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.
Primal Kitchen dips into drive-thru products
Primal Kitchen is bringing its clean ingredient decks to dipping sauces.
The Kraft Heinz brand started creating the healthier sauces in 2015, with fewer additives.
Primal Kitchen then expanded into salad dressings, marinades, buffalo sauces and more.
The new dipping sauces are being offered in four variations; Avocado Lime for burritos and tacos, Chicken Dippin’ to add to chicken nuggets or a chicken sandwich; Special Sauce for burgers and fries and Yum Yum Sauce to add to any steak, shrimp, chicken or veggie dish.
The offerings are all crafted with avocado oil and free from soy, sweeteners and seed oils with less than 2 grams of sugar per serving.
Kraft Heinz acquired the better-for-you condiment and sauce brand for $200 million in 2018 to complement its portfolio. Primal Kitchen at the time was a young, hot startup brand responding to consumers’ demand for healthier alternatives, and Kraft Heinz had been in a slump.
The brand is hoping to be the household staple for restaurant-inspired sauces.
“Dipping sauces have quickly become a pantry staple for consumers, with one in four US households now purchasing the subcategory,” said Audrey Burger, head of commercial strategy in a statement. “However, the current options at shelf rely heavily on seed oils, like soybean or canola, refined sugars and artificial ingredients.”
The sauces will start rolling out at retailers including Whole Foods, Thrive Market, Fresh Thyme, and Kroger in May.
— Elizabeth Flood
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Courtesy of Go Go Squeez
Go Go Squeez goes for gold with electrolytes
Consumers are increasingly looking for hydration in beverage products, in order to supplement athletic activities and help them quench their thirst throughout the day. But one brand best known for its squeezable pouches of applesauce and other fruit blends aims to bring hydration and other better-for-you attributes to snacking.
Go Go Squeez Active Fruit Blend with Electrolyte new snack pouches contain fruit and potassium, sodium and magnesium for electrolytes. The blends also contain antioxidants like vitamins C, A and E, and do not have any added sugar or artificial flavors, according to the brand. The line contains three flavors: Strawberry Pineapple Orange, Cherry Raspberry Lime and Blueberry Strawberry Lemon.
Go Go Squeez products are popular with children, particularly for school lunches because of their packaging which allows for easy squeezing. With this new product line, the brand said it is appealing to young adults and teens with busy, active lifestyles. In the press release, the brand said the product is designed for supplementing on-the-go activities like pick-up basketball and bike rides.
The snacks are available at Sam’s Club and Target, and will launch in other big box retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Kroger in the coming months.
The product’s electrolyte focus comes as the hydration beverages category is booming. Offerings like Unilever’s Liquid I.V., Coca-Cola’s BodyArmor and YouTube star Logan Paul’s Prime beverages have gained popularity as consumers seek thirst-quenching drinks with added functionality. Go Go Squeez Active Fruit Blend is an attempt to bring the electrolytes trend into snacking, signaling the broader demand for hydration beyond just beverages.
— Chris Casey
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Courtesy of Blue Bunny
Blue Bunny does the twist
Ice cream brand Blue Bunny is bringing a new twist to the freezer aisle.
The brand, which is owned by Nutella and Tic Tac manufacturer Ferrero, is launching Twist pints that combine two indulgent flavors. The Twist pints join Twist cones that the company introduced in 2022.
The containers come in several flavors including Chocolate Vanilla, Strawberries & Cream, Blu’s Birthday Cake, Cookies & Cream, Candy Bar, Mint Chocolate and Cherry Chocolate.
“The overwhelmingly positive response to launching Twist Cones fueled our determination to take the dual-flavored soft serve experience to the next level with Twist pints,” Jeremy Hrynewycz, brand marketing director at Blue Bunny, said in a statement. “We carefully curated each twist to incorporate two flavors that consumers love to make one DUAL-icious experience.”
Ice cream sales are climbing. This provides brands like Blue Bell with an opportunity to inject further innovation into the sector. Revenue in the ice cream market is forecast to total nearly $20 billion this year, according to Statista. The market is expected to increase $2 billion by 2027.
Founded in 1935, Blue Bunny offers more than 75 varieties of frozen treats, according to the company. The Blue Bunny name was picked as part of a contest.
— Christopher Doering
