Cheez-It
An American brand of baked cheese-flavored crackers.
Last updated October 13, 2026
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Overview
Cheez-It is an American snack-food brand best known for small, baked crackers made with wheat flour, vegetable oil, cheese, skim milk, salt, and seasonings. The crackers are rectangular, with a perforation and a central hole, and are commonly described in everyday use as square. Their recognizable orange color, toasted edges, salty cheese flavor, and compact format have made the brand one of the best-known packaged cheese-cracker lines in the United States. The brand traces its commercial origin to the Green & Green Company of Dayton, Ohio. Weston Green established that company in 1907, and it produced a range of baked foods, including crackers, graham products, gingersnaps, and wartime hardtack. On March 31, 1921, Green & Green introduced Cheez-It as a new cracker. Early marketing presented it as a baked rarebit, invoking the traditional dish of melted cheese served over toast. A Cheez-It logo application was submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office on May 23, 1921. During the early 1930s, Sunshine Biscuits acquired Green & Green and expanded the product's distribution. Sunshine was then operating under the Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company name and adopted the Sunshine Biscuits name in 1947. Wider distribution helped turn Cheez-It from a regional baked snack into a nationally recognized packaged-food brand. The original product remained the core offering for decades; broader flavor and format development became more prominent from the 1980s onward, eventually producing more than 50 varieties and limited editions according to the brand's historical references. Corporate ownership changed several times. Keebler acquired Sunshine Biscuits in 1996, and Kellogg Company acquired Keebler in 2001. Cheez-It subsequently became part of Kellogg's global snack portfolio. In the late-2023 separation of Kellogg's North American cereal operations into WK Kellogg Co, the snack business remained with the company that was renamed Kellanova. Mars announced an agreement to acquire Kellanova in August 2024, and the transaction was reported as completed in late 2025, placing Cheez-It within Mars's broader food portfolio. Cheez-It has historically been centered on the United States but has expanded internationally. It officially launched in Canada in January 2020, entered Australia in April 2024, and followed with launches in Ireland and the United Kingdom in September 2024. Its marketing and brand extensions have also taken Cheez-It beyond the grocery aisle. The brand sponsored college-football bowl games in Arizona in 2018 and 2019, Florida from 2020 through 2022, and the Citrus Bowl beginning with the January 2023 edition. Today, Cheez-It remains positioned as an accessible, mainstream baked cheese snack, sold through grocery, convenience, club, mass-retail, food-service, and online channels where available.
History
Cheez-It's history begins with the Green & Green Company, a Dayton, Ohio, baked-food producer founded by Weston Green in 1907. The company made several types of crackers and other baked snacks, including products associated with wartime food supply. On March 31, 1921, it introduced Cheez-It crackers. The early product was promoted as a baked rarebit, a name that connected the cracker's cheese character with the traditional rarebit dish. A trademark milestone followed on May 23, 1921, when the first Cheez-It logo was submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The product initially developed within Green & Green's portfolio rather than as an independent company. In the early 1930s, Sunshine Biscuits acquired Green & Green, bringing Cheez-It into a larger national biscuit and cracker distribution system. Sunshine Biscuits was previously known as the Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company and adopted its better-known name in 1947. Sunshine's distribution network helped establish Cheez-It as a widely available American snack. For much of the brand's early life, the original cheese cracker was its defining and largely sole product. From the 1980s, the company increasingly developed additional flavors, packaging formats, and product variations. Over time, the portfolio expanded to more than 50 varieties and products, although the original cracker continued to anchor brand recognition. The brand changed corporate hands in the consolidation of the American packaged-food industry. Keebler acquired Sunshine Biscuits in 1996. Kellogg Company then acquired Keebler in 2001, making Cheez-It part of Kellogg's snack operations. Kellogg retained the brand as a major cracker and snack label while managing it alongside other packaged-food businesses. A major structural change occurred in late 2023, when Kellogg separated its North American cereal operations into WK Kellogg Co. The remaining global snack business, including Cheez-It, operated as Kellanova. In August 2024, Mars announced an agreement to acquire Kellanova. The transaction was reported as completed in late 2025, making Mars the current owner identified for the brand. Although Cheez-It remains most strongly associated with the United States, the brand has pursued international distribution. It launched officially in Canada in January 2020, Australia in April 2024, and Ireland and the United Kingdom in September 2024. Its public profile has also been reinforced through sports sponsorships. Cheez-It sponsored bowl games in Arizona in 2018 and 2019, in Florida from 2020 through 2022, and the Citrus Bowl beginning with the January 2023 edition. The product itself remains relatively simple: a small baked cracker made with wheat flour, vegetable oil, cheese, skim milk, salt, and spices. Its physical design, toasted appearance, and cheese flavor form the basis of the brand's identity. Cheez-It is positioned as an affordable, convenient, familiar snack for household consumption, lunchboxes, casual eating, entertainment occasions, and portable snacking.
- 2025
Kellanova acquisition reported completed
[1]The acquisition of Kellanova by Mars was reported as closing in late 2025.
- 2024
International expansion continues
[1]The brand launched in Australia in April and in Ireland and the United Kingdom in September.
- 2024
Mars announces Kellanova acquisition
[1]Mars announced an agreement to acquire Kellanova, including its Cheez-It business.
- 2023
Snack business becomes part of Kellanova
[1]Following Kellogg's separation of its North American cereal business, Cheez-It remained with the snack company renamed Kellanova.
- 2023
Citrus Bowl sponsorship begins
[1]Cheez-It sponsored the Citrus Bowl beginning with the January 2023 edition.
- 2020
Canadian launch
[1]Cheez-It officially launched in Canada in January.
- 2020
Florida bowl sponsorship begins
[1]Cheez-It sponsored a Florida college-football bowl from 2020 through 2022.
- 2018
Cheez-It begins Arizona bowl sponsorship
[1]Cheez-It sponsored a college-football bowl game in Arizona in 2018 and again in 2019.
- 2001
Kellogg acquires Keebler
[1]Cheez-It became part of Kellogg Company's snack business.
- 1996
Keebler acquires Sunshine Biscuits
[1]The acquisition transferred Cheez-It into Keebler's branded snack portfolio.
Products and positioning
Mainstream baked cheese snack emphasizing real cheese, distinctive toasted flavor, portability, and broad household appeal.
Baked cheese cracker · 1921
Original Cheez-It
The original Cheez-It is a small baked cracker made with wheat flour, vegetable oil, cheese, skim milk, salt, and spices. Its toasted edges, orange appearance, perforated rectangular form, and savory cheese flavor define the core product associated with the brand.
Cracker extensions · 1980
Cheez-It flavor and format varieties
Beginning particularly in the 1980s, Cheez-It expanded beyond the original recipe into numerous flavors, shapes, package sizes, seasonal products, and limited-time offerings. The historical reference material records more than 50 varieties and products, though individual availability varies by market and period.
Controversies
2025
Criticism of Cravings Can Happen Anywhere advertising
One Million Moms criticized the “The Boyfriend” execution for sexual innuendo and reported that comments had been disabled on the associated YouTube video. The criticism came from an advocacy group and does not establish regulatory or legal wrongdoing.
2025
Criticism of The Boyfriend advertisement
One Million Moms objected to sexual innuendo in a 2025 “Cravings Can Happen Anywhere” commercial. The matter is recorded as public campaign criticism rather than a confirmed legal or regulatory finding.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023Citrus Bowl sponsorship
United States
Cheez-It became the presenting sponsor associated with the Citrus Bowl beginning with the January 2023 edition.
Outcome. The Citrus Bowl sponsorship followed the brand's earlier bowl-game naming partnerships.
- 2020Florida Cheez-It Bowl sponsorship
United States
The brand sponsored a Florida college-football bowl from 2020 through 2022, extending its sports-marketing platform after the earlier Arizona sponsorship.
Outcome. The sponsorship ran through the 2022 edition.
- 2018Cheez-It Bowl sponsorship
United States
Cheez-It sponsored a college-football bowl game in Arizona in 2018 and 2019, associating the brand with televised American sports and game-day snacking.
Outcome. The sponsorship continued for a second Arizona edition in 2019.
Brand decisions
2024
Mars agrees to acquire KellanovaM&ABackground
Kellanova operated Cheez-It after the 2023 separation of Kellogg's cereal and snack businesses.
Action taken
Mars announced an agreement to acquire Kellanova.
Aftermath
The transaction was reported as closing in late 2025, placing Cheez-It under Mars ownership.
2023
Kellogg separates cereal and snack businessesStrategyBackground
Kellogg separated its North American cereal operations from its global snack activities.
Action taken
The North American cereal business became WK Kellogg Co, while the snack business containing Cheez-It was renamed Kellanova.
Aftermath
Cheez-It remained in the Kellanova snack portfolio rather than moving to WK Kellogg Co.
2001
Kellogg acquires KeeblerM&ABackground
Keebler owned Sunshine Biscuits and its Cheez-It brand before the transaction.
Action taken
Kellogg acquired Keebler, bringing Cheez-It into Kellogg's snack portfolio.
Aftermath
Cheez-It operated as a Kellogg snack brand until the later creation of Kellanova.
1996
Move into the Keebler portfolioM&ABackground
Sunshine Biscuits owned the Cheez-It business before Keebler acquired Sunshine in 1996.
Action taken
Keebler acquired Sunshine Biscuits, taking ownership of Cheez-It.
Aftermath
Cheez-It subsequently moved again when Kellogg acquired Keebler in 2001.
Sources3 sources
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