Oppo Mint Chocolate (The Co-Op)

Oppo is one of those brands that I probably wouldn't give a second glance at if it wasn't for instagram. The social media platform is seemingly in love with the healthy ice cream (or maybe just the people I follow are) and so I've found myself wanting to find out what all the fuss is about for a very long time. The trouble is, it's rather expensive stuff, and at roughly £5.00 for 500ml I'd rather play safe with my pennies and buy a tub of Ben & Jerry's. A few months ago my friend (and fellow blogger) Nat offered to send me some money off vouchers for Oppo at Waitrose, after which an amusing conversation ensued with the staff in my local branch -who had never heard of it and were thinking I was confused with Oreo. No joy there then! Fortunately for me, I've recently been introduced to Shopmium* which had an offer enabling me to buy a tub for a far more affordable £2.50, and so I persuaded Bert to drive me across town to the larger Co-Op where the Oppo range is stocked to pick up a tub. 

So who are Oppo and what makes them so special?

Oppo are all about making healthy yet indulgent tasting ice cream, hence the name Oppo, which stands for opposites. Their products are made from fresh milk, virgin coconut oil and stevia leaf, and all three flavours come in at under 60 calories per scoop. 

Faced in the Co-Op with the choice between Mint Choc Swirl, Madagascan Vanilla and Salted Caramel, I thought I'd opt for the latter. Then I remembered Nat swearing by the mint chocolate and changed my mind!

"Oppo combines American mint leaves, a rich cacao swirl and spirulina (sourced from the South China Sea) to create a smooth, creamy and refreshing ice cream with indulgent swirls of rich chocolate. 
One tablespoon of Spirulina contains 4 grams of Protein and an abundance of vitamins and iron.
Green doesn't have to mean boring."

It certainly was very green! It's been a very long time since I've had mint chocolate chip but I remember loving it as a child and as soon as it was open the nostalgia kicked in and I couldn't wait to get stuck in. Would it work well with warm chocolate stollen? Let's hope so!

The ice cream was quite tough to scoop, and tended to come out in shards rather than a perfectly formed quenelle, but I kind of bodged and patched it together to try and make it presentable for you. There were subtle ripples of chocolate sauce throughout and it smelt refreshingly minty.

Texture-wise there was a slight graininess to the ice cream that I'm not accustomed too -especially having recently discovered Jude's. The flavour was delicious though, delivering a freshness (that remarkably didn't remind me of brushing my teeth) combined with a chocolatey note that permeated throughout. It was then that I realised that the sweetness didn't taste any different to that within the non healthy ice creams I eat on an almost daily basis, surely that's a win for Oppo? 

Oppo's mint chocolate swirl was a welcome change, but I can't afford to buy it regularly and I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my sugar-laced nightly treats anyway! 

7/10

*Shopmium. Ever heard of it? If you haven't downloaded the app and you like to save yourself a penny or two then you really need to! It's free from the android and iPhone app store and offers you the chance to try products for free/a fraction of the price. You simply buy the products, scan the barcode and send a photo of your receipt (all via the app) and then they send you a refund (normally within 48 hours). It's amazing! I had 2 free boxes of Go Ahead bars last week thanks to Shopmium. Oh, and if you use my referral code you'll even get a free bar of Lindt chocolate! Even better. My code is: AEAYEAKT.