The most wonderful time of the year is fast approaching and industry is going into overdrive to provide seasonal offerings to eager consumers. As the holidays draw nearer, consumers are seeking indulgent products with classic flavors that evoke family traditions and feelings of nostalgia. Classic foods such as chocolate and cheese continue to be stalwarts, although the demand for plant-based offerings is also creeping into this space. It takes a closer look at the festive NPD sprouting up across all sectors.
Chocolate is especially popular throughout the holiday season, with Nestlé recently launching its first direct-to-consumer offering in the UK with the introduction of the KitKat Chocolatory. The KitKat Chocolatory targets Christmas shoppers with its upscale handmade treats, which are customizable with up to 1,500 different flavor combinations. Consumers can choose from a range of chocolate varieties – milk, dark, white and ruby – and a host of diverse ingredients.
US-based company sweetFrog is offering a duo featuring a low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt accompanied by a candy cane. These two classic winter flavors can be enjoyed separately, but swirled together, they create Chocolate Covered Candy Cane, which the company promotes as a “frosty frenzy of holiday flavor that will delight children and adults alike.”
Last month, Kevin Bangratz, Marketing Researcher at Prova, told that in the US, limited edition innovations hitting the shelves for the holiday season are popular among consumers, who are highly sensitive to seasonal tastes. Spicy notes are popular in this season, such as cinnamon, eggnog and gingerbread.
In this space, Premier Foods is extending its festive UK cake range with seasonal additions from its Mr Kipling and Cadbury brands. Chocolate Orange Whirls bring a festive favorite into a new format, while Irish Crème Fancies look to drive penetration among new shoppers. Other products include Caramel and Orange Mini Rolls, with seasonal packaging to drive excitement.
Meanwhile, for non-chocolate lovers, Premier Foods also offers a Mini Mince Pie Selection pack containing Mr Kipling Deep Filled Mince Pies, Iced Topped Mince Pies and – a new addition especially for the selection pack – Frangipane Mince Pies. Mince Pie Flavour Slices and Reindeer Slices will also both be making a comeback.
For people looking to eat festively from the moment they wake up, Pop-Tarts are offering a range of Ugly Sweater sugar cookie-flavored toaster pastries, featuring images of cartoon animals wearing ugly Christmas sweaters. The animal lineup includes a sloth, a flamingo and a llama, all with quirky-cool seasonal accessories.
A savory bite
Cheese is a key holiday flavor, with UK-based supermarket Waitrose offering a Victoria Four-Tier Cheese Cake – which includes a luxurious heart-shaped Godminster Cheddar – as well as the Arabella Five-Tier Cheese Cake featuring a lemony Cornish Yarg. Waitrose reveals sales of Christmas cheese are up 100 percent compared to last year, as customers look to add a touch of festive magic to their after-dinner selections in the run-up to the big day.
Consumers looking for slightly more casual fare can turn to Kettle Chips’ potato chips in Truffled Cheese & a Splash of English Sparkling Wine. The flavor combines the earthy, nutty flavor of the truffled cheese seasoning with the subtle fruity and floral notes of sparkling wine.
Meanwhile, Iceland is continuing to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers with the launch of its vegan and palm oil-free Christmas offerings, which include No Duck Spring Rolls made with jackfruit and No Moo Chocolate Snowflakes, which contain a vegan pudding within a chocolate shell.
In addition to its range of general seasonal offerings, Whole Foods Market is also partnering with Zahav chef Michael Solomonov to create a full Hanukkah dinner menu. This includes chicken schnitzel with apple amba sauce, green beans and mushrooms with tahini, eggplant and bell pepper, as well as fried leek and potato cakes.
Seasonal sips
The seasonal excitement has extended to the beverage sector, with Coca-Cola releasing the first-ever US holiday flavor of Coke in the form a limited-edition cinnamon version of its eponymous drink. “We wanted to give consumers who love and enjoy Coke a new and exciting way to get in the holiday spirit with a flavor that complements the season,” says Oana Vlad, Brand Director at Coca-Cola.
The company is also offering Sprite in Winter Spiced Cranberry, which infuses the crisp, lemon-lime taste of Sprite with a warm spice blend and tart cranberry. The flavor was based on input from Sprite fans and is touted as delivering the essence of the “thirstiest time of the year.”
Meanwhile, Pepsi is promoting a gift-it-forward program, wherein consumers are encouraged to give prize money to someone else. Through unique QR codes found across 12 packs of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Zero Sugar, Wild Cherry Pepsi and Pepsi Vanilla, as well as Pepsi Mini Can 15 and 10 packs, fans can try their luck at a digital scratch-off game. The cash prize ranges from US$5 to US$25,000 that can then be instantly gifted to a friend or a charity.
Proving that the seasonal fun is not just for children, Stella Artois launched its first ever limited-edition holiday beer, dubbed Midnight Lager. The black lager has notes of Belgian dark chocolate and freshly brewed espresso.
Finally, in the hot beverage space, US branches of Starbucks will offer Peppermint Mocha for the 17th year, as well as having other seasonal offerings including Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte and an Eggnog Latte.
