Simply NKD reinvents Doritos and Cheetos with colorless, no-dye recipes
Executives at PepsiCo Foods U.S. say Simply NKD expands consumer choice by offering a no-color alternative while the original Doritos and Cheetos products remain unchanged.
Simply NKD, a new line of Cheetos (top) and Doritos (bottom) snacks from PepsiCo Foods U.S., removes artificial flavors and dyes while preserving the brands’ signature taste. The original flavors are shown on the left; the Simply NKD versions are on the right.
Simply NKD, a new line of Doritos and Cheetos snacks, removes artificial flavors and dyes from the snacks while keeping the brands’ signature taste. PepsiCo Foods U.S. developed the colorless recipes as an alternative to the original products for ingredient-conscious snackers. The company will continue producing traditional Doritos and Cheetos.
Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., said that the move is in response to consumer demand for more choices without compromising the strength of its flagship snack brands. She emphasized that Simply NKD offers an additional option that delivers the same flavor experience without visual color cues.
Simply NKD was developed on an accelerated timeline, moving from concept to market in about eight weeks. PepsiCo said its research and development teams focused on maintaining the recognizable profiles of Doritos and Cheetos while avoiding artificial flavors or added color. The company says the results maintain the same crunch, flavor and enjoyment in a simplified formulation.
PepsiCo Foods U.S.
The debut Simply NKD collection includes four products: Doritos Simply NKD Nacho Cheese, Doritos Simply NKD Cool Ranch, Cheetos Simply NKD Puffs and Cheetos Simply NKD Flamin’ Hot.
Hernán Tantardini, CMO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., framed the launch as an example of how established brands can evolve to meet changing expectations around ingredients while preserving the taste consumers expect.
Linda Becker is editor-in-chief of Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com. She has more than 20 years of experience in B2B publishing, writing, editing and producing content for magazines, websites, webinars, podcasts, newsletters and eBooks, primarily for manufacturing and process engineering audiences. Since joining Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com, Linda has developed a new appreciation for the convenience services industry and the essential role it plays. She is dedicated to serving readers by covering the latest news in the vending, office coffee service and micro market industry. She can be reached at 262-203-9924 or [email protected].
