The holiday season brings the usual seasonal products, but food and beverage companies this year are leaning into the unexpected. Rather than just swapping flavors, brands are releasing items designed to be shared on social media first. These launches have moved beyond simple seasonal tastes into entertainment, according to Samantha Sands, the PR and marketing director at Bolt PR.
“Holiday launches have evolved beyond seasonal flavors into entertainment,” Sands said. “They’ve become cultural moments that become a conversation on social media first.” The goal is clear: build a product that people photograph and debate before they ever taste it. A bold, limited-time flavor can earn more organic reach in two weeks than a year-round product gets in a year.
Brands also use this time to test ideas that would be too risky for their main lines. Oreo can experiment with a candy-cane cereal, and Chips Ahoy can play with a mystery flavor without threatening its core business. The result is a product that takes off on social media and builds lasting buzz for the company.
Hidden Valley jumped into the trend with Spooky Ranch. The dressing keeps the standard ranch flavor but changes the color thanks to fruit juice and cocoa powder. The bottle even glows in the dark. This combination of a familiar taste with a bold visual hook has already drawn attention from analysts. Tracy Rassin, the founder of The Collab Lab, noted that the packaging gives people a reason to talk about ranch again.
This approach creates a fun environment for consumers to try new things. A product that might feel too unusual any other time of year suddenly feels festive and worth trying. It turns grocery shopping into an event rather than a routine chore.
Nissin Foods is joining the trend with Cup Noodles Vampire Noodles. The product features noodles that turn blood-red when hot water is added. The packaging includes a Cup Noodles emblem bleeding across the top lid and the phrase “to die for” written in black crushed velvet.
From savory snacks to spooky treats
Chips Ahoy! is taking a different approach with a limited-edition Mystery Cookie. The box contains a cookie wrapped in caution tape, and the company is pitching a story about a “glitch” in another flavor dimension. The actual flavor will not be revealed until Halloween.
For those who prefer a sweeter treat, Susie’s Pantry is releasing Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake freeze-dried ice cream. The flavor blends autumn spices with a crunchy crust and is freeze-dried to make it shelf-stable. This method allows the product to reach channels that frozen goods typically cannot.
OLIPOP has teamed up with Compartés for a chocolate gift set. The collection includes Crisp Apple, Ginger Ale, and Pomegranate Sparkle chocolates. Each flavor draws inspiration from the soda brand rather than mimicking it exactly.
At the beverage counter, Dunkin’ is offering the Berry Battie Refresher. The drink mixes berry and clementine flavors with oatmilk and purple marshmallow cold foam. The chain even gave away a limited-edition bat cup sleeve on launch day to match the Halloween theme.
This method creates a shelf-stable snack that ships and stores like chips. Waqar Anwar noted that this approach stretches a short holiday window.
New flavors for the Christmas season
Celsius is launching a mocktail version of the Shirley Temple. The energized take pairs juicy cherry, sparkling citrus, fresh lime, and notes of pomegranate. Yahoo! reported that the drink contains 20 grams of caffeine and zero sugar. This offers an energy boost for those who do not drink alcohol.
Fanta is introducing a limited-edition flavor for Halloween. The brand is creating its Haunted Universe with a cinematic trailer. Ghost Face is the first of four characters fans will meet and collect. The launch comes from a Coca-Cola press release.
Starbucks is adding a Pecan Sticky Bun Latte to its holiday menu. People reported that the drink was inspired by social media customizations of the Iced Pecan Crunch Latte.