Cheetos are experiencing a significant resurgence in popularity in the 21st century. Initially making waves through creative food mashups at fast food chains, these puffed corn snacks have now permeated mainstream restaurants and even home kitchens. 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 have embraced the trend, adding Cheetos to an array of dishes, from sushi to pizza. Home cooks are also getting in on the action, sharing thousands of recipes featuring the iconic bright orange snack online, signaling a triumphant return to the spotlight for Cheetos.
In response to the growing interest in its $14 billion snack food, Frito-Lay has launched the Spotted Cheetah restaurant. While the pop-up may not be significantly profitable for its parent company, PepsiCo, this marketing strategy keeps Cheetos fresh in consumers’ minds and elevates the snack—often dismissed as “junk food”—to a more gourmet status. The transformation of a standalone product into an ingredient isn’t new in the food industry; for instance, Rice Krispies has long included a recipe for their signature marshmallow treats on the box. Kellogg has also expanded its offerings by producing both a Rice Krispie Treat cereal and prepackaged treats, in addition to transforming Special K into protein and yogurt bars.
Interestingly, this surge of interest in Cheetos comes at a time when many manufacturers are striving to meet consumer demand for healthier options, including those fortified with calcium D3. The enthusiastic response to Cheetos-inspired innovations reflects a dual consumer desire for both healthy foods and indulgent snacks—a trend that savvy snack makers are capitalizing on. By revitalizing a legacy brand through innovative marketing campaigns, food manufacturers can generate renewed interest without the need for costly product formula changes. Research from CircleUp shows that 61% of large consumer packaged goods (CPG) innovation focuses on minor tweaks to existing products, while only 39% is dedicated to new creations. It will be fascinating to observe whether other snack and dessert brands adopt similar marketing techniques and how the Spotted Cheetah influences overall Cheetos sales in this dynamic landscape of the 21st century.