Nik Naks (British snack) facts for kids
Two flavours of Nik Naks: "Nice 'n' Spicy" (left) and "Rib 'n' Saucy" (right)
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| Type | Corn snack |
|---|---|
| Owner | KP Snacks |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Introduced | 1982 |
| Markets | United Kingdom |
| Previous owners | Rowntree's, Sooner Snacks, Golden Wonder, United Biscuits |
| Tagline | 'Eat The Freak' |
| Website | http://www.kpsnacks.com/brand/nik-naks/ |
Nik Naks are a popular type of crunchy corn snack. They are made by pushing corn dough through a special machine, which gives them their unique shape. This snack first came out in 1982 in the United Kingdom.
Over the years, Nik Naks have been owned by several different companies. They were first made by Sooner Snacks. Then, in 1992, Golden Wonder bought Sooner Snacks. Later, in 2006, United Biscuits took over the brand. Finally, in December 2012, the brand became part of the KP Snacks family, which is owned by the European Intersnack Group. As of 2021, Nik Naks are available in three main flavours, each with its own colourful bag.
Tasty Nik Naks Flavours
When Nik Naks first launched, the original flavour was called Cream 'n' Cheesy, which came in a yellow bag.
Today, you can find Nik Naks in four exciting flavours:
- Nice 'n' Spicy (Orange bag)
- Rib 'n' Saucy (Purple bag)
- Scampi 'n' Lemon (Green bag)
- Tangy 'n' Cheesy (Yellow bag)
In the mid-1990s, the main flavours were Nice 'n' Spicy, Cream 'n' Cheesy, Scampi 'n' Lemon, and Rib 'n' Saucy. A tomato flavour was also sold for a short time. The Scampi 'n' Lemon bags used to have a funny message saying "Stifle The Stink," which encouraged people to throw away the empty bags. However, the Rib 'n' Saucy flavour eventually replaced Scampi 'n' Lemon in some packs. This change helped Nik Naks sales grow a lot. A Hard Cheese flavour was also introduced at one point but was later stopped.
In 1994, a special limited edition flavour called Naughty 'n' Saucy was released. It contained a tiny bit of Guarana Seed extract. This idea was tried again in 2005 with a new Naughty 'n' Saucy flavour that included the Chinese herb Ginseng. These ingredients were added because they were thought to give people more energy.
The Scampi 'n' Lemon flavour returned in 2002. Then, from 2006, it replaced the Cream 'n' Cheesy flavour in multipacks. Around 2008, Scampi 'n' Lemon was slowly removed to make way for a new Pickle 'n' Onion flavour. However, Scampi 'n' Lemon is still available in multipacks. The Pickle 'n' Onion flavour has since been discontinued.
Even though it's called Scampi 'n' Lemon, this flavour has never contained any fish or animal products. Since it was relaunched in 2018, this flavour is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. In June 2025, Nik Naks brought back the cheese flavour, now called Tangy 'n' Cheesy.
Nik Naks Advertising Campaigns
In the 1990s, Nik Naks had a memorable advertising campaign. It featured animated characters whose heads changed into different shapes. These ads were followed by very short, five-second commercials that joked about how "ugly" the snack looked but how great it tasted. In 1993, the brand even ran a fun contest where people could win unusual "rubbish" prizes, like bits of string or a 2p coin.
From 2004 to 2005, Nik Naks used the slogan 'Eat the Freak' in their advertisements. This slogan came from the snack's unusual appearance. One famous commercial was set on a ferry and was a funny version of the movie Alien. In the ad, a person eats a Nik Nak, and it seems to pop out of their stomach and start dancing to the song "Le Freak" by Chic. This advertisement caused some discussion and was later edited.
Brand Name Dispute
In 2014, the Nik Naks brand in the UK had a disagreement about its name with another snack brand called NikNaks from South Africa. The South African NikNaks are made by Simba Chips. KP Snacks, who own the UK Nik Naks, asked companies importing the South African version into the United Kingdom to stop, because both products shared the same name.
See also
