Leftovers: Kraft Mac & Cheese rolls out bagel flavor | Kit Kat’s new seasonal shape
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.
Kraft Mac & Cheese smears on bagel seasoning
Kraft Heinz’s famous Mac & Cheese is turning to bagels for inspiration.
The popular offering is introducing Kraft Mac & Cheese Everything Bagel flavor. The first small batch drop for the brand, with the release of fewer than 15,000 boxes, is less than two percent of the number of boxes of Original Kraft Mac & Cheese the brand sells each day. The offering will be sold only at Walmart.com, with a pre-sale beginning November 25.
Kraft Heinz said nearly half of Americans customize their macaroni and cheese by adding extra seasonings and ingredients, affectionately known as “mac hacks.”
“Our goal is to introduce new products that deliver on what our fans are craving,” Sara Roashan, associate director of innovation for Kraft Mac & Cheese, said in a statement. “Last year, we launched a contest to give fans a forum to share what flavors they would want to see from us. After receiving hundreds of requests for an Everything Bagel flavor, we’re thrilled to officially introduce it to the world.”
The limited-edition flavor was developed as part of Kraft Mac & Cheese’s new flavor-focused expansion pilot. The program taps into market and social media trends, consumer feedback and fan suggestions to bring new flavors to market in record time.
During the next year, the brand plans to release more small-batch e-commerce launches, limited-edition in-store products and permanent additions to the portfolio. Kraft Heinz is currently testing more than 60 potential new flavors.
The flurry of new product launches comes as Gen Z and other consumers look for new and unexpected flavors from their favorite food brands, according to data supplied by Kraft Heinz. It also coincides with growth in flavored mac & cheese that has outpaced total mac & cheese category growth by 7x over the last few years, IRI noted.
Kraft Heinz has been aggressively innovating several of its iconic brands, including A.1. Steak sauce, Lunchables, Philadelphia cream cheese and Crystal Light, to boost sales and keep its products competitive with fickle consumers. It has set a goal of generating $2 billion in incremental net sales by 2027.
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Courtesy of Hershey
Kit Kat gives Santa a break
The rectangular Kit Kat is taking on a more seasonal image this holiday.
Hershey is launching the first-ever seasonal shape for the popular confection with Kit Kat Santas. The limited-time offering is adorned with imprinted boots, a jolly smile and an even crispier wafer-to-chocolate ratio than a traditional Kit Kat bar, the confections giant said in a statement.
The Kit Kat Santas are available at nationwide retailers in 8.85-ounce snack-size bags. The company also is partnering with Simon Property tGroup to give people visiting Santa in three malls — one in New York, Illinois and California — a free Kit Kat for being on the “Nice List.”
“Our first-ever shape, KIT KAT Santas, builds on the KIT KAT brand’s product portfolio to offer a new way to bring fun to consumers,” Scott Sorensen, Kit Kat’s associate manager, said in a statement. “This seasonal twist on our traditional KIT KAT bar is sure to become a newfound annual ritual, giving fans a taste of more of what’s to come from the brand.”
While Kit Kat has introduced different flavor variations of the chocolate wafer bar, the new shape is a notable change. More unique Kit Kat shapes will likely be released by Hershey to coincide with other major holidays and occasions.
Hershey has used a similar strategy with its multi-billion dollar Reese’s brand. The chocolate-covered peanut butter cup introduced its first unique shape with Reese’s Egg in 1966. Since then, it has introduced everything from trees and hearts to pumpkins, ghosts and even ugly sweaters.