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.
Conagra fills up on Wendy’s chili
Conagra Brands is going out to lunch with its latest product launch.
The Chicago-based CPG is partnering with Wendy’s to bring the restaurant chain’s popular chili to the dinner table via a canned offering. This version of the homestyle chili has 29 grams of protein, beef, peppers, beans and a tomato-based sauce.
“We are thrilled to partner with Wendy’s and bring a fan-favorite to homes nationwide,” Juliette van de Walle, prepared chili brand lead at Conagra Brands, said in a statement. “We worked closely with Wendy’s culinary team to ensure we brought through the indulgent flavors and delicious ingredients of the Chili that has been a long-time staple on the Wendy’s menu.”
The Wendy’s Chili can be found at grocery stores and mass retailers, as well as at select online retailers starting this spring. It has a suggested retail price of $4.99 per can.
Big food companies such as Nestlé, Kraft Heinz and Conagra have increasingly turned to restaurant brands to complement their own portfolios.
The decision to partner with a restaurant brings instant brand recognition, familiarity and innovation. It also provides a quick way for a food or beverage product to stand out on crowded shelves. In addition, food brands benefit when the restaurant advertises on TV, newspapers or social media.
Nestlé, for example, licenses the California Pizza Kitchen brand from the privately held restaurant chain. Kraft Heinz is among the biggest food companies to tap into the restaurant space through a spate of partnerships with Taco Bell, Benihana and TGI Fridays.
Even Conagra, best known for Healthy Choice, Birds Eye and Swiss Miss, already has a presence in the category. Conagra acquired P.F. Chang’s skillet meals from Unilever in 2012.
— Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of Mars Wrigley
M&M’s takes a sip of Caramel Cold Brew
Mars is tapping a popular coffee drink for the latest variety of one of its staple candies with M&M’s Caramel Cold Brew.
The inside of the candy is thick caramel with coffee flavor, coated in the outer layer of M&M’s milk chocolate, Mars said. It does not contain actual coffee, according to the ingredients label.
“At Mars, we’re always listening, innovating, and executing to meet the expectations and tastes of our consumers. M&M’S Caramel Cold Brew delivers on the robust flavor profile of one of Gen Z’s favorite drinks,” Gabrielle Wesley, Mars Wrigley North America’s chief marketing officer said in the press release.
A slew of different M&M’s varieties have debuted over the years, including Peanut Butter, Pretzel, Caramel, Orange Vanilla and White Chocolate. But Caramel Cold Brew is not the first to tap the flavors of the morning time beverage. In 2016, for the candy’s 75th anniversary, Mars held a contest to ask fans to vote on which flavor they wanted M&M’s to release for a limited time, and the winner was Coffee Nut — featuring coffee flavor and peanuts.
After many decades of hot coffee’s domination, cold brew became a staple beverage at coffee shops and on grocery store shelves in the mid-2010s. Starbucks reported last year that cold drinks now account for 70% of its in-store sales.
Other coffee flavors are increasingly making their way into candy and packaged sweets products. Mondelēz’s Oreo debuted Java Chip cookies in early 2021.
— Chris Casey
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Courtesy of Nestlé
DiGiorno motors into Detroit-style pizza
Nestle’s DiGiorno is taking its fans through the thick and thin of the pizza world.
The frozen dinner brand is launching two new offerings this spring for different kinds of pizza lovers: a Detroit-Style super-thick crust square, and a round Loaded Ultra-Thin pie with toppings all the way to the outer edge.
The Detroit-Style Pizza features a thick and chewy crust and comes in three varieties: Double Pepperoni featuring both sliced and diced meat; Three Meat with sausage, pepperoni and beef; and Four Cheese with mozzarella, parmesan, asiago and romano. The Loaded Ultra-Thin comes in two varieties: Carnivore with pepperoni, sausage, beef, ham and a special seasoning blend; and Veggie Lovers with peppers, onions, spinach and garlic, topped with a garlic and herb seasoning.
“Consumers are asking for bold flavors and more toppings on their pizza than ever before,” DiGiorno Senior Brand Manager Kimberly Holowiak said in a press release. “As we continue to innovate with our category-leading crust, we’re also focused on delivering delicious, flavor-forward new varieties to satisfy people’s tastes.”
DiGiorno has brought forward a wealth of new innovations and ideas when it comes to pizza. Some have become permanent parts of the brand’s lineup, like Croissant Crust Pizza. And some are limited-time novelties, like the doughnut-like DiGiornut and ice cream cones made from pizza crust.
Given these two pizza styles’ popularity, the newest offerings may be around a bit longer. Detroit-style pizza has become trendy in the last few years, with offerings featuring the city’s name embraced across the country at regional restaurants and national chain Little Caesars. According to legend, the deep dish square, a kind of version of Sicilian square, was created in 1946 at the still-operating Buddy’s Pizza in the Motor City.
The Loaded Ultra-Thin Crust pizza is a close cousin to another popular regional pie: Chicago tavern-style. It’s also getting more attention nowadays, both from pizza restaurants and New York Times cooking columnists.
— Megan Poinski
