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.
Bacardi gets Tipsy
Bacardi is cooling down this summer through a collaboration with Tipsy Scoop.
The alcohol-infused ice cream brand created the Bacardi Ocho Guava Daiquiri flavor, a limited-edition sorbet available in August to celebrate rum month. The product is available at all Tipsy Scoop locations and to ship nationally on Goldbelly. It reportedly combines Bacardi with the tropical sweetness of guava.
The collaboration not only celebrates rum month but also highlights the versatility and creative potential of Bacardi by offering a fun and innovative way to savor alcohol, the brand said.
“By incorporating our most beloved aged rum expression, BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho, into a classic daiquiri cocktail recipe with a burst of guava flavor, we add the perfect summer twist and celebrate Rum Month in a delightful and innovative way,” Lisa Pfenning, vice president of Bicardi North America, said in a statement.
“This collaboration not only showcases the versatility and rich heritage of BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho but also allows us to engage with our consumers in a fun and refreshing manner,” she said.
The frozen space has proven to be an attractive way for brands to enter a new category outside of the traditional liquid while still retaining the alcohol buzz — the reason many people consume it in the first place.
Bacardi is not the first major alcohol brand to brings its product to the frozen space. This year alone, Molson Coors’ Blue Moon and Diageo-owned Guinness have entered ice cream — the later of which also was part of a collaboration with Tipsy Scoop. And in 2021, Dogfish Head debuted a collaboration with Tipsy Scoop for a dairy-free oat milk ice cream infused with its Hazy-O! Brew.
— Christopher Doering
Utz two new Zapp’s chip flavors.
Courtesy of Utz Brands, Inc.
Utz taps into new new Zapp’s flavors
Snacking brand Utz believes its new products will deliver a unique boldness to its festive Zapp’s lineup, aiming to capture the tangy flavors of its native New Orleans.
The company debuted two new items: Big Cheezy chips, featuring cheddar cheese, sour cream and Cajun seasoning; and Sweet Cinnamon & Sugar pretzel sticks.
“We put a twist on classic pretzels and chips the only way we know how – with a unique New Orleans kick that packs maximum flavor,” said Stacey Schultz, Utz’s senior vice president of marketing, in a statement. “Whether it’s the savory, complex crunch that Big Cheezy brings to the table, or the salty-sweet combo that Sweet Cinnamon & Sugar adds to our Sinfully-Seasoned Pretzel Stix line, we aim to excite curiosity and deliver unique snacks that Zapp’s is known for.”
The snacks are available nationwide at grocers and convenience stores, in addition to the Utz website.
Zapp’s New Orleans Kettle Style Potato Chips debuted in 1985, and was sold to Pennsylvania-based Utz in 2011. Some of its other chip flavors include Spicy Cajun Crawtators, Hotter ‘n Hot Jalapeño and Voodoo Heat.
Utz has maintained a loyal customer base over decades, but now faces competition from better-for-you items in the snacking category — including Popchips, which is owned by the same company that Utz sold two of its brands to earlier this year.
Other snacking brands have tapped into eccentric and trendy tastes to innovate. In April, Kettle Brand chips debuted a flavor based on gochujang, a sweet and spicy fermented tomato condiment popular in South Korea.
— Chris Casey
Bob’s Red Mill’s new pancake and waffle mixes.
Permission granted by Bob’s Red Mill
Bob’s Red Mill expands its pancake and waffle blends
Bob’s Red Mill is expanding its line of pancake and waffle mixes with new signature blends.
The new varieties — Homestyle Buttermilk, Chocolate Chip & Banana and White Chocolate & Strawberry — are all available now. The Buttermilk variation is being offered at local retailers, while Chocolate Chip & Banana and White Chocolate & Strawberry are available exclusively at Walmart.
The mixes only require consumers to add water. “Like all of our products, each mix is made with quality ingredients, and without the use of unnecessary additives,” said Blake Isaac, director of innovation and marketing, in a statement.
The company has said that its key to growth since its founding has been innovation.
When Bob Moore and his wife Charlee founded Bob’s Red Mill back in 1978, their focus was on making wholesome whole-grain ingredients available to the masses.
Early on in 2023, the company hired Porter Long, a veteran of Chobani where he had a big influence in the “Flip program,” to lead research and development.
The company has also benefited from the shift in consumer demand toward more whole ingredients, whole grains included.
“With 73% of home cooks preferring recipes with a short list of ingredients, [the blends] will become an essential shortcut for easy, convenient breakfasts with scratch-quality homemade taste in every bite,” the company said in a statement.
The ingredients include a flour blend of wheat and barley as well as tapioca flour, sugar buttermilk powder, baking soda, sea salt, among others.
— Elizabeth Flood