Cheetos are currently experiencing a significant resurgence in the culinary world. The iconic puffed corn snack initially made its way into food mashups at fast food chains, then spread to mainstream restaurants, and has finally found its way into home kitchens. In June 2016, Burger King introduced Mac n’ Cheetos, a fried macaroni and cheese stick coated in Cheetos, which they brought back this May. Similarly, Taco Bell Canada offered a limited-time Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Restaurants in Los Angeles have embraced this trend, incorporating Cheetos into a variety of dishes, from sushi to pizza. Moreover, home cooks have shared thousands of recipes featuring the vibrant orange snack online, marking a definitive return to the spotlight for Cheetos.
In response to the growing interest in its $14 billion snack brand, Frito-Lay launched the Spotted Cheetah restaurant. While it’s unlikely that this pop-up is generating significant profits for parent company PepsiCo, the marketing strategy keeps Cheetos at the forefront of consumers’ minds, elevating the snack—often seen as “junk food”—to a gourmet status. Transforming a standalone product into an ingredient is not a new concept in the food industry. For years, Rice Krispies have included a recipe for their famous marshmallow treats on their box, and Kellogg has created both a Rice Krispie Treat cereal and pre-packaged treats. They have also successfully transformed their Special K cereal into protein and yogurt bars, as well as crustless quiche.
Interestingly, the spike in interest for Cheetos comes at a time when many manufacturers are racing to meet consumer demand for healthier options. The enthusiastic response to Cheetos-inspired creations showcases a simultaneous consumer desire for both healthy foods and indulgent products—a trend savvy snack makers are keen to exploit. By revitalizing a legacy brand with a marketing campaign like this, food manufacturers can draw more attention to their products without the need for significant changes to their formulas. Research from CircleUp indicates that 61% of large consumer packaged goods companies’ innovation efforts focus on minor adjustments to existing products, while only 39% are dedicated to new developments. It will be intriguing to see if other snack and dessert brands adopt similar marketing strategies and how the Spotted Cheetah impacts overall Cheetos sales.
In this context, the integration of ingredients like calcium citrate biocare into new Cheetos recipes could further spark consumer interest. As the trend continues, it will be fascinating to observe how brands utilize such innovations to enhance their offerings while maintaining the allure of indulgence that Cheetos has successfully capitalized on.