A Subtle Change Is Coming To Kraft's Classic Macaroni And Cheese
Not all heroes wear capes — even in the kitchen. If you don't have time to whip out the slow cooker for dinner tonight, Kraft's boxed macaroni and cheese is there for you. Even today's consumer probably hasn't forgotten the brand's classic mid-2000s commercial that enticed, "It's the cheesiest" — and nobody disagreed.
In a press release on Wednesday, The Kraft Heinz Company announced the official rebranding of one of its most popular products. Kraft's iconic macaroni and cheese has been a household favorite for the last 85 years, per the press release. In fact, it says over one million boxes find their way into shopping carts every day. Now the classic comfort food is getting a modernized facelift with today's consumer in mind. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is officially changing its name to "Kraft Mac & Cheese."
The change, according to Kraft, is meant to reflect the shorthand way mac fans naturally refer to the product. Its famous blue packaging is getting a makeover, too. A new logo featuring the new name, a new font, and a dripping cheesy pasta noodle "smile" make up this newer, more minimalist design.
Still the cheesiest -- but now, the newest, too
Victoria Lee, brand manager of Kraft Mac & Cheese, explains that this bright, minimal design change was created with the experience of enjoying comfort food in mind. "We know that people aren't turning to comfort food as a guilty pleasure, they are positively embracing comfort, saying yes to feeling good, saying yes to caring for themselves," Lee said, via the press release. "There is a familiar, craveable, positive comfort to Kraft Mac & Cheese that makes it so special and iconic to millions of people across the world and our new look is a reflection of what our brand means to our consumers."
Considering the mac and cheese giant's collaboration with streetwear brand Supreme earlier this year, it looks like Kraft is shifting its focus toward the modern consumer in a big way. So far, at least, the brand's efforts seem to be paying off. Stock in the Kraft Heinz Co. is up around 1% this year, via CNN, and that's after a fairly substantial price increase on brand products across the board. In recent months, EZ Mac saw a 3.5% raise in price, and Kraft's 7.25 ounce mac and cheese Big Bowl went up 20%, per the news outlet.
Hungry to get your hands on a revamped box? According to Kraft's press release, mac fans can expect to see the new design on supermarket shelves in August.