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.
Chew on this: Jelly Belly makes gum
For those who love the taste of Jelly Belly jelly beans, but not the sugar or calories, the California confectioner has a new solution: chewing gum.
In honor of National Chewing Gum Day on Sept. 30, Jelly Belly is partnering with Ford Gum to make sugar-free Jelly Belly gum in four flavors: Very Cherry, Watermelon, Island Punch and Berry Blue. The gum, which comes in blister packs of white rectangular pieces, will be sold at Party City, Speedway and online at Amazon. A 55-piece jar of Watermelon or Berry Blue gum is also available at Dollar General.
While jelly beans have been a popular U.S. confection since the Civil War, chewing gum has been popular for much longer. Historians say northern Europeans thousands of years ago and ancient Mayans had been chewing gum-like substances before recorded history. Commercially produced gum similar to what is sold today first started appearing in the 1850s.
Jelly Belly, a perpetual favorite jelly bean, has recently been extending itself outside of the traditional bean-shaped bites. Jelly Belly has loaned its flavor to sugar-free sparkling water and gourmet chocolate truffles.
Gum is a tricky confection category right now. After sales were battered by lack of demand during the portion of the pandemic in which most people stayed home, they largely rebounded in the spring as mask mandates were lifted. It’s unclear what happens next for this segment, but some big players, including Mondelēz, are considering getting out of the gum business.
Jelly Belly’s hop into gum may turn out to be profitable, despite what is happening in the rest of the segment. With fruity flavors, consumers will likely be chewing Jelly Belly gum for the taste — not to freshen their breath. And the gum could prove to be a healthier way for consumers to get the taste of a candy they love.
— Megan Poinski
Campbell Soup taps into beer
Few things go together better at a bar than beer and pretzels. Now, you can have them together in the same can.
Campbell Soup’s Snyder’s of Hanover and Captain Lawrence Brewing in New York are blending together the popular snack with the beer maker’s craft offerings to create SnyderBier.
The beer is available in two flavors — Pretzel Marzen and Pretzel Frucht. Pretzel Märzen is a Marzen-style lager that blends a malty taste with elevated notes of slow-baked Snyder’s of Hanover Mini pretzels, the companies said. A sweet and savory balance, Pretzel Frucht is a gose-style ale brewed with Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels, passion fruit and guava.
"With the possibility that Oktoberfest events may need to be canceled or move to virtual for a second year in a row, we wanted to give consumers an easy way to bring the spirit of the festival home," Rachel Sasser, director of marketing, pretzels, nuts and popcorn at Campbell Snacks, said in a statement.
Campbell and Captain Lawrence are no stranger to the beer and pretzel concoction. The two companies came together last year to create The Snyder's Pretzel — a 27-ounce canister of Snyder's of Hanover Baked Pretzel Rods and a 5-liter keg of Captain Lawrence's Marzen Style Oktoberfest brew.
The partnership of a big CPG and a small craft brewer to create a unique beer has become increasingly popular.
Craft brewery Oskar Blues partnered with French’s Mustard to create French’s Mustard Beer brewed with the classic yellow condiment. Wicked Weed, owned by beer giant AB InBev, created the limited-edition craft beer Project Happy Hole-idayz by including 1 pound per barrel of the convenience store chain Sheetz's Shweetz Glazed Vanilla Donut Holes. And Dunkin’ partnered with Harpoon Brewery to produce a beer made with Dunkin's Espresso Blend Coffee.
— Christopher Doering
International Delight brings the flavor of Reese's to iced coffee
The peanut butter and chocolate taste of a classic candy has arrived in iced coffee, ready to pour.
Danone’s International Delight is debuting Reese’s Iced Coffee in a ready-to-drink variety, set to hit shelves in early October, which will be the first time the iconic Hershey’s confection is making its way into a retail coffee, despite other coffee makers launching their own peanut butter chocolate flavors.
The drink will come in 64-ounce cartons for $3.99. It will be a permanent addition to the International Delight lineup. The company is no stranger to collaborating with other brands, announcing earlier this year a creamer with the flavor of Post Holding’s Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles.
Reese’s, one of the most popular confectionery brands in the country, continually looks to innovate beyond its classic peanut butter cup. In June, the candy brand announced a version of Reese’s Big Cup loaded with potato chips, capitalizing on the trend of salty-sweet combinations. It also sells Reese's dipped pretzels and Reese's cups with pretzels. In March, Reese’s created a version of its signature candy made without its chocolate exterior and coated entirely in peanut butter.
International Delight was the second best-selling RTD coffee in the U.S. last year, according to Statista, behind Starbucks. But there are now more flavor options at grocery stores than ever. Yogurt giant Chobani entered the RTD coffee space earlier this year, while Danone's Silk debuted a line of iced lattes made with almond and oat milks in 2020. International Delight is making a bet that the fusion of a beloved candy will help its iced coffee stand out to consumers.
— Chris Casey