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.
J&J Snack Foods gets knotted up with new pretzel offering
Even though Oktoberfest is over, J&J Snack Foods is getting into the celebration with a new artisanal soft pretzel product at retail.
The New Jersey company said its Bavarian-style Brauhaus Pretzel is hand-crafted with premium ingredients while eschewing artificial colors or flavors. Each sourdough pretzel has a light and fluffy interior balanced with a crunchy outside.
The Brauhaus Pretzel is made through a manufacturing process that takes more than eight hours.
“Brauhaus Pretzel is J&J’s leading soft pretzel brand in foodservice channels, and we’re beyond excited to offer this hand-crafted, premium product in the freezer aisle for consumers to easily serve at home,” Joanne Mizner, vice president of marketing for retail at J&J Snack Foods, said in a statement. “We’ve done our research, and we know that sourdough pretzels are considered a highly relevant, classic snack or appetizer item.”
J&J, which also sells Icee and Dippin’ Dots, has a deep presence in both foodservice and retail channels.
With the Brauhaus Pretzel, the move to retail enables J&J to sell it in more places and increases its availability to consumers. This is especially valuable as cash-strapped shoppers look to save money due to inflation, often by venturing out less to entertainment venues, but still not wanting to give up the opportunity to enjoy a treat.
The Brauhuas Pretzel is available in 4-count packs with an Everything Bagel topping packet included. They can be warmed up in a few minutes through an air fryer, conventional/toaster oven, or microwave.
The popularity of pretzels has grown steadily over the last 13 years. Statista estimated that based on government data, 186 million people will consume pretzels this year compared to 170 million in 2011.
—Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of A-Sha Foods USA
A-Sha fires up more ‘Hot Ones’ ramen
A leading ramen brand is turning to a popular YouTube show to spice up its product portfolio.
A-Sha Foods USA announced three new flavors of its air-fried ramen made in collaboration with Hot Ones, a YouTube show by First We Feast. Each episode, which racks up tens of millions of views, features A-list celebrities from Shaquille O’Neal to Jennifer Lawrence eating hot wings while answering questions, as the wings get progressively more spicy.
The A-Sha Foods x Hot Ones collaboration is introducing three new varieties of Ramen Noodle Soup: Taiwanese Tingly Pepper, Sizzling Chili Garlic and Fiery Hot Tonkotsu. These join the previously launched flavors in the lineup — Sweet Chili, Garlic Chili and Smoky Chili — which made their debut earlier this year.
“After the fiery success of our original three spicy cup noodles this summer, we can’t wait for our fans to try the three new spicy bowl noodles we’re launching,” said Chris Schonberger, the creator of Hot Ones. “This time, they pack even more heat, more flavor, and showcase A-Sha’s signature air-dried, perfectly chewy noodles paired with our iconic Hot Ones spice.”
The ramen flavors will debut at Target and Walmart. The launch comes as ramen continues to boom in popularity as consumers seek inexpensive, shelf-stable meals. The ramen market is projected to be worth $94 billion by 2033, at a compound annual growth rate of 5%, MarketResearch.biz found.
As the world of streaming, podcasts and new media continue to disrupt the entertainment landscape, food and beverage producers are turning to online stars for co-branded product launches. Last year, former Kellogg executive Darcey Macken launched Myna Snacks in collaboration with Twitch streamer Pokimane, with products like better-for-you crackers and cookies targeted toward gamers.
—Chris Casey
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Courtesy of Krusteaz
Krusteaz puts parents at ease with latest innovation
Baking mix company Krusteaz is aiming to appeal to busy parents this holiday season.
The Seattle-based company has innovated a line of at-home refrigerated pour and bake batters.
The new format of its baking mixes is supposed to “stand up for busy parents and wants to stop the shortcut stigma,” the company said in a press release.
A recent survey conducted by Opinium Research found that while 74% of parents admit to taking shortcuts, like using prepared mixes when baking, over half feel guilty at least sometimes for not baking from scratch. Additionally, nearly three quarters (73%) have admitted to keeping their baking shortcuts a secret and 49% even fessed up for fibbing that a store-bought or baking mix item was made from scratch, the release said.
“Krusteaz celebrates the everyday wins and any baking occasion no matter how big or small. Parents today are busier than ever, and we could all use a secret weapon from time to time,” said Caroline Platt, director of brand marketing at The Krusteaz Company.
The pour and bake batters come in three varieties – Chocolate Brownie, Vanilla Cupcake and Chocolate Cupcake — and will be available at Kroger stores and Walmart locations nationwide.
—Elizabeth Flood
