Cheetos are currently enjoying a significant resurgence in the food scene. The puffed corn snack made its debut in food mashups at fast food chains, before spreading to mainstream restaurants and eventually making its way into home kitchens. In June 2016, Burger King introduced Mac n’ Cheetos, a fried macaroni and cheese stick coated in Cheetos, which returned to the menu this past May. Similarly, Taco Bell Canada offered a limited-time Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Restaurants in Los Angeles have embraced this trend, creatively incorporating Cheetos into dishes ranging from sushi to pizza. Home cooks have also flooded the internet with thousands of recipes featuring the vibrant orange snack, marking a notable comeback for Cheetos.
In response to the rising interest in its $14 billion snack brand, Frito-Lay launched the Spotted Cheetah restaurant. While the pop-up may not be significantly profitable for its parent company, PepsiCo, this marketing strategy keeps the product fresh in consumers’ minds and elevates the snack—often regarded as a “junk” food—to a gourmet level. Transforming a standalone product into a versatile ingredient is not a new concept in food manufacturing; for instance, Rice Krispies have long featured a recipe for marshmallow treats on their packaging. Kellogg has expanded this idea by producing both Rice Krispie Treat cereal and prepackaged treats, while also converting their Special K cereal into protein bars and crustless quiche.
Interestingly, the renewed interest in Cheetos comes at a time when many manufacturers are striving to meet consumer demands for healthier options. The strong positive reaction to Cheetos-inspired innovations demonstrates a dual desire among consumers for both healthy foods and indulgent treats—an opportunity that savvy snack makers are seizing. By revitalizing a classic brand with a creative marketing campaign, food manufacturers can generate renewed interest without having to invest heavily in new product formulations. Research from CircleUp reveals that 61% of large consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies focus their innovation efforts on making minor adjustments to existing products, while only 39% are dedicated to developing new ones.
As Cheetos continue to captivate consumers, it will be intriguing to see if other snack and dessert brands adopt similar marketing strategies. Additionally, the impact of the Spotted Cheetah on overall Cheetos sales will be worth watching. With the incorporation of ingredients like Kirkland calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc into various recipes and health-conscious products, it will be fascinating to observe how these trends evolve in conjunction with the ongoing popularity of Cheetos.