What's Old is New Again

About a year ago, I wrote about the retro trend. From old school cereal packages to beverages returning to classic recipes, when it comes to foods in the supermarket, everything that was old is new again. We're seeing another resurgence of retro this year. Here are just a few of the announcements from food manufacturers in the past couple of weeks.

Be on the lookout for old-school cool from Hostess. The snack cake maker will be offering a variety of sweet treats encased in nostalgic packaging for a limited time, including Chocolate Cup Cakes, Ding Dongs, and Ho Hos. In addition, the company is temporarily bringing back the original banana-filled Twinkie recipe in boxes starring Twinkie the Kid.

Hostess isn't the only company turning back the clock. After last year's huge response to the throwback versions of Pepsi and Mountain Dew made with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, PepsiCo announced the drinks would be a permanent addition to its portfolio.

Frito-Lay, another PepsiCo-owned brand, is also getting in on the act, offering classic taco-flavored Doritos in retro packaging.

After rumors that Cap'n Horatio Magellan Crunch (better known as Cap'n Crunch) was sailing into retirement, cereal maker Quaker Oats, yet another PepsiCo-owned brand, denied the report. Not only is the Captain here to stay, but he's also back with a new line of flashback 60's packaging, complete with collector cards on the back of every box. Find Peanut Butter, Crunch Berries, and Original Cap'n Crunch flavors at a grocery store near you.

Finally, expect to see Heinz Ketchup bottles of yesteryear lining store shelves this summer. The 14-ounce octagonal glass bottles are making a comeback after being replaced by squeezable plastic containers in the 1990s.

What vintage packaging have you recently found in stores?

Going Retro

Have you noticed a trend in the CPG industry lately of what’s old is new again? At a drug store a few weeks ago, I noticed a display for some new Wonka chocolate bars. Normally, I can’t pass up chocolate anyway, but these particular treats contained an added bonus – a chance to find a Golden Ticket! Unlike the movie, the grand prize does not include the possibility of meeting Willy Wonka himself, but does offer other fantastic, and perhaps more relevant, rewards.

This is not the only product I have seen take a step back in time. Recently, General Mills released new retro packaging for several of its cereals: Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, and Trix. The retro boxes, which send me back to the days of Saturday morning cartoons, are available solely at Target for a limited time.

Vintage packaging, however, isn’t only in the cereal aisle. Last summer, PepsiCo distributed Pepsi and Mountain Dew Throwback. The soda is made with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup and the cans and cases are decked out with classic logos. The company sold the products for a limited time, but due to its popularity and demand, brought back the Throwback products from December through February.

Based on my knowledge of the CPG industry and the current economic climate, I believe that the timing on these items could not be better. The recession has people longing for the better days of the past. The nostalgic component that these products bring to the table provides comfort during these hard times. The simplistic packaging also helps products stand out on busy grocery shelves; minimalistic package design draws the attention of weary eyed consumers.

Have you seen other flashback campaigns? I’d like to hear about them. Comment and tell me!