Friday, January 10, 2025
HomeUS NewsStouffer launches new boxed mac and cheese to challenge Kraft Foods |...

Stouffer launches new boxed mac and cheese to challenge Kraft Foods | Real Time Headlines

Stouffer’s Supreme is available in two flavors: Cheddar and three-cheese.

Source: Nestlé

Stouffer’s is exiting the freezer aisle and taking action Kraft Heinz Introducing new shelf-stable mac and cheese.

this nestle The brand, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in June, has spent the past 70 years specializing in frozen entrees such as pizza, lasagna, and macaroni and cheese. With its strong brand recognition, Stover saw an opportunity to capitalize on the two-thirds of shoppers who buy frozen macaroni and cheese and boxed versions from competitors, said Tom Moe, president of Nestlé’s food division. opportunity.

Moe said the average American consumer eats mac and cheese 22 times a year, second only to pizza in frequency. Of those 22 times, about 70 percent of the time, the mac and cheese came out of the box. Shelf-stable mac and cheese is a $2.9 billion category dominated by Kraft Foods.

Kraft Heinz Chief Financial Officer Andre Maciel said at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference on September 5 that macaroni and cheese brings about $1.7 billion in business to Kraft Heinz. It’s not foolproof — changes to SNAP food assistance benefits hurt Kraft Heinz’s macaroni and cheese business. The food giant responded quickly by launching a new range of macaroni and cheese variety packs and flavors, demonstrating its willingness to invest to maintain its lead in the category.

But Nestlé believes consumers trust Stover enough to give the brand a chance.

“When you want something rich and ultra-cheesy, you turn to us,” Moe said.

First, the brand will offer two boxes of mac and cheese under the Stouffer’s Supreme name: a classic cheddar and a three-cheese version made with cheddar, gouda and parmesan. Moe said cheddar is “a sibling, not an identical twin,” to frozen macaroni and cheese, while the three-cheese options are “cousins.”

The pasta is cooked on the stovetop and then mixed with the cheese sauce. Stouffer’s says its version has 10 percent more cheese sauce than Kraft Velveeta.

Stover’s foray into the pantry aisle isn’t the only innovation Nestlé is preparing to roll out. Moi said his department will also launch a “full suite” of new products this fall.

Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular

Recent Comments