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Kcal 169 Fat 10.0g Carbs 17.4g
Today I bring you an EXCLUSIVE review of the latest addition to one of Mars' bestselling ranges - the Galaxy Bubbles. Known as Galaxy to us in here in the UK and Dove to most other countries (including the US and most of Europe) the arrival of this Bubbles bar was announced in the press a few weeks ago (See Here) and was brought to my attention by ChocolateMission reader Phil. Positioned as a direct competitor to Cadbury's Wispa and Nestle's Aero bars, to be honest I was a little surprised it took Mars so long to get a 'bubbly milk chocolate bar' to market given the popularity of the two aforementioned products.
I found this bar in my local newsagents priced 55p which is give or take 5p ia about the same amount you would pay for a Wispa or Aero. An interesting thing to note when comparing the three bars are the sizes, the Wispa 39.0g, Aero 46.0g and this Bubbly significantly smaller at 31.0g. The differences don't end there, and if you take a look at the packaging it is quite obvious to see that the target consumers are distinctly different. The Galaxy Bubbly has been positioned more at female audience - hence the effeminate pink touches on the wrapper and print campaign currently running in magazines more inclined for a female audience. Personally this didn't put me off the product in any manner but like I have commented on previous reviews, I always find it puzzling when manufacturers feel the need to half their potential consumer base.
Taking the bar out of my handbag (Joke!!!) the first thing I noticed having removed the bar from it's foil wrapper was the lack of presence the bar had in terms of it's aroma. As I have mentioned on other Galaxy chocolate reviews before the smell was similarly weak and didn't offer up anything more inviting than some faint cocoa scents. Breaking off my first piece I next noticed how flat and thin the bar was in comparison to it's Wispa and Aero comparators - I guess that is where the weight was lost! Placing the first piece in my mouth I was met by some familiar and tasty flavours. As per your standard Galaxy milk chocolate bar the taste was heavily cream rooted and established a strong set of sweet milky flavours that made for a rich and indulgent experience. Normally what I like so much about Galaxy milk chocolate is the way that this creamy taste is allowed to be enjoyed during a long lasting, smooth thick melt - which just wasn't the case here. The aerated texture was good for what it was and brought a tingly sensation when melting on the tongue, however given the bars thinness the melt was over in a matter of seconds of the chocolate entering the mouth. For this very reason the bar wasn't half as satisfying as a standard Galaxy chocolate and I was left somewhat disappointed at that.
Overall I think Mars have missed a trick here and they are the architects of their own downfall when it comes to a face-off with the Cadbury Wispa. Personally speaking I really quite Galaxy milk chocolate; whilst it may not be as flavoursome as something like Hotel Chocolat's 40% recipe for the price you pay I think you get a pretty decent creamy milk chocolate in return. Given that fact I see no reason whatsoever why Mars couldn't make a bar to outstrip the Nestle Aero and at least give the Cadbury Wispa a run for its money ... enter some monumental cock ups by the team at Mars! Who at Mars thought it right to make a product significantly smaller in size to it's nearest competitors, thus hampering the bar's ability both satisfy and generate the same chocolate flavour hit!? Hmmm not clever huh!? ... Bring on cock up number 2 ... Mars' audacity to price the thing the same as these larger and in many other ways superior, competitor bars. This may sound like I am going for the jugular a bit here (believe me I am not I could harp on about the positioning and packaging until the cows come home!!) but all this frustration is born out of the fact that they had a damn decent product at the heart of matters here with real potential. At the end of the day I can't fault the chocolate but the execution of this product was just damn poor - what a shame!
6.2 out of 10
6.2 out of 10
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30 comments:
I have bee waiting for this review since you announced it was coming out. Where can we buy them?
I love Galaxy chocolate so I am going to try this despite the bad review lol.
Rxxx
p.s. I can see what you mean about the wrapper looking very girly. It is weird that they are pitching it just at women. LOL how sexist :P
I still haven't found one of these yet and I have been looking everywhere since I read they were coming out. Any tips for us Jim?
Like Rachel I am a real Galaxy fan so even your review hasn't put me off it.
Dx
I think this will nicely slot in between the Wispa and an Aero for me.
I will certainly give it a try when I find one.
My sister bought one in our local tesco extra at the weekend.
I am starving after reading this and it is ages until my lunch break. The wrapper looks horrendus in my opinion.
If you compare how thick a Wipsa looks in comparison with this Bubbles bar the difference is startling. If they really are the same price you would have to be stupid to pick one of these over a wispa or an aero.
The wrapper on this is rather girly, but I noticed that Galaxy have recently revamped their packaging again(this is one of them) and theyre not that great - they kinda look all 'murky' and the cookie crumble has purple edges! I also dislike the miniscule faint text explaining what the bar is.
I'd like to try this although I have to say Galaxy chocolate is no where near as nice as it was only a couple of years ago. It was so creamy but now tastes just very sugary to me.
I imagine the prob with this bar is similar to the probs that consumers had with the Cadbury Bubbly v Wispa lol the tiny squares just don't hold the texture enough so you're left feeling unsatisfied with it being so small.
I lol'd in real life about your handbag =>
I agree with you about the wrapper being pitched very much at girls. I bet if you looked at the people who bought Wipsas then it would be bought a lot more by females than males but I am sure Cadbury know this themselves and it is not like they have tried to make the Wispa more feminie.
Oh dear I am disapointed to hear that this didn't live up to your expectations. You should try putting it in the fridge for a while so it melts slower. I always do that.
What a shamless copy of the Cadbury Wispa. Can Mars not come up with their own ideas? by the looks of it they can't even copy something and pull it off.
Jim are you saying that becuase the wrapper has a bit of pink on it that it is aimed at females. How very sexist of you ....
lols Jim I am only joking. I saw someone accuse you of that before I know. I see what you mean about it being on the thin side but maybe they did this so it doesen't contain as many calories. Us women have to watch our waistlines you know ;) Great review.
hiii!
I can just picture the mars men(or team whatever)going hmm now how can we get this to appeal to the typico silly female? ah yes, make it extra puney so we can whitter on about it being 'only XX calories a bar!', that'll draw them in! How very presumptious of you mars.
Had they made it thicker or more wispa-stylee I'd have been all on it. Boo. Couldn't they have done something cool for a change? No no, whatever am I saying. Everything must be epically dull in order to sell and not alarm our fragile minds.
There's nothing wrong with it, it's just that I think the market really has got enough 'textured/aerated' etc bars already. Enough now!
I am so fed up with mars being so totally unoriginal. I think they need a reminder of what the word innovation means.
Aw, man, this looks really delicious from the photo! :\
I guess it's probably smaller to keep the calorie count low, like with Malteasers, which are also advertised as being a lighter chocolate option.
Like the previous Rachel, I'm probably going to try this anyway aswell! :)
It is disappointing to see this score so low as I had high hopes that it could tackle the Wispa. Like many of the others have saidI will still get it a go but that flaws look pretty evident don't they. This was a really enjoyable review to read thank you.
Only 31 grams? I can imagine that it isn't the most filling of chocolate bars. Give me a man sized Yorkie bar anyday.
I'm intrigued by the suggestion that Wispas are bought more by women than men... I can't imagine that it's really true, since for one thing they've never pitched them to men or women in particular (like these are or Yorkies!). I'd say they were probably enjoyed by both in equal measure lol
I bet way more women eat galaxy chocolate compared to men. Making it more feminine could prove to be a smart move.
"Taking the bar out of my handbag"
- Haha you made me laugh there Jim!
I agree with everyone else, it seems odd how they felt the need to market it in a stereotypical 'girly' kind of way. I'm sure I'll give it a try, but like Alan I feel that the quality of Galaxy has changed in the last few years. It used to be my favourite chocolate but now I find it far too sweet and not as creamy as it used to be.
I think what previous posters have said about the small size being so that Mars can claim "only ___ calories!" is probably bang on. It is a phenominally good marketing strategy and if they are going down this road I think a lot of niave, stupid or lazy women will completely buy into it. Working in a convenience shop I know how many middle aged woman moan to me about wanting to lose weight and then go and pick up a packet of Maltesers and think they are "being good", because of clever marketing by Mars on this product. They are too lazy of course to read things so wouldn't have noticed that a Ripple or Crunchie would actually be a lower-calorie option, as would this Galaxy Bubbles bar.
To be honest I actually quite like the smaller size though, because although I like to make an informed choice and am capable of reading packets, it IS nice to have a slightly lighter option sometimes.
I really wish people would read packets though. I'm sure any company who wrote on the wrapper "only ____ calories!" would instantly see a rise in sales, because people are foolish and gullable. "Dairy Milk - LESS THAN 250 calories!" *woman buys bar, guilt-free*
Since it weighs less, why doesn't it cost less? Surely that would improve its sales chances? Or is Mars assuming that "because it's Galaxy" it will sell regardless. Hmmm.
So many comments ... good stuff! Sorry if my replies are short
David
I found mine in my local OneStop. Not on the shelf but in a dump bin by the till.
Rachel
Good to hear. It is always best to try things for yourself. Be sure to let me know what you think of it please.
David #2
It would be interesting to see the gender bias in regards to Galaxy buyers.
Daisy
OneStop was where I found mine .. I still haven't seen them anywhere else.
Justin
Please share your thoughts once you do chap.
Anon
Tesco have them aswell then people.
Nick
Haha it isn't all that uncommon that someone posts something along those lines.
Richard
If there was a difference in the quality of the chocolate then we could make a case for the Bubbles but unfortunately there isn't.
Alan
That is some eagle eye spotting in regards to the packaging! I see what you mean about them not looking quite as cool they used to.
I don't eat enough Galaxy chocolate to be able to tell the difference but you obviously aren't alone in that thought. Good comparison with the bubbly! Makes a lot of sense!
Emma
Glad to know my humour didn't go unnoticed.
I dunno about the Wispa being bought by mostly females. I would have thought it was nearer 50/50 myself.
Eric
haha I always do that myself! It helps me when I have to write the reviews.
Kim
I thought you were being serious until I read under the italics. It isn't like I haven't been accused of it before.
Lottie
Hey where you been all my life!? I have missed your wisdom and funny rants.
It is a real shame that they didn't go for something original isn't it. I can't even remember the last time that they came out with something that was new or exciting. The market was full enough with the Wispa and Aero options.
Paul
Haha see above.
Rachel
You could well be right about keeping the calories down. Please be sure to check back in when you have given one a try - I would really value your opinion.
Alex
Thanks for the kind words chap. I was also disappointed by it but hey everything is worth a go once.
Chris
It isn't hence the low score in that area.
Alan
I would agree with you there! I would say it is most likely a 50/50 split.
Louise
Well they must have made it more feminine for a reason - I am sure they did some analysis but I still think there are ways at targeting e-mails that don't eliminate men.
Phil
I am glad you appreciate my poor humour :D Perhaps it is our tastebuds have changed? It would be interesting to see if anything has changed in the recipe huh!?
Linz
I work in shopper insight and you are quite correct when you say that consumers don't look at packets. It is actually crazy they stuff that they gloss over. I personally think it is about time the government sorted out some proper GDA traffic light system for people to be aware what is in the stuff they are eating, where it has come from etc .... rant over :D You are 100% correct in what you say though.
Phil
I think they are just expecting people not too notice. To be honest from a business stand point it probably isn't such a bad thing if they get away with it with the mass consumer population. Surely people will notice ... surely!????
Thanks everyone - some great feedback today. I would love to hear what you all think about it when you get the chance to try it.
JIM
I spotted these today in my Sainsburys local and thought I'd try them! they are far too small and too expensive, but I was pleasantly surprised at the taste and texture! Whether it is the bubbles or what but to me it tasted much more like the galaxy i used to know and not the overly sugary stuff theyve been making their standard bars out of more recntly! I'd certainly buy it over an Aero for flavour alone lol
Interestingly I read that Galaxy was originally made with full cream (as was Milkybar) so perhaps it once tasted more like Nestles Double Cream bar!
Just This Wednesday i Tried one of These. and I Say these are The best Chocolate They have ever made! ^.^ Just so nice.
When I Read this review I was so disapointed, First the excitement of the title
Galaxy - My favorate
Bubbles - Love the texture
(Aero and whisper I just don't like the chocolate, but the sensation i great, So this HAS to be a WINNING combination!)
So with the above in mind I decided Jim's score must be wrong, or he was having a bad day. Mind... The size is actually more appealing to me, the packaging, ok it's horrible, but then I don't want to keep it, and if I buy a Lion bar at the same time I can pretend the girl-ey bar is for my girlfriend.
So I spotted the bar... I ate the bar...Agh!!! What was that!!! NOt Galaxy anyway, More of a Cadbury taste, slightly greasy, Utter disappointment. Don't get me wrong it's not Bad, I just would not buy another. :(
I finally got to try one of these and actually thought they were quite nice. Better than an Aero anyway. The size is the real let-down though. Looks like they're aiming it at the same market as Kitkat Senses as it has a similar calorie content.
YUCK!
Funny enough, out of the Aero, Wispa and Galaxy Bubbles, this is my favourite.
When first had an Aero, I just thought I didn't like aerated chocolate; turns out I just don't like Aero's all that much. I find them too hard, they don't melt well and the air bubbles feel like sandpaper on my tongue.
The Wispa and Galaxy are very close, but the creamy milk in the Galaxy recipe won me over.
I didn't find that the chocolate melted too quickly at all, so I think we'll have to disagree on this one, Jim.
As for it being lighter, I have two guesses:
1. Cheaper manufacturing costs
2. Since it's been aimed more heavily at women, the lighter it is, the less calories it has, and so might appeal to women more than the 210 calories in a Wispa.
The calorie content does seem to have gone up since your review though; it's at 174 now, which is odd, because the weight remains the same.
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