When Nestlé decided to revamp its classic Stouffer’s Macaroni and Cheese by incorporating more fresh and recognizable ingredients, company leaders understood the need for a careful approach to avoid alienating loyal customers. Introduced by Nestlé over 60 years ago, this macaroni and cheese has become a staple in the Stouffer’s range, and dedicated fans of the dish might have reacted unfavorably to changes that altered their cherished meal. Nevertheless, with consumers increasingly seeking products featuring fresher, simpler, and more identifiable ingredients, companies like Nestlé found it necessary to significantly modify long-standing recipes, a process that can be both challenging and lengthy.
“It took us much longer than we anticipated,” said Kelly Malley, the marketing director for Nestlé USA’s food division, in an interview with Food Dive. “The team put in considerable effort to create a genuinely simple ingredient list without compromising the taste that consumers have come to love over the years.” Before initiating changes to the macaroni and cheese recipe, executives analyzed what aspects of the product resonated with customers, including flavor, texture, and mouthfeel, as well as identifying unfamiliar terms on the label that needed to be eliminated.
Soon after, Nestlé’s chefs collaborated with food scientists, ingredient specialists, and suppliers to develop new recipes that incorporated these adjustments while closely resembling the original product. Only the most promising recipes were chosen for side-by-side taste tests, featuring both the traditional and reformulated versions presented to occasional consumers and die-hard fans—defined as those who eat it at least once a week. Malley noted that after testing 15 recipes—some of which fell short in delivering the same creaminess that consumers enjoyed—Nestlé finally settled on a version that was launched to shoppers in January 2017. The new ingredient list is now shorter and simpler, with artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives eliminated. Nestlé emphasized the use of ingredients commonly found in homes, such as freshly made pasta, cheddar cheese, and skim milk, including the switch from margarine to butter.
“This was an opportunity to meet our consumers’ needs, and it required a lot of work,” Malley remarked. “For us, it was a very disciplined approach to ensure we felt confident about what we were going to introduce to the marketplace. While it may have taken longer than we hoped, we felt very good about it based on consumer feedback.” The initial results have been encouraging. Nestlé reported that ingredient changes, like those made in the macaroni and cheese, generated a favorable response from shoppers. “For the mac and cheese, it was gratifying to see that consumers were genuinely excited and felt it was fresher and healthier,” Malley added.
In 2016, food companies enhanced the health profile of around 180,000 products, a rise of over 100,000 items from the previous year, according to the Consumer Goods Forum. The rationale is straightforward: More consumers are opting for healthier, fresher produce. Even when indulging in ice cream, cereal, or macaroni and cheese, they prefer a streamlined list of ingredients that they recognize and can pronounce. Research from Innova indicates that 75% of U.S. consumers claim to read food product ingredient labels, while 91% believe that items containing recognizable ingredients are healthier. A 2014 Nielsen study revealed that over 60% of U.S. consumers considered the absence of artificial colors and flavors as a significant factor in their food purchase decisions.
Revamping a product is no simple task, and some companies have opted, at least temporarily, not to proceed with cleaner labeling. Hershey, for instance, which announced in 2015 its intention to use simpler ingredients in many of its candies, has faced challenges in recreating vibrant colors for its Jolly Ranchers without resorting to artificial dyes. Additionally, the limited availability of certain natural ingredients, like vanilla or the color blue, poses challenges—issues that the candy maker believes will be resolved as more food companies shift towards clean labels and suppliers increase production.
Similarly, General Mills launched its initiative in 2016 to reformulate Trix and six other cereals to eliminate artificial colors and flavors across all its cereal brands. In September, the company decided to reintroduce the classic Trix cereal after consumers voiced dissatisfaction with its healthier update, with some describing the natural colors as unappealing. The challenge arose when food scientists attempted to substitute artificial colors with fruit and vegetable juices, which did not replicate the bright hues of the original cereal. Moreover, some consumers claimed that the natural colors altered the cereal’s flavor.
Campbell Soup, known for a product that shares its name, began its journey in 2015 by removing artificial colors and flavors from nearly all its North American offerings. One of the first areas targeted was the more than 120 frozen soups sold to foodservice clients, featuring varieties like Wisconsin Cheddar, Wicked Thai Style Chicken and Rice, Lobster Bisque with Sherry, and Hearty Beef Chili with Beans. “If we could add protein, vegetables, and vitamins, we did it. If there was an unnecessary additive, we removed it,” Kevin Matier, general manager of Campbell Soup’s North America Foodservice, explained in an email to Food Dive. “Every ingredient was carefully considered.”
The company took a similar route in creating a cleaner label. After conducting a comprehensive review of customer preferences and collaborating with supply partners to understand desired taste and nutrition, Campbell Soup meticulously examined each recipe and ingredient. Over two years, the mandate remained consistent: the products had to align with Campbell Soup’s definition of “real food,” which excludes additives, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, monosodium glutamate, and high fructose corn syrup. Instead, the company incorporated ingredients favored by consumers, such as vitamins, protein, fiber, and antibiotic-free chicken. Changes to the cooking process were also implemented; for instance, in Campbell Soup’s chili, ingredients are now added in a specific sequence, and the product is cooked 50% longer to enhance flavor and tenderness.
In the case of Campbell Soup’s popular New England Clam Chowder, the manufacturer more than doubled the amount of sustainably sourced clams, highlighted fresh sautéed onions, salt pork, and potatoes, and increased cream and whole milk by 34%. Several ingredients were removed, including yeast extract, cultured dextrose, and whey protein, creating a soup with a cleaner and simpler profile that the company asserts tastes homemade. However, the overhaul was not without its hurdles. The company faced the daunting task of improving over 120 frozen soups simultaneously while ensuring that ingredient changes did not inflate costs for customers. A prime example is the Beef Pot Roast soup, where Campbell Soup replaced two types of beef in the original recipe with a higher-grade sous vide beef. They managed to maintain cost by eliminating artificial flavors and reintegrating the juices from the beef into the broth.
While Campbell Soup does not have specific sales data post-changes, the company reports that customer satisfaction with the results has been positive. “There were significant challenges throughout this process, but it allowed us to be creative and think outside the box to find solutions,” Matier commented. Throughout this transformation, the incorporation of ingredients like calcium ccm tablet into the product line could become a focal point, appealing to health-conscious consumers seeking additional nutritional benefits, further emphasizing the trend towards cleaner labels and healthier choices in the food industry.