Leftovers is our look at a few of the product ideas popping up everywhere. Some are intriguing, some sound amazing and some are the kinds of ideas we would never dream of. We can’t write about everything that we get pitched, so here are some leftovers pulled from our inboxes.
Will this bacon cologne sizzle?
Few things smell as good as the scent of bacon drifting through the air. Now, Wright Brand is taking the intoxicating aroma to a whole new level.
The Tyson Foods-owned brand is celebrating its centennial with by bottling up its signature real wood-smoked bacon flavor to create Wright N°100, a fragrance it claims is as addicting as its salt-cured pork product. The cologne will be available for purchase online for a limited time.
Perfume industry veteran Ann Gottlieb, who worked with the brand to create the offering, said the cologne used ingredients popular around the time of the brand’s founding in 1922 and then combined them with the addictive accord of bacon.
“No corners were cut in creating this scent, drawing from the same high-quality ingredients found in other premier fragrances to craft a luxurious scent that elegantly combines with notes of bacon,” Gottlieb said in a statement.
Bacon, not surprisingly, remains a popular food choice for consumers attracted by its fat, salt and smoky attributes.
Statista said more than 268 million Americans consumed bacon in 2020, with about 6% of them eating five pounds or more. The bacon market is forecast to $41 billion in 2027 from $34 billion today, a compound annual growth rate of 4.2%, according to Market Data Forecast.
Bacon has proven to be a versatile food.
It’s not uncommon to see bacon added to chocolate, ice cream, waffles, donuts, popcorn, cocktails and even gum. Its reach goes far beyond edibles, too. Bacon has made an appearance in everything from soap and candles to lip gloss and toothpicks. In 2020, Hormel launched a mask designed “to keep the delicious smell of bacon always wrapped around your nose and mouth.”
— Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of Hi-Chew
Hi-Chew, less sugar
Candy brand Hi-Chew, which originated from Japan, launched its first better-for-you candy. Hi-Chew Reduced Sugar has 30% less sugar. Its fruit flavor is made with inulin, a prebiotic dietary fiber, and other “unique formulations” in order to reduce the content of sugar, according to the brand.
The reduced-sugar candy contains two flavors per bag: mango and strawberry. It is now available in two-ounce bags for a suggested price of $3.29.
The story of Hi-Chew began in the 1800s. Its founder Taichiro Morinaga learned how to develop candy in the U.S. and then went back to his home of Japan, creating a company that produced chocolates and later chewy, fruity treats. Hi-Chew is the best-selling soft candy in Japan, according to the brand, and is continuing to grow in the U.S.
Morinaga America, Inc., the brand’s U.S. distributor, launched the candy stateside in 2008. It is now available in sticks, peg bags and pouches.
Hi-Chew said in its press release it wanted to make a better-for-you offering after seeing an interest in products with less sugar. The company cited the FONA International 2021 National Consumer Survey, which found 91% of consumers are influenced by sugar reduction claims.
As consumers increasingly look for healthier alternatives to their favorite items, candy manufacturers have worked to make offerings that maintain the taste people are familiar with. The better-for-you candy category is still ripe for new entrants. According to IRI data cited by Hershey in 2021, only about 6% of candy, mint and gum sales come from better-for-you products, totaling about $1.3 billion.
Hershey has capitalized on the better-for-you candy opportunity, making it a key part of its strategy. In recent years, the Pennsylvania-based company launched low- and zero-sugar versions of several brands, including its flagship chocolate, Reese’s and Jolly Ranchers. It also acquired low-sugar chocolate brand Lily’s in 2021, which launched gummy worms and bears that contain less than a gram of sugar per serving.
— Chris Casey
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Courtesy of YumEarth
YumEarth makes candy to lick the common cold
YumEarth is introducing a sweet way to stay healthy.
The allergy-friendly candy maker launched Ultimate Pops, a line of lollipops that are chock full of nutrients to boost immunity. They come in two variations: Organic Elderberry — made with extracts from the antioxidant-rich purple berry, and Organic Anti-Oxidant — in mango, lemon and orange flavors. These lollipops don’t just contain fruit extracts from known superfoods, but they’re also enriched with vitamins A, C and E.
Elderberry and antioxidants have been known to boost the immune system. As a new variant of COVID-19 sweeps the nation, now is a great time to reach for health-helping snacks.
Elderberries, the deep purple fruit of the elderberry shrub, have long been used as a folk remedy for treating illnesses like colds. While the berries are naturally packed with vitamins, they aren’t necessarily a wholesale replacement for medical care during cold and flu season. But consumers commonly eat and drink products with the fruit to boost their immunity. According to an analysis by SPINS and the Nutrition Business Journal, elderberry was the top selling herbal supplement in mainstream business outlets in 2020. Sales topped $275.5 million, an increase of 150.3% over 2019.
Antioxidants, which include nutrients vitamin A, C and E; selenium and carotenoids, are also powerful immune boosters and all-around health helpers. These nutrients are able to prevent or slow damage from free radicals, which the body produces in response to stresses. They are naturally found in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants’ innate abilities to improve health have made them sought after nutrients, and before vaccines and pharmaceutical treatments were available for COVID-19, researchers touted them as good ways to prevent the worst effects of the pandemic.
YumEarth makes more accessible and better-for-you treats. Their gummies, licorice, hard candies and chocolates are free of the top nine allergens. They also have no artificial colors or flavors.
Anyone who’s spent five minutes with young children knows that they’re unlikely to listen — let alone take action — on recommendations of eating things with vitamins and nutrients as ways to avoid getting sick. Taking these nutrients and putting them into treats they’d be excited to eat could get the job done.
— Megan Poinski
