Over a century ago, Velveeta cheese was born. Crafted by Hudson Valley-based cheesemaker Emil Frey as a means of reducing waste at the behest of Monroe Cheese Company’s owner, Jacob Weisl, the original version was created using discarded Swiss cheese and whey from the business’s Pennsylvania factory. It took over two years for Frey to bring the new gooey cheese product to life, but it quickly became popular enough that, within several years, in 1923, Weisl founded Velveeta Cheese Company, dedicated to the production of the creamy concoction. However, not long after, in 1927, Weisl sold the company to processed cheese pioneer Kraft Foods, opened by James L. Kraft. Today, the company is known as Kraft Heinz since the cheese producer merged with the legendary 57-branded ketchup-maker in 2015. It still owns Velveeta in addition to numerous other brands, including another cheesy favorite: Philadelphia, the cream cheese leader that became a part of Kraft only a year after Velveeta.
While Velveeta does have a pre-made mac and cheese, its Shells & Cheese didn’t hit the market until many decades later, in the mid-1980s. In contrast, its parent company launched its now blue-boxed favorite in 1937, which became popular for its easy preparation and affordability. Regardless, the cheeses in both products have changed since their early days. Velveeta, which was modified shortly after it was purchased by Kraft, is no longer technically considered a cheese and hasn’t been able to be labeled as such since the early 2000s. Meanwhile, although Kraft Macaroni & Cheese may have been tweaked over the years, its most notable modification may be the 2015 switch-up that omitted artificial ingredients.
Comparing Velveeta and Kraft Mac and Cheese
In a Food Republic rating of store-bought macaroni and cheese, neither Velveeta nor Kraft landed in the top spots, but the former did rank higher than the original version of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese thanks to its creaminess. Meanwhile, on Reddit, mac and cheese enthusiasts are split on which brand they prefer, with some pointing to Velveeta as a cheesier, creamier option, but others citing Kraft as having a more authentically cheesy flavor. Some also acknowledged that their preference for the blue box may be the result of nostalgia. In side-by-side comparisons, some have noted that Kraft’s flavor seems less artificial, which ultimately edges it out over Velveeta. However, others are divided, and some say that it just depends on their mood or situation for which they grab. Others have said that you need to modify both brands, with suggestions like adding a bit of salt to enhance Kraft’s tanginess or stirring in some milk and butter to amplify Velveeta’s already creamy consistency.
If ease of preparation is what drives decision-making when it comes to store-bought mac and cheese, Velveeta’s Shells & Cheese wins over Kraft Original; all of the ingredients are right in the box, while whipping up the latter involves incorporating milk and butter. However, for a style similar to Velveeta, there is Kraft Deluxe, though Food Republic’s taste tester ranked the Four Cheese version of KD even lower than the original. For anyone still on the fence about which brand to reach for, dietary needs might play a part: Velveeta offers a gluten-free variety while Kraft sells one that is plant-based and another that’s high in both protein and fiber.