SkinnyPop Pulls White Cheddar Popcorn From Store Shelves—Here’s Why

Popcorn is often touted as a fantastic snack for those looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. In fact, even the American Heart Association agrees. As Maya Vadiveloo, an assistant professor in the department of nutrition and food sciences at the University of Rhode Island, shared, "When prepared well, popcorn actually is a pretty good snack. It's stable. It's inexpensive. It's fairly tasty. For people who might be struggling to eat adequate fruits or vegetables or other whole grains, it's a low-risk snack to start."

However, this week, popcorn fans may be a little disappointed, as a brand-new popcorn snack just disappeared from store shelves. Keep reading to find out why SkinnyPop is nixing its new White Cheddar Popcorn flavor.

What happened to SkinnyPop's White Cheddar Popcorn flavor?

In early March, SkinnyPop announced it was "voluntarily removing its newly launched dairy-containing White Cheddar Popcorn from store shelves to provide clarity for consumers with milk allergies."

This, however, is different from a recall, as the product is not mislabeled, does not have any undeclared ingredients, nor is it contaminated in any way.

"All SkinnyPop products are accurately labeled, including ingredient lists and allergen statements," the company stated.

So, why is the company removing the product?

SkinnyPop said it made the decision out of an "abundance of caution" for you, its consumers, as the company's "dairy-containing and dairy-free White Cheddar Popcorn varieties have similar packaging that could contribute to confusion at retail or at home."

The company noted that the dairy-containing White Cheddar Popcorn variety is "safe for consumers who do not have milk allergies," but those who do have an allergy should not consume it.

How serious is a milk allergy?

It can be very, very serious to some. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), milk is one of the nine major food allergens. The FDA added, "Of the major food allergens, milk represents the most common cause of recalls due to undeclared allergens. The five food types most often involved in food allergen recalls were bakery products, snack foods, candy, dairy products, and dressings (such as salad dressings, sauces, and gravies). Within the candy category, the FDA has received many reports of undeclared milk in dark chocolate products, highlighting this food type as a higher-risk product for consumers allergic to milk."

It's critical to note that being lactose intolerant is not the same as being allergic to milk. According to Food Allergy Research and Education, a true food allergy affects the immune system, causing it to "overreact" to certain foods, while a food intolerance does not involve the immune system. "People who are lactose intolerant are missing the enzyme lactase. Lactase breaks down lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products," it further explained. "As a result, people with lactose intolerance are unable to digest these foods. They may experience symptoms such as nausea, cramps, gas, bloating, and diarrhea. While lactose intolerance can cause great discomfort, it is not life-threatening."

On the other hand, a milk allergy can be. The Mayo Clinic explained that those with a milk allergy could experience anaphylaxis, a "life-threatening reaction that narrows the airways and can block breathing." And that makes this voluntary decision to take the popcorn product off store shelves all the more important.

Will the flavor come back with new packaging?

Here’s where the good news comes in. We reached out to Hershey’s Company, the parent company of SkinnyPop, which shared with us that “the brand plans to reintroduce the flavor in new packaging later this year.” So keep an eye out for a fresh package coming soon.