Cheez-It Explained

Cheez-It
Type:Cracker
Currentowner:Kellanova (Kellogg's)
(Sunshine Biscuits)
Previousowners:Green & Green Company (1921–1932)
Sunshine Biscuits (1932–1996)
Keebler Company (1996–2001)

Cheez-It is a brand of cheese crackers manufactured by Kellanova through its Sunshine Biscuits division. Approximately 26by, 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.[1] Green's 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. Cheez-Its were officially launched in Canada in January 2020. Cheez-Its are going to be officially launched in the UK, during August 2024.[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]

On August 14, 2024, Kellanova announced Mars Inc., has entered into an agreement to acquire the Kellanova brand. The deal is anticipated to close early in 2025.

Cracker

Cheez-It crackers are 26by rectangles, though they are often believed to be squares.[9] Cheez-It crackers are made with actual cheese, and are marketed by Kellogg's as such.[10]

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:[11]

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

Discontinued

Discontinued Cheez-It varieties include:

See also

References

Mars acquiring Kellanova

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Robinson . Amelia . Dayton's little-known Cheezy past. Dayton.com . . 25 October 2017 . 25 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171025132246/http://seenandoverheard.blog.dayton.com/2015/08/21/daytons-little-known-cheezy-past/. dead.
  2. Web site: Powell . Lisa . Celebrate the Cheez-It! The crispy crackers were invented in Dayton more than 100 years ago . Dayton.com . Cox Media Group . March 22, 2021 . July 30, 2023 . July 30, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230730022941/https://www.dayton.com/what-to-know/happy-birthday-cheez-it-the-crispy-crackers-were-invented-in-dayton-100-years-ago/37NH5YMDH5FP3EBMQPAQUU2IF4/ . live .
  3. Web site: Robinson . Amelia . Were Cheez-Its really invented in Dayton? Yes, and here's the story . Dayton.com . Cox Media Group . April 30, 2020 . July 30, 2023 . July 30, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230730022940/https://www.dayton.com/blog/seen-and-overheard/were-cheez-its-really-invented-dayton-yes-and-here-the-story/w4gZxZzIAczWdUSR2ow71I/ . live .
  4. Web site: A Brief History of the Cheez-It . Smithsonian Magazine . May 21, 2021 . July 30, 2023 . June 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605170540/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/brief-history-cheez-it-180977777/ . live .
  5. Web site: Taylor . Bill . New Cheez-It Crackers Now Available In Canada . Canadify . January 23, 2020 . July 31, 2023 . July 31, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230731040516/https://canadify.com/2020/01/23/new-cheez-it-crackers-now-available-in-canada/ . live .
  6. Cheez-It Makes a Crunch in Canadian Market . Mississauga, Ontario . Kellogg Canada . January 22, 2020 . July 31, 2023 . July 31, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230731040515/https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/cheez-it-makes-a-crunch-in-canadian-market-861194951.html . live .
  7. News: Oguh . Chibuike . Vanaik . Granth . October 2, 2023 . Kellanova, WK Kellogg shares slump on first day after spinoff . Reuters . 2024-01-07 . 2023-12-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231202004233/https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/kellanova-wk-kellogg-shares-slump-first-day-after-spinoff-2023-10-02/ . live .
  8. Web site: Company . Kellogg . KELLOGG COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES SEPARATION INTO TWO COMPANIES, KELLANOVA AND WK KELLOGG CO . 2023-09-19 . www.prnewswire.com . en . 2023-09-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230913071558/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kellogg-company-board-of-directors-approves-separation-into-two-companies-kellanova-and-wk-kellogg-co-301922760.html . live .
  9. Web site: Ganz . Stephanie . Why Cheez-Its have been anything but square since 1921 . Quartz . November 15, 2023 . February 23, 2024 . Despite marketing themselves as a square-shaped cracker, Cheez-Its measure 26 x 24 mm (1.0 by 0.94 in), making them technically rectangular. . February 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240223001033/https://qz.com/emails/quartz-obsession/1851020789/cheez-its-making-that-cheddar . live .
  10. Web site: Patterson Broome . Mary . June 18, 2019 . The Untold Truth Of Cheez-It Crackers . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210125112310/https://www.mashed.com/155875/the-untold-truth-of-cheez-it-crackers/ . January 25, 2021 . February 11, 2021 . Mashed.com.
  11. Web site: Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers . Cheez-it.com . 2016-09-18 . 2016-09-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160912180621/https://www.cheezit.com/en_US/products.html . live .
  12. cheezit . 1119692122448379904 . Unfortunately, we did end up discontinuing our Sriracha Snack Mix. . Apr 20, 2019 . October 27, 2019.

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