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Trader Joe’s just dropped new strawberry mochi gummies, and the moment I saw them, I thought, huh, I wonder if they cut a deal with Issei? But having grabbed a bag at the store today, these are product of Thailand and have a totally different ingredient list. So now I’m just hoping they didn’t get the idea from Issei and then say fine, you can’t meet this price, we’ll have someone else make it.
I got the Issei mochi gummies back in 2024, and their packaging has since changed.They’re now marked plant-based and gelatin-free. From what I remember strawberry was my favorite of the flavors (I also tried sour watermelon and tangerine). You can see, comparing with the screenshot
below, the TJ’s version is a darker color and I think the TJ’s version flavor is a little more intense, too, The TJ’s ones also aren’t marked vegan/plant-based, so check the ingredient list if that’s a concern.
They’re good, chewy but not hard, and I think I’d actually prefer them versus a strawberry Starburst these days. But I’d also encourage you to check out Issei for other flavors. World Market has the Sour Watermelon, and there’s also Yuzu, Mango and other flavors on Amazon.
For more Trader Joe’s summer strawberry faves, check out:
Trader Joe’s Strawberry Mini Sheet Cake
7 Items for Strawberry Season at Trader Joe’s