Out with the old, in with the new. The spirit of the Lunar New Year rings true not just for those celebrating, but for food manufacturers eager to spotlight their latest products.
From confections to noodle bowls, CPG companies are gearing up for the big day – Feb. 17 this year – to capture consumers embracing the spirit of new beginnings and prosperity.
Check out these New Year-inspired products bidding farewell to the Year of the Snake and welcoming the Year of the Horse.
Hello Kitty & Friends Pineapple Cake Gift Box
Noodle bowl and snacks company A-Sha Foods is kicking off the Lunar New Year with a cat instead of a horse.
The company’s Hello Kitty & Friends Lunar New Year Pineapple Cake Gift Box is a limited-edition release that continues the noodle maker’s marketing partnership with the popular toy brand.
“Food has always been at the heart of how families celebrate Lunar New Year,” said A-Sha CEO Young Chang. “Pineapple cake symbolizes good fortune and new beginnings and pairing it with Hello Kitty & Friends makes this gift feel joyful, nostalgic and fun to share with the people you love.”
The $9.99 gift boxes hit the shelves at Target on Jan. 18.
Godiva Lunar New Year Gift Boxes
Global chocolate maker Godiva launched its own limited-edition line of gift boxes “inspired by the brand’s century-long bond with the horse and the auspicious spirit it carries into the Year of the Horse.”
The chocolate gift boxes come in 9-piece, 15-piece and 30-piece varieties and all feature a golden horse. Each box comes with a complementary red envelope with a golden horse.
“For this Lunar New Year Collection, Godiva’s Chef Chocolatiers draw from the muse of Lady Godiva, transforming her elegant figure into a refined embossed motif on each chocolate shell – a nod to the creativity at the heart of Godiva and a gesture of warm wishes for the year ahead,” the company said.
The boxes feature chocolates in four varieties: dark caramel, milk hazelnut, white raspberry orange and milk crispy crunch carré.
Loacker Lunar New Year Mini Mix
Italian wafer and confectionary brand Loacker is launching a limited-edition Lunar New Year Minis Mix bag, available at Costco.
The bag features an assortment of Loacker mini treats in hazelnut, dark chocolate and matcha.
“The variety pack is designed for easy sharing, gifting, and celebrating with family and friends,” the company said.
DOU by Uncle Chen 3 Gen Sauce Kit
Sauce company DOU by Uncle Chen, a San Francisco startup, is celebrating three generations of sauce-making with its 3 Gen Sauce Kit.
It comes with toasted sesame oil, sriracha and snack oil, which DOU says are “three essential staples, each representing a different generation in the family behind the brand.”
The company noted in a press release that the kit is, “Not high in sodium. Not diluted. Not sweetened into submission. Just food that tastes like someone’s auntie has been cooking for decades.”
The kit is available exclusively on Amazon, the company said.
“DOU exists because I didn’t want to lose these flavors to modernization or trend cycles,” according to DOU founder Felicity Chen. “This food is meant to be lived with. It’s funky. It’s imperfect. It’s honest. And it deserves to stick around.”
