Squishmallows Cupcakes Sweeten the Holidays
Squishmallows is getting its most decadent collaboration to date! Jazwares, one of the world’s leading toy companies, is teaming up with Baked by Melissa, America’s favorite mini cupcake brand specializing in “bite-size” miniature cupcakes, to bring fans an exclusive collection that is as cute as it is delicious. Transforming fan-favorite Squishmallows into bite-sized delights, each cupcake is bursting with flavor and is as fun and playful as the cuddly plush pals themselves.
“It has been so much fun bringing these iconic plush characters to life as bite-size cupcakes,” said Melissa Ben-Ishay, co-founder and CEO of Baked by Melissa, who designed every cupcake herself. “Baked by Melissa is an essential addition to any celebration, big or small, and we know this collaboration will be the perfect spin on our holiday treats for both Baked by Melissa and Squishmallows fans alike.”
“Squishmallows is a premiere lifestyle brand for every season and this holiday fans can treat themselves, family, and friends to this delicious colorfully customized assortment of indulgent bite-size cupcakes,” said Gerhard Runken, executive vice president, brand & marketing, Jazwares. “Collaborating with Baked by Melissa was a delicious new way for fans to experience Squishmallows this holiday season.”
Perfect for gifts, parties, and events this upcoming holiday season, this tasty collab will be available through Dec.31, and features six yummy, bite-sized cupcakes representing six lovable Squishmallows characters.
- Jericho (Cookie Cow): Calling all cookie lovers! This cupcake features light brown vanilla cake, cookie dough stuffing, and cookie dough icing, topped with micro chocolate chips and red sprinkles.
- Ricardo (Fruit Bat): It’s bat-tastic! This vibrant cupcake features red and white tie-dye cake, pink vanilla stuffing, and green vanilla icing, topped with dark chocolate and red sprinkle brittle.
- Tolef (Cookie Bear): Another option perfect for Christmas! Our final cupcake features white vanilla cake and sugar cookie icing, topped with red and green drizzle.
- Cam (Calico Cat): As one of the most well-known and beloved characters, this cupcake features vanilla and chocolate tie-dye cake with milk chocolate icing, topped with green drizzle and colorful nonpareils.
- Ethel (Candy Cane Hot Chocolate): Pink lovers unite! This cupcake features pink vanilla cake, hot cocoa stuffing, and white vanilla icing, topped with white chocolate candy cane brittle.
- Myla (The Christmas Tree): Oh Christmas tree, how lovely is this cupcake? Our next option features chocolate cake, dulce de leche stuffing, and green vanilla icing, topped with white chocolate sprinkle brittle in the shape of Myla’s beloved star.
The adorable cupcakes will be available in all Baked by Melissa store locations and online at bakedbymelissa.com for nationwide shipping, store pickup, and same-day Manhattan delivery. Customers can enjoy a 25-pack of the Holly Jolly cupcake assortment with Jericho, Ricardo and Tolef’s flavors ($37), the Under the Mistletoe cupcake assortment with Cam, Ethel, Myla’s flavors ($37), or all six flavors in the Seasonal Squad assortment ($42). This limited-time assortment will also be available with all flavors in a 6-pack ($10.25 in stores or online in a bundle of 4 for $41), 50-pack ($70) and 100-pack ($135).
Each assortment will be wrapped in a festive Baked by Melissa x Squishmallows sleeve and will be accompanied by one of six exclusive recipes by Melissa Ben-Ishay for holiday treats to make at home, all of which are inspired by Squishmallows characters. Videos of the recipes will also be shared across Baked by Melissa’s popular TikTok and Instagram, where Ben-Ishay has amassed almost 4 million followers with her everyday cooking.
For more information on Squishmallows, visit Squishmallows on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Squishmallows.com. For more information on Baked by Melissa, visit Baked by Melissa online at bakedbymelissa.com, on TikTok, and Instagram.
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Lindt & Sprüngli Hosts U.S. Debut of Lindt Dubai Chocolate
To make the holiday season even brighter, Lindt & Sprüngli (USA) is holding the U.S. debut of Lindt Dubai Chocolate, which will be available for New York City locals and visitors to taste and purchase during an in-store celebration on Thursday, Dec. 12.
Available in a limited quantity, the handmade Lindt Dubai Chocolate will debut in the Lindt New York Empire State Shop in Manhattan at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12 until they sell out. The bars – delivered in high-quality, luxurious packaging – will retail for $14.99 each. Additionally, each guest who purchases a bar will receive a hand-numbered certificate and complimentary Lindt goodies to enjoy. More bars will later be rolled out across the USA in various other Lindt Retail Stores in limited quantities.
“We’re thrilled to introduce the Lindt Dubai Chocolate Bar to the U.S. for the first time this holiday season, and there’s no better place to launch it than New York City,” said Ann Czaja, Lindt master chocolatier. “Our Master Chocolatiers have skillfully crafted the ingredients by hand, allowing chocolate lovers to taste the global flavor sensation that’s taken the world by storm in an unforgettable, luxurious experience.”
The first recipe for Dubai chocolate was created in 2021 by Sarah Hamouda of FIX Dessert Chocolatier and gained viral notoriety on TikTok by various creators. Now, the Lindt master chocolatiers are picking up on this global trend and are proudly presenting their own recipe. Lindt Dubai Chocolate invites fans across the globe on a journey into the luxurious world of Dubai-inspired flavors and textures.
Packed with exquisite ingredients that are skillfully combined by hand, these Lindt Dubai Chocolate bars make every bite a unique taste experience. With the chocolate’s texture being of the utmost importance, the melt-in-the-mouth Lindt milk chocolate is generously filled with the finest pistachio butter, crispy kadayif (crunchy pastry shreds) and velvety tahini. The combination of the luxurious Lindt milk chocolate and crispy, creamy filling makes Lindt Dubai Chocolate an unforgettable, indulgent experience that can’t be missed.
The kick-off celebration event at the Lindt New York Empire State Shop on Dec. 12 will include chocolate-filled experiences throughout the day. Guests can enjoy free chocolate samples, take-home coupons, and enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of Lindt Chocolate (details to follow). Though the Lindt Dubai Chocolate bars are a limited quantity, every guest who visits is sure to be delighted by the delicious fun that awaits them at the celebration event!
Store Location and Hours:
- 7 W. 34th St. New York, NY 10001
- 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Can’t make it to the New York City Lindt Dubai Chocolate event? Don’t worry, a limited number of bars are coming soon to other Lindt Chocolate shops. Follow @Lindt_USA Instagram and TikTok to keep up with all Lindt USA news. To be the first to learn about upcoming promotions, flash sales, and store events, join Lindt’s email list on lindtusa.com.
Lindt & Sprüngli has been enchanting the world with chocolate for over 175 years. The long-established Swiss company with its roots in Zurich is a global leader in the premium chocolate product sector. Lindt & Sprüngli produces quality chocolates today at its 12 factories in Europe and the USA. Its products are sold by 36 subsidiaries and branch offices in around 530 of its own stores as well as via a network of more than 100 independent distributors around the globe. With more than 14,500 employees, the Lindt & Sprüngli Group reported sales of CHF 5.2 billion in 2023.
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Food Lion President Meg Ham to Retire in May
Meg Ham will retire as Food Lion president.
Ahold Delhaize USA has announced that Meg Ham, president of Food Lion, plans to retire on May 2, after more than 35 years with the organization. She has been at the helm of Food Lion for more than a decade and has been part of the brand’s unprecedented growth, grounded in Food Lion’s heritage of customer service and convenient locations. A successor for Ham will be announced before year-end.
“Meg has been an outstanding leader at Ahold Delhaize USA and has led Food Lion during one of the brand’s most exciting times as it repositioned itself to better serve customers, while staying true to its core attributes of low prices and convenient locations,” said JJ Fleeman, CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA. “Under Meg’s leadership, the brand has experienced tremendous growth, all while remaining true to its purpose of nourishing the towns and cities Food Lion serves. Not only did the Food Lion business thrive, but under Meg’s leadership the brand is on track to deliver 1.5 billion meals by 2025 through its Food Lion Feeds hunger-relief platform. She has been a strong leader for the brand, with a remarkable passion for building strong customer and associate experiences, and we wish her all the best as she transitions to retirement.”
Ham added, “While I am looking forward to retirement, Food Lion and Hannaford have been places that I have called home for more than 35 years. I am incredibly grateful to the associates who I have had the opportunity to work alongside every day, to our customers who put their trust in us to nourish their families and to our community partners who work tirelessly every day to feed those who are hungry in our local communities. Throughout my career, I have strived to operate as a humble teacher and a proud learner, and I have cherished the opportunity to learn from the great people I have worked with, and learned from, over the years.”
Food Lion is an omnichannel grocery retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors. More than 82,000 associates across more than 1,100 stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. With a focus on hunger relief, the grocer is a pioneer in food rescue. In 2014, Food Lion Feeds was created and has since donated more than 1.2 billion meals to those who are food insecure. The retailer has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.
Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of global food retailer Ahold Delhaize, is part of the U.S. family of brands that also includes five leading omnichannel grocery brands – Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. When considered together, the companies of Ahold Delhaize USA comprise the largest grocery retail group on the East Coast and the fourth largest grocery retail group in the nation, serving millions of omnichannel customers each week. For more information, visit www.adusa.com.
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