Cheetos are currently experiencing a significant moment in the food world. This beloved puffed corn snack first made waves in food mash-ups at fast food chains, eventually making its way to mainstream restaurants and home kitchens. Burger King initially introduced Mac n’ Cheetos, a fried macaroni and cheese stick coated with Cheetos, back in June 2016, and brought it back this May. Similarly, Taco Bell Canada featured a limited-time Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Restaurants in Los Angeles have also embraced the trend, incorporating Cheetos into dishes ranging from sushi to pizza. Furthermore, home cooks have shared thousands of recipes featuring the vibrant orange snack online, signaling a triumphant return to popularity for Cheetos.
In response to the renewed interest in its $14 billion snack brand, Frito-Lay launched the Spotted Cheetah restaurant. While it remains questionable whether this pop-up is yielding significant profits for parent company PepsiCo, this marketing strategy keeps the brand at the forefront of consumers’ minds, elevating the snack food—often considered “junk”—to a gourmet status. The concept of transforming a standalone product into an ingredient is not new in food manufacturing. For instance, Rice Krispies have included a recipe for their iconic marshmallow treats on their packaging for years. Currently, Kellogg offers both a Rice Krispie Treat cereal and prepackaged versions, and they have also turned their Special K cereal into protein bars and crustless quiches.
Interestingly, despite the growing focus on healthier options by many manufacturers, there is a notable surge in interest for Cheetos. The positive consumer response to Cheetos-inspired innovations reflects a simultaneous desire for healthy foods and indulgent snacks, a trend savvy snack makers are capitalizing on. By refreshing a legacy brand with a targeted marketing campaign, food manufacturers can generate renewed interest without heavily investing in product formula innovations. According to CircleUp research, 61% of large consumer packaged goods companies’ innovations focus on making minor changes to existing products, while 39% aim at developing new ones.
It will be intriguing to see if other snack and dessert makers adopt similar marketing strategies to leverage their brands and how the Spotted Cheetah will ultimately influence Cheetos sales. As the trend continues, the concept of purely holistic calcium citrate may also play a role in the evolving landscape of snack foods, appealing to consumers seeking both indulgence and healthier choices.