Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Is Now Known As 'KD' In Canada

Deferring to a popular local nickname, Kraft Foods has changed the name of Kraft Macaroni Cheese to "KD" in Canada, where the product is sold as Kraft Dinner.

This week, Kraft Foods' Canadian division announced an official name change to KD, a nickname already used by at least 80 percent of Canadians.

"Why would we continue to call it Kraft Dinner when Canadians don't refer to us that way?" Kristen Eyre, Kraft brand director, told The Globe and Mail. "The way Canadians refer to Kraft Dinner as KD is as much a term of endearment as when you call a relative or a friend by a nickname... It's such a love mark for them, and we should be reflecting that."

The name change also reflects a decline in the company's appeal to young consumers, who see the product as part of their childhood.

"What we learned from consumers is that they still love KD, but it's not as top of mind as it once was," Eyre said. "They feel they've outgrown it either emotionally or functionally. This was a huge 'a-ha' for us. We looked again at our product and our brand and asked: 'What we need to do to drive that consideration?'"