Pringles has launched a brand new mystery flavour just as autumn gets going, and shoppers are already trying to work out what’s hiding inside the tube. The crisps went on sale today, and buyers won’t find out what they’re actually eating until the answer gets revealed in the new year.
It’s the second year running that Pringles has tried this trick, and the timing means it’ll sit on shelves right through the busiest shopping weeks of the year. Anyone who fancied last year’s version will recognise the format straight away, even though the can looks completely different this time round.
How last year’s mystery run played out
The first version of this seasonal crisp landed with a Super Mario theme attached, which sent guesses off in some fairly wild directions. Shoppers online threw out ideas ranging from mushroom to Yoshi, clearly taking cues from the video game branding rather than anything to do with actual crisp seasoning.
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When the reveal finally came in January, it turned out to be truffle and butter, a flavour combination that took a fair few people by surprise. The whole thing generated plenty of chatter on social media, with people arguing over their guesses for weeks before the answer landed, which is exactly the kind of buzz a brand hopes for from a stunt like this.
What this year’s flavour is dressed up as
This time the can has swapped Mario for Christmas, with the new tube branded as Santa’s Secret Flavour and decorated with a cartoon Santa and a candy cane shaped question mark. The packaging leans hard into the festive theme, which makes sense given the reveal is timed for the new year rather than anywhere near Halloween or bonfire night.
According to the brand, shoppers should expect something quite different from last year’s pairing, with fresh flavours planned that still deliver on taste even if nobody can guess them straight away. There’s no confirmation yet on what direction the flavour has actually gone in, so for now, it’s guesswork all round.
Where and when you can pick one up
The new tubes are launching exclusively through Tesco from today, before spreading out to other major supermarkets from next month. That gives Tesco shoppers first dibs on the mystery can for a few weeks before everyone else gets the chance to grab one.
Each tube weighs 165g and is priced at £1.75, which sits roughly in line with what you’d expect to pay for a regular tube of Pringles at the moment. Given how popular last year’s version turned out to be, it wouldn’t be surprising if certain shops start running low closer to Christmas.
@grumpynorthernfoodie Right folks Pringles have a Santa’s Secret Flavour out – but what exactly is it? Let’s find out… #foodtok #reviews #pringles #christmas #foodreview ♬ original sound – Grumpy Northern Foodie
Why brands keep leaning on mystery products
Mystery flavours work because they give people a reason to talk about a product long before they’ve actually tasted it. Rather than announcing a new flavour outright, a brand gets weeks or even months of free publicity as people argue, guess and share their theories with friends and family.
It also turns a fairly ordinary snack purchase into something closer to a game, which tends to appeal to younger shoppers scrolling through social media just as much as anyone browsing the crisp aisle in person. Plenty of other food brands have tried similar stunts over the years, though few manage to generate quite the same reaction as this one did last Christmas.
How to make a decent guess yourself
If you fancy having a go at working out the flavour before the big reveal, it helps to pay attention to any hints dropped through Pringles’ social media accounts over the coming months. Brands running this kind of campaign often drop small clues along the way rather than keeping everything completely locked down until launch day.
@livnewman__Secret Pringles flavour?!💜⁉️
Think about what flavours tend to do well around Christmas, since past reveals suggest the brand likes to play with combinations that feel a bit indulgent or unexpected rather than sticking to standard crisp flavours you’d find on the shelf all year round. Cheese, herb, and spice mixes have all been popular guesses among shoppers trying to crack it early.
What to expect before the big reveal
Between now and the new year, expect plenty of speculation online as people open their tubes and try to describe what they’re tasting without giving too much away. Some shoppers enjoy keeping the mystery going by refusing to share their own guess, while others post detailed breakdowns the moment they try a crisp.
Whatever the actual flavour turns out to be, the bigger draw for a lot of people seems to be the fun of not knowing, rather than the crisps themselves. If last year is anything to go by, expect the debate to kick off online within days of the tubes hitting shelves nationwide.
If you spot one of these on the shelf and fancy joining in the guessing game, you’ll want to grab a tube sooner rather than later, since the exclusive Tesco window won’t last forever before wider stock rolls out.
