PepsiCo to Launch 'Simply NKD' Cheetos and Doritos Without Artificial Colors — Lighter-Looking Chips Arrive Dec. 1

PepsiCo introduces color-free versions of beloved snacks

PepsiCo announced it will roll out a new Simply NKD line of Doritos and Cheetos that contain no artificial colors. The lineup — which includes familiar flavors such as Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and Cool Ranch Doritos — is scheduled to hit stores on December 1. The company says the snacks will taste like the originals but will appear paler because they rely on natural colorings instead of petroleum-based synthetic dyes.

What's changing

PepsiCo says the Simply NKD products will be sold at the same price as the existing items, which will remain available on shelves. About 40% of PepsiCo’s U.S. product portfolio currently contains synthetic dyes, the company said, and the new line is part of an industrywide shift toward natural color alternatives.

Regulatory push and industry response

The move follows an April announcement by the Trump administration seeking to remove petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the food supply by the end of next year. Around the same time, the Food and Drug Administration granted petitions for three new color additives derived from natural sources, a development that could ease reformulation for large food makers.

"For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent," said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the architect of the administration’s "Make American Healthy Again" initiative. "These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development."

Several major companies have already committed to changes. In June, Kraft Heinz — maker of Jell-O, Kool-Aid and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese — said it would eliminate chemical dyes by the end of 2027. By July, roughly 40 leading ice cream producers pledged to phase out synthetic dyes.

Candy makers urge caution

The candy sector, known for bright brands such as M&Ms and Skittles, has been more cautious. Christopher Gindlesperger, a spokesman for the National Confectioners Association, told The New York Times that manufacturers are following regulatory guidance and need time to secure sufficient supplies of natural colors and complete reformulations.

"Supplies of natural colors are limited, and the work to switch over and validate new formulations could raise costs," Gindlesperger said, warning that price pressures or supply constraints could affect the industry as it adapts.

What to expect

For shoppers, the most visible change will be color: familiar snacks may look paler even if they taste the same. For the industry, the shift signals a broader move toward naturally derived ingredients and a potential reshaping of supply chains for food colorants.