On Wednesday, Kraft announced three new flavors that will be added to its well-known Kraft Singles cheese product.
The company, alternatively known as Kraft Heinz, per Food and Wine, said the new cheese flavors will be:
- Jalapeño.
- Garlic & Herb.
- Caramelized Onion.
As reported by Food Dive, this year will be the first time Kraft adds unique flavors to its lineup since the release of the flavors pepper jack and sharp cheddar in 2017.
The processed cheese slices, according to Today, will be available to buy from retailers nationwide in 16-slice packages.
What Heinz has stated about the new flavors
Kraft, the multinational food brand, stated to Food and Wine, “As the top-selling sandwich cheese brand, with one in four American households having Kraft Singles in their refrigerator, fans of the iconic brand can now expand their taste buds with these new additions to the Kraft Singles portfolio.”
The company said the new flavors will fill a gap in the market.
“With 67% of US cheese consumers eager to try new foods, and a 20% surge in sales observed for flavored cheese slices, the introduction of these new offerings effectively addresses the existing gap in the market,” Kraft said, per Foodbeast.
The flavors, as reported by Food and Wine, were gathered and assessed by Kraft researchers and determined to be appetizing, in-demand flavors.
A spokesperson for the brand shared, “These additions address a current gap in the market, by transforming ordinary sandwiches into culinary delights and solidifying Kraft Singles at the forefront of American cheese innovation.”
Are Kraft Singles actually cheese?
Processed cheese slices — colloquially referred to as American cheese — are legally labeled as not being cheese, per Mental Floss.
To clarify, Kraft Singles are made with an assortment of ingredients, and the ingredients in one slice make up under 51% of actual cheese, causing the product to be classified as not an actual cheese.
Legally, according to The Takeout, Kraft Singles are referred to as a “pasteurized prepared cheese product,” meaning that the slices are made from ingredients such as whey, milk proteins and, especially, an emulsifying agent, the latter of which makes the cheese feel smooth.
Products recently launched by Kraft
Kraft has not shied away from adding to its long list of products in recent months.
According to Food and Wine, the company last October released a macaroni and cheese flavored ice cream in a partnership with Van Leeuwen. The oddly flavored ice cream — although currently not available — is returning to store shelves for a limited run this year.
And in November, the company launched a plant-based version of their recognizable macaroni and cheese product, titled “NotMac&Cheese,” per Food and Wine.