Billion-dollar USA Cheez-It brand reaches UK shores

Kellanova is introducing the cheese-flavoured baked snack the UK this summer with the hope of matching its Pringles-beating success in the United States. Cheez-It will be available across all Route-to-Market channels.

Made with 100% real cheese and a combination of wheat, corn and potatoes, Cheez-It delivers "an irresistible and distinct crispiness", and Kellanova says the US recipe has been tweaked for European tastebuds. Its proprietary baking method bakes the snack extra thin and crispy with distinct curvy and crispy edges to deliver the right balance of crispy texture and cheesy taste.

The UK range will include two flavours – Cheese & Chilli and Double Cheese – targeting 22.8 million cheese-flavoured-crisp buyers across the country. It will be available in a variety of sizes, including small individual packs (65g PMP and 40g) and larger sharing bags.

The UK launch will be supported with a large media investment of £18 million from September, spanning a TV advert bespoke for UK audiences, radio, out of home, sampling, PR, and social. Kellanova is also supporting retailers with dedicated POS, including freestanding display units, to help create theatre instore and engage shoppers.

Kellanova believes it has identified an opportunity to re-engage a younger audience looking for a real cheese snack that "packs a punch". It says that current products on the market lack a true cheese flavour, which is proving a barrier to purchase for this age group. Cheez-It is designed to satisfy this need and be a key growth driver for the overall category.

"When we became Kellanova back in October last year, we said we wanted to become a snacking powerhouse, and bringing our hero US Cheez-It brand to the UK is demonstrative of this ambition," said said Chris Silcock, Kellanova UK and Ireland Managing Director.

“Great taste is the number one category driver, and we believe by launching a largescale NPD that delivers on taste, we can provide more choice to shoppers, help increase their repertoire, and drive overall category growth. That’s why we believe Cheez-It offers retailers of all shapes and sizes a compelling, differentiated product which will be backed by a heavy weight marketing plan. While this is a new product and brand here in the UK, the trade this side of the ‘pond’ can have confidence in Cheez-It – after all, it’s a billion-dollar brand in America! ”

The launch of Cheez-It will add to the stable of snacks brands sold by Kellanova in the UK including Pringles, Rice Krispies Squares and Pop Tarts.