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.
Pam befriends the air fryer
Cooking spray Pam is leaning into the fast-growing popularity of the air fryer with its latest offering.
Conagra, which owns the Pam brand, developed a new spray formula designed for higher temperatures that helps avoid wear and tear on an air fryer’s tray or basket. The spray can be applied directly to the air fryer and uncooked food to promote browning and crisping on wings, tenders, fries and other foods.
“Sales of air fryers have grown rapidly, but traditional cooking sprays aren’t always the best match,” Audrey Ingersoll, a vice president with Conagra, said in a statement.
The new Pam cooking spray has a 450-degree smoke point — higher than a traditional cooking spray. The ingredients in Pam Air Fryer Spray won’t brown or smoke easily, Conagra said.
Roughly two-thirds of homes today have at least one air fryer, according to data analytics firm Circana, up sharply from 2021. Two years ago, the appliance became the fourth most popular cooking device behind the stove top, microwave and oven. More people have an air fryer today in their kitchen than a coffee maker, Nestlé noted.
Conagra’s ties to the air fryer go beyond just Spam.
It has not only added instructions and graphics to more of its foods describing how to prepare them using the air fryer, but Conagra has created products made specifically for the appliance, such as its Birds Eye Cauliflower Wings, La Choy Orange Chicken and Ultimate Plant-Based Chick’N Filets.
— Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of C.H. Guenther & Son
Hormel shakes up chili lineup with seasoning
A leading packaged chili brand is capitalizing on the popularity of spices and seasonings with its latest product.
Hormel is debuting Chili Seasoning Mix Packets in three varieties: Original, Mild and White Chicken Chili. The seasonings contain a blend of spices, and they are designed to elevate homemade chili recipes, the company said in a press release.
The offering is a collaboration with C.H. Guenther & Son, which manufactures packaged items ranging from gravies to biscuits. The seasonings are available in select retail locations.
Hormel’s dominance in the chili market began in 1935 when the food company debuted its canned mix of beef, beans, tomatoes and chili powder. Hormel was the best-selling chili product in the U.S. in 2020, ahead of competitor chilis such as Campbell’s and Wolf Brand Chili, according to Statista data.
Hormel’s chili often accompanies chips, hot dogs and fries at sporting events. In recent years, the brand has leaned into this association with limited-time offerings ahead of the Super Bowl in February, including a chili cheese keg in 2022 and a chili cheese-flavored IPA brew a year later.
As at-home cooking has increased in popularity, seasoning blend makers have benefited with consumers spicing up their dishes. The spices and seasonings market was projected to be worth $21.6 billion last year, and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.8% through 2030, according to Grand View Research.
— Chris Casey
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Courtesy of Amy’s Kitchen
Amy’s Kitchen debuts line of breakfast scrambles
Best known for its canned organic soups and frozen meals, Amy’s Kitchen is expanding its breakfast offerings with a group of tofu egg scramble dishes.
Amy’s swapped out traditional eggs for its house-made tofu in its new frozen breakfast products. The line includes California Scramble, Mexican Scramble and Tofu Scramble. The company also launched wraps and burritos including the Ranchero Burrito, Scramble Wrap and a Gluten-Free Tofu Scramble Wrap.
“Our new frozen breakfast line delivers convenience, but with the homemade taste you’d expect from your own kitchen,” Fred Scarpulla, chief culinary officer at Amy’s Kitchen, said in a press release. “By innovatively using our signature tofu in place of eggs, we’re excited to offer delicious morning favorites that are both satisfying and aligned with our commitment to provide quality, flavor and nutrition without any junk.”
The frozen breakfast foods are geared toward families and individuals “who are looking for wholesome, home-cooked options made from scratch,” the brand said.
The new lineup is available at select grocery stores nationwide including Albertson’s, Harris Teeter, Publix, Meijer, Target and Whole Foods.
— Rose Palazzolo
