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.
Care Bears sweet on trendy attributes
Care Bears is joining forces with Warheads to bring the popular sour and gummy trends to nostalgic consumers.
The popular 80s plush toy franchise, and Warheads, known for its extreme sour candies, are introducing Sour Gummy Grumpy Bears. The new bite-sized gummies – blue raspberry-flavored bears coated in a sour flavor — will hit shelves in June.
“We are thrilled to partner with Care Bears in bringing Sour Gummy Grumpy Bears to life,” Lindsay Karlin, vice president of marketing and product development at Impact Confections. “This collaboration is a perfect blend of nostalgia and innovation, capturing the essence of both brands while delivering a fresh and exciting product.”
Impact Confections said the new candy embraces the industry trend of “newstalgia” where products celebrate their rich histories but also pave the way for new and exciting twists on beloved classics.
It’s a smart way for Impact to create a product that simultaneously caters to the interests of both young and old consumers.
Few trends are as popular today with consumers as both gummies and the sour flavor. Sour in particular resonates with younger consumers. The size of the sour candy market size is estimated to reach $2.7 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.3%, according IndustryARC.
As for gummies, many older individuals grew up with the treat when they were kids. Now adults, they are longing for their youth and turning to treats that remind them of the past.
— Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of Kellanova
Kellanova brings ‘swicy’ trend to snacking
Consumers are eating more spicy snacks than ever, and Kellanova is delivering hotter varieties with the help of a trendy brand.
The company launched Club Crisps flavored with Mike’s Hot Honey, available for a limited time. The crackers feature a buttery taste along with the sweet heat of the chili-infused honey, according to the press release.
“We’re always eager to learn what our fans’ new flavor obsessions are so that we can create a fun and unique snacking experience,” Carrie Foose, Kellanova’s director of brand marketing for crackers, said in a statement.
Kellanova first launched Club Crisps, a wavy crisp cracker with sweet and savory flavors, in 2022 as an expansion of the nearly century-old Club Crackers brand. The company sells four other flavors of the snack: Sea Salt, Ranch, Sour Cream & Onion and Sweet & Salty.
Mike’s Hot Honey was founded in 2010 after founder Mike Kurtz experimented with adding sweet heat to pizza while working at a New York City pizzeria. The product is now the bestselling hot honey in the U.S.
Food and beverages with “swicy” flavors — combining sweet and spicy tastes — have gained steam on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram over the past few years, from flavored syrup to cocktail mixers to chocolate cake. Kellanova cited a Datassential figure which found swicy snacks and menu items increased 38% in the past year.
Frito-Lay, PepsiCo’s snacking arm, has also taken note of the swicy snacks boom, with its Doritos and Mtn Dew collaboration, Baja Fiery Mango, which launched this spring.
— Chris Casey
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Courtesy of Alec Ice Cream
Alec’s Ice Cream debuts nine new flavors
As summer unofficially kicks off this weekend, Alec’s Ice cream, made with A2/A2 dairy and sustainably sourced, regenerative, organic ingredients, has stocked shelves with nine new flavors.
They include Meyer Lemon Cookie, Palm Springs Banana Chocolate Date Shake, Nutty Butter Brittle, Maple Cardamom Candied Pecan and Strawberry Oat Crumble. Alec’s sources its ingredients from regenerative organic farms.
“By ensuring that our ingredients are regenerative and organic, we offer an unparalleled level of quality in our ingredient sourcing. Our dairy ice cream tastes fantastic, is good for the body, and is kind to the planet,” said CEO and founder of Alec’s Ice Cream Alec Jaffe in a statement.
The nine new flavors will be rolling out nationally this spring, expanding Alec’s lineup to 14 flavors. Select Whole Foods Market stores will be carrying all flavors, along with many independent stores.
The A2 ice cream market is booming due to consumer demand for healthier and easier-to-digest dairy alternatives. The category is forecast to top $360 million in 2034, according to Future Market Insights.
Most milk products contain both A1 and A2 proteins, but medical research has found that A1 can cause stomach discomfort. A2 milk only contains the protein consumers can tolerate.
— Rose Palazzolo