2 Billion Dollar Illinois-Based Brand Lunchables Facing Serious Slide

I saw this on the news last night and both my wife and I gasped. Lunchables sales are sliding, and it's in the middle of a transformation to save the brand.

Remember when Lunchables first came out in the 90s? It was a whole new thing. Kids loved them (me included). If you pulled out a lunchable at the school lunch table, every kid was looking to see what kind you had. I always like the ham and cheese ones myself.

Kraft Heinz Reports Sales Decline

According to CNN, Chicago-based Kraft Heinz reports sales are down 12%. For a $2 billion dollar brand, that's pretty significant.

Lunchables pulled from the school lunch program

Kraft Heinz had an idea to expand the opportunities for growth with Lunchables by making a school lunch program version. However, Consumer Reports tested the school versions of the Lunchables and found high levels of sodium, lead, and cadmium.

Kraft Heinz announced they were ending the school lunch program, saying it was an internal decision and had nothing to do with any outside party.

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High in sodium and saturated fat?

Lunchables started out when Oscar Meyer was trying to get rid of surplus bologne. (Bologne kind of went out of style, didn't it?) So they paired it with cheese, and crackers, and made a catchy name and it was a huge success.

Now the health trend is getting away from high sodium, high saturated fat processed foods.

Lunchables in the midst of transformation

Kraft Heinz is investing in the Lunchables brand and will be changing the product design, and pricing, and doing research to understand consumers' preferences.