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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.
Pop-Tarts flips for pancakes
If you’re craving diner pancakes for breakfast or a snack, Pop-Tarts has found a convenient new way for you to enjoy them.
Pop-Tarts is embracing the diner classic with its latest flavor innovation hitting shelves this month. The Kellogg-owned brand said each bite of Pop-Tarts Frosted Chocolatey Chip Pancake delivers the classic taste of a fresh off-the-griddle pancake stack.
The product, which features real chocolate chips, is topped with sweet maple flavored icing and sprinkled with decadent chocolate chip flakes.
“Pop-Tarts fans know and love the brand for reimagining familiar flavors into Crazy Good toaster pastries. The new Pop-Tarts Chocolatey Chip Pancake flavor is no exception,” Heidi Ray, senior director of marketing for Pop-Tarts, said in a statement. “Now fans can enjoy the tantalizing taste of buttery, chocolatey pancakes anytime, opening a whole new world of breakfast and snacking experiences.”
The Frosted Chocolatey Chip Pancake Pop-Tarts will debut at Walmart this month, before rolling out to retailers nationwide in December.
Pop-Tarts is no stranger to new and novel flavors as Kellogg aims to keep the brand fresh for consumers who crave variety. In the past, it has introduced Frosted Chocolatey Churro, Pretzel and, through a partnership with Dunkin’ Donuts, Frosted Chocolate Mocha and Frosted Vanilla Latter.
Pop-Tarts is a valuable brand for Kellogg, posting about $800 million in sales in 2022, according to a recent presentation. Retail sales in the U.S. last year rose 8% from 2021, the Michigan-based company noted. As Kellogg prepares to split its cereal and snacks businesses, Pop-Tarts joins Eggo and Rice Krispies as the keys to fostering growth at its newly independent snacking division.
— Christopher Doering
Somos Foods burrito bowl kits
Somos brings ready-made burrito kits to Target
With back-to-school in full swing, ‘tis the season for ready-to-make meals, skipping long lines and wait times.
Plant-based Mexican food brand is launching burrito bowl kits in Target stores nationwide, the company announced Tuesday, and is also bringing several products within their existing portfolio to the store’s shelves, including rice, beans, veggie sides, and their newest product, Salsa Macha — which is a Mexican chili crisp condiment.
The burrito kits, which are exclusive to Target, will have two servings per container, and can be cooked on either the stovetop or in a microwave in under five minutes.
The kits have two flavor variations: Salsa Verde featuring a plant-based taco filling made with salsa verde, and a Smoky Chipotle option, which has mushrooms cooked in a spiced adobo sauce paired with pinto & black beans.
A QR code featured on each kit also gives customers a taste of home cooking, as it links to videos of co-founder Migeul Leal and his mother preparing their own burrito kits in her Monterrey, Mexico kitchen.
The launch goes live just in time for back-to-school season, and Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.
A recent study from CivicScience revealed that although Italian food remains the most popular nationwide, Gen Zers and Millennials are reaching for Mexican food as their first choice.
The ready-made market is expected to see significant growth in the coming years and is projected to grow to $248.13 billion by 2029, at a compounded annual growth rate of 6.8% in forecast the period, 2022-2029, according to Fortune Business Insights.
The brand was founded in 2021 by a group of Mexican-American friends who saw a lack of convenient and delicious meals from their heritage in typical grocery stores, so they drew on family recipes to build the Somos brand.
“One of our goals with Somos is to get American consumers cooking Mexican food in their home kitchens with the same ease that they grab a box of pasta and jar of marinara sauce to cook Italian food,” said Leal in a statement. “Bowl Kits are the perfect solution to help people get comfortable cooking delicious Mexican food that showcases the richness of Mexican cuisine without spending hours in the kitchen.”
— Elizabeth Flood
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Courtesy of Kentucky Coffee
Kentucky Coffee pours whiskey into cold brew
Kentucky Coffee, maker of coffee-flavored whiskey products, is stepping into the RTD space for the first time.
The brand is debuting a line of canned Hard Cold Brew cocktails, made with premium whiskey and cold brew coffee. Each 12-ounce can contains 5.9% alcohol by volume, and they come in three varieties: Black, Vanilla and Mocha.
Don Deubler, CEO of Kentucky Coffee’s parent company Atomic Brands, said in a statement, the brand aims to bring coffee into the ready-to-drink alcohol space the way hard seltzer, lemonade and tea have.
“Coffee and whiskey are beloved in their own rights and come together naturally when blended,” Deubler said. “It’s a timeless pair that’s been largely overlooked within the RTD space – we’re excited to fill that gap for consumers.”
Ready-to-drink coffee continues to gain steam as consumers look for convenient ways to access their morning beverage. A Mintel report released this year valued the RTD coffee space at $26.3 billion, and is projected to increase to $42.4 billion by 2030, the brand said in the press release.
Kentucky Coffee is not the only boozy offering inspired by caffeinated beverages hitting the shelves. Restaurant giant Dunkin’ announced last month the launch of two lines of ready-to-drink cocktails: Spiked Iced Coffee and Spiked Iced Tea, containing malt-based liquor at 6% and 5% alcohol by volume, respectively. The two lines each contain four different beverage flavors, and the “perfect for day and night enjoyment” for Dunkin’ fans over 21, and are available across the East Coast and Texas.
— Chris Casey
