Calpis Marshmallows

Calpis products call out to me whenever I see them, but this is one of the weirder ones. These marshmallows came in a strip of four bags for $3.39 US, which seemed a little pricey, but just unique enough for me to purchase anyway.

Although I like S'mores and Rice Krispie Treats, plain old marshmallows aren't really my thing. Maybe it's the overwhelming sweetness, maybe it's the texture, maybe it's the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man's fault, but I've never been a big fan. It feels good to get that off my chest.


The marshmallows were round, about an inch in diameter, and smelled like Calpis. Unsurprisingly, the marshmallows were sugary and sweet and didn't seem too different from normal marshmallows. The package promised a jelly center, and there was one, but it was more like a gel.

This gel was the source of the Calpis flavor, and even though it was nice and tart, it was overpowered by the sweet marshmallows. These just ended up being mildly citrusy marshmallows, but they weren't bad at all. Everyone I shared them with enjoyed them, I was surprised that I didn't mind them myself.

B-

Calpis website

Nestle Calpis KitKat

Whenever I see a new type of Calpis, I buy it. So far, this has meant Calpis soda, flavored Calpis, alcoholic Calpis, and Calpis candy, just to name a few. When Calpis KitKats came out, I knew I had to have them.

The polka dot packaging was adorable, and of course, it was a white chocolate bar. Milk chocolate Calpis just wouldn't make sense (though I'd gladly try it). It's hard to pin down the flavor of Calpis, but it is distinctive nonetheless. It's a little tangy from citrus and yogurt, but typically not carbonated.


The bar smelled like lemon, cream, and just a tiny bit like Calpis. It was tart and just a tiny bit tingly, but it reminded me more of lemon cake than the drink. However, that's not a bad thing, because lemon cake is delicious.

There were sour citrus bits in the wafers that provided a balance for the white chocolate. Not surprisingly, the bar was very sweet, but I didn't mind. In the end notes, there was the faintest hint of yogurt, but I can't really say it tasted like Calpis. Regardless, this KitKat was delicious, and I wish I ordered more.

A-

KitKat website

Calpis Softcandy

Calpis is one of my favorite Japanese beverages. It's a yogurt flavored, non-carbonated soft drink. You can buy it some places in the United States, but they call it "Calpico Water" over here because Calpis sounds like...something else. Apparently, Calpis is short for karada ni pi-su (peace to [your] body), so I'm not sure where Calpico comes from. Anyhow, there are yogurt flavored versions of Hi-Chew and other candies that taste just like Calpis, but this candy was put out by Calpis itself. I'd also like to point out that the package says "CALPIS" soft candy will always be enjoyed by you.

The package is simplistic, but elegant. I suppose that means they're going after a more mature market than Hi-Chew or Pucho. Unfortunately, this soft candy doesn't have a nice texture like Hi-Chew. It is much chewier and stickier, and after chewing for just a little bit, it gets kind of gritty, and that's not pleasant.

On the bright side, the flavor is great and exactly like the Calpis beverage. However, so do other yogurt flavored candies, so I think I will stick to those.

C+

Calpis Website (Japanese)