Frank McEncroe facts for kids

Frank McEncroe (born October 11, 1908 – died March 14, 1979) was an Australian businessman. He was a caterer, a dairy farmer, and a food maker. Frank McEncroe is famous for creating a popular Australian fast food item. This item is known as the Chiko Roll.

The Story of Frank McEncroe

Frank's Early Life and Work

Frank McEncroe was born in Castlemaine, Victoria on October 11, 1908. His parents, Pierce Francis and Sarah Ann, were both from Victoria. Frank went to primary school in his hometown. He then studied at Marist Brothers College in Bendigo. There, he earned a certificate of merit.

After school, Frank became a boilermaker. He completed his training at Thompson's foundry in Castlemaine. He worked there for a while. During the Great Depression, Frank joined his family on a dairy farm. This farm was located in Bendigo.

In the late 1930s, Frank started his own catering business. He sold takeaway food like pies and pasties. He sold these at events such as race meetings and country shows. During World War II, he managed a hotel in Bendigo. He also worked as a boilermaker at a factory.

After the war, Frank went back to his catering business. He ran it from his family's old dairy farm. This helped him learn a lot about making, packing, and freezing takeaway foods.

Inventing the Chiko Roll

In 1950, Frank McEncroe had a great idea. He saw Chinese chop suey rolls being sold at a football ground. He wanted to create a similar snack. His goal was to make a roll that people could eat with one hand. This would be perfect for holding a drink in the other hand at a football match.

The snack he created was much bigger and heavier than a Chinese roll. But it had similar ingredients and taste. The roll was filled with cabbage, barley, carrots, celery, spices, and meat. This mix was wrapped in a special egg-batter dough.

Frank first called his invention the "Chicken Roll." But it did not actually contain any chicken. So, he changed the name to "Chiko Roll." He launched his new product at the Wagga Wagga Show in 1951.

How the Chiko Roll Was Made

Later in 1951, Frank moved to Melbourne with his family. He started making Chiko Rolls in a fish shop in Coburg. He used a sausage machine to help him. As more people bought the rolls, he opened a bigger factory. This factory was in Essendon North.

At the factory, he made the machines better and improved how the rolls were packed. He also made sure they were frozen and sent out properly. In 1960, his company joined with a local ice company. They formed a new company called Frozen Food Industries Pty Ltd. This new company became public in 1963.

The ingredients for the Chiko Roll were chopped up. Then, they were put into a long tube of pastry. This pastry was cooked as it moved along the production line. After cooking, the rolls were deep-fried. Then, they were quickly frozen before being sent out.

Because the rolls were already cooked, they only needed a quick deep-fry to reheat them. This made them very convenient to sell and eat. Their unique savory taste also made them very popular. The fast food industry was growing quickly at this time. The Chiko Roll became a common item in Australian fish-and-chip shops. By the late 1970s, 40 million Chiko Rolls were sold in Australia each year. Some were even sent to Japan.

Today, there are many different fast food options. Because of this, Chiko Rolls are not as popular as they once were. However, you can still buy them at fish and chip shops. You can also find them frozen in supermarkets to cook at home. The Chiko Roll brand is now owned by Simplot Australia.

Frank's Family Life

Frank McEncroe married Anne Doreen Nolan on August 20, 1932. Their wedding was at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo. When he was younger, Frank enjoyed fishing and shooting. Later in life, he liked playing golf. He played at Medway Golf Club in Melbourne and Tweed Heads Golf Club.

Frank McEncroe passed away on March 14, 1979. He was buried at Keilor cemetery in Melbourne. He was survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.