# Puffed Pasta-Inspired Snacks Trader Joe’s Organic Cacio E Pepe Puffs are Perfect for Snacking On By Katherine Pendrill | Published 2022-01-02 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/trader-joes-organic-cacio-e-pepe-puffs References: [traderjoes](https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/organic-cacio-e-pepe-puffs-071323)  With its new Organic Cacio E Pepe Puffs, [Trader Joe's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/worlds-puffiest-sour-cream-onion-corn-puffs) has managed to transform a [classic pasta dish](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/organic-farfalline-pasta) into a cheesy bite-sized snack. Cacio e pepe is a traditional Italian pasta dish that literally translates into "cheese and pepper." Now, Trader Joe's has managed to take the distinctively cheesy taste of this pasta, and transform it into a deliciously addictive snack. The new Organic Cacio E Pepe Puffs start with a base of [puffed organic corn meal](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cheetos-puffs-cheese-pizza) and organic brown rice flour. These light and crunchy puffs are then coated with a seasoning of dried, organic Cheddar and Romano cheeses and organic black pepper. As Trader Joe's explains, "With every bite, you get both the classically cheesy and peppery cacio e pepe profile, and a resoundingly crunchy texture that keeps you coming back for more." Image Credit: Trader Joe's ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.1/10 - Popularity: 58% | Activity: 84% | Freshness: 11% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Puffed Snacks:** Puffed snack alternatives to traditional food items are on the rise, offering opportunities for new snack formulations that appeal to health-conscious consumers seeking healthier snack options - **Transformative Flavors:** The trend of transforming traditional dishes into new flavor profiles encourages innovation in the snack industry to meet demands for unique snack experiences - **Organic Foods:** The organic food trend is growing, and snack companies can leverage organic ingredients to create new, healthy snack options for consumers ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Snack Foods:** Snack companies can develop new, healthier snack alternatives with puffed snack options and transform traditional flavors to meet evolving consumer expectations - **Organic Foods:** The organic food industry can expand by targeting snack consumers with new organic snack options to meet increasing demand for organic food products - **Cheese Industry:** Cheese producers have the opportunity to explore new uses for their products, including as snack seasonings, to target consumers seeking unique and flavorful snack options ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Sour Cream Corn Puffs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/worlds-puffiest-sour-cream-onion-corn-puffs.md) - [Baked Pizza Puffs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/baked-pizza-flavored-pillow-crisps.md) - [Heirloom Corn-Based Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fancy-cheese-crunchies.md) - [Baked Pea Flour Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crunchy-pops.md) - [Puff Pastry Cheese Crackers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cheddar-parmesan-cheese-snackers.md) - [Pre-Portioned Organic Pastas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/organic-papperdelle-pasta-nests.md) - [Nutritional Yeast-Seasoned Popcorns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/piquant-popcorn.md) - [Crunchy Wintertime Party Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/organic-taralli-and-friends-crackers.md) - [Dried Shishito Pepper Crisps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shishito-crisps.md)