18
Sep
2023
Halloween is over — bring on the gingerbread.
Halo Top, a business unit of Wells Enterprises, is rolling out its gingerbread house ice cream for a limited time. The product combines light gingerbread ice cream with ginger cookie bites and swirls of icing.
Launching for the holiday season from PepsiCo, Inc. is Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap’d. The carbonated beverage features the flavor of gingerbread cookie, according to the company.
Death Wish Coffee Co. has created a new holiday-themed roast. Gingerdead, inspired by the ubiquitous gingerbread, is rolling out from the makers of the "World's Strongest Coffee" and infuses ginger and notes of warm brown spices and cinnamon into the beans.
“We wanted to create our own spin on a holiday classic to appeal those who love to indulge in seasonally themed roasts and understand our dark sense of humor,” said Mike Pilkington, president of Death Wish Coffee Co. “Gingerdead delivers the same bold flavor and pick-me-up kick that Death Wish Coffee is known for and we’re excited for consumers to try it.”
Plant-based nutrition brand Aloha is adding peppermint white chocolate to its protein bar collection for the holiday season. The peppermint white chocolate bar has 14 grams of protein, 10 grams of fiber and 5 grams of total sugars. All Aloha products are organic, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free and free of sugar alcohols.
Protein bar maker Jimmy! (formerly Jimmybar!) is introducing keto-friendly chocolate fudge pudding. The ready-to-eat treat is formulated with peanut butter, coconut oil, ghee and soluble corn fiber, with a blend of allulose, erythritol and stevia for sweetness. Each serving contains 250 calories, 19 grams of fat and 5 grams of net carbohydrates.
Natural Delights is launching Mini Medjools, a portable snacking line featuring blended Medjool dates, nut butter, seeds, nuts and fruit. Varieties include coconut, cacao pecan, sweet and salty almond, organic cranberry pistachio, organic fruit and nut, and organic cacao coconut.
“The new Mini Medjools were developed as a direct response to shopper feedback asking us to create something small, bite-sized, and full of wholesome ingredients like nut butter and chia seeds,” said David Baxter, director of marketing for Natural Delights. “After conducting our consumer focus group, we received glowing feedback from people who shared that Mini Medjools were an ideal bite-sized snack that they could feel good about eating and giving to their kids.”
Organic Valley has partnered with Del Monte Foods to bring organic canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste to grocery store shelves. Each product features California tomatoes grown by multigenerational family farms that use sustainable growing practices and no chemical fertilizers or synthetic pesticides.
Ferrara, a related company of The Ferrero Group, is introducing Keebler Gingerbread Fudge Stripes limited-edition cookies, combining the flavors of vanilla fudge and freshly baked gingerbread.
Rollin’ n Bowlin’, a brand of ready-to-blend smoothie and acai products, is introducing its first shelf-stable snack, featuring Medjool dates stuffed with nut butter. Each pack has three dates, and varieties include peanut butter, peanut butter cacao and almond butter. The products are organic and vegan with no added sugars and sweeteners.
The Little Potato Company is expanding its portfolio. New microwave-ready kits include smoked salt and roasted garlic, rosemary and thyme. Each kit contains little potatoes in a steam tray with a seasoning pack. A new limited-harvest varietal is Purely Purple, with vibrant skin and flesh and a subtly sweet flavor, according to the company. Products are ready to use and require no washing or peeling.
Ready-to-eat oats brand MUSH is launching a limited-edition snickerdoodle flavor for the holidays. The seasonal item is inspired by the sweet cinnamon cookie and is made with no added sugar, gluten or dairy.
Direct-to-consumer popcorn brand Opopop is adding new holiday flavors to its lineup. The Holiday Discovery Kit includes salty caramel, gingersnap and fancy butter popcorn, plus a reusable silicone microwave popping bowl. The company uses a proprietary “flavor wrapped” technique, coating individual kernels with a mix of gourmet ingredients.
“When it comes to gifting, we believe everything is better wrapped, and our Flavor Wrapped Popcorn Kernels boast a bold and unique way to indulge in everyone’s all-time favorite and guilt-free snack,” said Sarah McDowell, president of Opopop. “Opopop is the perfect gift for anyone on your list, from your favorite foodie to the impossible to shop for. Our flavors are love at first bite.”
Perdue Farms is launching limited-edition Thanksdippings sauces to pair with the brand’s turkey Thanksnuggets. Available exclusively at perduefarms.com, Thanksdippings flavors include spiced apple honey mustard and cranberry barbecue sauce. Thanksnuggets varieties include white meat with sweet potato seasoned breading and dark meat with cranberries and stuffing flavored breading.
New breakfast offerings from gluten-free foods maker Feel Good Foods include buttermilk pancake bites and wildberry pancake bites. The Danish-style pancake bites are made with egg whites, rice flour, canola oil, sugar, buttermilk, potato starch, citrus fiber, leavening and flavors.
“This has been a true labor of love from the entire Feel Good Foods family,” said Vanessa Phillips, co-founder of Feel Good Foods. “After many years of hard work, dedication, recipe and development, and lots of taste tasting, the pancake bites are here. If you love fluffy bites of pancakes, we hope you kick off your day with us. We are committed to providing unlimited snack and meal options for families.”
Spiceology is adding blackberry balsamic to its portfolio of signature spice blends. The product combines the tanginess of balsamic vinegar and tart sweetness of blackberries with garlic and onion and may be used on a variety of dishes, according to the company.
“Each signature blend we create is unique, and Blackberry Balsamic was specifically developed to go beyond the traditional uses of balsamic vinegar,” said Tony Reed, senior director of innovation and partnerships. “Balsamic vinegar has become a staple in both professional and home kitchens; we wanted to create something that captured the rich flavor of a balsamic glaze, but since we’re Spiceology, we couldn’t just stop there. We paired balsamic flavor with blackberry sweetness — it’s a fantastic blend to experiment with this holiday season.”
Health and wellness brand Alani Nu is introducing a line of flavored sparkling water. Alani Sparkling has no sugar and is available in four flavors, including orange, lemon crème, piña colada and peach, plus a cotton candy flavor exclusively sold at Kroger stores nationwide. The products have a retail price for $5.99 per pack of eight.
“My family loves drinking sparkling water, and we wanted to create our own with light, refreshing flavors that we love, while entering a new category that will complement our other products,” said Katy Hearn, founder of Alani Nu. “We couldn’t be more pleased with each flavor, and we can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on Alani Sparkling.”
New from Zoup! is its Culinary Concentrate collection of soup starters. Varieties include beef base with bone broth, chicken base with bone broth, and savory no-chicken base with vegan broth. The products may be mixed with water to create a savory sipping broth or added to sauces, casseroles, pastas and rice dishes for a boost of flavor. The concentrates contain no artificial ingredients or added sugar and contain more protein and less sodium than the leading conventional brand, according to the company.
Healthy and convenience are trending in back-to-school selections.
Seasonal menus continue to dominate new introductions.