07 Apr 2025 US: Goodles takes on Big Food’s mac ‘n cheese

Macaroni and cheese is an iconic supermarket staple in the US, a massive brand for Kraft. Here’s news of an upstart brand that’s been shifting things….

In the US, approximately one million boxes of Kraft’s macaroni and cheese are sold daily. In 1989, Annie’s, a brand owned by General Mills, emerged as the only significant competitor to Kraft, yet it still holds only 10.3% of the US market share.

Recognising an opportunity for innovation in this category, Jen Zeszut, a serial entrepreneur based in Santa Cruz and the founder of Goodles, saw her opportunity in the lack of innovation in the nutritional aspects of mac ‘n cheese, especially given that it is a $5.4-billion market.

Goodles mac ‘n cheese is made from a blend of high-fibre wheat flour, chickpea flour, and wheat gluten, targeting health-conscious consumers.

It boasts a lower glycemic index, contains 60% more protein, and offers three times the fibre of traditional mac ‘n cheese, allowing it to meet the criteria for a “high in fibre” label.

Additionally, the wheat fibre included in the product provides prebiotic benefits, and the recipe is enriched with 21 nutrients sourced from organic vegetables.

Launched in 2022, Goodles quickly gained popularity, selling out within three weeks of its debut. By the end of its first year, the brand was available in 30,000 stores and accounted for 2.6% of sales in the category.

It is now found in major retailers such as Whole Foods, Target, and Walmart, where it is significantly impacting Kraft’s market dominance by selling at a rate ten times faster than the average for the category, according to a case study in New Nutrition Business.

A different game

Zeszut knew she couldn’t beat giant kiddie brands like Kraft or Annie’s at their own game. “We can’t outspend them, we can’t out-coupon them, we can’t out-slotting-fee them,” she says on Inc’s From the Ground Up podcast. “We can’t rent cuter kids than they’re renting for their commercials.”

So Zeszut decided to play an entirely different game. With its bright pink packaging and trendy fonts, Goodles aims to attract young adults, rather than kids. This marketing strategy has clearly made the Santa Cruz, California-based brand stand out to consumers. Goodles tripled its sales in 2023 and doubled them in 2024, according to the brand.

Zeszut says this strategy is also “the reason that the retailers have really rolled out the red carpet for her company.”

Retailers, Zeszut explains, are “pretty partial” to the steady revenue they get from incumbent brands — Kraft and Annie’s — and they don’t want to lose it. But because Goodles targets young adults instead of kids, it doesn’t cut into the market share of these brands. Translation: Goodles is extra revenue for retailers.

“We’re a win-win-win,” Zeszut says.

Young adults aren’t Goodles’ only customers, though. Its better-for-you mac ‘n cheese product has gained traction with several niche communities, including people on the autism spectrum who dislike the texture of most other sources of protein.

Zeszut, who has two children on the spectrum, says, “It’s one of the most surprising and rewarding parts of all of this.”

Want to learn more about Zeszut and Goodles? Listen to this From the Ground Up podcast …. [48 mins]

Source: Inc.com, New Nutrition Business, Goodles