American food manufacturing giant PepsiCo announced Thursday that their brands Cheetos and Doritos will soon offer alternative snacking options that lack artificial flavors and dyes.
The new choices, dubbed “Simply NKD,” will be “completely colorless” and without any dyes or artificial flavors, according to a PepsiCo news release. The rollout comes following White House efforts and pressure against ultra-processed foods (UPF) in America, a core part of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his nationwide Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) campaign.
“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 Foods U.S. Chief Marketing Officer Hernán Tantardini said. (RELATED: RFK Jr. Meets With Food Company CEOs, Calls For Removal Of Food Dyes)
“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,” Tantardini added.
Hear ye, hear ye! Introducing Doritos and Cheetos SIMPLY NKD, now made with no dyes or artificial flavors. Available for pre-order now. pic.twitter.com/V3ljWcZJgv
— Doritos (@Doritos) November 13, 2025
PepsiCo Foods US CEO Rachel Ferdinando assured customers both brands will continue to offer their original products.
“Rest assured, our iconic Cheetos and Doritos remain unchanged. NKD is an additive option, not a replacement, introduced to meet consumer demand,” Ferdinando said. “As part of our broader transformation, we are expanding choices while still protecting our iconic brands. More choices, same flavor, same brand power.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Vast Majority Of Americans Support National MAHA-Backed Food Labeling, Poll Finds)
The Simply NKD Doritos and Cheetos feature Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch for Doritos and Puffs and Flamin’ Hot offerings for Cheetos. Simply NKD snacks will appear on store shelves starting Dec. 1, though they are available for pre-order.
Kennedy has spoken out against UPFs featuring food dyes and additives. The MAHA Commission, an intergovernmental agency initiative aimed at diving into the roots of the chronic health epidemic in the U.S., released a report highlighting UPFs back in May.
“Most American children’s diets are dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs) high in added sugars, chemical additives, and saturated fats, while lacking sufficient intakes of fruits and vegetables,” the report said.