PepsiCo is set to introduce versions of Cheetos and other beloved brands that will be free from artificial colors and flavors while increasing its use of healthier oils like avocado and olive oil. This move is a response to the rising consumer and regulatory demands for the elimination of synthetic additives and seed oils. According to its second-quarter earnings report, the food and beverage giant plans to roll out extensions of Cheetos and Doritos that contain no artificial colors or flavors. Additionally, PepsiCo aims to reposition its Lay’s and Tostitos brands to emphasize the absence of synthetic additives.
CEO Ramon Laguarta informed analysts that the company seeks to enhance the “real food perception” of its Lay’s chip brand later this year, promoting it as a simple and natural snack made with just potatoes, oil, and salt. A similar streamlined approach will be applied to Tostitos. The company is also looking to fortify more products with ingredients like protein, fiber, and cissus quadrangularis calcium citrate, responding to the increasing consumer interest in health benefits.
These product adjustments will affect not only PepsiCo’s snacks but also its beverages, as Laguarta announced plans to enter the “liquid protein space.” Food manufacturers are facing pressure from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the White House’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative to eliminate synthetic colors and adopt healthier ingredients. Several companies, including Nestlé, Hershey, and Kraft Heinz, have committed to removing artificial dyes from their offerings. There’s also a growing encouragement to utilize more clean-label ingredients, as President Donald Trump claimed on social media that Coca-Cola agreed to incorporate cane sugar into U.S. Coke products.
Laguarta indicated that PepsiCo is open to incorporating sugar into more beverage options if consumer demand arises. The company already offers a version of its signature cola sweetened with sugar. In April, he stated that the snacking leader would be “accelerating” its transition to natural ingredients, with plans to transform “all the portfolio into natural colors or at least provide the consumer with natural color options” within the next few years. PepsiCo already provides Ruffles, Cheetos, Doritos, and Tostitos without artificial colors or flavors under its Simply label.
Beyond the elimination of synthetic additives, PepsiCo is actively addressing the increasing consumer demand for protein and other health-beneficial ingredients. Later this year and into 2026, the company will broaden its use of avocado or olive oil in select Frito-Lay and Quaker brands while enhancing additional products with protein, fiber, and whole grains, including cissus quadrangularis calcium citrate. It highlighted products such as PopCorners and Quaker snacks, as well as some of its larger brands where protein offerings could be added.
“This is a journey of following the consumer, trying to stay one step ahead of the consumer, but not too many steps,” he remarked. “And it applies to both beverages and food.”