The Week in Consumer Packaged Goods: March 21, 2025 edition

Welcome to The Week in Consumer Packaged Goods, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that covers the latest must-know news surrounding the CPG space.

Iconic bread brand Wonder just launched a snack cake line, offering a “fresh take on classic indulgences,” Progressive Grocer’s Emily Crow reports, with everything from glazed honey buns and cream-filled confetti cakes to frosted mini donuts and peanut butter wafers. The point is to give consumers “a delicious way to enjoy Wonder beyond the bread aisle,” Director of Brand Management at Wonder Ashley Hornsby told Crow.

See also: “Hostess debuts first campaign under J.M. Smucker to broaden its audience — including 4/20 snackers” (Ad Age)

More product launches and expansions:

• “The Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola Flavors Pack Offers Convenience” (Trend Hunter)
• “Coca-Cola cracks open Minute Maid vodka cocktails” (Food Dive)
• “Krusteaz introduces Cheesecake Muffin Mix” (Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery)
• “JUST Protein Shakes Offer 20g of Protein for Daily Nutrition” (Trend Hunter)
• “Little Debbie Ice Cream Bars Return With 4 Beloved Flavors” (Southern Living)
• “Cure Hydration Expands to Whole Foods Across the U.S.” (Trend Hunter)
• ICYMI: “Popeyes Is Releasing 3 Bottled Sauces — and Fans Couldn’t Be More Thrilled” (Food & Wine)

Bush’s Beans just launched a March Madness promotion in partnership with NBA star Seth Curry that allows fans to create their own commemorative can of Bush’s Beans. Every Wednesday during the NCAA basketball tournament (through April 2), fans can visit YourFamOnACan.com to claim a complimentary customized can (while supplies last) and learn how to make Curry’s own Curry Family Caviar — his family’s take on cowboy caviar bean dip — as well as share their own family recipes.

Previously:

• “Bush’s Beans debuts limited-edition card game with Brian Baumgartner,” from the Feb. 7 edition of this column.
• “Bush’s Beans launches ‘Musical Fruit Contest’ to inspire renditions of an iconic rhyme,” from the March 29, 2024 edition of this column.

More activations and promotions:

• “Mug Brings Back ‘Last Dog Standing’ For March Madness” (MediaPost)
• “The HI-CHEW Getaway Mix Layover Immerses Travelers in a Sweet Escape” (Trend Hunter)
• ICYMI: “BuzzBallz Announces New ‘Big Blue BBallz’ Ahead Of March Madness” (MediaPost)

Zing Zang just introduced a new offering that taps into consumers’ growing interest in pickle-flavored offerings. Zing Zang Dill Pickle Bloody Mary Mix is made with real pickle brine along with Zing Zang’s standard Bloody Mary recipe components (“seven real vegetable juices, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and a blend of bold spices and seasonings”). Fans can sample Zing Zang Dill Pickle at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida in late April. The new offering is currently available online at Amazon.com and is rolling out to grocery retailers and wine/spirit stores nationwide.

Previously: “Captain Morgan launches new ‘mouth-blowing’ sweet chili lime offering,” from the March 14 edition of this column.

More flavor innovations:

• ICYMI: “7UP Unveils New ‘Endless Summer’ Flavor: But Not All Stores Will Get It” (RetailWire)
• ICYMI: “Trader Joe’s Most Popular Sweet Treat Is Being Turned Into a Beer” (Food & Wine)

NYX Professional Makeup just announced a collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures on a collection inspired by “A Minecraft Movie,” the first live-action adaptation of the video game for the big screen. The beauty brand describes the “A Minecraft Movie” collection as “buildable,” allowing fans “to craft their artistry without limits” while “connecting the makeup and gaming communities.” Available now at nyxcosmetics.com, with retail rollout on March 24, the limited-edition collection includes items such as Cheeky Mob Blush Balms in stackable Minecraft-inspired cube packaging.

More CPG collabs and partnerships:

• “Irish Brands Native Denims, Kerrygold Cheese Team on Special Cheese Pocket Jeans” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “Shaq-A-Licious sour pineapple gummies is latest Slurpee flavor” (Brand Innovators)
• “Sargento Launches ‘Natural’ American Cheese” (Food Manufacturing)
• “Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Partners with Mike’s Hot Honey” (Trend Hunter)
• ICYMI: “Mondelēz and Biscoff parent expand partnership into ice cream” (Food Dive)
• ICYMI: “Inside Dogfish Head’s Grateful Dead partnership” (Ad Age)

CPG campaigns:

• “JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers Help Gatorade Get to Bottom of ‘It’” (Adweek)
• “Coke Zero Sugar applauds sports fans’ hard work in March Madness campaign” (Marketing Dive)
• “Kylie Kelce Is Drinking For Two In Liquid Death’s ‘Kegs For Pregs’” (MediaPost)
• “The New Flamin’ Hot Campaign Puts Its Spice to the Ultimate Test” (Trend Hunter)
• “Nexxus taps Hailee Steinfeld for Hy-Volume collection campaign” (Drug Store News)
• “Peroni puts nonalcoholic beer in the driver’s seat for racing tie-in” (Marketing Dive)
• ICYMI: “Flau’Jae Johnson Drops Bars and Buckets in Powerade’s March Madness Ad” (Adweek)
• ICYMI: “SunSip Marries Tasty Soda To ‘Good’ Health” (MediaPost)