Wotsits are a type of corn-puff snack extremely popular in the UK.
Although they come in a variety of ever-changing flavours (such as Cheese, BBQ-Beef and Prawn Cocktail) and forms (original Wotsits, Weenie Wotsits and Wotsits Wafflers), the canonical type is still the cheese flavour original Wotsit.
One thing Wotsits aren't is subtle; they taste (and smell) very strongly of cheese (or rather, of cheese flavour) and are covered in a greasy, bright-orange substance that covers your fingers when you eat them.
Due to their light, melt-in-the-mouth texture, they are very popular with children. They aren't the really type of thing an adult would eat in public (students possibly excepted); if nothing else, the orange grease is likely to make a hideous mess, should it come into contact with your shirt.
Although previously manufactured by Golden Wonder, the brand was sold to Pepsico-owned rival Walkers Snack Foods in 2002, as the rest of Golden Wonder changed hands. Previously, Cheetos (owned by Pepsico) had been marketed in the UK, but never matched the success achieved in other countries, due (in part) to the market-dominance of Wotsits.
Bibliography and Further Reading
- PR Fluff:- http://walkers.corpex.com/cr15p5/products.asp?snacktypeid=40
- Business Press 1:- http://walkers.corpex.com/cr15p5/text/newsmain.asp?newsitemid=74&seq=1
- Review 1:- http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/food/wotsits/429293/
- Review 2:- http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/food/wotsits/427794/
- Business Press 2:- http://static.highbeam.com/g/grocer/september142002/wotsitsworthwithwalkerswalkerspresidentgivesjohnwo/