Goldfish Crackers Meet Tortilla Chips with 'Epic Crunch' Variety
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers are one of those near-perfect snack foods that haven't changed much since their introduction to the United States in 1958 (save for the groundbreaking addition of the Cheddar flavor four years later). Since I was a kid, the "snack that smiles back" has been a staple in the pantry, winning out over popcorn, potato chips, and pretzels rods any day. It might seem that improving upon a crunchy little cheese-flavored cracker is difficult, perhaps even unnecessary, but Pepperidge Farm has managed to add quite a few flavor upgrades to the aquarium, from sweet varieties like s'mores to flavor dust-covered Blasted fish. And as of next year, another Goldfish cracker will hit the snack food aisle take a cue from one of its neighboring options: Tortilla chips.
A new line of Epic Crunch crackers is set to roll out nationwide on January 1, 2019. "Crackers" is a term that should be used loosely here, as the crunch the name refers to is actually coming from a tortilla chip-like texture. And like the Doritos and Fritos they're (somewhat) emulating, these crackers come in three flavors traditionally seen on corn chips: Nacho, Honey BBQ, and Ranch. (However, all three flavors have also been offered in the aforementioned Flavor Blasted line.)
Beyond advertised crunchy texture, another change you might notice with these crackers is the shape. While traditional Goldfish crackers are round, squat fishies, these appear to be a little lankier (perhaps more of a Nacho Danio). One similarity they do have with the more common Goldfish cracker is that they're also baked rather than fried, so not quite a full dive into tortilla chip territory.
You'll find the Epic Crunch Goldfish in three package sizes — snack bags, regular packs, and large resealable pouches — next to all the other Goldfish varieties beginning in the New Year. And if you need some help navigating the bevy of options available to you, check out our ranking of many of the Goldfish cracker and cookies currently on shelves.
