Aeroplane Jelly facts for kids
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| Type | Confectionery |
|---|---|
| Owner | McCormick Foods Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Introduced | 1927 |
| Markets | Australia |
| Tagline | "I like Aeroplane Jelly" |
| Website | AeroplaneJelly.com.au |
Aeroplane Jelly is a very famous jelly brand from Australia. It was created in 1927 by a man named Bert Appleroth. His small business, Traders Pty Ltd, grew into one of Australia's largest family-owned food companies. Later, in 1995, it was sold to McCormick Foods Australia. Aeroplane Jelly is the most popular jelly in Australia. Over 18 million packets are sold every year! Strawberry is the flavour people buy the most.
Aeroplane Jelly is also famous for its catchy jingle (a short song for advertising). This jingle has become a big part of Australian culture. It's one of Australia's longest-running jingles, first recorded in 1937 by five-year-old Joy King. In the 1940s, it was played on the radio more than 100 times every day! In 2008, the jingle was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia list.
Contents
The Story of Aeroplane Jelly
How It All Started
Bert Appleroth, who used to be a tram conductor, created the first jelly crystals. He mixed gelatine and sugar in his own bath! He sold these jelly crystals by going door-to-door. He even used his tram route to help him get around Sydney.
In 1917, Bert rented a place to make his jelly. Then, in 1927, he started a company called Traders Pty Ltd with Albert Francis Lenertz. Airplanes were new and exciting back then. Since Bert loved aviation, he named his brand Aeroplane Jelly. In 1934, he even used a Tiger Moth plane to deliver jelly to country areas! His fun ideas and advertising made Aeroplane Jelly a national symbol, just like Holden cars and Vegemite.
Who Owned the Company?
Bert Appleroth's company was passed down through his family. His son, Bert II, then his grandson, Bert III, ran the business. When Bert III passed away in 1985, his wife Val took over.
In 1995, Aeroplane Jelly was sold to McCormick Foods Australia. This company is part of a bigger company from the United States called McCormick & Company.
Where the Jelly Was Made
The first Aeroplane Jelly factory was in Paddington, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney. Later, it moved to West Ryde and stayed there for 33 years. In 2006, McCormick Foods Australia moved the production of Aeroplane Jelly to Clayton, Victoria. This helped them make all their products in one central place.
Famous Advertising
The Catchy Jingle
The famous Aeroplane Jelly jingle was written by Albert Francis Lenertz. He was Bert Appleroth's business partner. The jingle was actually a new version of an older song Albert wrote for an Australian Prime Minister.
The jingle was first sung on the radio in the early 1930s by a three-year-old girl named Jennifer Paykel. Since the commercials were live, Jennifer went to the studio a few times a week to sing the song. Later, Aeroplane Jelly held a talent contest in Sydney to find a new singer. Five-year-old Joy King won the contest and recorded the jingle in 1937.
The Whistling Boy
Seven-year-old Tommy Dawes was also a finalist in the talent contest. Bert Appleroth chose Tommy to be the "whistling boy" on the jelly packets and in advertisements. Tommy said he loved seeing his picture and singing the song. He never asked for money for it, he just liked telling everyone he was the Aeroplane Jelly boy!
Jingle Goes Global
In 1966, the jingle was recorded in several languages, including Greek, Italian, Russian, and Yugoslav. This was one of Australia's first advertising campaigns to reach different cultural groups. Famous singers like The Andrews Sisters and Victor Borge have also recorded versions of the jingle.
At its most popular in the 1940s, the jingle was played over 100 times a day on the radio. It is one of the longest-running jingles in Australia. In 2003, for its 75th birthday, Aeroplane Jelly held a competition. People could record new versions of the jingle to raise money for the Starlight Children's Foundation. A school from Queensland won the competition.
Advertising experts in Brisbane have called the Aeroplane Jelly jingle one of the best and most recognizable ad songs ever. In June 2008, Joy King's recording of the jingle was added to the Sounds of Australia list.
Bertie the Aeroplane
Bertie the Aeroplane became Aeroplane Jelly's mascot in 1942. He was named after Bert Appleroth. Bertie sang the jingle in cinema ads. Later, Bertie appeared in TV commercials and came back in 1996 on jelly packets and the Aeroplane Jelly website.
Aeroplane Jelly Products
The jelly industry in Australia is worth a lot of money each year. Aeroplane Jelly is the top brand, selling over 19 million packets every year! Strawberry is the most popular flavour, with almost 2 million packs sold annually.
In 1953, Aeroplane Jelly made Australia's first low-calorie jelly. In 1988, for Australia's 200th birthday, they even made special Australian flavours. These included Lilly Pilly, Quandong, and Midjinberry. However, these special flavours were stopped by 1992. One of the least selling flavours was lemon, which still sold over 100,000 packets each year!
See also
In Spanish: Aeroplane Jelly para niños
