Latest news with #Gushers
American Military News
2 days ago
- Business
- American Military News
Take two: General Mills taking artificial colors out of its food
General Mills announced Tuesday it's taking artificial colors out of its products, its second attempt to ditch the dyes. The Golden Valley-based food company first tried with just some cereals in 2015 but eventually brought the original Trix ingredients back by popular demand two years later. This time, amid the broader 'better-for-you' trend dominating the industry and government pressure, the change seems to be sweeping and for good. The maker of Lucky Charms and Gushers will remove synthetic food dye from cereals and food sold in schools by next summer. The entire General Mills portfolio will be free of artificial colors by the end of 2027. 'It really comes back to listening to what consumers are interested in and then giving it to them,' General Mills CEO Jeff Harmening said Tuesday. 'Consumers have a high bar, and we're confident we can meet that bar consumers have for our brands.' Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said this spring the industry had 'voluntarily agreed' to end the use of petroleum-derived FD&C colors like Red 40, Blue 1 and Yellow 5. The FDA also banned Red Dye No. 3 in January before advocating for the elimination of all artificial dyes in April. But few large food companies had publicly revealed their plans until this week. Kraft Heinz, which makes brightly colored Jell-O and Kool-Aid, announced earlier Tuesday it will phase out artificial colors in the next two years. 'The company has invested significant resources, mobilizing a team to address this complex challenge,' Kraft said in a news release. Some companies are holding firm to their garish hues. The maker of Dum Dum suckers told Bloomberg the company expects to still be using synthetic food colorings come 2027. 'One, there might not even be the supply for these natural colors,' Kirk Vashaw, CEO of Spangler Candy Company, told Bloomberg, 'and two, we have to do what the consumers want, and it's not clear to us that these consumers want these natural colors.' That's what derailed General Mills' previous attempt, which was announced in 2015. But Harmening said there's been a shift from a decade ago. 'Consumer perception has changed over that time as well as consumer interest in transparency and wanting to know what's in their food,' he said. 'The landscape now for consumers is different now than it was then and pretty significantly.' The next batch of naturally colored cereals will also benefit from a decade of innovation, he said. 'We don't stand still either,' Harmening said. 'For the last decade, we've been working on how we formulate products and our capabilities, and we are confident that we can come up with a much better product.' Developing alternatives is a costly endeavor; about 15% of General Mills products contain 'certified' colors, as they are also known. And without a true national standard that ensures all food companies remove artificial dyes, competitors could steal away consumers still looking for their brightly colored comforts. That's a tricky proposition for General Mills, which is already looking to trim costs as shoppers spend less on brand-name foods. Harmening said the cost of reformulating hundreds of products is 'not nothing,' but he expects the transition will actually spur growth. 'When you give consumers what they're looking for, your chances of winning go way up,' he said. 'And I'm confident, as we announce this, that's exactly what we're doing.' Many food companies, including General Mills, have at least already started making contingencies around food dyes. California became the first state to ban Red 3 and other additives in 2023, and that elimination of artificial dyes in food sold in schools also goes into effect in 2027. Having a national standard, or at least a national strategy, is preferable to navigating a patchwork of state regulations, Harmening said. Federal food safety regulators have long recognized artificial food colorings as safe, but critics have attacked that view as unnecessary at best and harmful at worst. One study from the state of California found artificial dyes can cause 'adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in some children.' In January, former President Joe Biden's outgoing administration revoked authorization for Red 3 after researchers found it caused cancer in rats. Harmening said his conversation with Secretary Kennedy earlier this year and the initiative to remove synthetic colors builds on more than a century of General Mills partnering with the government. 'We've worked with federal administrations to help advance whatever is needed at that time,' he said. 'We've been around about 160 years, and we're a $20 billion company because we've changed, not because we refuse to.' ___ © 2025 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Miami Herald
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Nostalgic candy makes a major move customers begged for
As a kid, I didn't care much about red, green, or yellow snacks. It was always the blue one for me - blue Kool-Aid, blue Jell-O, blue freezer pops. If it looked like it could stain my tongue and ruin a white T-shirt, I wanted it. Related: Hershey combines two beloved products to make dream snack Even if I don't eat this kind of food anymore (full-blown health girlie now), the internet's love for the blue stuff is alive and well. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter For years, fans of one classic fruit snack have begged the brand to release an all-blue pack. They've taken to Reddit, sorted through boxes by hand, and flooded TikTok with dramatic rankings of the best (read: bluest) flavors. Now, after a surge in online demand, their dream is finally realized. In response to growing online obsession - and a 30% spike in mentions across social media - the brand behind the cult-favorite snack is launching its first-ever All Blue box. The new Gushers pack includes the nostalgic Blueberry Grape fans know and love, plus a brand-new Sour Blue Raspberry flavor, inspired by TikTok trends and the internet's current sour candy craze. Stephanie Lensing, Brand Experience Manager for Gushers, called the fan pressure "impossible to ignore." She said the launch wouldn't exist without "the energy fans brought to every post, comment, and share." Related: This rising trend terrifies the alcohol industry And just in case an all-blue release wasn't enough, the brand went full internet-mode with a fictional TikTok origin story called "The Legend of Blue Gushers." It follows a mysterious "Dr. Max Gush" and the mythical Blue Ridge Mountains where the rare blue-only packs are supposedly found. Ten-year-old me is screaming with delight. Beyond the fan service, this move makes serious business sense. According to NielsenIQ, while overall snack volumes are down 1.7% due to rising prices, fruit snacks were one of the few categories that showed at least flat or even positive growth. By combining a nostalgic throwback with a new sour twist, this drop isn't just fun - it's strategic. And the way the brand rolled it out - not just with a press release, but with a full-blown TikTok storyline - shows how CPG companies are starting to take fan-led trends seriously. It's not just about taste anymore. It's about community, internet culture, and nostalgia that hits the right note at exactly the right time. Whether you're a kid, a candy-lover, or just really into the color blue - this move is hard not to love. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Gushers ‘all blue' snack pack hits shelves soon. Here's when you can grab a box
National Gushers 'all blue' snack pack hits shelves soon. Here's when you can grab a box Gushers is launching packs containing only the blue ones after 'overwhelming demand,' the brand said. Photo by Business Wire | General Mills Saving the blue Gushers for last is a no-brainer, if you're a fan of the beloved lunchbox snack. Now, you won't have to. Gushers All Blue, the brand's first-ever pack of all blue Gushers, will be available in stores nationwide starting this month, parent company General Mills said in a May 7 news release. The new packs feature the classic blueberry grape fruit snack, alongside a new sour blue raspberry flavor inspired by the latest candy trends on social media, the brand said. 'Fans have been asking for a box of all-blue Gushers for years, so when we saw how much love Sour Blue Raspberry was getting on TikTok, we knew this was the perfect moment to drop,' Stephanie Lensing, brand experience manager for Gushers, said in the release. Customers can grab a six-count box of Gushers All Blue for a suggested price of $4.69, the brand said. The fruit snacks were first introduced in 1992, joining Fruit by the Foot and Fruit Roll-Ups, General Mills said. 'The bite-sized flavor bombs had the surprise of a juicy liquid center that made them an instant hit,' according to the company's website. The company didn't say if the Gushers All Blue box is a limited time item or if it's here to stay. McClatchy News reached out to General Mills for more information May 7 and didn't immediately hear back. Tanasia Kenney Sun Herald Go to X Email this person Tanasia is a National Real-Time reporter based in Atlanta. She covers news out of Georgia, Mississippi and the Southeast with a focus on food, retail and consumer reporting. She's an alumna of Kennesaw State University and joined McClatchy in 2020.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Answering Overwhelming Demand from Fans, Gushers Finally Drops First-Ever All Blue Pack
Gushers fans have been waiting for an all-blue pack, and it's finally here! It's the drop fans begged for: Gushers goes all blue with new pack, featuring classic Blueberry Grape and a new TikTok-inspired Sour Blue Raspberry flavor. MINNEAPOLIS, May 07, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For years, Gushers fans have made one thing clear: they're obsessed with the blue ones. They've begged. They've posted. They've even sorted them by hand. Now, Gushers is finally making dreams come true with the launch of Gushers All Blue — the first-ever box featuring only blue Gushers, available nationwide starting this month. Alongside the return of fan-favorite vibrant Blueberry Grape, the Gushers All Blue pack also introduces Sour Blue Raspberry, a brand-new flavor inspired by the internet's latest candy trends and the surge in popularity for sour candy. It's sweet, tart and it's here as a result of fan cravings. "The buzz around blue Gushers is impossible to ignore. In the past year alone, mentions of 'blue Gushers' on social media have jumped more than 30%," said Stephanie Lensing, Brand Experience Manager for Gushers. "Fans have been asking for a box of all-blue Gushers for years, so when we saw how much love Sour Blue Raspberry was getting on TikTok, we knew this was the perfect moment to drop. This new variety wouldn't exist without the energy fans brought to every post, comment and share. We're really excited to bring their requests to life." And the fun doesn't stop there – Gushers is leaning all the way into the internet chatter that led to the new pack by sharing an origin tale of the coveted new product. The absurd story comes to life on TikTok through the "Legend of Blue Gushers," a mysterious tale about a place tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which Dr. Max Gush, Gushers Historian, has proclaimed holds the secret origin of the coveted all-blue pack. Fans can uncover the mystery by following @therealgushers on Instagram and TikTok. Whether it's the nostalgic sweetness of Blueberry Grape or the trending twist of Sour Blue Raspberry, the Gushers All Blue pack delivers a juicy burst of blue in every bite. Unwrap the explosive new pack now at retailers nationwide, available in a six-count box of pouches for an MSRP of $4.69. About General Mills General Mills makes food the world loves. The company is guided by its Accelerate strategy to boldly build its brands, relentlessly innovate, unleash its scale and stand for good. Its portfolio of beloved brands includes household names like Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Totino's, Annie's, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. General Mills generated fiscal 2024 net sales of U.S. $20 billion. In addition, the company's share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled U.S. $1 billion. For more information, visit
Business Wire
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
Answering Overwhelming Demand from Fans, Gushers Finally Drops First-Ever All Blue Pack
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For years, Gushers fans have made one thing clear: they're obsessed with the blue ones. They've begged. They've posted. They've even sorted them by hand. Now, Gushers is finally making dreams come true with the launch of Gushers All Blue — the first-ever box featuring only blue Gushers, available nationwide starting this month. Alongside the return of fan-favorite vibrant Blueberry Grape, the Gushers All Blue pack also introduces Sour Blue Raspberry, a brand-new flavor inspired by the internet's latest candy trends and the surge in popularity for sour candy. It's sweet, tart and it's here as a result of fan cravings. 'The buzz around blue Gushers is impossible to ignore. In the past year alone, mentions of 'blue Gushers' on social media have jumped more than 30%,' said Stephanie Lensing, Brand Experience Manager for Gushers. 'Fans have been asking for a box of all-blue Gushers for years, so when we saw how much love Sour Blue Raspberry was getting on TikTok, we knew this was the perfect moment to drop. This new variety wouldn't exist without the energy fans brought to every post, comment and share. We're really excited to bring their requests to life.' And the fun doesn't stop there – Gushers is leaning all the way into the internet chatter that led to the new pack by sharing an origin tale of the coveted new product. The absurd story comes to life on TikTok through the "Legend of Blue Gushers," a mysterious tale about a place tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which Dr. Max Gush, Gushers Historian, has proclaimed holds the secret origin of the coveted all-blue pack. Fans can uncover the mystery by following @therealgushers on Instagram and TikTok. Whether it's the nostalgic sweetness of Blueberry Grape or the trending twist of Sour Blue Raspberry, the Gushers All Blue pack delivers a juicy burst of blue in every bite. Unwrap the explosive new pack now at retailers nationwide, available in a six-count box of pouches for an MSRP of $4.69. About General Mills General Mills makes food the world loves. The company is guided by its Accelerate strategy to boldly build its brands, relentlessly innovate, unleash its scale and stand for good. Its portfolio of beloved brands includes household names like Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Totino's, Annie's, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. General Mills generated fiscal 2024 net sales of U.S. $20 billion. In addition, the company's share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled U.S. $1 billion. For more information, visit
