For Little Apparent Reason, Spiral Mac N Cheese Costs 37 Cents More Than Elbow
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Spirals cost 37 cents more per box than regular Elbow variety, despite the former weighing 1.75 oz less than the latter, reports the thoughts on technology blog. This breaks down to a difference of $.06/oz, vs $.14/oz. That's 24% fewer noodles, with a 133% price increase.
Why such a price difference? Obviously, cheese spirals are a technological marvel and Kraft needs to recoup the cost of building an entire spiral factory, not to mention the research and development. Plus, there's the benefit of eating mac n cheese feature 3 chicks you've never heard of. So, if you're looking for the best mac n cheese value, stick with the classic elbow box.
spiral macaroni is a racket [thoughts on technology]
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Comments:
is this the best you could come up with on a monday?
seriously.
This is the common mistake of equating price with the cost of production. Why do they charge more for sprial? Because people will pay it.
I noticed this almost ten years ago--I always liked the spirals better than the regular kind, and one day I looked at the weight and discovered the difference. In fact, many stores will sell the regular Mac n Cheese for less than the spiral kind, making the price difference even greater.
I love how the comments are almost all screamy nonsense about KRAFT IS IMMORALITY IN A BOX, YOU ARE SUCKLING FROM THE CHEESY TEAT OF CAPITALIST POISON GARBAGE.
And then there's the one about how spirals have "a more appealing cheese distribution." Love!
Actually, the shell noodles with three cheese are the best mac and cheese. They're soooooo good. I might go home and make a box for lunch actually now.
I'm sure the fact that the Elbow Macaroni is by-far the more popular product has *Nothing* to do with the pricing strategy...
Supply. Demand. Economies of scale.
Just a few thoughts for a Monday morning.
Everyone knows the spirals taste better. Duh
I've never noticed that, but I have always thought the spirals taste better. Sounds silly, but it's true.
It's no question that spiral Mac&Cheese tastes better.
Just answered your own question there, buddy!
Slow news day, Ben?
call me a giant nerd, but you can buy powdered cheese and make your own mac-n-cheese for the tiniest fraction of the cost of a box of kraft.
Um, it may have something to do with consumers' willingness to pay more for the spiral variety. Doesn't have to be logical, but that's supply and demand for you.
There's actually so much less pasta in the spiral box that the directions call for less milk/butter than elbows. I remember this only because when I was a kid, it took like 5 watery batches of spirals before I actually re-read the directions.
I'm surprised that Kraft does not stick a "premium" or "gourmet" on the spiral box before artifically jacking-up the price.
After all those two words alone are worth a least a 33% markup....aren't they ?
It doesn't stop at the spirals. Any shape that is NOT an elbow (cartoon characters, shells, dinosaurs) come in the 5.5oz box, not the 7.25oz box. These are generally priced identicaly.
@theWolf:
Wolf, think you hit the nail on the head. My thoughts exactly.
It costs more when the noodles are shaped like Spongebob Squarepants, too - this is what my kid will eat, and since he is a picky little dude I will pay extra for Spongebob. Better than him looking all emaciated.
More surface area on a spiral, thus more surface to coat with cheese, thus you need fewer noodles, which obviously leads to ummm, a higher price? OK: I go with the "build the spiral factory" explanation.
No complaints here... quite frankly the elbow version always tastes the best to me.
Spirals are better than plain. "Shapes" are better than spirals. For the best mac 'n cheese of your life, go to Luka's Taproom in Oakland: gruyère, parmesan, provolone, aged cheddar & leeks
w/ green beans.
Thank you for your ever-so-enlightening quota post.
It's the babes on the front of the box.
You are all overlooking the most obvious reason for much-higher units cost for spirals: The Disney-created "Cheetah Girls" are on the front of the box! And it's part of a contest too!!
We all know that pseudo-celebrity endorsements make everything taste/smell/look/feel/drive/wear/perform better, right?
Someone has to pay for those marketing extras -- and you know it's not coming out of Kraft's profits...!
You notice that none of the store brands make spirals, but maybe that's because store brands aren't as great as Kraft for some reason.
Same amount of cheese, fewer noodles = cheesy spiral goodness.
Kraft can have my dollar for that.
Okay, this is simple. There are some children's celebrities on the more expensive box.
"MOMMY I WANT THAT ONE!!! NOOOo!!!! THAT ONE WITH THE LIP-SYNCHING NICKELODEON TRASH!!!"
-->
Greater parent demand for children to shut the hell up
-->
Greater parent willingness to pay for basically same product packaged differently
-->
Higher price.
This is explained by a simple series of events that takes place every time parent and brat walk down the aisle together:
"MOMMY!!! I WANT CHEETAH GIRLS MACARONI!!! NO, NOT REGULAR, CHEETAH GIRLS!!!"
-->
Increased parent demand for child to shut the hell up
-->
Greater willingness to pay for artificial cheese product
-->
Higher price
Sorry for the double-post. And triple-post.
Spirals retain cheesey-goodness better than standard noodles. DUH!
It's licensing. The pasta kings in Sicily who own the rights to fusilli drive a very hard bargain.
I wonder how they compare space wise. Do the spirals fill up more or less of the box? Sure, the net weight is different, but what about the density? is it different? Maybe spirals are just lighter and thus filling a box with spirals weighs less? I don't know the answers to these questions.
All I know is I'll pay more for it because as somebody else said, spirals are better than elbows, and character shapes are better than spirals. It's all about what holds the cheese best.
why do they cost more? Because they're deliciouser of course. Everyone knows that spirals are WAY better than elbow mac.
I luv spiral mac, way better than classic noodles. And I have always known there was less in the box, everyone does.
uhm. Just look at the feet of shelving the tradtional macaroni noodles take up. It's obvious they sell more therefore are probably produced more, thus driving the cost down.
Guys. GUYS.
Cost (of goods sold) has nothing to do with price. Demand does. Unless you're a marketing idiot.
@schwnj: for some reason i can't post a link. google "powdered cheese." the one i get is the vermont cheddar from King Arthur Flour - $6.95 for a pound!
@schwnj: OMG me too! I hope you didn't just mean like grated parm. I would love to by a huge container of the nuclear-orange kraft cheese powder. I would literally go mad with pow(d)er.
Obviously the spiral one costs more because there is a game of chance on the box for an "instant win" item!!!
...so you're telling me that we are getting screwed on the spirals?
Someone's gotta pay for all the Macaroni R+D at Kraft Labs...
The REAL question is, where can you get Kraft M&C for 42 cents? Holy Cow!
I haven't bought any of this stuff in years, but it was a lot more than 42 cents!
I think it's a mistake in pricing. I think they are BOTH 79 cents. You get less with the spirals because it's more difficult to manufacture, maybe.
I miss the old square 'Noodles & Cheese.' Now there was some good eatin' !!
And a local store brand had little teeny shells and cheese, with better cheese than the Kraft (even the 3 cheese).
Obviously because the spiral form is easier to eat without spilling on your shirt.
A side-by-side comparison while wearing a white dry-clean-only shirt should prove that.