Jell-O is jiggling its way toward more natural ingredients

Jell-O Simply is a pre-made gelatin line made without synthetic colors or artificial sweeteners. The products use fruit juice for flavor and vegetable juice, fruit juice, and a turmeric-root extract for coloring. The line is available in orange, raspberry lemonade, and blueberry, and contains at least 25% less sugar than the regular version. Kraft Heinz plans to expand the brand in August with vanilla and chocolate instant pudding and banana and strawberry gelatin mixes. Consumer demand for natural ingredients and lower sugar is contributing to declines in pre-made gelatin sales. Regulatory pressure includes FDA action banning Red 3 and later calls to phase out other petroleum-based artificial colors, while retailers also push for removal of synthetic colors.

"Kraft Heinz Co. on Tuesday unveiled Jell-O Simply, a line of pre-made gelatin that the company said is made with fruit juice and has at least 25% less sugar than the regular version. The ready-to-eat range now available in stores comes in three flavors -- orange, raspberry lemonade and blueberry. Kathryn O'Brien, Kraft Heinz's head of marketing for desserts, said the products are colored using vegetable juice, fruit juice and an extract derived from turmeric roots."

"Kraft Heinz said it would expand the Jell-O Simply brand in August to include vanilla and chocolate instant pudding and banana and strawberry gelatin mixes, part of the food and beverage company's broader transition to natural ingredients. Consumers are actively looking for foods with natural ingredients and less sugar, Kraft Heinz said Tuesday. That has taken a toll on products with artificial colors and flavors like Jell-O."

"Industrywide sales of pre-made gelatin have fallen 21% over the last four years, while unit sales of gelatin mix have fallen 4%, according to market research company NielsenIQ. Food brands have also been under pressure from the federal government to remove artificial colors from packaged foods. In the waning days of the Biden administration, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned a dye known as Red 3 from the U.S. food supply."

"A few months later, Trump administration officials urged food makers to voluntarily phase out other petroleum-based artificial colors. Some retailers are also pressing companies to remove artificial ingredients. Target said in February that it would stop selling cereals containing synthetic colors by this summer. Last summer, Kraft Heinz pledged to remove artificial dyes from its U.S. products by 2027."

Read at Los Angeles Times