Food & Drink

Grand Rapids – September 13, 2026 -- Protein Pints is expanding its Protein Pops ice cream bars into Target this week and into all of Kroger's Family of Stores starting September 13, following a summer debut that sold through its initial online inventory in under eight hours.

The bars sold more than 10 times over online projections at launch

Protein Pops launched in June as the brand's first major product beyond its original pints, offering 10 grams of protein per bar in an individually portioned format. Demand exceeded online sales projections by more than 10X within hours of release, and the bars have continued building momentum at Sprouts Farmers Market throughout the summer.

Geretsried – September 13, 2026 -- Gustavo Gusto is releasing a limited-edition Halloween pizza, capped at 250,000 units, hitting German retail shelves starting October while supplies last.

The pizza uses black carrot to create its dark-colored dough

The frozen pizza features a dark dough made with black carrot, topped with chorizo-style salami, grilled peppers, and firm-textured, lactose-free mozzarella. Brand chief Michael Götz said the goal was a pizza that looks eerie but tastes convincing, describing it as coming from "Frankenstein's oven." He noted the dark color comes from black carrot, not artificial coloring.

Production follows the same method used for Gustavo Gusto's standard pizzas

The dough is left to rise for an extended period, shaped by hand, and pre-baked on stone at around 400°C. The company says it avoids artificial flavors, flavor enhancers, and dyes across the limited edition, consistent with its standard lineup.

Dallas – September 13, 2026 -- Wingstop is expanding its signature Lemon Pepper flavor into a trio of options ahead of the 2026 football season, giving fans new ways to customize their wing order starting this week.

Two new Lemon Pepper flavors join the original dry rub

The chain is adding Lemon Pepper Chili Crunch, which tops the classic dry rub with a crispy Korean chili crunch, and Lemon Pepper Chili Glaze, a citrusy sauce with sweet heat also finished with chili crunch. Both join the Original Lemon Pepper dry rub that fans already know.

Club Wingstop members get early access to the Lemon Pepper Trio starting Sept. 10, with the flavors rolling out nationwide on Sept. 15 for a limited time at participating U.S. locations. The trio is available across the menu, including classic wings, and pairs with Wingstop's housemade ranch.

Los Angeles – September 12, 2026 -- King's Hawaiian has launched Soft Swirl Cinnamon Bites, a new snack now available at major grocery retailers nationwide alongside its existing Soft Pretzel Bites.

To promote the launch, the bakery brand teamed up with Taylor Hanson of the band Hanson to record "MMMBites," a reworked version of the group's 1997 hit "MMMBop," timed ahead of the song's 30th anniversary. The collaboration anchors a new ad campaign called "Mmmoments."

The campaign features humorous ads showing Bites fixing bad days

The first spot, titled "Mmmondays," debuted on September 7 and shows Taylor Hanson sharing King's Hawaiian Bites during everyday annoyances -- like a rough Monday morning or a cramped airplane middle seat -- before breaking into the "MMMBites" chorus.

Lozen – September 12, 2026 -- Bulgarian supplier Victoria Nuts Ltd. has recalled its "Deluxe Strawberries in White Chocolate, 120g" product after an in-house inspection found the pesticide chlorpyrifos exceeding legal limits.

The recall covers two specific batches sold nationwide at Lidl in Germany.

Affected products carry the best-before date of April 16, 2027, and batch codes 12 L160426-1 and 13 L160426-1. No other Victoria Nuts Ltd. products sold at Lidl, and no other items under the Deluxe brand, are affected.

Customers can return the product to any Lidl store for a full refund.

Lidl confirmed that reimbursement will be issued even without a receipt. Consumers who purchased the affected batches are advised not to eat the product and to bring it back to a store.

Hamburg – September 12, 2026 -- German supermarket chain EDEKA has launched a campaign called "Survival of the Frischest" to challenge the common belief that frozen fruit and vegetables are less fresh or healthy than fresh produce.

A five-meter T-Rex made of broccoli appears at Potsdamer Platz

From September 10 to 13, EDEKA installed a roughly five-meter-long, three-meter-high sculpture depicting a prehistoric creature encased in ice at Das Center (formerly Sony Center) in Berlin. The centerpiece is a T-Rex shaped from broccoli, meant to illustrate how shock-freezing preserves produce. Visitors can also sample smoothies made from various frozen fruits and vegetables at an EDEKA food truck on site.

Cologne – September 12, 2026 -- Subway has secured a Guinness World Record for the "Largest Inflatable Sculpture of a Potato," unveiling a 9.5-meter-long, 6.6-meter-wide and 4.9-meter-tall potato installation in Cologne's MediaPark. Guinness World Records adjudicator Lena Kuhlmann measured and certified the structure, confirming no larger potato sculpture has ever been built.

The oversized spud, lit from the outside and decorated in Subway's signature branding, is walk-through and open to the public. It marks the launch of the chain's new Baked Potato, now added to the Subway menu in Germany for the first time.

A food truck hands out free Baked Potatoes next to the giant spud

Visitors to the MediaPark can pick up a free, freshly prepared Baked Potato from a food truck parked beside the record-breaking sculpture. A sauce and topping station lets guests customize their potato to taste.

Fort Lee, N.J. – September 12, 2026 -- bb.q Chicken is launching its BBoom Chicken flavor at all U.S. locations nationwide on Sept. 9, bringing a four-cheese seasoning blend of gouda, cheddar, parmesan and blue cheese to its crispy Korean fried chicken.

The flavor sold a million units in 100 days after debuting in Korea.

BBoom Chicken launched in Korea last year and quickly became one of bb.q's best-selling menu items in its home country. A bb.q Chicken U.S. spokesperson said the brand is eager to introduce both new and longstanding fans to the flavor as part of its effort to share Korean food and culture through its U.S. locations.

Collegedale, Tenn. – September 12, 2026 -- Little Debbie is rolling out a new snack this week: Flapjack Mini Muffins, a maple syrup-flavored take on its popular Mini Muffin line, hitting grocery store shelves nationwide starting September 2026.

The muffins pack pancake flavor into a portable pouch

McKee Foods, the maker of Little Debbie, designed the bite-sized muffins to mimic the taste of a fresh-off-the-griddle flapjack with syrup, minus the cooking. The snacks come pre-packaged in pouches meant for car rides, school lunches, or outdoor trips.

Little Debbie wants to simplify busy mornings

"We wanted to capture the warmth and comfort of a traditional family breakfast and make it accessible for today's fast-paced lifestyle," said Hannah Norman, Little Debbie product manager. She said the new pouches let families share a familiar breakfast flavor even on rushed schedules.

Hanover, Pa. – September 12, 2026 -- Hanover Foods Corp. has launched a new frozen vegetable line called Skinny Veg, aimed at consumers taking GLP-1 weight-loss medications who often need smaller, nutrient-dense portions.

The line includes four blended vegetable-and-grain sides: Broccoli & Quinoa, Brussels Sprouts & Couscous, Spinach & Blackeye Peas, and Riced Cauliflower & Lentils. Each product contains just five ingredients -- one vegetable, one grain or legume, avocado oil, pepper and sea salt -- with no additives or preservatives.