Weetabix

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Weetabix is a whole grain wheat breakfast cereal produced by Weetabix Limited of the United Kingdom. It comes in the form of palm-sized biscuits. Variants include organic and Weetabix Minis (bite-sized) versions.^[1] The UK cereal is manufactured in Burton Latimer, Kettering, United Kingdom and in Canada and exported to over 80 countries.^[2]. U.S Weetabix, in both organic and conventional versions, is manufactured in the North American location of Cobourg, Ontario, Canada.

History

Weetabix was invented in Australia in the 1920s by Bennison Osborne. He and New Zealand partner Malcolm Macfarlane sold the Australian and New Zealand rights for "Weet-Bix" to Sanitarium Health Food Company in 1930. Osborne and Macfarlane then formed the "British & African Cereal Company Pty. Ltd.", and began exporting the product to South Africa. When they introduced the product to the British market they renamed the product "Weetabix." In 1936, the name of the company was changed to Weetabix Limited.

Weet-Bix are still marketed today in Australasia and South Africa by Sanitarium. The product was not introduced to North America until 1967 when Weetabix Limited began exporting the product to Canada. The United States followed in 1968.^[3]

See History of Weet-Bix

Two Weetabix in a bowl before milk is added

Consumption and nutrition

Weetabix are more typically served with milk (hot or cold) in a bowl, as with any other breakfast cereal, yet sometimes with hot water, topped with fruit (bananas, etc), butter and Marmite or jam. They can also be toasted and topped with melted cheese, jams or nut butters. They are very light and absorbent and when soaked in milk can take on the texture of a light porridge. However, they retain a certain crunchiness for a while.

Weetabix is made from whole grain wheat and is high in fibre, with 3.8g of fibre in a 37.5g serving (2 biscuits).^[4]

Advertising

Weetabix has generally been advertised on its wholesomeness, and its ability to help people (especially men) start the day with excellent nutrition and satisfaction^{[citation needed]}. In the 1980s, advertising took a separate course with the creation of some anthropomorphic Weetabix biscuits seemingly representing a group of 'street-wise' young teens. They famously started out as 'skinheads', echoing the popularity at the time of the skinhead revival movement and particularly the band Madness. Their appearances on the packaging and associated publicity (most notably television) featured catch phrases such as "titchy breakfast cereals" to describe rivals, and the call-and-response "Neet Weet Mate", "OK!". As the 1980's wore on, these images became an unlikely reflection of evolving youth culture, their attire changing to sweat bands, trainers and 'hip-hop'/urban styles.

A good selection of their adverts can be found at http://www.weetabix.co.uk/media/time-machine/weetabix/.

Variants

Weetabix Minis

Weetabix Minis are essentially a sweeter 'bite-size' version of the standard Weetabix biscuits, with various additions depending upon the variety- 'chocolate', 'banana', 'fruit & nut' and 'honey & nut'.

Outside of the UK, the cereal has been relaunched and renamed at least twice in a relatively short period of time following their launch. Previously, they were known as Fruitibix, Bananabix and Chocobix (depending upon the additions), then as Minibix.

Organic

Organic versions of Weetabix are sold in various countries.

Oatibix

Oatibix is similar to Weetabix, but is based on whole grain oats instead of wheat.

See also

• Weet-Bix - the original variant of Weetabix
• Shredded Wheat - another wheat-based biscuit cereal.
• Ruskets - a similar product, formerly manufactured by Loma Linda Foods in Riverside, California.

References

External links

• Weetabix Limited corporate website
• More weetabix