This week's Fun Friday kicks off with Ferrero's Kinder brand and the U.S. Soccer Foundation launching "Goals of Joy," to inspire more active and joyful communities through soccer.

The new initiative is designed to empower youth to build positive attitudes toward movement and build vital life skills through the sport. Through a three-year partnership, Kinder and the U.S. Soccer Foundation will seek to combat the downward trend of physical activity among U.S. youth. According to the Physical Activity Alliance's latest report card, only 20-28% of 6- to 17-year-olds meet the 60 minutes of daily physical activity guidelines. In addition, the U.S. received a D- grade for overall physical activity in 2024.

Kinder and the U.S. Soccer Foundation will integrate their proven programs in key markets—Kinder Joy of Moving, a Ferrero global social responsibility initiative, and the Foundation's Coach-Mentor Training and Soccer for Success after school program—to advance physical activity and overall well-being for children in underserved communities through trainings, community and family events, and family-friendly resources that can be used both within and beyond soccer programs, including at home.

The initiative will kick off this fall in the New York City metro area and expand to additional markets over the next three years. The two organizations will leverage the upcoming Men's and Women's World Cups—happening in summer 2026 and summer 2027, respectively—to generate deeper community and family engagement. By the end of the initiative in August 2027, more than 30,000 youth and families will benefit from the initiative.

Established in 2005, the Kinder Joy of Moving program is part of Ferrero's ongoing commitment to contribute to the overall wellbeing of the communities it serves and is currently active in more than 30 countries around the globe. The program is founded on the principle that when children grow up active, they grow up happy. Joy of Moving utilizes scientifically recognized methodology that aims to get children moving through play to improve physical fitness while also developing cognitive, emotiona0,l and social skills.

Pringles, Van Holten's debut sour cream and onion-inspired pickle

Van Holten’s, the viral pickle-in-a-pouch brand, is partnering with Pringles for a limited time to release a Sour Cream & Onion pickle—a tangy twist inspired by one of Pringles’ top selling flavors. Just days before the launch, both brands sparked excitement by teasing the collaboration on social media, hinting at a crunchy, pickle-packed surprise to come.  

Pickles have taken over pop culture and social media in recent years, with TikTok challenges, pickle-flavored everything, and a devoted fanbase of brine-loving snackers. Van Holten’s has been at the center of this pickle craze, the company says, becoming a favorite among Gen Z with its bold flavors, crave-worthy collabs, and on-the-go pouches.    

Meanwhile, Pringles joined the pickle craze last year with the return of its consumer-favorite Dill Pickle crisps, sparking excitement across social media. Now the brand is heading in a bold new direction: outside the can and into a pouch, thanks to a new collaboration with Van Holten’s.  

The LTO Van Holten’s x Pringles Pickle-In-A-Pouch delivers the tangy, savory flavor of Pringles Sour Cream & Onion potato crisps—infused straight into Van Holten’s pickles.

The Van Holten’s x Pringles Sour Cream & Onion Pickle is shelf-stable (no refrigeration required). The special-edition flavor will be available starting August 1 for a limited time at Five Below, HEB, Amazon, and TikTok Shop.   

Cheez-It brings its "A Game" to the basketball "Tunnel Fit" trend with snack-inspired pieces

When fashion hits the court, Kellanova's Cheez-It brand is bringing the fit(s). As the "Tunnel Fits" phenomenon—referring to the outfit a player wears while walking through the tunnel from the team bus or arena entrance to the locker room—continues to rise in prominence, with searches more than doubling in the last six months, Cheez-It is adding its flair to the trend with the style collaboration of the season: Cheez-Fitz.

The brand teamed up with stylist and fashion designer Brittany Hampton to create a game day look infused with bold, cheezy touches for rising basketball star Rickea Jackson, a player who is consistently turning heads with her standout style. Known for styling the stars of the game, Cheez-It tapped Hampton to bring her expertise to crafting a custom look that brings a whole new flavor to tunnel fashion and gives obsessed fans the opportunity to wear their love for Cheez-It to the court, literally.

The gender-neutral collection consisting of a windbreaker and pants brings a twist to a pre and post-game look, including Cheez-It inspired details like cracker detailing, Cheez-It red, and a protective pocket to crunch-proof your fit for your favorite snack, keeping them close for whenever the cravings strike.

Consumers can show their style obsession with a Cheez-Fitz piece of their own by visiting cheezit.com on Thursday, July 24 at 12:00 pm EST for a chance to buy one of the exclusive Cheez-Fitz pieces before they're gone.

Beauty collabs: Magnolia Bakery x Glossier, and Patchology x Sprinnkles

Magnolia Bakery is continuing to build in new and unexpected ways, but this time with their biggest collab yet. The New York dessert destination announced that they are teaming up with fellow NYC staple Glossier for a limited-edition Banana Pudding Balm Dotcom, inspired by Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding.

Launched globally on Thursday, July 17 at Glossier (retail + online) and Sephora (retail + online), the collab marks a smart, sensory crossover between food and beauty, tapping into Magnolia Bakery’s signature product and Glossier’s cult-favorite balm for a buzzy moment that brings together two NYC brands, the brands say.

This launch is the latest in a growing lineup of culturally relevant partnerships for Magnolia Bakery, which has proven its ability to extend far beyond the bakery case. Magnolia Bakery continues to find inventive ways to surprise fans and stay top of mind:

• This collaboration highlights one of the bakery’s best-selling desserts—u=in fact, Banana pudding represented more than 30% of Magnolia Bakery’s product mix in 2024.
• Additionally, Magnolia Bakery is on track to sell over two million cups of fresh banana pudding across U.S. retail bakeries and third party options in 2025.
• Since 2021, Magnolia Bakery limited-edition collabs with Boy Smells, Incredibles, and Monos have been so popular that they’ve been restocked to meet fan demands.

In other beauty collab news, Patchology and Sprinkles will be launching a limited-edition eye patch collaboration on Monday, July 21. 

The collaboration features two new no-slip eye patch scents inspired by Sprinkles cupcakes: Eye Want S’More, based on the best-selling S’Mores cupcake, and Apple of My Eye, a new Candy Apple cupcake flavor created just for this limited-edition partnership. The soothing and hydrating Eye Want S’More eye patches, infused with the scent of freshly torched s’mores, are formulated with marshmallow root, cocoa butter, and vanilla fruit extracts to soothe, hydrate, and protect the eye area. The smoothing and hydrating Apple of My Eye eye patches are infused with the edible scent of crisp candied apple and formulated with apple extract to smooth, essential minerals to heal and soothe, and sugarcane extract to hydrate and soften. In addition to the new eye patches, both cupcake flavors will be available at all Sprinkles bakery locations nationwide.   

The eye patches will be available online at Patchology.com and in-store at Ulta. The cupcakes will be sold at all Sprinkles bakery locations nationwide and Sprinkles.com from July 21 until August 10. 

&pizza debuts $39.99 pass for one pizza a day for 30 days

According to Restaurant Business Online, East Coast-based pizza chain &pizza will be offering a $39.99 pizza pass for consumers, which allows them to eat one pie a day for a 30-day period. (some fast math: if a consumer was to go every day of the promotion, it would be $1.33 per pie)

The chain has locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The new promotion was announced after &pizza recently lowered its pricing across its menu, to position it as a more affordable option, says RBO. 

The promotion is valid at all participating locations, but not available for third-party delivery, and it is celebrating the chains' 13th anniversary. The &pass will be available for purchase through July 13 20 through the brand’s app or website.

How it works: the brand's patrons can start using the pass on July 21 and new pies will drop daily for the next 29 days. Guests can choose whatever pizza they want, and there’s no extra charge for toppings. The chain's homepage currently promotes the offer, cheekily saying "30 pies for $39.99 (don't tell our finance guy)."

Speaking of their "finance guy," &pizza CFO Clint Fendley called the promotion “absurd,” adding in a statement, “although finance said WTF and ultimately lost, we’re proud to be one of the only fast-casual brands that can offer a deal like this.”

According to RBO, &pizza has been "working to reclaim its counter-culture mojo in recent years. The chain earlier this year launched franchising, and Burns said he hopes to refranchise most of the 39 company units, as well as reigniting growth after the chain shuttered 13 restaurants in a right-sizing of the portfolio last year." The chain recently signed its first franchisee outside its East Coast footprint, who plans to build three units in South Carolina.