In this issue: Can Doritos be reformulated to become a better-for-you product? Kara Swisher wants to live forever and a few corrections from my last newsletter.
Thanks for the mention and link to my post. Always happy to offer item and brand suggestions to people who are new to plant-based alternatives! Also, interesting about the orange coloring on snack foods. I've noted that hue in fast food ads. Not just for snacks, also chicken or pizza.
When I read the title of this post I assumed the chips were made by some natural food brand! As a consumer, I think my default setting is to not trust anything "clean" by corporate, big-name brands like Doritos. I agree with you in that if I saw them at a gas station on a road trip, I'd choose it over the standard Doritos. But they aren't going to join my pantry anytime soon. Avocado or olive oil potato chips are what I reach for when I need a salty, crunchy snack food;).
I’d like to clarify a couple of things about this post.
First, Doritos is a PepsiCo brand, not Coca-Cola.
Second, the new NKD subline within Doritos and Cheetos is specifically focused on removing artificial colors — it’s not a full “clean label” initiative. With upcoming regulations banning artificial colors, PepsiCo developed this line as a fast path to market: delivering the same flavor and experience of select core products, just without the artificial colors (and no MSG).
That said, there’s a broader effort happening in parallel — a dedicated taskforce working to replace artificial colors and flavors with naturally sourced ingredients, alongside sodium reduction goals.
Through pep+, PepsiCo is committed to reducing sodium and removing artificials across its portfolio within the next couple of years. Plus, several of PepsiCo's permissible brands are also transitioning to olive oil or avocado oil.
Hiya YM. You are indeed right that Doritos is a PepsiCo brand. I fixed that last Friday as soon as I realized the error. It's good to know Big Food has re-formulation goals that include removing artificial colors and reducing sodium. And there is way more that they can do and I will be around to highlight what's missing. Thank you again for your insight, your close read and writing in.
Thanks for the mention and link to my post. Always happy to offer item and brand suggestions to people who are new to plant-based alternatives! Also, interesting about the orange coloring on snack foods. I've noted that hue in fast food ads. Not just for snacks, also chicken or pizza.
When I read the title of this post I assumed the chips were made by some natural food brand! As a consumer, I think my default setting is to not trust anything "clean" by corporate, big-name brands like Doritos. I agree with you in that if I saw them at a gas station on a road trip, I'd choose it over the standard Doritos. But they aren't going to join my pantry anytime soon. Avocado or olive oil potato chips are what I reach for when I need a salty, crunchy snack food;).
I’d like to clarify a couple of things about this post.
First, Doritos is a PepsiCo brand, not Coca-Cola.
Second, the new NKD subline within Doritos and Cheetos is specifically focused on removing artificial colors — it’s not a full “clean label” initiative. With upcoming regulations banning artificial colors, PepsiCo developed this line as a fast path to market: delivering the same flavor and experience of select core products, just without the artificial colors (and no MSG).
That said, there’s a broader effort happening in parallel — a dedicated taskforce working to replace artificial colors and flavors with naturally sourced ingredients, alongside sodium reduction goals.
Through pep+, PepsiCo is committed to reducing sodium and removing artificials across its portfolio within the next couple of years. Plus, several of PepsiCo's permissible brands are also transitioning to olive oil or avocado oil.
Hiya YM. You are indeed right that Doritos is a PepsiCo brand. I fixed that last Friday as soon as I realized the error. It's good to know Big Food has re-formulation goals that include removing artificial colors and reducing sodium. And there is way more that they can do and I will be around to highlight what's missing. Thank you again for your insight, your close read and writing in.