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.
Sour Patch Kids hits a sweet spot with Snapple collab
A cult favorite candy brand is joining forces with a juice and tea brand for a sweet and sour offering targeting younger consumers.
Mondelēz International announced Sour Patch Kids’ collaboration with Snapple on candies based on flavors of the beverage brand’s drinks. The candy pouches contain three flavors: Mango Madness, Kiwi Strawberry, and Fruit Punch.
Kelli Freeman, the senior vice president of marketing at Keurig Dr Pepper, said in a statement the collaboration allows the beverage brand’s flavors to be enjoyed in a new way.
“Joining forces with a fellow Gen-Z favorite like the SOUR PATCH KIDS brand allows us to give Snapple fans a delicious new way to treat themselves to their favorite Snapple flavors, and supports the brand’s vision to inspire a more flavorful world,” said Freeman.
The candies are available for a limited time at stores across the country.
To capitalize on the launch, Mondelēz is taking cues from Snapple’s famous facts featured on the cap of its drinks for a sweepstakes on TikTok. For a limited time, people can use the social media app to determine whether statements are true or false, for the chance to win $1,000.
The offering follows other collaborative items from the two brands. Earlier this year, Mondelēz launched unique Oreo cookies containing the flavor of Sour Patch Kids. A variety of Snapple flavors have also appeared in Jelly Belly jelly beans.
—Chris Casey
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Kind bites into ‘palette-provoking’ bars
Kind is debuting bars with a robust, bold flavor and texture profiles the brand claims are palette-provoking.
The new Seed, Fruit and Nut and Savory bars are extensions of Kind’s classic nut bars that bring incrementality to the portfolio. They were identified after studying flavor profiles consumers want to see more of and further jive with growth in the broader snack category.
The bars include several trends that consumers are seeking out, including more fruit-forward flavors, demand for seeds and savory flavors.
“These new bars offer an explosion of texture in every bite,” Kind said in a statement to Food Dive.
Kind’s new Savory Bars bring forth a unique mix of nuts and a smokey and spicy profile. They are available in Paprika Nuts & Mesquite Smoked Sea Salt, Roasted Nuts & Jalapeno and Rosemary Nuts & Sea Salt.
Its Seeds, Fruits and Nuts offering combines pumpkin and sunflower seeds with flavors like strawberry, raspberry and orange. They come in Strawberry Sunflower Seed, Orange Cranberry Pumpkin Seed and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Pumpkin Seed.
The new bars are the latest in a series of innovations from Mars Wrigley as it expands the reach of Kind. Since the beginning of 2020, Kind, which prioritizes the use of plant-based, nutrient-dense ingredients in its foods, has expanded into refrigerated items, chocolate, soft granola, cereal bars and frozen bars.
Later this summer, Kind with be relaunching its Kids line as families get ready for back-to-school season. The product will include new product formulations, refreshed packaging and new creative assets.
—Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of Welch’s Fruit Snacks
Welch’s unrolls its newest innovation
The iconic fruit snack brand is coming to the better-for-you snacking aisle with its latest innovation of Welch’s Fruitful Fruit Strips. Made with whole fruit as the main ingredient, the company said, the strips will be offered in three flavors: Strawberry, Mango-Peach and Berry Medley.
The packaging of the snacks make them an ideal choice for school lunches, after school activities, or any on-the-go activity.
“Our amazing new fruit strips redefine the snacking experience, combining the goodness of whole fruit with an irresistible soft and non-sticky texture,” said Michael Scalera, director of marketing at PIM Brands Inc., in a statement.
The strips have begun rolling out to retailers including Kroger, Walmart, Publix, among others.
The latest product from the company comes after an April campaign where Welch’s committed to using whole fruit as the main ingredient in its products.
“If we are made with whole fruit, let’s behave like whole fruit,” the company said in the campaign, which featured the fruit-shaped snack pieces alongside stickers similar to those found on real, whole fruit in the produce section of the grocery store.
The campaign, and the company’s latest product aligns with shifting consumer sentiments around snacking.
One-third of consumers globally reported increasing their consumption of healthy snacks over the past year, according to a June report from Innova Market Insights, and that number is only growing.
The global healthy snacking category is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 3.3%, reaching $53 billion by 2033, the report said.
—Elizabeth Flood
