Goldfish is changing its name to attract adults

New York (CNN) — Goldfish crackers are synonymous with hungry kids, but the company is betting that a sophisticated name change could expand that audience.

The Pepperidge Farm snack brand is tweaking its name for a limited time to “Chilean Sea Bass,” a more grown-up title, the Campbell’s Company announced Wednesday. It’s part of a strategy to attract adults and reestablish its relevance amid a broader decline in snacking following a pandemic peak.

Despite rebranding as a popular seafood menu item, the recipe and appearance of the snack aren’t changing. Goldfish explained in a press release that the “much more adult” name is to “reinforce that Goldfish crackers are not just for kids,” pointing to the growth of trends popularized by Gen Z and Millennials on TikTok such as making “girl dinners.”

“We know Goldfish are a lunchbox icon, but the truth is, they’re loved by snackers of all ages. So, as a playful reminder, we went ahead and gave our iconic cheddar cracker a new, fun, grown-up name,” Danielle Brown, vice president of Goldfish, told CNN.

But the Chilean Sea Bass snacks won’t appear on shelves: Bags featuring the branding are only being sold online beginning Wednesday and just for one week. Goldfish reminds people that the traditionally branded bags are still available, “now and always,” at retailers nationwide.

In fact, the tweaked name is a nod to its roots. Pepperidge Farm launched Goldfish in the United States in 1962 initially aimed at adults as a bar snack. Since the 1990s, however, Goldfish has been sold as a snack for kids, with playful packaging.

The clever stunt is a simple way to remind customers that Goldfish exist amid growing competition from upstarts, according to Nate Rosen, the founder of Express Checkout, a newsletter that tracks consumer packaged goods trends.

“With so many new brands creating trendy-looking and better-for-you versions of consumers’ favorite childhood snacks, I think it’s a clear indication that they need to be reminded of their beloved classics that inspired these copycats,” he told CNN.

Far from floundering

Goldfish has been expanding beyond its flagship crackers in recent years as part of Campbell Company’s push to make it a $1 billion brand that’s not just known for soup.

Last year, the company invested $160 million in a Pepperidge Farm factory that grew production of the fish-shaped cracker to meet increasing consumer demand. Upon completion later this year, the facility in Utah will be able to churn out more than 5 million Goldfish per hour or 1,500 every second.

Goldfish has been capitalizing on its well-known name with more adult-appeasing varieties, including a potato chip version called Crisps, spicier flavors featuring Old Bay and Frank’s RedHot sauce and a larger-sized brand called Mega Bites.

That helped propel Campbell’s snack sales to grow 13% last year, even as other legacy food companies are pivoting to gain a larger share of the snack market valued at more than $200 billion, according to market research firm Circana.

Although snacking has declined since a pandemic-induced boom, it still remains popular for cash-strapped adults. “There is this broader consumer behavior around the idea of ‘permissible indulgence’ where adults allow themselves to indulge in nostalgic or fun treats,” Rosen told CNN, making Goldfish an ideal candidate for this trend.