Latest news with #CheeseandOnion
Scottish Sun
02-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
The reason your favourite snacks get discontinued REVEALED according to insiders from Mars and Walkers
EVERYONE has a discontinued snack that they wish would be brought back. But how do snack giants like Mars and Walkers decide which ones should axed and when to bring them back? We spoke to insiders from both firms to find out. 4 Mars first made its iconic Mars Bar back in 1932 and it's still on shelves today - but other favourites haven't stood the test of time Credit: Reuters 4 Walkers has kept its iconic flavours like Salt and Vinegar, Cheese and Onion and Prawn Cocktail around for decades Credit: Getty 4 Lizzy Dinsdale is a chocolate scientist at Mars Wrigley and she's often juggling multiple projects in different stages of development Credit: Mars Wrigley 4 Steph Herbert, head of marketing at Walkers, says the brand often needs to swap out flavours for new one Credit: Walkers Steph Herbert, head of marketing at Walkers, says a lot of products get discontinued due to limited shelf space in supermarkets. "The reality is that within shops and the customers that we work with, they only hold a certain number of products on their shelves at any one time," she said. That means that when a new flavour is brought in, often something else might have to go. "We know that our fans' taste buds are always evolving, so we opt to make changes to our line-up and we'll maybe swap one flavour in for another flavour," she said. The taste experts at big brands will always be looking at what trends are emerging and what customers might want, and they'll ask supermarkets for their recommendations too. Lizzy Dinsdale, pricipal chocolate scientist at Mars, is responsible for looking at flavour trends across the world and coming up with new chocolates for the likes of M&M's, Mars and Galaxy. Mars launches new M&M treat in UK after popular product flew off the shelves in the US - and shoppers are thrilled She says that not only do brands look at what's popular right now but they'll also be trying to predict what customers will want to eat in five and even 10 years' time. Still, there's some products that have always stood the test of time. The iconic Mars Bar was first made in 1932 - and to this day it's still produced in the same factory in Slough. Now three million of the caramel and nougat-filled bars are made every day. Meanwhile Walkers first brought in its Cheese and Onion flavour back in the 1950s, and Prawn Cocktail first hit shelves in the 70s. Top discontinued products Here are our top discontinued snacks - including picks from our team... Fabulous Bakin' Boys Cupcakes Consumer reporter Emily Mee says: "It was always a good day when I spotted these in my lunch box at school. Putting a layer of chocolate on top of a vanilla cupcake is a simple idea but a genius one. I would pay good money to try these again..." Ready Salted Chipsticks Head of Consumer Tara Evans says: "Ready Salted Chipsticks. Why did they get rid of this classic flavour? Some people think ready salted is boring - but why mess with a classic? I often feel taunted when I see the salt and vinegar version in shops." Coco Pops Rocks Consumer news editor Ellie Smitherman says: "No idea whose bright idea it was to get rid of these, but it was possibly one of the worst moves in cereal history. Coco Pops Straws, too! If I had known the last time I'd have one would be the last time, I'd have savoured it far more." Tooti Frooties Senior consumer reporter James Flanders says: "Tooty Frooties were a chewy blast of childhood joy. Scrapped after 50 years, they were Britain's alternative to Skittles - and in an age obsessed with nostalgia, bringing them back just makes sense. Lots of dupes can be picked up at budget supermarkets but they just don't taste the same." White Maltesers While the milk chocolate version is still going strong, White Chocolate Maltesers were pulled from shelves in 2014. Mars said it was a "difficult decision" at the time, and fans still post comments on its social media pages calling for it to come back. Heinz Toast Toppers Out of all the discontinued products, this is one of the ones we see the most calls for to come back. The creamy cans came in a variety of flavours like chicken and mushroom or cheese and ham. They were binned in 2015 after delighting shoppers for decades. Cadbury Spira Another of the regular calls we see is for the Cadbury Spira to return. The chocolate featured twin bars in each pack which were formed into a spiral shape, with six hollow tubes running through each one. Bringing it back Every now and then, the powers that be decide to bring back discontinued favourites - and they're often a hit with shoppers. You may remember that Mars brought back its cult favourite Crispy Rolls this year, after they had disappeared from shelves in 2022. They were initially brought back to supermarkets for a week in February, before later being quietly added to Morrisons' meal deal offering. Mars said at the time it wanted to tap into the growing demand for nostalgic products. Chocolate scientist Lizzy revealed this came after an online petition to bring the product back hit over 8,000 signatures. "I think that's the most demand for a product I've seen in a while!" she said. For Walkers, their most popular recent relaunch has been the iconic Worcester Sauce crisp. The flavour had been discontinued in 2023 - much to the disappointment of fans who said the brand had made a "grave error". Steph admitted crisp fans "feel very attached to Worcester Sauce" and the flavour has a "real loyal fan base". That's why this year the flavour landed back on shelves - this time as part of a collaboration with Lea & Perrins Worcester Sauce. Can YOU help bring back a much-loved product? So do shoppers have any power to help bring back a product? Lizzy says: "At Mars, bringing back an old favourite is all about listening to our consumers. "When we see a clear desire from people for a certain product to return, whether on social media or via a petition, we take note. "We get hundreds of requests from customers asking us to bring back their favourite products, and listening to consumer feedback is key for us." The company has a dedicated social media team who keep on top of what people are saying online. They'll scan social media posts, comments on the brand's social media, and even petitions. Lizzy says she can't give away what she's currently working on, but "a personal dream would be for the Galaxy Truffle from Celebrations to make a return". Meanwhile, Steph says Walkers is contacted "more than you'd probably think" about bringing back old flavours, and every comment from fans gets read by the team. "In the last two years, we've had requests to bring back over 60 different types of flavours of Walkers," she says. If you're wanting your favourite flavour back, she says your best bet is to contact the Walkers customer service team or comment on its social media posts. Decisions will usually be based around how much demand there is for a product to come back, but Steph says another factor at play is what trends there are generally. Explaining why Worcester Sauce was brought back - along with the Heinz Tomato Ketchup flavour - she said: "So with those flavours in particular, we saw based on our market data that condiment flavours were growing in popularity. "And then coupled with that, they were our top most requested flavours that were reported back to us by consumer services so it was a no-brainer to bring them back into the range." She said there's no plans currently to bring back any other discontinued flavours but "never say never". The science behind new flavours You might like to think of product developers testing out random flavours until something works, but in reality the ideas stage is much more data-driven. Lizzy explains that Mars has product development, sensory and human intelligence experts who are constantly keeping an eye on new trends. "We focus on taste as the number one priority, but we also keep an eye out and respond to trends like healthier snacks with lower sugar, nutritional benefits, and natural ingredients," she says. She's often developing recipes and testing them out, juggling about five different projects at any one time. There is no guarantee any of these will end up landing on supermarket shelves, but one of her most recent creations that has reached shoppers is the Maltesers Bunnies Popcorn flavour. "People love indulgence and nostalgic treats that bring joy and memories, but we know that innovation and new flavour combinations continue to interest people," she said. Walkers is also looking at what's trending and what types of flavours are selling. It groups its flavours into "flavour buckets" like spicy, meaty and cheesy, and if it sees a particular flavour bucket doing well then it might focus more on that type of product.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Walkers crisp swap and baked bean lip gloss: The best of April Fools' Day offers and pranks
April Fools' Day is upon us, which means pranksters across the country are preparing their best hoaxes and mischievous schemes - and high-street brands are no exception. Every year on 1 April, companies broadcast their most outrageous offers and new products, leaving customers to decipher whether they are, in fact, the real deal. From Scotland to Iceland to the US, the day is honoured in a wide array of ways and is thought to have started hundreds of years ago. One of the most notable pranks involved the BBC World Service declaring in 1980 that Big Ben would become a digital clock and be renamed Digital Dave, according to the UK parliament. This year, household names including Cadbury's, Walkers and Branston indulged in the celebrations. Below, The Independent has listed the best jokes of this year's April Fools' Day: Crisp enthusiasts were shocked to see Walkers saying it would swap over its packaging between fan-favourite flavours Cheese and Onion and Salt and Vinegar. A billboard appeared to show the Walkers Salt and Vinegar crisps now on blue packaging, and the Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps on green - and pictures on social media surfaced of the new packets in real life. There was a mixed reaction from customers, with several claiming these were 'always the right colours,' while others said: 'You've literally confused the whole of England.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Walkers Crisps (@walkers_crisps) The company behind the iconic round cheese announced it has created a limited-edition wax sleeping bag. The product is designed to give consumers the opportunity to know what it's like to be a Babybel, and apparently comes with a peelable opening mechanism. Best known for its iconic chocolate orange, Terry's claimed it has decided to branch out into the dental care sector. Designed to mimic its own mint chocolate flavour, it says it is perfect for the 20 per cent of Gen Z and Millennials who said they'd love to try it. Valentine's Day may have been and gone, but you can recreate one of cinema's most romantic moments with Napolina's latest offering. The pasta brand has introduced giant spaghetti, designed to be "extra-long and perfect for bringing everyone to the table". Are you tired of messy chicken wing nights? Currys said it has launched the De-Boner, which is apparently the world's first fully automated chicken wing de-boning machine. Developed by Philips to strip every bit of meat off the bone, Currys said it has also teamed up with Wingstop UK to give users a chance to win vouchers to test out their new purchase. Ever fancied the inside of a Creme Egg on your chips? Well, today is your lucky day. Cadbury UK teased a 'new' product on its social media on Tuesday - a sachet of the gooey Creme Egg filling. 'Move over boring condiments, Creme Egg On The Goo is here,' the company wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cadbury UK (@cadburyuk) A new cult beauty product has landed - Branston's bean lipgloss... Announcing its new 'tin to tint' product on social media, the brand said: 'The five-star taste you know and love — now in your pocket. 'Introducing the first-ever Branston Beans Lip Gloss: hydrating, high-shine, and bursting with that remarkably rich & totally tomatoey flavour. 'Never be without it. Carry Branston Beans with you everywhere.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Branston Beans (@branstonbeans) Sweet brand Nerds claimed it has launched its own line of fried chicken to mark April Fools' Day. The range begins with Nerds-glazed chicken tenders and also includes the Nerds gummy chicken sandwich with pickles and of course, Nerds. Announcing the product on Instagram, the company dared KFC to 'come to the mic'.
The Independent
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Walkers crisp swap and baked bean lip gloss: The best of April Fools' Day offers and pranks
April Fools' Day is upon us, which means pranksters across the country are preparing their best hoaxes and mischievous schemes - and high-street brands are no exception. Every year on 1 April, companies broadcast their most outrageous offers and new products, leaving customers to decipher whether they are, in fact, the real deal. From Scotland to Iceland to the US, the day is honoured in a wide array of ways and is thought to have started hundreds of years ago. One of the most notable pranks involved the BBC World Service declaring in 1980 that Big Ben would become a digital clock and be renamed Digital Dave, according to the UK parliament. This year, household names including Cadbury's, Walkers and Branston indulged in the celebrations. Below, The Independent has listed the best jokes of this year's April Fools' Day: Walkers swapping stunt Crisp enthusiasts were shocked to see Walkers saying it would swap over its packaging between fan-favourite flavours Cheese and Onion and Salt and Vinegar. A billboard appeared to show the Walkers Salt and Vinegar crisps now on blue packaging, and the Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps on green - and pictures on social media surfaced of the new packets in real life. There was a mixed reaction from customers, with several claiming these were 'always the right colours,' while others said: 'You've literally confused the whole of England.' Babybel launches wax sleeping bag The company behind the iconic round cheese announced it has created a limited-edition wax sleeping bag. The product is designed to give consumers the opportunity to know what it's like to be a Babybel, and apparently comes with a peelable opening mechanism. Terry's minty fresh toothpaste Best known for its iconic chocolate orange, Terry's claimed it has decided to branch out into the dental care sector. Designed to mimic its own mint chocolate flavour, it says it is perfect for the 20 per cent of Gen Z and Millennials who said they'd love to try it. Napolina's sharing spaghetti Valentine's Day may have been and gone, but you can recreate one of cinema's most romantic moments with Napolina's latest offering. The pasta brand has introduced giant spaghetti, designed to be "extra-long and perfect for bringing everyone to the table". Currys de-boner Are you tired of messy chicken wing nights? Currys said it has launched the De-Boner, which is apparently the world's first fully automated chicken wing de-boning machine. Developed by Philips to strip every bit of meat off the bone, Currys said it has also teamed up with Wingstop UK to give users a chance to win vouchers to test out their new purchase. Cadbury's 'Creme Egg on the goo' Ever fancied the inside of a Creme Egg on your chips? Well, today is your lucky day. Cadbury UK teased a 'new' product on its social media on Tuesday - a sachet of the gooey Creme Egg filling. 'Move over boring condiments, Creme Egg On The Goo is here,' the company wrote. Branston's baked bean lipgloss A new cult beauty product has landed - Branston's bean lipgloss... Announcing its new 'tin to tint' product on social media, the brand said: 'The five-star taste you know and love — now in your pocket. 'Introducing the first-ever Branston Beans Lip Gloss: hydrating, high-shine, and bursting with that remarkably rich & totally tomatoey flavour. 'Never be without it. Carry Branston Beans with you everywhere.' Nerds's sweet and savoury chicken Sweet brand Nerds claimed it has launched its own line of fried chicken to mark April Fools' Day. The range begins with Nerds-glazed chicken tenders and also includes the Nerds gummy chicken sandwich with pickles and of course, Nerds. Announcing the product on Instagram, the company dared KFC to 'come to the mic'.
