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Weetabix

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This article is about the breakfast cereal known as "Weetabix". For the company which produces it, see Weetabix Limited.
Not to be confused with Weet-Bix.
Weetabix logo

Weetabix is a whole-grain wheat breakfast cereal produced by Weetabix Limited in the United Kingdom. It comes in the form of palm-sized (approx. 9.5 cm × 5.0 cm or 4" × 2") rounded rectangle-shaped biscuits. Variants include organic and Weetabix Crispy Minis (bite-sized) versions.[1][2] The UK cereal is manufactured in Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire, and exported to over 80 countries.[3] Weetabix for Canada and the United States is manufactured in Cobourg, Ontario, in both organic and conventional versions.

Weetabix is made from whole-grain wheat and the version sold in the United Kingdom has 3.8 g of fibre in a 37.5 g serving (2 biscuits) (10.1% by weight).[4] The product sold in Canada and the U.S. has 4 grams of fibre in a 35 g serving (11.4% by weight).[5]

History

Main article: History of Weet-Bix
Two dry Weetabix in a bowl

Produced in the UK since 1932, Weetabix is the British version of the original Australian Weet-Bix. Both Weet-Bix and Weetabix were invented by Bennison Osborne, an Australian. Weet-Bix was introduced in Australia through the company “Grain Products Limited” in the mid-1920s, with funding from businessman Arthur Shannon and marketing assistance from Osborne’s New Zealand friend Malcolm Macfarlane. To both Osborne’s and Macfarlane’s disappointment, Grain Products sold both its Australian company (in 1928) and then its New Zealand company (in 1930), to the Sanitarium Health Foods Company. Osborne and Macfarlane then went to South Africa where Arthur Shannon, the owner of Grain Products, funded another Weet-Bix factory. While in South Africa, Osborne modified his Weet-Bix recipe and with Macfarlane, obtained private funding and began the development of a new company, The British and African Cereal Company Limited, naming the new company's product, Weetabix. The company commenced business in England in 1932 in an unused gristmill at Burton Latimer, near Kettering.[6] In 1936, the name of the company was changed to Weetabix Limited.

Weet-Bix is currently marketed in Australasia by Sanitarium and South Africa by Bokomo. The product was introduced to Canada in 1967, when Weetabix Limited began exporting the product to Canada. The United States followed in 1968.[7]

On May 3, 2012 Bright Food announced it was taking a 60% stake in Weetabix in a deal that values the company at £1.2bn.[8] Baring Private Equity Asia acquired the remaining 40% from Lion Capital in 2015. On 18 April 2017, it was announced that Post Holding would buy the company from Bright Food.[9]

Advertising

In British advertising in the 1980s, Weetabix anthropomorphized the biscuits, representing a group of 'street-wise' young teens, beginning as 'skinheads'. Their appearances on the packaging and associated publicity featured catch phrases such as "titchy breakfast cereals" to describe rivals, with the response "Neet Weet Mate", "OK!". The lead Weetabix was voiced by Bob Hoskins.[10]

During the 1990s, the brand was advertised with the slogan "Have you had your Weetabix?', based on the idea that someone who had eaten Weetabix would be filled with unbeatable strength and energy, causing those who oppose them to flee out of self-preservation. This was used to humorous effect in a variety of adverts re-imagining the outcome of fairy tales and historic events. In 2017, the campaign was reintroduced, with a reference to the English fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk. The giant states: “Fee fi fo fum, I smell the blood of an English man”, with the boy responding: “Fee fi fo fix, I’ve just had my Weetabix”, resulting in the giant quickly leaving the room.[11]

Weetabix was the title sponsor of the Women's British Open golf tournament for two decades, from 1987 until 2006. It became a women's major golf championship in 2001.

In 1981, Weetabix aired an advertisement entitled 1, which showed a big "1" as a crop circle-like figure in a field.

Variants

Weetabix Crispy Minis

Weetabix Crispy Minis (fruit & nut variety) with dessert spoon for scale.

Weetabix Crispy Minis are a sweeter 'bite-size' version of the standard Weetabix biscuits, with various additions depending upon the variety. As of 2020, the varieties available in the UK are 'chocolate', 'banana' and 'fruit & nut'.[1]

The bitesize versions of Weetabix have been renamed several times since their original launch. Previously, they were known as "Fruitibix",[12] "Bananabix"[12] and "Chocobix" (depending upon the additions), later as "Minibix", then as "Weetabix Minis".[13]

Organic

Organic versions of Weetabix are sold in various countries.

Weetabix Chocolate

Weetabix launched a chocolate-powder infused version of the original Weetabix in the UK in July 2010 in a 24 pack size.

Weetabix Chocolate Spoonsize

A smaller-sized Weetabix biscuit with cocoa and chocolate chips.

Weetabix Baked with Golden Syrup

A sweeter form of the Weetabix biscuit which is baked with golden syrup.

Weetabix Banana

A banana-flavoured version of Weetabix.

Weetabix Protein

A version with added wheat gluten protein granules was introduced in the UK in April 2016, available in three forms, the standard biscuit shapes, as well as regular and chocolate flavour "Crunch" pipe shapes.

Oatibix

Oatibix and milk, with cereal box

Oatibix is a breakfast cereal that was introduced in the United Kingdom in August 2006. It was invented by Weetabix Limited. It is similar to Weetabix, but is based on whole grain oats instead of wheat.

  • In April 2007, Weetabix Limited also introduced Oatiflakes, which is also released with Raisin, Cranberry and Blackcurrant varieties.
  • Oatibix Bites are a smaller "bite-sized" version of Oatibix that can be poured into a bowl, similar to Weetabix Minis, and more like a traditional breakfast cereal. It is available as Oatibix Bites, Oatibix Bites with Sultana and Apple and Oatibix Bites with Cranberry varieties.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Weetabix Crispy Minis - Irresistible Bitesize Cereal Chunks". Weetabix Ltd. Archived from the original on 2018-08-04. Retrieved 2020-04-24. Available in three delicious flavours [..] Chocolate Chip [..] Fruit and Nut [..] Banana
  2. ^ "Weetabix Range". Weetabix Ltd. Retrieved 2007-07-02. there's now an even bigger range of Weetabix cereals for you to try, including Weetabix, Weetabix Gold, Weetabix Minis and Weetabix Organic.
  3. ^ "The Weetabix Food Company". Weetabix.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  4. ^ "The Weetabix Food Company". Weetabix.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  5. ^ "Weetabix Breakfast Cereal". weetabixusa.com. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  6. ^ Industrial history from the air by Kenneth Hudson
  7. ^ "Weetabix Ltd - About Us". Weetabix.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  8. ^ "Weetabix bought by China's Bright Food". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  9. ^ "Weetabix to be sold to US company". BBC News. 18 April 2017.
  10. ^ Chris Fillm (2002). "Marketing Communications: Contexts, Strategies, and Applications". p. 516. Financial Times Prentice Hall
  11. ^ "Weetabix launches £10m campaign with Jack and the Beanstalk ad". Talking Retail.
  12. ^ a b "Weetabix ad spend over pounds 25m". 1999-10-21. Archived from the original on 2020-04-24. Retrieved 2020-04-24. Weetabix [..] is extending its product range with the pounds 10m launch of banana-flavoured cereal Bananabix. The new brand is the first for Weetabix since it introduced Frutibix in 1997.
  13. ^ "Weetabix Range". Weetabix Ltd. Archived from the original on 2009-03-01. Cereals in the Range [..] Weetabix Minis Chocolate Crisp, Weetabix Minis Fruit & Nut Crisp, Weetabix Minis Honey & Nut Crisp
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