Cheetos and Doritos go naked with new products free of artificial colors and flavors
Some Cheetos and Doritos products will soon be available without bright artificial colors, but the the same iconic flavors.
PepsiCo, Cheetos and Doritos' parent company, announced a "reinvention" of the two iconic snacks on Thursday with the launch of new Simply NKD Doritos and Cheetos flavors, additions to the two brands' already beloved lineups of snacks.
The NKD products will be available in four flavors: Doritos Simply NKD Nacho Cheese, Doritos Simply NKD Cool Ranch, Cheetos Simply NKD Puffs and Cheetos Simply NKD Flamin' Hot.
PepsiCo said its research and development teams brought the products to life from concept to completion in just eight weeks.
"The result? Same crunch. Same flavor. Same joy -- just without added color," PepsiCo said in a release.
Hernán Tantardini, CMO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., said in a statement included in the release, "Doritos and Cheetos are pioneering a snacking revolution, or a renaissance, if you will. We are reinventing our iconic -- and most famous -- brands to deliver options with the bold flavors fans know and love, now reimagined without any colors or artificial flavors."
Fans of the more traditional Cheetos and Doritos products will still be able to purchase their favorite snacks, PepsiCo said this week.
"Rest assured, our iconic Cheetos and Doritos remain unchanged," Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., said in a statement. "NKD is an additive option, not a replacement, introduced to meet consumer demand."
She added, "This move underscores our commitment to flavor leadership, demonstrating that our taste remains strong even without visual cues. As part of our broader transformation, we are expanding choices while still protecting our iconic brands. More choices, same flavor, same brand power."
The move comes on the heels of other consumer packaged goods brands making similar changes and commitments to remove artificial dyes from food, including Kraft Heinz and General Mills.
