RIP, peppermint ritter sports

okay, i had worked up a whole desperate ranty piece of work about peppermint ritter sports, but then after doing some more research (i.e., discussion board stalking) i learned that not only am i late to this party, but it looks like it's somewhat final and basically a lost cause. so, i guess i should instead be happy that i had several extra months of ignorant bliss compared to some PRS-lovers, and do my part in spreading the word (but please don't shoot the messenger!).

if you didn't already know from my previous ramblings about peppermint ritter sports, they are one of my very favorite treats in all the land. i had to have a Serious Talk with myself when i went vegan, understanding that i would never again have a PRS bar, and made my peace with it... only to learn that they were in fact vegan, and i could keep eating them forevah! hooray! well, then they suddenly became really impossible to find in the US, which created a bit of a problem for me, but my husband's discovery of online german candy companies and my girlfriends in canada helped a sister out from time to time, and i was still able to have my lovelies. most recently, a friend of mine went to germany, and she brought back ten bars for me. i still have three left, which is pretty good considering they were delivered to me four months ago. i am capable of restraint! who knew?

well anyhow, a couple of weeks ago i was chatting up the good folks at vegan essentials in an effort to see if there was any way they could figure out how to stock PRS bars, and in the process of researching everything together, we stumbled upon a bittersweet revelation: (a) peppermint rittersports are once again available in the US--woohoo!!!, and (b) they now include butterfat--WTeffingF?!? 

apparently, this has been true for awhile now, but i've been living in a bubble, so to speak. i saw them in the store just last week and indeed, they include butterfat on the label now. the bars i have from germany are still clean, and i've heard that there are still some bars in canada that are clean, but it looks like the butterfat versions are snaking their way around the world now, as the old stock sells out. grrrrr. a few people have written to the company, and been given a line of total hoohaw regarding "bloom" and maintaining the integrity of the chocolate. to which i say, give me a break, because the marzipan and dark chocolate ritter sports remain vegan regardless of the possibility of "bloom." so lame.

back when they started becoming super-scarce in the US, the rumor was that there was some kind of weird ingredient that the US didn't allow, so they could be sold all over the place, just not here. i never learned what that ingredient was, but it looks like they took it out and added butterfat in its place. boo on you, ritter sport. you just lost a small but previously-very-loyal fanbase, for no reason whatsoever. 

i'm starting to get extremely frustrated with companies that add non-vegan ingredients to otherwise-vegan products. first hemp organics added beeswax to their tinted lip balms (otherwise known as "my only lipstick," thank you very much), then alba added beeswax to their hawaiian lip balms (otherwise known as "my very favorite lip balm"), and now ritter sport. :angry face:

but, those two experiences taught me something very important: no matter how distraught i am at the time, i always find something suitable as a replacement. so my new mission is going to be tracking down those divine after-dinner mints that i told you about a few months ago. they are really really tasty, plus they're fair trade, which makes me happy. they appear to be just a holiday thing, but maybe if there's demand they'll sell them year-round? (and if that works, you're next, peppermint chocolate vitasoy and pumpkin silk!) ah well, a girl can dream.

Comments

[Jo]

I'm a marzipan girl myself, but I appreciate the peppermint ones too and I'm sad that they aren't vegan anymore. I will have a look at my local market for some non-butterfat bars and if I find any I'd be happy to send you some for your stash.

J.

[Mihl]

Ha, I've ranted about this too. I think they may have changed the ingredients because here in Germany not many people buy peppermint chocolate. I don't know anyone who likes that flavour. That's why they needed to give them a longer shelf life(my theory). They don't realize at all how important they are to US vegans, lol. But you are right, fair trade chocolate is much better anyways and I hope you like your new choice.
P.S. Someone told me that the "weird ingredient" was related to alcohol of which traces were found in the chocolate or something like that. That's why they weren't allowed to import the chocolate anymore, but I don't know if this makes sense.

[la Phoenicienne]

I've seen tons of Hawaiian Alba without the beeswax. And look for the vegan EcoLips Lemon-Lime, so smooth on the lips!

[la Phoenicienne]

p.s. I love the little masked kitty for your photo. a-doorbell!

[Melisser]

I only have 2 left & I am freaking out a little bit!

[girl least likely to]

J--aww, you are very sweet! thanks for the offer. xo

mihl--very interesting, about the alcohol. i suppose that makes sense in a weird way... but stiiiiiilllll [/whine]

phoe--thanks! the kitty reminds me of one of my own. hee. i don't see the vegan alba around here much anymore, but it's okay because i've finally made my peace with it and moved on. i still really like the avalon C tube, which is virtually the exact same formula, just without the new beeswax.

melisser--i feel your pain, girlfriend.