Kraft Heinz's newest macaroni and cheese product resembles the brand's classic creamy comfort food but for one key difference: It doesn't contain cheese.
The food and beverage giant is rolling out "Kraft NotMac&Cheese," a vegan mac and cheese that uses a plant-based sauce, the company announced Wednesday. The dairy-free product will come in two flavors — original and white cheddar — and will cost $3.49 a box when it hits store shelves beginning this month.
Kraft Heinz partnered with TheNotCompany, a plant-based food technology company, to craft its vegan take on the pantry staple. The product's sauce is made from fava bean protein and coconut oil powder. It is Kraft Heinz's third non-dairy offering after its NotCheese Slices and NotMayo, which hit store shelves this year.
The new product comes as consumers increasingly embrace plant-based snacks and other seemingly healthier food alternatives. Sales of plant-foods rose to $8 billion in 2022, up 44.5% from three years ago, according to data from Plants Based Foods Association, a food trade group.
Worldwide, 42% of consumers believe most people will substitute plant-based foods for meat in the next decade, a 2022 survey from research firm GlobeScan and non-profit organization EAT shows.
According to a recent report by consumer insights firm Numerator, less than 30% of consumers who purchase dairy-free mac & cheese products are satisfied with the flavor and texture, leading to low repeat purchases.
Following this trend, other food companies are also entering the dairy-free market. Babybel, a popular cheese maker, announced plans to introduce a vegan version of its white cheddar cheese snack, while Philadelphia, a cream cheese maker, recently launched a nationwide plant-based version.
