Hopefully in time for Mardi Gras: Cheetos Sweetos

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Snackers soon will have an excuse to turn their fingers cinnamon brown instead of cheesy orange.

Just ahead of Easter, Frito-Lay's Cheetos brand in late February will roll out Cheetos Sweetos — a cinnamon, sugar puff snack. Sweetos is the first sweet snack that Cheetos has cranked out in the brand's 67-year history. The limited-time offering follows a successful 2013 holiday launch of a sweet snack by sister brand Lays, with Lays Wavy Potato Chips Dipped in Milk Chocolate.

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"This is not a short-term strategy," says Jeff Klein, vice president of brand marketing for Frito-Lay North America. "We are looking for growth outside of the cheese puff segment."

A 7-ounce bag of Sweetos, dusted in brown speckles, will fetch $3.49. Frito-Lay is looking into other sweet Cheetos flavor options, but Klein declined to name or describe them for competitive reasons.

The snack will be sold in a bag with conventional Easter-themed colors, Klein says, as Frito-Lay looks to grab a piece of the $2.2 billion Easter sweets market, more commonly focused on items like jelly beans and chocolate rabbits. "It will make a dent in the holiday," he says.

The cinnamon flavor also could have special appeal to consumers who want a sweet taste, but are put off by overly sugary products, says Vierhile. "Cinnamon has less baggage than sweet flavors that are perceived to be more sugar-based," he says.

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"We believe the orange Cheetos dust that comes off on your fingers is an important part of the Cheetos eating experience — for some it's the best part," says Klein. "Absolutely there will be a similar playful experience when eating Sweetos."

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