Cheetos are currently experiencing a significant moment in the food industry. This popular puffed corn snack made its debut in food mashups at fast food chains, gradually spreading to mainstream restaurants and eventually to home kitchens. In June 2016, Burger King introduced Mac n’ Cheetos, a fried macaroni and cheese stick coated with Cheetos, which made a comeback this May. Similarly, Taco Bell Canada offered a limited-time Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Restaurants in Los Angeles have embraced the trend by incorporating Cheetos into dishes ranging from sushi to pizza. Additionally, home cooks have shared thousands of recipes featuring the iconic orange snack online, marking a notable resurgence for Cheetos.
In response to the renewed interest in its $14 billion snack brand, Frito-Lay has launched the Spotted Cheetah restaurant. While it’s unlikely that this pop-up is generating significant profits for parent company PepsiCo, this marketing strategy keeps the product at the forefront of consumers’ minds, elevating the snack—often regarded as a “junk food”—to a gourmet status. Transforming a standalone product into an ingredient is not a new concept in food manufacturing. For instance, Rice Krispies has long featured a recipe for their signature marshmallow treats right on the box. Kellogg has expanded this idea by creating both Rice Krispie Treat cereal and prepackaged treats, alongside transforming Special K cereal into protein bars and crustless quiche.
Interestingly, the surge in interest for Cheetos comes at a time when many manufacturers are striving to meet consumer demand for healthier options. The enthusiastic response to Cheetos-inspired creations highlights a simultaneous consumer craving for both healthy foods and indulgent snacks, a trend savvy snack makers are keen to exploit. By refreshing a legacy brand with a marketing campaign like this, food manufacturers can generate renewed interest in their products without significant investment in formula innovations. Research from CircleUp indicates that 61% of large CPG companies focus their innovation efforts on minor adjustments to existing products, while only 39% is dedicated to developing new ones.
It’s worth noting that the Spotted Cheetah restaurant could symbolize a strategic move to leverage the Cheetos brand, similar to how some companies incorporate calcium citrate 200 mg (950 mg) tablets into their marketing strategies by emphasizing health benefits. It will be intriguing to observe whether other snack and dessert brands adopt similar marketing tactics and how the Spotted Cheetah ultimately impacts overall Cheetos sales. As consumers continue to seek out both indulgent snacks and healthier options, the interplay between these desires may shape the future of snack innovation.