SBR 67: This Christmas even Doritos smell of gingerbread

Gingerbread has officially escaped the biscuit tin. Asda’s declared a “gingerbread takeover” (thegrocer.co.uk), Nestlé’s coated KitKats in it, Pepsi’s even bottled it and Doritos have given it a crunch! 

Walk any supermarket aisle right now and it’s clear that gingerbread is leading the flavour pack for Christmas 2025. Once the preserve of iced houses and festive biscuits, it’s now turning up everywhere from bakery to soft drinks. Comfort, nostalgia and warmth, gingerbread offers it all. 

But this isn’t just about taste. Gingerbread is doing a lot of heavy lifting for brands and here’s our take on things: 

• It’s reviving old favourites by giving them a new seasonal lease of life (e.g. Co-op’s Gingerbread & Maple Mince Pies, Toffee Tarts, and Caramel Crowns). 

• It’s injecting playfulness through fun formats (Asda’s chocolate mousse shaped like a gingerbread man). 

• And it’s delivering instant buzz through limited-edition theatre (KitKat, Doritos, Pepsi). 

What’s fascinating is how far brands are willing to stretch the idea. Pepsi’s Zero Sugar Gingerbread and Doritos’ Gingerbread flavour show how quickly nostalgia can be re-packaged as novelty and how much shoppers love a bit of festive fun. Whether it sells through or just sparks social chatter, both prove that Christmas is still the one time of year where brands can afford to take a risk. And we’re here for it! (See a previous blog about the Lurpak festive packs).

Still, it raises a good question: 
How far can nostalgia stretch?  The opportunity for challenger brands isn’t simply to “do gingerbread”, it’s to do it differently. Pair it, remix it, or push it somewhere unexpected. Comfort flavours will always have a place, but distinctiveness comes from the twist that only you could give it. Because when every aisle smells the same, the winners will be the ones who spice it differently. 

Our key outtake is gingerbread is more than a flavour, it’s a lesson in timing, emotion and execution.  The best brands use festive trends to say something about themselves, not just the season.  So before you brief your next limited edition, ask: 

• What emotion am I tapping into? 

• How can I give it my brand’s twist? 

• And will it still make sense when the tinsel’s packed away? And does that matter or not? 

Because flavour fades fast, but distinctiveness lasts for years.