By james art NEW YORK — Goldfish crackers are synonymous with hungry kids, but the company is betting that a sophisticated name change can expand that audience.
Snack brand Pepperidge Farm is changing its name for a limited time to “Chilean Sea Bass,” an older title, the Campbell Company announced Wednesday. It’s part of a strategy to appeal to adults and restore its relevance amid a broader decline in snacking since the peak of the pandemic.
Despite the rebranding as a popular seafood menu item, the recipe and appearance of the snack is unchanged. Goldfish explained in a press release that the “much older” name is to “reinforce that Goldfish crackers aren’t just for kids,” pointing to the growth of trends popularized by Gen Z and Millennials on TikTok, such as having “girls’ nights out.” .
“We know goldfish are a lunchbox icon, but the truth is they’re loved by snack lovers of all ages. So, as a playful reminder, we’ve gone ahead and given our iconic cheddar cracker a new, fun, grown-up name,” Daniel Brown, vice president of Goldfish, told CNN.
But the Chilean sea bass snacks won’t be hitting shelves: The branded bags are only being sold online starting Wednesday, and for one week only. Goldfish reminds people that the traditional brand pouches are still available, “now and always,” at retailers nationwide.
In fact, the name change is a nod to his roots. Pepperidge Farm launched Goldfish in the United States in 1962, initially aimed at adults as a snack. Since the 1990s, however, Goldfish has been marketed as a snack for children, with catchy packaging.
The gimmick is an easy way to remind customers that goldfish exist amid growing competition from upstarts, according to Nate Rosen, founder of Express Checkout, a newsletter that tracks trends in consumer packaged goods.
“With so many new brands creating modern-looking, better-for-you versions of consumers’ childhood favorite snacks, I think it’s a clear indication that they need to be reminded of their favorite classics that inspired these copycats ” he told CNN.
Far from faltering
In recent years, Goldfish has grown beyond its flagship crackers as part of Campbell Company’s drive to turn it into a $1 billion brand that isn’t just known for its soup.
Last year, the company invested $160 million in a Pepperidge Farm factory that increased production of the fish-shaped cracker to meet growing consumer demand. Upon completion later this year, the Utah facility will be able to produce more than 5 million goldfish per hour, or 1,500 every second.
Goldfish capitalizes on its well-known name with more adult-soothing varieties, including a potato chip version called Crisps, spicier flavors including Old Bay and Frank’s RedHot sauce, and a larger brand called Mega Bites.
That helped Campbell’s snack sales grow 13 percent last year, even as other legacy food companies seek to gain a larger share of the snack market, valued at more than $200 billion, according to market research firm Circana .
Although snacks have waned since the boom caused by the pandemic, they still remain popular for cash-strapped adults. “There’s this broader consumer behavior around the idea of ’allowable indulgence,’ where adults allow themselves to indulge in nostalgic or fun treats,” Rosen told CNN, making Goldfish an ideal candidate for this trend.