Uncle Tobys facts for kids
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| Type | Breakfast cereal |
|---|---|
| Owner | Nestlé |
| Country | Australia |
| Introduced | 1892 |
| Markets | Australia |
| Previous owners | Goodman Fielder |
Uncle Tobys is an Australian food company. They are well-known for their breakfast oat products. The company started in 1861. Since then, they have grown to make many different cereals and snacks. Today, Uncle Tobys is part of Nestlé, a big global company. Their main factory is in Wahgunyah, Victoria.
Contents
The Story of Uncle Tobys
The Uncle Tobys story began a long time ago. It was during the gold rush in Victoria. Two brothers, Leonard and George Parsons, came from England. They started making "John Bull Oats" in Melbourne. In 1861, they created their company, called Parsons Bros. This company later became Uncle Tobys. Back then, rolled oats were a very important food. People even talked about them in newspaper finance sections!
Years later, on May 23, 2006, a big change happened. The company Nestlé bought Uncle Tobys Australia. They also bought the rights to the brand in New Zealand. This deal cost about $890 million Australian dollars. The part of Uncle Tobys that made cereals joined a company called Cereal Partners Worldwide. This company is a team-up between General Mills and Nestlé. Other parts of Uncle Tobys, like their snacks and soups, became directly part of Nestlé Australia.
What Products Does Uncle Tobys Make?
Uncle Tobys makes many different foods. Their products fit into three main groups: Snacks, Oats, and Cereals.
For oats, they have different kinds. These include traditional oats, super blend oats, and ancient grains oats.
Some other popular Uncle Tobys products are:
- Roll-Ups (fruit snacks)
- Cheerios (a type of cereal)
- Snack bars (like muesli bars)
Healthy Oats and Where They Come From
Most of the oats Uncle Tobys uses in Australia are a special type called "Mikita." These Mikita oats are different from regular oats. They are better at fighting diseases. They also grow more oats from each plant. Plus, they have more beta-glucan, which is a healthy fiber.
Scientists at the South Australian Research Development Institute (SARDI) developed Mikita oats. This research was part of the National Oat Breeding Program. Uncle Tobys helped fund this important work.
Uncle Tobys gets half of its oats from local farms. These farms are within 100 kilometers of their main factory. They also make sure their oat suppliers are certified as "Level A." This means they follow good rules for farming and sustainability.
Uncle Tobys often talks about how healthy their oats are. They even call them a "natural superfood." Research has shown that some Uncle Tobys oat bars have a good amount of dietary fiber. This fiber is important for a healthy diet.
Advertising Rules and Fair Play
Companies need to be very clear and honest in their advertising. On September 13, 2006, a group called the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) asked Uncle Tobys to change some ads. These ads said their Fruit Roll-Ups were ‘Made with 65% real fruit’. The ACCC was worried that this might not be clear to customers.
After this, Uncle Tobys changed their ads. They removed the phrase. They also stopped suggesting that Roll-Ups were the same as fresh fruit. They even stopped showing an ad where an apple was squashed into a Fruit Roll-Up.
The ACCC also asked Uncle Tobys to write an article for other food companies. This article explained how important it is to have clear advertising. Uncle Tobys shared that they learned a lot from this. They realized that they need to think carefully about how customers see their ads. This includes what's on the packaging and the overall message.
Later, on November 26, 2015, Cereal Partners Australia (which makes Uncle Tobys cereals) paid a fine. This was because the ACCC believed some packaging was misleading. The ACCC thought the packaging made it seem like Uncle Tobys oat products had a lot of protein, when they didn't. Even though there was a small note on the packaging, it didn't change the ACCC's decision.
Swim My Way: Helping Australians Swim
Uncle Tobys has a long history with swimming. In 1983, they sponsored their first athlete, Lisa Curry. She was a swimmer at the Commonwealth Games. Today, two Olympic champion swimmers, Cate and Bronte Campbell, are ambassadors for Uncle Tobys.
Uncle Tobys also teamed up with Royal Life Saving Australia. They launched a swimming program called ‘Swim My Way’. This program started on March 6, 2018. Its goal is to encourage all Australians to swim, no matter their age.
Product Safety Recall
Sometimes, a company needs to recall a product to keep people safe. On January 10, 2020, Food Standards Australia New Zealand announced a recall for some Uncle Tobys products. This recall included four flavors of fruit roll-ups: passionfruit, rainbow berry, rainbow fruit salad, and fun-prints strawberry.
The reason for the recall was a problem with equipment at one of Nestlé's factories. This problem meant there was a chance that small pieces of metal could be in the products. Customers who bought these recalled products could get a full refund.
See also
- List of oldest companies in Australia
