Find out what Mumsnet testers thought of Ape snacks

[LucyBMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the 250 Mumsnetters with children aged 3 - 11 who have been testing out Ape’s Puffs range.

These Mumsnetters tested the following flavours:
Really Cheesy Puffs
Lightly Salted Puffs
Sweet Chilli Puffs

Here’s what Ape have to say: “At Ape, we have cut the monkey business, making snacks with only the best plant based ingredients and tastiest natural flavours, so you can snack happy. We want to know what you and your kids think of our baked-not-fried crispy snacks – Puffs! We can’t wait to hear what you think! Love from the team at Ape x”

Testers, please give your feedback by answering the questions below as well as completing the survey we have emailed you:

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
2. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?
3. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?
4. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

All testers who give the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where three lucky testers will each win a £100 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

[Cheguevarahamster]

What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

Packaging was good. Texture was excellent. Some flavours (chilli was dodgy with an unpleasant after taste). Cheese ones were like posh wotsits, very silky and lovely. . My kids like the salted ones.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

. Salt and vinegar flavour.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

Multi packs

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Sweet potato, pea., beetroot

[Lindy2]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

The packaging looked fun and interesting. The snacks are a very nice texture. We liked that they are comfortable bite sized and have a really crunchy texture.

One of my children didn't think the cheese flavour was quite like proper cheese (this was without her knowing it is vegan cheese). I thought it was actually very nice and very cheese like.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

Some kind if cereal/granola bar or fruit based snacks would be good.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

They are a bit more expensive than some of the other (not so healthy) crisps we buy.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

A tomato and garlic flavour could work.

[Pinklady1981]

Thank you for letting trial these delicious snacks. All 6 packets were gone in 2 days!!!
1, we all loved them. Just the right flavour and amount. There was nothing we didn't like about them.
2, definitely more flavours please!!! A great after school snack. Healthy oaty bars. Rice cakes/bars.
3, to be honest there is nothing to change. They are perfect 👌🏼
4, adding a veggie ingredient sounds interesting.

[ChibiTotoro]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

We really liked the logo. We thought it was eye catching and very clever. The texture of the puffs was good, they were different to what we expected. We thought they would dissolve on the tongue quite quickly like other puffed snacks, instead they had a good crunch. The cheese puffs were tasty but very strong smelling. We weren't so keen on the sweet chilli puffs. My children were concerned before trying them that they would be too hot for them, which they weren't, but the aftertaste was a bit odd.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

BBQ flavour puffs would be good.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

The pack size was a bit big if they are intended for children. Also the packets were difficult for my children to open independently.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Chickpea or some other protein base.

[HaveTeaWillSurvive]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
   

They were a bit dry and the salted ones were a bit tasteless. We enjoyed the other flavours.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?
   

Some alternative snacks like roasted chickpeas

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?
   

The shape was totally round which I’d worry about with very small children. Perhaps a different option would work.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?
   

Sweet potato or spinach; salt and vinegar

[WilsonandNoodles]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

My son was very attracted by the bright packaging but not really a fan of anything but the cheese flavour and even then he still opted for his usual crisps. I found the salted too plain but enjoyed the other flavours. I liked the texture too.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

Different shapes, it might sound daft but shape is really important to a 3 year old!

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

There seemed plenty of Puffs per bag but the size of bag was excessively large (bigger than the same weight as our usual crisps). I would have preferred more environmentally friendly packaging and if not available the smallest packaging required.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Hidden vegetables would be good as would extra while grains and fibre.

[Givemeabreakpls]

1. My dd (6) really liked the colourful packaging and it encouraged her to try the snacks. I thought all three flavours were delicious; she wasn’t so keen on the sweet chilli.
   
2. Absolutely salt and vinegar flavour!
   
3. Perhaps slightly bigger puffs for the younger children? Other than that wouldn’t change a thing.
   
4. Hidden veg would be fab; sweet corn, beetroot, carrot.
   

Thanks for letting us test them!

[PenguinsCantFly]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

We loved the shape of the puffs and that they melt in your mouth. My DS really loved the sweet chilli flavour!

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

Some other flavours of puffs would be good - cheese & onion, cheese & chive maybe?

Some gluten free bread stick like snacks would be nice too.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

The option of buying a big bag of them!

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Dried fruit maybe?

[fblake]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried? Mine loved the salted flavour, didn't like the cheese or the chilli.
2. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range? Maybe a bar or some kind?
3. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change? More flavour variety.
4. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)? Maybe carrot puffs or other veg?

[AddictedToRadley]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
   

We loved the packaging, it was of good quality and made you think it was a premium product. The circular shapes were perfect as they were big enough so that only one was put into the mouth at once, unlike wotsits whereby my children would put several in at once and then complain when they’d finished the packet quickly! They had a nice texture and a lovely crunch to them and you got a great amount in each packet as opposed to the usual 1/3 of a bag. The lightly salted were the best and although the adults would’ve preferred more salt/flavour, it was actually good to know there was a minimal amount for the children. I would definitely buy these again. The cheese flavour were overpowering when you first opened the packet and it made everyone reluctant to eat them. However, once you’d eaten a few they were actually very tasty. I think that we would consider buying these again but they wouldn’t be our first choice. If the flavour was toned down somewhat then we’d buy them again but definitely not to eat in the car as the smell was like daddy taking his shoes off!! Our least favourite was without a doubt the sweet chilli flavour. My DS (11) usually loves hot and spicy foods and adores sweet chilli but he hated these and actually described them as ‘disgusting my and ‘vile’. The adults didn’t like them either and found there was an unpleasant aftertaste. The flavour didn’t remind us of sweet chilli, it was just too much of a forced chemically flavour. DD (5) didn’t mind the flavour of the sweet chilli but after eating around 1/3 to 1/2 of the packet she started getting upset and said that the snack had burnt her and cut her mouth. Her tongue was very red and the corners of her mouth did have slight cracking like when dehydrated on a cold winters day. Whether this was caused by the snack I cannot say (DD was adamant it was but I honestly don’t know) either way it was the flavour stinging the raw areas of her mouth so she won’t try them again. I definitely wouldn’t buy the sweet chilli flavour again.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?
   

I’d love to see a colourful snack like a beetroot flavour so that the snacks were coloured purple to add a fun interest for the children. I’d also love to see salt and vinegar flavour and a fully salted version of the lightly salted snack for adults.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?
   

Smaller portion sizes for the younger children. Less air in the packets to cut down on packaging (although they are better than other snacks so it’s not a deal breaker for me). Cheese flavour to be toned down a bit and sweet chilli flavour redesigned to stop the awful chemical aftertaste.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)? I’d love to see a vegetable based snack like you can buy from the baby food aisles but aimed at the primary school aged child rather than babies. More colours in the snacks to add a fun factor eg purple from beetroot and orange from carrots etc.
   

Thank you for allowing us to trial these snacks. Although I’m not sure I would be a regular consumer at 79p a packet, it is something I would buy occasionally and would definitely purchase if you could get them in multipacks that would bring the individual pack to nearer 50-60p each. Also, thank you for the canvas bag. It came in very handy as the bag I was using tore that day so I’m using this one now

[Runningshorts]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

My children loved the colourful bags and the texture of the snacks. They were both huge fans of the cheese flavour but the smell was too overpowering for my liking. I wanted them to wash their hands straight after.
They weren't big fans of the salted and chilli flavour. My daughter ate some of the salted but I finished off the chilli packet and thought they were fairly spicy for children's snacks.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

Anything else with a lighter flavour, e.g. a light tomato and herb or similar.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

Lighter flavours.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Carrot or sweet potato.

[nerysw]

We were really pleased to be chosen to test these and everyone really liked the design and the packaging.

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
   

My husband really liked the cheese flavour but he was the only one, I wasn't keen on the taste and my daughter (who loves anything cheese flavoured) really disliked the aftertaste. My son wouldn't even try them because of the smell.
The sweet chilli flavour were strange - kids not keen at all and they normally like sweet chilli. Grown ups thought they were ok but I think the problem is they don't taste of sweet chilli.
Everyone loved the salted flavour, maybe not the most exciting of flavours but they were tasty and the texture of all of them is really good.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?
   

Different shapes, sizes and colours.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?
   

More choice of flavours would be good.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?
   

Carrots, parsnips and fruit.

[Birnamwood]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
   

I loved the packaging and the kids were looking forward to trying them. Initially, the cheese flavour smelt and tasted good but after two or three there was an unpleasant, lingering aftertaste. The salted flavour was very bland and tasteless. The chilli one were ok but again, had a lingering aftertaste. Unfortunately no one in our family (me, DP, 2 x DS and my DM) liked them.
As others have said the texture was a bit 'off' too. Sorry!

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?
   

Definitely salt and vinegar. Bbq, sour cream and chive, paprika

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?
   

Get the flavour right. The packaging and design are great but the flavour needs refining. The cheese tasted artificial, however, as they are vegan the flavour is artificial as you cannot use cheese and it shows

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?
   

Nail down the basics before trying something new

[hauntedvagina]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried? They were a good finger food size, and quite melt in the mouth. The flavours were balanced.
   
2. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range? Maybe different shapes, an larger bags so you could portion them for lunch boxes.
   
3. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change? Nothing.
   
4. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)? A greater range of flavours, maybe salt and vinegar. A sweet option would be great too.

[curiouscatgotkilled]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

The cheese ones had a very synthetic flavour and we didn't like them. My 4 year old ate the lightly salted and said they were nice, I thought they were tasteless. The sweet chilli were ok but again synthetic tasting.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

More tasty ones?

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

The taste, and the packet colours, confusing.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Added veg is always a bonus but I probably wouldn't buy them as We didn't like the taste. Sorry!

[Vanillaradio]

1 What did you and your children like and dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
Loved the colourful packages. Ds was a big fan of the cheese ones and was eating them within seconds of opening the box. He declared the salted ones medium good and did not like the chilli ones at all which he said were too spicey and could not finish the pack. I loved the chilli ones however which were my favourite, enjoyed the other two but the cheese smell was a bit strong. This didn't bother ds at all however! We both loved the melt in your mouth texture.
2 What other products would you like to see in the Ape range? Definitely a bigger variation of flavours. Ds would like more cheese based ones!
3 If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change? I loved the strong flavours however they were a bit off putting to ds and if they are intended for children could do with toning down a little.
4 What ingrediants would you like to see in future products? Definitely vegetables. D's would probably like parsnip or sweet potato. He also said anything else with cheese! For me salt and vinegar and sour cream and chive would be great.

[KingBobra]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

I really liked the cheese flavour - was surprised it was vegan. Kids did not like it because they opened the bag and stuck their noses in and sniffed, and it smelled like... well, we all know what parmesan cheese smells like... and it smelled like that. But the taste was good.
The sweet chilli flavour was the favourite, but the flavour seemed to settle to the bottom. The same seemed to happen with the salted ones, that the bottom was very salty and the top of the pack not so much. So, would probably suggest shaking the pack before opening.
The kids did a lot of trying to crush the balls, they were quite fascinated with how strong they were. They liked the shape, but I wonder if there's a choking risk for smaller kids and whether balls are the right shape (or maybe for a smaller kids range a more grabbable stick shape would be good). The kids said they tasted like rice cakes, (observation, not criticism) and DH did not like the aftertaste which he also described as rice cakey. I liked them, would buy them again, the kids seemed happy to have them as a swap for the usual crisps.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

Salt & Vinegar would be the obvious. Chocolate coated, they would be a bit like maltesers (can you add malt to rice?).

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

The packets don't seem to be recyclable, which seems a shame considering how sustainable everything else about Ape seems to be.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Not too bothered about addition of vegetables, but if you could use beetroot and other veg to give them funky colours, I think the kids would like that. Though if stuff was added that improved the Glycemic Index that would be a bonus.

[NEMSparkle]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

Really enjoyed the crunch. They were substantial and filling and not just puffs of air as I expected. Really enjoyed all the flavours.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

More flavours salt and vinegar would be grat.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

More flavours and a a cheaper price perhaps a multi pack option

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables

Yes veg and fruit added would be great carrot or a beetroot flavour would be great.

[lisylou21]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
   

I was unable to eat them as they contained coconut, but my daughter really enjoyed them all. The cheese ones were her favourite

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?
   

I think flavours with hidden veg, eg broccili and cheese and carrot and cheese, would work well as flavours

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?
   

I wouldnt change anything

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?
   

sweet versions like strawberry and banana

[MrsWooster]

What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried? not popular here, I’m afraid, and we’re a big Quaver, Pom bear, walkers ready salted household.
Packaging was good. Texture was a bit heavy and rubbery. flavours: chilli wasn't good- chemical taste-Cheese ones tasted ‘artificial’. Salted ones weren’t a hit but ds said ‘best of the lot’.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?
   
2. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change? Lighter flavour and texture
   
3. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?
   

Sweet potato, beetroot, carrot (That’s me, not dc though..)

[MustBeThursday]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

I thought the cheesy ones were a bit too yeasty to taste. Sweet chilli were nice but couldn't have eaten a whole bag. The salted ones were the nicest if a bit bland. My admittedly fussy DCs didn't like any of them though!

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

Biscuits or maybe chipstick style crisps.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

The flavours weren't great. Tomato ones or herby flavours might be nicer. Maybe smaller bags or resealable ones, as the bags were too big even for me, much too big for the DCs

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Veg puffs would be good

[WowOoo]

Thanks for letting me test these.
They went down a treat and didn't last very long at all. The whole family tried all flavours.

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
   

It was so nice to actually get a decent sized pack of crisps. I thought it was generous. Loved the taste - didn't expect them to be as nice or to be so crunchy. Very happy with the flavours especially lightly salted.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?
   

Maybe crackers or pitta bread chips. I'm happy with the salt flavour. It was delicious!

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?
   

No idea of the cost, but it would be nice if I could afford to buy these when I see them in the shops. I'd like to.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?
   

Vegetables would be good.

[Sagradafamiliar]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?

I liked that there was a decent portion in each packet.
Youngest said the sweet chilli ones were 'spicy!hot!' and couldn't finish the pack. We all enjoyed the lightly salted ones the best.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?

Maybe some different flavours?

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?

I'd make the sweet chilli ones a bit milder.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Maybe beetroot.

[Threefaries]

1. What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
   

We all thought that the packaging looked appealing.
My14 year old dd liked all three flavours. Her favourite being the chilli ones. None of my three younger children liked the lightly salted ones. I found this flavour okay but a little lacking in taste. The taste reminded me of a cross between instant mash and crackerbread. A slightly odd taste. The texture was just right.
Everyone liked the cheese flavour. It did taste just like vegan cheese. The children agreed that the cheese flavour was as tasty as Walkers wotzits. I would much rather the children snack on the Ape cheese puffs because they are healthier.
My eldest thought that the chilli flavour was delicious. I found it a little bland. My other children disliked the chilli flavour.
The snacks are much healthier than a lot of snack foods on the market, for example crisps.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range?
   

I would love to see salt and vinegar snacks. Maybe an oriental flavour.

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change?
   

Easily recycled packaging.
Improvement of the chilli flavour.
We enjoyed the cheese flavour but I can see how people could be off-put by the smell.

The bag size is fine for our family as we would use a resealable click snap thing on the bag to keep the contents fresh if necessary. We shared the contents. I agree that the contents are too much for one portion.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?
   

Maybe a strawberry and vanilla flavour.
Dehydrated vegetables such as carrot, parsnips and beet. Ape puff snack sticks.

[SheSellSeaShells]

What did you and your children like or dislike about the Ape Puffs you tried?
Both of my boys aged 9 and 5 loved the cheese flavour one (their favourite and have asked me to purchase), they liked the shape and consistency of them as well. They were neutral about the salted, neither liked the sweet chilli (But sweet chilli was my favourite). There were plenty in the bag (some crisps are disappointing in few pieces and lots of air) and surprisingly filling.

1. What other products would you like to see in the Ape range? Prawn cocktail flavour

1. If you could change anything about Ape Puffs what would you change? Nothing we liked the shape, crunch and taste.

1. What ingredients would you like to see Ape use in future products (eg the addition of vegetables)?

Not sure they were fine, maybe people might like baby versions with veg, I'm sure my 9 year old might avoid if it said veg all over the pack.