On the new and improved Bassett’s winegums

Fuel: disappointment

So. Bassett’s have improved their winegums by changing the recipe. I realise this happened quite a while ago, but I (will admit that I) typically only buy Bassett’s when travelling, and then get an absolute boatload of them at the duty free shop and overdose seriously. This is only because they can be hard to find locally.

Bassett’s winegums have been the only fruit sweets I’ve ever cared for. I think fruit sweets are boring. If they’re sour, they’re ok; if they’re Bassett’s winegums, they’re freaking amazing. ALAS, NO MORE.

Bassett’s winegums used to be a bit tart (throat tickled ever so slightly) and quite tough. In other words, they were winey and gummy, as you would expect as per their name. With the new recipe, they are no longer neither winey nor gummy. They are straightforward sweet fruit jelly sweets. They may make new, enthusiastic friends, but I no longer have any use for them whatsoever. Goodbye old friend. I’ll miss you. Also eff you, Bassett’s.

37 thoughts on “On the new and improved Bassett’s winegums

  1. Totally agree as have been a lover of the old school wine gums for over 40 years & had to resort to getting the Bassett’s version when travelling. Totally gutted when I opened my latest box at Xmas to discover they were now the regular Maynards version you can buy at the local pound shops. Never again will I buy these unless they revert to the old recipe. All sweets will end up like Haribo soon !

    • Marks and spencer make a fab old school wine gum…. Maynard merged with bassett… and they make the new slime gums… lol

  2. I do not understand why anybody would change a great differenciating product to make it alike with the competition, especially if it is one of the worst products of the competitor. I really like Haribo’s gummy bears but their winegums are just awful. It is really sad to realize that Bassett’s wine gums are gone. Hope sales will drop to make them rethink their decision. Is there a list to subscribe for getting information when they return to the old recipe?

  3. Incredible. They had the best product in the world, and they have changed it into something trivial and not worth any attention. I used to buy kios of them, and now, if they don’t go back to the old recipe, I will NEVER buy any Bassett’s Winegums anymore.

  4. Now I understand- I’ve been looking for my old wine gums in the airports for months now and wondering why there were none. The soft Maynards ones just don’t do it for me – I’ve been chewing Bassets for 50 years! I’m going to have to contact Cadbury to see if I can get them to release the recipe for some artisan to take over.

  5. I am devastated! I have been buying these at the airport for years now. Why on earth would you take the best of the best and make it the same as everything else! How can the company be soooo stupid! Please someone get this sorted I hate to think of this fantastic product being lost for ever!

  6. I totally agree. My boyfriend just brought me my usual stash on his last work trip! I am so disappointed. I’ve never been a fan of the other types and these taste like those other ones. I’ve been a fan of these wine gums since I was a kid. Meh.

  7. Absolutely agree. Its actually something I care about. What is going on. It used to be awesome, not its really not good at all. Does anyone know why this is done? Why change something that really worked. Makes me wonder if the ingredients were somehow a problem when it comes to regulations and so on … either way, not buying it any more either. #onelesscustomer

  8. Totally agree, why change a good product into something less. they’re too soft, too much fruity taste.

    If you freeze them or you left them in the winter in the car, they are ok again until they warm up in your mouth.

    Please make a 3rd type like after the sour ones, but don’t touch the Original WINEGUM !!!

    Cheers, ER.

  9. Same in Sweden. I bought a couple of bags the other day. “New recipe” it said in bold letters. New? Yes. Tasty? No. These new ones are too sweet and mushy. Please, Bassetts or Cadbury or whoever made this decision to change. There is something called market research. Try it out before making changes most customers don’t want.

  10. I understand that due to EU food and health regulations the recipe had to be changed. I loved the Dutch Wine Gums. The original ones are a thing of the past. I had my Dutch friend call the company that makes Wine Gums for the Albert Heijn Supermarket. The Rep said they had gotten many complaints regarding “new recipe”; however it was EU imposed.

    • I’d readily believe this – EU regulations already forced a remake of one of my favourite perfumes! (Wah!) Do you have any more information regarding what was banned? Doing a quick search I could only find information banning certain colouring agents (Bassett’s was hit too), but it’s odd that a colour could change both taste and texture, so I think there has to be more to it. I’d love to hear all you know!

  11. I totally agree with all the comments posted here. The new recipe ruins the good old flavor of the best (and only) winegums I loved. If these new winegums are here to stay then I have to say goodbye to Bassetts. Very very sad.

  12. Totally agree with the comments here. The Traditional ones were the best ever, harder and tastier than the Maynards ones that have replaced them. Have grown up with these and had to resort to getting them at airports until now. Why did they take the 2 and discontinue the best one. Market research would have told them not to do it. No more gums for me until this is rectified :(

  13. Do not despair. Remember “New Coke”? It was panned by so many customers that Coca Cola brought back “Coke Classic” and New Coke faded into the sunset.

    Complain enough (letter writing, petitions, etc.) and maybe the old recipe will return – unless the change was EU-mandated. In that case you will have to wait fot the Brexit to be implemented and Basset’s can return to the original recipe.

  14. Why, oh why, would they change the best candy in the world. Goodbye, old friend. Never buying these horrible new recipe ones again. You just lost a loyal customer.

  15. I will no longer buy these Wine Gums as they are nothing like the old flavour or texture why oh why do these company’s keep changing a good recipe when it has one

  16. Like everyone else I’m totally frustrated at the changing of the best wine gum on planet earth and to think it may have something to do with eu rules makes me so mad I’m physically sick aahhh

  17. Such stupidity from Basset’s, but I suppose they doesn’t give a shit about their product, just as long as it generates a profit. Hopefully it won’t, but then they might aswell just cancel the whole thing.

  18. As others have commented, I’ll never be buying the wine gums again until or unless the recipe is changed back to the way it was. The new version isn’t worth the money or the calories.

    I heard that the new recipe is labeled ‘halal’. Could the reason for the change be to appeal to those following Islam at the expense of the rest of the world?

    • Hmm, if they’ve changed the gelling agent from gelatine (derived usually from pig skin & bones) to something like pectin, that would make their wine gums now suitable for muslims as well as Jewish and vegatarian/vegan folk – which would, indeed, translate into a much larger customer base. Huh. I wonder if this is part of what happened? Still doesn’t explain why they did away with my favourite flavour: the pale grape one!

  19. Marks and spencer wine gums taste like old bassett recipe. I hate Maynard slime gums… always brought bassett when abroad… then discovered m and s do a super wine gum… slightly hard and chewy… and left your tongue sizzling with the flavour.

      • CONFIRMED!!! Immediate when I was reading this I ordered from my London collegae some M&S Wine Gums (No M&S in Belgium anymore).
        These Wine Gums are bringing back the old winey taste with that difference that they stay as soft as the new ones. So OK, it’s not 100% the same but for sure the taste is back! Give it a try!

  20. Like everyone else here, I am also mourning the loss of the old recipe Bassett Wine Gums, they have been my guilty pleasure for close to 50 years now. I love them hard and winey, not the rubbery stuff that taste like what i imagine a candle would taste like if you could eat one. I have sampled so many different Wine Gums from all over the globe in a quest to finding the old taste. Please how does one start a petition? Who does one write it to? I truly hope Brexit will bring back our old Wine Gums.

  21. I never understood why I could only get Bassett at the airport, with the usual stores only stocking the crappy Maynard brand. Then the new packaging at the airport mentioned Maynard and Bassett on the box and I feared the worst… Never buying them again until they revert back to the old recipe. I thought it was due to Maynard purchasing Bassett and hereby forcing their inferior product through our throats… Not for me, thank you!!

  22. I DO NOT LIKE NEW FLAVOR, FIND GUMS TOO SOFT.
    USUALLY GET BOXES AS PRESENTS XMAS/BIRTHDAYS.
    NO MORE HAVE ASKED FAMILY TO STOP, PLEASE BRING BACK ORIGINALS

  23. So, like I said before, the ones from M&S are OK and for sure after a cold night in my car they also are getting hard.
    If I need to give it a rate a should say the new recipie from Basset gets a 3 out of 10 where 10 was the original taste and these from M&S are getting 8! No, I’m not working for M&S :-).

  24. Please bring back the real thing. The new recipe is disgusting.
    I loved the hard consistence after a few days out of the plastic bag and of course the incredible taste.
    I would gladly pay twice or tripple the price than I used to pay for a package of Bassett’s with the new recipe.

  25. Just came from a holiday trip, happy with my Bassett Wine Gum box. WHAT THE F**K IS THIS?! This new shit is totally different product, only a mere shadow of the greatness it once was. Im shocked and sad. This will be the last time I ever buy Bassett, I’m gonna throw these at my kids that don’t know any better. I know.

  26. When Bassett’s was put together with Maynards they obviously lost all the recipes of their wine gums. And they got rid of the white one.
    Also can’t eat the “new” ones.
    At least they don’t put “original” on their packs anymore.
    RIP

  27. Yes. Mondelez (already possessing Maynards) buyed Bassett’s and killed them. I am mourning too. Does anyone here know how a petition may be addressed to Mondelez?

  28. Just bought a big pack at Munich airport without knowing that they completely ruined Bassett’s Winegum. I am throwing the whole big pack in the waste basket, total junk taste, avoid at all cost. I will never buy it again, will not take it even for free!

  29. BACK TO THE OLD RECIPE:
    Call this free number: 800 055 200 of Mondelez International and complain about the “new” recipe”: a very intelligent person on the phone has just told me that if those who complain are really many, they may revert to the old recipe.This has already happened for other products.
    Please forward this message everywhere.

  30. hate new formular of the gums. miss old style gums special the white and black one’s, but all the old one’s tast alot better than the new shit. will never bye basette gums again if not u make the old one’s again. regards from Denmark

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