Overview
- Preorders are live now for Simply NKD snacks, which PepsiCo says will be priced the same as existing Doritos and Cheetos and arrive in stores on Dec. 1.
- The initial lineup includes Doritos Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch as well as Cheetos Puffs and Flamin' Hot.
- PepsiCo says the new versions remove artificial colors and flavors yet keep the original flavor intensity, with product images showing a pale yellow hue rather than the familiar bright orange.
- Ingredient lists have been shortened, with Simply NKD varieties omitting flavor enhancers such as disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, and the original products will continue to be sold.
- Coverage ties the move to federal and state pressure to curb synthetic dyes, as HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urges phaseouts, the FDA tracks potential child health links, Texas requires warning labels, and PepsiCo says about 40% of its U.S. portfolio still uses synthetic dyes.