Hitting the Shelves: Sophisticated Snack -- February 2010

As one of the most recognizable cracker brands in the U.S., Kraft Food’s Nabisco Ritz crackers are best known for their crispy texture, buttery taste and traditional boxed red packaging. Recently, the brand has launched Ritz Crackerfuls. Similar to Oreo, Kraft has taken the Nabisco Ritz brand and extended it to several new areas. The Ritz Crackerful could be described as a more sophisticated take on the Ritz Bits cheese-filled sandwich. The packaging veers away from the original red box format, utilizing a more natural appeal, with beige- and orange-colored carton and brown script. Inside, there are six individually wrapped cracker sandwiches, made with real cheese and that contain 5g of whole grains per serving. Worth mentioning, the Ritz Crackerful serves as a savory alternative to the typically sweeter snack/cereal/energy bar sector.

Information in this column is from the Global New Products Database, the premier source of global product intelligence, published by Mintel International Group; 351 W. Hubbard, 8th Floor; Chicago, IL 60610; call: 312-932-0600; fax: 312-932-0474; or e-mail mhollihan@mintel.com. pf