FoodStuff by Kevin Ryan
Bold Needs Balance: Are Brands Getting Addicted to Extremes?
Here is what’s in today’s edition (and the last edition, in case you missed it):
Too Bold?: Without balance, you might be burning out your consumers
PPA Strategy: How to Rethink Packaging for Growth
Wellness Fun?: Rethinking kid fun in an age of wellness
Miscellaneous Finds: Chobani+Daily Harvest, nutrition apps, and GLP-1
Gut Reaction: My hot takes on new offerings
Tidbits: The latest in food industry news, from the profound to the funny
Tillamook has introduced two new spicy cheese offerings: Spicy Colby Jack Slices and Spicy Mexican Blend Shreds. Both products are now available in stores.
Blue Diamond has partnered with 7-Eleven to launch Cherry Slurpee Flavored Almonds, available for a limited time in 1.5-ounce snack tubes at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes locations nationwide.
Samyang's Buldak Potato Chips, inspired by their popular spicy chicken ramen, have made their U.S. debut. Available in three flavors: Original, 4 Cheese, and Habanero & Lime.
Maruchan has expanded its premium Gold instant ramen line with the introduction of a Spicy Tonkotsu flavor. This new addition joins the existing Spicy Miso and Soy Sauce varieties.
Maggi has expanded its U.S. portfolio with a new line of instant noodles featuring three globally inspired flavors: Indian Classic Masala, Chinese Spicy Garlic, and Korean Spicy BBQ.
Corn Nuts has introduced a new line of Partially Popped Corn Kernels, blending the crunch of traditional Corn Nuts with the airy texture of popcorn. Available in White Cheddar, Movie Theatre Butter, and Kickin’ Cheddar flavors. The products are currently available at select 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Circle K locations.
Chex Mix has introduced Oreo Cookies & Cream Muddy Buddies, featuring crispy corn Chex pieces coated with a topping of real Oreo cookie wafers.
Oreo is releasing a limited-edition Cherry Blossom Matcha flavor in the U.S. for the first time. The brand has produced only 1,000 packs of these Oreo Thins, each featuring thin chocolate wafers with a cherry blossom matcha-flavored creme. Packages, containing 20 cookies, are available exclusively through a giveaway on Oreo's website. This flavor was previously available in Japan and has been brought to the U.S. as a small-batch release.
Bold Needs Balance
I’ve spent years leading sprints and ideations, encouraging brands to stop playing it safe. Go bolder. Break out of the bland. And they’ve listened. Many portfolios are now louder, spicier, and more attention-grabbing than ever.
But here’s the thing, while bold is important, it can’t be your entire strategy. People can’t eat like that every day. While bold and interesting drives trial, it doesn’t always work for habit and routine. Brands must have a balance of flavor intensity and variety in their portfolio to meet different occasions and moods.
Brands Need a Flavor Strategy
Consumers don’t eat at one volume. Just like you probably aren’t watching only John Wick or Paddington every night, consumers don’t want just bold or just comforting flavors on repeat. Different days have different moods, and brands that live only at one end of the spectrum miss the opportunity to become a regular part of someone’s routine.
To stick around, you need a portfolio of flavor intensities that meet people where they are. Sometimes that means exciting; sometimes that means comforting.
Finding the right balance means developing a flavor strategy.
A Three-Tier Approach
Think of your flavor strategy as a pyramid. If your brand is built around discovery and boldness, experimental flavors might form the base of your portfolio. But for most brands looking to build habitual relevance, I’ve found the following works best. Think of it as the Oreo model, a solid, non-offensive base, long-standing reliable but exciting alternatives, and the occasional novelty thrown in.
1. Everyday Tier: Built for Repeat
Flavor profile: Familiar, clean, low-intensity.
What it does: These aren’t going viral on TikTok, but they’re what people actually reach for most often. They’re plain, but craveably so (they are what the British would call ‘moreish’). The kind of thing you finish without realizing.
Examples: Lightly salted nuts, classic marinara, vanilla-forward bars, umami broths.
Role in the system: Foundation of loyalty and frequency. You're in the pantry, the lunchbox, the weekly list.
2. Elevated Familiar: Interest Without Overload
Flavor profile: Recognizable formats with just enough of a twist to feel fresh.
What it does: Keeps the brand dynamic while staying approachable. Where long-term rotation lives.
Examples: Maple chili popcorn, za’atar ranch dip, lemon miso salad dressing.
Role in the system: Encourages variety without pushing people out of their comfort zone.
3. Bold Tier: High Impact, Low Frequency
Flavor profile: Intense, novel, or surprising; designed to grab attention.
What it does: Creates buzz. Sparks curiosity. Offers the brand a moment in the spotlight.
Examples: Chili crisp peanut butter, fermented black lime chips, smoked pineapple yogurt.
Role in the system: Drives trial and visibility, but not built for weekly repeat. Use intentionally and sparingly.
Trial and Repeat
Most brands focus on winning the cart, but long-term growth comes from trial and repeat.
A clear flavor strategy helps you:
Avoid burnout from an all-bold lineup
Stay relevant in everyday eating without fading into blandness
Give consumers more reasons to stick with you across moods, meals, and moments
You don’t want to be the brand people only buy when they’re feeling adventurous. But you definitely don’t want to be the one they forget they bought.
The brands that win build for balance.
Otis Spunkmeyer has introduced new Caddy Packs featuring individually wrapped cookies, loaf cakes, and brownies. The packs are designed to meet the growing demand for convenient, indulgent snacking. Each pack contains 12 individually wrapped items, making them suitable for on-the-go consumption and portion control. The packaging is designed for easy display and storage, catering to both retail and foodservice channels.
Pillsbury has launched BIG COOKIES, a new line of refrigerated cookie dough producing cookies over three times the size of their standard offerings. Available in S’mores, Chocolate Chunk Salted Caramel, and Double Chocolate Cherry, each six-count pack is priced at $5.99. The product is currently available at Walmart and will expand to other retailers nationwide this summer.
As coffee prices are threatened to increase with inflation, tariffs, and crop instability, Keurig is offering a promotion, until May 23, where consumers can “lock in” a lower price on their DTC K-Cup coffee pods through the end of 2025 by signing up for auto-delivery. Boxes of K-Cup pods will be 25% off their listed price.
Pepsi is reviving its iconic Pepsi Challenge for its 50th anniversary, focusing on a blind taste test between Pepsi Zero Sugar and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. Pepsi offers a free at-home taste test kit through its TikTok page, available to consumers who purchase two 10-packs of Pepsi Zero Sugar Mini Cans. This initiative aims to re-engage consumers and challenge Coca-Cola's dominance in the zero-sugar cola market.
Snack brand Paktli has introduced snack-sized versions of its traditional Mexican puffed grain treats to meet consumer demand for portion-controlled options. This packaging shift, the brand told Nosh, was pivotal in allowing the brand to secure national distribution through HomeGoods, marking a significant milestone. The new format caters to shoppers seeking convenient, single-serve snacks.
Pedigree has launched Drizzlers, a new line of dog food toppers designed to enhance dry kibble with added flavor and texture. Each 3-ounce pouch provides two servings and is priced under $1 per serving. The squeezable format promises a convenient, mess-free way to diversify dogs' meals.
ine+ nutrition has introduced travel-friendly Super Greens stick packs, available in Juicy Peach, a tropical-flavored Variety Pack, and protein-rich Marine Collagen sticks. Each 15-count package contains individual 10-gram servings designed for easy mixing with water or beverages. The Super Greens formulations pack 50 fruits, vegetables, and herbs into each stick, while the Marine Collagen provides nine grams of protein per serving to support beauty and joint health.
Wellness juice company Raw Generation is introducing a line of cold-pressed juices called Little Sippers. Each 4-ounce bottle contains a blend of 40 raw fruits and vegetables, with no added sugars or artificial ingredients. The juices are available in 7 flavors (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, and Pink) and come in 4-week (28 bottles for $99.99) and 8-week (56 bottles for $159.99) supply options.
Cleancult has launched a refillable cleaning system nationwide at Target, featuring reusable aluminum spray bottles and paper-based refill cartons. The rollout follows a $5 million Series B extension, bringing total funding to $25 million. Products are now available in-store and online.
Cabinet Health has introduced All Day Allergy Relief tablets in infinitely recyclable aluminum bottles , reducing plastic use by 70% compared to standard medicine packaging. The non-drowsy formula contains the same active ingredient as leading brands and is now available online.
Packaging Is Strategy: Why PPA Deserves a Seat at the Big Table
Ask most food and beverage teams what PPA (pack-price architecture) means to them, and the answers tend to fall into one of two buckets: 1) a margin lever or 2) a channel tactic. That’s fair, those are often the most immediate and measurable uses. But when I work with brands on growth projects, I find brand managers rarely consider PPA for strategy, a missed opportunity! In fact, I’ve seen firsthand how smart packaging, when rooted in consumer behavior and cultural relevance, can unlock entirely new revenue pathways without changing the product inside.
It’s not just about selling the same snack in three sizes. It’s about using packaging as a way to solve a consumer tension, tell better stories, and build stronger brand ecosystems. PPA isn’t just a downstream decision, it’s an upstream growth opportunity.
Here are eight strategic lenses I’ve used with brands to build smarter, more consumer-led pack architectures:
1. Build Trust by Framing Pack Size Around Real Use
Consumers are hyper-aware of pricing games (like shrinkflation, awkward sizing, and fuzzy value claims) and they’re losing patience. But transparency alone isn’t enough. To earn trust, brands need to justify their pack decisions in ways that make sense for real-life needs. When a pack is sized for a lunchbox, a late-night craving, or portion control, and that purpose is made explicit, even smaller sizes feel intentional, not sneaky.
How to use it: Lead with the “why.” Use clear, front-facing language that connects size to situation: “Perfect for Lunch,” “One-a-Day Pouch,” “Date Night Duo.” Don’t just reduce pack size, reframe it as designed for modern life. When the format fits the occasion, consumers see value, not deception.
2. Create an Intentional Trade-Up Ladder
Packaging can function as a staircase, not just a pricing map. A well-designed ladder moves consumers from an entry experience (often single-serve or impulse) to an everyday lifestyle format, and eventually to a more indulgent, premium-tier version. Each rung deepens brand engagement and unlocks a new justification for spend.
How to use it: Start by identifying what your “entry point” format looks like, this might be a mini version, a sample pack, or a novelty SKU. Then build your mid-tier around added utility or frequency. For your premium tier, lean into size, format, or flavor innovation that feels elevated, not just larger. (Think: “this isn’t just a cookie, it’s the bigger, gooier weekend version.”)
3. Make Packs a Gateway to Loyalty
Subscription behaviors and auto-replenishment models rely on frictionless routines and packaging plays a huge role in how “sticky” those routines feel. Whether through format, cadence, or incentives, PPA can nudge consumers toward longer-term engagement.
How to use it: Create sizes that fit seamlessly into daily or monthly usage. Incentivize ongoing purchase with visible value (e.g., “lock-in pricing” or “exclusive access”). Consider how the pack itself can reinforce a ritual, if it stacks perfectly in the pantry or arrives like clockwork, the consumer relationship shifts from occasional to ongoing.
4. Use Format and Material as Cultural Signal
In today’s market, the pack is the brand. Format and material are no longer just functional choices, they’re expressive ones. A can, a pouch, or an aluminum bottle can instantly communicate values, lifestyle, and intent. The right packaging says who it’s for, what it stands for, and where it fits, whether that’s a gym bag, a TikTok feed, or a climate-conscious pantry.
How to use it: Design with signaling power in mind. Ask: what does this format and material say about the person using it? Is it sleek and modern? Earth-friendly and progressive? Durable and functional? Whether it’s switching from plastic to aluminum to tap into microplastic concerns or creating a pocket-sized tin that looks premium and collectible, make sure the package reinforces the identity consumers want to project.
5. Enable Modularity and Mix-and-Match
Consumers want options, and increasingly they want to assemble their own experience. Modular formats give them that power without increasing complexity for you. Think of packaging not just as a delivery system, but as a toolkit.
How to use it: Develop complementary pieces (e.g., toppers, mix-ins, base components) that encourage combination and customization. This could be as simple as launching single-serve add-ons that enhance a staple product or bundling flavor sets in a way that promotes experimentation. If your product can be “built,” design the pack architecture to support that.
6. Align Size with Psychological Anchors
There are certain numbers, sizes, and phrases that just feel right to consumers, even if the value is more emotional than financial. People are used to buying in “week-long,” “30-day,” or “family-size” quantities. Packs that mirror those mental shortcuts require less explanation and more often lead to repeat purchases.
How to use it: Build pack sizes around time-based behaviors (one a day for the school week), bonus framing (“8 + 2 free”), or pattern recognition (10-pack for the office drawer). You’re not just selling quantity, you’re offering structure, routine, and reassurance.
7. Use Waste Reduction as a Value Driver
As sustainability concerns grow, pack size and architecture that reduce waste (whether food waste or material waste) can actively drive trial and loyalty. Consumers aren’t just looking for less plastic, they’re looking for formats that help them use what they buy and feel good doing it.
How to use it: Design sizes that match consumption patterns. Build in reuse or refill logic. Use visual cues (like portion dividers or meal-prep alignment) that make consumers feel smart and waste-conscious. PPA here is a trust-builder that pays off emotionally and functionally.
So What?
When I help brands rethink PPA, the biggest shift isn’t operational, it’s philosophical. It’s about treating packaging not as a constraint, but as a creative lever.
Yes, it has to deliver on margin and fit the shelf. But when you design it to reflect real behaviors, real needs, and real moments, it can unlock growth with the product you already have.
Brainiac Foods has introduced Neuro+, a new line of baby food pouches fortified with Milk Fat Globule Membrane (MFGM), a nutrient found in breast milk. Each 3.5 oz pouch contains the equivalent MFGM found in three bottles of breast milk and is designed to support brain development and immune function.
Hiya Health has launched Kids Daily Hydration, a sugar-free hydration powder designed for children aged 2 and up. Each 7g serving blends real fruit powders with electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium, along with prebiotic fiber and vitamins C, iron, and calcium.
EEZ Co., known for its Lolleez Organic Throat Soothing Pops, has launched Multeez, a line of multivitamin lollipops for kids. Available at Target, Multeez comes in two varieties: Birthday Cake (vitamins A, B5, B6, B12, D, E, and zinc) and Cherry Berry (vitamins C, D, zinc, and selenium for immune support).
Jubilee's has introduced a new Chocolate Chip Cookie Organic Whole Milk, available in a 12-pack of 8 oz shelf-stable cartons. Each serving contains 8 grams of protein, 100% of the daily value for vitamin D, 110% for vitamin C, and 20% for calcium. The milk is flavored with organic cocoa, carrot juice, and cookies-and-cream flavoring, with no added sugar.
Gotham Greens has partnered with Sesame Workshop to launch a six-month campaign promoting plant-based eating and family cooking. The collaboration introduces four themed lettuce varieties: Cookie Monster Crunch Lettuce, Crispy Green Leaf Lettuce, Butterhead Lettuce, and Romaine Lettuce, each featuring characters like Cookie Monster, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, and Big Bird.
Bridging the ‘Joy Gap’ in BFY Kids Food
Talk to someone developing the next wave of kids’ snacks and you’ll hear a lot about better-for-you benefits: less sugar, no allergens, more fiber, and functional boosts. But beneath the ingredient deck is another, quieter shift. These snacks aren’t just about helping kids eat better, they’re helping parents feel better too.
Every parent wants to do what’s best for their child, but in this new era of heightened scrutiny (around labels, ingredients, long-term health impacts) some parents have become even more cautious and more vocal; making these needs more central to product decisions. The result? A category that’s become laser-focused on calming adult concerns, sometimes at the cost of engaging the kid consumer.
The Rise of the Reassurance Snack
Kid-wellness foods and beverages have a LOOK. The packaging and brand design is always soft and subtle. Sans-serif fonts and neutral tones dominate, and images lean more Montessori than Nickelodeon. The products follow suit: dark fruit leathers, mutely colored puffed veggie sticks, and oat-and-seed bites.
Their mission is clear: make the act of choosing feel like responsible parenting. Everything is signaling ‘safe,’ clean,’ and ‘thoughtfully made.’ It’s the right call, I can’t argue with that. But in optimizing so hard for peace of mind, have we removed the fun for kids?
Redefining Fun
Look elsewhere in packaged products and you see kids’ snacks engineered for joy. Color-changing lollipops, finger-staining cheese dust, zany shapes and louder-than-life mascots. There is a solid argument that this approach went too far, but is the right approach for wellness brands to reject these tactics out of hand?
The truth is that food is one of the earliest ways kids assert independence and explore identity. When the snacks in front of them feel more like supplements than treats, they lose something essential: excitement.
This doesn’t mean kids’ wellness should embrace the existing playbook. But it does raise a big question: what should kid fun look like when it’s filtered through wellness? Is it quieter? Is it more tactile, more interactive? Can color and creativity re-emerge in new ways that still feel clean, modern, and health-forward?
Toward a New Balance
It’s time to evolve beyond kids snacks that simply avoid harm. Gen Alpha deserves snacks that actively do good, for bodies and for spirits. Snacks that spark curiosity, joy, and maybe even a little mischief.
Because health is the baseline. Delight is the differentiator. I’ve worked with enough kid brands (and deeply researched kid fun) to know that there are multiple levers to pull to really differentiate here.
GUT REACTION
TIDBITS
Food Industry
Trump warns Walmart: Don’t raise prices due to my tariffs but do eat the costs from those taxes
The US has approved CRISPR pigs for food
Chocolate-free brownies and coffee-less cold brew: AI might help food brands weather the tariffs
Family Dollar now available on Uber Eats
Uber Eats, OpenTable reservation integration will launch this fall
EU apps pop up to help consumers avoid US brands
Sprite Edges Pepsi As Third Largest Selling Soda
Burger King must face lawsuit over Whopper ads
DoorDash Is on a $5 Billion Buying Spree After Earnings Beat
Instacart launches Fizz, a new app for ordering drinks and snacks for parties
Hispanic shoppers are spending less on groceries, putting pressure on consumer companies
Krispy Kreme pauses McDonald’s rollout as sales drop
How Trump's policies threaten to dethrone Modelo as the king of beers
Trump Officials Balk at RFK Jr.’s Attack on Pesticides
Gluten-Free Pioneer Mary’s Gone Crackers Sold to Dare Foods Subsidiary
A Dozen Cousins Acquired By Verde Valle Foods
Ziploc Faces a Class Action Lawsuit for Undisclosed Microplastic Risk
Americans are losing the taste for plant-based milk — and Oatly is feeling the pain
Interesting
How millennials became uncool
The MAHA-Friendly App That’s Driving Food Companies Crazy
RFK Jr. Called Sugar ‘Poison.’ Businesses Are Responding With a Surprising Tactic
Forget SEO. AI runs on 'AEO.' Here are the startups doing it.
Why America’s ‘Beautiful Beef’ Is a Trade War Sore Point for Europe
Most consumers say they will pay 25% more for their favorite brands
Employers are looking to neurodivergent employees as an untapped opportunity
MSG Is (Once Again) Back on the Table
Can you kiss someone who just ate gluten if you have celiac disease?
Robot chefs take over at South Korea’s highway restaurants, to mixed reviews
Driverless semi-trucks are rolling in Texas, ushering in new era
Why everybody’s drinking milk again
How Celebrity-Backed Nutritional Supplement Brand Grüns Rocketed to a $500 Million Valuation
Gene edited superfruits that last for weeks heading for our shelves
Study finds pets help 78% of owners take breaks—now Calm and Mars are turning that bond into wellness tools
Sugar’s evolving role in Asian cuisine
Amazon develops a robot that ‘feels’ touch, just like its human workers
What could be wrong with unlimited PTO? Everything, experts say
A business owner tested if customers would pay more for American-made. The results were 'sobering.'
People on Ozempic are reporting that their tastes in food are changing
Kellogg suggests even cost-conscious consumers are willing to pay more for healthier options
Fun & Odd
Boy playing with mom's phone orders 70,000 Dum-Dum lollipops
The most disgusting British foods ever (don’t get mad at me UK friends, this is from the BBC)
No One Will Ever Love Me Like Rotisserie Chicken Does
Hershey Kisses close to becoming Pennsylvania's official state candy
Sam Altman Is Getting Blasted Online Again…Over Olive Oil?
A New Portland Pop-Up Is Recreating Food From Ancient Rome