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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.
IHOP syrup pours into stores
Kraft Heinz Brings Sweet Restaurant Essentials to Retailers
The packaged food manufacturer is launching pancake-inspired IHOP syrups in traditional and butter pecan, available at select retailers nationwide starting at $3.98.
Kraft Heinz said the syrup aisle was ripe for disruption by category players that had been “consistent” for more than 60 years. That had limited innovation and a lack of modern flavor profiles. The company, which makes its own condiments, including dressings, mayonnaises and sauces, said it could leverage its expertise in the category to disrupt breakfast.
“Pancakes and syrup are what we do best, and expanding our partnership with Kraft Heinz to develop IHOP syrup for retail was a natural choice,” Candice Jacobson, IHOP’s senior director of brand communications, said in a statement. “At IHOP, our purpose is to bring more joy to more guests every day, and offering our syrups in retail stores allows more guests to experience that joy not only in our restaurants, but also at home.”
IHOP syrup is the first breakfast innovation focused on flavor enhancement within Kraft Heinz’s Taste Elevation platform, which represents 41% of the company’s global portfolio.
Kraft Heinz is no stranger to IHOP or restaurant brands. In 2023, it signed a multi-year deal with the restaurant chain to sell its branded coffee in bags and K-Cups. It also makes products sold in stores under the Taco Bell, Benihana, and TGI Fridays banners.
Restaurant brands have become increasingly popular in grocery stores in recent years.
Restaurants have the opportunity to enter new channels, and food and beverage manufacturers have the opportunity to leverage the equity of well-known brands to help new products stand out. As consumers cook more at home and try to replicate the dining experience when they do, restaurant brands will become popular menu items for large CPG companies.
— Christopher Dohring
Licensed by the Kraft Heinz Company.
Kraft Heinz Chooses Pickles as Its Newest Mayonnaise Flavor
The pickle craze is still going strong with consumers, and Kraft is getting in on the action with its pickle mayonnaise dressing.
This year, search interest for “pickle flavor” is at its highest in years, with millennials overwhelmingly liking or sharing a liking for the flavor across over 180 million posts on social media platform TikTok.
Launching under Kraft Sauces' “It's not Art, it's KRAFT” platform, the new products follow the brand's mindset of “empowering fans to freely enjoy, explore and experiment with food and eating by providing a toolkit of flavorful and versatile enhancers,” the company said.
The Kraft Heinz company has a variety of innovative products on the market, including Fudge n' Vanilla French Fry Pops from its Ore-Ida and GoodPop brands, and pickle cupcakes from its collaboration with social media chef and business owner Baked by Melissa.
Food influencers like Markie Debo, who shares news of various product launches, are already sharing their sauces on Instagram.
According to Kraft, the mayonnaise and dressing category has grown 20 percent over the past three years, with polarizing pickles and flavored mayonnaises on the rise, and Kraft hopes the new sauces will hit the consumer’s latest cravings. The new sauces will be available exclusively at Walmart stores nationwide.
The product launch also comes at a time of notable changes in the company's executive leadership.
Todd Kaplan will take over as chief marketing officer on Aug. 5, and the company said Kaplan will lead marketing for the company's $22 billion packaged foods portfolio, which includes name-brand Kraft and Heinz brands as well as Oscar Mayer, Velveeta, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Ore-Da and Jell-O.
— Elizabeth Flood
Selected captions
Courtesy of Knorr
Knorr adds liquid chili seasoning to home cooking to make it even tastier.
Knorr, a maker of shelf-stable sauces and condiments, is capitalizing on the growing Asian cuisine market in the U.S. by introducing a spicy twist to one of its signature products.
Knorr Liquid Seasoning Chili is designed for a variety of culinary uses, including marinating meats or using it as a vegetable dip. A spicier version of the brand’s classic Liquid Seasoning product, the flavor profile is described as spicy, sweet, and salty.
The sauce is already available in the Philippines, where it is marketed as a household product, Unilever said. It is only available in the United States and in small markets in Asia.
This launch is part of Unilever’s “Authentic Meals Start Here” product launch campaign, which brings some of the world’s most popular products to the U.S. market.
“Knorr Liquid Seasoning Chili captures the essence of traditional Asian cuisine, providing consumers with a convenient way to enjoy dishes reminiscent of family recipes,” said Goo Ha.
The launch comes as the Unilever-owned brand expands its presence in the home cooking ingredients market.
In April, Knorr introduced a line of microwaveable meals designed for office workers. Rice Cups came in four varieties: Three Cheese Mushroom Risotto, Chicken Flavored Fried Rice, Garden Tomato Risotto, and Fajita Rice. Knorr’s pasta products came in three varieties: Teriyaki Noodles, Spicy Korean BBQ, and Pad Thai.
Asian-inspired flavors are gaining popularity in American cuisine, and consumers are becoming familiar with a variety of unique flavors that are widely known in Asia. Earlier this year, flavor giant T. Hasegawa named ube, a bright purple root with a nutty, sweet, and slightly earthy flavor, as its flavor of the year.
— Chris Casey
