Cheez-It

For the cheese curl snack, see Cheezies.
Cheez-It
Product typeCracker
OwnerKellogg Company
(Sunshine Biscuits)
Introduced1921; 102 years ago (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 the Kellogg Company through its Sunshine Biscuits division. Approximately 26 by 24 millimetres (1.0 by 0.94 in),[citation needed] 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]

Cracker

Cheez-It crackers are 26-by-24-millimetre (1.0 by 0.94 in) rectangles, though they are often believed to be squares[citation needed]. Cheez-It crackers are made with actual cheese, and are marketed by Kellogg's as such.[7]

Flavors and types

There are a variety of Cheez-It flavors and products, including:[8]

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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[9]
  • 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. ^ a b "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. ^ Broome, Mary Patterson (June 18, 2019). "The Untold Truth Of Cheez-It Crackers". Mashed.com. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  8. ^ "Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers". Cheez-it.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  9. ^ @cheezit (Apr 20, 2019). "Unfortunately, we did end up discontinuing our Sriracha Snack Mix" (Tweet). Retrieved October 27, 2019 – via Twitter.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cheez-It.