Hobnob biscuit facts for kids
 |
|
| Type | Oat |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Created by | McVitie's |
| Invented | 1985 1987 (Chocolate variant) |
| Main ingredients | Rolled oats |
Hobnobs are a popular type of biscuit from the United Kingdom. They are made by a company called McVitie's. These tasty biscuits are special because they use rolled oats. This gives them a unique texture, a bit like a mix between a flapjack and a digestive biscuit.
McVitie's first introduced Hobnobs in 1985. A few years later, in 1987, they released a version with milk chocolate. Hobnobs are mostly sold in the UK, the Isle of Man, and Ireland. But you can also find them in places like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and some countries in Europe and Asia. In 2012, they even became available in Canada. Many people in the UK love to dunk Hobnobs into their tea. In fact, a survey in 2014 said that the Chocolate Hobnob was the UK's favourite biscuit!
Contents
The Story of Hobnobs
The idea for Hobnobs goes back a long time. In the 1800s, a biscuit called the Colchester Priory Biscuit was made. This biscuit later changed into something called Abbey Crunch. Both Abbey Crunch and Hobnobs are sweeter because they have golden syrup in them. Abbey Crunch biscuits were once sold with the slogan "the original oat biscuit."
McVitie's officially launched the Hobnob biscuit in the UK in 1985. People loved the plain Hobnobs so much that McVitie's decided to make a chocolate version. This chocolate Hobnob came out in 1987. Today, you can find Hobnobs in different types. These include dark chocolate and even chocolate orange flavours. There are also Hobnobs-branded snacks like flapjack bars.
Where Did the Name "Hobnob" Come From?
The name "Hobnob" is quite interesting! It comes from the verb 'to hobnob'. This word means to spend time being friendly with important or famous people.
Some people also think the name comes from two words: "hob" and "knobbly." A "hob" is part of a stove, suggesting something homemade. "Knobbly" describes the rough, bumpy texture of the biscuit.
How Hobnobs Are Made
Plain Hobnobs are made in a factory located in Tollcross, Glasgow. If you prefer the chocolate version, those are made at the Harlesden factory in north-west London. The main ingredient for all Hobnobs is oats.
Hobnobs Advertising
Hobnobs have had some memorable taglines over the years. The first slogan for Hobnobs was "one nibble and you're nobbled." This slogan was later brought back, but with a small change. It became "one nibble and you're hobnobbled."
When chocolate Hobnobs were first introduced in the UK, their tagline was "Chocolate now has Hobnobs underneath." These slogans helped make Hobnobs famous!
