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.
Kraft Natural Cheese muscles into protein
Kraft Natural Cheese is embracing the protein craze.
The brand, which was purchased by Parmalat maker Lactalis USA in 2020 from Kraft Heinz, is rolling out Kraft Natural Cheese Protein Cheese Sticks. The portable offering is designed to meet growing consumer demand for convenient, protein-enhanced snack options.
Available in two classic varieties, Mild Cheddar and Pepper Jack, each stick has 17 grams of protein per serving and contains half the fat as traditional varieties, according to Lactalis.
“Today’s consumers want snacks that work as hard as they do, in an approachable format that’s easy for them to incorporate into their daily routines,” Amanda Vaal, director of brand marketing at Lactalis Heritage Dairy, a division of Lactalis USA, said in a statement.
Kraft Natural Cheese Protein Sticks are available at select retailers, including Target, Publix, Food Lion and Amazon Fresh.
Consumers have been flocking toward protein, and food and beverage companies have been more than happy to respond.
General Mills, for example, launched Cheerios Protein, while Conagra Brands recently debuted protein-packed Banquet Mega breakfast bowls. And PepsiCo is enhancing Muscle Milk, Propel and Starbucks Coffee to reflect growing consumer demand for the nutrient.
The Trump administration underscored the value of protein earlier this year in its new dietary guidelines, giving the ingredient another boost.
— Christopher Doering
Butterfinger heads to brunch
Butterfinger for brunch? The candy bar's newest launch is making it slightly more permissible.
The Ferrero-owned brand is releasing Butterfinger French Toast as a limited-time offering to replicate the "syrupy, cinnamony goodness of weekend brunch — minus the sticky fingers."
"French toast is a classic that hits across generations—mom made it, diners serve it at any hour, your friends beg for it at brunch, and it still feels like a treat every time," Yann Bastien, vice president of marketing for Butterfinger, said in a statement. "We saw an opportunity to take that universal craving and transform it into something you can enjoy anywhere, anytime."
French toast is Butterfinger's third innovation in the past year and plays on a larger trend of elevating nostalgic flavors, either through better-for-you ingredients or other unexpected twists such as unusual texture combinations. The brand previously released salted caramel and marshmallow flavors in 2025.
After purchasing the Butterfinger brand from Nestlé in 2019, Ferrero had initially shied away from introducing new flavor innovations, instead focusing on resetting "the foundation" of the brand. It's now introducing temporary flavors as a way to draw in consumers and to test whether to make any of its innovations permanent.
Butterfinger sales, which top $200 million annually, have grown 12% a year since Ferrero added the brand, the company told Food Dive in 2024.
— Sarah Zimmerman
Heineken expands nonalcoholic flavors
Heineken is expanding its nonalcoholic lineup with two new flavors, cold pressed lime and nectarine juniper.
The new offerings are rolling out in select retailers across the country, including in California, Texas and Florida. They are double-brewed to remove alcohol and offer the same ingredients as Heineken 0.0 but with added fruit flavors. One in three nonalcoholic shoppers say taste variety is the top reason for their purchase, Heineken said.
“Innovation is in our DNA and we see flavors as the next chapter of growth,” Heineken USA CEO Maggie Timoney said in the release. “These new flavors represent the next evolution in our mission to provide even more premium choices for the growing number of people embracing a balanced, social lifestyle.”
Heineken was one of the first legacy beer companies to offer an alcohol-free version of its namesake brew. The company is now doubling down on nonalcoholic offerings as the industry struggles with a pullback in beer consumption
“We're indeed experimenting, learning different ways rather than [going] to big global launches in one go,” outgoing CEO Dolf van den Brink said in a recent earnings call. “We're really kind of feeling our way to see where the consumer is at. But we are very confident that there's very good upside there.”
The new launch comes as Heineken seeks a new CEO and undergoes a restructuring initiative that will result in up to 6,000 roles being cut. The brewer’s beer volumes decreased 1.2% in its 2025 fiscal year.
— Laurel Deppen
