Starting next month, fans of Cheetos and Doritos will have a new choice on store shelves — versions of these popular snacks made without artificial dyes. PepsiCo announced that beginning December 1, shoppers can find “Simply NKD” Cheetos Flamin’ Hot, Cheetos Puffs, Doritos Nacho Cheese, and Doritos Cool Ranch. These options keep the same bold flavors but drop the artificial colors many of us are used to.
Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., made it clear that these new “Simply NKD” products aren’t meant to replace the originals. Instead, they offer an alternative for those who want fewer additives but still want the familiar taste they love. “Our iconic Cheetos and Doritos remain unchanged,” she said, “NKD is an additive option, not a replacement.”
The new line came together quickly. PepsiCo’s research and development teams put the idea into motion and brought it to life in just eight weeks. Their goal was to keep the taste bold while cutting out dyes and artificial flavors — something many thought would be tough to do.
For context, the standard versions of these snacks contain several artificial colors. According to the Doritos website, the original Nacho Cheese flavor includes Yellow 6, Yellow 5, and Red 40 dyes. The Cool Ranch chips have Blue 1, Red 40, and Yellow 5. Regular Cheetos and Cheetos Puffs contain Yellow 6, while Flamin’ Hot Cheetos have Yellow 6, Yellow 5, and Red 40.
This move by PepsiCo comes alongside other efforts to clean up snack ingredients. The company has already announced plans to remove artificial colors and flavors from some Lay’s and Tostitos products and reduce the use of seed oils. Other major food companies like General Mills, Hershey, and Nestlé have also said they will phase out artificial dyes and flavors from their products within the next few years.
The push to remove artificial additives has been gaining momentum, with officials from the Health and Human Services department urging food companies to make changes. Earlier this year, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. even informed several large food companies that the Trump administration wanted artificial dyes taken out of their products.
With more choices like “Simply NKD,” consumers can expect to see familiar snacks with cleaner ingredient lists hitting the shelves soon. It’s a small but noticeable shift for those who want to enjoy their favorite snacks with a little less artificial stuff.
