure inside describes each of the flavors with an accompanying photo.   The chocolates featured in the brochure are seasonal yet the brochure contains a description of all seasons’ flavors.

The single bar boxes are simple, no frills boxes which feature an individually wrapped 1.8 ounce bar inside.  The purely chocolate bars are housed in brown boxes, while the Mandarin orange flavor is in a light orange box while the Lemongrass box is a bit more intriguing in a Persian green box.

Taste/Consistency/Quality: I can sum up the taste in one word – bold.  These chocolates are bold, which is what any true chocolate connoisseur would expect.  The richness of the dark chocolate lingers on your palate and really lets you slowly enjoy the chocolate.

The flavored bars, Mandarin Orange and Lemongrass, have very subtle yet distinct tastes, dropping just a hint of their special ingredient.  The 55% and 70% chocolates are rich and decadent, and again, BOLD!

The boxed confections have a rich creamy melt-in-your-mouth ganache, as most would expect from any fine chocolate.  But the rich texture and subtle flavors paired with the bold dark chocolate are what set them apart.

Uniqueness: Who knew that Ecuador was recognized for producing one of the finest cacao beans in the world? But now I’m a believer.   Again, it’s the boldness of these chocolates and lingering aftertaste that really set them apart from other fine chocolates.

Price Point: The 21-piece assorted box retails for $44.95 which clearly puts it into a luxury category.  The bars retail for $3.99 which still says “fine chocolate product” but makes them more accessible for chocolate lovers who are looking for a new experience.

Overall ranking: 8.5/10

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Products Reviewed: Asian-Infused Jamaican Jerk Marinade

Packaging/Labeling: The bottle has a simple, attractive, somewhat comical label featuring a likeness of “Judo Joel” himself. The bottle is a standard 12oz glass marinade/sauce-type bottle that allows plenty of visibility of the marinade.

The nutrition facts label and ingredients label are standard, and as they should appear on this type of product. Closer examination reveals that the product is “All Natural,” a big plus with some consumers, which could be more beneficial to emphasize on the front of the label.

There is also a short comical story about Judo Joel, the marinade, and it’s uses on the other side of the label. Interestingly the label states that it makes a great ingredient to use in a Bloody Mary, a use not commonly associated with a marinade, and an added incentive for a different demographic (Bloody Mary lovers) to make a purchase.

Taste/Consistency/Quality: If you are looking for a bold marinade with a lot of flavor and a spicy kick that can be used for multiple meats (and even Bloody Marys) then you have found it. The consistency of the marinade was thick and very chunky, which surprisingly didn’t all slide off while grilling, as is the case with most marinades we’ve encountered.

The product was sampled after marinating for five hours on boneless, skinless chicken breasts that were then grilled. The taste is instantly flavorful with hints of soy sauce, ginger, and garlic on the front end, with a bold spicy habañero pepper “Judo Chop” on the back end. This is a very good marinade, and we recommend the product.

Uniqueness: I can’t think of another marinade that I’ve ever come across that is an “Asian-infused, Jamaican Jerk marinade”. The combination of Asian and Caribbean flavors and ingredients play off one and other in an unlikely harmony, that really brings a unique flavor to the table.

Price Point: At around $5.00 per bottle, the price puts this marinade on the shelf with other more common competitors, and allows it to stand out as a fantastic alternative to the ordinary big name players on the market. Consumers should be pleasantly surprised with this purchase and should continue to come back for more.

Overall ranking: 8.5/10

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Packaging/Labeling: The bottle includes simple instructions for marinating, supplemented by a detailed continuation of guidelines on a small thank-you card included with the product. The URL is included on the bottle, and more extensive contact information is included on the card. It is unclear how this printed piece could be incorporated into retail sales. When delivered, however, the printed collateral was a very impressive addition. A novice behind the grill would benefit from the tips provided by Chef Harold.

Taste/Consistency/Quality: With a perfect balance of garlic and sweetness, boasting tangy undertones, it is created for poultry, beef, pork and lamb. We used the marinade on both a loin top and a round top cut of beef, and we were blown away with how the marinade significantly improved the texture and taste of the inferior cut of meat. The consensus was that we’d rather buy cheaper meat and use this marinade, than eat an expensive steak…hands down.

Uniqueness: While the marinade can be used with poultry, beef, pork and lamb, the brochure accompanying the marinade provided guidelines for preparation of porterhouse, top loin, tenderloin, ribeye and top sirloin cuts. This beef-niche allows it to compete with fewer others. The diversity of beef cuts creates an opportunity for this marinade to shine, as we strongly preferred the lower-quality meat – enhanced by this marinade – over the higher-grade cut of beef. Consumers looking to reach past leading big name brands on the shelf into more gourmet territory can dress up plain-jane beef in a way that mass-produced marinades do not typically perform.

Price Point: $4.99 per bottle makes this gourmet item very approachable, even within the mainstream grocery retail environment.

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Packaging/Labeling: (Pros): Absolutely fabulous! The pie was shrink wrapped with no cheap foil pans – instead it was neatly placed on a cardboard cake pan. Attached to the wrapping on the pie was a very neat ‘To and From’ hang tag, with a very ‘cute’ poem on the back (see image).

The pie was shipped in a very nice box with a super neat insulator. Inside the box on the left and right panels were informational and nutrition/ingredient statement stickers. Very professional!

Overall, the presentation definitely had a ‘Wow Factor’ that makes this an excellent gift! Your recipient will be as impressed opening the package as they will be eating the pie.

Packaging/Labeling ranking: 9/10!

Taste/Consistency/Quality: If you are looking for an uber-rich Pecan Pie, this is for you. I found it impossible to eat without a large glass of milk (while my wife prefers vanilla ice cream).

The consistency of the filling was very thick; almost like a custard. Our favorite part had to be the crust – very flaky, buttery, and obviously made by hand. You don’t get crust like this in your frozen section, or even from the top mail order pie companies these days.

Oh, and don’t let me forget the pecans. These pecans were not those you find in a typical cheapo pecan pie. They were enormous and very fresh tasting with a nice firm, semi-crunch to them. Not too soggy, and not too crunchy – just right! This pie must have been shipped out hours after baking.

Overall Flavor ranking: 9/10!

Uniqueness: So there are plenty of pecan pies out there – but you get what you pay for. Farrist of Them All’s Pecan Pie may not be for the everyday Pecan Pie consumer due to the price tag (compared to cheapo pies at the grocery store), but as a gift, it is hard to beat. What Farris’t of Them All really targets is gift givers. Pecan Pie is a classic gift, and does not have to be frozen to ship. Since most busy people don’t have time to do it on their own, ordering a Pecan Pie online and shipping it as a gift makes a lot of sense, especially when you can find one with such a magnificent presentation as Farris’t of Them All’s.

Summary: Delicious, hand-made Pecan Pie with the freshest ingredients coupled with top-notch packaging makes Farris’t of them all’s Pecan Pie a must-have, and the ultimate mail-order gift for any occasion. GourmetFoodPR.com’s overall ranking: 9/10

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Company: Russian River Fine Foods
Products Reviewed: Roasted Garlic Teriyaki Sauce, Chipotle Ketchup, Smoky River Barbecue Sauce.

Roasted Garlic Teriyaki Sauce

Packaging/Labeling: Very nice look-and-feel. Beautiful use of colors. Common bottle, but quality labeling. Does not list company URL on label.

Taste/Consistency/Quality: great garlic taste, with a hint of sweetness. Perfect as marinade for chicken and drizzle sauce over rice.

Uniqueness: in a very competitive, saturated market segment.

Comparables: Stonewall Kitchen, Asian Creations by Linh & Loann, Inc

Price Point: low

Possible Obstacles: great competition, heavy to ship. Retail price leads to believe that only very small margins are possible when selling wholesale and/or when involving brokers and distributors.

Possible Opportunities: high end product for attractive retail price.

Chipotle Ketchup

Packaging/Labeling: Very nice look-and-feel. Common bottle, but quality labeling. Does not list company URL on label.

Taste/Consistency/Quality: very unique ketchup, fresh tasting. Very balanced in flavors.

Uniqueness: very unique product in the large condiment segment. Very little competition.

Comparables: www.millbreaux.com, http://www.ketchapeno.com/id2.html

Price Point: average-low

Possible Obstacles: heavy to ship, need to get people to try for first time.

Possible Opportunities: very unique product that appeals to chileheads and curious shoppers.

Notes: great, unique product. We have seen a few companies come to market with a chipotle ketchup, and it is becoming more and more popular. Push this product hard and stay on the leading edge before it becomes too common of an item.

Smoky River Barbecue Sauce

Packaging/Labeling: Quality bottling and labeling. Beautiful color scheme. Does not list company URL on label

Taste/Consistency/Quality: unique flavor, fresh tasting.

Uniqueness: great unique flavor, but very saturated market. Hard to differentiate product in BBQ Sauce category.

Comparables: Maurice’s BBQ Sauce, Texas Firehouse, Bone Suckin’ Sauce

Price Point: average-low

Possible Obstacles: great competition, heavy to ship. Retail price leads to believe that only very small margins are possible when selling wholesale and/or when involving brokers and distributors

Possible Opportunities: high end product for great price should be attractive to retailers and consumers alike. Beautiful packaging will be appealing on shelves.

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Packaging/Labeling: (Pros): Labels are quite attractive with sleek jet black and red contrasts. ‘Warning: may cause chip damage’ is a great line and perfect for label placement. Standard, run-of-the mill jar is common, but works well for dipping right out of the jar. Overall, bottling and labeling is strong, classy and clean. The gift box in which we received the products was aesthetically appealing and a great way to protect contents for shipping. If an online/mail order shopper is looking for a unique gift for a salsa lover or fiery foods enthusiast, it doesn’t get any better than Daniel’s.

Labeling ranking: 9/10!

***REVISED FOR NEW LABELS:
The flame labeling was somewhat busy in the product name area. The new labels with the ‘veggie’ background are superior and give a classier appearance, which will surely cater to more of the upscale, gourmet crowd that bases decision on appearance and shelf-appeal. (Cons): ‘Get Salsatized’ is a good tagline, but we really felt that the ‘Warning: may cause chip damage’ was catchier, not to mention the truth that the statement held (we broke several chips!)

Taste/Consistency/Quality: Salsa heaven. The consistency is thick and chunky; putting standard runny salsas to shame. This fresh, thick salsa does not ‘drip’ off the chips when dipping, and as the ‘Warning’ stated, will definitely break tortilla chips when dipping. Flavor is fresh and somewhat sweet, with not much heat in the mild and medium varieties. It is our opinion that this was done intentionally with hopes of not sacrificing flavor for heat. If you like a medium-hot salsa, go with the ‘HOT’ variety for sure.

The black bean and corn salsa comes with the same thickness and fresh quality with even more fresh thickness, thanks to a healthy addition of fresh black beans and crispy corn. This salsa had a nice sweetness to it that surely came from the added veggies.

The Golden Roma Chipotle variety was a unique combination that turned some heads. With just the right amount of chipotle goodness and Roma flavor, this was a contender for the favorite in the bunch.

Overall Flavor ranking: 9/10!

Uniqueness: Salsa is definitely one of the most difficult food-segments in the industry. Fortunately, Daniel’s extraordinarily thick, fresh salsa line has some impressive awards under its belt and will standout among the mediocres. Catchy and classy labeling goes a long way for first-time buyers, and Daniel’s excels in that regard as well.

Comparables: –

Pepper Dog Salsa

Millys Salsa

Saratoga Salsa

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