{{Short description|Australian snack food}} {{For|the Mickey Mouse Funhouse character|Cheezel (character)}} {{Original research|date=September 2021}} {{Refimprove|date=December 2009}} {{infobox brand | name = Cheezels | image = | caption = A bag of Cheezels | type = Cheese puffs | currentowner = Snack Brands Australia | origin = | introduced = {{Start date and age|1971}} | discontinued = | related = | markets = Oceania | previousowners = Malaysia:<br>Danone<br>Kraft Foods | trademarkregistrations = Snack Brands Australia (Australia)<br>Cheezels<br>Mondelēz International (Malaysia)<br>Cheezels | ambassador = | tagline = Finger-Licious Fun! (Australia) | website = {{URL|https://www.snackbrands.com.au/Cheezels}} }} {{Infobox nutritional value | name = Cheezels (Original Cheese flavour) | kJ = 2220 | carbs = 56.4 g | sugars = 4.9 g | fibre = 1 g | fat = 30.9 g | satfat = 14.9 g | transfat = 0.4 g | monofat = 11.6 g | polyfat = 4.0 g | protein = 6.9 g | potassium_mg = 114 | sodium_mg = 1200 | source_usda = 1 | float = }} '''Cheezels''' are a brand of Australian snack food currently produced by Snack Brands Australia. Made from corn and rice, they are a crisp puffy ring with a strong, savoury cheddar cheese flavour and aroma. They are similar in texture to cheese puffs, American Cheetos, or Canadian Cheezies.
In some countries they are distributed by Laura Matte (which since 2016 has been owned by Universal Robina Corporation,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Whalley|first1=Jeff|title=Cheezels sail offshore as chip company sells to Universal Robina Corporation|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/cheezels-sail-offshore/news-story/42ea42b37aa549739591e9aeb4b6b872|accessdate=30 July 2017|work=Herald Sun|date=17 August 2016}}</ref> and previously by The Real McCoy Snackfood Company<ref>{{cite web|author=The Real McCoy Snackfood Company |url=http://therealmccoy.com.au/site/news/news_29.04.08.htm |title=THE REAL McCOY BUYS ARNOTT’S SALTY SNACK FOODS |work=The Real McCoy Snackfood Company |date=April 29, 2008 |accessdate=October 7, 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506191345/http://therealmccoy.com.au/site/news/news_29.04.08.htm |archivedate=May 6, 2008 }}</ref>). In Malaysia, Cheezels were originally produced by Danone and later by Kraft Foods, and are currently owned by Mondelēz International, together with Twisties. In New Zealand, Cheezels are manufactured by Bluebird Foods Ltd a PepsiCo company, which is a competitor to Snack Brands Australia, the manufacturer of Cheezels in Australia.
The New Zealand version of Cheezels are not as crisp in texture or as strong cheddar cheese flavour as their Australian counterpart.
==History==
According to any modern packet of Cheezels, the snack entered the market in 1971.<ref>Every modern packet of Cheezels.</ref> Company folklore has it that the creative team were stuck for a name when the boss chipped in with "Just call 'em Cheezels".{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}
As of 2017 Cheezels are gluten free.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-26 |title=March Gluten Free Finds • The Aussie Coeliac |url=http://www.aussiecoeliac.com.au/march-gluten-free-finds/ |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=The Aussie Coeliac |language=en-AU}}</ref>
==Flavours== Usually, Cheezels are made from corn and rice,<ref>[https://www.snackbrands.com.au/Cheezels Snack Brands Cheezels web page]</ref> and many kinds of powdered cheeses. Other flavours of the snack have been produced by Snack Brands Australia, such as: *Original Cheese *Pizza *Smokin' BBQ *Cheese & Bacon - also previously known as Rashers Cheese & Bacon *Hoops & Crosses Burger Flavoured - cheeseburger-flavoured Cheezels shaped like the Xs and Os in the game tic-tac-toe *Minis - miniature versions of Cheezels *Chilli Cheese *Chicken
==See also== * Twisties * Cheetos
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Australian snack foods Category:Snack Brands Australia brands Category:Products introduced in 1971 Category:Mondelez International brands