AP – Kraft macaroni and… fava beans?
The Kraft Heinz Co said on Wednesday it’s bringing dairy-free macaroni and cheese to the United States (US) for the first time. The company said the new recipe has the same creamy texture and flavour of its beloved 85-year-old original Mac & Cheese but replaces dairy with ingredients like fava bean protein and coconut oil powder.
The plant-based Kraft NotMac&Cheese, which will be rolled out to US stores over the next few months, was developed in collaboration with Not Co, a Chicago startup that makes plant-based milk, burgers and other products.
Kraft Heinz, which is based in Pittsburgh and Chicago, formed a joint venture with Not Co last year. The joint venture, called The Kraft Heinz Not Co, has already released non-dairy cheese slices and mayonnaise in the US. It plans to add more products and begin international distribution next year.
Kraft Heinz began selling vegan macaroni and cheese in Australia in 2021, but this will be the first time it’s been sold in the US.
Kraft Heinz Not Co CEO Lucho Lopez-May said sales of plant-based macaroni and cheese products are outpacing the overall category. But less than 30 per cent of buyers purchase the products a second time, citing disappointing taste and texture.
