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☆ Halloween could taste different this year thanks to soaring cocoa prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-20 | by ( Erika Tulfo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That’s because cocoa prices have more than doubled since the start of the year and have remained at record highs, according to Wells Fargo data shared with CNN. The surging prices have caused grief for confectioners during prime chocolate sales seasons like Valentine’s Day and Easter. The company’s president, Michele Buck, said in a call in August with analysts that cocoa prices are “not sustainable,” and pointed toward higher prices. Though hope is on the horizon, experts project cocoa prices will remain high until at least September 2025. A customer shops for Halloween candy at a Walmart Supercenter on October 16, 2024 in Austin, Texas.

Persons: it’s, ”, David Branch, Francis Kokoroko, Reuters El, Michele Buck, Hershey, Joseph , Missouri Nick Ingram, Sally Lyons Wyatt, Mars, Brandon Bell, ” Lyons Wyatt Organizations: CNN, Wells, Food Institute, Reuters, International Cocoa Organization, Hershey, Walmart, Getty, ’ Association, NCA, “ Locations: Wells Fargo, West Africa, Osino, Eastern Region, Ghana, St, Joseph , Missouri, Austin , Texas

☆ Hershey is turning its candy into energy drinks and protein powders
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —With its line-up of sweet snacks, Hershey isn’t known as a purveyor of diet foods. As the use of weight-loss drugs — notably Ozempic and Wegovy — grows, the 130-year-old confectionery company is adjusting to this new era by pushing further into the wellness category with protein powders and energy drinks in popular candy flavors. Hershey’s namesake milk chocolate and Reese’s peanut butter and chocolate will soon be sold as protein powders and its Jolly Rancher candies will be turned into bubbly energy drinks. Energy drinks, which are most often bought by millennial and Gen Z customers, have “a lot of affinity” with Hershey’s products, Cunningham told CNN. C4 has already had success with using flavors from Skittles, Starburst and Popsicle for its other energy drinks.

Persons: Hershey, —, “, ”, Doss Cunningham, Red Bull, Cunningham, ” Cunningham, Andrea Hernández, Hernández, Hershey’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Hershey Company, C4 Energy, Red, Energy, CNN, Kroger, Walmart, Hershey, One Locations: New York, “, United States, Amazon

☆ Mars, maker of M&M’s and Snickers, to buy Cheez-It owner Kellanova for nearly $30 billion
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Mars, whose brands include M&M’s, Snickers and Skittles, is buying food company Kellanova in a deal worth nearly $30 billion, giving it access to a huge portfolio of consumer brands from Cheez-It to Pop-Tarts. Kellanova, based in Chicago, houses many brands, including Pringles, Town House, MorningStar Farms and Rice Krispies Treats. Once it is complete, Kellanova will become part of Mars Snacking. “The Kellanova brands significantly expand our snacking platform, allowing us to even more effectively meet consumer needs and drive profitable business growth,” Andrew Clarke, global president of Mars Snacking, said in a statement. Shares of Kellanova rose nearly 8% before the opening bell Wednesday.

Persons: Mars, Kellanova, Kellogg, Rice Krispies, ” Andrew Clarke, Mars Snacking Organizations: Kellogg Co, MorningStar, Rice, Mars Inc Locations: Cheez, Chicago, Pringles

☆ America’s latest deliciously horrifying stadium food: cotton candy burrito
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The NFL’s Arizona Cardinals unveiled a cotton candy burrito at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for the 2024 season. Think of it like a normal burrito, but instead of a tortilla, someone is wrapping sugary insides in sheets of cotton candy. Companies will often promote unique or wacky food items to bring attention to the brand ahead of important events or seasons. Stadium concessions at NFL games are known to have had strange food items in the past, from dessert nachos to 7-pound burgers. The cotton candy burrito, along with other new menu additions such as a jalapeno cheddar dog-a-dilla, will only be available at the club level at the 64,000-seat stadium.

Persons: Mark Dalton Organizations: New, New York CNN, NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, M’s minis, NFL, Cardinals, State, Twitter, Companies, Culinary Locations: New York, Arizona, Glendale , Arizona

☆ Skittles is giving away a 1-year stay in an NYC micro-apartment that usually rents for $3,500/month: Take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Skittles has launched a contest with the grand prize of a rent-free yearlong stay in a Manhattan micro-apartment. It features bright, colorful furniture, rainbow-colored cabinets and wall art made using real Skittles lentils. The marketing stunt is a promotion for Skittles Littles, a new, smaller form factor for the candy similar to that of M&M's Minis. Skittles lists the approximate retail value of the prize at $85,000, with the winner also receiving a $20,000 check to offset their tax liability. To enter the sweepstakes, participants must give their full name, date of birth, email and phone number.

Persons: Skittles, Dani Klaric, Skittles Littles, Malin, Goetz Organizations: M's Locations: New York City, Manhattan, Manhattan's Kips

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried might be eating a lot of rice, almonds, and Skittles drink mix if he wants to stay vegan in prison
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried could be sent to a prison with limited vegan options, per The Wall Street Journal. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The disgraced crypto entrepreneur could carry out his 25-year sentence at Mendota, a medium-security prison near Fresno, California, a prison consultant hired by his lawyers said. There, he might have to opt for vegan items on the prison's commissary list such as rice, almonds, and Skittles drink mix, The Wall Street Journal reported. AdvertisementUS District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who imposed Bankman-Fried's 25-year sentence on Thursday, recommended he serve it in a low- or medium-security prison near his parents' home in San Francisco.

Persons: Sam Bankman, —, Fried, Lewis Kaplan, Joel Sickler, Bill Baroni, He's, Baroni, He'll, Carmine Simpson, who's, Judge Kaplan, Sam, Simpson Organizations: Street, Service, Street Journal, Federal Bureau of Prisons, New, Metropolitan Detention, NYPD, BI Locations: Mendota, Fresno , California, San Francisco, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, New Jersey, Brooklyn

☆ Heinz’s newest ketchup tastes like pickles
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Ketchup and pickles have been a natural combination on a hamburger and hot dogs for decades. Rolling out to grocery store shelves in early 2024, Heinz’s newest flavor of its famous ketchup is called “Pickle Ketchup,” which combines the “tangy and savory flavor” of pickles with the “unmistakable taste” of its ketchup. Heinz’s purple ketchup experiment in 2000 has its own entry in the Museum of Failure. The pickle taste is also subtle enough to combine with others, making it an appealing flavor to experiment with. Through 2027, Kraft Heinz has a goal of bringing in an additional $2 billion in North American retail revenue from innovation.

Persons: Heinz, Velveeta, Mars Wrigley, ”, Katie Peterson, seltzer, it’s, Kraft Heinz Organizations: New, New York CNN, Heinz Innovation, Kraft Heinz Company, Kraft, North Locations: New York

☆ Candy corn is polarizing. Here’s how Brach’s is trying to keep it relevant
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Brach’s, a candy brand which dates back to 1904, says it is the leader in the candy corn market by far. Brach's candy corn. One constant that has helped candy corn stay relevant: The ongoing debate about whether candy corn is a great holiday treat or to be avoided. In 2020, Brach’s launched the so-called Turkey Dinner candy corn — a bag filled with candy corn in different flavors, some more appetizing than others. Last year, singer Michelle Williams teamed up with the brand on a promotional song about the candy called “Candy Corn Love.” And this year, the brand announced a candy corn club, saying it would select 100 members to receive free boxes of candy corn throughout the year, with merchandise and new products.

Persons: it’s, Katie Duffy, Laffy, doesn’t, Brach’s, Michelle Williams, Duffy, ”, Heather Martin, Martin, Candy, Wrigley, we’ve, Travis, Jason Kelce, Jason, Travis Kelce, ” Duffy, Taylor Swift’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Ferrara Candy Company, Washington Post, Washington, Getty Im, PepsiCo, Hershey, Professional Locations: New York, Ferrara, NIQ, Turkey

☆ Why food giants are rushing into a world of mustard Skittles and caviar-topped Pringles
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Laura Petrecca | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A "crisps and caviar" snack kit from Pringles and The Caviar Co. While brand partnerships are a tried-and-true tactic to get attention, the marketing mashups of 2023 take it to a whole new level. Waning consumer attention spans and the escalating number of marketing messages have forced companies to find novel ways to break through. Beanstalk put together the partnership between Kellogg's Pringles brand and The Caviar Co. after noticing a trend on TikTok where users added a dollop of caviar on the chip. The three caviar kits, priced at $49, $110, and $140 — which include separate containers of Pringles and caviar — went viral on social media, with users posting videos of the kits and doing taste tests.

Persons: Tiffany, Burger King, Daniel Anderson, Allison Ames Organizations: Nike, Revlon, Stone Creamery, Kellogg's, Housewives, New Locations: New York

☆ Halloween candy is getting more expensive—these are the 10 states where prices have gone up the most
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The prices in the candy aisle feel a lot more like a trick than a treat these days. This year Americans are expected to spend $3.6 billion on Halloween candy, up from $3.1 billion last year, according to the National Retail Federation. However, while candy prices are going up nationwide, some states are experiencing bigger price hikes than others. Scholarship database Scholaroo analyzed the increase in candy prices since 2020 using data from the candy and chewing gum price index. These are the states where Halloween candy prices have increased the most, and the least, since last year.

Organizations: Reese's, National Retail Federation Locations: Hawaii, Pennsylvania

☆ Why is movie candy sold in boxes?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

That last part feels wrong, probably, because at the movies, candy comes in a box. Movie theaters are not the only place to buy boxed candy — you can get boxes of chocolate or candy at some drug stores or online — but even then they’re called theater box candy, a label that undeniably links the package with the movies. A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley, maker of M&M’s and Skittles, made a similar point, noting that candy sold in “boxes in movie theaters is easier to pour and share, compared to traditional packaging, and boxes offer the ability to re-close.” That means less spilling in between seats. The principle is the same for movie theater candy. “Theater boxes take their name from being available in movie theaters or other retail establishments that might have shelving,” he said.

Persons: ”, Keith Domalewski, Mike, Ike, Mars Wrigley, Patti McConville, you’re, Chris Gindlesperger, “, Gindlesperger, ” Gindlesperger, Matthew Staver, Marcia Mogelonsky, It’s, ” Mogelonsky Organizations: New, New York CNN, Mars, National Confectioners Association, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: New York

☆ No, California didn't ban Skittles. Here's what it did ban.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Haley Tenore | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Skittles won't be banned in California, but some foods might soon have their recipes tweaked. The confusion stems from an old version of the bill that included titanium dioxide, which is in Skittles. AdvertisementAdvertisementA new California bill has become widely known as the "Skittles ban," but that unofficial name is misleading — you don't have to worry about your favorite fruit-flavored candy being ripped from your hands. If you look at the Skittles ingredients, none of its listed ingredients are included in this ban. AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to Consumer Reports, the ingredients banned by AB418 have been linked to hyperactivity, nervous system problems, and even cancer.

Persons: Skittles, Bill, —, Gavin Newson, AB418, Mars didn't, Newsom, Skittles aren't Organizations: Service, Gov, Consumer, AB418, United, United States Food, Drug Administration, Environmental Locations: California, Skittles, EU, United States, Europe

☆ How TikTok's obsession with pickle-jar sweatshirts has been 'absolutely life-changing' for one seller
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

One merchant, Jessica Slone, has sold over 43,000 sweatshirts through TikTok Shop. AdvertisementAdvertisementOne seller, Jessica Slone, founder of Bad Addiction Boutique, has sold over 43,000 pickle-jar sweatshirts at $44 a pop through TikTok Shop. The company released a Halloween version of the pickle-jar sweatshirt ahead of the holiday. "TikTok Shop is kind of this roller coaster, and right now it's on this amazing uphill journey," she said. Read more about how TikTok Shop virality is impacting sellers

Persons: TikTok, Jessica Slone, Slone, —, Anker, Slone isn't, It's, Wickles Pickles, Dill Organizations: TikTok, Service, Facebook, Shop, Slone Locations: McClure's, Mt . Olive

The pickle-wardrobe mania is emblematic of what sets TikTok Shop apart from e-commerce competitors like Shopify and Amazon. Just like TikTok's non-shopping content, TikTok Shop is built around viral videos, be it a surge in viewer interest in pickle-jar sweatshirts or a mad rush to buy freeze-dried Skittles . For UK sellers, chasing virality still seems to be the defining characteristic of the TikTok Shop experience. Jessica Slone runs TikTok shop Bad Addiction Boutique, which has sold tens of thousands of pickle-jar sweatshirts. "TikTok Shop is kind of this roller coaster, and right now it's on this amazing uphill journey.

Persons: TikTok, Dill, Frank Bloomer, Ashley Martinez, Michael Herling, I'm, it's, Herling, Jessica Slone, Slone, TikTok's, Lindzi Shanks, Shanks, TikTok doesn't, Virality, Laura Ritchey, Sellers, Julia Cote, hadn't, influencers, they'd, Ben Muir, virality, Hira Tariq, who's, Candy, there'll, It's, Boutique's Slone Organizations: US, TikTok Shop, Shipping Locations: Grillo's, West Texas

☆ TikTok Shop-ocalypse hits food sellers as the platform cracks down on homemade goods like freeze-dried candy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

TikTok added new language to its product policies earlier this month for its recently launched e-commerce platform TikTok Shop, boxing out merchants who sell homemade food items like candy. Linares garnered over 1,400 sales through TikTok Shop in the last month, per documentation viewed by Insider. Freeze-dried candies have become a massive category and a big business on TikTok Shop. Users have already purchased thousands of freeze-dried products through TikTok Shop, per sales tallies visible to users in the app. 'TikTok Shop can really giveth and they can really taketh away'This isn't the first time Wilkerson's store has been dinged by TikTok Shop.

Persons: TikTok, Chrystian Linares, Linares, reselling Skittles, that's, Influencers, Nathan Wilkerson, Wilkerson, influencers Organizations: TikTok Locations: Florida, Orlando, Tallahassee, Linares, Jolly, Portland , Oregon, China

☆ Wall Street is declaring victory too early — the US is still headed for a recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

In theory, these higher interest rates push down demand and slow inflation by forcing companies to cut prices to attract stretched-thin customers. And Americans have been spending right through the higher interest rates: Personal consumption expenditures and retail sales numbers have continued to forge upward. But eventually, this attitude will wane as people realize that the higher rates aren't a flash in the pan. The Treasury yield curve measures the different interest rates that are paid out on various bonds issued by the US government. It's the same story every time, both Kantrowitz and Rosenberg say: Investors are bad at pricing in a recession before it unfolds.

Persons: Michael Kantrowitz, Piper Sandler, Milton Friedman, Bob Doll, Doll, David Rosenberg, Rosenberg, Tom Essaye, Essaye, Granger, Kantrowitz, Jerome Powell, William Edwards Organizations: Philadelphia Fed, Bank of America, JPMorgan, Consumer, Crossmark Global Investments, BlackRock, Silicon Valley Bank, Rosenberg Research, Fed, Auto, Wall, CPI, Institute for Supply Management's, Treasury, Royal Bank of Canada Locations: Silicon, YOLO

☆ Mattel wants to pay you $277 an hour to play Uno
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Ellie Stevens | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Mattel says it is conducting a nationwide job search for a “Chief Uno player.” The salary: $277 an hour. The toy company is hiring someone to promote the release of their new game, Uno Quatro. Uno Quatro is a new version of Uno that combines connecting four tiles in a row, as in Connect 4, with the classic Uno feature of matching numbers and colors. Starting September 13, the Chief Uno player will teach players to play the game and participate in livestreams and interviews. An eye-catching five figure position to play Uno for four weeks can accomplish just that.

Persons: Mattel, Uno Quatro, “ We’re, ”, Ray Adler, Uno, Tim Calkins, ” Calkins, TikTok, “, …, Skittles, French’s, McDonald’s, Calkins Organizations: CNN, Uno, Mattel, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Locations: New York City

☆ Tour de France: Huge crash on stage 15
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Crashes in the Tour de France are commonplace, but a pile-up during Sunday’s Stage 15 was particularly eye-catching as a number of riders fell after a fan apparently tried to take a picture. Eurosport commentary during live coverage of the race said a spectator had caused a rider to be put off balance. The Team Jumbo-Visma rider fell, causing others to follow on a narrow section of a road. You don’t need a phone to create mind-blowing memories.”Around 20 riders fell off their bikes. In 2021, a fan stepped in front of the racing pack holding a cardboard sign, causing dozens of cyclists to crash during the Tour.

Persons: Les, Soleil, Gervais, ”, Dan Lloyd, …, Carlton Kirby, Sepp Kuss, Nathan van Hooydonck, Benoit Tessier, Confidis Organizations: CNN, Tour de France, Sunday’s, Blanc, Eurosport, Jumbo, BBC, Team, INEOS Grenadiers Locations: Saint, cycling’s

☆ Harry Styles hit in eye with object while performing on stage at Vienna concert
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Harry Styles was hit in the eye by an object thrown at the stage while he was performing in Vienna on Saturday, marking the latest incident in an ever-growing list of similar situations in recent weeks. Video footage posted on social media by concertgoers shows the “As It Was” singer walking on the stage as an object hits him square in the eye during a “Love on Tour” concert. Styles has yet to update his followers on his social media, but CNN has reached out to a representative for the singer seeking comment on the incident. The unfortunate incident isn’t the first time Styles has been the target of a flying object while he was performing on stage. In 2022, videos posted on social media showed Styles was hit by Skittles thrown at him during a Los Angeles concert.

Persons: Harry Styles, Styles, Skittles, “ Didn’t, ” Styles, who’ve, Drake, Bebe Rexha, Kelsea Ballerini, Ava Max, Ballerini, Max, Adele Organizations: CNN, Los, Las Locations: Vienna, Los Angeles

☆ Chuck Schumer wants the FDA to scrutinize Logan Paul's Prime beverage brand for its marketing and caffeine content. It's nothing new for the energy drink industry.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Other energy drinks boast similar or higher levels of caffeine content, such as Celsius or Bang. "This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the Prime energy drink." The company notes under the energy drink product that the beverage is for ages 18+. Prime's beverage is not the only energy drink with high caffeine content on the market. Some energy drinks surpass the caffeine content of Prime.

Persons: Sen, Chuck Schumer, Logan, Schumer, influencers Paul, KSI, William Olatunji, Powerade —, Paul, it's, Red Bull Organizations: FDA, Service, Drug Administration, YouTube, Associated Press, AP, Congo Brands, Gatorade, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, New Zealand Herald, The New York Times, Prime Energy, Times, Red, American Academy of Pediatrics Locations: Wall, Silicon, Louisville, Australia, New Zealand, Swedish

☆ California Takes On Candy Makers With Bill Opponents Call the ‘Skittles Ban’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Kristina Peterson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Sacramento’s War on Skittles
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Allysia Finley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ What Ever Happened to Just Drinking Water?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Amelia Nierenberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Brigette Ramirez and her family drove to Houston for a Taylor Swift concert, she made a very important pit stop. Three, actually: T.J. Maxx, T.J. Maxx and T.J. Maxx. Her plan was to add them to tap water, pour the concoction into a Stanley tumbler, film herself doing it and (hopefully) go viral on TikTok. In this latest chapter of America’s obsession with hydration, the thirsty are zhuzhing up tap water for all to see on TikTok under the banner of #WaterTok. They show off elaborately organized “water bars” stocked with sugar-free syrups, low-calorie powders flavored like Skittles and Nerds candy, and brightly colored tumblers.

☆ Morgan Stanley's wealth business just keeps on winning
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

It's good to be Morgan Stanley these days. Amid a difficult market for Wall Street banks — thanks in large part to non-existent deal flow — Morgan Stanley's massive wealth business has been paying off big time. But Morgan Stanley's success isn't coming in a vacuum. -Meanwhile, UBS, arguably Morgan Stanley's biggest competitor in the space, was begrudgingly saddled with Credit Suisse's carcass. With wealth advisors, a key part of hiring includes offering "bonuses" that are actually loans.

☆ Stay away from viral #WaterTok trend, says Harvard nutritionist: 'This is not real hydration'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

These sweet, brightly-colored concoctions are advertised as ways for people to drink more water and hit their hydration goals. There's only one problem: calling these drinks water isn't really accurate. [Flavored water] really isn't that different from drinking Kool Aid. Dr. Uma Naidoo"In all honesty, water is water," Says Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Harvard trained nutritional psychiatrist and author of "This Is Your Brain on Food." [The current trend] really isn't that different from drinking Kool Aid."

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