Product of the Year Spotlight on… Cheez-It

Kicking off the first in the Spotlight series for 2026, Product of the Year sat down with Cheez-It’s UK Senior Marketing Manager, Rui Frias, to unpack how the brand’s ‘moreishly cheesy’ newcomer bagged an award and conquered a discerning UK snacks market.

Tell us about your product and why it resonates with the consumer.

Cheez-It Snap’d is a British take on an American classic. It’s a thin and crispy baked snack with a deliciously light, crunchy texture. And the clue is in the name; its flavour is all-out moreishly cheesy. The Cheez-It Snap’d variant was launched in the UK and Ireland in four big satisfying, flavours: Double Cheese, Cheese & Chilli, Cheese & Smokey Bacon and Cheese and Sour Cream and Onion.

In just our first year we’ve hit £24million in value sales and sold over 16.3 million packs – that’s one flying off shelves every two seconds! It’s clear that shoppers love the bold flavours and lighter, crispier texture, and with a 52% repeat purchase rate, they’re clearly coming back for more – and winning Product of the Year is added validation of its resonance. Having been voted for by 8,000 shoppers in the UK’s largest independent survey into product innovation, it stands as a powerful endorsement from the very people we created it for.  

Where did the idea for the product come from/how does that process work at Cheez-It (from ideation to creation)?

We’ve always wanted to become the ultimate snacking powerhouse, and bringing our hero US Cheez-It brand to the UK was demonstrative of this ambition. 

However, as an incredibly successful brand in the US, we couldn’t assume what worked in the US would work in the UK. Instead, we needed to think and behave with the confidence of a successful brand, while also demonstrating the humility to launch as a challenger in a mature and well-established snacking market. 

Recognising the importance of understanding our new audience, we invested in front-loaded consumer research to uncover potential barriers to success and build a successful UK and Ireland launch strategy based on the insights. The extensive programme of consumer research involved; 1) product concept testing 2) packaging testing 3) positioning research 4) creative development research and 5) creative pre-testing. 

Alongside the major mults, we made sure wholesale, convenience and foodservice were front and centre. A major, multi-channel AFH campaign: Cheez-Hit? Cheez-Hit built ‘mental availability’, making Cheez-It unmissable, while big in-store activations with symbols and independents – complete with vinyl-wrapped windows, DJs and sampling – brought the brand to life and got people talking.

Over 6,500 samples were handed out, driving excitement and retailer advocacy from day one – with an additional 2 million samples distributed since launch. Coupled with tailored pack formats, from on-the-go singles to 120g sharing bags, and new launches like Sour Cream & Onion, we’ve maintained momentum and built strong sales, penetration and repeat purchase across the channel.

What trends will you be tapping into this year?

Market growth is being driven by both Large Sharing and Singles. Notably, the biggest brand change year-on-year has come from the addition of Cheez-It. Innovation and flavour remain king, with bolder tastes and spicier variants climbing the charts as consumers look for snacks that really bring the heat. Cheez-It is perfectly placed to meet that demand – with Double Cheese already delivering over £13million in sales, and Cheese & Chilli catering to the nation’s growing appetite for spice. 

At the same time, larger formats are booming as shoppers seek affordable treats for Big Night In and social occasions; that’s why our new 120g PMP sharing format is such a timely addition, hitting the sweet spot of value, visibility and versatility.

Do you have any upcoming activity that you can tell us about?

Cheez-It will continue to bolster this success throughout 2026 with plans for dual-branded activity that will see Pringles and Cheez-It team up and leverage key occasions across the year including an exciting new cricket competition – giving retail customers the chance to win an unmissable matchday experience.

Ahead of a summer of sport and tapping into the natural synergy between sport and snacking, Pringles and Cheez-It are teaming up with Bestway, Booker and participating Buying Groups to offer 10 pairs of tickets up for grabs – five pairs of VIP England cricket tickets and five pairs of VIP Vitality Blast T20 tickets for games at Emirates Old Trafford. These tickets guarantee a VIP experience with access to The Century Lounge; the premium hospitality area located within the stadium.  

In addition, we’re excited to be partnering with comedian Jason Manford, adding humour and light relief to snacking occasions, giving consumers the chance to win tickets to comedy shows or attend a meet-and-greet with the man himself! We’ve reached a point where growing the brand is about standing for something distinctive, not just being recognised. Comedy allows Cheez-It to show up in a more emotionally engaging way, particularly at a time of year when people are looking for light relief. 

How do you feel about winning a Product of the Year and what impact do you anticipate it will make?

We are elated that Cheez-It has been awarded Product of the Year. Innovation is always at the heart of what we do; we knew British consumers would love the bold, authentic cheese flavour and unmistakable crunch, but seeing that belief validated by shoppers themselves means a great deal.

We hope this win acts as another way to boost awareness of our tasty product range and provide consumers with yet another compelling reason to explore and trust our brand and offerings. Since receiving this exciting news, our team has been busy planning how to seamlessly integrate the Product of the Year achievement into our media and communications for the year ahead – stay tuned!

Describe your winning product in 3 words

Notoriously cheesy satisfaction.

Source: Product of the Year

  Agency, Cheez-It, Interview, Opinion Piece, Product Of The Year, Rui Frias