Pepperidge Farm is launching four new Pokémon Goldfish cracker flavors this May, each themed around the franchise's starter Pokémon. The collaboration marks yet another licensing deal for The Pokémon Company, which continues flooding the market with branded snacks and merchandise.
This move is standard practice for Pokémon. The IP prints money through every conceivable product category, from trading cards to apparel to breakfast cereals. A snack tie-in requires minimal effort from either party. Pepperidge Farm handles production and distribution. The Pokémon Company collects licensing fees.
Whether these crackers taste good remains the actual question. Branded food products notoriously trade on character recognition rather than quality. Expect serviceable snacks with minor flavor variations, not innovation. Kids will buy them because Pokémon is on the box. Adults will buy them out of nostalgia.
The May launch capitalizes on ongoing Pokémon momentum heading into the next generation of games. It's a safe bet for both companies. No risk. Predictable returns. The Pokémon formula works because the brand itself does the heavy lifting. Even mediocre execution sells when Charizard is involved.