PepsiCo is announcing an exciting expansion of the Wotsits brand, partnering with Samworth Brothers Group Meals division and Lean Kitchen Network to launch Wotsits Mac ‘n’ Cheese, the brand’s first-ever entry into the chilled ready meals category. Launching 28th April, the Wotsits Mac ‘n’ Cheese range will be available in three flavours – Really Cheesy, Sweet & Spicy, and Flamin’ Hot – so consumers can enjoy the much-loved Wotsits taste on even more occasions, in a whole new format.
The Wotsits Mac ‘n’ Cheese range is tapping into the growing demand for convenient and tasty meal solutions, with branded ready meals seeing a +7% year-on-year increase[1]. The Wotsits brand has been a household favourite for decades, worth £180m in value sales and growing +8.3% in value[2], making it perfectly placed to cater to this desire for popular branded options. Pepsico and Samworth Brothers worked together with Lean Kitchen Network to develop the delicious recipe, capturing Wotsits’ iconic and most-loved flavours to deliver a ready meal that will appeal to existing fans and new customers alike.
Really Cheesy brings together two traditional shopper favourites, putting the bold, iconic Wotsits cheese flavour at the forefront of the classic Mac ‘n’ Cheese recipe, while the Sweet & Spicy variant will add a delicious hint of spice. The Flamin’ Hot flavour will bring the heat to the chilled ready meals aisle, building on the success of the wider Flamin’ Hot range – including Wotsits Crunchy Flamin’ Hot – which has generated £29m in sales since launching in March 2024[3].
With 83% of current ready meal shoppers aged 45 and above[4], Wotsits Mac ‘n’ Cheese aims to appeal to a younger, more diverse demographic, helping to bring new shoppers into the category and spark impulse purchases in a traditionally older-skewing market. To create excitement around the launch among a younger audience, PepsiCo, Samworth Brothers and Lean Kitchen Network will be working together on a number of digital and influencer activations and shopper marketing support will help to drive footfall to the ready meals aisle.
Phoebe Chapman, Senior Brand Manager, Walkers Snacks commented: “Launching Wotsits Mac ‘n’ Cheese marks a significant milestone for our brand. It’s the first time we’ve taken the much-loved Wotsits taste beyond the crisp aisle, allowing shoppers to experience it in an entirely new format. We’re bringing something fun, exciting, and delicious to the ready meals category that we’re confident will help retailers appeal to a whole new range of shoppers.”
Seamus McCabe, Category Commercial Director (Meals), Samworth Brothers Group, commented: “There’s a huge opportunity to challenge the norm in the meals category. By teaming up with a brand as iconic as Wotsits, we’re not only tapping into a growing consumer demand for meals from household names, but we’re also offering something truly unique and disruptive. The category is primed for innovation, and we believe Wotsits Mac ‘n’ Cheese is the perfect recipe to shake things up.”
The Wotsits Mac ‘n’ Cheese range will be available in 400g formats (MRSP £4) exclusively in selected Tesco stores from 28th April, before rolling out more widely later in the year.
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