Inside the KCK factory where one of America’s most popular snack foods is made
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Lots of well-known products have emerged from Kansas City. Hallmark Cards, Nelly Don dresses, Hostess Twinkies, Wishbone Dressing and Russell Stover candies to name just a few.
But how many of us realize that Kansas City, Kansas, is ground zero for Cheez-Its?
The Kellanova Kansas City Bakery in the Fairfax Industrial District is one of only two places in the country, Cary, North Carolina, is the other, where the familiar orange squares are produced..
Loved for their cheesy crunch, the crackers now come in a dizzying array of flavors and formats sold in supermarkets, gas stations and wholesale stores everywhere.
Kansas City’s connection to Cheez-Its may not extend all the way back to the brand’s beginnings. But pretty darn close.
The Green & Green Baking Company in Dayton, Ohio invented them in 1921, touting the crackers as a variation on Welsh rarebit. In 1932, Kansas City’s Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company purchased Green & Green, and soon after, changed its own name to Sunshine Biscuit. (And the boxes from green to red.)
In 1949 they opened the 780,000 square foot plant at 801 Sunshine Road.
Cheez-Its, and other snacks, have been emerging from the building ever since. It’s been operated by several different companies—Keebler for a few years in the 1990s, and now Kellanova, a division of Kellogg’s.
“We have people here with over 50 years of tenure in the building, and it’s generational,” plant director Dave Willis says. “Their kids worked here and now their kids work here..”
Acknowledging that “original” Cheez-Its are still his favorite, Willis adds that “over 30 different flavors are produced” in the plant.
That’s made possible, according to Senior Operations Manager Eizzil Rivera, “by our strategic approach with flavors. No matter what they throw at us, we’re resilient. We are a fast, rapid changeover facility.”
On a 100 degree day in mid-July, the duo gave The Star‘s Monty Davis and me an inside look at parts of the Cheez-It making process. Including the bakery’s giant ovens, each of which churns out 53,000 one-inch square crackers per minute.
Placed end to end, that’s 6,000 miles of Cheez-Its a day!
The tour also rolled past industrial size tumblers and shakers that distribute the special seasonings designed to give Cheez-Its their distinctive flavors.
But don’t expect any details. Willis says that’s proprietary “magic.”
As you’d expect, there’s plenty of heat, noise, and constant motion throughout the 5-story facility—courtesy of machines that wrap, bag, box and load the crackers.
But there are unexpected sights along the way too. Like mechanics riding bicycles through the maze of machinery to help them inspect and maintain it. Ideally before, not after, something breaks down.
“We make money when we’re producing, And we don’t when we’re not,” Willis laughs.
Rivera likes to compare the process to a symphony or ballet where many different elements work together to create a small “masterpiece” that brings people “joy and pleasure.” People who probably have no idea that what they’re eating was actually made in their own community.
“We’re part of tasting the cracker for the first time. We’re part of bringing that cracker the first time to your grocery store,” Rivera says with a smile. “I feel like there’s a little bit of me in someone’s house.”
In case you’re wondering, the tour also stops at the kind of place Cheez-It fans dream about.
The room where quality managers sample and grade the finished product for any issues with the packaging or presentation, odor or taste.
In other words, someone’s job description includes eating Cheez-Its!
And Willis’ job description probably means parties at his house are pretty good too.
“I’m the most popular guy in the neighborhood,” the plant director grins. “If you can’t have fun with Cheez-Its, you’re just missing the point.”
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