Kraft Singles is getting a new look with updated packaging and logos as the brand tries to target Gen Z and millennial shoppers. The slices themselves are also getting an upgrade—a textured flap to make the wrappers easier to open.

The rebrand, which will roll out throughout this year, features dark blue packaging, “Singles” in thicker typography and replaces the phrase “Always made with milk” with “Made with real dairy.” 

The individual slices of the cheese product will have a thicker, textured flap to make it easier to find and open without tearing, addressing the top consumer complaint around the inability to easily open the wrappers.

The new design, created by Jones Knowles Ritchie, is Kraft Singles’ first logo change since 2018. The agency was first approached in 2022 “with a vision to rekindle the country's long-standing love affair with their iconic American cheese,” JB Hartford, group creative director at Jones Knowles Ritchie, said in an email interview. “Our primary goal was to evolve the brand while still respecting its rich heritage.”

The agency used focus groups and in-depth interviews to study consumers’ emotional and psychological connections to Kraft Singles, which helped narrow down key elements that had to be part of the new design.

“Our aim for any work like this is to make it look like a better version of itself, so it was important to retain the elements that consumers have come to cherish and recognize over the years,” said Greg Althoff, design director at Jones Knowles Ritchie. “Once we identified the orange square as our key distinctive asset, it was exciting to see how it could be used across the brand world to proudly display the product in all of its glory.”

The update comes as Kraft, the top producer in the processed and imitation cheese slice category, looks to reignite momentum. After seeing an uptick in sales during the height of COVID, the brand’s unit sales fell 6.6% in the 52-week period that ended on April 23, according to Circana, a market research firm.

“During COVID, buyers were turning to comfort food brands that were reliable, trustworthy and convenient—and that included Kraft Singles,” Alison Kelly, director for Kraft Singles at Kraft Heinz, said in an email interview. “We now have an opportunity to connect with our buyers in a more modern and confident way to ensure we stay in their fridges as the world continues to evolve.”

The brand has worked to connect with millennials by leaning into the music space, releasing a cartoon rap battle and a single featuring the musician Kelis, and creating content for MTV’s Video Music Awards.

Kraft Singles is the latest Kraft Heinz brand to undergo a facelift in the last three years, the others being Velveeta, Kraft Mac & Cheese and Lunchables.

The new packaging is part of the brand’s latest “Square it” campaign, which includes the song by Kelis.