Wagon Wheel (biscuit)
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Wagon Wheels are a popular British biscuit which have a mallow centre and are covered in a chocolate flavoured coating. They are produced and distributed by Burtons Foods Ltd. who are also responsible for Jammie Dodgers. The biscuit itself is round to represent the wheel of a wagon (hence the name).
Wagon Wheels were invented by Garry Weston (1927-2002) (son of W. Garfield Weston). Garry Weston worked for his father's business in Australia before taking over his UK family business. The biscuits were first launched during the 1940s at the time of the 1948 Olympia Food Fair. The name was derived from the fact that the Wild West was very popular at time, and in particular the film Wagon Train. The original name for Wagon Wheels were Weston Wagon Wheels
Interest in Wagon Wheels was at an all time peak when the female UK comedians French and Saunders made a sketch with Dawn French dressed as a schoolgirl delicately placing a Wagon Wheel into her mouth. Wagon Wheels were re-launched in 2002.
They are also available in packs of 6 and 12 or can be bought individually at selected retailers.
Two previous slogans for the product have been:
- "A taste for adventure."
- "If there's a bigger bite, it can't be found."
In Canada, Wagon Wheels are produced by Dare Foods Limited. They come in Original, Caramel, Fudge, and Raspberry flavour.
In Australia, Wagon Wheels are produced by Arnott's Biscuits. George Weston Foods Limited sold the brand to Arnott's in August 2003. [1]
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[edit] Size
There have been many debates amongst fans of the biscuit about the size. Wagon Wheels have supposedly shrunk in size as time has progressed, Burtons Foods LTD have denied this. It has been suggested that the supposed shrinkage is due to an adult's fond childhood memory of eating a Wagon Wheel held in a much smaller hand.
The original factory which produced the biscuit in Slough during the early 1980s were transferred to an updated and modern factory in Llantarnam in South Wales. The original factory in Slough produced the biscuit with crinkled edges rather than the updated smoother edges. This caused the overall diameter of the biscuit to shrink slighty, but not as much as fans of the biscuit believe.
Also, although the UK Wagon Wheel has barely shrunk, it is still noticeably smaller than the Australian equivalent. The diameter of the Australian version is measured at 88 mm which is 14 mm larger than the UK version. Even though the Australian version is wider in diameter, the UK Wagon Wheel is notably thicker by 4 mm.
As of October 2006, the Canadian Wagon Wheel measured 70mm x 17mm.
[edit] Flavours
Confusingly, the flavour of Wagon Wheel currently marketed as "Original" actually features a chocolate favour biscuit - whereas the biscuits used in the recipe most beloved of UK fans (circa the mid-1970s) was in fact plain.
[edit] Miscellaneous
Actor Berwick Kaler is famous for throwing them, like frisbies, to the audience at the end of the annual pantomime at the Theatre Royal in York, though he had to stop throwing them after someone was allegedly hit by one and complained.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
- List of brands of biscuit
- George Weston - founder of George Weston Bakeries Ltd.
- W. Garfield Weston b. 1898, d. 1978 - son of George Weston
- Garfield Howard (Garry) Weston b. 1927, d. 2002 - son of Garfield Weston
- George G. Weston b.1964 - son of Garry Weston
- Guy Weston b. 1961 - son of Garry Weston
- Galen Weston b. 1939 - son of W. Garfield Weston
- Hilary Frayne Weston - wife of Galen Sr.
- Galen Weston Jr. - son of Galen Sr.
- Alannah Weston - daughter of Galen Sr.
