Rsp: £1.49 for a 75g chickon-on-a-stick
The competition: Peperami, X-Sticks, X-Bites, Rocking JC Beef Jerky
The consumer
I was half expecting a chicken lollipop and the reality isn't far from that. It doesn't win any votes for prettiness, but as a lunchbox snack it was substantial and tasty. A bit salty, but the texture was pretty good. I like the idea. It's about time we had a meat snack in a convenient format. The only thing I didn't really like was the price, but then you'd be hard pushed to buy a sandwich for less than £1.50 these days. It would benefit from having a dip like a yoghurt or chilli to excite the palate. Four stars (out of five)
Frank Stevens, construction site manager, Wakefield
The retailer
As a long time carb-avoider I looked forward to sampling these. They are not cheap, but are attractively packaged with a variety of flavours available. What a disappointment! They have the horrible spongy texture that only chopped and shaped chicken breast can deliver. The bites do have an underlying flavour reminiscent of chicken, but the texture spoils it. The low point is the Southern Fried variant, which has an odd chemical-tasting flavour. One star
Tina Hird, trading controller, Spar UK
Health has been a huge driver of NPD in snacks, so it's refreshing to see a brand such as Fridge Raiders do so well. Sales have exceeded £20m since the original launched last year. Slightly synthetic in taste and texture though the lunchbox-friendly format may be, it was certainly a decent-sized hunk of meat and oddly moreish. It will make a welcome break from soggy sandwiches, too. Three stars
Alex Beckett, products editor
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