Tunnock's facts for kids
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| Private limited company | |
| Industry | Food and drink (bakery) |
| Founded | December 1890 in Uddingston, Scotland |
| Founder | Thomas Tunnock |
| Headquarters | Uddingston, Scotland, UK |
| Products | Cakes, biscuits |
| Owner | Tunnock family |
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Number of employees
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550 |
Thomas Tunnock Limited, usually called Tunnock's, is a well-known Scottish company. It makes delicious sweets and biscuits. The company is based in Uddingston, Scotland. It is currently led by Boyd Tunnock, who is the grandson of the founder, Thomas Tunnock. In 2013, Tunnock's was recognized as one of the oldest family-run businesses in Scotland. Tunnock's also supported Scottish football by sponsoring the Scottish Challenge Cup during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
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The Story of Tunnock's
Tunnock's started way back in 1890. A man named Thomas Tunnock bought a small baker's shop in Uddingston. The company grew bigger in the 1950s. This was when Tunnock's began making its most famous products. During that time, there were rules about how much sugar and fat people could buy. This meant Tunnock's needed to make treats that would last longer than fresh cakes.
Since 2005, Tunnock's has helped sponsor the Tour of Mull. This is an exciting car rally held every year on the Isle of Mull.
In September 2010, some Tunnock's workers in Uddingston went on strike. They were asking for better pay. The issue was settled in October 2010. The workers received a pay increase.
In November 2015, Tunnock's made a very generous donation. They gave £250,000 to help set up an independent lifeboat station at St Abbs. Lifeboats are boats used to rescue people at sea.
Tunnock's Scottish Pride
Tunnock's is seen as a very important Scottish brand. Its packaging often shows the Scottish lion rampant. This is a symbol of Scotland. The company has always been owned by the Tunnock family in Scotland. This is a big part of what makes Tunnock's special.
In April 2012, Boyd Tunnock, the company's boss, talked about Scottish identity. He said he felt "Nationalist British." This means he felt proud of both Scotland and the wider United Kingdom.
At the 2014 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Glasgow, something fun happened. Dancers dressed up as Tunnock's teacakes! They danced around the main performers. This show was all about Scottish culture. After the ceremony, sales of Tunnock's teacakes went up a lot.
In 2016, some people worried that Tunnock's was hiding its Scottish roots. This happened when an advertisement in London Underground stations did not show the Scottish lion. It called their teacakes "Tunnock’s Great British Teacake." Boyd Tunnock explained that people in southern England might not know Tunnock's was Scottish.
In July 2017, Tunnock's decided to label their wafer creams sold in Japan as "Made in Great Britain." However, the company did not expect them to be very popular there. Boyd Tunnock said, "The Japanese don’t like caramel wafers. It’s a cultural thing - they say they are too chewy."
Delicious Tunnock's Teacakes
The Tunnock's Teacake is a sweet treat. Many people enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee. Sir Boyd Tunnock created this popular snack in 1956.
A teacake has a small, round shortbread biscuit at the bottom. On top of the biscuit is a dome of Italian meringue. This is a fluffy, whipped egg white mixture. It is similar to marshmallow, but it feels lighter. This whole treat is then covered in a thin layer of milk or dark chocolate. The most popular milk chocolate teacakes are wrapped in red and silver foil. The dark chocolate ones come in blue, black, and gold wrapping.
Retired RAF pilot Tony Cunnane shared an interesting story. Tunnock's Teacakes became a favorite snack for V bomber flight crews. These crews were based at RAF Gaydon. They found that the teacakes expanded when they flew at high altitudes. In 1965, this fun discovery ended. One teacake was left unwrapped and it exploded on the instrument panel! This led to the RAF banning them from flights.
However, in April 2025, the RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine gave the teacakes the all-clear. They tested the teacakes in a special altitude chamber. The tests showed that the teacakes did not explode anymore. So, they can now be enjoyed on flights again!
Tasty Caramel Wafers
The Tunnock's Caramel Wafer is officially called the Tunnock's Milk Chocolate Coated Caramel Wafer Biscuit. It is a bar made of five layers of wafer. These layers are separated by four layers of soft caramel. The entire bar is covered in chocolate, made from cocoa and milk. The milk chocolate wafers are wrapped in red and gold foil. You can also find dark chocolate wafers, which are wrapped in blue and gold.
The University of St Andrews once had a Tunnock's Caramel Wafer Appreciation Society. It was started in 1982 but ended in 2016.
In 2022, Tunnock's sponsored Uddingston Rugby Club. They even made the padded posts on the rugby pitch look like giant wrapped Caramel Wafer bars!
Other Tunnock's Treats
Tunnock's also makes other delicious products. Many of these are based on their main treats. The Caramel Log is similar to the Caramel Wafer. However, it has roasted coconut sprinkled on the outside. Wafer Creams and Florida Orange have chocolate or orange flavored cream instead of caramel.
A Snowball is like a Teacake, but it does not have a biscuit base. It has grated coconut on the outside of its soft chocolate shell.
Even though many supermarkets ask them to, Tunnock's does not make any special biscuits for other brands. They prefer to sell only their own Tunnock's products.
In 2013, Tunnock's worked with Tesco to sell a range of Tunnock's branded items. These items were made by a company called Orb in Glasgow. You could buy things like teacake tea towels, aprons, and china mugs. There was even a "yard of caramel wafers" for fans! These products are still sold today at Tesco and directly from Orb.
