Doritos and Cheetos debut ‘NKD’ options, without artificial colors or flavors

PepsiCo announced on Thursday that its Cheetos and Doritos brands will be offering “colorless” alternatives.

The company said in a press release that the new snack products will be made without artificial flavors or dyes, dubbing them as “Simply NKD.”

“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,” PepsiCo chief marketing officer Hernán Tantardini said in a statement. “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.”

The product launch comes amid pressure by federal regulators, including U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who say the government will phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the nation’s food supply products by the end of next year.

It also comes amid broader concerns from parents and some scientists that food dyes are harmful to children, a link the Food and Drug Administration says it is monitoring, but hasn’t established.

PepsiCo made no mention of the upcoming regulation or concerns over food dyes.

The Doritos and Cheetos snacks will not actually be colorless, according to images released by the company. Instead, their color will be a pale yellow, resembling corn chips.

PepsiCo said the Simply NKD products will be available in Doritos Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch flavors, and Cheetos Puffs and Flamin’ Hot flavors.

They can be pre-ordered immediately and will be in stores on Dec. 1, according to the company.

“If we can reinvent Doritos and Cheetos, imagine what’s next,” PepsiCo said.