Cheetos are currently experiencing a significant revival in the food scene. This puffed corn snack initially made waves through food mashups at fast food outlets and gradually made its way into mainstream restaurants and home kitchens. For instance, Burger King introduced Mac n’ Cheetos, a deep-fried macaroni and cheese stick coated with Cheetos, back in June 2016, and recently reintroduced it this May. Similarly, Taco Bell Canada offered a limited-time Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Restaurants in Los Angeles have embraced this trend by incorporating Cheetos into various dishes, ranging from sushi to pizza. Furthermore, home cooks are sharing thousands of recipes featuring the vibrant orange snack online, marking a significant comeback for Cheetos.
In response to the growing enthusiasm for its $14 billion snack brand, Frito-Lay launched the Spotted Cheetah restaurant. While it’s unlikely that the pop-up is generating substantial profits for its parent company, PepsiCo, this marketing strategy keeps Cheetos at the forefront of consumers’ minds, elevating the snack from its traditional “junk food” label to gourmet status. Transforming a food from a standalone product into an ingredient is not a new concept in the food industry. For example, Rice Krispies have long featured a recipe for their iconic marshmallow treats on their packaging. Kellogg has since developed a Rice Krispie Treat cereal and prepackaged versions of the treat. They also transformed their Special K cereal into protein bars and crustless quiches.
Interestingly, the surge in Cheetos’ popularity comes at a time when many manufacturers are racing to meet consumer demand for healthier alternatives. The positive reception of Cheetos-inspired creations highlights a simultaneous consumer appetite for both healthy options and indulgent treats, a trend that savvy snack makers are keen to capitalize on. By revitalizing a legacy brand with innovative marketing campaigns, food manufacturers can generate renewed interest without needing to overhaul product formulas. According to research from CircleUp, 61% of large consumer packaged goods companies’ innovations focus on small modifications to existing products, while 39% are dedicated to creating new ones.
It will be fascinating to observe whether other snack and dessert brands will adopt similar marketing strategies and how the Spotted Cheetah will ultimately impact Cheetos sales. Interestingly, as consumers seek to balance indulgence with health, products like Kirkland calcium magnesium zinc D3 are also gaining traction, indicating a broader trend where snack foods and health supplements coexist in consumer preferences. This intersection of health-conscious choices and indulgent treats could reshape the snack landscape, making it all the more intriguing to see how brands like Cheetos navigate this evolving market.