The Week in Consumer Packaged Goods: October 4, 2024 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.

To celebrate the removal of the sleeve from its packaging, Nestlé USA’s Hot Pockets just announced the release of a limited-edition holiday sweater. In addition to speeding up the cooking process, the elimination of Hot Pockets’ “microwave susceptor crisping sleeve,” as it’s properly called, is expected to save an estimated 5 million pounds of paper every year, per a brand statement. The Hot Pockets Zip-Off Holiday Sweater, which prominently features a snowman holding a Hot Pocket, has long sleeves that zip off at the shoulders — “because sleeves are so last year.” For $40, fans can get their own delightfully ugly Hot Pockets sweater on Oct. 15, Oct. 29, Nov. 19 and Dec. 3 here, while supplies last.

More from Quad: “Marketing sustainability: brands making recycling and reducing waste core to their messaging in 2024”

More clever brand promotions:

• “The Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers Pullover Is the Loudest Outfit You Can Wear — Literally” (Food & Wine)
• “Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart Light Up the Holiday Season with BIC EZ Reach Collaboration” (The Source)
• “Totino’s touts pizza roll value with ‘I Think You Should Leave’ creators” (Marketing Dive)

That’s the number of limited-edition “Oodles of Noodles Complete Collection” product boxes that Nissin Foods USA will sell to celebrate National Noodle Day on Oct. 6. Each $1.06 box includes all 41 varieties of noodle products (including Top Ramen and Cup Noodles) in Nissin Foods’ brand portfolio — along with assorted brand swag — and will be available exclusively on TikTok Shop only on Oct. 6, beginning at 1:06 p.m. ET. (See more stats in the most recent edition of The Weekly 10.)

More CPG stats:

• “PepsiCo to acquire tortilla-chip maker Siete Foods for $1.2B” (Food Dive)

Conagra hot cocoa brand Swiss Miss just announced a collaboration with distiller Hotel Tango on a toasted marshmallow whiskey, Ad Age’s Tim Nudd reports. Offering a twist on Hotel Tango’s existing toasted marshmallow bourbon, Swiss Miss ’Shmallow, as the new co-branded product is called, features “notes of cocoa,” while the retro-style packaging includes “the iconic Swiss Miss character taking a sled ride with the unofficial Hotel Tango mascot — a cat,” Nudd adds. Swiss Miss ’Shmallow launched Oct. 1 with a campaign that includes out-of-home.

Previously: “Doritos enters spirits aisle with Doritos-flavored liquor,” from an earlier edition of this column.

More CPG launches and collabs:

• “Flavia launches Lavazza Lattes for café-quality lattes in the office” (Vending Times)
• “19 Crimes and Universal Products & Experiences Debuted a Halloween Wine” (Trend Hunter)
• “The Complete Rundown On Johnnie Walker’s Squid Game Collaboration” (The Whiskey Wash)
• “Barilla expands pesto line with new flavors” (FoodBev Media)
• “Thrifty Ice Cream Debuts New Birthday Cake Flavor in Collaboration with Chuck E. Cheese” (Licensing International)
• “OPI’s latest collection draws inspiration from the world of ‘Wicked’” (Drug Store News)
• “Jones Soda unveils Halloween flavors” (Beverage Industry)
• “Aldi unveils Oktoberfest range with new Pilsner crisps and sausage-flavoured snacks” (FoodBev Media)
• “Grind Reunites with Green Day for its Collaborative Iced Matcha Latte” (Trend Hunter)
• “Chobani Yogurt Celebrates Halloween with Themed AR Experiences and Treats” (Little Black Book)

Building on last year’s M&M’S Halloween Rescue Squad, which we covered in the Oct. 13, 2023 edition of this column, the Mars brand is launching the first-ever M&M’S Halloween Rescue BOOths “to rescue even more consumers from the haunting sight of an empty candy bowl this Halloween,” per a brand announcement. On Halloween night, individuals ages 14 and older in Philadelphia and Westfield, New Jersey, can stop by a local M&M’S Halloween Rescue BOOth to request an instant candy refill. Other consumers who don’t live in those two cities need not fear, as M&M’S will once again partner with delivery service Gopuff to restock those who “underestimated the number of trick-or-treaters to show up at their door.” Consumers nationwide can visit MMS.com/Halloween-Rescue-Squad to have Mars candy — including its latest offering, M&M’S Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie — delivered free of charge to participating locations in approximately 30 minutes.

Previously: “M&M’S Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies offer fans ‘Funsurance’ to guarantee summer birthday fun,” from the July 19 edition of this column.

More CPG brand activations:

• “Bliss Begins Big Road Trip: Passenger Princess Campaign with Teddi Mellencamp, Ride Share Brand Alto” (Happi)
• “Big Sipz’s Tailgate Tour Shares a Taste of New Ready-to-Drink Flavors” (Trend Hunters)
• “Lucy Score and Club Crackers Launch ‘Book Club House’ Inspired by the Riley Thorn Series” (First For Women)