Little Debbie Redesigns Mini Muffins and Brownies Packaging with Muffin Man Character

Inspired by the charming nursery rhyme, the Little Debbie brand has launched new family-friendly designs for its Mini Muffins and Mini Brownies nationwide.

“The Muffin Man character on the new designs communicates the great, oven-baked taste of our muffins,” says John Petticord, McKee Foods creative services manager. “What’s more, the Muffin Man harkens back to the McKee family’s roots as a small bake shop with one oven on Main Street in Chattanooga, Tenn., some 80 years ago.”

“The Muffin Man is not just a design element; it also engages families in a number of ways,” said marketing specialist Erica Harrison. “We included the famous nursery rhyme on one side of the carton and a fun game on the back. We also commissioned a free downloadable e-book that tells the story about how the Muffin Man got his name and makes for a sweet, sharable reading moment with your child.” The link to the e-book is available online.

The Little Debbie brand is sharing this news through a series of ads on TV, digital and social media titled “The Moms of 7 A.M.” “This documentary-style campaign looks in on the real-life morning scramble of three families," says  Barry Anthony, director of marketing. "In these videos, we discover the real challenges, capture the real moments of spontaneous joy and see how Little Debbie Mini Muffins fit perfectly into these busy times.”

The company has also improved the recipes for Mini Muffins and Mini Brownies. The bakers for the Little Debbie brand mixed over 200 recipes and, guided by the feedback from hundreds of kids and moms, refined them until they were just right, say company officials. “One of the most interesting changes to the recipes should have been obvious,” says Cheryl Hilling, director of quality for McKee Foods. “Kids told us they preferred milk chocolate chips over semi-sweet chips because of their slightly bitter aftertaste. With ingredients like real blueberries and real cocoa, these new recipes are sure to please the entire family.”