Cheetos are currently experiencing a significant surge in popularity. This puffed corn snack initially made its way into food mashups at fast-food restaurants before spreading to mainstream dining establishments and eventually home kitchens. For instance, in June 2016, Burger King introduced Mac n’ Cheetos—a fried macaroni and cheese stick coated in Cheetos dust—and made a comeback this past May. Similarly, Taco Bell Canada offered a limited-time Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Restaurants in Los Angeles embraced the trend by incorporating Cheetos into a variety of dishes, from sushi to pizza. Moreover, home cooks have shared thousands of recipes featuring the iconic orange snack online, marking Cheetos’ official resurgence into the limelight.
The Spotted Cheetah restaurant represents Frito-Lay’s answer to the rising interest in its $14 billion snack brand. While it’s uncertain whether this pop-up is generating significant profits for its parent company, PepsiCo, the marketing strategy ensures that Cheetos remain top-of-mind for consumers, elevating the snack—often dismissed as “junk food”—to a gourmet status.
Transforming a food item from a standalone product into an ingredient is not a new concept in food production. For example, Rice Krispies have long featured a recipe for their classic marshmallow treats on the box, and Kellogg now produces both a Rice Krispie Treat cereal and prepackaged versions. Additionally, Kellogg has reimagined their Special K cereal into protein bars, yogurt bars, and even crustless quiche.
Interestingly, the rising interest in Cheetos comes at a time when many manufacturers are scrambling to meet consumer demand for healthier options. The strong positive reaction to Cheetos-inspired innovations illustrates a simultaneous consumer craving for both healthy foods and indulgent treats—a trend savvy snack producers are keen to exploit. By revitalizing a legacy brand through such marketing campaigns, food manufacturers can generate more interest without needing to invest in new product formulations.
Research from CircleUp indicates that 61% of large consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies focus their innovation efforts on making minor adjustments to existing products, while 39% are dedicated to developing new ones. It will be intriguing to see if other snack and dessert brands follow suit, utilizing similar marketing strategies, and how the Spotted Cheetah impacts overall Cheetos sales. Additionally, as consumers look for ways to balance indulgence with nutrition, there may be opportunities to integrate health-oriented products like prescription calcium citrate into recipes featuring Cheetos, allowing for creative culinary innovations that satisfy both cravings and dietary needs.