Kraft Heinz launches plant-based mac & cheese

Kraft Heinz is launching a plant-based Kraft Mac & Cheese as part of its joint venture with NotCo, the companies said. It’s the first plant-based offering for the popular brand in the U.S.

The joint venture Kraft Heinz established with NotCo in 2022 is wasting little time tapping into the expertise of each company to bring new products to market. Citing IRI data, Kraft Heinz and NotCo noted that the distribution of better-for-you mac and cheese products is outpacing the overall category by more than six times. Despite this growth, Numerator observed that fewer than 30% of plant-based mac and cheese buyers are repeating purchases due to taste and texture not hitting the spot. Kraft Heinz, which sells more than 1 million boxes of its signature Mac & Cheese with dairy each day, could be a big winner if its newest launch proves successful.

Kraft NotMac&Cheese sauce contains plant-based ingredients such as fava bean protein and coconut oil powder, according to The Kraft Heinz Not Company. It also has no artificial dyes and a similar taste, look and feel to dairy-based mac & cheese. It will be available in Original and White Cheddar flavors, with the products beginning to reach store shelves this week.

Mac & Cheese is the third innovation to launch in just over a year from The Kraft Heinz Not Company partnership. Previously, the two companies debuted plant-based versions of sliced cheese and mayonnaise.

Food Dive