Sometimes brands release weird versions of popular foods that turn out to be wonderful. Other times – not so much. From pizza ice cream to bagel flavoured noodles and cheese and onion chocolate, we've rounded up the most unusual limited-edition varieties of our favourite snacks and drinks. A few of them even proved popular enough to stick around...
Click or scroll through our gallery for our pick of the strangest limited-edition foods, counting down to the most bizarre of the lot.
We've based our ranking on the reaction to each product at its time of release, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. This list is unavoidably subjective.
Snickers White launched in the UK in late 2018 and disappeared shortly afterwards, only to return in 2020 due to popular demand. The bars, consisting of layered nougat, caramel and peanuts, are enrobed in white chocolate rather than the original milk. It's the most recent limited-edition offering from the brand, which has previously released salted caramel and chilli-infused bars.
In September 2021, Oreo launched a range of limited-edition cookies in collaboration with Pokémon, featuring 16 different Pokémon designs. But just like the trademark collectable cards, some were harder to find than others. This has led some eager collectors to take to eBay to seek them out – one cookie, featuring the ultra-rare Mew character, was even listed for as much as $10,000 (around £8,200).
These flower-adorned beers from Japanese brewery Asahi don't actually taste like the country's celebrated cherry blossoms, though they do have pleasantly aromatic, floral notes. The pink limited-edition cans are released every spring to coincide with the cherry blossom, or sakura, season.
An unusual combination of two sweet treats, the KitKat Churro made its debut in the US in 2023, just ahead of National Churro Day (that’s 6 June, for the uninitiated). Intended to evoke memories of munching hot-from-the-fryer churros at the fair or while wandering along the beach boardwalk, these beauties saw a buttery, creamy, cinnamon-speckled sugar mix encasing those famous wafers.
What do you get if you combine the chocolatey, peanutty goodness of a Snickers bar with the taste of old-school ice cream parlour favourite, butterscotch? Something rather tasty, that’s what. In July 2023, Mars Wrigley, the mega-brand behind the iconic chocolate bar, introduced a new summer special: Snickers Butterscotch Scoop. Unsurprisingly, fans went nuts for the subtly buttery brown sugar and ice cream–flavoured nougat bar, sold exclusively at Walmart in the United States.
Two favourites rolled into one biscuit, Oreo's Carrot Cake Cookies have achieved legendary status. While they perhaps weren't quite as delicious as the slice of carrot cake pictured on the wrapping, they did taste and smell like the real thing – which is pretty impressive, when you consider there wasn't a cake crumb (or a carrot) in sight.
Birthday cakes come in a variety of styles and flavours. For this celebratory twist on classic Oreos, though, manufacturer Nabisco stuck with a sweet cream filling and added some colourful sprinkles. Birthday Cake Oreos were created to celebrate the brand's 100th birthday in 2012, and they've stuck around. Apparently, they're sweeter than original Oreos, though you might find it tricky to stick a candle in the crisp chocolate biscuit. They're also sold in the UK as Oreo Birthday Party Sandwich Biscuits.
Mountain Dew Pitch Black was first released in 2004 for Halloween – but it proved so popular that it became a permanent addition to the range in the US, and it's sold in several other countries, too. In South Korea it's known as Wild Black, and in Canada, Alerte Noire. As for the taste, it's made with black grapes, which apparently makes it less sweet than the original. We just love the deep, dark purple colour.
What happens when you take energy drink Red Bull and flavour it with one of the world's sourest fruits? Red Bull Ruby Grapefruit was launched as part of a range of limited-edition drinks, with other flavours including tropical fruits and orange. We can't comment on whether it actually gave people wings, but we imagine it induced some lip puckering.
The KitKat Volcanic Sublime range, released in 2019, featured three chocolate bars inspired by volcanic destinations: Vanuatu's Malakula Island, Papua New Guinea's Karkar Island and the Philippines' Mindanao Island. The bars were made with beans from these islands' volcanic soil. Flavour-wise, we're told that Karkar's bar was the fruitiest, with raspberry notes. Meanwhile, Mindanao's had bittersweet notes and a hit of grapefruit, and Malakula's had a molasses flavour.
Given that almost every product you can think of has been given a unicorn-themed makeover in recent years, we're hardly surprised by this offering from Smarties. And if you're wondering what unicorns taste like, these probably won't help. The only thing different about Nestlé's bestselling sweets is that they were pink and blue.
Here's one that might upset Coca-Cola purists: Coca-Cola Peach. It was launched as Coca-Cola Georgia Peach in 2018, along with California Raspberry – the company's first new flavours since 2002. The brand described them as 'speciality sodas with a local twist', and said they marked a return to its 'artisanal roots'. The peach variety has stuck around and is sold in the UK too, though with 'Georgia' dropped from the name.
Back in 2020, innovative ice cream brand Coolhaus teamed up with Ritz to launch a limited-edition salty-sweet concoction. A celebration of Ritz’s fan-favourite Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, each pint of Crackers & Cream consisted of peanutty ice cream filled with a crunchy Ritz swirl. The flavour was a huge hit – but sadly, it was only available for a short period of time via the Coolhaus website in the US.
Happy Elderberry Cream, to give it its full name, was originally released in Poland in 2012. This was a white Milka chocolate bar filled with a delicate white cream and elderberry jam. The fruit brought a pleasing tartness to the bar, making it ideal for those who steer clear of sickly-sweet confections.
Spam gave the world's most popular processed meat a timely makeover when it launched Hello Kitty Spam, a kit designed to make canned meat look cute. It was aimed primarily at the Hawaiian market, where a popular dish is Spam musubi – a sushi-like creation consisting of a slice of Spam on a moulded block of rice. Each kit contained a tin of Spam and moulds to transform your rice into the ultimate Spam-tastic, Hello Kitty–shaped snack.
Green tea is delicious, so Häagen-Dazs's limited-edition flavour wasn't actually that weird, unless the idea of cold green tea – or the product's vivid green hue – perturbs you. Mochi (Japanese rice cake) chunks added texture to the ice cream, which was made with what the brand referred to as 'ceremonial grade' matcha from the Japanese island of Kyushu. The brand still makes a Matcha Green Tea ice cream, without the addition of mochi.
When Pepsi collaborated with US-based pancake house IHOP in March 2022, the result was sweeter-than-sweet Maple Syrup Cola. It was described as bringing together 'the indulgent flavour profile of maple syrup with the crisp, refreshing caramel notes of a Pepsi'. But there was a catch for those looking to get hold of a can. The drink was only available to win via a social media giveaway.
A version released especially for the Russian market, Cucumber Sprite was designed as an extra-refreshing version of the favourite lemon drink. Although it hasn't taken off quite so well in other countries, a sugar-free lemon, lime and cucumber version – Sprite Zero Cucumber – was launched in the UK in 2019.
Jalapeño was one of three new varieties introduced by M&M's in early 2019 (Thai Coconut Peanut and English Toffee Peanut were the other available options). To mark the launch, M&M's unveiled a website that allowed fans to order personalised packs of confectionery by customising them with their own – or their friends' – faces.
We're not sure what Budweiser was thinking when it came up with this concoction, although the inspiration was apparently Clamato, an American bottled drink made with spices, clam broth and tomato juice. The Budweiser version includes lime, salt and clam water (as well as beer, obviously) and has a deep pink hue. Apparently, it's especially popular in Canada and Mexico.
Dr Pepper’s famous slogan might well have claimed that the drink was ‘so misunderstood’, but we don’t think there’s anything particularly puzzling about this tasty-sounding collaboration between the Texan soft drink brand and ice cream company Blue Bell. Launched in 2023, the Dr Pepper Float flavour sees Blue Bell’s classic vanilla cream swirled with Dr Pepper–infused sherbet to make a frozen treat, and it's still available in 23 US states now.
If you love the lollies, then you might rejoice at the existence of a Chupa Chups fizzy drink. The fruity sodas first appeared in South Korea, but are now available in several other countries (as well as from specialist online retailers). Flavours on offer include grape, orange, strawberry and melon cream.
A lot of brands launch pink-hued products in the run-up to Valentine’s Day, so it came as no surprise when Kraft Mac & Cheese launched a hot-pink option in 2021. However, this was no regular mac 'n' cheese; it was mac 'n' cheese with a sweet candy taste. Customers could enter a competition to win a Candy Kraft Mac & Cheese kit – featuring a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese and a packet of candy flavouring, which turned the popular snack bright pink and added sweet undertones to its signature cheesy flavour.
Coca-Cola claims that drinking a daily Coca-Cola Plus will help suppress fat absorption and moderate the levels of triglycerides (lipids or waxy fats) in the blood after eating. Released in 2017, the fizzy drink became the first product approved by the Japanese government as a Food of Specified Health Use (FOSHU). The calorie-free drink contains indigestible dextrin, a source of dietary fibre, and is marketed as the first Coca-Cola drink that can improve health.
Banana haters might ask why you'd want to ruin a perfectly good chocolate bar by giving it the flavour of such a divisive fruit. However, it's one of the most popular KitKat varieties – so much so that Nestlé released a premium version made with a banana milk–flavoured white chocolate coating, and wafers layered with a cream made from banana powder.
If you love everything bagel seasoning on just about, well, everything, this limited-edition flavour from Cup Noodles is for you. In April 2024, the iconic on-the-go ramen brand unveiled its newest adventurous variety, featuring noodles flavoured with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, dried onion and caraway seeds, all in a creamy cheese sauce. The super-savoury snack is available to buy exclusively at Walmart stores in the USA.
Irresistibly oozy and mouth-wateringly tasty, tomato soup and cheese toasties go together like peaches and cream. But combining the two dishes into one can? It's an idea so genius, we can't believe no one's come up with it before! In March 2024, legendary soup brand Campbell's unveiled its latest tempting creation: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup, which can be made with water (to bring out the rich, tomatoey flavours) or with milk (to unleash an extra wave of cheesiness). The ultimate comfort food, it was available to buy in US stores in the run-up to National Grilled Cheese Day (April 12).
This spicy chocolate was one of many popular Tabasco products, including olive oil, sausages, crisps, Jelly Babies, ice cream and pralines. Laced with the chilli sauce, the chocolate came in individually wrapped wedges sold in pretty tins or, for those who just couldn't get enough of the combination, in hefty cans.
Think Heinz's offerings don't get more divisive than its polarising Sandwich Spread? Think again! The brand took things one step further in 2023, launching an unusual Easter-inspired condiment in the UK. To create its Seriously Good Hot Cross Bun Mayo, it combined its classic creamy mayonnaise with the flavours of a toasted hot cross bun, complete with sweet cinnamon spices and real fruit pieces. Only 100 jars were produced, and eager testers could get their hands on them by entering a competition.
If you thought banana-flavoured KitKats were weird, say hello to this controversial wasabi version of the popular chocolate bar. It's one of several varieties produced at a KitKat factory in Japan that was purpose-built to produce smaller batches of bars with unusual flavours. Others include purple sweet potato, edamame bean and cherry blossom.
Heinz might be famous for tomato sauce and baked beans but, in the past, the brand has dabbled in all manner of vegetables – especially spiced and pickled varieties. Even its tomato sauce has had a makeover. In 2000, the brand unveiled Blastin' Green and Funky Purple versions, although both were a resounding flop. Heinz's earliest products included walnut tomato ketchup, and spiced gherkins packaged in a barrel-style bottle (pictured).
Love them or loathe them, Brussels sprouts are a mainstay of the festive dinner table – and Walkers (Lay's in Australlia, Canada, the US and elsewhere) truly divided the crowd when it launched this limited-edition Christmas flavour in 2018. Seasoned to taste just like the leafy green vegetables, it's safe to say that the novelty limited-edition crisps weren't to everyone's taste. The flavour returned to UK supermarket shelves in 2019, but hasn’t been seen since.
Arguably a case of too much of a good thing, this collaboration saw gourmet chocolate company Compartés team up with purveyors of processed cheese Velveeta to produce the world's first (and potentially last) chocolate cheese truffles. Limited-edition TruffVels featured Compartés’ white chocolate, formed into truffles that not only resembled Velveeta’s iconic orange-hued Shells & Cheese, but also came filled with the brand’s signature cheese sauce.
Pizza and ice cream sounds like a pretty ideal Saturday night to us. But pizza ice cream? This wonderfully outrageous offering came from Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, which has shops in several US states and sells its products in American grocery stores, too. The limited-edition pizza flavour, sold in Walmart from March 2022, had a base of cream cheese and mozzarella, swirled with tomato jam and folded through with basil crust cookies. Known for its experimental limited-edition flavours, the brand also released a Kraft Macaroni & Cheese ice cream in 2021.
Irish snack company Tayto has long been renowned for its dapperly dressed mascot, Mr Tayto, who graces every one of its crisp and popcorn packets. It wasn't, however, remotely famous for selling chocolate – that is, until it launched a taste bud–twisting cheese and onion chocolate bar in 2022. This limited-edition item wasn’t particularly popular, but it certainly got the public and media talking.
You only need to flick through Lay’s Instagram account to know that it likes announcing fake flavours – so when this unique collaboration with US pancake chain IHOP was unveiled in February 2024, fans thought it was just another of the brand's jokes. However, the wacky new flavour, which crossed IHOP’s signature syrupy pancakes with Lay’s (Walkers in the UK) salty potato snacks, turned out to be real. The results weren't half bad, with tasty notes of strawberry and bacon cutting through the stodginess of the crisps. The pack was available on Walmart's website for a limited time only.
Back in July 2008, Walkers (known as Lay's in Australia, Canada, the US and other countries) launched a competition inviting British crisp lovers to invent a new flavour. Out of 1.2 million entries, six flavours were released onto the market – and customers could vote for their favourite. One of the strange six was Cajun Squirrel, designed by Martyn Wright. It featured a strong mix of fragrant spices and a meaty aftertaste but, thankfully, no traces of squirrel were included. It didn’t win (a full English breakfast–inspired flavour took home the cash prize), but it remains Walkers' strangest flavour yet.
Back in the 1960s, American brand Jell-O launched its most unusual flavour of all time: Mixed Vegetable. Though modern jelly lovers might think it monstrous, this savoury jelly mix was actually pretty popular when it was released. Customers were encouraged to add everything from carrot chunks and cauliflower florets to cottage cheese, to turn the wobbly green wonder into a 'tempting' salad.
To celebrate its 150th anniversary, Heinz created its poshest product yet: Heinz Ketchup Caviar, made with tiny pearls of tomato ketchup. Sadly, the fancy food was very limited edition; there were only 150 pots available when the product launched in early 2019, just before Valentine's Day.
Now check out the limited-edition fast foods we think should be made permanent
Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.