Every year when Starbucks brings back the Creme Brulee Latte, I buy at least one, and for decades, the same was true of the McDonald’s Shamrock Shake.
Both triggered nostalgia in me, albeit from different time periods. The Shamrock Shake dates back to childhood, and Starbucks’ holiday drinks are a more recent phenomenon.
Still, in the case of Starbucks, the seasonal limited-time offer ups my check at a chain I still visit multiple times a week, while the Shamrock Shake brings me back to one I rarely visit.
That’s exactly how it’s supposed to work.
“Nostalgia is a powerful ingredient in the recipe for LTO success, targeting older consumers by resurrecting previously discontinued menu items,” said Circana Senior Vice President David Portalatin in the company’s recent report on LTOs.
“While LTOs are designed to be temporary, their impact on the perception of a brand is lasting, contributing to maintaining a positive brand image even after the limited-time offer concludes.”
Now, Walmart reached back to the past to introduce some classic flavors, albeit in an evocative way, not in a named partnership, by adding a new LTO flavor of M&Ms.
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Walmart’s new M&Ms bring back a classic flavor profile
When someone offers “cookies and cream” as an ice cream flavor, that’s likely because they legally can’t say Oreo. In Walmart and M&Ms’ case, the new product strongly evokes Thin Mints, the classic Girl Scout cookie flavor, but they don’t actually have a partnership with the Girl Scouts, so they came up with another name.
“M&M’S is giving fans a taste of nostalgia with their latest innovation: M&M’S Mint Crunchy Cookie, a refreshing twist on a baked goods-inspired treat that brings a satisfying crunch to the lineup, exclusively at Walmart,” the company shared in an email with TheStreet.
More Exclusive LTOs:
- Kroger supermarkets add exclusive LTO Sprite soda
- Coca-Cola launches exclusive soda flavor at fast-food giant
- Coca-Cola brings Walmart exclusive World Cup soccer ball bottle
That’s a smart nostalgia play because for many (me included), Thin Mints were a favored treat only available when the Girl Scouts sold them. Now, while I still love mint and cookie flavors together, I find the Thin Mint dry and am actually more excited to try the flavor profile in M&M form.
“Each piece features a blend of smooth milk chocolate and cool, refreshing mint wrapped around a satisfying, crunchy cookie center. This new flavor delivers the ultimate nostalgic, multi-sensory treat for any snacking occasion and follows the highly successful 2022 launch of M&M’S Crunchy Cookie,” the company shared.
M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie will be available exclusively at Walmart stores and online starting in September 2026. It will be sold in a 2.83 oz. size and a 7.4 oz. sharing size.
Mars
Walmart plays the LTO game well
Limited-time offers work.
“Ninety-one percent of consumers report they are more likely to visit a chain if they provide limited-time offers or new items,” according to the Circana data.
Last winter, a Numerator survey found that nostalgic winter treats resonated with consumers.
“According to a Numerator Verified Voices survey of roughly 300 buyers of each winter treat LTO, these nostalgic winter treats won on comfort and consistency, earning roughly 70-90% of positive ratings for taste, value, and accuracy,” the company shared.
RTM Nexus CEO Dominick Miserandino supports the idea of nostalgic LTOs, but does not love Walmart and Mars’, the brand that owns M&Ms, execution.
“There’s definitely a sour taste to a billion-dollar brand undercutting a non-profit tradition built on kids selling cookies outside storefronts. But from a pure business standpoint, Mars and Walmart saw a gap and exploited it,” he told TheStreet.
Girl Scout cookies, he noted “rely on artificial scarcity. You get them once a year, the prices keep going up, and you have to track down a table outside a supermarket,” he added.
“Piggybacking on nostalgia is the ultimate CPG shortcut. It saves millions in marketing because consumers already know and love the flavor profile,” Miserandino shared.
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