The Latest Food and Beverage Releases Are Anything But Ordinary

Nacho Typical Spirit

Doritos unveiled a collaboration with Empirical to bring Empirical x Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit. The limited release offers the smells and tastes of Doritos, bringing the flavor of Doritos Nacho Cheese Chips into the spirits aisle.

Doritos Nacho Cheese flavors are extracted through Empirical’s production process, using real Doritos chips and retaining their essence through vacuum distillation.

“Empirical is an ‘uncategorized’ spirits company, so it allows us the freedom to experiment with really interesting flavors and not have to be stuck in a gin box or tequila box or whiskey box,” said Lars Williams, chef, distiller and CEO of Empirical. “And we can take something that has a unique and amazing flavor, like Doritos, and evolve it into something completely new.”

Waffles with a Twist

MyMochi Waffle Bites are one of the first frozen waffles made with the sweet rice flour used in traditional mochi. The ready-to-eat snacks can be thawed or briefly heated.

Waffle bites are available in original, blueberry and cinnamon in select retailers. These lightly sweetened snacks are portioned into individual bites, are gluten free and contain no artificial ingredients.

“MyMochi has been at the forefront of merging Japanese heritage with snacking culture,” said Brigette Wolf, chief marketing officer of MyMochi. “MyMochi fans are always looking for more ways to snack on mochi, and using it to put a fun twist on everyday food like waffles enables us to introduce even more people to the unique mochi experience.”

AI Power for Pups

PawCo launched GreenMeat, one of the first fully plant-based meat tailored for pet food, and is expanding its product range. PawCo uses artificial intelligence (AI) for nutrition optimization and palatability improvement of its products.

The company offers pets balanced plant-based meals, and the new products aim to redefine canine nutrition, the company said.

InstaBites is the first fresh, shelf-stable plant-based dog food, according to PawCo. These meals offer the quality of fresh food with the ease of dry food storage. LuxBites is a fresh dog food formulated with postbiotics and fermented protein, designed to enhance gut health, boost immunity and ensure optimal nutrient absorption.

“Our mission at PawCo is to ensure every dog and dog owner has access to healthy and affordable meal alternatives without sacrificing other animals’ lives,” said Mahsa Vazin, founder and CEO of PawCo Foods. “We are using AI in various parts of our process to ensure the food is optimized for dogs while improving the palatability and taste of our products.”