Goldfish changes its name to “Chilean Sea Bass”. Here's why

new York
CNN
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Goldfish crackers are synonymous with hungry children, but the company thinks a clever name change could expand that audience.

Snack brand Pepperidge Farm is changing its name to “Chilean Sea Bass,” a more adult title, for a limited time, the Campbell's Company announced Wednesday. It's part of a strategy to attract adults and restore its relevance amid an overall decline in snacking after a pandemic peak.

Despite the rebranding as a popular seafood menu item, the recipe and appearance of the snack will not change. Goldfish explained in a press release that the “much more adult” name is meant to “reinforce that Goldfish crackers aren't just for kids,” citing the rise of trends popularized by Gen Z and Millennials on TikTok, such as Example of preparing “girls’ meals”.

“We know goldfish are a lunchbox icon, but the truth is they are loved by snackers of all ages. As a playful reminder, we've given our iconic cheddar cracker a new, fun and grown-up name,” Danielle Brown, vice president of Goldfish, told CNN.

But the Chilean sea bass snacks won't appear on shelves: bags with the branding won't be sold online until Wednesday and for just one week. Goldfish reminds people that the traditional branded bags are still available “now and always” at retailers across the country.

In fact, the changed name is a nod to its roots. Pepperidge Farm released Goldfish in the United States in 1962, initially targeting adults as a bar snack. Since the 1990s, however, goldfish has been sold as a snack for children in playful packaging.

According to Nate Rosen, founder of Express Checkout, a newsletter that tracks trends in consumer products, the clever trick is a simple way to remind customers that Goldfish exists amid growing competition from upstarts.

“With so many new brands creating trendy and healthier versions of consumers' favorite childhood snacks, I think it's a clear sign that they need to be reminded of their beloved classics that inspired these copycats,” he said told CNN.

Goldfish has expanded beyond its flagship crackers in recent years to turn the Campbell Company into a $1 billion brand known for more than just soup.

Last year, the company invested $160 million in a Pepperidge Farm factory that increased production of the fish-shaped cracker to meet rising consumer demand. When completed later this year, the Utah facility will be able to produce more than 5 million goldfish per hour or 1,500 every second.

Goldfish is capitalizing on its well-known name with more adult-friendly varieties, including a potato chip version called Crisps, spicier flavors with Old Bay and Frank's RedHot sauces, and a larger brand called Mega Bites.

That helped Campbell's snack sales rise 13% last year as other legacy food companies seek to capture a larger share of the snack market worth more than $200 billion, according to market research firm Circana.

Although snacking has declined since the pandemic-induced boom, it remains popular among cash-strapped adults. “There's this broader consumer behavior around the idea of ​​'permissible indulgence,' where adults indulge in nostalgic or fun treats,” Rosen told CNN, making Goldfish an ideal candidate for this trend.