If one were to list quintessential comfort foods, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese would likely be near the top. So would ice cream. And so Kraft Heinz’s internal marketing team, known as The Kitchen, took a very modern approach to showcasing these iconic foods: a partnership with ice cream maker Van Leeuwen to create ice cream that looks and tastes like the product in the iconic blue box.
The bright orange ice cream—which quickly sold out when it was first made available last summer and is currently on shelves at Walmart stores—is one of many unconventional product releases Kraft Heinz has done over the last few years.
During the initial sale of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese ice cream, the brand’s social engagement performance surpassed internal expectations by 300%. Considering the made-for-social-media nature of the product, this wasn’t necessarily a surprise — but they also rose 4% for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese itself.
The strategy shift that created the unconventional products is a part of a seismic change in Kraft Heinz’s operations and plans for growth.
Kraft Heinz may have some of the most storied brands in the food business, but they’re all competing for consumers’ eyes and attention on social media feeds. Instead of just wanting their products to stand out on shelves, Kraft Heinz’s messaging has to stand out among celebrity videos, funny memes, and eye-catching tweets.
Kraft Heinz has also changed the way it looks at its brands. While they are iconic options in the food industry, the company now has the mindset that they’re all challenger brands—a term for a smaller brand that is trying to disrupt an existing space. With so many more messages to disrupt in today’s information-heavy society, the term “challenger” takes on a new definition, but the products are all still trying to earn their spot in the hearts of today’s consumers.