Kraft Cheddar Cheese powder was a popular packaged cheese product sold by Kraft Foods for decades. The bright orange powder, when mixed with milk, produced a creamy, tangy cheese sauce perfect for macaroni and cheese, vegetables, nachos, and more. However, in 2016, Kraft suddenly discontinued their classic Cheddar Cheese powder, to the dismay of many longtime fans. So what happened to this iconic cheese powder, and why did Kraft get rid of it?
History of Kraft Cheddar Cheese Powder
Kraft introduced their boxed macaroni and cheese product in 1937, which included a packet of Cheddar Cheese powder to mix into cooked macaroni. This allowed easy, fast preparation of mac and cheese at home. The tangy, vibrant orange cheese powder became synonymous with Kraft mac and cheese over the years.
Kraft also began selling just the cheese powder on its own, without the pasta, for consumers to use for nachos, vegetables, casseroles, and any other recipes requiring cheese flavoring. It was sold in canisters in the spice aisle of grocery stores. The bright orange powder offered the tangy cheddar cheese taste that could quickly elevate dishes.
Generations of Americans grew up with Kraft mac and cheese made using the signature Cheddar Cheese powder. The product was also very popular in Canada, Mexico, and some European countries. It became a staple pantry item and comfort food in many households.
Discontinuation of Kraft Cheddar Cheese Powder
In early 2016, Kraft quietly began phasing out the original Cheddar Cheese powder sold in canisters. They removed it from store shelves, and the product page disappeared from Kraft’s website.
The company gave no official notice to customers regarding its discontinuation. The sudden absence of the iconic cheese powder from grocery stores left many shoppers confused and disappointed.
Online forums and social media channels soon filled up with speculation and debate about why it disappeared. Kraft finally responded to the public outcry in April 2016 by confirming that the original Cheddar Cheese powder had been discontinued.
Reasons for Discontinuation
Declining Sales
According to Kraft, sales of the Cheddar Cheese powder had been steadily declining prior to 2016. This was likely due to several factors:
– Greater consumer interest in fresh, natural, and organic foods. Kraft’s highly processed cheese powder containing artificial colors and preservatives did not fit this healthier image.
– More specialty cheese options available. Grocery stores expanded cheese selections, including a wide variety of pre-shredded, pre-crumbled, and individually packaged cheeses. This provided convenient cheese alternatives compared to the powder.
– Changing recipes and food tastes. Some consumers turned to making homemade cheese sauces and dishes calling for fresh cheeses rather than powered cheese flavorings.
– Nostalgia factor diminished over time. While baby boomers may have fond memories of Kraft mac and cheese with the classic powder, younger generations did not have the same attachments.
With steady sales decreases year over year, Kraft decided to pull the plug on the decades-old Cheedar Cheese powder.
Inability to Compete with Other Brands
Although Kraft was the original brand associated with powdered cheese sauce, many other companies had begun producing similar products that competed with Kraft’s dominance in the market. These imitation cheese powders were often cheaper and eaten up more and more of Kraft’s market share.
Major grocery store chains released their own generic versions of cheese powder that undercut Kraft on price. Annie’s launched packaged organic mac and cheese that appealed to parents looking for healthier options. Other food brands also created cheese powders for retail sale and bulk use in manufacturing.
Kraft found itself fighting an uphill battle to differentiate and promote its Cheddar Cheese powder amidst all this competition. Discontinuing the product allowed them to shift focus to other goods instead.
Changing Company Priorities and Brand Image
The iconic Cheddar Cheese powder had a highly processed, artificial image that Kraft wanted to move away from. They aimed to meet consumer demand for more natural, healthy foods in line with improving nutrition standards.
Kraft reformulated many of their products, including removing artificial colors, preservatives, and synthetic ingredients. They emphasized “nutritional progress” in their corporate messaging. Mac and cheese using natural coloring and real milk was launched under the Kraft brand. The company also expanded into natural and organic brands like Boca Foods meat substitutes.
The decades-old cheese powder simply did not fit Kraft’s evolved priorities and brand identity. Letting the product fade away enabled them to direct innovation and marketing dollars elsewhere.
Customer Reactions to the Discontinuation
Many Kraft cheese powder aficionados were blindsided when their beloved product disappeared abruptly from store shelves. They took to social media to express their sorrow, disappointment, and frustration.
On Twitter, Facebook, food blogs, and forums, devotees lamented the loss of the cheese powder. They shared memories of making cheesy sauces, mac and cheese, and nachos with it over the years. Some fans started petitions and letter writing campaigns pleading for Kraft to bring the powder back.
However, Kraft stated that the production equipment used to make the powder had been decommissioned. Resurrecting it would be too costly. They had no plans to continue manufacturing the original formulation.
As an alternative, Kraft pointed consumers towards shelf-stable products like Velveeta and Cheez Whiz, and Kraft Deluxe macaroni and cheese, which more closely matched their current brand. But for many longtime fans, these options just weren’t the same.
Trying to Find Replacements
Diehard Kraft powder enthusiasts weren’t ready to give it up. Online discussions popped up about how to try and replace the now unavailable cheese powder at home.
Some attempted to mix powdered cheddar cheese bought from restaurant suppliers with extra orange coloring to mimic the vibrant hue. Others tried combining pure cheddar powder with cheese powders in the orange “nacho cheese” flavor.
Making a homemade version from aged cheddar, milk powder, salt, and spices was a common experiment. But none of the homemade efforts to replicate that nostalgic Kraft powder flavor seemed to satisfy.
For a few years after the discontinuation, limited old stock of the Cheddar Cheese powder still popped up at some specialty retailers or on eBay and Amazon for inflated prices. But once that supply was gone, access ended.
The Future of Cheese Powder
Despite Kraft abandoning the original powder that dominated the market for years, cheese powders remain popular. Many brands continue producing versions for both retail and industrial uses.
Companies making cheese powder include:
- Annie’s – Organic cheese powders for macaroni and cheese
- Kerry Ingredients – Cheddar and other cheese powders for snacks
- Lactosan – Bulk cheese powders for food manufacturing
- Hoosier Hill Farm – Cheddar cheese powder for consumers
- Frontier Co-op – Organic cheddar and cheese blends
Cheese powders flavor everything from popcorn, chips, and puffed snacks to crackers, soups, instant meals, cereals, veggie mixes, and vegan alternatives. Food manufacturers utilize huge volumes of cheese powders as ingredients.
Consumers can buy cheese powders from mainstream and specialty brands to use at home. Interest in more natural options has led to growth in organic cheese powders. Those allow homemade dishes to have cheesy flavor without artificial additives.
However, none seem to fully replace beloved Kraft Cheddar Cheese powder for those who grew up with its signature taste. The loss of such a nostalgic product left a void that even innovative new cheese powders cannot seem to fill.
So for now, Kraft cheese powder remains an icon of the past. It created bright orange, cheesy memories for many, even as food trends and business decisions marched on. The discontinued powder is locked in time, crumbled up and sprinkled away for good.
Conclusion
Kraft Cheddar Cheese powder had a long run as a staple in kitchens across multiple generations. But by 2016, declining sales, stiff market competition, and a disconnect from Kraft’s desired brand image prompted its discontinuation.
Devoted fans were upset by its abrupt absence from store shelves, and unsuccessful in replicating the nostalgic cheese powder at home. However, cheese powder remains a key food industry ingredient, as new brands fill the void left by the classic Kraft version.
Though it met its demise as tastes changed, Kraft cheese powder remains an iconic product. For those who grew up mixing it into mac and cheese or nachos, its tangy orange flavor will always stir up cheesy memories. The discontinued powder serves as a reminder that even the most beloved brands and ingredients eventually relinquish to the inevitable march of changing consumer demands and business decisions.