Branding

Food that comes in fun, creative shapes – such as dinosaur chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese designed to look like cartoon characters – have been extremely popular with children for years. However, as adults also look to bring a little more fun and whimsy into their diet, these kinds of exciting shapes have transcended the kids’ food category to satisfy the whole family.

Aldi Roles Out a More Mature Line of Halloween Treats

Pumpkin-shaped butternut squash and mascarpone pizza, “Frankenstein” derby cheese with dried sage, and pumpkin spice wensleydale cheese (shaped like a jack-o-lantern) are just a few of the more adult-friendly seasonal items at Aldi this year. Customers may not be participating in Halloween bar crawls this October, but these kinds of products can help them have their own spooky celebration at home.

Sensible Portions™ Delivers Shapes to Celebrate the Whole Year

Whether consumers are looking for a healthier alternative to potato chips to bring to the 4^th of July BBQ or a tasty and satisfying way to spread the love at Valentine’s Day without indulging in candy, Sensible Portions™ is constantly rolling out interesting new designs that help grown-up shoppers celebrate without going overboard on junk food.

Tyson’s® Chicken Chips Give Nachos a Carnivore Twist

These chicken “chips” from Tyson® are shaped like tortilla chips, giving consumers a brand-new way to enjoy nachos. Products like this prove that kids aren’t the only ones who can enjoy chicken snacks that are sold in cool, unique shapes – adults can join in on the fun too!

As shoppers look to shake up their diets in the pandemic and turn to brands to help them have a good time at home, this kind of trend is a great example of how brand leaders can satisfy consumers’ evolving needs. Terms like “on-the-go” and “convenient” had been major selling points when it came to new product development, but now that consumers are staying at home, these features are taking a backseat to keywords like “entertaining” and “surprising.” Products that come in fun shapes are just one way of meeting this new need, and it’s a strategy that is sure to draw consumers’ attention when they shop for groceries.