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.
Bacon aims to make Cinnamon Toast Crunch sizzle
Cinnamon Toast Crunch wants to leave consumers living high on the hog with a new bacon-flavored cereal.
The General Mills-owned brand is partnering with Hormel Foods’ Black Label bacon on a cereal that's infused with the smoky pork product and dusted with cinnamon and sugar.
“This collaboration is rewriting the rules of breakfast,” Brandon Tyrrell, senior marketing manager at General Mills, said in a statement.
The limited-edition Cinnamon Toast Crunch Hormel Black Label Bacon Flavored Cereal comes a year after the brands first partnered together.
Last September, the food offerings launched Black Label Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It was made by applying Cinnadust seasoning to thick-cut bacon and holding it overnight for optimal flavor.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch is the most popular cereal brand, according to Statista, narrowly beating Cheerios. The data firm found 43% of respondents consumed Cinnamon Toast Crunch between April and October 2024.
– Christopher Doering
Welch’s fruit snacks get juicy
Welch’s is launching a juicy new twist on the classic fruit snack.
Juicefuls Fusions are chewy fruit gummies with a bursting juicy center. A healthier take on Gushers candy, the fruit offerings are made with natural flavors and colors. They also include vitamins A, C and E.
The launch is aimed at young adults who grew up with the snack “and now want something as modern, flavorful, and dynamic as they are,” according to a statement from Welch’s. The product is available in three flavors: Watermelon & Lemon, Green Apple & Peach, and Blueberry & Raspberry.
Companies have leaned into nostalgia and textural experiences to win back consumers. Candymaker Ferrara, for example, reinvigorated the declining Nerds brand with Nerds Gummy Clusters, a multi-sensory treat that’s become the top-selling sugar confection.
Welch’s Juicefuls Fusions are available nationwide at retailers and select convenience stores. They come in a variety of pack sizes, with the company planning more size and flavor combinations in the future.
– Sarah Zimmerman
Sour Power… Ade
Powerade is hoping more consumers will pucker up for its latest innovation.
The Coca-Cola brand launched Powrade Xtra Sour, a limited-time offering available in Cherry Kicker, Grape Shocker, and Peach Pucker.
The beverages build off Powerade’s Sour line, which debuted in 2024 and reportedly has been popular among Gen Z consumers. It was the first time Coca-Cola had released a sour-flavored beverage in its nearly 140-year history.
Powrade Xtra Sour will be available in 28-ounce bottles throughout the summer while supplies last.
A zero-sugar version of the drink also will be available at Wendy’s, while Xtra Sour Grape Shocker will be offered as a 7-Eleven Slurpee flavor starting in August.
Few trends are as popular today with consumers as sour flavors. Roughly one in eight people enjoy intensely sour flavors, according to a 2024 Penn State study. Previous reports have shown that about a third of children enjoy extremely sour items, the school noted.
– Christopher Doering
