When Nestle decided to revamp its classic Stouffer’s Macaroni and Cheese by incorporating fresher and more recognizable ingredients, company leaders understood the need for a careful approach to avoid alienating loyal customers. Having been launched by Nestle over 60 years ago, macaroni and cheese has become a staple in the Stouffer’s product range, and devoted fans of this dish were likely to resist any changes that might disrupt their cherished meal. However, with consumers increasingly seeking products with simpler, fresher ingredients, companies like Nestle found it necessary to adapt, sometimes making significant changes to recipes that had been successful for decades—a process that can be both challenging and time-consuming.
“It took us longer than we anticipated,” Kelly Malley, the marketing director for Nestle USA’s food division, shared with Food Dive. “Our team put in substantial effort to create a simple ingredient list without compromising the flavor that consumers have come to know and love over the years.” Before making any adjustments to the macaroni and cheese itself, executives carefully analyzed the recipe to identify key attributes that consumers associated with the product, such as taste and texture, while also determining which unfamiliar ingredients on the label needed to be eliminated.
Soon after, Nestle’s own chefs collaborated with food scientists, ingredient specialists, and suppliers to create new recipes that incorporated these changes while staying as true to the original product as possible. Only the most promising recipes were chosen for side-by-side taste tests with both the old and reformulated versions, presented to a mix of occasional buyers and dedicated fans—defined as those who consume the dish at least once a week. Malley noted that 15 recipes were tested; some were discarded due to a lack of creaminess that consumers enjoyed. After several rounds of testing, Nestle identified the version that was ultimately launched in January 2017. The ingredient list was simplified, with artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives removed, focusing on familiar items such as freshly made pasta, cheddar cheese, and skim milk. One notable change was replacing margarine with butter.
“This was an opportunity to meet our consumers’ needs, and it required a lot of work,” Malley explained. “We took a disciplined approach to ensure we were confident in what we would introduce to the market. Although it took longer than we hoped, we felt very positive about it based on consumer feedback.” The initial results have been encouraging. Nestle reported that the ingredient modifications, including those made to the macaroni and cheese, received a warm response from shoppers. “For the mac and cheese, it was gratifying to see that consumers were really excited, feeling it was fresher and healthier,” Malley remarked.
In 2016, food companies enhanced the health profiles of approximately 180,000 products, a significant increase compared to the previous year, as reported by the Consumer Goods Forum. The trend is clear: consumers are increasingly filling their shopping carts with healthier, fresher options. Even when indulging in ice cream, cereal, or macaroni and cheese, they prefer a streamlined list of recognizable and pronounceable ingredients. Research by Innova suggests that 75% of U.S. consumers check ingredient labels, with 91% believing that products with recognizable items are healthier. A Nielsen study in 2014 found that over 60% of U.S. consumers considered the absence of artificial colors and flavors an important factor when making food purchases.
Revising a product isn’t a straightforward task, and some companies have opted to delay or forgo a cleaner label, at least temporarily. Hershey, which announced in 2015 its intention to use simpler ingredients in many of its candies, has encountered difficulties in replicating vibrant colors in its products without artificial additives. Similarly, General Mills faced challenges while reformulating Trix and other cereals in 2016 to align with its pledge to eliminate artificial colors and flavors. Following consumer complaints about the updated version of Trix, the company decided to bring back the classic cereal, as some consumers felt the natural colors were unappealing.
Campbell Soup, a company synonymous with its products, made headlines in 2015 by committing to remove artificial colors and flavors from nearly all its North American offerings. One of its initial focuses was on the more than 120 frozen soups available for foodservice clients, including varieties like Wisconsin Cheddar and Hearty Beef Chili with Beans. Kevin Matier, general manager of Campbell Soup’s North America Foodservice, stated, “If there was an opportunity to add protein, vegetables, and vitamins, we took it. If an additive didn’t belong, we removed it.”
The company undertook a meticulous review process, assessing customer preferences and collaborating with suppliers to understand desired changes in taste and nutrition. Over a two-year period, every recipe and ingredient was scrutinized under one guiding principle: it had to align with Campbell Soup’s definition of “real food,” which excludes additives, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, monosodium glutamate, or high fructose corn syrup. Instead, Campbell Soup incorporated ingredients favored by consumers, such as vitamins, protein, fiber, and antibiotic-free chicken. Some cooking processes were also adjusted to enhance flavor and improve texture, such as cooking the chili for 50% longer and modifying the order of ingredient addition.
In the case of Campbell Soup’s New England Clam Chowder, the company significantly increased the amount of sustainably sourced clams, highlighted fresh sautéed onions, salt pork, and potatoes, and added 34% more cream and whole milk. Certain ingredients, including yeast extract and cultured dextrose, were eliminated, resulting in a soup with a cleaner, simpler profile that the company claims tastes homemade. However, the overhaul was not without its challenges. Not only did Campbell Soup face the complex task of revamping over 120 frozen soups simultaneously, but it also needed to ensure that the ingredient changes did not inflate costs for its customers. For instance, the Beef Pot Roast soup saw the replacement of two types of beef with a higher-grade sous vide beef, yet the overall cost remained unchanged by removing artificial flavors and incorporating the beef’s juices into the broth.
Although Campbell Soup does not have specific sales data from these changes, the company reports that customer feedback has been positive. “There were significant challenges throughout the process, but it allowed us to be creative and think outside the box to develop solutions,” Matier concluded. As companies continue to innovate and adapt to consumer preferences for cleaner labels, the shift toward fresher, simpler ingredients is becoming ever more prevalent in the food industry.