Kraft mac and cheese is now a breakfast food, apparently

More Americans are eating at home as the pandemic spreads across the United States, and household routines are changing. So Kraft Heinz (KHC) announced Tuesday that it will rebrand its Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner along with its iconic blue box. It’s not getting a full redesign: The company is just adding the word “breakfast” — instead of dinner — to encourage Americans to start their day with neon orange cheesy noodles.The company hopes the new “breakfast” label could take away some of the shame that’s associated with parents serving their kids easy-to-make non-breakfast foods in the morning. Americans are eating at home more during the pandemic, and that’s been good news for Kraft Heinz. The company’s stock is up 9% this year. Breakfast in particular has been a boon for the prepared foods business — and a struggle for restaurants like Starbucks and McDonald’s, which have invested huge amounts of money and resources into luring commuters with coffee and quick-serve food. Fewer people are commuting, and breakfast has become a home meal once again.”These last few months have not been easy, and the struggle is real for parents with kids who are picky eaters,” the company said in a press release, adding that “56% of parents have served their kids Mac & Cheese for breakfast more often during Covid-19 related state lockdowns than previous months.” The company launched a giveaway to promote the new look for the noodles. To promote its new campaign, Kraft will give away a limited-edition “Breakfast Box” this week. The boxes will include a mug, “a placemat for kids to color while the mac & cheese is being prepared,” and “a magnet with breakfast topping suggestions, like crumbled sausage, bacon or scrambled eggs,” according to the press release. So Kraft wants parents to add foods they would normally serve their kids as breakfast foods as toppings to their mac and cheese.