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Following reports of soup you can suck on and pineapples retailing for just under $400 – there’s never a dull moment in new product development. As market saturation pushes brands back to the drawing board, one thing is clear: the quirkier, the better when it comes to catching consumers’ attention. From battery-flavoured crisps to tomato sauce smoothies, we explore the latest weird and wonderful innovations shaking up the F&B industry.

Bacon-flavoured cereal

Bacon has long been a breakfast staple, but bacon-flavoured cereal is a little more unusual. General Mills’ Cinnamon Toast Crunch brand has teamed up with Hormel Black Label Bacon to debut a limited-edition cereal that combines the classic Cinnamon Toast Crunch with a smoky bacon flavour.

The launch follows another successful collaboration between the two: Cinnamon Toast Crunch-flavoured bacon, where bacon rashers were seasoned with ‘Cinnadust’ to create a sugary, crispy crust.

Mojito grapes

Grapes that taste of other things aren’t new – many supermarkets offer Candy Floss grapes and Marks and Spencer has everything from Mango grapes, which claim to have the sweet, exotic taste of mango, to Tutti Frutti grapes, which offer a variety of sweet flavours.

Recently, UK supermarket, the Co-operative Group, launched mojito-flavoured grapes, which offer a hint of lime, allowing consumers to experience the taste of a mojito without the guilt – after all, grapes are healthy and you can have as many as you like without a pesky hangover.

Speaking of things that taste like alcohol…

It is not just grapes capturing the flavours of our favourite cocktails – other snacks are joining in too. PepsiCo’s Pop Works brand recently teamed up with Malibu to launch a limited-edition popped corn snack inspired by piña coladas.

Released in time for the summer, the crunchy, puffy triangles are seasoned with pineapple and coconut flavours reminiscent of the classic cocktail – though alcohol-free, so they’re perfectly acceptable at lunchtime.

Fishy chocolate?

Less a flavour twist and more a wellness innovation, DolCas Biotech – known for its nutraceutical ingredients – has launched a chocolate infused with fish collagen. With many consumers experiencing ‘pill fatigue’ but still keen to indulge in wellness, this offers a tastier alternative to traditional collagen supplements.

Each 8g square contains 1g of Morikol, a highly concentrated fish collagen tripeptide designed for maximum absorption – all without compromising the familiar taste and texture of chocolate. The formulation works across dark, milk and white varieties, so there’s a version for every chocolate lover.

Beer soup

Campbell’s Chunky recently invited consumers to ‘crack open a warm one’ with its collaboration with Pabst Blue Ribbon, launching two beer-infused soups. Perfect for cooler weather, the line-up includes a cheese, potato, chorizo and beer soup, and a beef, bacon and beer chilli with beans.

Both options combine the hearty, filling qualities you expect from Campbell’s Chunky with the smooth, malty flavour of Blue Ribbon beer.

Glow in the dark ice lollies

Ahead of its demerger from Unilever, the Magnum Company has launched Hydro: Ice – a glow-in-the-dark kiwi and lemon ice lolly in Ibiza.

Aimed at ‘healthy hedonists,’ it’s dairy-free, sweetened with real sugar, contains vitamins and magnesium, clocks in at just 77 calories, and is designed for those who want to stay refreshed while keeping the party going – even if they’re sober curious.

Battery flavoured crisps… 

Ever have the urge to lick a battery? Me neither, but apparently, it’s a rite of passage for many because snack brand Rewind has unveiled a corn chip that tastes of just that: a nine-volt battery.

Said to capitalise on nostalgic consumer experiences, the corn chips are made using a blend of citric acid, sodium bicarbonate and mineral salts, which are designed to replicate the metallic tang and buzz reminiscent of touching a 9-volt battery.

Currently available in the Netherlands, Rewind plans to launch its battery crisps into other European markets alongside more traditional flavours, such as cheese and onion.

Tomato ketchup smoothies

Yes, you read that right. Heinz has joined forces with Smoothie King to settle once and for all whether tomatoes belong in a fruit smoothie.

The result? The Heinz Tomato Ketchup Smoothie, blending sweet acai sorbet, crisp apple juice, strawberries, raspberries – and, of course, Heinz tomato ketchup – in what’s being billed as the world’s first ketchup-based smoothie.

Bath bombs for the kitchen

A new twist on scratch cooking, Flavour Bombs bring the indulgence and convenience of a bath bomb into the kitchen. Perfect for busy cooks, these spheres eliminate the need to chop, blitz or grind ingredients, all while looking like a bath bomb.

Each portioned, shelf-stable bomb is packed with premium herbs, spices, onions, garlic, tomatoes, aromatics and roots sourced from around the world, letting you create authentic global dishes with a simple drop and stir.

Breast milk ice cream

Tapping into the unconventional, Oddfellows and Frida have collaborated to launch a limited-edition Breast Milk ice cream. Designed to mimic the taste and nutritional profile of breast milk, the ice cream is infused with nutrients typically found in breast milk, such as colostrum.

While it recreates the flavour, the ice cream is made using traditional methods.