PepsiCo has changed the recipe of its Doritos brand to make it crunchier and HFSS-compliant.
The reformulation has seen more corn added to the recipe, a slight change to the cooking process, and tweaks to the seasoning to provide a “better base to load with salsas and dips”.
The move will see the previous recipe replaced across the classic Doritos flavours – Cool Original, Tangy Cheese and Chilli Heatwave – bringing the entire Doritos range onto the thicker chip base that’s already used across its Dippers and Extra Flamin’ Hot products.
The modified recipe also reduces the amount of salt and fat by 24% and 15% respectively, ensuring the snack moves to a non-HFSS classification.
PepsiCo noted that during consumer testing, the overwhelming majority of Doritos fans gave the bolder crunch their approval.
The innovation was also made possible by the company’s recent £13m investment in its Coventry site, which has been the home of Doritos since the brand first launched in the UK 30 years ago. The investment has facilitated the replacement of a manufacturing line to enable changes to each stage of the production process – from corn washing and milling, to cutting and cooking – redesigned to make the crunchier, more substantial chips.
Robert Lowery, R&D Senior Director, UK Foods at PepsiCo, commented: “Our teams have spent years mastering the art of cooking up delicious tortilla chips and this recipe is the culmination of all their hard work to perfect the trademark Doritos crunch. Having received the seal of approval in consumer testing from some of Doritos most loyal fans as well as our expert panel of ‘supertasters’, we can’t wait for these Doritos to land on shelves across the UK, bringing fans bold flavour and even more crunch in every chip.”
The bolder crunch recipe has already launched in the Netherlands. In the UK, the product started landing on supermarket shelves this week and will be rolling out nationwide in the coming weeks.
NAM Implications:
- No one envies a company that feels the need to adjust any aspect of one of its iconic brands.
- But these changes have been carefully tested…
- …and are gradual modifications of the current formula in the Doritos range…
- …with the added benefit of additional freedom arising from HFSS compliance.
- As always, the ultimate test will be the repeat purchase rate.
- This is as good as you get in unprecedented times…
