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Kraft Heinz is making magical changes to its brand.
The food giant and the Walt Disney Company announced a multiyear 'strategic alliance' that will see Kraft Heinz products featured across Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line sailings throughout North America.
The collaboration introduces 10 of Kraft Heinz's household brands, including Heinz ketchup, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese, to hundreds of dining locations across the theme parks.
Guests can also expect upgraded Heinz condiment stations and custom-designed food service equipment as the partnership rolls out over the coming months. That could even mean ketchup dispensers shaped like Star Wars lightsabers, according to Nicolas Amaya, Kraft Heinz’s new North America President.
This collaboration also includes media, which means fans can expect to see Kraft Heinz brands popping up in Disney-produced movies and TV shows - including event coverage like next year's Super Bowl on ESPN.
'Kraft Heinz and Disney are two companies that are woven into the fabric of family life,' Kraft Heinz said in a statement. 'For generations, families have grown up with our brands side by side - watching Disney favorites with a bowl of Kraft Mac & Cheese or reaching for Heinz at the table.'
They added that the goal is to deliver an 'elevated' dining and storytelling experience, whether it's in someone's home or at the theme parks.
'The collaboration with Kraft Heinz is the perfect demonstration of another brand that understands how families connect through everyday moments,' Disney said in a statement, 'and together we will build creative experiences for our consumers across our destinations, platforms, and fan touchpoints.'
But for Disney fans who seek out coveted Disney-exclusive snacks, this seems like a bad omen for what might be coming to the theme parks.
'The Kraft Mac & Cheese better just be an option on the kid's menus at the parks and not replace all the Mac & Cheese in the parks,' one X user wrote, with another adding that was their 'first concern' as well.
The Florida resort is home to dozens of acclaimed restaurants, from the upscale Canadian steakhouse Le Cellier in Epcot to Victoria & Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa - the only Michelin-starred restaurant at any Disney park or resort in the world.
Signature dining spots, including California Grill, Cítricos, Jiko and Tiffins, also earned rave reviews from theme park fans, leading some guests to question whether swapping premium ingredients for mass-market brands could risk tarnishing Disney's hard-earned foodie reputation.
'What a bad day for mac & cheese,' another X user chimed in, asking if the theme park is going to 'downgrade' Le Cellier's staple side dish.
Others mentioned that dressings like the beloved Ken's Ranch packets will most likely be removed to make way for the new brand partnership.
'No, this means Heinz or Kraft ranch property wide and no more Ken's,' one X user wrote.
According to The Takeout, Disney made the switch from using Heinz to Red Gold Ketchup in April 2021 in an effort to cut costs.
At most Disney theme park restaurants, the company uses its own recipe for mac and cheese instead of Kraft's pre-made packets.
And the partnership doesn't end there. For Disney's D23 fan event in Anaheim, the brand will also activate a 'Heinz Flavor Ferry' and the 'sauce vault,' giving a limited-edition pin to the first 570 visitors per day.
According to Marketing Dive, Kraft Heinz is also ramping up its advertising after abandoning plans to split the company in two earlier this year.
Marketing spending jumped 37 percent in the first quarter, with CEO Steve Cahillane saying the company has shifted its budget toward 'more effective' campaigns that are already paying off.
He said the changes have boosted the return on its ad spend by eight percentage points globally.
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