Crunch crowned as Cheez-It wins Product of the Year 2026

After an unmissable launch from global snacking powerhouse Mars (formerly Kellanova), the notoriously cheesy range from Cheez-It – has been awarded Product Of The Year (POTY) 2026^[2]. Taking home gold in the Cheesy Crisps & Snacks category, the quartet comprising of Double Cheese, Cheese and Chilli, Cheese, Sour Cream and Onion, and most recently, Cheese and Smokey Bacon has clearly struck a chord with British snackers.

Launched in August 2024, Cheez-It made quite the entrance. In just a year, the newcomer hit £24million^[3] in value sales and sold over 16.3 million packs – that’s one flying off the shelves every two seconds^[4]! Already backed by a string of industry accolades, including winning Asian Trader’s Snack Brand of the Year and taking home Silver at The Grocer New Product and Packaging Awards, this honour is set to catapult the range into even greater popularity and demand. The winners are decided by 8,000 UK consumers in the annual survey of product innovation and on average, previous POTY winners see a sales rise by 10-15%^[5]. The iconic POTY logo boasts an impressive 81% recognition among shoppers and is commonly regarded as a seal of approval – a vote of confidence for consumers, by consumers – making it a powerful driver at shelf and a clear signpost in a crowded category.

The brand’s hero SKU: Double Cheese has delivered nearly £13million in sales to date^[6], proving shoppers love the bold flavour and crispy texture, building on the coveted star earned at the 2025 Great Taste Awards – widely regarded as the benchmark for quality and excellence in the food industry. 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.

Rui Frias, Senior Marketing Manager at Cheez-It said “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’ve been genuinely encouraged by how quickly Cheez-It has become a staple in British snacking culture, and this recognition gives us even more confidence to keep pushing the range forward – this is only the beginning!”