Leftovers: Kettle pops into Korean pepper flavored chips | Cinnamon Toast Crunch brings waffles to cereal

Kettle Brand pops with Korean pepper flavor

Kettle Brand potato chips are taking on a new flavor profile with Korean pepper paste gochujang. 

The Campbell Soup chip brand on Thursday launched a limited-edition gochujang flavor, which reportedly has a burst of sweet and spicy flavor. 

The company was inspired to create its latest flavor by Gen Zers and millennials who are increasingly seeking spicy flavors in their food, according to data from Mintel.

The same group of consumers, studies show, are also more likely to try new foods and cuisines. Korean food has been growing in popularity in the U.S., Mintel noted, with the help of Michelin-starred restaurants featuring the flavor profiles. 

“We see our limited-time offerings as an opportunity to push boundaries with innovative flavors that stand out – drawing from condiments, global cuisines and more,” said Nick Hammett, vice president of salty snacks marketing at Campbell. 

The Campbell brand launched other innovative limited-edition flavors like Special Sauce, with a combination of sweet tang and light heat, as well as 7 Layer Dip, which has a creamy and savory taste and a hint of spice. 

Kettle Brand teamed up with Eric Choi, executive chef at New York hot spot C as in Charlie, to feature the chip in an exclusive dish —  a beef tartare with the crunch of Kettle Brand Gochujang put on top. 

“Gochujang is a revered condiment in Korean culture and one that I’ve been using in my dishes for years,” said Choi, “The perfectly cooked kettle chip base allows for a true expression of gochujang and creates a harmonious marriage of flavors that delights the palate in each chip,” said Choi on the partnership.

— Elizabeth Flood

Cinnamon Toast Crunch hopes waffle cereal can stack up

Lovers of waffles might have a new favorite cereal as a leading brand’s latest iteration features a new format inspired by the breakfast classic.

General Mills’ Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffle Cereal contains a natural maple flavor, according to the company, and is blasted with Cinnadust — the blend of cinnamon and sugar that coats the namesake cereal.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch is one of General Mills’ most popular brands, with many unique iterations within its lineup — including Minis, Churros, Crunch Rolls, graham cracker and sugar cookie. The brand’s flavor has also appeared in other foods, from baking mixes to spicy snacks and hot cocoa.

In February, the company leaned into cereal as both a breakfast food and a snack by announcing its Loaded line. The new offering included Cinnamon Toast Crunch with a vanilla crème filling.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffle Cereal is not the first product of its kind to hit the cereal aisle. Post’s Waffle Crisp and Kellogg’s Eggo cereals have each tried to bring waffles and maple syrup into a bowl.

General Mills is consistently innovating its portfolio to keep the category from further stagnating. This week, the company launched Ghost Protein Cereal to capitalize on the interest in better-for-you alternatives to classic foods.

— Chris Casey

Pretzels cozy up to other snacking competitors

Pretzels have long been viewed as a sleepy snack. A small upstart is looking to change that with help from other snacking offerings.

Startup brand Pretzelized is launching Pretzel Crackers and Pretzel Pita Chips. The products combine two favorite snacks together, pretzels and crackers, and pretzels and pita chips. The company said the snacks required new machinery to make.

The product was created by the founders of ParmCrisps, Thinsters Cookies and Veggie Straws, a trio of snacking brands that were recently sold by Hain to Dippin’ Dots owner J&J.

“Over the past few decades, we’ve disrupted and elevated several various snack categories including puff snacks, popcorn, cookies and chips, but Pretzelized may be our biggest snack revolution yet,” Jason Cohen, the founder of 7 Mile Brands, which owns Pretzelized, said in a statement. “We’re taking one of the oldest snacks in the world and for the first time ever, combining it with other popular snacks to wake up the entire snacking category.”

Pretzelized said the sleepy pretzel category has long been dominated by stale, traditional offerings typically found in bars, airlines or parties.