There is no denying the popularity of pickles. Flavored-packed, they are popping up on restaurant menus and in a variety of cold and frozen products on retailer shelves.
The National Restaurant Association cited pickle’s prevailing presence on menus in its annual culinary forecast and Yelp predicted pickles would be among this year’s top trends, after it said searches jumped 55%.
In honor of National Pickle Day on November 14, here is a roundup of some of the latest cold and frozen pickle-inspired products.
Pickles made their way to the freezer with My/Mochi ice cream, which introduced what it called the world's first and only pickle mochi ice cream in celebration of National Pickle Day.
"My/Mochi is all about stretching the possibilities of what can be done with mochi, so we are constantly looking at the trends and flavors people are buzzing about to bring more fun and flavor to the ice cream category," said Brigette Wolf, chief marketing officer, My/Mochi. "The pickle trend is so hot right now, so we thought, 'let's do something cool,' that only we could pull off in a way that would be premium and delicious. We're pretty tickled about our pickle product and hope others are too!"
My/Mochi Classic Pickle mochi ice cream is gluten free, nut free, contains no artificial ingredients and is only 80 calories per serving. The limited-edition treat is available online and at select retailers in California.
Last month, Lantana Foods launched three new hummus flavors, including a Dill Pickle Hummus that combines garbanzo beans with the unmistakable flavor of tangy vinegar mixed with savory dill and topped with dill pickles.
The line distributed in retailers including Albertsons Safeway, Save Mart, Associated Food Stores and Vons.
"At Lantana, we’re always striving to deliver new and unique flavors for our customers, as well as an unmatched fresh taste and texture that the big hummus brands aren’t able to replicate," said Maggie Carey, president of U.S. Business at Lantana Foods. "Our new hummus offerings were inspired by trending and traditional foods and flavors, and we expect them to expand consumers’ expectation of what hummus can be."
In addition to delivering amazing flavor and texture, Lantana’s hummus is vegan, non-GMA, and free from artificial preservatives, flavors and colors.
Not the only hummus maker to experiment with pickle flavors, Fresh Cravings in March tested Dill Pickle Hummus alongside a Pizza option at over 3,000 Walmart stores nationwide. The company called the month-long limited run a non-traditional way the brand brings its consumers into its process of flavor innovation.
Pickles or Pineapples? DiGiorno cooked up a hot debate and with its eyebrow-raising culinary creation – DiGiorno Pineapple Pickle Pizza. Made with a hand-tossed crust, creamy garlic sauce, mozzarella cheese and toppings split right down the middle – one-half sliced dill pickles and one-half delicious chunks of pineapple.
The pies were available for free DTC via weekly drops, while supplies lasted, and fans were invited to show off their pizza pride by snagging pineapple pickle-themed merch.
Good Foods Group and La Terra Fina each launched pickle dips this year.
La Terra Fina Dill Pickle Dip & Spread combines Greek yogurt and cream cheese with a tangy taste and an abundance of pickles and dill that will appeal to adults and kids alike. This dip can be enjoyed right out of the tub with fresh veggies, pretzels, chips, fries, or slathered-on sandwiches and burgers.
Good Foods Group last month debuted a plant-based, allergy-friendly Pickle Chip Dip that boasts big flavor with inclusivity in mind – its formula removes the Top 9 allergens, redefining dips that everyone can enjoy.