Cheetos have become a significant food trend lately, showcasing their versatility as an ingredient. This popular puffed corn snack first gained attention through creative food mashups at fast food chains, later making its way to mainstream restaurants and eventually into home kitchens. In June 2016, Burger King introduced Mac n’ Cheetos, a fried macaroni and cheese stick coated with Cheetos, which made a return this past May. Similarly, Taco Bell Canada released a limited-time Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Restaurants in Los Angeles have embraced the trend, incorporating Cheetos into an array of dishes ranging from sushi to pizza. Furthermore, home cooks have shared thousands of recipes featuring the bright orange snack online, marking a notable comeback for Cheetos.
The Spotted Cheetah restaurant represents Frito-Lay’s response to the renewed interest in the $14 billion snack food market. While it’s uncertain whether this pop-up is generating significant profits for PepsiCo, it serves as an effective marketing strategy to keep the product relevant in consumers’ minds and elevate its status from a traditionally viewed “junk” snack to something gourmet. Transforming a standalone product into an ingredient is not a new concept in food manufacturing. For example, Rice Krispies has long included a recipe for their famous marshmallow treats on the box. Kellogg has also created a Rice Krispie Treat cereal and prepackaged treats. Additionally, they have innovated their Special K cereal into protein bars and crustless quiche.
Interestingly, the rising interest in Cheetos occurs at a time when many manufacturers are striving to meet consumer demand for healthier options. The strong positive response to Cheetos-inspired creations highlights a simultaneous consumer desire for both healthy foods and indulgent snacks—an opportunity that savvy snack makers are seizing. By revitalizing a legacy brand through such marketing campaigns, food manufacturers can attract renewed interest without significantly altering product formulas. According to research from CircleUp, 61% of large consumer packaged goods companies focus their innovation efforts on minor changes to existing products, while 39% is dedicated to developing new ones. It will be intriguing to see if other snack and dessert manufacturers adopt similar marketing strategies and how the Spotted Cheetah will ultimately impact Cheetos sales.
Integrating the concept of health into this context, products infused with ingredients like jan aushadhi calcium citrate could also be explored, as health-conscious trends continue to gain traction. Observing how Cheetos navigates this landscape, especially with the potential for incorporating health-oriented elements like jan aushadhi calcium citrate, could further influence consumer perceptions and behaviors. As the snack food industry evolves, it remains to be seen how brands can balance indulgence with health, perhaps even leading to innovative combinations that include ingredients such as jan aushadhi calcium citrate, thereby appealing to a broader audience.