Shells & Real Aged Cheddar Annie’s Cheddar Mac (as we call it!) is our answer to all those chemically orange colored cheeses out there. We’ve taken our original Shells & White Cheddar and added a little color to it, naturally! Our totally natural cheese is colored with a plant extract called annatto. Annatto has been used in tropical American cultures for generations to color foods such as butter, cheese and mustard. The annatto tree grows 20 to 30 feet in height and when its seeds are stirred in water, they produce orange annatto dye, also called achiote, to color foods. Annie’s Cheddar Macaroni and cheese is a great alternative for kids who need to have that “orange” cheese on their macaroni.