Offering new flavors of classic treats has become a new trend.
It's a smart marketing strategy as it's much easier to explain a new flavor of a familiar item than it is to introduce a new product.
In addition, when a brand like Mondelez International's (MDLZ) -) Oreos offers a new flavor, the news spreads on social media, not to mention the coverage regular media gives it.
That's why Oreos seem to add flavors every month or two, and closely held Mars's M&Ms, which used to just come in plain and peanut, now come in a variety of permanent flavors as well as the occasional seasonal ones.
Related: Surprise bankruptcy takes beloved item off Kroger, grocery shelves
This smart strategy is not that different from how Starbucks (SBUX) -) operates. That chain has recurring seasonal products — like the Pumpkin Spice Latte — to which people look forward every year.
The chain gets fresh publicity every year as people speculate about when the beloved drink might return and then a new round of media as the drink exits the menu.
In addition, the coffee giant each year presents new drinks that could become recurring favorites or might just be one-time offers. It's made every menu change an event.
No grocery store food brand, aside from perhaps Oreos, has reached the level of attention Starbucks and a handful of other fast-food chains have received simply for adding new flavors.
That may be why one of the most popular snack brands has added a new version of its most iconic product. It's being sold at Walmart (WMT) -) and Amazon and it has barely made a media or social-media ripple.
Image source: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Hostess has a unique place in people's hearts
Hostess may arguably be the most popular and well-known snack-cake brand sold in the U.S. The company's iconic cakes have crossed generational barriers.
Parents grew up with Twinkies, CupCakes, Ding Dongs, Fruit Pies, and other Hostess treats, and now they have shared that tradition with their children. That was actually reinforced by the company's 2012 bankruptcy.
For a time Hostess products disappeared from shelves and it was possible they would never return. That made older generations reconnect with the brand and embrace it in a way that doesn't always happen with the foods people ate as young kids.
The loss of Hostess treats made people appreciate them more, and now the company is offering a new flavor of its most famous snack cake, the Twinkie.
Walmart and Amazon sell a new Twinkie flavor
It's hard, maybe impossible, to think of an item sold in grocery stores that has higher brand recognition than the Twinkie.
Over the years, Hostess has occasionally added new versions of the classic treat, including Chocodile Twinkies, a chocolate-covered version of the beloved treat.
Now, the chain has quietly added a new flavor of the beloved snack cake, which can be found at both Walmart and Amazon (AMZN) -). The new Twinkie, like the Chocodile, heavily uses chocolate but in a different way.
The new Chocolate Lovers Twinkies features both chocolate cake, as opposed to the traditional Twinkies angel food cake, and a chocolate cream filling.
"Hostess Chocolate Cake Twinkies are the same as the Original but with a fun chocolatey twist. Live Your Mostess with one sweet bite at a time," an Amazon listing for the product read.
Walmart has a 10-pack of the new Twinkies for $3.48 while Amazon, which appears to offer the new item from third-party resellers, offers the same pack at a much higher price.
Hostess does not show the new Twinkies flavor on its website and the new Twinkies flavor might be a Walmart exclusive that's being independently resold on Amazon.
Kroger, Costco, and other grocery sellers do not appear to have the new Twinkies product in stock.
Hostess did not immediately return a request for comment.
