Mac and cheese night just got two new options.
Annie’s, the General Mills-owned organic comfort food brand, is expanding its lineup this summer with two new varieties: Spirals and Chipotle Queso and Shells and Alfredo. Both flavors are made with organic pasta, real cheese, and no artificial additives — and both pack 10 grams of protein per serving.
An exact launch date hasn’t been confirmed, but Annie’s parent company General Mills has indicated the new flavors are coming this summer, with other seasonal launches like Birthday Cake Cheerios slated for June.
Spirals and Chipotle Queso
The first new flavor builds on Annie’s existing Creamy Queso variety — which launched last year — by adding a smokier, spicier profile.
The Chipotle Queso version uses real chipotle peppers alongside cheese, delivering what Annie’s describes as “a mild, balanced heat that adds a subtle warmth to the classic bowl fans know and love.” The spiral pasta shape gives the sauce more surface area to cling to, which helps the chipotle-cheese blend coat every piece evenly.
For anyone who loved the original Creamy Queso but wanted a little more complexity, this is the direct answer — same Tex-Mex-inspired direction, with an added smoky kick.
Shells and Alfredo
The second new flavor goes in the opposite direction entirely. Where the Chipotle Queso brings heat, the Alfredo leans into rich, creamy, and buttery territory — the kind of flavor profile more commonly associated with Italian restaurant pasta than a boxed mac.
Annie’s Shells and Alfredo brings the classic restaurant sauce home in a 10-minute box format, made with real cheese and organic pasta. The shell shape works well with thicker, creamier sauces, making it a practical match for the Alfredo base.
At 10 grams of protein per serving, it also fits into the brand’s broader push toward more nutritious comfort food options — a direction Annie’s has been building toward with products like its protein-boosted Super Mac line.
Why This Matters for Annie’s
These two flavors reflect how much the Annie’s lineup has evolved since its early days as a one-SKU cheddar rabbit mac brand.
Over the past few years, the brand has moved steadily into bolder, more globally inspired flavors while maintaining its organic and clean-ingredient standards — a combination that’s helped it carve out a distinct identity in an otherwise crowded boxed pasta aisle. The Chipotle Queso flavor continues that trajectory. The Alfredo play is slightly different, targeting the very large segment of mac and cheese eaters who want something creamy and familiar rather than spicy or adventurous.
Together, they give Annie’s two new reasons to show up in a grocery cart — and two very different moods to satisfy.
When and Where to Find Them
General Mills hasn’t confirmed exact on-shelf dates, but a summer arrival is expected — potentially as early as June based on the company’s broader summer product rollout timeline. Both flavors will be available wherever Annie’s mac and cheese is currently sold.
The Bottom Line
Annie’s is adding Spirals and Chipotle Queso and Shells and Alfredo to its permanent mac and cheese lineup this summer. Both varieties are made with organic pasta, real cheese, and no artificial ingredients, and both deliver 10 grams of protein per serving. Keep an eye on shelves starting in June.
