Hobnob biscuit
Hobnobs is the brand name of a commercial biscuit. They are made from rolled oats and jumbo oats, similar to a flapjack-digestive biscuit hybrid, and are among the most popular British biscuits. McVitie's launched Hobnobs in 1985 and a milk chocolate variant in 1987.[1]
Place of origin | United Kingdom |
---|---|
Region or state | Scotland |
Created by | McVitie's |
Main ingredients | Rolled oats, jumbo oats |
They are primarily sold in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and Ireland but are available in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and several European and Asian countries (e.g. Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong). In Italy they are now marketed as a variety of digestive biscuit, having previously been known as Suncrok. They were also released in Canada in November 2012, made available in Wal-Mart's British modular section in their food aisles. Pronounced 'Herbnerb' in Ashington, Northumberland the McVitie's Hobnob is the third-most popular biscuit in the UK to "dunk" into tea, with its chocolate variant sixth.[2] In 2014 a UK survey declared the Chocolate Hobnob the nation's favourite biscuit.[3]
History
The commercial recipe was introduced by McVitie's in the UK in 1985.[1] The biscuit is currently available in many varieties, including dark chocolate, chocolate orange, and Hobnob bars. Other Hobnobs-branded snacks include a Hobnobs flapjack. Hobnobs contains approx 0.16 g of sodium per biscuit.[4] The name hob-nob comes from the verb to hob nob, meaning to mix socially, generally with people of a higher class. Therefore, people "hobnob" over tea or a biscuit.
Manufacture
Plain Hobnobs are made at the Tollcross factory in Glasgow. The chocolate variety is made at the Harlesden factory. The basic ingredients for Hobnobs are oats.
Marketing
The original tagline of the Hobnobs was "one nibble and you're nobbled",[5] and was removed. It has since been brought back, but slightly changed by adding "hob" to the beginning of the last word.[6] The tagline "Chocolate now has Hobnobs underneath" was used for the introduction in the UK of chocolate Hobnobs.
References
- "Crumbs, we've been eating McVitie's Digestives and Hobnobs all wrong! Firm says chocolate part is the BOTTOM". Daily Mail. Retrieved 28 December 2014
- "Chocolate digestive is nation's favourite dunking biscuit". The Telegraph. 2 May 2009
- "What is the nation’s favourite biscuit?" Archived 17 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Kernpack. 11 December 2014
- United Biscuits Archived 26 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- Justin Holloway (24 June 1999). "Keeping up with the Jonesness". Salon. Archived from the original on 28 October 2004. Retrieved 28 January 2007.
- McVities, UK. "Hobnobs". Hobnobs | McVitie's UK. McVitie's. Retrieved 3 March 2013.