Hot Pockets Introduce Major Change to Packaging
Hot Pockets recently made a big change to their packaging, affecting only the few people who still eat Hot Pockets.
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My high school and college years pretty much killed my desire to eat any kind of grab-and-go microwavable product. On occasion, I'll pick up a pack of ramen or a Banquet Chicken Pot Pie, but aside from that, I try to stay away from the freezer section at my grocery store. That said, I did backslide a little on a recent trip.
While staying at a hotel over the summer, I decided to revisit Hot Pockets, or rather their generic counterpart, Pepperoni & Cheese Filled Sandwiches from Walmart. After the first bite, I knew they still weren’t for me. However, for those who still like the name-brand Hot Pockets, you may have noticed something different about the packaging. I didn't notice it until weeks later when I stumbled across a video on TikTok.
The History of Hot Pockets
According to Atlas Obscura, Hot Pockets were the brainchild of two Iranian-born Jewish immigrants, brothers Paul and David Merage. The two founded Chef America in the late 1970s and debuted the "Tastywich" in 1980, which was the predecessor to the Hot Pocket. The brothers actually struggled to create a decent microwavable sandwich at first, as they had difficulty figuring out how to ensure the bread wouldn't become a chewy mess in microwaves. Luckily, they came up with their iconic cardboard "sleeve," which ensured a crispy bite.
Hot Pockets would replace the Tastywich around 1983, and while the brand has undergone changes since then, it’s still rather iconic. In 2002, Nestlé acquired Chef America for $2.6 billion and has since introduced several flavors of Hot Pockets, from BBQ Beef to Jalapeño Steak with Cheese. Breakfast options surfaced in 2001 and have also become popular. However, despite the different flavors, the one constant in the entire Hot Pocket universe has always been that cardboard sleeve—at least until 2024.
Hot Pockets Goes Sleeveless
The reason Hot Pockets' iconic sleeve allows your weird turnover sandwich thing to stay somewhat crispy is a film on the inside called a susceptor. Atlas Obscura notes that this film essentially turns the entire sleeve into a tiny broiler by capturing waves emitted by your microwave. It has worked fairly well for decades, but in 2024, Hot Pockets decided it was time to discard the sleeves in order to reduce waste. That said, the company has chosen to fill the void with more contents inside each pocket, such as 30% more pepperoni in their Pizza Hot Pockets.
@that231guy Hot Pockets got rid of the sleeve. #whathappenedtohotpockets♬ original sound - That231Guy
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Gallery Credit: Jake Foster