PepsiCo announced that starting next month, customers can purchase products such as Cheetos and Doritos that don’t contain artificial dyes.
In a press release on Thursday, the company explained that on December 1, “Simply NKD” Cheetos Flamin’ Hot, “Simply NKD” Cheetos Puffs, “Simply NKD” Doritos Nacho Cheese, and “Simply NKD” Cool Ranch would be available in stores. Rachel Ferdinando, the CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., explained that the “Simply NKD” Doritos and Cheetos chips were an “additive option” and “not a replacement.”
“Rest assured, our iconic Cheetos and Doritos remain unchanged,” Ferdinando said. “NKD is an additive option, not a replacement, introduced to meet consumer demand. This move underscores our commitment to flavor leadership, demonstrating that our taste remains strong even without visual cues.”
Per the press release, the “Simply NKD” idea for Cheetos and Doritos “came to life in just eight weeks.”:
PepsiCo snacks have always been bold. Doritos is known for being bold. Cheetos is mischievous. Simply NKD™ takes that DNA and pushes boundaries — delivering the flavors fans love, without compromise.
From concept to completion, Simply NKD™ came to life in just eight weeks. Our R&D teams — some of the best in the world — sprinted to achieve what many thought couldn’t be done: bold, best in class flavors with no dyes or artificial flavors.
CBS News reported the Doritos website explains that the “original nacho cheese-flavored Doritos contain the artificial colors Yellow 6, Yellow 5 and Red 40,” while the regular Doritos Cool Ranch chips have “Blue 1, Red 40 and Yellow 5.”:
The original nacho cheese-flavored Doritos contain the artificial colors Yellow 6, Yellow 5 and Red 40. The Cool Ranch option has Blue 1, Red 40 and Yellow 5. Other varieties contain other artificial dyes, according to the Doritos website.
Original Cheetos and Puffs contain Yellow 6. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos also contain Yellow 6, Yellow 5 and Red 40.
The move from PepsiCo comes as the company has previously announced that would be eliminating artificial colors and flavors from its Lay’s and Tostitos products, as well as moving away from using seed oils.
Other companies such as General Mills, Hershey, and Nestlé have also made announcements that they would be eliminating artificial dyes and flavors from its products within the next few years.
In March, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. informed the CEOs of companies such as Smucker’s, General Mills, and Kellogg’s that the Trump administration wanted artificial dyes removed from their products.
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