Topic: Kraft

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak discuss the upcoming Super Bowl matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots on February 8, 2026. Dvorak posits that the NFL Hall of Fame snubbed Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft due to their support for Donald Trump, suggesting the league's political leanings might influence the game's outcome. They review various prop bets involving halftime performers Bad Bunny and Green Day, as well as potential political protests by players.

San Francisco is suing 11 major food companies, alleging that ultra-processed foods are intentionally designed to be addictive. The lawsuit claims that when tobacco giants like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds acquired food companies like Kraft in the 1970s, they applied tobacco-industry "addiction playbooks" to products like Lunchables and Hawaiian Punch. Researchers argue these foods trigger the same brain responses as narcotics.

A Black Friday promotion involving a 65-inch television-sized box filled with 65 boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese for $19.37 caused consumer outrage. Shoppers reported that carts were emptied and supply vanished within seconds of the online launch. Critics labeled the event a clever but frustrating marketing stunt that left many fans disappointed.

A retrospective on General Mills' attempt to remove artificial dyes from Trix cereal reveals that consumers rejected the "boring" natural colors, forcing the company to revert to synthetic dyes. The discussion covers how brands like Kraft and Mars use different ingredients in Europe versus the U.S. due to regulation and consumer perception. The hosts recall historical marketing tactics, such as putting towels or toys inside product packaging.

Kraft created a grilled cheese-scented incense, which the hosts criticize as a "cheap" chemical scent. They suggest a pivot to "Mac and Cheese candles" as a superior home fragrance product.

A Florida woman is suing Kraft Heinz, alleging that Velveeta Shells & Cheese takes longer than the advertised "three and a half minutes" to prepare. The hosts argue this is a "smokescreen" for a more serious federal ruling regarding Kraft's claims of having "no artificial preservatives," which a judge recently allowed to proceed due to the presence of synthetic citric acid.

Kraft Heinz announced it is removing Lunchables from the National School Lunch Program following a Consumer Reports study finding high levels of lead and sodium in the products. This move coincides with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" initiative, which targets processed foods in schools. The company cited a lack of demand, though health advocates view it as a victory for student nutrition.

Consumer Reports found high levels of lead and cadmium in store-bought Lunchables, with some kits reaching 74% of the maximum daily limit allowed in California. The group is petitioning the USDA to remove these products from the National School Lunch Program. Kraft Heinz defended the products, stating the minerals occur naturally in the environment.

Kraft Heinz releases a plant-based "Mac N Cheese" made with fava beans and coconut oil instead of dairy. The hosts mock the product as "disgusting" and representative of a future where real food is replaced by highly processed alternatives.

Fox News' "The Five" features a segment on the Kraft Flavors Club, which allows fans to test new macaroni and cheese varieties like Buffalo and Pizza. The hosts criticize the segment as "outrage television" mixed with cheap native advertising, noting Greg Gutfeld's apparent disdain for the ad.

The hosts discuss concerns among ranchers and consumers regarding the potential introduction of mRNA vaccines into the cattle supply and vegetables. In a lighter segment, they review a promotional "Kraft Macaroni and Cheese" gummy product. Despite its appearance, the gummies reportedly taste like citrus rather than pasta, serving as a marketing gimmick.

Kraft Heinz is increasing production shifts at packaged food plants to meet a spike in demand for macaroni and cheese. The hosts note that International Mac and Cheese Day coincides with Bastille Day, July 14, 2022. A classic George Carlin monologue is played to illustrate the American obsession with fast food and processed cheese products.

The hosts review the listener-submitted artwork for the previous episode, "Harp at Home," created by Capitalist Agenda. The art features a "troubling" smiley-face macaroni and cheese character, referencing the recent Kraft brand name change. They also discuss other submissions involving "Hookers on Ice" and January 6th themes.

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese announced a rebranding to "Kraft Mac & Cheese," marking its first name change in 85 years. The update includes a refreshed logo featuring a "noodle smile" with a cheese drip, which has been widely criticized as unappealing. Media outlets like Axios and CNBC are accused of running the press release as native advertising, while the brand manager, Victoria Lee, claims the change reflects how fans organically discuss the product.

The hosts highlight "shrinkflation" in Kraft Mac and Cheese products, noting that the cheese powder packet has been reduced from 1.3 ounces to 0.8 ounces. They recall their long-standing theme that the "slaves of Gitmo Nation" would eventually be forced to subsist on cheap, processed foods.

Major food companies like General Mills and Kraft Heinz are planning significant price increases for wholesalers in early 2022. Meanwhile, Jelena McWilliams resigned as Chairman of the FDIC following what some describe as a "hostile takeover" by partisan board members. These shifts in financial and regulatory leadership are occurring as economists predict 10-20% price increases for consumer goods.

Kraft has released a grilled cheese-scented incense, a product the hosts mock as an example of bizarre American consumerism. They question the appeal of making a home smell like "cheap cheddar" chemicals.

Kraft has released a limited-edition pink, candy-flavored macaroni and cheese for Valentine's Day. In listener news, a producer reported that their three-year-old daughter has begun shouting "China asshole," a popular show meme, in public. The hosts discuss the "corruption" of children through show catchphrases and the potential for future insect-based food products.

The "Freakonomics" podcast explored the business of edible insects, suggesting that 20% insect flour could be snuck into cookies or introduced via dog food to acclimate consumers. Kraft Heinz sensory managers are researching how to make insects "hidden" or "happy" on packaging. The segment also mentions "cricket cream cheese" and the Japanese term "conchu" as potential marketing angles for bug-based proteins.

The hosts mock the poor audio and video quality of "at-home" broadcasts by celebrities like Ryan Seacrest and Kelly Ripa, suggesting it is a form of "virtue signaling." They discuss the 27% spike in Kraft Macaroni & Cheese sales as people turn to comfort foods. This trend is compared to "depression food" memes from the 2008 financial crisis.