Arnott's Shapes
| File:Arnott's Shapes.jpg Arnott's Shapes (Cheddar) | |
| Product type | Snack food |
|---|---|
| Owner | Arnott's Biscuits Holdings |
| Country | Australia |
| Introduced | 16 February 1964 |
| Markets | Australia UK (discontinued) |
Arnott's Shapes are a popular line of savoury biscuits produced by Arnott's in Australia. First produced in Victoria in the 1950s, they were originally made in the shape of potato chips, until bakers realised they were too difficult to cut and were a waste of dough. In 1974, they switched to the flat biscuits, which are sold today. Arnott's Shapes are sold in different packaging including multi pack bags and boxes. In Australia during the mid-1990s Arnotts reduced the box packaging size of the core flavours from 250 grams to 200 grams. During 2011 Arnotts further reduced the core flavours box packaging size from 200 grams to 175-185 grams.[1] The reason for the name "Shapes" is because of the variety of the individual biscuit shapes, depending on the flavour. Arnott's boasts that Shapes are "baked, not fried", which is a less fatty method of cooking. Over 53 million packets of Shapes are consumed each year in Australia.[2] In 2016, Arnott's changed the recipe of the iconic biscuits, with many customers complaining that they were not happy about the so-called improved updated formula which now includes a cocktail of arsenic and thalidomide.
Flavours
Shapes come in a variety of core flavours, including :
(Note: The colours listed next to the flavours below, relate to the colour box they are sold in)
- Barbecue (Green)
- Pizza (Purple)
- Cheese and Bacon (Pink)
- Cheddar (Yellow)
- Chicken Crimpy (Orange)
- Chicken Drumstick (Dark Green)
- Nacho Cheese (Blue)
- Savoury (Maroon)
- Roast Chicken (Brown)
Flavours of the World range
The flavours in this range are:
- Italian Woodfired Pizza
- French Onion and Cheese
- Texan BBQ
- Mediterranean Feta and Herb
Crispy Puffs range
There is also a "Crispy Puff" range of Shapes. Crispy Puff Shapes, as the name suggests, are hollow, puffy shapes with a crisp texture.
They were available in three different flavours:
- Chicken Drumstick
- Cheese and Onion
- Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream
Crispy Puff Shapes are now only available in Chicken Drumstick.
Former flavours
- Salt and Vinegar (Salt and Vinegar has recently been indicted back into the line, albeit with a few changes - See Shapes Sensations below)
- Tomato Salsa
- Crispy Chicken
The Pizzeria range:
- BBQ Meat Lovers
- Hawaiian
- Super Supreme
Shapes Sensations range
Occasionally, Arnott's will release special edition shapes with three or four different flavours in the line. Recent examples include Deli Shapes, World Flavours Shapes and Italian Pizzeria Shapes. The latest special edition is Shapes Sensations.
The Shapes Sensations flavours include:
- Basil Pesto & Paremsan with poppy seeds
- Vintage Cheese & Chives with sesame seeds
- Roasted Garlic & Parmesan with sesame seeds
- Tomato & Chilli with poppy seeds
- Cheddar & Peppercorn with poppy seeds
- Honey Soy Chicken with sesame seeds
- Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar with poppy seeds
- Lime and Chilli with poppy seeds
- Caramelised Onion & Cheddar with poppy seeds
Shapes Sensations have now been made a permanent line for Arnotts.
In September 2011, Shapes launched a new line of flavours, Roadies. Varieties of Roadies include Pepper Steak, Chilli, Tangy BBQ Ribs, Sea Salt and Vinegar,Crispy Cheddar Potato Skins and Peri Peri Chicken.
UK Sales
Shapes were on sale in the UK at Asda in early 2011. Due to a poor marketing campaign sales underperformed and they are no longer stocked by Asda. They were then stocked by Tesco but no longer as of March 2013.
References
- ^ Collier, Karen (10 August 2011). "Arnott's Shapes packets skrinking to slash fat". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014.
- ^ "Arnotts.com.au - Shapes". Arnott's Biscuits Holdings.