Kraft has just announced a new Mac and Cheese product – without the Mac. It’s officially dubbed Kraft Mac & Cheese Cheesy Ramen. And it’s more than just another new M&C format. It’s the first shot in what could be an all-out invasion of the Ramen ‘space’…
Kraft previously tried heat-and-eat and ‘instant’ formats for its legendary Mac and Cheese. And they’ve done alright in the marketplace. But with that experience under their belts, the iconic M&C brand has gone where no competitor has gone before: Instant Ramen territory.
What’s going on?
The new products – débuting in Pork, Chicken and Spicy varieties – are head-to-head competition with Jif peanut butter’s new Asian-inspired peanut butter instant ramen flavours. And though they don’t compete with each other, per se, Kraft and Jif are making a bold statement about their intent-ions in the well-established instant ramen sector.
“Consumers are increasingly looking for bold flavors and new ways to enjoy the foods they love, and we’re seeing growing demand for cheesy ramen in the US,” the company said, in a statement. “As a brand that has been delivering cheesy comfort for nearly 90 years, we saw a natural opportunity to bring our cheese expertise to ramen and give consumers a uniquely Kraft Mac & Cheese take on a format they’re already embracing.”
According to a PEOPLE magazine story, “Kraft[‘s] latest products are all part of a continued focus on finding new ways to expand into, ‘categories and occasions where consumer interest is growing,’ including the Gen Z favorite, ramen.”
A broader thrust…
That ‘focus on finding new ways to expand’ has already resulted in a number of new product releas-es over the past year. That was a bit of a catch-up maneuver, meeti9ng the challenge raised over the past couple of years by ‘premium’ instant mac and cheese brands that popped up like mushrooms after the COVID crisis tapered off.
A few months ago, Kraft rolled out three ‘Restaurant Edition’ M&Cs, designed to give consumers an upgraded experience at home. The three initial offerings include: Parmesan Pesto, Romano Cacio e Pepe, and Monterey Jack Caramelized Onion. All are in stores now. The unheralded release was seen by sector watchers as a somewhat late-to-the-party response to the flurry of ‘premium’ mac and cheese brands that popped up like Mushrooms around the end of the COVID crisis. The competition there includes: Annie’s, Daiya, Cheetos (Bold & Cheesy), Trader Joe’s, 365 Organic, Beecher’s and Cracker Barrel.
Kraft M&C also jumped on the protein bandwagon earlier this year, with protein- and fiber-boosted Kraft Mac & Cheese PowerMac. It’s up against brands such as Muscle Mac, which capitalize on their protein enhancement, and other ‘healthy boosts’.
Want more detail? Just Google ‘boxed mac and cheese comparisons’…
My take
I’m curious as to where Kraft ‘saw demand’ for cheesy Ramen. I certainly haven’t seen any references to it, either on the food newswires or in social media. On the other hand, I can see how they could easily have seen a hole, way out near the edge of the Ramen market, they thought they could fill. Jif, on the other hand, decided it could burrow into the Asian ramen segment, alongside Malaysia, Indo-nesia and Thailand, where peanut-based dishes such as Satay are traditional.
Across the mac & cheese sector…
Many players are jumping in with what they claim are healthier versions of the legendary dish. They are adding protein (of course!), fibre and lots of other ‘healthy’ ingredients to try to attract fans. Many are boasting that, like Kraft, their products contain no arti-ficial flavors, preservatives or dyes. Many newcomers are also spotlighting the fact they’re gluten-free or GLP-1 friendly. I even saw one, in passing, that tells you, on the box front, that it makes its pasta from cauliflower!
Whatever turns your crank…
But the truth remains: Many of those ‘healthier’ M&Cs are just as bad for you as the old, standard faves. Because they add good stuff, but don’t remove the bad stuff that M&C got demonized for in the first place…
~ Maggie J.