Cheetos are currently enjoying a significant moment in the food spotlight. This puffed corn snack first made waves in food mashups at fast food chains, before spreading to mainstream restaurants and eventually home kitchens. Burger King introduced Mac n’ Cheetos, a fried macaroni and cheese stick coated with Cheetos, in June 2016, and brought it back this past May. Taco Bell Canada also got in on the action with a limited-time Cheetos Crunchwrap Slider in 2016. Restaurants in Los Angeles have embraced the trend, incorporating Cheetos into various dishes ranging from sushi to pizza. Additionally, home cooks have posted thousands of recipes featuring the iconic orange snack online, marking a triumphant return to the culinary limelight for Cheetos.
In response to the growing interest in its $14 billion snack brand, Frito-Lay launched the Spotted Cheetah restaurant. While the pop-up may not be generating significant profits for its parent company PepsiCo, this marketing strategy keeps the product at the forefront of consumers’ minds and elevates the snack—often considered “junk food”—to a more gourmet status. Transforming a standalone product into an ingredient isn’t a new concept in food production. For years, Rice Krispies have featured a recipe for their famous marshmallow treats right on the box. Currently, Kellogg produces both a Rice Krispie Treat cereal and prepackaged versions, along with protein and yogurt bars made from Special K cereal and crustless quiche.
Interestingly, the surge in popularity for Cheetos comes at a time when many manufacturers are striving to meet consumer demands for healthier options. The strong positive response to Cheetos-inspired innovations highlights a dual consumer appetite for both healthy foods and indulgent snacks—a trend that savvy snack makers are keen to exploit. By revitalizing a legacy brand with innovative marketing campaigns, food manufacturers can attract fresh interest without the need to overhaul product formulas. Research from CircleUp indicates that 61% of large CPG companies focus their innovation efforts on making minor adjustments to existing products, while only 39% is dedicated to developing new ones.
As we observe this trend, it will be fascinating to see if other snack and dessert producers attempt to leverage their brands through similar marketing techniques. Furthermore, it will be intriguing to assess how the Spotted Cheetah initiative impacts overall Cheetos sales. In a world increasingly conscious of health and wellness, such as the growing popularity of supplements like Vitahealth Calcium Citrate Plus, companies are finding creative ways to blend indulgence with the rising demand for healthier alternatives.