Kraft Heinz Unveils Vegan Instant Mac And Cheese Cups

Kraft Heinz and NotCo just launched instant vegan mac and cheese cups in the US.

The cups require just 3.5 minutes to prepare, and each one contains a single serving of fortified macaroni pasta and a powdered plant-based “cheese” sauce mix.

According to the companies, Plant-Based Kraft x NotCo Mac & Cheese is the only plant-based, microwavable mac and cheese cup currently on the market. Kraft described the product as having the same “familiar creamy, comforting taste” as the original Kraft Easy Mac – first introduced over 25 years ago in 1999 – but featuring a dairy-free recipe.

The company noted that over half of Millennial consumers cite convenience as a top purchase driver, and said that the new product has been designed with them in mind. Up to 72 percent of Millennials – particularly those with younger children – are also interested in plant foods.

Kraft x NotCo’s new vegan mac and cheese is available now in Original flavor, and costs USD $6.99 per 4-pack. The company introduced plant-based Original and White Cheddar flavor mac and cheese boxes in Canada in 2024, following an initial US launch the year before.

In addition to the new vegan mac and cheese pots, Kraft x NotCo has now rolled out a new chipotle-flavored mayonnaise in a squeezable plastic bottle at an RRP of $4.99.

Vegan options that ‘taste, look, and feel like the original’

Photo shows a young man eating vegan mac and cheese out of a cup against a blue and yellow background, with text that reads: "The classic taste, now plant-based." — Kraft Heinz / NotCo Kraft-Heinz introduced its first vegan mac and cheese product in 2023

In April, Kraft-Heinz introduced its first-ever plant-based dessert, the JELL-O Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding. The company said that it produced the new dairy-free dessert in response to customer demand for lactose-free, plant-based pudding options.

Over 15 million Americans are affected by dairy allergies, while milk is one of the most common food allergies for US kids. Nearly one in 20 individuals are impacted to some degree and forced to avoid common convenience foods like dairy mac and cheese and pudding pots.

“This is the core mission of The Kraft Heinz Not Company: to bring easy, accessible, and delicious plant-based alternatives from the world’s most beloved brands to the masses,” said NotCo CEO Lucho Lopez-May in a previous statement. He also said that customers are looking for “options from their favorite brands that taste, look, and feel like the original.”