Your Stranger Things watch and re-watch parties are about to get wild with the newest, coolest, collaboration in the nation! America’s favorite and most innovative cupcake joint–Sprinkles, joins forces with Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp to create a decadent, luscious, mouth-watering cupcake featuring Noah’s tbh chocolate hazelnut spread. Better for you, the planet, and the best part—it’s vegan! This brand new, LIMITED EDITION, vegan tbh Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcake will be available in all Sprinkles bakeries nationwide for ONLY two days—July 1 and July 2. Pre-ordering is available on June 27-28, so mark your calendars and set your alarms as these babies are bound to sell out in a jiffy!
VEGWORLD had a delightful time learning about the future of more vegan goodies at Sprinkles with CEO Dan Mesches, and Noah’s inspiration behind this fun collaboration, driven by his impeccable taste for sweets!
VW: What inspired this collaboration with Noah Schnapp and why did you feel Noah’s vegan-friendly hazelnut spread was a good fit for Sprinkles?
DM: Our team is obsessed with creating new and exciting flavors. When we decided to create a new vegan flavor, we knew we had to team up with another bold brand that shared our commitment to quality, creativity, and fun. tbh is one of our favorite hazelnut butter and with the return of Stranger Things, we thought this would be a fun way for fans to enjoy Sprinkles during their viewing parties.
VW: Was the recipe development process a challenge for the team, or did a vegan version organically pan out well?
DM: It felt completely organic. Our Head of Culinary is constantly creating new flavors and recipes and we knew this new vegan cupcake was an instant must-have.
VW: Do you foresee this flavor becoming a permanent offering on the menu?
DM: We will see! Our guests love variety and we have plans for lots of new launches in the coming weeks and months.
VW: What are your goals for this collaboration as far as the customers are concerned?
DM: Our goal is to always bring a new cupcake experience to our guests. tbh Hazelnut Butter shares our passion for decadence made with great ingredients. We created this cupcake knowing it would appeal to both vegan and non-vegan guests who want a sweet indulgence with premium ingredients at its core.
VW: Given the success of the year-long vegan red velvet, when can we expect more permanent vegan additions to the Sprinkles collection?
DM: We’re always dreaming up new flavors and look forward to expanding our vegan offerings. We hope to bring this cupcake back, so make sure to follow Sprinkles on social media or sign up for our emails and texts to stay up to date on our latest flavor releases!
VW: Noah, we’d love to hear what inspired your collaboration with Sprinkles to develop a vegan cupcake?
NS: tbh is a great ingredient to bake with. It’s got less sugar, high-quality ingredients that keep the taste we love, and no palm oil. I have always thought about how good it would be in a cupcake and decided to turn to the experts. I’ve always been a fan of Sprinkles and there weren’t many vegan cupcake options to choose from, so this delicious and indulgent vegan option was exciting to launch. Along with the Sprinkles team, we came up with a mind-blowing cupcake that exceeded all expectations!
VW: Did you specifically envision a vegan cupcake for this collaboration when the initial talks were happening?
NS: For sure! I knew we needed to do a vegan cupcake since there aren’t many options that taste as good as they look. It’s something everyone can enjoy!
VW: In your opinion, what sets tbh apart from other spreads in the market?
NS: tbh is inspired by honesty and was designed with this in mind. We wanted to create a version of a hazelnut spread that is better for people and the planet. Unlike others on the market, tbh is a vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher hazelnut cocoa spread that has three times more protein and 50% less sugar than other hazelnut spreads. Best of all, hazelnuts are the first ingredient and there is zero palm oil. It’s truly a game-changing snack that not only tastes great but is great for the environment!
VW: As tbh’s Chief Snacking Officer, you probably had a blast taste-testing the different cupcake recipes! Can you tell us what that experience was like?
NS: Oh man, so much fun! I have quite the sweet tooth so it was a snacker’s dream to taste the different recipes! It was hard to narrow down a favorite, but I absolutely love what we came up with.
VW: What’s your favorite Sprinkles cupcake flavor that you would like to see a vegan version of?
NS: My go-to is the Salty Caramel. It truly melts in your mouth and is so addicting. I could honestly eat a whole box of them!
VW: While the pastry pundits at Sprinkles work their plant-powered magic on a vegan salted caramel cupcake, here’s a question for you that may require some thought! If you had to develop a vegan, Stranger Things-themed cupcake what would you create?
NS: Oh! That’s a great question! I would obviously have to say an “Eggo” cupcake as that’s very on-brand…and of course, it would have tbh in it!
VW: Looks like the Sprinkles Squad has some fun ventures cut out for them! Looking ahead, how do you envision this collaboration encouraging customers to make compassionate, ethical choices that are better for them?
NS: tbh’s philosophy is all about making better choices not only for you but for the planet, too. With this collaboration, we’re offering a healthier option that’s eco-friendly, thanks to its ingredients. As consumers, it’s so important to recognize that we have the power to change the world simply by changing what we eat, and to take action to choose honest, transparent products.
Photo Credits: Sprinkles
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shriya is an Animal Rights activist, VEGWORLD writer, and Founder of Nourish by Shriya– her Vegan Hospitality Consulting Service that helps businesses attract the growing plant-based community. She is a mentor with Animal Activism Mentorship, enjoys volunteering at The Gentle Barn in Missouri, and currently lives in St. Louis with her pooch, Halley.
