“Navigating Reformulation: How Food Brands Are Adapting to Consumer Demand for Healthier Ingredients”
As consumers increasingly seek healthier options, leading food manufacturers are eliminating a range of ingredients, including preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, sugars, and trans fats—key components that provide products with distinct tastes, appearances, or extended freshness. Companies must tread carefully during this reformulation process to avoid losing the qualities that consumers love about their favorite products, as this could irreparably harm brand loyalty and result in a loss of market share to competitors.
Once the decision to reformulate is made, businesses face the challenge of executing a process that can be complex, time-consuming, and potentially expensive. They must also strategize on how to communicate these changes to the public. Should they be transparent and inform consumers about the upcoming changes and their reasons, or should they implement the changes quietly and wait for the newly formulated product to establish itself in the market?
Food Dive reached out to significant food companies that have recently revamped their iconic products to learn about their rollout experiences, customer responses, and outreach strategies. For instance, when Nestlé committed in February 2015 to eliminate artificial colors and flavors from its chocolate candies by year-end, it publicly announced this decision, asserting that it was the first manufacturer to take such a step. The Swiss company, known for its popular confections like Crunch and Baby Ruth, replaced Red 40 and Yellow 5 in its Butterfinger with annatto, a natural food coloring derived from the achiote tree, and substituted artificial vanillin in its Crunch bar with the authentic ingredient.
“We understand that candy consumers are interested in broader trends favoring fewer artificial ingredients,” stated Doreen Ida, president of Nestlé USA Confections & Snacks. “Our first step was to remove artificial flavors and colors without compromising taste or increasing prices.” Nestlé’s bold move resonated with the public and industry experts alike, as it appeared more responsive to the growing consumer demand for products made with natural ingredients.
Joseph Downing, head of the U.S. Food & Beverage practice at investment bank Alantra, remarked, “Nestlé’s announcement was a smart move. They’re essentially saying to consumers that they recognize the desire for natural and clean-label ingredients and have committed to reformulating over the next several years. That’s a positive narrative.” Nestlé took its commitment a step further in December 2016 by announcing a natural method to restructure sugar molecules, allowing manufacturers to use up to 40% less sugar while maintaining sweetness. The company is currently patenting this faster-dissolving sugar and plans to launch confectionery products made with it next year.
Kraft Heinz adopted a different approach when it decided to change its iconic macaroni and cheese recipe by removing artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. The brand replaced Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6 dyes with natural colors derived from paprika, annatto, and turmeric. Kraft initially announced this initiative in April 2015, a few months before completing its merger with Heinz, but chose to keep it under wraps until the newly reformulated product hit shelves in December. “For our fans, we couldn’t compromise on the product’s taste and appearance,” explained Lynne Galia, Kraft Heinz’s head of communications for U.S. brands. “We worked on these improvements for over three years, ensuring we had the right recipe without artificial ingredients before making any changes.”
Kraft Heinz took a significant gamble in its marketing strategy with the new product, promoting it as the world’s largest “blind taste test.” Executives noted that this was one of the biggest bets the company had ever made, and consumers rewarded their risk by purchasing over 50 million boxes of the reformulated macaroni and cheese in the initial months. “We knew the new product tasted just as good as the old version, so we refrained from shouting about the recipe change until March 2016,” Galia said. “We wanted our fans to experience the product without any preconceived notions.” The company officially announced the formula changes in March 2016 with playful ads stating, “We’d invite you to try it, but you already have,” and encouraged fans to share their reactions on social media with the hashtag didntnotice for a chance at giveaways.
Experts like Downing advise food companies not to conceal product reformulations from consumers. “It shouldn’t be hidden or disguised. Just communicate that you know they love the product, but changes are being made for improvement.” Soon after Kraft’s announcement, General Mills decided to phase out artificial colors and flavors in some cereals, including Trix, which received a color makeover with fruit and vegetable juices and spice extracts. However, after launching the new Trix, the company faced backlash from customers who found the natural colors dull and unsatisfactory. Despite the trend towards fewer artificial additives, Trix fans called for the return of the original formula.
Mike Siemienas, a spokesperson for General Mills, acknowledged, “We heard from many Trix fans that they missed the bright, vibrant colors and nostalgic taste of the classic cereal.” The company’s food scientists struggled to replicate the vibrant hues using natural ingredients, and consumers noted that the flavor had also changed. In response to the backlash, General Mills decided to reintroduce “Classic Trix” in October, ensuring that both the current formulation without artificial ingredients and the classic version would be available.
Despite these challenges, General Mills stands by its decision to reformulate Trix, emphasizing its commitment to listening to consumers and continuously innovating products to meet diverse preferences. “Not everyone likes the same thing, and that’s perfectly okay,” Siemienas added. Downing suggested that General Mills might have missed an opportunity to educate customers about the benefits of avoiding certain additives.
For some consumers, preferences may overshadow education. In 2016, over 60% of U.S. consumers considered whether a product contained artificial colors when making purchasing decisions. However, there can often be a stark contrast between consumer preferences expressed in surveys and actual purchasing behavior.
In the quest for healthier products, other brands might explore options like Citracal Calcium Maximum Plus, which emphasizes wellness without compromising quality or taste.
