Mike and Ike names baller ‘chief candy officer’

The Just Born candy brand has named New York Knicks star Josh Hart to serve as its very first chief candy officer. Hart, who self-identifies as a long-time fan of the candy, reportedly will call the shots on brand moments, mix up flavor innovations, and let fans in on an immersive look at what his life looks like when a candy obsession becomes a job. "Anyone who knows me knows Mike and Ike isn’t just a candy to me, it’s the candy,” he says. "I've been eating these candies since I was a kid, and I still keep boxes stashed everywhere—at home, in my locker, on the plane. It's been my number one candy forever, so stepping into this role as chief candy officer feels like the ultimate full-circle moment. This isn't just a title, it's me representing the candy I've loved my whole life." People can follow Hart’s day-to-day at mikeandike.com.

 

Home Run Inn celebrates National Tavern-Style Pizza Day

While people outside the city think of “Chicago-style pizza” as that massive, deep-dish stuff cut into triangles, Windy Citizens know the real pie of choice here is thin-crust cut into squares, called “tavern style” due to its tradition of being served to hungry bar patrons. That style got its start at HRI, which still has sit-down joints but also a frozen pizza brand. On October 22, HRI will celebrate National Tavern-Style Pizza Day to honor the thin-crust tradition started back in 1923 at the tavern and bolstered by a family pizza recipe brought over from Italy. “Tavern-Style Pizza Day celebrates the Chicago tradition that has shaped Home Run Inn’s story from the start. We’re proud to carry that legacy forward, sharing the bold, unmistakable flavor of authentic tavern-style pizza with families and fans across America,” says Gina Perrino Bolger, HRI’s chief marketing officer and fourth-generation family member of the company.

 

HI-CHEW gets mysterious

Courtesy of Morinaga
Candy is a crucial part of Halloween fun every spooky season, and the Morinaga brand is no exception. From October 24 to 26, the brand is inviting guests to celebrate with them at the HI-CHEW House of Mystery in Irvine, CA. Centered around the brand’s Mystery Mix themed products and packaging, the exterior features some of those same spooky design features, and visitors will be greeted by mascot Chewbie dressed in its own festive costume. Inside, visitors will stroll through immersive chambers inspired by candy flavors, including the Blue Raspberry Room, Candy Apple Room, Sweet & Sour Watermelon Room, and Mystery Flavor Room, each inspired by the signature HI-CHEW flavor. The activation will also invite attendees to take on candy-fueled challenges, sample HI-CHEW, and work to solve a flavor mystery.  

 

Rich Products shares spooky celebration stats

Courtesy of Rich ProductsAccording to the bakery brand’s Strategic Insights team, consumers plan to make sweets and treats part of their Halloween celebrations in a big way this season:

• 57% of people plan on hosting or attending a party, with only 18% not sure what they’ll be doing when October 31 actually arrives.
• The most popular treat they expect to enjoy is packaged candy (74%), with cookies rising compared to past years to take a solid second place
• Salty snacks lost a little bit of oomph but are still a popular option
• Consumers want variety—respondents said they expect to gobble down an average of five different items during the event
• Last year, salty snacks like chips and pretzels were the second-most-selected food when thinking about Halloween parties, but declined by 2 percentage points in the latest pulse. This echoes broader industry trends of salty snacks experiencing consumer pullback.
• Pizza is expected to be invited to most of the parties people will be attending, with 66% saying they expect to order takeout or delivery pies

 

Cup Noodles introduces sweet seasonal flavor

Courtesy of Nissin FoodsRamen aficionados typically enjoy savory flavors, like chicken, beef, shrimp, or pork. The popular ramen-in-a-cup Nissin Foods brand has been getting creative with its noodle tastes, most recently releasing Pumpkin Pie and Turkey Dinner versions just in time for the food-filled Thanksgiving holiday. Pumpkin Pie combines the familiar flavor of the traditional dessert, including pumpkin blended with caramelized brown sugar sweetness and signature spices. Then, Turkey Dinner combines notes of herb-seasoned bird with sweet corn, tangy cranberry, green beans, warming spices, and tender noodles. According to Priscila Stanton, SVP of marketing, Nissin Foods USA, "With Cup Noodles Turkey Dinner and Pumpkin Pie, we're delivering the full Thanksgiving experience—from main course to dessert—in minutes with the moist, slurpable goodness our fans crave."

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What fun and fascinating snack, bakery, or candy news have you heard lately? Send it my way! The email's spinnerj@bnpmedia.com. Thanks for reading!