Fizzies return with new Two Pack
by Cybele
6/29/2007 10:34:00 AM
Steve reported on the re-introduction of Fizzies last summer, which is a line of tablets you drop in water to create a flavored carbonated drink.
They're now available in two-tablet packs instead of full boxes at retail locations (previously only available on the web and some specialty retailers).
Originally introduced using saccharin as a sweetener, the tablets were reformulated several times over the years to upgrade to FDA-approved sweeteners. This re-introduction of Fizzies uses a combination of several sweeteners including sorbitol, acesulfame potassium (AceK) and sucralose (Splenda). Since Sucralose is more than 500 times sweeter than sugar, it takes only 1/500 the amount to sweeten ... a Fizzies tablet using real sugar would make it bigger than a golf ball.
1 Fizzies tablet is good for flavoring 4-6 ounces of water. One serving has 100% of the RDA of Vitamin C and "~
45% less [benzene] than the amount considered safe by the Environmental Protection Agency."
Fizzies can be used to make soda out of plain water and are small enough to fit into most standard water bottles. They come in seven flavors: sour apple, lemon-lime, root beer, cherry, orange, blue razz and fruit punch.
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TicTac Bold! in Berry Sour
by Cybele
6/29/2007 10:22:00 AM
Ferrero USA introduced the newest expansion to their Bold! line of TicTacs. The new flavor is Berry Sour and comes in a similarly rounded clear plastc box.
Still less than 2 calories per mint (and Bold! are slightly larger than regular TicTacs).
TicTac Bold! also come in classic Mint flavored (blue package) and Fruit (red package).
Retail price is $1.25
TicTac website.
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Krispy Kreme introduces Whole Grain Doughnut
by Cybele
6/27/2007 10:16:00 AM
Krispy Kreme announced the newest addition to their pantheon of deep fried doughy creations, the Multigrain cake doughnut made with seven grains and topped with an oatmeal crisp crunch. This limited edition doughnut is made in molasses, brown sugar and pecan flavors.
"Krispy Kreme is excited to offer the Multigrain doughnut made with seven grains as another great menu choice for our customers," said Stan
Parker, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. "This new doughnut, paired with a hot cup of one of our signature coffees, is a great way to start any day." (source)
As a touchstone, dietary advantages of the whole wheat glazed are marginal compared to the traditional glazed. The regular glazed has 200 calories, 12 grams of fat and less than a gram of fiber. The glazed whole wheat has 180 calories, 11 grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber.
You can find the new Krispy Kreme Multigrain doughnut at select Krispy Kreme retail locations beginning July 9, 2007.
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Introducing the Pickle Sickle
by Cybele
6/22/2007 09:47:00 AM
Here's a curious new product called the
Pickle Sickle. It's a frozen treat made from pickle juice.
There is a small subset of people in this world who like to drink pickle juice, it's one of the few savory drinks out there. There are even fewer savory frozen treats (though I often eaten frozen peas or frozen corn as a snack on hot days). It might be a fun change of pace from frozen sugary juices on a stick.
Though the logo may give the impression it's an actual frozen pickle on a stick, the Pickle Sickle is packaged rather like
Otter Pops. A little tube of plastic containing the pickle juice is stored at room temperature and then frozen to create the Pickle Sickle. Each portion is 2 ounces.
The company is just starting out, but if you're interested in ordering send them at email, there's no word on pricing or retail availability yet.
PickleSickle.com
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El Monterey Tornado – Firecracker Chicken
by Cybele
6/20/2007 03:10:00 PM
Ruiz Foods is introducing a new flavor to their line of
El Monterey Tornados. Called Firecracker Chicken, it's a "hot wing style medley of tender chicken and Monterey Jack cheese in a crispy seasoned tortilla."
The choices are:
- Regular size El Monterey Tornado / 3 ounces & 6” long
- XXL Tornado / 4.25 ounces & 9" long (40% larger)
Prices range from $.99 to $2.29. They can be found hot and ready on the roller grill or hot case at convenience stores and to go locations starting July 1st.
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Kettle Chips is giving away ... Chips!
by Cybele
6/20/2007 10:14:00 AM
KettleNeighborhood.com, the Kettle brand chips website is running a contest. Similar to the "how many jelly beans in the jar", they've filled a SmartCar with bags of chips. Just guess how many bags are in there.
Winners don't get to take the car home, just
a year's supply of chips ...
which they seem to think is 3 full-size bags a month which is 15 bags a month for 12 months, and you do get to pick the
flavor.
The flash-based interface lets you rotate the car and watch it being filled. The car is filled with two different sized bags, 2 ounces and 5 ounces. In the event of a tie they'll use brief essays from the entrants ... beware, grammar counts!
Unfortunately you can only enter once. Deadline is September 14, 2007.
Good luck!
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In Vino Veritas Chocolates
by Cybele
6/18/2007 09:51:00 PM
Veritas Chocolatier is introducing In Vino Veritas, "single origin Chocolates for red & white wines."
Veritas, based in Glenview, IL has packaged the chocolate morsels just for wine afficianados. They are presented in a 3 oz. (85g) box with an attached cardboard loop that fits over the neck of a wine bottle.
Single origin chocolate products have been available for several years, and like wine, they capitalize on the unique flavor profile of a growing season, local conditions and bean variety. The 64% cocoa varieties include Ecuador Dark Chocolate for Light Red Wines, Papua New Guinea Dark Chocolate for Bold Red Wines and Costa Rica Milk Chocolate for Sparkling & Dry White Wines.
Look for them at Cost Plus World Market and other upscale stores that sell wine and gourmet items.
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Pringles Minis & Pringles Select
by Cybele
6/18/2007 10:19:00 AM
Pringles Minis hit the market late last year. Packed in bags instead of tubes the chips themselves are also 1/3 the size of the regular Pringles.
Pringles Minis come in three flavors: Original, Cheddar Cheese and Sour Cream & Onion.
The Minis come in single serving bags that are packaged in 5 counts and 16 count variety packs.
Bags offer portion control (120 calories for .81 ounces) and increased portability over the classic large tubes and newer short tubes. The Proctor and Gamble site says that Pringles have no preservatives or artificial ingredients.
For those looking for the bag experience with more flavor and texture, Pringles have also introduced
Pringles Select, with artisan-style flavor combinations.
Pringles Select come in four flavor varieties: Szechuan Barbecue, Parmesan Garlic, Cinnamon Sweet Potato, Sun Dried Tomato.
They come in a flat bottomed bag to stand up easier and protect the contents.
Pringles Select's ingredients are rather different from the classic Pringles potato crisps, not only do these feature dried potatoes as an ingredient, they're also made with rice and/or cornmeal and in the case of the Cinnamon Sweet Potato, that's real sweet potato in there.
For more info visit
Pringles.com
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M&Ms to (re)Introduce Dark Chocolate M&Ms Peanut
by Cybele
6/15/2007 04:01:00 PM
Mars has definitely gone to the dark side. The introduced Dark Chocolate M&Ms in Regular and Peanut first as a tie in to Star Wars in late 2005 (see the
MPire website). Called the Darth Mix (
CandyBlog review), they sported a different mix of colors. Then last year Mars made Regular Dark Chocolate M&Ms part of their regular line. Nothing was heard from the Dark Chocolate Peanut M&Ms.
Continuing the dark trend, Mars also gave the Snickers bar a limited edition dark coating, which has now been adopted into the regular line as it's been spotted in stores without "limited edition" on the wrappers.
But now it appears that Mars will be bringing the M&Ms Dark Chocolate Peanuts back as a regular product starting July 1, 2007 with the tagline, "Finally....you'll be NUTS about the dark!"
Official Website. (Source
All Candy Expo)
UPDATE: M&Ms Dark Chocolate Peanut are now available in stores.
I spotted them at Rite Aid in Los Angeles last night.
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Aunt Sally's Pralines
by Cybele
6/15/2007 03:47:00 PM
The Pecan Praline is a New Orleans favorite and Aunt Sally's has been making pralines since the early 1930s. Though recipes vary throughout the south, Aunt Sally's makes the traditional Creole style (and prefers the pronunciation prah-leen).
But they're not too hung up with tradition, after all, they've expanded from the Original Creamy flavor and added Cafe au Lait, Bananas Foster and Triple Chocolate.
They're sold at their shop in New Orleans as well as online at their
webstore.
The pralines are individually wrapped and have a shelf life of 6 months.
If you don't want Pecan Pralines, they also make
Praline Pecans.
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Mission Introduces Cilantro Lime Tortilla Chips
by Cybele
6/14/2007 10:22:00 AM
Mission Cilantro Lime Tortilla Triangles are now available in the USA from Mission Foods.
As the name suggests, they are cilantro and lime flavored with a little dash of mild jalapeno.
Mission chips are triangular in the "restaurant style" and feature 0 g trans fat.
Mission also introduced Restaurant Style Salsa Roja Tortilla Triangles with similarly formatted packages sporting a terra cotta pink design.
For those seeking a dessert chip check out Mission's Cinnamon Twists.
Mission Foods website.
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Banana Twinkies Return
by Cybele
6/13/2007 10:20:00 AM
This is the real deal, the original Twinkie as it was first introduced has returned:
Banana Twinkies. The banana flavor, which was replaced with vanilla creme following a banana shortage in the 1940s, had only been available during special limited time offers. Overwhelming consumer demand during a recent promotion, however, prompted Twinkies' bakers to bring it back for good.
500,000
Twinkies are sold each year, so Hostess has no intention of messing with the Vanilla that has been available for generations. Hostess notes that it's an urban legend that Twinkies last forever, they really only have a shelf life of about 25 days (so don't go eating any of the original Banana Creme Twinkies).
Twinkies are made by
Hostess Cakes. (
Press release from PRWire.)
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Redux Un-Names its Cocaine Energy Drink
by Cybele
6/12/2007 03:08:00 PM
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Coca-Cola to Expand Soda Fountain Offerings
by Cybele
6/12/2007 11:54:00 AM
According to an article in Bloomberg News today, Coca-Cola is looking to secure a greater margin of the soda fountain market with a new fountain dispenser for fast food restaurants.
The "Bev-olution" dispenser may arrive in U.S. restaurants in October, said Chris Lowe, president of Coca- Cola's North America foodservice unit. Consumers will be able to make their own drink combinations by, for example, mixing Sprite with a shot of cherry flavor.
The unit will allow up to fifty flavor combinations including non-carbonated drinks such as PowerAde and an added flavor shot module. Look for them to appear in McDonald's and Wendy's first. Fountain drinks have a staggering 80% profit margin compared to 65% for bottled drinks.
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Elvis Cups Now Available
by Cybele
6/11/2007 11:35:00 AM
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Caramel Apple Sugar Babies
by Cybele
6/11/2007 10:43:00 AM
Tootsie, who now owns the old Nabisco
Sugar Daddy/Sugar Babies line is introducing a new product to their happy family.
Caramel Apple Sugar Babies will come out this fall. They feature the traditional Sugar Babies' milk caramel center with an apple flavored candy coating.
They should be hitting the shelves this fall just in time for county fairs and of course Halloween. Look for them in the 5 ounce movie boxes at first.
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Reese's Whipps
by Cybele
6/08/2007 12:08:00 PM
Reese's, part of the Hershey's candy empire, is expanding further after the success of the Crispy Crunchy Bar introduction.
The new bar is called Reese's Whipps Candy Bar and will feature a light and fluffy peanut butter nougat. This nougat will give the Whipps Candy Bar a peanut butter taste but have 40% less fat. If the improved nutritional profile isn't a selling point for the 1.9 ounce bar, it will also be available in King Size.
According to
JM Hirsch (AP), "The effect is a pleasing cross between a Milky Way and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups."
Reese's Whipps Candy Bar are slated to hit the shelves in the fourth quarter of 2007.
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Caramel Giant King Cone
by Cybele
6/07/2007 10:54:00 AM
Good Humor is introducing a new single-serve cone in 7-11 stores around the country. Called the
Caramel Giant King Cone, it features caramel and vanilla ice cream with a caramel core and topped with caramel and peanuts all in a crispy cone.
Also available in the longer-named Triple Chocolate Brownie Giant King Cone which has "epic proportions" of creamy white and dark chocolate ice cream with a milk chocolate sauce core, topped off with chocolate sauce and brownie pieces.
The cone is 4 fluid ounces and features 420 calories and 410 calories respectively. No word on what the size of the non-king cone would be.
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Strawberry Milkshake Creme Oreos
by Cybele
6/06/2007 01:20:00 PM
Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies have been introduced in the USA in a "Limited Edition" Strawberry Milkshake Creme.
Ice cream parlors have been making Strawberry Milkshakes with Oreos for years, so it'll be nice to get the full experience in a room-temperature cookie.
Other versions of Oreos currently on the market include Golden (a vanilla cookie with cream), Double Stuf, Reduced Fat, Chocolate Creme and Fudge Covered.
The limited edition 12 oz.(340g) resealable laminate package have been spotted already in Wal-Mart and Publix.
Kosher, made in Canada. Retail price is $3.29.
Anyone else spot them? Taste them?
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360s - Cheddar Covered Pretzels
by Cybele
6/06/2007 01:02:00 PM
C.P. Twist recently introduced a new line of cheesy pretzels snacks called
360's. Why 360's? Because they're
360 degrees of cheese-covered pretzel action. (Never mind that 360 degrees only applies when you're talking two dimensions.)
The pretzel treats come in a variety of formats, from the pretzel spheres there to the right to mini loop pretzels called Cheezels.
Two ounce bags should retail for around $1 and 10 ounce tubs will make snacking more economical. See website for more tantalizing flavors like Jalapeno, Pizza and Tomato Basil.
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