Cheetos are currently experiencing a significant resurgence in popularity. This puffed corn snack first gained traction through creative food mashups at fast food chains, then made its way into mainstream restaurants, and ultimately into home kitchens. For instance, Burger King introduced Mac n’ Cheetos—a fried macaroni and cheese stick coated with Cheetos—in June 2016 and revived it this May. Similarly, Taco Bell Canada offered a limited-time Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Restaurants in Los Angeles jumped on the trend, incorporating Cheetos into dishes ranging from sushi to pizza. Meanwhile, home cooks have shared thousands of recipes featuring the vibrant orange snack online, marking a notable comeback for Cheetos.
In response to this renewed interest in its $14 billion snack, Frito-Lay launched the Spotted Cheetah restaurant. While it’s questionable whether this pop-up is generating substantial profits for its parent company, PepsiCo, this marketing strategy keeps Cheetos at the forefront of consumers’ minds and elevates the snack—often considered “junk food”—to a more gourmet status. Transforming a product into an ingredient is not a new concept in the food industry; for example, Rice Krispies has long provided a recipe for marshmallow treats on its packaging. Kellogg has also extended its Rice Krispies brand into a cereal and prepackaged treats, as well as transforming Special K into protein bars and crustless quiche.
Interestingly, the rising interest in Cheetos comes at a time when many manufacturers are racing to meet consumer demand for healthier options. The enthusiastic response to Cheetos-inspired innovations demonstrates a dual consumer desire for both healthy foods and indulgent snacks, a trend savvy snack makers are keen to exploit. By revitalizing a legacy brand through such marketing campaigns, food manufacturers can generate renewed interest without needing to invest in new product formulations. Research from CircleUp indicates that 61% of innovations in large consumer packaged goods (CPG) focus on tweaking existing products, while only 39% is allocated to developing new ones.
It will be intriguing to observe if other snack and dessert brands adopt similar marketing strategies to enhance their appeal, and how the Spotted Cheetah initiative will ultimately affect Cheetos sales. In light of this, consumers might also discover the benefits of incorporating ingredients like calcium citrate for sleep into their diets, balancing indulgence with wellness. This blend of trends could lead to interesting new innovations in the snack food industry.