This audio was auto-generated. Please let us know if you have any feedback.
Leftovers is a look at some of the product ideas that pop up everywhere. Some are interesting, some are surprising, and some are ideas we would never have imagined. We can't write about everything we're presented with, so here are a few leftover ideas that we pulled from our inbox.
From the polls to the polling place
The popular Vermont ice cream brand is gearing up for election season with its latest release.
Ben & Jerry's new limited-time flavor, Churn Out the Boat, is vanilla ice cream topped with pretzel swirls, fudge chips, and chocolate mousse ripples.
The brand is partnering with the Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, an organization that aims to energize young voters and people of color in the run-up to November's presidential election.
“We are thrilled to once again join Black Voters Matter in supporting their work to ensure that those most affected by the next administration’s policies get to vote and have their votes counted,” Palika Markham, Ben & Jerry’s US operations manager, said in a press release. “When young people and people of color get to vote, we all win.”
Ben & Jerry's has long been known for its outspoken left-wing views, which has now caused conflict with its parent company, Unilever, most notably its decision to sell its operations in Israel in 2021. In March, Unilever announced it would spin off its ice cream business by the end of 2025, a move that distances the CPG giant from the maker of Cherry Garcia ice cream.
The brand has promoted activist causes through new product launches. In 2022, Ben & Jerry's teamed up with activist confectioner Tony's Chocolonely to release an ice cream flavor and chocolate bar to bring attention to child labor and slavery in the chocolate industry. That same year, the ice cream brand teamed up with director Ava DuVernay on a flavor that promoted greater representation of women and people of color in the film industry.
— Chris Casey
Selected captions
Courtesy of Goodles
Goodles dances around the flavors of gourmet mac and cheese.
The brand that reimagined boxed mac and cheese with healthier ingredients looks set to deliver more nutrition with less prep with its new Deluxe line.
Ched Over Heels is reminiscent of: Described by the company as “the squeezable cheesy mac and cheese you've been eating since childhood,” Shell We Dance features rich, creamy aged white cheddar sauce over shell pasta.
The Goodles brand launched in November 2021 and was born from the idea that mac and cheese is a fun meal cornerstone and beloved by all ages, but often lacks nutrition and craveable flavor. The Santa Cruz, California-based company uses a proprietary noodle recipe and includes protein, fiber, prebiotics, and 21 plant-based nutrients in its recipes.
Our premium line requires no additional milk or butter and is made from real grated cheddar cheese.
“Some people like regular boxed mac and cheese, others like an easy-to-squeeze mac and cheese,” says Molly Miche, Goodles’ chief product officer.
“Rich, creamy, shiny, sumptuous, tongue-smacking ‘deluxe’ mac and cheese is a favorite for many, but too often it’s a guilty pleasure,” Goodles co-founder and CEO Jen Jeszout said of the inspiration for the new product. “We rarely cook it, we save it, save it for special occasions, or give it up for healthier options.
—Elizabeth Flood
Selected captions
Provided by UP, Inc.
Upcycling Leader Transforms Beer Ingredients into Bread
Up, Inc. has partnered with Atoria's Family Bakery to bring a sustainable twist to classic Indian breads.
The upcycled food company and bakery has launched mini upcycled naans made from flour obtained from barley, wheat, and rye leftover from the beer production process.
The product is designed to deliver taste, nutrition and sustainability, Up, Inc. CEO Dan Kurzrock said in a statement.
“Our Upcycled Food Lab team was thrilled to work with Atoria’s forward-thinking leadership to support this innovation from idea to launch, and we’re thrilled that consumers can finally get their hands on this product,” said Kurzrock.
The new product is available online and in select stores (including Albertsons and Safeway in the Southwestern United States).
Nan is a native flatbread in Indian cuisine, popular in dishes like butter chicken and chana masala. Indian-inspired food and beverage products are one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. food industry, and are especially popular with adventurous Gen Z consumers.
Up, Inc. aims to reduce food waste by using leftover ingredients in new foods, and is best known for its ReGrained SuperGrain flour, derived from the beer brewing supply chain, used in everything from crackers to pizza dough. In 2022, the company partnered with Kerry to launch a protein crisp ingredient made from used brewers’ grains, designed to be perfect for bars and cereals.
— Chris Casey
