Goldfish is changing its name to attract adults

Goldfish crackers are synonymous with hungry kids, but the company is betting that a sophisticated name change could expand that audience.

Goldfish crackers are synonymous with hungry kids, but the company is betting that a sophisticated name change could expand that audience. The Pepperidge Farm snack brand is tweaking its name for a limited time to “Chilean Sea Bass,” a more grown-up title, the Campbell’s Company announced Wednesday. It’s part of a strategy to attract adults and reestablish its relevance amid a broader decline in snacking following a pandemic peak. Despite rebranding as a popular seafood menu item, the recipe and appearance of the snack aren’t changing. Goldfish explained in a press release that the “much more adult” name is to “reinforce that Goldfish crackers are not just for kids,” pointing to the growth of trends popularized by Gen Z and Millennials on TikTok such as making “girl dinners.” “We know Goldfish are a lunchbox icon, but the truth is, they’re loved by snackers of all ages. So, as a playful reminder, we went ahead and gave our iconic cheddar cracker a new, fun, grown-up name,” Danielle Brown, vice president of Goldfish, told CNN. But the Chilean Sea Bass snacks won’t appear on shelves: Bags featuring the branding are only being sold online beginning Wednesday and just for one week. Goldfish reminds people that the traditionally branded bags are still available, “now and always,” at retailers nationwide. In fact, the tweaked name is a nod to its roots. Pepperidge Farm launched Goldfish in the United States in 1962 initially aimed at adults as a bar snack. Since the 1990s, however, Goldfish has been sold as a snack for kids, with playful packaging.