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General Mills is broadening its Bridgerton-inspired baking portfolio with a new Pillsbury Petite Blueberry Scone and returning Betty Crocker Bridgerton baking kits.
The latest launch underscores a trend among food manufacturers to leverage entertainment IP and licensed partnerships to spark growth in mature categories such as baking mixes.
The US food group says that the new Pillsbury product, designed with lemon icing and blueberry flavour, will sit alongside returning Betty Crocker kits for scones, crème puffs and sponge cake tied to Netflix’s Bridgerton franchise.
The launches are timed with the January 29 and February 26 release dates for the fourth season of the hit series, aiming to tap cultural momentum and drive seasonal demand in more than 50 markets, including the US and UK.
Such licensed collaborations help reposition centre-store staples as occasion-led products, creating bursts of incremental demand that support premium pricing and in-store visibility.
General Mills has also previously introduced Wednesday Addams-themed treats, including a Super Moist Dark Chocolate Cake Mix and Whipped Cream Frosting under its Betty Crocker label ahead of the Netflix series Wednesday – aligning product availability with the show’s second season.
Betty Crocker also experimented with 'mix-to-reveal' colour-changing baking kits tied to Universal Pictures’ Wicked movie adaptation, featuring cupcakes and cookie dough pops that change colour during preparation – a first-of-its-kind innovation aimed at making baking a more interactive experience.
Such themed and experiential products reflect a broader pattern of food and beverage companies leveraging entertainment licenses to broaden appeal.
Examples range from Harry Potter-branded confectionery from Haribo and Hello Kitty-themed doughnuts from Krispy Kreme to film- and game-linked cereal and snacks, demonstrating that licensed IP can transcend traditional category boundaries.
Beyond traditional bakery, companies are also deploying licensed collaborations to spark innovation; for example, plant-based brand Klimon tied its products to Universal’s Despicable Me 4 franchise, and snack collaborations such as Taco Bell x Cheez-It have created hybrid products that blend cultural IP with food formats, pointing to the wider commercial value of entertainment partnerships in food NPD.
For General Mills, which also owns Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs and Yoplait, the Bridgerton line-up is part of a broader strategy to defend category share through premiumisation and cultural resonance, particularly as at-home baking sees more intermittent demand compared with the pandemic period.
The broader licensed food and beverage space continues to evolve, with character IPs such as Bluey expanding into FMCG products, including cupcake kits and dairy offerings, while confectionery and snack brands increasingly tie releases to film and TV content to drive awareness and trial.
