Penguin (biscuit) facts for kids
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| Owner | McVitie's |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1932 |
| Tagline | P...P...P...Pick up a penguin! |
| Website | Official website: https://mcvities.co.uk/products/penguin |
Penguin biscuits are yummy milk chocolate bars. They have a crunchy biscuit and creamy chocolate filling inside. These popular treats are made by McVitie's, which is part of a company called Pladis. They are produced in a factory in Stockport, United Kingdom.
Contents
The Story of Penguin Biscuits
The Penguin biscuit story began in 1928. A man named William Macdonald started a company called Macdonald Biscuits in Glasgow. He saw some biscuits from Antwerp and was inspired to create something similar. His idea was a chocolate-covered biscuit with a chocolate cream sandwich in the middle.
Penguin biscuits were first made in 1932. A few years later, in 1965, Macdonald Biscuits became part of a bigger company called United Biscuits. This is how Penguin biscuits became a McVitie's product.
Each Penguin wrapper is special! It usually has a joke or a "funny fact" printed on it. The wrappers also feature creative and often funny pictures of penguins. Sometimes, these pictures are even silly versions of famous artworks.
Did you know that the Tim Tam biscuit from Australia, first sold in 1964, was actually based on the Penguin? People sometimes jokingly argue about which biscuit is better!
In the 1980s, Penguin biscuits became very famous for their TV adverts. The catchy slogan was: "When you're p-p-p-peckish, p-p-p-pick up a Penguin!”
In the 1990s, there was a court case involving Penguin biscuits. Another supermarket, Asda, started selling a biscuit called "Puffin." United Biscuits, who owned Penguin, felt that "Puffin" looked too much like their Penguin biscuits. In 1997, the court agreed that Asda's "Puffin" was too similar.
For a while, Penguin biscuits used an ingredient called trans fats in their cream filling. But by 2007, United Biscuits changed their recipe. They removed the trans fats and started telling everyone that Penguins were now free of them!
What's on the Wrapper?
The front of a Penguin biscuit wrapper usually shows a picture of a penguin. On the back, you'll typically find a fun joke or a cool fact to read while you enjoy your snack!
Different Kinds of Penguin Biscuits
You can find Penguin biscuits in a few tasty types:
- Milk Chocolate (the classic!)
- Orange
- Mint
Past Flavours
Some flavours of Penguin biscuits that are no longer made include:
- Toffee
- Dark chocolate
Other Penguin Treats
In 2003, McVitie's created some new snacks that were like spin-offs of the original Penguin biscuit. These included Penguin Chukkas, Wing Dings, Flipper Dipper, Splatz, and Mini Splatz. They even spent a lot of money to promote these new treats! Later, in 2008, McVitie's also made Penguin triple chocolate wafers.
