Hot Cheetos are a popular snack, especially among Millennials and Gen Z. The zesty blend of cheesiness and spice evokes nostalgia. Besides the flavor, its iconic red dust stubbornly clinging to one’s fingers is the most notable.
On Nov. 13, PepsiCo introduced a reinvented version of the classic snack after 8 weeks of development. Needless to say, not everyone in this woman’s comments section was on board when she unveiled them.
While standing in her kitchen, TikTok creator Jenny (@allthingsjenny) dumps half a bag of the new Hot Cheetos onto a paper plate. Although these cheesepuffs have the same curved, oblong shape, they lack the signature bright red color. Then, she plucks a colorless cheese puff from the bunch for a closer look and tosses it back. Afterward, the content creator pans the camera to show the pile from different angles. “Imagine eating Hot Cheetos, and they’re this color,” she writes in the text overlay.
“New SIMPLY NKD Hot Cheetos. Same great taste and crunch without the dyes?” she captions the clip.
What did viewers say?
Jenny’s video has amassed 3.6 million views since Nov. 22, earning mixed opinions from viewers. Most found the Naked Hot Cheetos unappetizing, their appearance curdling their taste buds.
“I refuse to believe those have flavor,” the top comment with over 56,000 likes remarked.
“Not getting a DIME outta me for some STALE LOOKING CHIPS bro and Idc of they taste the same tbh. I want the reddd sauce on my fingers man,” another stated.
“It just looks like baby food now,” a third wrote, comparing it to Gerber’s Lil Crunchies Puffs.
However, some found the reinvented chips appealing.
“Ngl they still look good,” one commenter said.
“I’m excited for it. Y’all can hate all you guys want,” a second echoed.
What are Naked Hot Cheetos?
In a bid to create a bolder, healthier option, PepsiCo launched revamped versions of Cheetos, Flamin’ Hot, Doritos Nacho Cheese, and Doritos Cool Ranch under the Simply NKD brand. Unlike the original, these are stripped of the artificial dyes and flavors. On the other hand, the taste remains the same, according to a press release.
“No color, no artificial flavors, same intensity — that’s Simply NKD. Doritos and Cheetos are pioneering a snacking revolution, or a renaissance, if you will,” Chief Marketing Officer Hernán Tantardini of PepsiCo Foods U.S. stated. “We are reinventing our iconic — and most famous — brands to deliver options with the bold flavors fans know and love, now reimagined without any colors or artificial flavors.”
This marks the start of the company as it continues its plan to phase out artificial colors and dyes from its products, replacing them with natural alternatives.
Simply NKD will hit stores on December 1 and is available for pre-order.
@allthingsjenny New SIMPLY NKD Hot Cheetos Same great taste and crunch without the dyes? @Chester Cheetah #nkd ♬ Let's Get It On – Marvin Gaye
The Mary Sue reached out to Jenny via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment as well as PepsiCo via press email.
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