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.
M&M’s spreads into PB&J
The iconic chocolate brand M&M’s is busting out of its crunchy shell.
The Mars-owned candy is launching a twist on the classic sandwich spread favorite with M&M’S Peanut Butter & Jelly. It’s the first new flavor innovation for the brand since 2022.
“Peanut butter M&M’S have always been a popular flavor with our fans, so we’re excited to double down on their excitement – with a twist,” Gabrielle Wesley, chief marketing officer with Mars Wrigley North America, said in a statement. “Our new M&M’S Peanut Butter & Jelly taps into a cross-generational staple, turning a delicious and comforting snack into a bite-sized treat to be enjoyed and shared.”
M&M’S Peanut Butter & Jelly will be available at retailers nationwide and online in December.
Best known for its chocolate filling, M&M’s has been expanding its presence in peanut butter. The newest offering joins other M&M’s that contain the popular nut-based spread, including Minis, Mega and the classic candy.
The average person consumed 4.4 pounds of peanut butter in 2023, according to data from the USDA and the U.S. Census Bureau cited by the National Peanut Board.
M&M’s traces its roots to 1941 when the plain chocolate candies were first introduced, according to the brand’s website. Since then, the confection has rolled out dozens of new flavors such as caramel, almond, pretzel and one of its newest limited-edition flavors in Pumpkin Pie.
-Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of Hershey
Kit Kat gives vanilla fans a ‘break” from chocolate
Kit Kat is rolling out a vanilla-flavored version of the popular confection following a call from consumers.
The confectionery and snack maker said the new candy extension replaces the signature chocolate coating with vanilla flavored crème. The launch, which joins the classic chocolate, comes as 89% of consumers say they like or love the vanilla flavor, Hershey said, citing information from Datassential.
“As the brand known for giving fans a break, we’re thrilled to deliver another exciting addition to the KIT KAT lineup with the release of KIT KAT Vanilla for fans hungry for new flavors,” Lindsay Morrow, Kit Kat’s senior associate brand manager, said in a statement.
The innovation builds on Kit Kat’s efforts to bring new flavors to the brand and the candy aisle.
While Kit Kat Vanilla is a permanent offering, the brand Kit Kat has rolled out several limited-time flavors such as Kit Kat Pink Lemonade, Chocolate Frosted Donut, Churro, Birthday Cake and Blueberry Muffin. New flavor offerings have proven valuable in drawing new consumers to the brand, especially millennial and Gen Z shoppers eager for variety.
Earlier this year, Hershey said the limited-time Kit Kat flavors complement its classic milk chocolate offering and help the Pennsylvania company “continue to grow excitement around the KIT KAT brand.”
Hershey has a license to make and distribute Kit Kat in the U.S. from Nestlé.
-Christopher Doering
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Permission granted by GOOD GOOD
Good Good goes spicy
The better-for-you brand known for its naturally sweetened jams and jellies is adding a kick to its latest launch.
Good Good debuted a Chili Fig Jam, made with less than 1% of red chili flakes per jar, so as not to overpower with a spicy flavor, according to a press release.
The jam is made with 70% figs – which the company said is 33% more fruit than standard jam – and no added sugar.
The launch comes just in time for the holiday season, as its first 7.4 oz. jar is ideal for charcutterie boards and tablescapes, it said.
Good Good is an Icelandic brand, originally launched in 2015, and entered the U.S. market in 2017.
The brand’s founders, Gardar Stefansson, Agnar Lemacks, and Johann Kristjansson started creating a blend of stevia and erythritol to replace sugar in everyday foods, and then expanded into jams, which is now the brand’s most popular products.
Existing products include fruit jams in a variety of flavors such as peach, orange marmalade, blackcurrant, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, among others, chocolate spreads, lemon curd and peanut butters.
The new Chili Fig Jam will be featured in a Holiday Bundle which is coming soon.
now available in over 10,000 locations and in 36 countries, and is the fastest growing jam brand in the U.S., according to the company.
As consumers increasingly lean into healthier eating habits, many are looking to curtail their sugar intake. Across the globe, most consumers (55%) are concerned about sugar consumption, according to a HealthFocus International report sent to Food Dive, and sugar reduction is the number one dietary trend globally.
“Since our inception, GOOD GOOD offered consumers kitchen essentials that are not only delicious, but also meet their demands for better for you options,” said Stefansson in a statement.
-Elizabeth Flood