• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, September 20, 2024

Annie’s Mac & Cheese is rolling out a brand renovation, debuting Now Cheesier Mac & Cheese as part of its “Promise for Better” campaign. As consumers continue to wrestle with balancing rising food costs with demand for organic, the General Mills-owned brand says the decision to inject more real cheese into both the Shells & White Cheddar and Shells & Real Aged Cheddar – and then introduce it with a TikTok challenge – is part of keeping up with young moms. Shannon Heine, Annie's brand experience manager, tells CPG Insider about the effort.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

CPG Insider: What was the big idea behind the push for more cheese?

Shannon Heine: Annie's is always looking to improve our products, and part of what makes Annie so delicious is the real cheesy goodness. Families choose Annie's because of those quality ingredients and have for 30 years. “Cheesier” is just the latest example, and it fits into our “Promise for Better” campaign. It’s built on three promises based on shared family values – goodness, yumminess and kindness. Goodness means purposeful ingredients, which we are picky about, like real cheese and organic pasta. Yumminess has always meant that we don’t sacrifice taste, no matter what kind of eater you have at home.

Kindness comes through in our mission to advance organic agriculture and how the food we make impacts the future of the planet and the people on it.

CPG Insider: People are also focused on food costs, and center-aisle decisions are where they are making different choices, often trading down to store brands. What are Annie’s customers thinking about value these days?

Heine: Consumers are looking for a holistic value proposition, and that's what Annie's is all about. It's not just about the food. It's about the whole picture of how we make the food, the ingredients we use, the fun shell shapes and the flavors we offer. The breadth of the portfolio means we aren’t just for one occasion.

CPG Insider: Explain how the “Say (Extra) Cheese” effect works and why you chose TikTok.

Heine: We know our customer is on TikTok, and our focus is on families with young kids – that’s always been the sweet spot for Annie's. Social media is their primary media, and we thought partnering with TikTok for this branded effect would be a fun way to introduce the new recipe and engage with consumers differently. They show us their cheesiest smile, and the effect adds to the bunny ears. (That bunny is in our “Bunny of Approval” logo. We call him Bernie.)

We had decided to give away 20,000 boxes for free to the first people who participated, and we blew through those in less than 24 hours. We had expected it to last for weeks. We’ve updated it, and now consumers can get a link to a coupon.

CPG Insider: Where else is the campaign running?

Heine: It is a fully integrated campaign. So TikTok is where we have our branded effect. We started teasing the new recipe on social earlier this month and have been partnering with influencers across social media. There’s also paid media.

CPG Insider: Are you expecting to use any of this content in future ads?

Heine: There's always that possibility. We see a ton of organic brand love on social media, and that's a part of our digital strategy. We’re looking for ways to fuel that love and showcase fans enjoying the products.

CPG Insider: I’m curious about who you see as your main competitors. Is it Kraft Mac & Cheese? Is someone occasionally making mac & cheese from scratch? Or frozen pizza and other “dinner in a hurry” solutions?

Heine: We are always looking at share of mind and share of stomach for parents. There are pain points in feeding your family every day and wanting a go-to option that doesn't require any negotiating. Annie’s always results in smiles and fun, so those brands – wherever they are in the grocery store and whatever type of food – are what we compete with.