Leftovers: Kellogg’s Eggo enters eggnog; Outshine debuts blender-free smoothie cubes

L’Eggo of holiday stress with Eggo Nog

Kellogg is debuting Eggo Nog Appalachian Sippin’ Cream, a cream liqueur alcohol that it developed with Tennessee-based Sugarlands Distilling Co. The CPG giant said it can be paired with Eggo waffles to enhance the taste of the popular breakfast product.

The drink contains cinnamon and nutmeg flavor notes, the company said, and has a 20% alcohol by volume. It was inspired by Sugarlands Distilling’s Appalachian Sippin’ Cream, which is typically poured into coffee or whiskey. The beverage will be available in select retail stores ahead of the holidays, Kellogg said.

Kellogg is pitching the drink as something parents can turn to during the hectic holiday season and enjoy after the kids have gone to bed.

“We created Eggo Nog to give parents a delicious way to indulge in some well-deserved ‘evening me time’,” said Joe Beauprez, Eggo’s marketing director. “Eggo Nog is sure to help parents L’Eggo during one of the busiest times of the year.”

It’s not Kellogg’s first foray into the alcohol space. In 2019, it partnered with Salford Brewery in England to create IPAs using upcycled cereal from its portfolio, including Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies (known as Coco Pops in the U.K.)

More food and beverage CPGs have entered the alcohol space through some of their classic offerings. PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay debuted Lay’s Potato Vodka earlier this year, made with the same potatoes it uses to develop its chips. And last year Mondelēz International tapped Barefoot Wine to craft a red wine blend that includes the cookies and creme flavors of its Oreo Thins.

— Chris Casey

Outshine creates blender-free at-home smoothies

There’s no easier way to enjoy a serving of fruits (and sometimes vegetables) than tossing them in the blender and making a smoothie. If you have a blender, that is.

The newest launch from the Outshine brand makes smoothie creation even easier. Its new Smoothie Cubes are frozen fruit, vegetable and nutrient purees. And in 15 minutes, they melt into a base for a fruit smoothie. The company recommends putting four ounces of smoothie cubes and six ounces of liquid into a cup, and shaking them to mix after the cubes melt.

Smoothie Cubes come in three varieties. The Go-Getter is made with ingredients like papaya, date paste, beet juice, a touch of chia and B vitamins. The Glow To is a green smoothie with pineapple, mango, spinach, kale, kiwi and Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides. And The Gut Supporter includes strawberries, bananas, coconut cream, carrot juice, beet juice and fiber.

The cubes contain all of the fruits and nutrients that a consumer may want out of a smoothie. It just needs a liquid like water or oat milk to make them easily drinkable, the company said.

“We found a new way to deliver the quality and ease of an out-of-home smoothie without the hassle and mess that comes with conventional, homemade smoothies,” Jamie Harbeck, Nestlé USA’s senior manager of new business ventures, said in a statement.

This product isn’t a huge stretch for Outshine, a brand that’s well-known for its fruit popsicles made with real fruit and juice. Smoothie Cubes take an assortment of the kinds of ingredients in Outshine’s frozen treats, add some additional nutritional ingredients, including chia seed and peptides, to create a frozen product that’s made to be melted.

Smoothies are an area that’s ripe for growth. A 2019 report from Packaged Facts found Gen Z consumers are looking for both healthier and more convenient food. Smoothie Cubes meet both of those needs. And the ability to make them at home could increase their popularity, especially since restaurant smoothies can be on the expensive side.

With policy changes to encourage healthy eating in today’s spotlight, Smoothie Cubes fit into the health and wellness trends that many are talking about, no blender required.

— Megan Poinski

Coffee mate sweetens creamer space with new offerings

With the holiday season quickly approaching, Nestlé’s Coffee mate is finding a tasteful way to celebrate.

The coffee creamer is rolling out in 2023 Coffee mate Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts and Coffee mate Zero Sugar Twix flavored creamers – the latter a response to growing interest in sugarless offerings. Both Coffee mate creamers will be available at grocery stores and mass retailers nationwide for a limited time, beginning in January 2023.