Established in 1996, GOLDEN NEST has won over tens of thousands of customers in the U.S. and abroad. They safeguard their customers’ health and trust by providing only the best quality products derived from natural and organic sources, which does include a jerky line. GOLDEN NEST’s transparency and health-conscious approach to consumer goods have earned A+ Accreditation with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
To date, they remain the most trusted birds’ nest brand in the nation. This GOLDEN NEST bites brand is distributed under the name of GOLDEN NEST Canada, Inc., and it is located in Markham, Ontario, Canada. GOLDEN NEST, Inc. is the parent company located in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
The first review on GOLDEN NEST will focus on a 4 ounce/113 gram bag of their Honey Teriyaki flavored pork bites. This bag was purchased at a No Frills grocery store in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Pork, Cane Sugar, Honey Teriyaki Sauce (Honey, Cane Sugar, Gluten Free Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Rice Wine, Garlic Powder), Fish Sauce (Anchovy Extract, Water, Salt), Natural Flavors, Celery Baste Aid (Celery Juice Solids, Sea Salt, Not more than 2% Silicon Dioxide Added to Prevent Caking). Allergen Warnings: Soy, Anchovies
The pork used is guaranteed to be raised ethically with no antibiotics and no added hormones. This pork is not guaranteed to have at least partial free range access to roam about outside. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Very Good (9/10) rating.
Bites by nature have a chopped and formed texture.
The only healthy ingredient listed is the vague term natural flavors, which can contain healthy and unhealthy ingredients. These bites are mostly a liquid-based product anyway, which does contain some healthy ingredients.
The sugar level is high at 7 grams of sugar to lose a rating. Our preference is 5 grams of sugar or less for a sweet based flavor as we have here. The salt level is decent at 280mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Admirably, this flavor does qualify to have no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
GOLDEN NEST – HONEY TERIYAKI PORK BITES
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I bite open the sealed bag, I am met with what might possibly be the moistest jerky to date. I don’t really detect any odors, and these bites look to be chopped and formed.
When I bite into the small square-shaped jerky morsel (pork bites), I am met with nothing but sweet. Any other flavor is ever so slight, not to mention drowning in the grease. I can detect no other discernible flavors, maybe an ever-so-slight salt, and even slighter pepper. No, I’m grasping at straws here, it is nothing but sweet. I definitely pick up on the honey flavor, but, unfortunately, nothing else. Sorry Mark, I tried to be more ‘gentle’ on this flavor, but this is as ‘gentle’ as I can be. I am not impressed. I can personally go no further than a 4/10.
Here is what Mark had to say about this honey teriyaki pork bites flavor from GOLDEN NEST: “Thanks Paul for the honest taste review. True in that this may be the greasiest product that we have reviewed to date. Interesting concept though, packing three individual bites into a vacuum-sealed peelable package. We are agreed in that the taste of honey comes across well. The sweetness does tend to mask the teriyaki flavor. Other than that, I view these bites as sustenance and not all that pleasurable. With myself at a 6 rating, and Paul at a 4 taste rating, we will split the difference and award an Average (5/10) taste rating.”
This 4 ounce/113 gram bag of bites sells online for $6.99, which equates to $1.75 an ounce. That rates at a cheap price.
Bag Review
This resealable professional-looking plastic bag has everything imprinted on the bag, including the front and back. There is a high-resolution picture of these pork bites on the front.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. Some facts printed on this bag are “Flame-Grilled”, “Product of USA”, “No Nitrites or Nitrates Added”, “Made With U.S. Pork No Added”, “Minimally Processed”, “Gluten-Free”, “No M.S.G. Added”, “No Artificial Preservatives Added”, “Ready to Eat”, and “Easy-Peel Packs Inside”.
There are no bag categories missing. On the back is a good blurb about GOLDEN NEST. As per Canadian law, French translations are provided.
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