The company is also cutting 55 million pounds of sugar from its products
of ConsumerAffairsJune 17, 2025
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Kraft Heinz will eliminate artificial FD&C colors from all U.S. products by the end of 2027, halting new product launches containing them effective immediately
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The company has introduced a 3Rs strategyremoving, replacing, or reinventing colorsto transition away from synthetic dyes while maintaining product quality and consumer satisfaction.
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As part of a broader health initiative, Kraft Heinz is also reformulating recipes to boost nutrition, aiming to cut 55 million pounds of sugar
Kraft Heinz, one of Americas largest food and condiments companies, has announced a new commitment to cleaner ingredients and consumer-focused innovation. It plans to immediately stop all new U.S. product launches containing artificial Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) colors. It has also pledged to completely eliminate them from its U.S. portfolio by the end of 2027.
The company sasid that nearly 90% of its current U.S. product portfolio, measured by net sales, is already free of FD&C colors, a category of synthetic dyes approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration but often scrutinized by health-conscious consumers.
To address the remaining products, Kraft Heinz has deployed a specialized team and adopted a 3Rs strategy:
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Removing artificial colors where they are not essential to the consumer experience
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Replacing FD&C colors with naturally derived alternatives
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Reinventing colors and shades where natural substitutes are unavailable
Natural, or no colors
The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and weve been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colors across the remainder of our portfolio, said Pedro Navio, President of North America at Kraft Heinz. In fact, we removed artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors from our beloved Kraft Mac & Cheese back in 2016.
Navio also noted that iconic products like Heinz Tomato Ketchup have always relied on natural color from California-grown tomatoes.
Kraft Heinz said it is not only updating its own product lines but is also urging its brand licensees to eliminate FD&C colors from their products. This push reinforces the companys broader strategy to ensure consistency and quality across all items bearing its brand. It also puts it in line with initiatives by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Commitment to transparency and nutrition
In addition to ingredient transparency, Kraft Heinz said it will prioritize nutritional enhancements across its product range. Since launching a sweeping reformulation initiative, the company said it has revised over 1,000 product recipes, adding more protein and fiber while reducing sugar, salt, and saturated fat.
As part of this effort, Kraft Heinz said it expects to cut nearly 55 million pounds of sugar from its portfolio by the end of 2025.
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