You probably saw the headlines or the TikToks. The snack that smiles back suddenly decided it wanted a 401(k) and a glass of Chardonnay. Last October, Pepperidge Farm dropped a bombshell: Goldfish crackers were officially changing their name to Chilean Sea Bass.
Wait, what?
If you missed the window to grab a bag, don't worry. You didn't hallucinate it. For a frantic week between October 23 and October 30, 2024, the internet went into a minor tailspin. People were genuinely confused, some were weirdly angry, and others were just trying to refresh a website at 9 a.m. sharp to buy what amounted to the most expensive cheddar crackers of their lives.
Here is the thing about the goldfish new name—it was never meant to be permanent. It was a calculated, tongue-in-cheek marketing "stunt" designed to solve a very specific problem that the Campbell’s Company (the parent company) has been chewing on for years.
Why on earth did they pick Chilean Sea Bass?
The choice of "Chilean Sea Bass" is actually a double-layered joke. First, it sounds fancy. It’s the kind of thing you order at a white-tablecloth restaurant when you want to look like you know what you’re doing with a wine list.
But there is a deeper, nerder marketing history here. Did you know that "Chilean Sea Bass" isn't even a real fish?
Back in 1977, a fish wholesaler named Lee Lantz was trying to figure out how to sell a deep-sea creature called the Patagonian toothfish. Problem was, nobody wants to eat something called a "toothfish." It sounds like something that would bite you back. So, he rebranded it to Chilean Sea Bass, and suddenly it became a luxury staple.
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By choosing this specific name, the marketing team at Mischief @ No Fixed Address (the agency behind the campaign) was winking at us. They were saying, "Hey, we know names are just branding, and we're rebranding these kids' snacks to sound sophisticated just like that toothfish did 50 years ago."
It’s all about Gen Z and Millennials
Goldfish has a "kid" problem. Or rather, an "adults-who-feel-guilty-eating-them" problem.
According to Danielle Brown, Vice President of Goldfish, the brand knows that adults already love the crackers. In fact, a 2023 Piper Sandler survey found that Goldfish are the number one preferred cracker brand for Gen Z.
The issue? Adults often feel like they have to steal them from their kids’ pantries or hide the bag. The goldfish new name was a "playful nod" to remind grown-ups that they are allowed to enjoy the 100% real cheddar goodness without feeling like they’re sitting at the toddler table.
Honestly, it worked. The bags, sold exclusively at a dedicated website (ChileanSeaBassCrackers.com), sold out in minutes every single day. People paid $7.38 for two bags of the exact same crackers you can find at Target for three bucks. That is the power of a good joke and a limited-edition bag.
This isn't the first time a brand has pulled this
We’ve seen this movie before. Remember 2018? IHOP briefly became "IHOb" to tell everyone they sold burgers. It was annoying, it was everywhere, and—frustratingly—it worked. Their burger sales quadrupled.
Goldfish followed that blueprint. They didn't change the recipe. They didn't change the shape. They just changed the vibes.
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What the "Chilean Sea Bass" era means for you now
If you’re looking for these on grocery store shelves today, you're out of luck. The campaign ended on October 30, 2024. The brand has reverted to the classic Goldfish name, though they are still leaning heavily into "adult" flavors to keep that momentum going.
Think about the recent releases:
- Frank’s RedHot Goldfish
- Old Bay Goldfish
- Spicy Dill Pickle
These aren't flavors for five-year-olds. They are bridge products. The "Chilean Sea Bass" stunt was just the loud, flashy announcement that Goldfish is no longer just a "juice box and nap time" snack.
How to treat your snack game like an adult
If you missed out on the collectible bags, you can still lean into the "sophisticated" snacking trend without the eBay markup. Here is how to actually apply this "adult-sounding" logic to your pantry:
- Check the labels, not the mascots. Goldfish are baked and use real cheese, which is why they’ve stayed popular while other 90s snacks died out. They actually hold up to adult nutritional scrutiny better than a lot of "adult" chips.
- Pairing is everything. If you want to lean into the Chilean Sea Bass joke, try pairing your cheddar crackers with a sharp Sauvignon Blanc or a dry cider. The acidity cuts through the salt. It sounds ridiculous until you try it.
- Look for the "Mega Bites." If you want a more substantial crunch, the Mega Bites line is 50% larger and designed specifically for adult palates with flavors like Sharp Cheddar and Jalapeño.
- Don't fall for the "toothfish" trap. Real Chilean Sea Bass (the fish) is often overfished. If you’re buying the actual seafood, look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue label to make sure it’s sustainable. For the crackers? No sustainability worries there—just pure cheddar.
The goldfish new name saga was a masterclass in how to get people talking about a 62-year-old product. It reminded us that we don't have to "grow out" of things we like; we just might need to call them something else for a week to feel better about it.