Cheez-It crackers with a Tabasco hot sauce flavor were first introduced in late 2021 to much fanfare. The spicy snack seemed poised to become a hit among fans of Cheez-Its looking to add some extra zest. However, just months after launch, Tabasco Cheez-Its suddenly disappeared from store shelves, leaving many wondering why the seemingly popular flavor was discontinued so quickly.
What are Tabasco Cheez-Its?
Tabasco Cheez-Its are crunchy, square-shaped crackers made by the Kellogg Company. They have the signature salty, cheesy taste of original Cheez-Its, with the addition of spicy Tabasco sauce flavoring.
The Tabasco sauce gives the crackers a vinegar tang and buildling heat that livens up the usual cheesy flavor. The level of spiciness is relatively mild, rated around 2,000-2,500 on the Scoville scale. For comparison, a jalapeño pepper ranges from 2,500-10,000 Scoville units. So Tabasco Cheez-Its have just enough spice to give a kick without being overwhelmingly hot.
When Tabasco Cheez-Its first hit store shelves in late 2021, they were available in 6.6 oz boxes at major retailers like Target, Walmart, and grocery chains nationwide. The initial roll-out included two varieties:
– Original: The standard Tabasco Cheez-It with Tabasco seasoning blended throughout the cracker
– Extra Hot: A version with even more Tabasco sauce for spicier flavor
The new spicy snack was part of an expanded line-up of Cheez-It flavors capitalizing on bold, zesty flavors like Roasted Habanero and Blazin’ Hot. Early advertising played up the collaboration between the iconic Cheez-It brand and famous Tabasco sauce. And Tabasco Cheez-Its were priced in line with other flavored Cheez-It offerings, retailing around $3 per box.
Why were Tabasco Cheez-Its suddenly discontinued?
Just months after launching with fanfare in late 2021, Tabasco Cheez-Its were suddenly discontinued without explanation in summer 2022. The spicy crackers simply vanished from store shelves, leading to confusion and disappointment among fans.
So why did Kellogg pull the plug on Tabasco Cheez-Its so quickly, when they seemed poised to become a success? A few main factors likely led to the abrupt discontinuation:
**Underwhelming Sales**
While some consumers were excited about Tabasco Cheez-Its when they launched, the flavor unfortunately did not become a major hit. Overall sales are said to have been lackluster and below internal targets. Without strong enough demand, continuing production was likely not seen as viable.
**Supply Chain Issues**
Like many manufacturers, Kellogg has battled supply chain problems, ingredient costs, and labor shortages over the past two years. This has made launching and sustaining new products more difficult. Kellogg may have decided focusing on core flavors made the most sense amidst these challenges.
**Cannibalizing Core Sales**
There was some concern that Tabasco Cheez-Its could cannibalize sales of original Cheez-Its by attracting some of the same buyers. Keeping production targeted on the core original flavor may have been the strategic priority.
**Too Much Competition**
The spicy snack market has become quite crowded, from Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to Hot Doritos. Tabasco Cheez-Its entered a field saturated with many overlapping flavor profiles, making it harder to stand out.
**Mild Taste**
Some reviews suggested the Tabasco heat level was too mild, resulting in flavors that were neither bold enough for spice fans nor familiar enough for Cheez-It loyalists. A bolder flavor profile might have found more success.
What has been the reaction from fans?
The swift axing of Tabasco Cheez-Its took many fans by surprise and generated significant disappointment. Just months after getting to try the new flavor, it disappeared off shelves.
Many fans took to social media to express frustration over losing access to the spicy Cheez-Its they’d come to enjoy:
Twitter Reactions
| @snackfanatic | What happened to Tabasco Cheez Its? Those were my FAVORITE. Bring them back! 😭 |
| @cheezitlover | No more Tabasco cheez its?? Just when I got hooked on them?? Boo on discontinuing such a good flavor 👎 |
| @spicyfoodfan | First they gave us Tabasco cheez its which I loved and now they’re gone. @cheezit why do you do this to us?? |
Instagram Comments
| @snackqueen | I’m so bummed Tabasco Cheez Its were discontinued! They were my favorite spicy snack.💔😖 Don’t take away the best flavors! |
| @cheezitcollector | Noooo I loved the Tabasco ones! Bring them back @cheezit! You’re breaking my heart! |
| @spicyfoodforever | I’m still so disappointed Tabasco Cheez Its are gone. They were amazing! Please reconsider bringing them back. |
Fans praised the discontinued crackers for their tasty blend of spice and cheesy flavor. Many said Tabasco Cheez-Its quickly became their favorite Cheez-It variety after the launch. They expressed sadness and frustration at the loss of this new beloved snack.
A Change.org petition was even started begging Kellogg to reinstate Tabasco Cheez-Its that gained over 2,000 signatures. However, despite the pleas from disappointed fans, Kellogg has yet to give any indication of plans to bring back the short-lived line.
Could Tabasco Cheez-Its return?
Is there any hope of Tabasco Cheez-Its coming back in the future? Unfortunately, the prospects seem low at the moment with no hints of the flavor making a comeback. But fans holding out hope propose a few scenarios where the discontinued spicy Cheez-Its could return:
**Limited Time Offer**
Kellogg could potentially bring back Tabasco Cheez-Its as a limited time offering. This would allow them to capitalize on nostalgia and demand from fans who miss the flavor. Limited quantity runs reduce risk of oversupply.
**Online Exclusive**
Rather than re-rolling out to all stores, Kellogg could make Tabasco Cheez-Its an online exclusive purchase through their website. Smaller direct to consumer batches improve profit margins.
**Snack Variety Packs**
The flavor could return as part of a Cheez-It mega pack alongside other discontinued flavors. This would allow fans to enjoy it again without launching it separately.
**Special Promotions**
There could be potential for one-off seasonal releases tied to promotions with Tabasco or special events like the Super Bowl.
However, Kellogg would need to see enough potential profitability to justify revisiting Tabasco Cheez-Its in any capacity. Unless fan demands grows much louder, a revival unfortunately remains a long shot for now. But hope springs eternal for fans of the short-lived spicy Cheez-Its.
The future of spicy snacks
While Tabasco Cheez-Its met an untimely end, the spicy snack space continues heating up. Some current popular picks for fans of zesty, tongue-tingling flavors include:
Flamin’ Hot Snacks
– Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
– Flamin’ Hot Fritos
– Flamin’ Hot Funyuns
– Flamin’ Hot Munchies
The cult favorite Flamin’ Hot line of snacks from Frito-Lay continues expanding. The signature blend of chili pepper spice and cheesy flavor draws loyal fans.
Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos
A newer addition to the Doritos family, these corn chips pack a satisfying crunch with a blend of heat and sweetness. They rate around 2,000 Scoville units.
Spicy Nacho Cheez-Its
These extra zesty Cheez-Its have a similar hot sauce flavor profile to Tabasco Cheez-Its. They remain on shelves to meet demand for spicy Cheez-Its.
Hot Nuts Snacks
Spicy nut blends like Blue Diamond Almonds Habanero BBQ and Planters Hot Nuts mix chili pepper taste into nutritious, protein-packed snacks.
Sriracha Covered Snacks
The iconic rooster sauce, Sriracha, frequently gets blended into crackers, nuts, and chips for its recognizable garlicky heat.
Takis Chips
These rolled corn chips from Mexico are impregnated with chili pepper powder. Takis Fuego have an intense heat challenging the boldest spice fans.
While Tabasco Cheez-Its are gone for now, plenty of options exist to get a spicy crunch. And the interest from fans indicates the market for bold, tongue-tingling snacks will continue to grow. If demand reaches critical mass, the return of Tabasco Cheez-Its could someday become a reality.
Conclusion
Tabasco Cheez-Its burst onto the scene in late 2021 as an exciting new collaboration bringing together two iconic brands. But barely a year later, fans were left confused and disappointed when the spicy crackers mysteriously vanished from stores. Lackluster sales, supply issues, and stiff competition likely led to the quick discontinuation after failing to take off as hoped.
Devoted fans have petitioned for their return and proposed scenarios in which Tabasco Cheez-Its could make a comeback, if Kellogg identifies a profitable niche. But only time will tell if this story of short-lived success has an exciting sequel, or if Tabasco Cheez-Its are permanently relegated to discontinued snack lore. For now, spice-seeking snackers have plenty of other flavors bringing the heat. But the Cheez-Its left behind will live on in glowing memory, representing the ideal harmonious balance of cheese and chili pepper.