Leftovers: Cheez-It links with Wendy’s on Baconator cracker | Blue Moon debuts a craft beer lip balm
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.
Cheez-It and Wendy's bring Baconators to the snack aisle
Kellanvoa is teaming with Wendy's on a Cheez-It inspired by the fast food chain's Baconator burger.
The limited-edition offering combines the cheesy taste and crunchy texture of a Cheez-It with the flavor of applewood smoked bacon. The mashup will be available nationwide in July, though consumers can purchase it sooner online at CheezIt.com.
“With Wendy's, we found the perfect partner to create something completely unexpected — a snack that brings the craveable flavor of the Baconator to the cracker aisle in a way only Cheez-It can,” Cara Tragseiler, senior brand director for Cheez-It, said in a statement.
The collaboration brings together two giants in the snacking and fast-food industries, sectors that have seen declining sales as inflation-wary consumers pull back on spending.
Kellanova CEO Steve Cahillane told investors last summer that partnering with the foodservice industry is part of its strategy to drive awareness of its snack brands and reignite momentum in the category. It previously worked with Taco Bell on a Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme and big Cheez-It Tostada.
— Sarah Zimmerman
Beauty and the beer
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Courtesy of Molson Coors
Molson Coors is finding an unexpected way to bring Blue Moon to consumers this summer — lip balm.
The craft beer brand is partnering with beauty brand Eos to launch a citrus-inspired lip balm inspired by the flavor of Valencia oranges that adorns each Blue Moon glass.
“The Valencia orange is more than a garnish. It’s a core part of our identity and what makes a Blue Moon a Blue Moon,” Courtney Benedict, vice president of marketing for above premium beer at Molson Coors, said in a statement.
“Through this unexpected partnership with eos, we’re giving fans a whole new way to enjoy that iconic citrus taste – no Valencia orange required.”
Blue Moon has actively promoted its brand beyond its signature beer category in recent years, partnering on bagels and ice cream. It has partnered to create small pies that complement the Colorado brewery’s signature Belgian White Belgian-Style Wheat Ale.
The Blue Moon x eos Valencia Orange Lip Balm is available for a limited time for $4.99 at the websites of the beer and beauty products companies.
— Christopher Doering
Noosa mixes up the yogurt space
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Permission granted by Noosa
Noosa is stirring things up with its latest yogurt launch.
The yogurt brand is launching Noosa Mix-Ins available in Coconut, Strawberry, Cherry, Lemon, Blueberry and Caramel Apple. Each option has yogurt topped with real fruit or caramel. It also separately contains ingredients that consumers can mix in such as honey oat granola, toasted almond slices, toasted coconut, chocolate chips and dried fruit.
Noosa noted nearly 60% of people who enjoy the snack add toppings to their regular yogurt at home. The brand is taking that a step further by using recognizable ingredients as well as transparent packaging to set it apart from other yogurt products already on the shelf.
“Our research revealed a clear white space in the yogurt category for a mix-in offering that delivers on both taste and quality paired with noosa's equity in fruit,” Emily Black, Noosa’s senior director of marketing, said in a statement.
Noosa is the latest to enter the $1 billion mix-in yogurt category where Chobani and Danone are among the brands to have a strong presence.
After several years of largely stagnant growth, yogurt has been thriving.
Sales in the U.S. topped $8.3 billion in 2023, according to Research and Markets, with the category expected to reach nearly $13 billion by 2029. Innovation and flavor variety have been “crucial in maintaining consumer interest,” the data firm noted.
Yogurt also has benefited from its position as a healthy food due to its high protein content and probiotic content. It has experienced a tailwind recently as more consumers who take GLP-1 weight loss medications turn to the portion-controlled, nutrient-rich offering.
— Christopher Doering
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