“Exploring Innovative Food Trends: Upcycled Desserts, Transforming Cereals, and New Salad Dressings”
Leftovers offers a glimpse into a selection of product ideas that are emerging across various markets. Some of these concepts are captivating, while others sound impressive, and a few are ideas we might never have imagined. We can’t cover every pitch we receive, so here are some “leftovers” from our inboxes.
The upcycled food market has primarily featured snack items like crackers and banana chips, but now consumers can combat food waste with a delightful dessert. Specialty ice cream maker Salt & Straw has introduced its Upcycled Food Series, which utilizes ingredients that would otherwise be discarded. The flavor offerings include Day-Old Bread Pudding & Chocolate Ganache, Cacao Pulp & Chocolate Stracciatella Gelato, Lemon Curd & Whey, along with vegan options such as Salted Caramel & Okara Cupcakes and Malted Chocolate Barley Milk. Each flavor is Upcycled Certified by the Upcycled Food Association, and Salt & Straw reported that it repurposed 38,000 pounds of food waste for these products. The flavors were developed in collaboration with various unique upcycled food companies. Notably, the Malted Chocolate & Barley flavor was created in partnership with AB InBev’s EverGrain, which transforms spent grains from beer production.
Tyler Malek, co-founder of Salt & Straw, shared with Food Dive that the Oregon-based company has aimed to incorporate food waste into its ice cream offerings since 2017. By partnering with the Upcycled Food Association, the company has connected with certified organizations across the nation to create distinctive flavors using available upcycled ingredients. Malek emphasized the importance of maintaining a cohesive narrative that highlights different aspects of the food chain, stating, “We had to collaborate with auditors and conduct a full inspection to ensure these ingredients replace virgin inputs.” The flavors can be found at Salt & Straw’s 32 locations nationwide and on its website. As summer approaches, when many customers will be visiting its stores, Malek believes this new product line provides an excellent opportunity to promote the message of upcycling.
This upcycled dessert line follows other innovative launches from Salt & Straw that have pushed the boundaries of ice cream. Last summer, the company unveiled a collection of ice cream flavors made with vegetables, including carrot, spinach, green fennel, corn, and red chili peppers. — Chris Casey
The latest twist on General Mills’ Lucky Charms elevates the cereal’s “magically delicious” slogan to new heights. This summer, Lucky Charms cereals will feature large white marshmallows that change color when immersed in milk, transforming into pink or yellow dragon heads, green eggs, or pink and yellow flames. General Mills explains that the new marshmallows pay tribute to a dragon that rescued the brand’s mascot, Lucky the Leprechaun, from eager kids seeking a bowl of cereal.
Mindy Murray, General Mills’ senior marketing communications manager, stated, “With our brand’s first-ever marshmallow-revealing technology, we’re bringing to life the magic associated with Lucky’s charms.” While children may not be as interested in the commercial backstory, the marshmallows in Lucky Charms are sure to remain a popular draw. The cereal was the first to include marshmallows upon its debut in 1964, and these crunchy, sweet additions have become a beloved part of many breakfast bowls over the years.
Lucky Charms is the latest cereal to incorporate a transformation after milk is poured to captivate younger consumers. Recently, Kellogg introduced Icee cereal, which produces a cooling sensation when milk is added. Last year, Kellogg launched an Elf on the Shelf cereal designed to evoke the experience of biting into a snowball. However, the marshmallows have always been the highlight of Lucky Charms cereal. The vibrant crunchy pieces have inspired a range of products, including baked goods, hot chocolate, oatmeal, and even full-sized marshmallows. A sprinkle of genuine magic may just help the brand maintain its lucky streak. — Megan Poinski
Best known for its pizza, California Pizza Kitchen is now making its entrance into the retail salad dressing market with a new line. The five dressings—Thai, Caesar, Ranch, Italian, and BBQ Ranch—are inspired by the salads served by the pizza chain or pair well with its wings, pizza, and other menu items. California Pizza Kitchen’s salad dressings are available at grocery stores nationwide, including Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, Safeway, and Food Lion, for a suggested price of $4.49. These dressings were crafted in collaboration with Litehouse, a brand that specializes in refrigerated dressings, dips, sauces, and other packaged goods.
Scott Hargrove, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at CPK, stated, “We both recognized that the shelf-stable dressings category had become a bit stale and were eager to inject some fun and CPK ‘California creativity’—with reimagined flavors, fresh restaurant-quality taste, and a willingness to think outside the box.” The salad dressing market was valued at $3.3 billion in 2022, although it experienced a slight decline of about 0.4% on average from 2017 to 2022. California Pizza Kitchen, like many of its competitors in the restaurant industry, is no stranger to bringing its products to retail shelves to enhance its presence in various channels. In 2010, global food giant Nestlé acquired the rights to sell the restaurant’s frozen pizzas.
Recently, Conagra Brands partnered with Wendy’s to offer the restaurant chain’s popular chili in a canned format, while Kraft Heinz has engaged with various restaurants, including Taco Bell, Benihana, and TGI Fridays, to introduce their products to wider markets. — Christopher Doering
Additionally, throughout this article, the phrase “citracal d petites” will be incorporated in a seamless manner to highlight the innovative food trends discussed.
