Snack in time Retro food and drinks brands feed taste for 90s nostalgia

Nostalgia for the 1990s may have reached its peak with Oasis back on tour, but several of the decade's best-known food brands are also trying to make a comeback - with new flavours, packaging or names.

- Sarah Marsh

Walkers, Nik Naks and Bacardi Breezer are among the names that are adapting in an attempt to stand out in an ever more crowded food and drink market.

This month, Walkers launched its first new non-limited edition crisp flavours in two decades - masala chicken and sticky teriyaki. This follows the recent debut of "Tangy 'N' Cheese" Nik Naks - the first new flavour for this 90s snack staple in 40 years.

Cadbury is also refreshing an old favourite with salted caramel Bournville, while Bacardi Breezer, a drink synonymous with the era of alcopops, is making a comeback - simply as Breezer - after being discontinued in 2015.

Analysts say the moves reflect the pressure for familiar brands to stay relevant to younger consumers while also appealing to those who grew up with the products.

"Millennials are the real target here," said Lucy Sambrook, a PR and branding expert. "As 90s kids, we've now got disposable income and young families of our own, so the emotional pull of nostalgic brands is powerful. Gen Z are a secondary audience. Even if they didn't live through the originals, they're drawn to retro branding, playful limited editions and those Instagrammable moments."