Leftovers is our look at a few of the product ideas popping up everywhere. Some are intriguing, some sound amazing and some are the kinds of ideas we would never dream of. We can’t write about everything that we get pitched, so here are some leftovers pulled from our inboxes.

Hershey fills pretzels with Reese’s

Reese’s is launching its own version of peanut butter pretzels to give consumers a sweet twist on the popular salty snack.

Reese’s Filled Pretzels combine the flavor of the peanut butter cup with the salty crunch of a pretzel. Hershey hopes the offering will be a snack enjoyed on various occasions, rolling out a variety of sizes including 5-ounce bags for on the go and 18-ounce jars for sharing.

“We know our fans are always on the hunt for new ways to get their Reese’s peanut butter fix and trust us, this one’s a total game-changer,” Natalie Perera, Hershey director of salty snacks, said in a statement. “Crunchy, creamy, sweet, salty – it’s like the snack universe finally got it right.”

The launch comes as Hershey looks to become a dominant player in the salty snacks category. The company bought Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels for $1.2 billion in 2021, and earlier this month announced plans to acquire better-for-you popcorn brand LesserEvil.

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Hershey has leveraged the Reese’s brand to expand into more salty snacks including popcorn and animal crackers. It’s also leaned into more savory flavors for recent launches, introducing a PB&J-inspired version of classic Reese’s peanut butter cups earlier this month.

The salty snacks category posted 6.9% growth in 2024 with more than $31.1 billion in sales, according to trade group SNAC International.

—Sarah Zimmerman

Ferrara worms Trolli gummies into popsicles

A cold popsicle is a summertime staple, and candy maker Trolli has set out to give gummy worm fans a frozen treat that evokes both the flavor and texture of the iconic candy.

Ferrara and ice cream maker Wells Enterprises have debuted Trolli Gummi Pops, a frozen popsicle with a soft, chewy texture similar to gummy worms. The products arrive in a pair of flavor combinations, Grape Strawberry and Cherry Lemon, featuring the brand’s signature two-tone neon color patterns.

“Our team worked tirelessly to perfect that signature soft, gummi Trolli texture in a frozen treat,” said Isabella Chia, chief marketing officer at Wells, in a statement. “Trolli Gummi Pops represent our commitment to delivering unexpected sensory experiences that surprise and delight consumers looking for something beyond traditional frozen treats.”

Wells Enterprises manufactures products from several well-known dessert brands in the freezer aisle, including Blue Bunny, Halo Top, and Blue Ribbon.

Trolli first debuted its gummy worms over three decades ago, and its lineup has spun off into various formats, including Sour Bite Crawlers, Sour Electric Squad, and Peachie O’s.

The popsicle category has evolved with new innovations from familiar brands in recent years. Last summer, C4 Energy collaborated with Unilever-owned Popsicle on treats with 200 milligrams of caffeine. And in 2023, Molson Coors debuted Coors Light Coors-icles as a limited-time March Madness offering.

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—Chris Casey

Talenti takes inspiration from the bakery aisle

Talenti, the popular gelato and sorbetto brand, is whisking up three new bakery-inspired flavors.

The Unilever-owned brand is introducing its Bakery Collection as part of its Talenti Layers – a dessert line that includes layers of gelato, crunchy pieces like cookie chunks and other sweet ingredients. The Bakery Collection has three flavors: Chocolate Chip Cookie Batter, Italian Tiramisu, and Snickerdoodle Cookie.

Lisa Vortsman, the chief marketing and innovation officer at Unilever in North America, said the company identified the bakery as an untapped indulgent opportunity for the brand. The concept also offered another way for the company to use its proprietary layers technology.

Unilever is not only targeting existing Talenti users with its Bakery Collection, but it is also hoping to attract consumers who will purchase one of the new offerings as a premium dessert to be enjoyed when spending time with family or friends.

“We’re looking to tap into some of those occasions and be a dessert solution, more than just a gelato ice cream solution,” Vortsman said. “We see this as an incremental opportunity to bring more occasions for our Talenti buyers across the board.”

Vortsman said Unilever is considering expanding the Bakery Collection in 2026 to include more novel flavors and other deconstructed versions of redefined desserts.

Talenti sales have nearly doubled since Unilever purchased it in 2014. It has been one of the company’s fastest-growing brands and continues to outpace the broader ice cream category.

Talenti was the eighth most-popular branded ice cream product in the U.S. in 2023, with sales of $210 million, according to Statista.

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—Christopher Doering