When Nestle decided to revamp its beloved Stouffer’s Macaroni and Cheese by incorporating more fresh and recognizable ingredients, company executives understood the need to tread carefully to avoid alienating crucial customers. Having been launched over 60 years ago, this macaroni and cheese dish has become a staple in the Stouffer’s lineup, and loyal consumers might have reacted unfavorably to alterations that disrupted their cherished meal. However, with consumers increasingly seeking products with fresher, simpler, and more identifiable ingredients, companies like Nestle have little choice but to make significant changes to long-standing recipes — a process that can be both challenging and time-consuming.
“It took us much longer than we anticipated,” Kelly Malley, director of marketing for Nestle USA’s food division, shared with Food Dive. “It required a substantial effort from our team to create a straightforward ingredient list without compromising the flavor that consumers have come to love over the years.” Before Nestle began modifying the macaroni and cheese recipe, executives analyzed what aspects consumers associated with the product, such as its taste, texture, and mouthfeel, as well as unfamiliar words on the label that needed to be eliminated.
Subsequently, the company’s chefs collaborated with food scientists, ingredient specialists, and product suppliers to explore new recipes that reflected these changes while closely resembling the original product. Only the most promising recipes were selected for side-by-side taste tests, featuring both the old and reformulated versions, evaluated by occasional buyers and dedicated fans — defined as those who consume it at least once a week. Malley noted that after testing 15 different recipes, some of which failed to replicate the desired creaminess, Nestle finally identified the version it launched to consumers in January 2017. The new ingredient list is now shorter and simpler, with artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives removed. Nestle focused on using ingredients in its Stouffer’s Macaroni and Cheese that are commonly found in homes, such as freshly made pasta, cheddar cheese, and skim milk. One notable change was substituting margarine for butter.
“This was an opportunity to meet our consumers’ needs, and it required a lot of work,” Malley explained. “For us, it was a disciplined approach to ensure we felt confident about what we were introducing to the market. It might have taken longer than we wanted, but we felt very good about it based on consumer feedback.” The initial results have been encouraging. Nestle reported that the ingredient modifications, including those in its macaroni and cheese, received positive responses from shoppers. “With the mac and cheese, it was gratifying to see that consumers felt it was fresher and were more satisfied with the offering,” Malley said.
In a broader context, food companies improved the health profile of around 180,000 products in 2016, an increase of over 100,000 from the previous year, according to the Consumer Goods Forum. This shift is driven by consumers increasingly filling their shopping carts with healthier, fresher produce. Even when indulging in ice cream, cereal, or macaroni and cheese, they prefer a streamlined list of ingredients they recognize and can pronounce. Research from Innova indicates that 75% of U.S. consumers read food ingredient labels, while 91% believe that products featuring recognizable ingredients are healthier. In 2014, Nielsen found that more than 60% of U.S. consumers considered the absence of artificial colors and flavors an important factor when buying food.
Revamping a product is no small feat, and in some instances, companies have opted to hold off on cleaner labels for the time being. Hershey, which announced in 2015 its plans to use simpler ingredients in many of its candies, including its famous chocolate bars and Kisses, has faced challenges in recreating the vibrant colors of its Jolly Ranchers without artificial additives. Additionally, the limited availability of certain natural ingredients, such as vanilla or the color blue, poses a challenge for the candy maker, which remains optimistic that as more food companies pursue clean labels, suppliers will increase their production.
Similarly, General Mills pursued its own initiative, announcing in 2016 that it reformulated Trix and six other cereals to eliminate artificial colors and flavors from all its cereal brands. However, after receiving consumer complaints about the healthier version, General Mills decided to reintroduce the classic Trix cereal, with some consumers describing the natural colors as dull. The challenge arose when food scientists attempted to replace artificial colors and flavors, finding it difficult to replicate the bright hues of red, neon blue, and green using fruit and vegetable juices. Moreover, some consumers felt that the natural colors altered the cereal’s taste.
Campbell Soup, known for its namesake product, announced in 2015 its plan to eliminate artificial colors and flavors from nearly all its North American offerings, starting with over 120 frozen soups sold to foodservice customers, including Wisconsin Cheddar and Wicked Thai Style Chicken and Rice. “Whenever possible, we added protein, vegetables, and vitamins, and eliminated any unnecessary additives,” Kevin Matier, general manager of Campbell Soup’s North America Foodservice, stated in an email to Food Dive. The company pursued a similar path for a cleaner label, meticulously reviewing customer preferences while collaborating with supply partners to understand consumer desires regarding taste and nutrition.
Over a two-year process, one overarching guideline was established: all products had to meet Campbell Soup’s definition of “real food,” meaning they could not contain additives, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, monosodium glutamate, or high fructose corn syrup. Instead, Campbell Soup incorporated consumer-favored ingredients like vitamins, protein, fiber, and antibiotic-free chicken. Some cooking methods were also modified; for instance, in its chili, ingredients are now added in a specific order, and the cooking time was increased by 50% to enhance flavor and tenderness.
In Campbell Soup’s popular New England Clam Chowder, the manufacturer doubled the amount of sustainably sourced clams, emphasized fresh sautéed onions, salt pork, and potatoes, and increased the cream and whole milk content by 34%. Several ingredients were removed, including yeast extract, cultured dextrose, and whey protein, resulting in a soup with a cleaner and simpler profile that the company claims tastes homemade. However, the overhaul faced considerable challenges, as the company worked to improve over 120 frozen soups simultaneously while ensuring ingredient changes did not raise costs for customers. For example, in the Beef Pot Roast soup, Campbell Soup replaced two types of beef in the original recipe with higher-grade sous vide beef, maintaining the same price by eliminating artificial flavors and adding the beef’s juices back into the broth.
While Campbell Soup does not have specific sales data from these changes, it reports that customer satisfaction has been high and feedback has been positive. “There were significant challenges throughout, but it allowed us to be creative and think outside the box to find solutions,” Matier noted. As food companies continue to adapt to consumer preferences, the integration of ingredients that are both nutritious and recognizable, akin to synthroid and calcium citrate, will likely remain a focal point in product development.