Goldfish crackers, the beloved snack known for its playful fish shape and flavorful cheesy taste, has decided to dive into deeper waters with its latest limited-edition product: “Chilean Sea Bass” crackers. Despite having initial skepticism about the recent rebranding, Villanova students remain fiercely loyal to Goldfish, viewing the changes as an interesting statement piece that won’t impact their purchasing habits.
On Oct. 23, Goldfish temporarily changed its brand name to “Chilean Sea Bass” to garner attention from its adult audience. According to the Goldfish website, the renamed crackers will be available online at ChileanSeaBassCrackers.com for $7.38 until Oct. 30. With the tagline, “New adult-sounding name, same Goldfish taste,” the rebrand is a playful nod to the nostalgia and sophistication many millennials and Gen Z now seek in their snack choices.
Goldfish’s one-week rebrand is aimed at reconnecting the snack with adult consumers who grew up eating Goldfish crackers. According to CNN, Campbell Soup Company, which owns the brand, has focused on evolving Goldfish into a nostalgic snack for grown-ups, bringing out flavors like Old Bay and Frank’s RedHot Original.
Goldfish has faced significant backlash from nostalgic consumers who oppose the name change. Many adults feel that the classic brand name never deterred them from enjoying Goldfish, and this rebranding makes them feel unnecessarily older.
Students at Villanova have strong reactions to the one-off Goldfish rebrand. Many students are skeptical of this change and don’t know if it would encourage them to buy more Goldfish under this new alias.
“I honestly thought it was a joke at first,” sophomore Lily Wand said about the rebrand. “I’m interested to see how this plays out. While I can’t say I’m necessarily a fan of the rebrand, I do appreciate the creativity and fun it brings. I’m a fan of the brand itself, but this was an interesting choice for them. We will have to see what happens.”
Other Villanova students, like sophomore Shaina Keough, believe that it is time for Goldfish to make a change and adapt to older audiences.
“I think it’s a great move,” Keough said. “I think a lot of us grew up with Goldfish as a kid and that’s a great name for a little child. A child loves a good orange Goldfish, but you know as you grow up, you realize that, like, things have more meaning when you grow up.”
She also agreed with the brand name change from an aesthetic standpoint.
“Honestly it looks better on the packaging. It makes it more unique,” Keough said. “I’m sick of all these one-word-named crackers like Ritz.”
These launches reflect the brand’s shift from a purely kid-centered snack to one that adults can enjoy, capturing the nostalgic yet modern tastes of their once-young fans. According to Campbell’s Christopher Foley, President of the Snacks Division, this strategy has succeeded, pushing Goldfish’s net sales to rise by 50% from 2019 to 2024.
According to CNN, since its U.S. launch in 1962 as a bar snack aimed at adults, Goldfish has evolved to suit the times. Now, with millennials and Gen Z seeking comfort foods that remind them of their childhood, Goldfish is capitalizing on the current moment. The Chilean Sea Bass rebrand is a clever nod to the past and a testament to the snack’s enduring versatility.
“ Goldfish this is devastating,” user @abby.kaczynski commented on Goldfish’s Instagram post about its rebrand.
“Literally no adult asked for this,” @corbintheminer, another Instagram user, commented on the Instagram post.
While some adults do not feel compelled to buy this new Goldfish snack, many other big snack brands are reacting in a positive way.
“We see what you did there, and we like it! Hmm, collab?” said @kraft.naturalcheese, the Instagram for Kraft.
“Knocked it out of the water!” the Wheat Things Instagram account commented in support of the “Chilean Sea Bass” rebrand.
Goldfish are a nostalgic staple that many Villanova students grew up with. While some welcome the rebrand as a fun, fresh twist on a classic, others question whether it’s really necessary to reinvent a snack that’s already beloved as it is. But, Villanova students’ love for the iconic snack overpowers the initial doubt about the “Chilean Sea Bass” rebrand.
