Wotsits have been turning fingers orange since 1970, and the cheese flavour that launched alongside the brand is still the one most people reach for first.
A puffed-corn answer to potato crisps
Golden Wonder launched Wotsits in 1970, at a time when British snacking was still dominated by potato crisps. Made from puffed corn rather than sliced potato, Wotsits offered a lighter, airier texture and a coating that clung to the snack (and to fingers) far more than a crisp seasoning ever could.
Cheese: the flavour that never left
Cheese Wotsits launched with the brand in 1970 and has remained the range's best-known flavour ever since. Other flavours have come and gone over the decades — Prawn Cocktail, Flamin' Hot, and various limited editions — but cheese has stayed the anchor flavour, recognisable by its bright orange colour and strong, savoury hit.
From Golden Wonder to KP Snacks
The Wotsits brand has changed hands more than once. It started with Golden Wonder, passed through Tudor Crisps in the 1990s during a period of industry consolidation, and eventually landed with KP Snacks, part of the Tayto Group, which still makes Wotsits today alongside other British snack brands.
Frequently asked questions
When were Wotsits launched?
Wotsits were launched in 1970 by Golden Wonder, one of the UK's biggest crisp makers at the time, introducing a light, puffed corn snack to a market that had mostly been about potato crisps up to that point.
Why is cheese the dominant Wotsits flavour?
The original Cheese Wotsits launched alongside the brand in 1970 and became the flavour most associated with it almost immediately, thanks to its strong, distinctive orange-cheese coating — decades on, it still outsells every other flavour in the range.
Who owns Wotsits now?
Wotsits is now owned by KP Snacks, part of the Tayto Group, after passing through several corporate owners including Golden Wonder's original parent company and Tudor Crisps before landing with KP.