Premium Plus
Premium Plus is a brand of thin, crisp soda crackers topped with salt, produced by Christie, a subsidiary of Mondelez International, and primarily distributed in Canada.[1][2] These low-fat crackers, containing no cholesterol or trans fats, feature a light flavor derived from wheat flour, vegetable shortening, and baking soda, making them a staple for pairing with soups, toppings, or garnishes.[3][4] In Canada, Premium Plus holds a position as the leading soda cracker brand, reflecting its enduring popularity since its adaptation from the U.S. Nabisco Premium line.[4][5]The brand's varieties include salted and unsalted tops, with packaging options like 450g and 900g boxes suited for household use.[1] While the core recipe emphasizes simplicity and digestibility, Premium Plus has maintained consistent consumer appeal through its versatile, no-frills profile amid evolving snack trends.[5]
History
Origins and Early Development
Premium Saltine Crackers, branded as "Premium," were first introduced in 1876 by F. L. Sommer & Company in St. Joseph, Missouri, marking the inaugural branded soda cracker in the United States.[6][7] The innovation centered on incorporating baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) into a simple dough of flour, water, shortening, and yeast, which produced a crisp texture through chemical leavening and distinguished it from earlier water crackers that relied solely on flour and water for hardness.[8][7] This addition addressed limitations in prior hardtack-style crackers by enabling lighter, more palatable results without excessive fermentation dependency, positioning Premium as an affordable, versatile staple for everyday consumption.[8] Early production emphasized a sponge fermentation method, where a portion of the dough—known as the sponge—was fermented overnight to develop acidity and flavor, akin to sourdough processes, before incorporating the full ingredients and baking.[9][10] The dough was then sheeted, cut into squares, docked with perforations to control steam escape during baking, and baked at high temperatures to achieve the characteristic crispness and pale color. No specific patents for the Premium recipe are documented from this period, but the baking soda integration reflected practical advancements in 19th-century baking chemistry, building on earlier soda cracker developments without formal proprietary claims.[8] By the late 1870s, Premium gained rapid regional traction in the Midwest and expanded eastward, benefiting from mechanized baking efficiencies that allowed mass production of uniform crackers as a low-cost alternative to bread.[6] Anecdotal accounts describe it as an immediate commercial success, with widespread adoption in households and as a shipboard provision due to its durability and neutrality, though quantitative sales data from the era remains scarce.[11] In 1898, F. L. Sommer's operations merged into the newly formed National Biscuit Company (Nabisco), which standardized and scaled production while retaining the Premium name for its established market presence.[8]Ownership and Branding Evolution
The Christie, Brown & Company, a Canadian biscuit manufacturer founded in the 1850s, was acquired by the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) in 1928, integrating Canadian production facilities and enabling Nabisco to market its cracker lines, including early Premium variants, under the Christie label in Canada.[12] This acquisition facilitated localized branding adaptations, such as designating Nabisco's Premium saltine crackers as Premium Plus in the Canadian market to align with Christie’s established presence, while maintaining core production formulas across North American operations.[4] The merger supported consistent supply chain logistics, as Nabisco's expanded network standardized baking processes in facilities like those in Toronto, reducing regional variances in output quality post-acquisition. Nabisco underwent significant corporate restructuring starting in 1981, when it merged with Standard Brands to form Nabisco Brands, consolidating manufacturing and distribution for efficiency amid growing competition in packaged foods.[13] In 1985, R.J. Reynolds Industries acquired Nabisco Brands for $4.9 billion, creating RJR Nabisco and further centralizing oversight of brands like Premium Plus, which benefited from integrated tobacco-food diversification strategies until the 1989 leveraged buyout by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. for $25 billion, the largest at the time, though operational continuity in cracker production persisted.[13] These shifts emphasized economies of scale, with RJR Nabisco's structure enabling uniform ingredient sourcing and quality controls across subsidiaries, including Christie's Canadian lines. In 2000, Philip Morris Companies acquired Nabisco Holdings for $18.9 billion and merged it into Kraft Foods, enhancing global distribution for Premium Plus while enforcing stricter regulatory compliance in labeling and safety standards across merged entities.[14] The 2012 spin-off of Kraft's North American grocery business from its international snacks division resulted in Mondelez International assuming ownership of Nabisco and Christie brands, including Premium Plus, which continued production in Canadian facilities under this framework to meet localized demands without altering foundational recipes.[15] This evolution under Mondelez prioritized supply chain resilience, as evidenced by maintained output volumes despite corporate separations, ensuring branding consistency in Canada as Christie Premium Plus.[16]Product Description
Ingredients and Manufacturing
The primary ingredients in Premium Plus saltine crackers consist of unbleached enriched wheat flour (wheat flour fortified with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid), vegetable shortening (typically from palm or canola oil), salt, malted barley flour, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and yeast.[17][18] Additional minor components may include enzymes like pentosanase for dough conditioning and potassium chloride as a salt alternative in some formulations.[19] Historically, early versions of saltine crackers, including those under Nabisco branding, incorporated animal fats such as lard for shortening, but production transitioned to vegetable-based shortenings by the mid-20th century to extend shelf life and reduce costs.[20] In response to FDA trans fat labeling mandates effective January 1, 2006, and the 2015-2018 phase-out of partially hydrogenated oils, manufacturers reformulated to achieve 0 grams of artificial trans fat per serving, relying on non-hydrogenated vegetable oils while maintaining product texture through processing adjustments.[18][21] Manufacturing begins with dough mixing in vertical industrial mixers, combining flour, water, shortening, salt, baking soda, yeast, and malted barley flour to form a hydrated, low-fat dough that undergoes optional short fermentation for flavor development.[22] The dough is then sheeted and laminated through rollers to create thin, uniform layers, cut into squares, and perforated with docker pins to prevent excessive blistering and ensure even rising.[23] Crackers are baked in tunnel ovens at temperatures exceeding 400°F (204°C) for 2-4 minutes to drive off moisture and achieve crispness, followed by cooling on conveyor belts and quality inspections for size, perforation integrity, and salt adhesion uniformity.[22][23]Nutritional Profile and Health Claims
A standard serving of five Premium Plus original saltine crackers (approximately 16 grams) provides 70 calories, with 1.5 grams of total fat (0 grams saturated fat and 0 grams trans fat), 12 grams of carbohydrates (including less than 1 gram of dietary fiber), 1 gram of protein, and 135 milligrams of sodium.[24] The product is enriched with iron (about 10% of the daily value) and B vitamins such as niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and folic acid, derived from the mandatory fortification of refined wheat flour used as the primary ingredient.[25] Vegetable shortening, typically from sources like canola or modified palm oil, contributes the minimal fat content, resulting in a profile dominated by unsaturated fats post-formulations eliminating trans fats.[26]| Nutrient | Amount per 5 Crackers (16g) | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 70 | - |
| Total Fat | 1.5g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 0g | 0% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber | <1g | 0% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Sodium | 135mg | 6% |
| Iron | 1.1mg | 6% |
Varieties and Packaging
Available Flavors and Types
The flagship variety of Premium Plus crackers is the salted tops soda cracker, featuring square-shaped crackers lightly dusted with salt on the top surface for enhanced flavor balance, primarily marketed in Canada under the Christie brand.[34] An unsalted tops variant provides a low-sodium alternative, maintaining the same crisp texture and square form but without added salt to accommodate dietary restrictions.[1] Extended product lines include whole wheat crackers, formulated with whole grain wheat flour alongside refined flour to deliver a denser, nuttier profile while preserving the traditional soda cracker base.[35] The five grain variety incorporates a multi-grain blend, distinguishing it through varied grain flours that alter the base composition for subtle flavor and textural differences from the original.[36] In the United States, equivalent products fall under the Nabisco Premium branding, emphasizing the original saltine type with fewer specialized grain-based extensions compared to the Canadian Premium Plus assortment.[37] Round-shaped versions of the core salted and unsalted types have occasionally been produced, though square remains the standard across markets.[38]| Variety | Key Formulation Difference | Primary Market Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Salted Tops | Salt on top surface; refined wheat flour base | Canada (Christie), US (Nabisco Premium) |
| Unsalted Tops | No added salt; same base | Canada |
| Whole Wheat | Includes whole grain wheat flour | Canada |
| Five Grain | Multi-grain flour blend | Canada |