Kraft Heinz unveils plant-based ‘Mac & Cheese’

A beloved Kraft Heinz product is getting plant-based versions. 

The food company revealed Wednesday that its boxed Kraft macaroni and cheese product will now have vegan Original and White Cheddar flavors offered as “Kraft NotMac & Cheese.” The two plant-based versions, created through an ongoing joint venture with TheNotCompany, is slated to soon start becoming available in the U.S. market, according to Kraft Heinz.

In a statement, The Kraft Heinz Not Company CEO Lucho Lopez-May said they were “offering the creamy and comforting experience KRAFT Mac & Cheese fans have loved for over 85 years – without the dairy.” Instead, it features coconut oil powder and fava bean protein, according to reports.

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“Kraft NotMac & Cheese” marked the first time it has offered a plant-based iteration of the product, the company said. 

It has long said people buy over 1 million boxes of its Kraft Mac & Cheese on a daily basis. 

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The plant-based macaroni and cheese also represented the “latest example of Kraft Heinz’s portfolio expansion in support of its ambition to increase plant-based offerings across a wider range of brands and categories,” the food giant said.

The Kraft Heinz Not Company joint venture dates back to February of last year, when the two companies first unveiled the collaboration they said aimed to “reimagine global food production and advance toward a more sustainable future” as well as to build on increased interest in plant-based foods. Together, the companies have already put out Kraft NotCheese Slices and NotMayo.

Under the collaboration, they intend to enter “several more categories.” Kraft Heinz said. Next year they also want to launch in international markets. 

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At the beginning of the month, Kraft Heinz said it saw third-quarter net sales of $6.57 billion and a profit of $262 million. For the former metric, it represented a roughly 1% year-over-year increase, while the latter showed a decrease of 39%.