Kraft Heinz Withdraws Lunchables Meals from U.S. Schools
Food and beverage manufacturer Kraft Heinz announced that it will no longer serve the Lunchables meals it created for U.S. schools.
Reason for Withdrawal
The company attributed the decision to pull out of the market served by the National School Lunch Program to a lack of demand. According to Kraft Heinz, the sales of the school-designed meals were far less than 1% of overall Lunchables sales during the last academic year.
Background
Kraft Heinz introduced two packaged meals, one starring pizza and the other a turkey, cheddar cheese, and cracker plate, at the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year. The company claimed that the offerings were protein-enriched and contained reduced levels of saturated fat and sodium to meet the requirements of the national free and reduced-price school lunch program.
Initial Reaction
Nutritionists and advocacy groups were not thrilled by the launch. The Center for Science in the Public Interest called having Lunchables in cafeterias “a highly questionable move for school nutrition” that might confuse families into thinking the versions sold at supermarkets were a healthy option.
Controversy Surrounds the Product
Consumer Reports reported in April that its tests showed the school-approved Lunchables contained more sodium than the store varieties. The organization also found that commercially available Lunchables had more lead compared to ready-made meals made by several other companies. As a result, Consumer Reports petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ban Lunchables and similar processed meal kits from schools.
Kraft Heinz Statement
In a statement, Kraft Heinz described the business impact as “negligible” and said that the company hopes to revisit the idea of offering Lunchables in schools at a future date.
Conclusion
Kraft Heinz’s decision to withdraw Lunchables meals from U.S. schools comes as a result of low demand and controversy surrounding the product. While the company hopes to revisit the idea in the future, it appears that the move was a strategic decision to focus on other sales channels.
FAQs
Q: Why did Kraft Heinz withdraw Lunchables meals from U.S. schools?
A: Kraft Heinz attributed the decision to a lack of demand, with sales of the school-designed meals being far less than 1% of overall Lunchables sales during the last academic year.
Q: What were the concerns surrounding Lunchables?
A: Nutritionists and advocacy groups expressed concerns that Lunchables did not meet the nutritional standards of a healthy meal and might confuse families into thinking the versions sold at supermarkets were a healthy option.
Q: What was the outcome of Consumer Reports’ tests?
A: Consumer Reports reported that the school-approved Lunchables contained more sodium than the store varieties and that commercially available Lunchables had more lead compared to ready-made meals made by several other companies.
Q: Will Kraft Heinz revisit the idea of offering Lunchables in schools?
A: According to Kraft Heinz, the company hopes to revisit the idea of offering Lunchables in schools at a future date.
