As sales of pop culture-related apparel and collectibles have increased through specialty chains so too are food and beverage-related items.

The addition of licensed food and beverage to chains like It’s Sugar, FYE, Hot Topic, GameStop, Five Below, and others has gained momentum in recent years to shift from an afterthought to a staple of the pop culture merchandise mix.

Viz Media licensee Jade City recently launched a five-pack of hot sauce based on the Naruto anime series, while FYE has had a DTR for the same property as well as Bleach for ramen bowls, ramune, energy drinks, and soda, in addition to a Dungeons & Dragons Hero Potion DTR and G-Fuel Pac Man energy drinks, Five Nights at Freddy’s Gummy Pizza, and candy like Dragon Ball Z and Skittles gummies.

Five Below has Boston America’s licensed Bob Ross and Dragon Ball Z Warrior energy drinks. Among those supplying the specialty chains is Gamma’s G-Fuel line of caffeinated drinks and mixes that are sold under nearly a dozen licensed brands including the recent addition of Capcom’s Mega-Man.

“We are trying to make sure our [licensed] products are available wherever the fans of the brands are shopping,” said Leon Maratchi, Senior Manager of Retail Development at Viz Media. “If it is a category that makes sense, is true to the brand, and doesn’t feel like logo slapping, we make sure to partner in categories fans are excited about.  Right now, food and beverage is one of those categories that we are seeing a lot of interest in.”

In the cases where the chains have a DTR and are sourcing products, there is an even deeper commitment to the brands, industry sources said. And in the case of anime that can mean foods and beverages imported directly from Japan like the Ezaki Gilco Co.’s ever-popular Pocky biscuit sticks. Asian Food Grocers imports beverages and foods from Japan including ramune drinks under the Naruto and Sanrio’s Aggretsuko brands. Candy and cereal also have become top sellers for the specialty chain.

“You cannot get out of a supermarket, Best Buy, Target, Old Navy, or Five Below without having to walk through some sort of a candy section,” said Russel Binder, CEO of licensing agency Striker Entertainment, which has struck DTR deals with FYE for Five Nights at Freddy’s and Creepshow beverages, chocolate bars and other confectionary items. “It makes complete sense for mall specialists to lean into the category to capture those dollars likely to be spent elsewhere on the same category. The best part is that they can layer in some fandom on the product and make it somewhat proprietary.”

For the specialty chains, food and beverage is fast becoming an established section in the store and can be a purchase in addition to the core collectibles and apparel.

“Retailers are not looking to get rid of licensees but there are certain categories they are seeking to get more deeply into, like FYE in food and beverage and Hot Topic in cut and sew,” Maratchi said. “They are amplifying what the licensee is doing because they are supporting DTRs and can bring products in to create a brand celebration. There is a lot of embellishment in those products that a licensee can’t get into at retail.”