A Krafty plan

US – Kraft Heinz has gone public with an ingredient change for its macaroni and cheese recipe, which it has been secretly trialling since December 2015.

• Food brand created ‘biggest blind taste test in history’
• New recipe contains no artificial flavours, preservatives or dyes

On 7 March the food brand officially launched its new macaroni and cheese recipe with an advertising campaign entitled It’s Changed. But It Hasn’t. The new recipe is a move to a healthier strategy, as it now contains no artificial flavours, preservatives or dyes. The company deliberately deceived its audience in what it calls the ‘biggest blind taste test ever’ to create a true marker of whether introducing the new recipe affected the flavour.

After the change, Kraft Heinz did not publicise the new recipe except for listing the ingredients on the reverse of the box. Then it monitored the brand’s social media feeds and sales figures to make sure that there was no customer outcry. After a number of weeks, all remained quiet and people continued to buy the product as usual. Kraft Heinz had got away with the ruse, and America was healthier for it.