Cheez-It
Product typeCracker
OwnerKellanova
(Sunshine Biscuits)
Introduced1921 (1921)
Previous ownersGreen & Green Company (1921–1932)
Sunshine Biscuits (1932–1996)
Keebler Company (1996–2001)
Websitecheezit.com

Cheez-It is a brand of cheese cracker manufactured by Kellanova through its Sunshine Biscuits division. Approximately 26 by 24 millimetres (1.0 by 0.94 in), the rectangular crackers are made with wheat flour, vegetable oil, cheese, skim milk, salt, and spices.

History

The history of Cheez-It crackers began in 1907, when Weston Green founded the Green & Green Company in Dayton, Ohio. The company produced a variety of baked snack foods such as Dayton crackers, graham crackers, gingersnaps, and, during World War I, hardtack. On March 31, 1921, Green introduced Cheez-It crackers, commonly called Cheez-Its, as a new product. The company marketed the cracker as a "baked rarebit", a reference to a dish of melted cheese over toast. On May 23, 1921, the first Cheez-It logo was submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.[1][2][3][4]

In 1932, the Kansas City-based Sunshine Biscuits (which was known as the Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company until 1947) acquired the Green & Green Company, and with it came the Cheez-It cracker. Sunshine Biscuits expanded the distribution and popularity of Cheez-It crackers across the country. In 1996, Keebler acquired Sunshine Biscuits, and in 2001, Kellogg's acquired Keebler, bringing Cheez-It crackers under its umbrella.[4] Cheez-Its were officially launched in Canada in January 2020.[5][6]

In late 2023, Kellogg's spun off its North American cereal division as WK Kellogg Co. The company's snack food business, including Cheez-It, became part of the renamed Kellanova.[7][8]

Cracker

Cheez-It crackers are 26-by-24-millimetre (1.0 by 0.94 in) rectangles, though they are often believed to be squares . Cheez-It crackers are made with actual cheese, and are marketed by Kellogg's as such.[9]

Flavors and types

The original Cheez-It was the only product available until the 1980s; since then, have been over 50 different varieties of Cheez-It flavors and products, including:[10]

  • Buffalo Wing
  • Cheddar Jack
  • Cheez-It Big (a larger cracker more suitable for garnishing or dipping)
  • Cheese Pizza
  • Chipotle Cheddar
  • Duoz Sharp Cheddar & Parmesan
  • Duoz Bacon & Cheddar
  • Duoz Jalapeño & Cheddar Jack
  • Extra Toasty
  • Extra Big’
  • Extra Cheesy
  • Gripz "mighty tiny"
  • Grooves Bold Cheddar
  • Grooves Sharp White Cheddar
  • Grooves Zesty Cheddar Ranch
  • Grooves Scorchin' Hot Cheddar
  • Hot & Spicy (without Tabasco sauce)
  • Italian Four Cheese
  • Mozzarella
  • Original
  • Pepper Jack
  • Provolone (with real hickory smoke flavor added)
  • Puff'd
  • Queso Fundido
  • Reduced Fat
  • Reduced Fat White Cheddar
  • Scrabble Junior
  • Sizzlin' Bacon (limited availability)
  • Snack Mix
  • Snack Mix Double Cheese
  • Snack Mix Sweet & Salty
  • Snap'd
  • Snap'd Cheddar Sour Cream
  • Snap'd Double Cheese
  • Snap'd Jalapeño Jack
  • Snap'd Barbecue
  • White Cheddar
  • Whole Grain
  • Zingz Chipotle Cheddar
  • Zingz Queso Fundido

Cheez-It Grooves is available in Canada as Cheez-It Crunch.

Discontinued

Former offerings include:

  • Asiago
  • Atomic Cheddar
  • Baby Swiss
  • Barbecue & Cheddar Snack Mix
  • Cheesy Sour Cream & Onion
  • Chili Cheese
  • Colby
  • Duoz Smoked Cheddar and Monterey Jack
  • Duoz Zesty Queso and Cheddar Blanco
  • Hot & Spicy (with Tabasco sauce)
  • Hot & Spicy Grooves
  • Nacho
  • Parmesan & Garlic
  • Romano
  • Smoked Cheddar
  • Snack Mix Sriracha[11]
  • Twists Buffalo Bleu

See also

References

  1. ↑ Robinson, Amelia. "Dayton's little-known Cheezy past". Dayton.com. Cox Media Group. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  2. ↑ Powell, Lisa (March 22, 2021). "Celebrate the Cheez-It! The crispy crackers were invented in Dayton more than 100 years ago". Dayton.com. Cox Media Group. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  3. ↑ Robinson, Amelia (April 30, 2020). "Were Cheez-Its really invented in Dayton? Yes, and here's the story". Dayton.com. Cox Media Group. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "A Brief History of the Cheez-It". Smithsonian Magazine. May 21, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  5. ↑ Taylor, Bill (January 23, 2020). "New Cheez-It Crackers Now Available In Canada". Canadify. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Cheez-It Makes a Crunch in Canadian Market" (Press release). Mississauga, Ontario: Kellogg Canada. January 22, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  7. ↑ Oguh, Chibuike; Vanaik, Granth (October 2, 2023). "Kellanova, WK Kellogg shares slump on first day after spinoff". Reuters.
  8. ↑ Company, Kellogg. "KELLOGG COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES SEPARATION INTO TWO COMPANIES, KELLANOVA AND WK KELLOGG CO". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  9. ↑ Broome, Mary Patterson (June 18, 2019). "The Untold Truth Of Cheez-It Crackers". Mashed.com. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers". Cheez-it.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  11. ↑ @cheezit (April 20, 2019). "Unfortunately, we did end up discontinuing our Sriracha Snack Mix" (Tweet). Retrieved October 27, 2019 – via Twitter.
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