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.
Ferrero Rocher unwraps a new chocolate bar
Ferrero Rocher, the popular globe-shaped sweet, is taking a bigger bite of the confectionery space.
The brand is launching Ferrero Rocher Dark Hazelnut and Crunchy Salted Caramel bars. The new products feature crunchy hazelnut pieces, caramel with a touch of salt and a dark chocolate shell with 55% cocoa. Inspired by the original Ferrero Rocher pralines, they are wrapped in the brand’s signature gold foil.
The bars are available this month online and at retailers nationwide.
The new product is part of an effort by Ferrero to turn Ferrero Rocher into a $1 billion brand in the U.S.
“Innovation within our portfolio of products is a consideration as we drive towards that goal,” Ferrero said in an email to Food Dive. “Our primary focus is on establishing a larger share of everyday consumption.”
The Ferrero Rocher Dark Hazelnut and Crunchy Salted Caramel bar is being launched as part of a promotion to encourage people to take part in a four-week “Reading is a Treat” challenge.
Once readers complete the challenge – which features curated, fall-inspired reading prompts that pair with Ferrero Rocher chocolate – they’ll receive a complimentary bar.
Ferrero has been aggressively expanding its U.S. presence during the past seven years through a series of deals that pushed it deeper into candy and new categories, such as ice cream and cookies.
But it hasn’t lost sight of its core brands like Ferrro Rocher or Tic Tac. In May, Ferrero launched Tic Tac Chewy, a fruit candy with a crunchy exterior and chewy inside. It’s the first product for the giant outside of the chocolate or mints section.
— Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of Tabasco
Tabasco takes on Tex-Mex
The popular hot sauce is leaning in to Mexican cuisine.
McIlhenney Company’s Tabasco brand has launched Salsa Picante hot sauce, a rich and thick sauce designed to add heat to tacos, guacamole and burritos. The star ingredient of the sauce is red-jalapeño peppers.
“Innovation has always been a priority for us, and we’ve been experimenting with this style of sauce for a while now,” Lee Susen, the chief sales and marketing officer at McIlhenney, said in a statement.
As a thicker sauce, the bottle was designed for easier drizzling and dipping, according to the company.
The product is now available on shelves, joining the array of unique hot sauces Tabasco has launched in recent years, including Sriracha, Buffalo and Sweet & Spicy.
Founded in 1868, Tabasco hails from Avery Island, Louisiana. Its signature sauce is consistently ranked in the top five of the most popular hot sauces in the U.S.
Mexican flavors continue to dominate new food and beverage product launches, as Gen Z marks the first generation to prefer the cuisine to Italian food as their favorite, according to Datassential research sent to Food Dive. Sales in the Mexican food segment are projected to increasing by $113.8 billion through 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.65%, according to Technavio.
Popular hot sauce brands have expanded their product lineups in recent years to meet the demand, including McCormick & Co.’s Cholula expanding into salsa and frozen meals.
— Chris Casey
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Permission granted by Good Culture
Good Culture falls into pumpkin
Snacking brand Good Culture is the latest company to hop on the pumpkin spice bandwagon.
The company is launching its first-ever seasonal flavor, Organic Pumpkin & Spice Cottage Cheese, which is a limited-edition offering only available at Whole Foods Market nationwide.
The new offering combines the “the rich, creamy texture that fans love with fall’s warm, comforting taste,” the company said in a press release.
“Our unique take on a fall classic features the wholesome, simple ingredients we’re known for, alongside the classic taste of pumpkin and spice,” said Jesse Merrill, CEO and Co-Founder of Good Culture.
The offering uses ingredients like real pumpkin and live and active cultures sourced from pasture-raised cows, it said.
Pumpkin spice online searches have been up 444,000 per month, according to the company, and other food and beverage manufacturers have been responding to the craze earlier and earlier.
Last week, Bimbo Bakeries brand Thomas’ English Muffins relaunched its Pumpkin Spice English Muffins and Bagels and earlier in August, Hostess got in on the celebration with its limited-edition Autumn and Halloween Snacks.
Cottage cheese is a trending product category.
Fueled by an increased consumer interest in protein intake and virality on social media, cottage cheese has gone through somewhat of a renaissance in recent years.
Over the last year the hashtag #cottagecheese has had half a billion views on TikTok, with videos like cottage cheese being turned into pizza crusts taking the forefront.
Good Culture has touted itself as the brand that revolutionized cottage cheese for the modern age.
Besides its new season limited edition offering, the company also offers Strawberry Chia and Pineapple cottage cheeses.
— Elizabeth Flood