Leftovers is our take a look at a number of of the product concepts popping up all over the place. Some are intriguing, some sound superb and a few are the sorts of concepts we’d by no means dream of. We won’t write about every thing that we get pitched, so listed below are some leftovers pulled from our inboxes.
Lean Delicacies updates consolation classics for contemporary diets
Even those that are attempting to eat wholesome crave the comforts of meals staples similar to pasta and mashed potatoes. That’s the angle Nestlé’s Lean Delicacies is taking with its new Cauli’ Bowls line and Excessive Protein Bowl varieties.
For shoppers watching their carbs, Lean Delicacies Cauli’ Bowls include pasta made with cauliflower for one-third fewer web carbs than recipes made with the model’s conventional pasta, according to a press release. Varieties embrace fettuccine with meat sauce, mac and cheese, garlic parmesan alfredo with broccoli and creamy tomato vodka pasta. The meals include anyplace from 10 to 13 grams of protein, 9 to 10 grams of fiber and 400 energy or much less per serving.
Nestlé has performed with pasta components in its frozen meals up to now to raise or edit a selected dietary high quality. In April, it debuted two varieties featuring Banza chickpea pasta for its Life Delicacies line, and the corporate has added components similar to cauliflower rice and spiralized zucchini to serve weight-reduction plan developments similar to excessive protein, gluten free and low carb.
For shoppers seeking high-protein meal choices, Lean Delicacies has added two varieties to its Excessive Protein line, with oven-fried hen because the star ingredient. The chicken hen is blasted with superheated air to create a crispy and juicy “air fried style,” the corporate mentioned. One selection pairs the hen with mashed potatoes, gravy and candy corn for 14 grams of protein, and one other with macaroni in a tacky buffalo-style sauce at 22 grams.
These newest flavors mirror the thousands and thousands of {dollars} that Nestlé is investing in frozen this yr, as shoppers seek out convenient meal options all through the pandemic. In July, the corporate introduced it will invest $100 million to expand operations at its frozen meals manufacturing unit in South Carolina to supply extra of the meals.
It takes cash to earn cash, and for Nestlé, the early outcomes are promising. In its most recent earnings call, CFO François Roger famous Nestlé’s frozen meals enterprise noticed excessive single-digit progress within the fourth quarter of 2020, led by its Stouffer’s, DiGiorno and Scorching Pockets manufacturers.
— Samantha Oller
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Courtesy of PepsiCo
Mtn Dew lights a spark with the return of limited-edition taste
PepsiCo’s Mtn Dew is reviving successful taste by in style demand, with an opportunity for shoppers to win prizes and present their model loyalty.
The beverage big is bringing back Mtn Dew Spark, a pink-colored selection with a raspberry lemonade taste, to Speedway comfort shops. The limited-edition taste offered out inside weeks final yr upon its debut on the retail chain, which was acquired by 7-Eleven last year for $21 billion.
The racing-themed return of Mtn Dew Spark coincides with new tiers within the model’s Dew Nation rewards program, the place shoppers scan their sodas and win quite a lot of prizes as soon as they obtain sufficient factors. A few of the prizes teased with Mtn Dew Spark embrace tickets to racing occasions, Speedway reward playing cards, and Mtn Dew merchandise.
Comfort shops have confirmed a well-liked platform for the launch of limited-time-only drinks. In 2014, 7-Eleven distributed a fan favorite, Mtn Dew Solar Flare, which had a tropical punch style, as a fountain drink unique. In summer season 2020, one other fountain unique got here with Mtn Dew Atomic Blue at Sheetz and Kum & Go comfort shops. Pineapple-flavored Mtn Dew Maui Burst was initially a limited-time providing at low cost chain Greenback Common in 2019, however in 2020 became a permanent fixture on cabinets of the low cost retailer on account of shopper demand.
Together with soda, vitality drink manufacturers have additionally seen the worth in retailer-exclusive flavors. This March, Circle Ok comfort shops within the U.S. and Canada launched a limited-edition sugar-free Coconut flavor of Red Bull. Coca-Cola’s Monster Vitality launched its in style Mango Loco taste initially as a 7-Eleven unique in 2017, however it’s now broadly accessible. Given its recognition as a limited-time providing, Mtn Dew Spark could mild up cabinets sufficient this yr to earn its spot as a everlasting taste.
— Chris Casey
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Courtesy of Kellogg
Eggo would not leggo of its feelings
The road “You put on your feelings in your sleeve” is well-known, however Kellogg is hoping shoppers will quickly need to do the identical with their waffles.
The cereal and snack big has introduced new Eggoji waffles which might be embedded with playful animated faces. The favored breakfast providing beneath Kellogg’s Eggo model has six attainable emojis, together with the long-lasting smile, coronary heart eyes, and tear-jerking laughter.
“We have made our basic Eggo waffles much more thrilling for households within the mornings,” mentioned Joe Beauprez, Eggo’s advertising and marketing director. “What higher manner for folks to create small wins for his or her children than by serving them — fairly actually — smiles on a plate?”
With extra individuals at dwelling, a much less hectic tempo has boosted demand for breakfast — a shift meals producers are assured will stick round after the pandemic. CPGs of all sizes have moved aggressively to spend money on innovating their breakfast staples to draw buyers and hold them as soon as they return to highschool or the workplace.
Using emojis is especially efficient in drawing the eye of children and younger adults who usually use them when speaking with their buddies. By hooking youthful shoppers now, it might function a approach to hold them within the Eggo model as they become old.
Kellogg isn’t the primary firm to include digital emojis into their product. In 2019, Hershey added emojis to its original milk chocolate bars and their packaging. It was the primary change to the look of Hershey’s signature sweet in its 125-year historical past.
On the time, Hershey’s cited analysis that mentioned 87% of children believed the emoji sweets could be a superb product to share with others. Kellogg is little question hoping children at dwelling will love the center eyes or crying laughter emojis a lot they may discuss them with their buddies, who will need them too.
— Christopher Doering
