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KoKo Nuggz – Chocolate Budz

(THIS PRODUCT IS NON-MEDICATED. NO THC, NO CBD)

Updated: January 23rd 2018

When we first reviewed Koko Nuggz Original OG flavor back in May 2017 (see underneath update), we concluded that it was pretty tasty! It wasn’t ‘Gourmet’ chocolate, as previously stated, but since then there has been a huge ingredients overhaul. The best thing about this product though, is the amazingly novelty look. If you happen to be searching for an edible weed bud lookalike – look no further!

Original flavors include OG, which we reviewed below, and ‘Kush Berry’ which we didn’t get to try at the time. Now, there are four more fun flavors to choose from! These include Cookies & Cream OG, Lemonade, Strawberry Shortcake, and Banana OG. So, to ease our curiosity (and sweet tooth), we figured we needed to give them, and Kush Berry a try.

This time around, we were happy to discover that ALL four of the new flavors host a new and simplified list of chocolatey ingredients! This is a positive improvement over the previous ingredients list which featured multiple oils and sugars, but not much resembling chocolate.

The ‘nug-like’ appearance of these candies, is thanks to the natural inconsistency of shape and size. As well as the murky green color and frosty tips. The pops of crisped rice give Koko Nuggz a texture much like a crunch bar, but way more visually appealing!

[Now, before somebody ends up as the embarrassing party guest that takes the ‘placebo effect’ too far – just remember, they may look convincing, but these little guys are non-medicated.]

Kush Berry

Kush Berry is one of the original flavors, with the original ingredients (more on this below). These green nuggz are speckled with a delicate lavender color, and are blueberry flavor. I expected a brighter color to represent berry, but it looks beautiful nevertheless.

The flavor of Kush Berry Koko Nuggz is like a more blueberry version of Fruity Pebbles cereal. The smell is much like berry Kool-Aid – and very sweet! Some found this one a little too artificial tasting, but if you like the fruity cereal taste, then this one might be for you!

Cookies and Cream OG

Cookies and Cream OG is one of four new flavors. While the label on the jar is white, these budz are flecked with a dark indigo color. It wasn’t the color I forecast for cookies and cream, but maybe black and white is too obvious…

This one turned out to be one of my favorites, but mainly because I couldn’t detect much of an added flavor. Cookies and cream is a subtle flavor to begin with, so maybe it got slightly lost in the chocolate. Much like original OG, Cookies and Cream OG has a mellow white chocolate taste and nice crispy bits to add some crunch. If you like Crunch bars, stick with Original OG or Cookies and Cream OG!

Banana OG

My first taste of Banana OG was deceptive because it tasted, once again, like Original OG. But, the second mouthful was a banana explosion! Though the banana flavor isn’t consistent throughout the jar, it’s one of the best flavors.

Banana OG is good because it doesn’t overpower the chocolate, and has a less artificial taste than Kush Berry or Lemonade. These nuggz are decorated with buds of light yellow, pretty much what you’d expect of a banana. Thumbs up!

Strawberry Shortcake

For some reason, Strawberry Shortcake Koko Nuggz come in a different jar to all the other flavors. Don’t worry though, it holds the same amount of chocolate (2.25oz)! The jar is taller and thinner than the others, and the label is strawberry-red.

Decked with hot pink baubles, Strawberry Shortcake Koko Nuggz are definitely the most eye-catching in terms of color intensity. These pink little ‘budz’ taste like a bowl of Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries cereal, and are equally sweet!

Lemonade

Do you like Trix? Do you like lemons? If the answer is yes, then you’ll enjoy this flavor. Lemonade Koko Nuggz have a tangy fruit cereal taste, heavy on the lemon.

As my least favorite, I found these Lemonade Nuggz both too sharp and oversweet at the same time. My fellow taste-tester (and self-proclaimed trix lover) on the other hand, gobbled them up! As somebody who prefers rich chocolate to fruit flavors, I knew this one wouldn’t be for me! SO, this is totally debatable, depending on your palate.

Lemonade features yet another random Koko Nuggs color choice. The color of this lemony flavor is an orange-salmon shade. Instead of going for yellow like banana, or, well, lemonade…

New Ingredients

In our original review, we discussed Koko Nuggz’ claim of being ‘100% Gourmet Chocolate’. After examining the ingredients listed on the packaging, we found no mention of chocolate, cocoa, or anything else related to it. The product tasted nice, but the source was questionable. Since then, the website no longer claims to be gourmet, and the packaging has also lost it’s previous ‘Cali Sweets’ web address.

Interestingly, the original ingredients list is now only on the original flavors OG and Kush Berry. We were happy to discover that ALL four of the new flavors host a new and simplified list of chocolatey ingredients;

• Chocolate
• Dairy
• Cocoa 8%
• Rice Krisp Cereal Gluten Free
• Added Flavor (lemonade, banana, etc)

 

Overall, the flavor potency seems to depend on how colorful your nug is. The more color, the more flavor that gathers, and the more you’ll taste. The less color, the more it tastes like original OG flavor. Original OG, Banana OG and Cookies and Cream OG have a sweet chocolatey taste, without overpowering added flavors. If you prefer a more robust flavor, go for Strawberry Shortcake, Kush Berry, or Lemonade.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a quirky treat to bring to a party or share with friends, Koko Nuggz is a deliciously fun idea! This novelty product is something different. A great option to gift to a stoner friend, comically prank your family with, or keep as a fancy snack for when you are medicating. The improved ingredients list is a plus!

This chocolate candy is not gourmet, but it’s sweet, tasty and clearly, the novelty aspect is what sells it! This stuff quashes your sugar cravings for sure, but is it worth the price?

At $14.99 (down from $19.99) for 2.25oz, and $24.99 (down from $29.99) for 4.5oz – it’s still a bit steep for a reoccurring purchase. However, like we said before, for a special occasion or a sweet laugh, Koko Nuggz are a super unique treat!

 

ORIGINAL POST – Published May 24, 2017: 

 

 “KoKo Nuggz – Patent Pending. 100% PURE GOURMET CHOCOLATE.”

(THIS PRODUCT IS NON-MEDICATED. NO THC, NO CBD)

• Excellent appearance
• Great for gag-gift
• Good/OK taste
• Not ‘gourmet’ as claimed
• Expensive for size

Koko Nuggz – OG Flavor

Serving = 2 pieces of KoKo Nuggz/ 70cal

[Claims to have about 20 pieces – but my jar had 12]

The Look

The look of this product is what makes it worthwhile. If you’re after a convincing weed look-alike, you’ve found it! From a small distance, I think it could fool anybody. Try sending a video of yourself eating one of these nuggz to your friends for a hilarious reaction!

On closer inspection, the pieces of chocolate are a pale murky green color with a frosty outer tinge. There are small puffs (of what i’m assuming are crispy rice pieces?) throughout. The KoKo Nuggz are held in a small glass jar with a gold screw lid, complete with green and gold label. There’s even a shake-like powder at bottom of the jar!

Is This Real Chocolate?

KoKo Nuggz describes itself as “chocolate budz” on the label, but chocolate is not listed in the ingredients whatsoever. Typically, chocolate ingredients are broken down within the main ingredients list on a product label. The online product description for KoKo Nuggz states;

“We acquire our chocolate from a source that selects cocoa beans from around the world for their quality to deliver a premium chocolate experience. The percentage of cacao in the chocolate is derived from the cocoa bean and excludes any other flavors or additives, natural or artificial.”

But I can’t see a reflection of this in the KoKo Nuggz ingredients list;

Rice, Flour, Dry Nonfat Regular Milk with added Vitamin A and Vitamin D, Ciranda Sunflower Lecithin, Whey Protein Isolate. Unflavored Organic Barley Malt Extract, Sugar, Oil, Industrial Palm Oil & Palm Kernel Filling etc., USDA Commodity Food Oil, Vegetable Low Saturated Fat, Riboflavin (Vitamin B12), Salt, Vitamin B6.

Quality and Cocoa

When it comes to good chocolate, always look for “cocoa butter” in the ingredients. This ties into cocoa percentage, and in the end – quality. Quality gourmet chocolates do not substitute vegetable oils for cocoa butter.

High quality chocolate uses some form of cocoa as the main ingredient. Cocoa nibs, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter and cocoa powder are all varieties of cocoa. When the fat comes from a source other than cocoa butter (typically vegetable oil), it usually comes down to price. It’s also easier to work with during the manufacturing process. Vegetable oils are more cost-effective than cocoa butter, but less appealing when it comes to taste and texture.

KoKo Nuggz use “Oil, Industrial Palm Oil…USDA Commodity Food Oil, Vegetable Low Saturated Fat”. The long shelf life and room temperature semi-solid state makes palm oil an appealing option for many companies.

{Not only is palm oil unhealthy for us; the development of palm oil plantations is destroying critical habitat for many on the endangered species list.}

The Taste

Eating the KoKo Nuggz was interesting as I had no prior expectations as to what they would taste like. I’ve eaten my fair share of medicated edibles, but never actually enjoyed the taste. I had never eaten anything that looked like weed, but wasn’t medicated. In that regard, I was happily surprised to taste regular chocolate.

On the other hand, it was disappointing to discover that all I was tasting was regular chocolate. It was good, just a bit generic in my opinion. My expectations were high, simply because it claims to be ‘gourmet’ chocolate.

The taste is very much like a Crunch bar. Milky chocolate with nice crispy bits – simple, yummy, but not gourmet. The reason that’s important is because of the price tag.

The Price Tag

$29.99 seems pricey for the 12ish pieces of chocolate I received. I was expecting something larger to arrive (being somebody who can’t imagine what weight looks like in chocolate!).

I think it’s quite expensive, considering the quality of the chocolate. Saying that, the product looks fantastic, as a whole. Obviously, cost is relevant to the effort put into appearance. Value depends on what’s more important to you.

Personally, I would prefer to go and get a bucket load of Lindt, Cadburys or Guylian for almost $30!

Kush Berry Flavor

I didn’t try the alternative flavor – ‘Kush Berry’, but somebody agrees about the crunch bar taste! One customer says;

“I always gotta see what the hype is about the newest thing everyone’s buzzing over & these @KoKoNuggz did not disappoint. Tastes like a berry flavored Crunch bar & regardless of it not being medicated, is definitely worth a try for any stoner with the munchies”

Final Thoughts

All in all, ‘KoKo Nuggz – chocolate budz’ was an enjoyable product. The look is great, but the taste is average. I’d say it’s a great gag gift for a stoner friend, or a fun prank for a friend or parents.

I enjoyed munching on these little buds with a cup of tea and my trusty vape. However, regarding chocolate quality and value, this product leaves me wanting more.

If you’d like to try it for yourself, buy it here!