Hi-Chew Premium vs. Regular Hi-Chew Grape Flavors

As you know, Hi-Chew (ハイチュウ) is a soft, chewy candy produced and sold by the leading Japanese confectionery company Morinaga-Seika (森永製菓).

Together with Milk Caramel and Ramune Soda Candy, the treat is one of Morinaga’s top-selling products, widely enjoyed in many countries.

The original product of the Hi-Chew series has been around since 1975, and in 2013, Morinaga introduced a new subline called Hi-Chew Premium.

Hi-Chew Premium vs. Regular Hi-Chew Grape

Today, I picked up Morinaga Hi-Chew Premium Grape and regular Hi-Chew Grape flavors for this blog article, for I wanted to compare them for people curious about the new line.

Now, first and foremost, let’s see the contents and features of both candies.

Features

As you can see in the photo, the Premium package contains round, loose Hi-Chews, and the bag has a zipper.

In contrast, as you know, the regular Hi-Chew Grape is rectangular and individually wrapped in foil.

Hi-Chew Grape

The regular Hi-Chew has a two-layer structure, and the purple exterior contains grape puree.

This candy has a firm, chewy texture and is rich in flavor with moderate sweetness.

Hi-Chew Premium Grape

On the other hand, the Hi-Chew Premium Grape has a thin fragrant layer of coating, whose inside is full of the delicious flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon, a representative grape variety for red wine.

This premium candy is soft but not so chewy/sticky compared to the regular Hi-Chew. Thanks to Cabernet Sauvignon, this one has a closer flavor to actual grape and tastes authentic.

Ingredients 

Next, let’s check the ingredients. Based on the list pictured above, the regular Hi-Chew Grape mainly consists of starch syrup, sugar, vegetable oil/fat, gelatin, concentrated grape juice, mixed jam (including apple), and grape puree.

Meanwhile, the main ingredients in the Hi-Chew Premium Grape flavor are starch syrup, sugar, dextrose, vegetable oil/fat, concentrated grape juice (99% Cabernet Sauvignon), and gelatin.

Price/Where to Buy

Last, as for the price and where to buy, the regular Hi-Chew Grape’s suggested retail price is 100 yen, while that of the Hi-Chew Premium is 120 yen.

Both the Hi-Chews have gained deep-rooted popularity in Japan and are available at supermarkets and convenience stores around the country.