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.
Lifeway launches probiotic butter
Kefir maker Lifeway Foods is churning its way into the premium butter segment with its latest launch.
The fermented dairy manufacturer is introducing probiotic kefir butter, a "spreadable cultured European style butter" in an 8-ounce tub. The line will be offered in three options: unsalted, sea salt and honey butter.
Demand for premium butter with higher fat content has soared during the past few years, starting with the pandemic that prompted more consumers to cook at home. The "Make America Healthy Again" movement has also put a spotlight on full-fat dairy products, with the Trump administration emphasizing the segment in its new dietary guidelines.
"With the newly release[d] dietary guidelines that highlight cultured foods and trends favoring quality, full-fat dairy, we see a significant opportunity to scale and to innovate at the intersection of butter and kefir," Julie Smolyansky, president and CEO of Lifeway, said in a statement.
Premium and super-premium butter sales grew by double digits between 2024 and 2025, according to NIQ data cited by Bloomberg, compared to a 1.1% increase in mainstream butter sales.
Lifeway's offering capitalizes on the butter boom while differentiating itself from competitors with the addition of probiotics, another trendy ingredient, particularly among consumers taking GLP-1s for weight loss. Kefir has a broader spectrum of probiotics compared to yogurt, and can contribute to improved gut health and immunity.
Lifeway’s kefir butter is set to debut at select retail and foodservice markets in 2026.
"Consumers feel more comfortable enjoying high quality dairy fat again, and retailers are responding," Smolyansky said, adding that "these shifts have opened meaningful white space."
— Sarah Zimmerman
Modelo debuts first nonalcoholic offering
One of the U.S.’ top-selling beers is going nonalcoholic for the first time. .
Modelo is debuting Chelada Limon y Sal Non-Alcoholic, a ready-to-drink canned beverage with flavors of lime and salt chelada.
The Constellation Brands beverage contains 0.5% alcohol by volume and 60 calories. The company is positioning the nonalcoholic brew as an example of innovation that meets customer needs while staying authentic to the brand.
“People want choices without having to compromise, and Modelo Chelada Non‑Alcoholic does exactly that,” Logan Jensen, vice president of brand marketing at Modelo, said in the release. “Limón y Sal has been the fan favorite in our ready-to-drink Chelada lineup for six years running, so it was the obvious pick for our first non‑alcoholic release.”
Chelada Limon y Sal Non-Alcoholic is available nationwide in 12-ounce six packs.
As more consumers opt to moderate their drinking, beer makers are using the opportunity to offer nonalcoholic versions of their classic beverages. Corona, which is also owned by Constellation in the U.S., rolled out its own nonalcoholic version three years ago.
These extensions have proven to be an easy way for beer companies to keep their loyal customers even if they are looking to imbibe less.
Since 2019, total alcohol volumes have declined by 19%, according to the latest data from IWSR, with a 4% year-over-year drop in the first half of 2025 alone.
Constellation Brands’ total revenue for the third quarter ending Nov. 30 was $2.2 billion, a 10% decrease from the previous year. Despite the declines, executives still said its beer business outperformed the rest of the industry.
— Laurel Deppen
Horizon Organic splashes into creamers
Horizon Organic is expanding its dairy empire with the launch of creamers.
The organic dairy giant is launching dairy creamers made with only four ingredients: milk, cream, cane sugar and natural flavors. The Horizon Organic Real Dairy Creamers are available in three flavors: Homestyle Vanilla, Chantilly Sweet Cream and Golden Caramel.
Coffee creamers are the fastest-growing category in refrigerated dairy, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% during the past four years, Horizon noted, citing 2024 IRI retail sales data. Last year, the data firm estimated that the refrigerated coffee creamers space was valued at nearly $5 billion.
With more consumers making coffee at home, shoppers are increasingly looking for premium ingredients they can use to replicate the coffeehouse experience.
“Consumers can now elevate their daily coffee experiences with the rich, comforting flavors of these new creamers, and all while feeling good about the ingredients they're putting in their cup,” Andrew Springate, Horizon Organic chief marketing officer, said in a statement.
Horizon, which has been eyeing an expansion in better-for-you dairy, is the latest brand to enter the fast-growing coffee creamers space.
Danone’s five-year-old Too Good & Co. made its first foray into creamers last fall using its low-sugar halo and incorporation of real ingredients. And Greek yogurt company Chobani, which entered the space in 2019, now owns roughly 12% of the creamer segment with its offering that eschews artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives.
— Christopher Doering
