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 the leftovers pulled from our inboxes.
Going nuts for Nutter Butter
The Nutter Butter cookie has been on store shelves for half a century, but now the popular peanut butter sandwich cookie is going back in time.
Nutter Butter, introduced the year Richard Nixon became president in 1969, is unveiling unique limited-edition package designs for its cookies. The six nostalgic packages celebrate the brand's 50-year history and "nutty personality," with designs that include 60s tie-dye, disco in the 70s and today's emoji craze. The limited-edition packs are available nationwide.
"Nutter Butter has seen it all!" Tracey Benitz, the cookie's associate director, said in a statement. "In celebration of our milestone birthday, we are excited to take peanut butter lovers on a journey back in time reliving their nuttiest memories over (the) last five decades through imaginative digital memes and videos, retro package designs, custom apparel and more."
The Mondelez-owned cookie is partnering to create a line of limited-edition anniversary T-shirts that fans will have a chance to get at two Nutter Butter birthday party sampling events. Nutter Butter also has created videos and images showing the iconic peanut-shaped cookie in character traveling back in time through the decades.
In addition, consumers are encouraged to show how they are celebrating the cookie for a chance to win a trip to one of the locations that has defined the decades being recognized. They must take a picture with Nutter Butter and upload it on the cookie's website.
Similar to other products that have lasted for half a century, Nutter Butter has refreshed its brand while staying true to the original product. It has rolled out bites, creme patties and been covered in fudge. The peanut butter snack also has joined other Mondelez brands such as the Oreo, Chips Ahoy! and Honey Maid graham crackers in making its way to the cereal aisle.
— Christopher Doering
Lemons go seedless
Consumers who are looking for the pucker of a lemon without the hassle of the seeds are in luck.
The Wonderful Company is launching a new produce brand: Wonderful Seedless Lemons, a Non-GMO Project Verified seedless lemon that will come out in the fall.
This could be a lucrative time to launch into the space. The lemon sector has seen growth in recent years, with consumption almost doubling in the last five years, according to IRI data cited by The Wonderful Company.
The company also commissioned a third-party study, which found that 83% of lemon buyers are likely to purchase seedless lemons, and 81% say the inconvenience of seeds was the main reason. Wonderful, however, has some competition from other seedless lemon brands like LemonGold, offered in other countries, and Melissa's hybrid seedless lemons sold online in the U.S.
Wonderful's plan to sell seedless lemons has been in motion for several years after its farmers uncovered the produce in Australia, according to Produce News. Production of the lemons are now in progress since the company recently secured the right to market them in North America.
This isn't Wonderful's first foray into the citrus market either. In less than five years since its launch, Wonderful Halos Mandarins have become one of America's top-selling mandarin brands.
Should cotton candy be crunchy?
When it's a variety of Cap'n Crunch cereal, the answer is yes. The PepsiCo-owned brand announced its new summer offerings this week, including Cotton Candy Crunch. The cereal features pink and blue balls flavored like the spun sugar carnival treat and likely represents the first time anyone has advocated eating cotton candy with milk.
While cereal was once designed to be a healthy part of the day, it’s crossed the line into being a super indulgent sweet, with many varieties inspired by candies. Sour Patch Kids, Hostess Honey Buns and Peeps have all appeared in the breakfast aisle in the last year, adding a new level of snacking to consumers' bowls.
In that context, cotton candy cereal isn't all that strange. Considering it's a variety of Cap'n Crunch, a cereal never really known for its health bonafides, it's almost to be expected. It was first launched in 1963 as a kid-targeted cereal designed to stay crunchy in milk and spawned many flavors that turn up the sweetness. The still-popular Crunch Berries and Peanut Butter Crunch varieties came soon after.
In the years since, over-the-top sweet and showy flavors of the crunchy cereal have appeared on shelves. Super sweet varieties include Choco Donuts, Cap'n Crunch's Sprinkled Donut Crunch, Cap'n Crunch's Orange Creampop Crunch and Airheads Berries, designed to taste like the taffy-like candy. Flavors that were concocted to make a statement include Cap'n Crunch's Mystery Volcano Crunch with "lava rocks" that pop in milk and Cap'n Crunch's CoZmic Crunch, which came with a packet of "orange magic space dust" that turned milk green.
Despite flagging cereal sales across the board, 96% of consumers have it on their shopping lists, according to a survey from Shopkick. And Cap'n Crunch is still on to something; 45% of consumers say sweet versions match their "cereal personalities."
Still, it's hard to imagine a candy that is nothing more than spun and flavored sugar as being considered part of a healthy breakfast. For those who love Cap'n Horatio Magellan Crunch but can’t bring themselves to buy cotton candy cereal, there is a solution: Red, White and Blue Crunch is also being introduced this summer with a huge dose of patriotism, but no confectionery flavors.
— Megan Poinski