The Real Reason Kraft Macaroni And Cheese Changed Its Name

Like most enormous brands, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese has seen its fair share of scandals and controversies over the years. For example, what was supposed to be a whimsical campaign that encouraged people to "send noods" to friends and family went horribly awry when outraged customers accused Kraft of "sexualizing mac and cheese." For the record, the company only meant for people to send boxes of their noodles, not actual photos of people, Marketing Dive reports. Still, some customers found the campaign controversial and in poor taste for a supposedly family-friendly company, hence the uproar.

Then, of course, there's the whole controversy about processed foods in general not being healthy, especially for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese's exceptionally young fan base. In fact, the brand has been sued in the past for the alleged presence of chemicals that are linked to hormone interference, asthma, obesity, and allergies (per Eat This, Not That!).

All that said, there's little doubt that Kraft Macaroni and Cheese still has a pretty sizable audience of loyal customers. Now, the product is undergoing a rebrand in order to cement its place in their hearts, and hopefully win back a few former customers, as well.

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is taking a subtle route in its rebrand, as the product line will now be known as Kraft Mac & Cheese. This small, but impactful change, "is meant to reflect the way fans organically talk about the brand," per a company press release. Because really, does anyone ever say the full word "macaroni?"

The name change will also come with fresh packaging, set to hit grocery aisles everywhere in August, CNN says. The packaging will feature tweaked typography and an updated logo, as well as the iconic "noodle smile," which the company describes as "the brand's most recognizable asset." The box will now also only have a "single-color hue of blue," meant to make the noodle smile really pop.

All of these efforts are meant to reinforce Kraft Mac & Cheese's status as a beloved comfort food. Indeed, the press release says that the products will now "embody what positive comfort looks like." And if you're interested, here's how Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is really made.