Image courtesy Mars Inc.

You got your jelly in my peanut butter M&Ms!

The “you” in that sentence refers to the Mars candy company, which combined peanut butter and jelly on purpose to create their first new flavor in two years. Mars is but one of several companies shaking up their flavor profiles this week.

Mars took the inside of your average kid’s favorite sandwich and turned it into one addictive candy sensation. According to a Mars PR flak, this combination of an outer berry flavor with a smooth peanut butter center will “transport fans to the comforting experience of a PB&J sandwich.” 

Explaining the reasoning behind this daring new flavor, Gabrielle Wesley, the chief marketing officer of Mars Wrigley North America, said in a statement, “Peanut butter M&M’s have always been a popular flavor with our fans, so we’re excited to double down on their excitement — with a twist.

“Our new M&M’s Peanut Butter & Jelly taps into a cross-generational staple, turning a delicious and comforting snack into a bite-sized treat to be enjoyed and shared,” she continued.

In case you’re reeling from the combination that promises both comfort and a culinary thrill ride, you might want to sit down for this news from The Hershey Company about competing chocolate treat Kit Kat. They now come in vanilla!

It’s a little odd that vanilla Kit Kats weren’t already an option, but there’s no time like the present to rectify that oversight. The newest iteration of the breakable candy bar will flood your taste buds with “rich vanilla flavored creme that perfectly complements the layers of classic crispy wafers,” according to its official product description found in a news release from The Hershey Company, which went on to promise that its new product is something that fans “already enjoy, as 89% of consumers say they like or love the vanilla flavor.”

There’s even more excitement, as Hershey is holding a contest wherein you (or four people who aren’t you) could win a Kit Kat-branded BÉIS carry-on luggage filled with Kit Kat Vanilla bars. One grand prize winner will also walk away with $1,000 toward travel expenses on a “vanilla getaway this fall.”

If a Vanilla Getaway is just what you were hoping for this fall, you can enter to win here.

Returning to PB&J news, peanut butter and jelly isn’t just for candy, it’s also for…sandwiches? Well, of course it is, if the kid-friendly lunch savers that live in the freezer section count as sandwiches. Uncrustables is also spreading the news (along with the creamy PB) of it’s latest variety: Peanut Butter and Raspberry Spread.

Is this more daring than their Honey Spread or Chocolate Hazelnut options? Probably not, but ‘daring’ isn’t in the Uncrustable mission statement. Instead, the J.M. Smucker Company reminds us that “Uncrustables were born from a simple yet powerful goal: make snack and mealtimes stress-free. This commitment to simple solutions for busy lives has made Uncrustables a beloved lunch and snack staple for so many,” wrote Chris Achenbach, marketing director at the J.M. Smucker Co.

And why stop at PB and Grape Jelly? Glad you asked. Tthat same commitment fuels our drive to constantly evolve and innovate. New flavors that excite kids, convenient options for adults on the go — it’s all about delivering deliciousness, no matter how busy life gets,” said Auerbach.

We don’t often get political here at Pop Culture Junkie, although we definitely do, sometimes. But it’s hardly partisan to say that ice cream is really good, even when it features a candidate for the highest office in the land on its packaging. The founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, have partnered with MoveOn with a promotion they call “Scoop the Vote.”

To that end, Thursday they announced a new  limited-edition ice cream flavor called Kamala’s Coconut Jubilee under the Ben’s Best label. It’s a coconut ice cream with a caramel ripple and confetti stars.

Kamala’s Coconut image courtesy Ben & Jerry’s.

The new flavor, while not a Ben & Jerry’s official product, is part of Cohen and Greenfield’s commitment to increase voter turnout (for their preferred candidate, of course.) If you want to try this timely offering, you’ll need to look out for a ice cream truck touring the country, stopping at events in battleground states, serving free scoops to all.

No word on if Ben and Jerry are working on a Ketchup and Diet Coke flavor to promote the other guy. (But it seems unlikely.)

After all these sweet treats, you probably need a drink, so why not try a new Starbucks’ flavor that seems very much like it could also be ice cream. The ubiquitous coffee chain announced that they will debut three Pecan Crunch beverages starting this week: Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte, Iced Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte, and Salted Pecan Cream Cold Foam.

Cue the PR. On the official Starbucks website, we learn that Patrick Penny, lead beverage developer for Starbucks, said the idea for a pecan beverage was born when the team was brainstorming ideas for a new holiday beverage while interviewing more than 40 baristas and store managers around the country.  

“It’s fitting to these cooler days and feels like the perfect transition from classic fall beverages into holiday beverages,” Penny said. “We’ve got pumpkin, we’ve got apple, and now we’ve got pecan. It’s the ‘pie-fecta!’” Sweet.

Finally, no article about food and beverage would be complete without a look at what Post Malone is up to now. Malone is partnering with soft drink purveyor Poppi to brink you a new Kroger-exclusive drink: Wild Berry “Posty’s Soda,” based on a favorite flavor of the pop star. The can sports a design based on Texas where both the singer and the brand originated.

Post and his Poppi. Image courtesy Poppi.

Poppi explained how they connected with Post, noting that the singer said he turned to Poppi after giving up traditional soda, citing the brand’s healthier ingredient profile compared to sugary sodas. (Each can has 25 calories or fewer and contains 5 grams of sugar, if not less.) Poppi said it took note of the singer’s support for the brand before it asked him for a collaboration.

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