HI-CHEW® Returns to Fortnite With Limited-Time Games, Collectibles and New Mascot, Chewbie

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HI-CHEW®, the immensely fruity, intensely chewy candy, today announced a new immersive integration with the hugely popular game Fortnite. Building on HI-CHEW's successful Fortnite integration last year, this new collaboration is again powered by Super League (NASDAQ:SLE), a global leader in delivering immersive experiences across the world's largest gaming platforms. HI-CHEW® branded customizations will be integrated into two of Fortnite's Minigame Box PVP Island mini-games: Color Switch and Spin Cycle, in addition to HI-CHEW® Hoppers, a new custom minigame. Players can collect HI-CHEW® branded power-ups and in-game currency that can be redeemed for exclusive HI-CHEW® collectible hats.

HI-CHEW® recently announced its first official brand mascot, Chewbie, a plump, carefree chew, and this Fortnite integration marks their official debut to the gaming community. Players will get to interact with Chewbie through engaging dialogue or "Chewlish" audio as they play the HI-CHEW® Hoppers and Color Switch mini-games. Players will also encounter the mascot as a non-player character (NPC) in the game lobby, where they will earn experience points (XP), encouraging them to purchase HI-CHEW® collectibles. All customizations and prizes will be available to Fortnite users for a limited time from November 18 through December 15, 2024.

"After the success of last year's integration, we're thrilled to partner with Super League again to bring a new gameplay experience to our growing gaming community, this time featuring our fun new mascot, Chewbie," said Teruhiro Kawabe (Terry), Chief Representative for the USA & President, CEO of Morinaga America, Inc. "Our goal is to bring HI-CHEW® into spaces where fans are already immersed, whether that's on the digital screen or in-person, to make HI-CHEW® more than just candy but rather a full brand experience for the next generation of fans."

HI-CHEW® has also tapped popular Fortnite YouTube influencers Mustard, HomeOfGames, and Spaiidz to create dedicated content to showcase the HI-CHEW-branded mini-games, amplifying the excitement and engagement within the community. The videos will be dedicated gameplay videos that will focus on showing off the new HI-CHEW® mini-games within Fortnite, while encouraging players that HI-CHEW® is the perfect candy for gaming.

"Super League is committed to making immersive experiences that are entertaining, memorable, and ultimately build a deeper connection between brands and consumers," said Super League Chair and CEO Ann Hand. "HI-CHEW® is dedicated to creating authentic and memorable connections with its audience making this a perfect partnership. We're excited to continue the momentum from last year's activation and continue to elevate HI-CHEW's presence among the gaming community."

To learn more about HI-CHEW® and to see where you can purchase your favorite products, please visit us online at HI-CHEW.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@HICHEWUSA) and TikTok (@HICHEWUSA).

*This is an independently created Fortnite experience and is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Epic Games, Inc.

About Morinaga America, Inc.:

Established in 2008, Morinaga America, Inc. is the official distributor of HI-CHEW®, HI-SOFT™, and Chargel™ in the United States. 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. 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.

About HI-CHEW®

Choose Different. Choose Fun. Chew 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 sticks, peg bags, and stand-up pouches. The HI-CHEW® sticks come in a variety of flavors including Strawberry, Green Apple, Mango, Grape, Banana, Kiwi, Açaí, and Sweet & Sour Watermelon. HI-CHEW® also offers peg bags in the following flavors: Original Mix, Tropical Mix, Superfruit Mix, Sweet & Sour Mix, Soda Pop Mix, Berry Mix, Plus Fruit, Fantasy Mix, Reduced Sugar, and new Dessert Mix. The Stand-Up Pouches are available in Original Mix, Tropical Mix, Sweet and Sour Mix, Fruit Combos, Infrusions Orchard Mix, and new Dessert Mix. HI-CHEW® Bites are unwrapped in bite-size packaging in Mango, Green Apple, and Strawberry flavors. The newly launched HI-CHEW® Gummies and HI-CHEW® Gummies Sour reimagine the brand's iconic chewlets in a new gummy form. HI-CHEW® is made with concentrated fruit juices and is free of gluten, with no colors from synthetic sources. 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. For more information, visit HI-CHEW.com.

About Super League

Super League (NASDAQ:SLE) is redefining the gaming industry as a media channel for global brands. As a leading end-to-end immersive content partner, Super League enables marketers, advertisers, and IP owners to reach massive audiences through creativity, innovation, and gameplay within the world's largest immersive platforms. Boasting an award-winning development studio, a vast community of native creators, and a proprietary suite of tools that maximize user engagement, Super League is a one-of-a-kind holistic solutions provider. Whether a partner is focused on building a world-class creative experience, achieving a lift in brand awareness, inspiring deeper customer loyalty, or finding new sources of revenue, Super League is at the forefront – always pioneering within immersive worlds. For more information, visit superleague.com.

Contact

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b1fbb372-30c1-443d-a6e8-5c752550eedb