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.
Nothing Bundt Pop-Tarts
Nothing Bundt Cakes is joining with Pop-Tarts to bring the popular breakfast staple into cakes.
The specialty cake maker is creating a Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts flavor that will be available through September 1, while supplies last, at the brand’s 600-plus bakeries nationwide.
The personal-sized cake is crowned with signature cream cheese frosting and then topped with confetti sprinkles and a Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts Pastry Bite.
“Our collaboration with Pop-Tarts brings a classic, nostalgic taste to our Bundtlets to create a one-of-a-kind snack,” Claire Jessen, Nothing Bundt Cakes vice president of culinary, said in a statement. “Our crazy good Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts flavor is reminiscent of coming home from school hungry and grabbing a satisfying, sweet little treat from the pantry to keep you happy ‘til dinner.”
For Kellanova, which owns Pop-Tarts, bringing the brand into bundts through this partnership allows it to expand its reach among younger consumers key to its future. It also moves Pop-Tarts beyond the morning consumption occasion where the snack is best known.
Michelle Barnes, director of commercial strategy, for Kellanova Away From Home, said it will help “showcase how the iconic brand doesn’t just belong in the toaster — it can be used to transform menus and provide inspiration for unique concepts.”
Pop-Tarts, which posted nearly $900 million in net sales last year, has been expanding the brand into new flavors, such as Apple Jacks and Pancakes. It’s also made it even easier to eat on the go, with the launch in April of Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers. The snack contains a crunchy exterior, a flavorful filling and a layer of frosting and sprinkles.
— Christopher Doering
Optional Caption
Courtesy of J.M. Smucker Co.
Dog days are over for Hostess
Summer is still in full swing but Hostess has decided it’s time for Autumnal flavors.
The company’s launch of its limited-edition Autumn and Halloween Snacks include the return of five fall-inspired treats and a new Halloween-inspired variety.
Hostess FrankenCakes will feature a soft yellow cake and the company’s signature cream filling with green icing and The Original Squiggle. The company is also bringing back its Spooky Twinkies and ScaryCakes for the cooler weather.
The Halloween treats come in a multipack as well as new family-sized Trick-or-Treat Packs. Both package sizes include Halloween-themed individual wrapping.
The Halloween snacks arrive at retailers in September. The autumn-themed treats are available nationwide ahead of the Labor Day holiday.
The returning fall themed snacks include Pumpkin Spice Twinkies, Iced Pumpkin Cupcakes and Maple Glazed Donnettes.
Every year, fall seems to be arriving sooner as August becomes the new autumn.
Starbucks, for example, launched its Pumpkin Spice Latte two days earlier this year than last, and pumpkin flavors seem to be creeping up industrywide.
— Elizabeth Flood
Optional Caption
Courtesy of Glanbia Performance Nutrition
Thinking about what a Girl Scout cookie snack bar would taste like?
While the winter and spring Girl Scout cookie sales season is still a ways away, one brand is hoping its embrace of the cult classic treat will entice consumers.
Better-for-you brand Think! is launching Minis Protein Snack Bars inspired by the flavors of Girl Scout Cookies. They arrive in three flavors: Adventurefuls, a smooth chocolate and caramel flavor with a touch of salt; Chocolate Peanut Butter; and S’mores.
Each of the bars contain 100 calories and 6 grams of protein. Think!, which is owned by Glanbia Performance Nutrition, said it wanted to collaborate with the organization because of the nostalgia associated with the cookies.
“When people reach for a Girl Scout Cookie-flavored think! bar, we know they will be reminded of the millions of girls who have helped make those flavors so popular and that they remember to support their local Girl Scouts,” said Wendy Lou, the chief revenue officer at Girl Scouts USA, in a statement.
The Girl Scout Cookie flavors join the four other Minis offerings: Chocolate Chip, Cupcake Batter, Chunky Chocolate Peanut and Chocolate Almond Brownie.
The signature flavors of Girl Scout Cookies — which bring in over a billion dollars each year, more than Mondelēz International’s Oreo makes in the U.S. — have cropped up in a variety of product items beyond cookies in recent years.
Earlier this year, Kraft Heinz’s Jell-O brand debuted Girl Scout Pudding Cups, available in Coconut Caramel and Thin Mints varieties. In 2023, B&G Foods debuted a seasoning blend in a Thin Mints variety, designed to be sprinkled on top of dessert and beverage treats. And the chocolate and mint cookie’s flavor also appeared in Stacy’s Pita Thins in 2022.
— Chris Casey