KANSAS CITY — CPG companies are creating partnerships to pay homage to entertainment powerhouses with new chips, ice creams and condiments.
The Kellogg Co. has teamed with Xbox Game Studios and its Halo franchise to introduce Pringles Wavy Moa Burger Crisps. The Moa is a large, flightless bird-like creature from the Halo games that appears on the menu of a restaurant chain in the Halo universe. The new limited-edition Pringles flavor explores what a burger made from Moa might taste like, Kellogg said, and features the flavors of garlic, ginger, beef, chili pepper and red pepper.
“The Halo-verse has one of the greatest fan bases within the gaming world, so we had to create a flavor that would deliver on a taste fans could previously only imagine — the famous 'Moa Burger,'” said Gareth Maguire, senior director of marketing for Pringles. “We pride ourselves in creating insanely accurate flavor combinations, and this was a fun one to develop. While Moa Burger has a flavor that appeals to everyone, we expect this to be enjoyed — and maybe even collected — by Halo fans.”
Serendipity Brands has partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to launch a line of four new ice cream pints inspired by TV series and movies. The first to be released is the “Friends” flavor, Central Perk Almond Fudge, which features coffee ice cream with dark chocolate covered almonds and fudge swirls.
“Friends is a pop culture classic that we couldn't be more thrilled to create a special flavor for,” said Sal Pesce, president and chief operating officer of Serendipity Brands. “Our Central Perk Almond Fudge flavor is nostalgia in a pint that makes you feel like you're with your six best friends indulging in a sweet treat at a coffee shop.”
“The Goonies” pint, Sloth and Chunk Rocky Rooooaad?, features chocolate ice cream with marshmallows and almonds.
Set to launch later this year, the “Caddyshack” ice cream, Gopher Traxs, features vanilla ice cream with mini peanut butter cups and a salted caramel swirl.
Planned to debut around the holidays, the “A Christmas Story” flavor, Oh Fudge! Peppermint Cookie Fudge Sundae, features mint ice cream with red and green candy and chocolate cookie swirl.
Tessemae’s is collaborating with the family of Jerry Garcia — singer, songwriter and lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead — to introduce Cosmic Jerry Sauce, a tribute to the rock legend. The spicy-sweet sauce is made with mustard, honey, jalapeños, apple cider vinegar, fish sauce, lemon and rosemary. Described as an “everything” sauce, the condiment is non-GMO, dairy-free, gluten-free and made with organic ingredients.
“The Jerry Garcia family values Tessemae's commitment to creating all natural and organic dressings and sauces,” said Trixie Garcia, Jerry Garcia’s daughter. “That's why a family-owned company like Tessemae's is the perfect partner for our dreams … and our taste buds.”
Tessemae’s Cosmic Jerry Sauce is available exclusively at Whole Foods Market.
“The synergy of these three brands is unmatched,” said Greg Vetter, founder and chief executive officer of Tessemae’s. “When we started working with the Jerry Garcia family to design a product that felt true to the nature of the rock legend and also brought Tessemae's own values of 'simplify food, amplify life' to the forefront, it was clear that Whole Foods Market was the perfect place to bring the sauce to life.”
