At PepsiCo, innovation isn’t just a buzzword — it’s in our DNA. Today marks one of our boldest breakthroughs yet with the launch of Simply NKD™, a reinvention of beloved Doritos® and Cheetos® flavors made with no artificial flavors, no dyes, and absolutely no color.
"Rest assured, our iconic Cheetos and Doritos remain unchanged. NKD is an additive option, not a replacement, introduced to meet consumer demand," says Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S. “This move underscores our commitment to flavor leadership — proving our taste stays strong even without visual cues. More choices, same flavor, same brand power.”
It all began with one bold question: What if we stripped our most iconic snacks down to their essentials?
Doritos has always been daring. Cheetos, always mischievous. Simply NKD™ pushes that DNA even further, delivering the same craveable flavors fans love — now with nothing unnecessary added.
In just eight weeks, PepsiCo’s world-class R&D teams sprinted from idea to execution, achieving what many thought impossible: big, bold, best-in-class flavor with no color and no artificial ingredients.
The result? Same crunch. Same flavor. Same joy. Zero color.
“No color, no artificial flavors, same intensity — that’s Simply NKD,” says Hernán Tantardini, CMO of PepsiCo Foods U.S. “We’re reinventing our most iconic brands to give fans the bold flavors they love, reimagined with clean simplicity.”
Credit: Brielle Patton, D3 Studio
What’s Going NKD?
The debut Simply NKD™ lineup includes:
- Doritos® Simply NKD™ Nacho Cheese
- Doritos® Simply NKD™ Cool Ranch®
- Cheetos® Simply NKD™ Puffs
- Cheetos® Simply NKD™ Flamin’ Hot®