Grocery aisles are thinning out this year as two of the country’s largest food and beverage companies pare back their lineups in response to softening sales and shifting consumer habits.
Coca-Cola confirmed in February that it is ending production of Minute Maid frozen juice concentrates, closing the book on an 80-year run for the canned staple. The company told The Associated Press it is “discontinuing our frozen products and exiting the frozen can category” as it shifts focus to fresh and zero-sugar juices that have found stronger demand. The products were slated to be discontinued by April, with remaining inventory available while supplies last.
PepsiCo is working through a far larger overhaul. In December, the Frito-Lay and Pepsi parent agreed to cut nearly 20% of its U.S. product lineup and reduce prices under pressure from activist investor Elliott Investment Management, which had taken a $4 billion stake in the company. Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a statement, “We feel encouraged about the actions and initiatives we are implementing with urgency.” Mr. Laguarta added that the company is redirecting its lineup toward snacks with simpler ingredients and added protein, fiber and whole grains.
People were interested in these podcasts
PepsiCo has not identified which products are being cut. Among products reported — but not confirmed by PepsiCo — to have been cut are Cheetos Cheese Pizza Puffs, which were revived in 2025 after a 20-year hiatus, Lay’s Sweet Potato Poppables and Smartfood Movie Theater Butter popcorn, according to Allrecipes, which counts more than 20 snacks believed to be affected. One fan summed up the reaction on Instagram: “It’s the snacpocalypse.”
A separate rundown of the year’s likely discontinued grocery items from Tasting Table adds Blue Bell’s Butter Crunch ice cream to the list. The flavor no longer appears on Blue Bell’s website, and the company’s official X account told a customer this year, “Butter Crunch is not scheduled to return this year.”
It’s worth noting that not every reported casualty has been confirmed by the companies themselves — several of the Frito-Lay flavors circulating online, including reports attributed to a purported plant employee on Reddit, rest on unverified claims rather than company statements.
This article was constructed with the assistance of artificial intelligence and published by a member of The Washington Times' AI News Desk team. The contents of this report are based solely on The Washington Times' original reporting, wire services, and/or other sources cited within the report. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Steve Fink, Director of Artificial Intelligence, at sfink@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.