March 14 is National Potato Chip Day and Pringles is celebrating with a Bingo Blitz collab.
The potato chip brand is hoping to reach a new subset of snack lovers by capitalizing on the rapidly growing mobile gaming market (which is expected to reach a whopping $339.5bn by 2030, up from $108.2bn in 2022).
Bingo Blitz is the wildly popular free-to-play bingo game that connects bingo fans around the world from the comfort of their own homes. Aside from the game’s iconic blue cat mascot Blitzy, it stands out for its selection of mini games, in game ‘chef experience’ and free items and credits.
The game is a leader in Playtika’s portfolio of games that recently made headlines for teaming up with Kurt Warner for a Super Bowl Sweepstakes, and leveraging stars like Drew Barrymore, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jason Alexander and Ty Pennington to insert its casual and casino-themed mobile games into the pop culture conversation.
The partnership with Pringles includes an in game integration in which Bingo Blitz players have the opportunity to vote for the resident of Bingoville they believe should be ‘the face of Pringles’.
Additionally, Moxie will be cooking up Pringles-inspired dishes in Moxie’s Cooking Club and is encouraging players to do the same – with the chance to win a prize for the best Pringles dish.
The Bingo Blitz Pringles event is available to play right now and ends on March 14, 2024.
The Danish bakery is bringing its own dose of hygge happiness to the UK with a lineup of wholesome Easter indulgence.
Kicking-off the springtime fun is a limited edition Easter Social – available from March 26 to April 1 only. The bakery’s signature Cinnamon Social get an Easter makeover and adorned with miniature chocolate eggs.
The bakery is also launching a ramped up Hot Cross Bun, studded with candied peel, raisins and just a hint of cardamom. The buns are available instore from March 12, served warm with butter or sold in pre-packed bundles of six.
Joining the bun is the return of another seasonal favorite, the Little Chicken Marshmallow Whip – available from March 19 – the adorable sweet treat consisting of a marzipan base, filled with marshmallow and passionfruit ganache and covered in white chocolate and yellow coconut.
The Easter treats will be available in all 26 Ole & Steen outlets across London, available for Click & Collect via the Ole & Steen app as well as via Deliveroo, for an RRP from $3.95 to $24.75.
The US leader in organic bread products has rolled out its latest innovation, which cater to the growing interest in diverse bread options.
The first nationally available roll from Dave’s Killer Bread (DKB), Organic Rock 'N' Rolls are soft rolls, with recognizable ingredients and DKB’s signature seedy texture. Packed with organic ingredients like whole wheat, barley, oats and flax seeds, each roll has 12g of whole grains per serving.
“Our customers are looking for more than just the traditional dinner roll,” said Cristina Watson, DKB’s senior director of brand management.
“The market showed a gap in whole grain options that still deliver on flavor, which inspired us to develop Rock ‘N’ Rolls using our flagship 21 Whole Grains and Seeds blend that our fans, whom we call BreadHeads, already love."
True to the brand’s values, Rock ‘N’ Rolls are Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and are free from artificial ingredients, artificial preservatives, artificial colors/flavors, high fructose corn syrup and bleached flour. Available from select grocery stores across the US and on Amazon.com for an RRP of $6.99 for 12ct pack.
With rolls being a popular item for Easter festivities, Dave’s Killer Bread is celebrating the release with a campaign centered around Feaster, a new, casual Friendsgiving of Spring, designed to encourage people to share good food and good times with friends and family. Participants that host their own Feaster gatherings can win Feaster-themed baskets, including Rock ‘N’ Rolls and other items, along with discount coupons, fostering community and celebration around the new product launch.
Ritz – an official sponsor of the 2024 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments – is heating up its Toasted Chips lineup with two new flavors: Sweet Habanero and Honey BBQ.
“We are putting all our chips on the NCAA March Madness tournament and thrilled to be back for our second year to share two, delicious new Toasted Chips flavors,” said Jennifer Sobolewski, Ritz senior brand manager.
“These flavors will spice up your game-watching experience whether you’re viewing the game at home or a friend’s, casually snacking while checking your tournament brackets online or even celebrating with us at Fan Fest in Phoenix, Arizona.”
The brand is teaming up with a group of 16 NCAA athlete ambassadors during March Madness who will build buzz among their social media followings by sharing a first taste of the new Ritz Toasted Chips flavors and other snacking content throughout the tournament.
The roster
NCAA Men’s Basketball:
- Armando Bacot, University of North Carolina
- Brandon Dwyer, Florida Gulf Coast University
- Caleb Love, University of Arizona
- Donovan Clingan, University of Connecticut
- Hunter Dickinson, University of Kansas
- Meechie Johnson, University of South Carolina
- Trace Young, Louisiana State University
- Zakai Zeigler, University of Tennessee
NCAA Women’s Basketball
- Alyssa Ustby, University of North Carolina
- Cameron Brink, Stanford University
- Jada Williams, University of Arizona
- Juju Watkins, University of Southern California
- Mia Mastrov, University of California, Berkeley
- MiLaysia Fulwiley, University of South Carolina
- Shaylee Gonzales, University of Texas
- Sydney Parrish, Indiana University
The brand will be onsite at the Phoenix Fan Fest (April 5-8, 2024) to host an interactive basketball shooting game. The brand has also teamed up with two-time All-Star and two-time Pac-10 tournament MVP Isaiah Thomas to shine a spotlight on the new flavors, which are now available at retailers across the US for an RRP of $3.99.
Baked Earth Bakery has launched two flatbread wraps for the foodservice sector.
The fully baked, frozen Turkish-style and Greek-style wraps make a good carrier for a variety of ingredients to make a light lunch or to-go snack.
Both are suitable for vegans and vegetarians and can be warmed from frozen in 4-5 minutes in an oven. They can also be defrosted and eaten cold.
Approximately 200mm in diameter, the Turkish-style is topped with brown and yellow linseeds and kalonji (black onion) seeds, while the Greek-style is embedded with ancient grains, such as linseeds, sunflower seeds, millet, wheat flakes, oat flakes, barley flakes and crushed rye.
“We have been baking flatbreads for almost 35 years, continually innovating and creating new and exciting products for our food service customers,” said Dan Butt, MD of the Nottingham-based producer.
“We are very pleased to have launched the Turkish and the Greek style flatbreads. They are tasty, versatile and just perfect for the latest trends in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.”
Available from to the catering sector via frozen food distributor Central Foods.
The US plant-based meat producer is showcasing three new products at Expo West 2024: a fresh take on pepperoni, as well as flavor extensions to its plant-based sausage line.
A growing number of Americans are increasingly seeking our more sustainable food options. Tofurky is answering this call with its consistent plant-based innovation that delivers lip-smacking flavor at an accessible price. Tofurky Plant-Based Pepp’roni and Mango Chipotle and Chorizo Plant-Based Sausages cater to everyone, from curious carnivores to vegans and flexitarians, especially those seeking out diverse flavors and novel experiences.
“We firmly believe in the power of using innovation to drive positive change,” said Tofurky VP of Research and Development Gilad Kaufman.
“And we hope you can see with the consumer launch of Pepperoni and new Sausage Flavors how dedicated we are to bringing new and unexpected flavor options to market in a delicious and sustainable way.”
Pepp’roni slices hit all the right notes: tangy, peppery and nicely spiced, with a rich, savory punch of umami. These crispy and chewy slices are cured just like an animal-based pepperoni for that deep, robust flavor, but is 100% animal free, along with allergen-, cholesterol- gluten-, soy- and GMO-free.
The Mango Chipotle Plant-Based Sausage boasts 260 calories per link, is non-GMO, Kosher, has 0% cholesterol and delivers a substantial 22g of protein.
Chorizo Plant-Based Sausage is a perfect companion to beans, rice, eggs, tortillas or nachos and packs in 25g of protein per link.
Tofurky Mango Chipotle and Chorizo Sausages are available to buy at grocery retailers across the US for an RRP of $5.99-$6.99 per 4-serving pack. Tofurky Pepp’roni is rolling out in regional grocery retailers, including Hy-Vee, Tops Friendly Markets and Price Chopper, for an RRP of $6.50.
A division of Bascom Maple Farms, Coombs Family Farms is exhibiting its nature, organic and clean label sweetening and flavor solutions at the 2024 Natural Products Expo West (March 12-16 in Anaheim, California).
Maple syrup is a sweet spot in today’s marketplace, with numbers to prove it. The global maple syrup market size was valued at $1.35bn in 2022 and is projected to grow to $2.28bn by 2030 [Fortune Business Insights].
Market researcher Market IQ Hub attributes a 10% CAGR between 2023-2030 to a variety of factors:
- Increasing consumer preference for natural and organic sweeteners
- Rising global demand for healthier alternatives to artificial sweeteners
- Expanding popularity of plant-based and vegan diets
- Growing popularity of maple syrup as a versatile ingredient and flavor enhancer in various applications
Indeed, consumers are gravitating toward familiar sweeteners with names they can pronounce. Maple’s familiarity has helped to drive its popularity, with 28% of consumers reporting using maple syrup in the past month, according to Mintel’s US 2022 Sugars and Alternative Sweeteners report. Consumers are also hungry for natural products. According to International Food Information Council’s 2023 Food & Health Survey, 40% of consumers say they regularly buy products labeled as ‘natural.’
“We are excited to be at Natural Products Expo West where we are showcasing our natural, organic and clean label sweetening and flavor solutions with this year’s attendees,” said Arnold Coombs, executive director of Sales and Marketing, Bascom Maple Farms.
“Our maple syrup and maple sugar can supply the natural and sustainable sweetness – and flavor – consumers want to experience in today’s food and beverage applications, such as bakery, confectionery and dairy products.
“Eight generations of our family have provided certified organically sourced 100% pure maple syrup to retailers and manufacturers. Maple is one of the least processed sweeteners available, high in antioxidants and full of nutritious minerals. We have always believed in the goodness of nature and are committed to protecting our forests,” said Coombs. “We support a healthier and more sustainable society and maintain environmentally friendly, socially responsible and sustainable maple sugaring practices at our farms.”
Bascom Maple Farms and Coombs Family Farms products are available in all grades, with a variety of easy-to-use forms, sizes, and packaging – from glass bottles to drums and totes.
Since 1997, Bridor and la Maison Lenôtre have combined their expertise to offer professionals Viennese pastries, breads and macarons. This partnership is going a step further, with the launch of Lenôtre Mini Tartelettes at IFE (March 25-27 in London).
The tartelettes are designed to give caterers and foodservice outlets the opportunity to tap into consumer appreciation (76%) in discovering new shapes and flavours of pastries, as Bridor found in its latest research among 6,000 consumers across Europe.
The 35g tarts are made with a butter puff pastry and come in three variants – Passionfruit & Pineapple, Apple & Pear and Apple & Blackcurrant – the perfect accompaniment in the world of hospitality, whether it’s a gourmet breakfast or with a cup of tea.
Frozen and ready to bake, the best option is to leave them to defrost for 30-45 minutes and then bake for 13-15 minutes. Each flavour is available in a 144-piece box, with the possibility to also have an assortment of all three flavours in one box.
“We are delighted to be launching our new Lenôtre Mini Tartelettes at IFE this year as they provide caterers and foodservice providers with an exquisite Viennese Pastry that can be served at a host of different occasions,” said Erwan Inizan, Bridor’s UK sales director.
“Bridor’s long-standing relationship with Maison Lenôtre is a partnership that is built on shared values, passion and creativity, and the new Mini Tartelettes reflect our dedication on this.”
The UK’s fastest-growing gut health food brand has launched a range of on-the-go Gut-Loving Flapjack Bars.
The launch is designed to shake up the cereal bar aisle, which historically has received negative press due to the continued use of added sugars. In fact, Bio&Me contends some ‘healthier’ popular bars on the market contain as much as 29% sugar.
Bio&Me’s three-strong launch comes in Toffee Apple, Superberry and Cocoa Hazelnut variants – in single bar (RRP £1.20/38g bar) and multipack formats (RRP £2.95/3x38g bars) – rolling out in Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and independents from April.
Launched in response to huge consumer demand (91% of respondents favored bars when asked which gut-loving product they’d like the brand to produce), the trio of all-natural bars claim to not only be ‘good for your gut’ but come packed with 9+ plant-based ingredients (wholegrain oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds and calcium-rich seaweed), are high in fiber, gluten free and contain absolutely no added sugar.
“We’re on a mission to make good health deliciously easy,” said cofounder Dr Megan Rossi.
“Bars are typically laden with added sugars, including popular bars marked as ‘healthier’. These tend to use exotic sounding names such as ‘coconut sugar’ and ‘brown rice syrup’ to disguise that they contain added sugars – but according to the science, irrespective of the source, they are still treated like standard sugar in our body. There hasn’t been one that I, as a gut health specialist, have been really impressed by, so it was a no-brainer to work our Bio&Me magic and create this trio of great-tasting flapjack bars to help widen consumers’ healthier snacking repertoires. We hope consumers enjoy them as much as we enjoyed creating them.”
The Chester-based business also produces gut-loving granolas, porridges, mueslis and live kefir yogurts.
Cofounder Jon Walsh added, “We wanted to create an unparalleled everyday snack that stood head and shoulders above the rest of the competition and believe these new flapjack bars do exactly that.
“Now more than ever, consumers are looking at what’s actually in the food they’re eating, and for us, as a credible, science-backed brand, it was important for these bars to be the absolute best.”
