Kraft Singles

Kraft Singles is a processed-cheese brand associated with individually wrapped cheese portions sold primarily for sandwiches, cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, and other everyday cooking uses. The product originated in the United States in 1950, when Kraft introduced it as Kraft De Luxe Process Slices. Unlike conventional slices cut from a larger block, the portions are formed separately during manufacturing. This production method supports consistent thickness, portioning, texture, and melting performance. A major step in the brand's development was the introduction of individually wrapped portions. American engineer Arnold Nawrocki developed a machine for individually wrapping cheese in 1956, while Kraft's own individually wrapped cheese-slice product reached the market later, in 1965. The wrapper became a central part of the product's identity because it allowed portions to be separated and stored conveniently. Kraft Singles subsequently became closely associated with mass-market American cheese and with quick-service and home-cooking occasions. The brand's principal appeal is functional rather than artisanal. Kraft Singles are marketed and used as a convenient, familiar, easy-melting cheese option. Their uniform format makes them suitable for household meal preparation, especially hamburgers, toasted sandwiches, grilled cheese, breakfast sandwiches, and children's meals. The range has centered on American-style processed cheese products, with additional flavors introduced over time. Kraft Singles have also been subject to regulatory scrutiny concerning product composition, labeling, and advertising. In 1992, the Federal Trade Commission required Kraft to stop advertising claims that a three-quarter-ounce slice contained five ounces of milk when those claims were considered misleading in their implications about calcium content and comparison with imitation cheese. In December 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that Kraft could no longer use the label “Pasteurized Process Cheese Food” for the product after a formulation change involving milk protein concentrate. Kraft changed the label to “Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product.” The product contains dairy ingredients and no vegetable oil or other non-dairy fats, according to the referenced product description. Kraft Singles remained a substantial U.S. household brand into the late 2010s, although sales were described as flat in 2019 even as approximately 40 percent of U.S. households continued to purchase the product. Kraft refreshed the packaging in 2023, including an updated visual identity and an easier-to-open wrapper. In January 2024, the company expanded the line with Caramelized Onion, Jalapeño, and Garlic & Herb flavors. The brand has not remained uniform across all countries. In Australia, Kraft branding was retired in 2017 after Mondelez's Australian cheese business was sold to Bega Cheese. Bega changed the name of its sliced cheese product from Kraft Singles to Dairylea Slices, while the transaction preserved rights to the Kraft name with Mondelez. In the United States, Kraft Singles continues as an active Kraft Heinz product brand.

Kraft Singles emerged from Kraft's effort to standardize and popularize processed cheese for convenient household use. The product was introduced in 1950 under the name Kraft De Luxe Process Slices. Although the product is commonly described as sliced cheese, its portions are not cut from a single block in the manner of traditional deli slices; each portion is formed separately during production. This manufacturing approach gives the product a consistent size and supports its characteristic melting behavior. Packaging became one of the brand's defining innovations. Arnold Nawrocki, an American engineer associated with the Clearfield Cheese Company, developed machinery for individually wrapping cheese portions in August 1956. Kraft later brought individually wrapped cheese slices to market, with the product launch generally dated to 1965. Individual wrapping made it possible to handle portions separately, preserve a standardized format, and present the product as a convenient ingredient for quick meals. Over time, the wrapper and the square slice became strongly associated with American-style processed cheese. Kraft Singles built its position around convenience, consistency, and meltability rather than regional provenance or specialty-cheese craftsmanship. The portions became common in sandwiches, hamburgers, grilled cheese, breakfast dishes, and other family meals. The brand also benefited from the broader visibility of processed cheese in American restaurant and home-cooking culture. The product's regulatory history reflects changes in both advertising standards and food-labeling rules. A campaign claimed that each three-quarter-ounce slice contained five ounces of milk. The Federal Trade Commission concluded in 1992 that the advertising could misrepresent the product's nutritional equivalence, particularly by suggesting a comparison based on calcium content, and ordered Kraft to stop making the disputed representations. In December 2002, the FDA warned Kraft that a formulation change had made the “Pasteurized Process Cheese Food” designation impermissible. The issue involved replacing some non-fat milk with milk protein concentrate, which was not accepted as a permitted additive for that labeling category. Kraft complied by changing the product designation to “Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product.” Kraft Singles were described as containing no vegetable oil or other non-dairy fats, distinguishing them from some imitation cheese slices made largely with vegetable oil and water. Nevertheless, the regulatory episodes demonstrated that the brand's identity and claims depended on precise distinctions between processed cheese categories and substitute products. The brand's international history has varied by market. In Australia, Kraft branding was retired in 2017 after Mondelez sold its Australian cheese-products business to Bega Cheese. Bega renamed the sliced product Dairylea Slices, while Mondelez retained rights to the Kraft name. In the United States, Kraft Singles remained active and widely purchased. By 2019, approximately 40 percent of U.S. households were still reported to buy the product, although sales had flattened. Kraft Heinz refreshed the packaging in 2023 with updated branding and a wrapper intended to be easier to open. In January 2024, the company added Caramelized Onion, Jalapeño, and Garlic & Herb flavors, extending the product beyond its traditional American-style profile while retaining its individually portioned format.

• 2024

  Three flavored varieties introduced

  [1]Kraft Singlesen.wikipedia.org

  Kraft introduced Caramelized Onion, Jalapeño, and Garlic & Herb varieties.

• 2023

  Packaging redesigned

  [1]Kraft Singlesen.wikipedia.org

  Kraft introduced refreshed packaging and an easier-to-open wrapper for Kraft Singles.

• 2017

  Kraft name retired for the Australian sliced product

  [1]Kraft Singlesen.wikipedia.org

  After Bega Cheese acquired the relevant Australian cheese business, the product formerly sold as Kraft Singles was renamed Dairylea Slices.

• 2002

  Product label changed after FDA warning

  [1]Kraft Singlesen.wikipedia.org

  Kraft changed the label from “Pasteurized Process Cheese Food” to “Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product” after an FDA warning related to formulation and labeling requirements.

• 1992

  Advertising claims discontinued after FTC ruling

  [1]Kraft Singlesen.wikipedia.org

  The FTC ordered Kraft to stop claims that a three-quarter-ounce slice contained five ounces of milk because the advertising could mislead consumers about nutritional equivalence.

• 1965

  Kraft launches individually wrapped cheese slices

  [1]Kraft Singlesen.wikipedia.org

  Kraft introduced individually wrapped cheese slices, establishing the packaging format central to the brand.

• 1956

  Individually wrapping cheese becomes technically feasible

  [1]Kraft Singlesen.wikipedia.org

  Arnold Nawrocki developed machinery for individually wrapping cheese portions, an innovation that influenced the later format of Kraft Singles.

• 1950

  Kraft De Luxe Process Slices introduced

  [1]Kraft Singlesen.wikipedia.org

  Kraft introduced the processed cheese product that later became known as Kraft Singles.

Mass-market, convenient, family-oriented processed cheese for sandwiches, burgers, grilling, and everyday home cooking.

• Processed cheese slices · 1950

  Kraft Singles American

  The core Kraft Singles offering is an American-style processed cheese portion individually wrapped for single-use convenience. It is used widely in sandwiches, cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, breakfast sandwiches, and other hot foods where predictable melting and portion control are useful.

• Flavored processed cheese slices · 2024

  Kraft Singles Caramelized Onion

  A flavored extension of the Kraft Singles range introduced in 2024. The variety adds a caramelized-onion flavor profile to the brand's familiar individually wrapped, melt-oriented format.

• Flavored processed cheese slices · 2024

  Kraft Singles Jalapeño

  A jalapeño-flavored Kraft Singles variety introduced in 2024. It extends the brand into a spicier flavor direction while retaining the individually portioned format intended for sandwiches, burgers, and cooked dishes.

• Flavored processed cheese slices · 2024

  Kraft Singles Garlic & Herb

  A garlic-and-herb flavored variety added to the Kraft Singles line in 2024. The product uses the brand's standard convenient slice format with a more seasoned flavor profile.

• 2002

  FDA warning over processed-cheese labeling

  The FDA warned that Kraft could not continue using the “Pasteurized Process Cheese Food” label after a formulation change involving milk protein concentrate. Kraft changed the designation to “Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product.”

  Source

• 1992

  FTC challenge to milk-equivalence advertising

  The FTC found that Kraft's advertising could mislead consumers by presenting a slice as equivalent to five ounces of milk, particularly in relation to calcium and comparisons with imitation cheese products.

  Source

Read more

• 1992Five ounces of milk advertising campaign

  United States

  Kraft promoted the idea that each three-quarter-ounce Kraft Singles portion contained five ounces of milk. The campaign contrasted the product with imitation cheese, but regulators found that the message could imply misleading equivalence in calcium and nutritional content. The Federal Trade Commission ordered Kraft to stop making the disputed representations.

  Outcome. The Federal Trade Commission ordered Kraft to stop making the disputed representations.

  Source

• 2024

  Expand into flavored cheese slicesProduct launch

  Background

  Kraft extended the long-running product line beyond its traditional American-style profile.

  Action taken

  The company introduced Caramelized Onion, Jalapeño, and Garlic & Herb varieties.

  Aftermath

  The additions broadened the flavor range while preserving the single-portion format.

  Source

• 2023

  Refresh Kraft Singles packagingGeneration change

  Background

  The established product format remained active, but Kraft updated its visual presentation and wrapper design.

  Action taken

  Kraft introduced updated branding and an easier-to-open package.

  Aftermath

  The refreshed package continued the individually wrapped positioning of the product.

  Source

• 2002

  Change the product's regulatory labelStrategy

  Background

  An FDA warning determined that the existing processed-cheese-food designation was not legally appropriate after a recipe change.

  Action taken

  Kraft changed the label to “Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product.”

  Aftermath

  The revised designation became the product's applicable label in the referenced account.

  Source

1. 1Kraft Singlesen.wikipedia.org