We're delighted to announce Cheez-It as its Official Snack Partner for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026.
The announcement is the latest development in what’s already been a strong relationship between the cheesy baked snack brand and the Fringe. This year Cheez-It helped raise £10,000 for the 2026 Keep it Fringe fund, via a collaboration with the Co-op. 25p from each 40g bag of Cheez-It sold in Co-op stores across the UK was donated towards the fund, demonstrating the brand’s commitment to supporting Fringe artists.
As Official Snack Partner, Cheez-It will introduce a new award for 2026: the Cheeziest Joke of the Fringe. Artists at Fringe 2026 will be invited to submit their joke which will be reviewed by a panel of comedy experts; the top five qualifying jokes will then be put to a public vote at the start of the Fringe (giving the artists some welcome exposure at the start of their run), with the winner receiving a cash prize of £1,000.
Audiences can look forward to sampling Cheez-It during the first week of the festival, when free samples will be available at the Fringe Street Events on the Mound and the Royal Mile. Cheez-It will also be available to buy from a range of locations during the festival, including the Fringe Shop, the Mound food and drink village and through selected Fringe venues.
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘I was tempted to make my own cheesy jokes here – you wouldn’t brie-lieve it, gouda on them, that sort of thing – but on second thoughts I think I’ll leave that to the professionals! Suffice it to say I’m so thrilled to have Cheez-It on board as the Official Snack Partner of the Fringe – they’ve already shown such amazing support of the Keep it Fringe fund, and their Cheeziest Joke of the Fringe initiative is another way to give Fringe artists cash and exposure when they need it most.’
Rui Frias, Senior Marketing Manager, Cheez-It, said: ‘In our opinion the best companion to a cheesy snack is a cheesy laugh. That’s why we’re proud to be the Official Snack Partner of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It aligns perfectly to our brand’s commitment to comedy and dealing in laughs. So, whether you’re cracking a smile or cracking open a bag of Cheez-It, we hope to make every moment at the Fringe just a little bit cheesier.’
