Pop-Tarts x Liquid Death, Bachan's Mayo and That's it. Granola

Pop-Tarts and Liquid Death are back for round two, and this time the canned water brand's orange soda flavor is ending up inside a breakfast pastry. Pop-Tarts Liquid Death Squeezed to Death Frosted Orange, a limited-edition pastry with citrus jam, hits participating retailers in November.

It's the second pairing for Mars-owned Pop-Tarts and Liquid Death, following a strawberry Pop-Tart-flavored iced tea earlier this year. "Pop-Tarts has always made room for a little fun with flavor, and our partnerships let us take that spirit somewhere unexpected and give fans a fresh twist on a familiar favorite," Kim Holowiak, director of growth and marketing for Pop-Tarts, said in a statement.

Takeaway: a 60-year-old brand is borrowing a Gen Z-favorite water brand's edge to stay relevant.

Why the sudden flood of oddball collaborations?

Food and beverage brands increasingly link up across categories — sometimes even with competitors. Ferrara's Trolli paired with PepsiCo's Mountain Dew on gummy worms and sodas combining both brands' flavors. Hershey and Mondelēz International teamed up for the hugely successful Reese's Oreo Cups and Oreo Reese's Cookies.

Pop-Tarts, founded in 1964, wants younger consumers through innovation and partnerships with Gen Z-popular brands. It has also partnered with BuzzBallz and recently released a protein-enhanced Pop-Tart.

What is Bachan's doing beyond sauce?

Japanese barbecue sauce maker Bachan's is launching its first innovation outside sauces: a Japanese mayonnaise, available exclusively at Whole Foods in three flavors — original, spicy and black garlic. The mayo, made from egg yolk and rice vinegar, carries a silky texture with tangy, umami taste.

"Whether you're dipping, drizzling, spreading, or mixing, our Japanese Mayos are made to make every bite better," Justin Gill, Bachan's founder and CEO, said in a statement.

The numbers back the bet. Bachan's sales for the quarter ending June 30 rose 8.7%, according to owner Marzetti Company, which bought the brand for $400 million earlier this year. Marzetti calls Bachan's a key growth driver for fiscal 2027, with plans to accelerate innovation and marketing. A tamari-based wing sauce with "rich savory depth" is also coming, per Marzetti president and CEO David Ciesinski.

Takeaway: a $400 million acquisition needs new categories to earn its price tag.

Is Japanese mayo a crowded shelf?

The category has momentum. Kewpie, which created the first commercial Japanese mayo in 1925, is surging in the U.S. and opened a new Tennessee factory that could expand production capacity by up to three times current levels. Global flavors and fusion cuisine keep gaining with adventurous consumers.

Can That's it. make granola 'it'?

Fruit bar maker That's it. is betting on granola with Fruitola Fruit Granola, sold exclusively at Target. It contains no sugar, four ingredients, 16 grams of plant-based protein and 7 grams of fiber from fruit per bowl. Flavors: banana, cinnamon, strawberry and blueberry.

"Flip over most bags of granola and you'll find a long ingredient list and a lot of added sugar. That's not health food; that's dessert with misleading marketing," Dr. Lior Lewensztain, founder and CEO, said in a statement. "We set out to make the cleanest granola on the shelf, with four simple ingredients and meaningful nutrition from 100% real fruit."

Lewensztain founded That's it. in 2012 after realizing in medical school that only one-third of Americans eat the fruit they need daily. The bars feed the brand's 2026 goal of delivering 1 billion grams of fruit-derived fiber across its portfolio — a target it says it's on track to exceed.

The granola race is crowded. Kashi expanded into the aisle with a gut health version, Catalina and Magic Spoon entered with protein versions, and Ferrero bought better-for-you oatmeal and granola brand Purely Elizabeth in August. The granola market is projected to grow from $9 billion in 2022 to nearly $12 billion in 2032, a 3% compound annual growth rate, according to Marketresearch.biz.

Takeaway: a 3% annual growth rate means shelf space will be won on nutrition claims, not category tailwinds.