Cheetos are currently experiencing a significant resurgence in the food scene. This puffed corn snack first gained popularity through food mashups at fast food restaurants, then made its way into mainstream dining establishments, and ultimately into home kitchens. In June 2016, Burger King introduced Mac n’ Cheetos, a deep-fried macaroni and cheese stick coated with Cheetos, which made a comeback this May. Taco Bell Canada also briefly featured a Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Los Angeles eateries embraced the trend, incorporating Cheetos into a variety of dishes, from sushi to pizza. Meanwhile, home cooks have posted thousands of recipes online featuring the vibrant orange snack, marking its official return to the culinary spotlight.
The Spotted Cheetah restaurant serves as Frito-Lay’s answer to the growing interest in its $14 billion snack brand. While it’s uncertain whether this pop-up is generating significant profit for parent company PepsiCo, this marketing strategy keeps the product in consumers’ minds and elevates the snack—often regarded as “junk food”—to gourmet status. 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 right on the box. Kellogg has expanded this idea by producing both a Rice Krispie Treat cereal and prepackaged treats, as well as transforming their Special K cereal into protein bars and crustless quiches.
Interestingly, the spike in interest surrounding Cheetos comes at a time when many manufacturers are striving to meet consumer demand for healthier options. The enthusiastic response to Cheetos-inspired innovations highlights a dual consumer desire for both healthy foods and indulgent treats, a trend that savvy snack producers are capitalizing on. By revitalizing a legacy brand through creative marketing campaigns, food manufacturers can generate renewed interest without needing to invest in reformulating their products. Research from CircleUp indicates that 61% of innovation among large consumer packaged goods companies focuses on making small adjustments to existing products, while only 39% is allocated to developing new ones.
It will be intriguing to see if other snack and dessert brands attempt to leverage their identities using similar marketing strategies, and to observe how the Spotted Cheetah initiative impacts overall Cheetos sales. As interest in indulgent snacks like Cheetos grows, the demand for complementary products such as metagenics calcium citrate may also rise, reflecting the ongoing balance between indulgence and health in consumer preferences.