The iconic orange goldfish snack is getting a new name: Chilean sea bass.

Don't worry, the recipe is still the same and the name change is only temporary.

“Chilean sea bass is just like regular goldfish,” reads the new packaging, which features the familiar face of an orange goldfish wearing sunglasses. “Except they’re called Chilean sea bass, which is more sophisticated.”

The goal of the marketing stunt is to reach adults and remind consumers that the snack isn't just for kids. The name change was announced on the brand's Instagram page on Wednesday.

The snack is popular with people of all ages, emphasized Goldfish vice president Danielle Brown in a statement shared with The Inquirer.

“As a playful reminder, we’ve given our iconic cheddar cracker a new, fun, grown-up name,” said Brown. “This campaign is a continuation of our brand journey to target adult snackers and expand our market presence, a journey we first began in 2020.”

The product can be purchased online until October 30th, while stocks last. By midday on Thursday, the day's fish supply had run out, and a notice on the website suggested that customers would return the next morning “for more Chilean sea bass fishing.”

A billion-dollar brand continues to grow

Goldfish is one of Camden-based Campbell Soup Co.'s most successful brands and continues to evolve as it expands its reach with different flavors.

The brand is one of the company's three brands, along with Pepperidge Farm and Campbell's, that generate over $1 billion in annual sales. As of September, a fourth billion-dollar brand is also on the horizon: Rao's, recently acquired by Campbell.

The choice of Chilean sea bass as a name is quite fitting as the fish is one that has also gone through a rebranding process. According to the New York Times, the creature originally known as the Patagonian hake is actually not a sea bass at all. In 2002, the outlet reported that diners had to travel to Chile or Argentina about ten years before eating the fish, and that it had grown in popularity ever since.

“Chilean sea bass is inherently a dish that appeals to adults,” Brown said. “It sounds sophisticated and suits a sophisticated adult palate.”

The rebranding comes as Goldfish continues to grow as a brand. The snack has seen net sales growth of 50% in five years, snack division president Chris Foley noted in September. Canada is a fast-growing market for the snack, and the company is also launching it in Mexico.

“We’ve taken this brand from a kids’ snack to a snack for the whole family,” Foley said.

Goldfish was created in 1958 as a birthday gift made by a second-generation Swiss baker for his wife, whose star sign was Pisces. When the product became available in a variety of flavors to American customers in 1962, it was billed primarily as a bar snack. Since then, Goldfish has expanded to include additional flavors such as Frank's RedHot, Old Bay and Spicy Dill Pickle. The company also announced the 2023 launch of Goldfish Crisps, a version of the snack made from potatoes.

Campbell aims for Goldfish to generate $1.3 billion in net sales by fiscal 2027, which would make it the company's largest brand, Foley noted in September.

The new temporary identity change to Goldfish comes as Campbell pursues its own name change. The over 150-year-old company has long been known for its soups, but also sells snacks, ready meals and drinks. In September, Mark Clouse, Campbell's president and CEO, announced that the company planned to change its name from Campbell Soup Co. to The Campbell's Co., subject to shareholder approval.

“We will always love soup and never lose sight of this important business, but today we are so much more than just soup,” Clouse said in September.