Consumables

NORWALK, Conn. — Smirnoff giving consumers another choice when it comes to bubbly for their holiday parties.

The brand has launched Spiked Sparkling Seltzer, a premium malt beverage that is the newest addition to the hard seltzer category -- but with fewer calories than the leading hard seltzer brands currently on the market.

There's a new Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie coming to store shelves nationwide, and this one is perfectly suited for the cold winter months ahead.

According to the Connecticut Post, the company has launched Toasted Marshmallow Milano cookies at Target and plans to roll out the flavor to retailers nationwide in January.

PepsiCo says it wants to make more better-for-you drinks and snacks, but much of its revenue growth comes from high-sugar drinks, as well as high-fat, high-salt standbys such as Doritos and Cheetos.

A new report from the Wall Street Journal describes the company as being pulled in two directions: ramping up healthier offerings for years, while consumers refuse to give up their love for all things sweet and salty.

WATERBURY, Vt. — Keurig and Swiss Miss are joining together to unveil two new varieties of Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa K-Cup pods for consumers to enjoy this season.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — PepsiCo is ushering in a new era of thirst quenchers by introducing a line of premium bottled water that aims to appeal to consumers looking for hydration with side order of art.

Available across the United States beginning in February, LIFEWTR is a purified water, pH balanced with electrolytes added for taste. The water is enrobed in a bottle that will serve as a canvas for art and design and features rotating label motifs created by emerging artists. 

CHICAGO — Wrigley and Mars Chocolate North America say they are driving sales and increasing shopper engagement by working with retailers to implement their Transaction Zone Vision.

Since launching the program in 2015, the companies say they have used research-driven insights to help retail partners boost sales at checkout through channel-specific recommendations.

MCLEAN, Va. — The biggest launch in M&M’s brand history, M&M’s Caramel Chocolate Candies features a creamy, caramel center covered in milk chocolate, enclosed in a candy shell. Caramel is the fastest-growing flavor segment in food, growing 15% in 2015, according to Mars. Hank Izzo, VP of research and development of parent company Mars Chocolate, said the brand regularly plays around with size, shape, color and texture. But, caramel has been especially of interest to the company in recent years. “Caramel is extremely trendy,” he said.

Health-and-wellness trends are taking the CPG and retail industries by storm, and that is no less the case when it comes to the confectionary industry specifically.

As consumer dietary habits have shifted in recent years, confectionary companies in particular have had a tougher task of finding ways to drive growth in the candy aisles. Candy sales have been trending down, with consumers opting for better-for-you snacks.

The bright spot for candy manufacturers and retailers has been novelty and seasonal confections.