Cheetos and Doritos are stripping down to their true colors as PepsiCo begins rolling out snack options without artificial dyes, part of a slate of new innovations catering to health-conscious consumers.
The dye-free versions of the popular snack brands will be available in retailers nationwide beginning Dec. 1 under a new line called Simply NKD. The snacks are completely colorless, but otherwise identical in taste to traditional Doritos and Cheetos.
“No color, no artificial flavors, same intensity — that’s Simply NKD," Hernán Tantardini, CMO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., said in a statement "We are reinventing our iconic — and most famous — brands to deliver options with the bold flavors fans know and love, now reimagined without any colors or artificial flavors."
The options are launching under a new extension of PepsiCo's Simply line, which is known for reimagining popular snack brands such as Tositos and Ruffles without artificial flavors and better-for-you ingredients. Doritos Simply NKD will be available in nacho cheese and Cool Ranch flavors, while the dye-free Cheetos will be offered in puffs and Flamin' Hot varieties.
Companies have faced pressure from consumers and the Trump administration’s movement to remove artificial dyes from products, with critics saying the synthetic colors add no nutritional value and could pose health risks. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has asked the food industry to phase out synthetic colors by the end of 2026, with some states going further by implementing outright bans or labeling restrictions.
However, some companies have been somewhat hesitant to make the switch because they know consumers respond more positively to the bright colors. Major food giants made commitments to remove synthetic colors around 10 years ago, only to backpedal after the products with natural dyes performed worse.
That's part of the reason PepsiCo hasn't committed a full phaseout of artificial dyes and is instead offering versions of core brands without the synthetic colors or containing better-for-you ingredients. The company is taking a similar approach to expand consumer choice among other brands, planning to launch Pepsi Prebiotic Cola and a lower-sugar Gatorade over the next two months.
Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., underscored that the NKD line is meant to be "an additive option, not a replacement."
“As part of our broader transformation, we are expanding choices while still protecting our iconic brands," she said. "More choices, same flavor, same brand power.”
