Kraft Heinz’s Lunchables will no longer be a part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) due to weak demand.
The company announced Tuesday it would reconsider bringing back Lunchables in the future, but current demand does not reach what the company hoped for.
“Last year, we brought two NSLP compliant Lunchables options to schools that had increased protein. While many school administrators were excited to have these options, the demand did not meet our targets. This happens occasionally across our broad portfolio, especially as we explore new sales channels. Lunchables products are not available in schools this year and we hope to revisit at a future date,” the company said in a statement.
When the company was looking to offer Lunchables in schools, administrators were excited for the easily accessible, pre-ready meals.
Consumer Reports released a report earlier this year warning about the high sodium levels in Lunchables, however, which sparked debate over whether the food was safe for students.
The concern about the product also came after the Department of Agriculture updated the standards for school lunches last year, focusing on limiting sugars and making more whole grain options available.
“The NSLP compliant Lunchables sales last school year were far less than 1% of overall Lunchables sales, so business impact is negligible,” the company said.
