Introducing Strawberry Squeeze from HI-CHEW & The Doughnut Project

Posted on June 16, 2021

This limited-edition doughnut explosion arrives just in time to celebrate National Candy Month

IRVINE, Calif., June 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — HI-CHEW™, the immensely fruity, intensely chewy candy and New York City-based The Doughnut Project have teamed up for National Candy Month (June) to celebrate the snack holiday in an unexpected way. Say hello to summer with Strawberry Squeeze, a one-of-a-kind doughnut that highlights the latest HI-CHEW™ flavor, Strawberry Lemonade.

We all know that where there is candy, there is happiness. This National Candy Month, HI-CHEW™ and The Doughnut Project want to take your love of candy to the next level with their mouth-watering partnership. Taking inspiration from HI-CHEW’s newest offering, Strawberry Lemonade, the limited-edition doughnut brings to life the juicy strawberry and sour lemon flavors created when layered into a third flavorful experience. The Strawberry Squeeze doughnut features a lemon curd and strawberry jam filling, merging two satisfyingly delicious flavors together, just like HI-CHEW. The exterior incorporates a HI-CHEW™ Strawberry Lemonade candy glaze, strawberry sugar, and a lemon twist garnish. Each bite tastes just like a summer picnic in the park.

Earlier this year, HI-CHEW™ launched a new Fruit Combos Standup Pouch, featuring individually wrapped Tropical Smoothie, Piña Colada and new Strawberry Lemonade. As the winner of the 2020 HI-CHEW™ Fantasy Flavor Games, Strawberry Lemonade continues to grow in fanfare and excitement. The fruity, chewy candy brand is right on trend when it comes to releasing this new innovative flavor. Recently, the unique beverage-inspired offering has become a trending flavor once again, gaining traction within the food, beverage and snack industry.

To celebrate National Candy Month, the doughnut creation will be available for a limited time, Thursday, June 17 – Saturday, June 19 at The Doughnut Project’s West Village location (10 Morton St, NYC). The first 10 customers to purchase a Strawberry Squeeze doughnut each day will receive a free HI-CHEW™ Fruit Combos Standup Pouch.

“Strawberry Lemonade has continued to gain popularity in the states, particularly among our fans who selected it as the 2020 Fantasy Flavor Games winner,” said Tatsuya Takamiya, Chief Marketing Officer of Morinaga America, Inc. “In honor of National Candy Month, we wanted to bring our new flavor to life in a fun way for candy fanatics. This is our second partnership with The Doughnut Project, who continue to develop delicious recipes that perfectly mimic our flavor offerings.”

HI-CHEW™ is constantly experimenting with diverse techniques and developing new flavors to expand its growing portfolio. With nearly 1 billion pieces of HI-CHEW enjoyed each year, consumers can’t get enough of the fruity-chewy candy brand. Similarly, The Doughnut Project is well known for their small-batch, innovative creations and playing with unique flavor combinations. Established in 2015, it’s become the home to sweet treats inspired by fresh, seasonal, savory, and even cocktail flavors.

“We always strive to create unique and out-of-the-box doughnut flavors for our customers,” says Leslie Polizzotto, Co-Founder of The Doughnut Project. “We love working with brands like HI-CHEW, who are excited to experiment and reimagine their product in fun ways. Our team couldn’t get enough of the Strawberry Lemonade flavor, which feels so nostalgic and on-brand for us to bring it to life through a great doughnut.”

If you can’t get your hands on the one-of-a-kind Strawberry Squeeze doughnut, you can still enjoy the fruit-forward flavor with the HI-CHEW™ Strawberry Lemonade found within the Fruit Combos Stand Up pouch available for purchase on the HI-CHEW website and select retailers nationwide. To learn more about HI-CHEW™, please like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@HICHEWUSA) and Twitter (@HICHEW).

About Morinaga America, Inc.:
Established in 2008, Morinaga America, Inc. is the official distributor of HI-CHEW™ in the United States. With over 200 flavors of HI-CHEW™ having debuted in Japan, Morinaga America, Inc. has introduced the United States market to the best of Japanese confectionery. Morinaga America, Inc. (marketing and sales) and Morinaga America Foods, Inc. (manufacturing) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Morinaga & Co., Ltd., which began in 1899 as the first, modern candy maker and producer of chocolates in Japan. In 2015, Morinaga America, Inc. opened its first United States manufacturing facility in North Carolina.

About HI-CHEW™:
The history of Morinaga stretches back over a century when company founder Taichiro Morinaga brought his candy making skills to Japan from America in the 1800s. HI-CHEW™ has long been the best-selling soft candy in Japan and continues to see year-over-year growth throughout other parts of Asia and in the United States. In the United States, HI-CHEW™ is currently offered in the following flavors: Strawberry, Green Apple, Mango, Grape, Banana, Kiwi, Açaí, and Sweet & Sour Watermelon. HI-CHEW™ also offers a Tropical Mix with Kiwi, Mango, and Pineapple, a Superfruit Mix with Açaí, Kiwi and Dragon Fruit, a Sweet & Sour Mix with Grapefruit, Lemon and Watermelon, a Fruit Combos Mix with Tropical Smoothie, Piña Colada and new Strawberry Lemonade, a Soda Pop Mix with Cola and Ramune, a Berry Mix with Black Cherry, Blueberry and Raspberry and Plus Fruit with Orange & Tangerine and Red Apple & Strawberry. HI-CHEW™ is made with concentrated fruit juices and is 100% free of gluten, cholesterol and synthetic colors. HI-CHEW™ continues to expand fruity, chewy flavor offerings annually. In 2020, HI-CHEW™ won a Nielsen Design Impact Award for its new Original Mix packaging update that hit shelves in 2019.

About The Doughnut Project:
The Doughnut Project is a small-batch, handcrafted doughnut shop located in the West Village of Manhattan. The shop combines some of the best doughnuts in America with an upbeat, artistic vibe. The shop creates unique flavors inspired by the amazing food and creative cocktails of New York City. The doughnuts have glazes, fillings, and toppings that include out-of-the-box ingredients such as bacon, beets, olive oil, ricotta cheese, sesame seeds, black pepper and sea salt. The shop creates new intriguing flavor profiles on a regular basis and sells out daily. To learn more about The Doughnut Project, please follow on Instagram (@thedoughnutproject) and Twitter (@TDP_NYC).