There’s simply nothing more comforting, as any Aussie will tell you, than a hot bowl of Rosella’s tomato soup, a handful of Jaffas or a block of Cherry Ripe (especially with a cuppa Bushells tea) in your tummy. Although they’ve filled Aussies’ cupboards and tummies for years and remain among our most iconic food brands, most of the oldest of them just can’t be found elsewhere. We’ve unearthed the tales behind some of the nation’s oldest food brands, and counted down the country’s most recognizable food names.
Aero plane Jelly
This Aeroplane Jelly story is awesome It’s one of our national children’s favourite but Bert Apple Roth literally made it in the bath. The Sydney tram driver whipped up the jelly crystals in the bathtub of his parents’ house in Paddington back in the 1900’s, and then sold them to customers along his tram route. He started selling the crystals to customers with Albert Francis Lenertz, who was involved in a grocery wholesale business, called ‘De-Luxe’ in 1926. Then he decided in 1927 to rename the product ‘Aeroplane Jelly’ because they loved airplanes that much.
IXL Jams
Henry introduced the brand name in 1903 – he wanted to live up to his motto, ‘I excel, in all of the products I make’. While the much- loved conserve brand has had its fair share of changes in hands over the years, the Australian owned company is back and it is a household name across Australia – jam, conserve and marmalade jams stock kitchen pantries everywhere. Henry's factories still survive as the trendy The Henry Jones Hotel at the historic H Jones & Company factory in Hobart and the retail centre in the inner-city hip suburb of South Yarra – known as the Jam Factory.
Cottee’s Cordial
Long the cordial brand of the people, Cadbury Schweppes bought Cottee's in 1984, before Asahi Beverages swallowed the multinational. With a variety of colours and flavours available, it is best known for its vivid Lime Coola. The brand's enduring popularity owes a great deal to a 'My Dad picks the fruit' television ad campaign from the 80s that captured the nation and reinforced its image as a staple family beverage.
Bega Cheese
Bega Cheese has always been 100% Australian-owned and operated. Way back in 1899, Bega Valley dairy farmers on the south coast of NSW started joining their milk and producing their own cheese, one of the earliest dairy cooperatives in Australia. They celebrated their rich, full-flavoured Cheddar style cheese soon after, and still produce much of Australia's favourite cheese products in Bega today.
Streets' Paddle Pop
The initial flavor of Paddle Pop was chocolate, and then vanilla and caramel, before expanding to include a dizzy array of flavours and colours like strawberry, banana, and rainbow. One of the Streets long-term sellers since the 1960s, it was popular largely due to its mascot Max the Paddle Pop Lion, who came with the iconic catchphrase: "I'm the lion who loves Paddle Pops!". The Unilever-owned Streets brand is also responsible for other long-time crowd-pleasers such as the Golden Gaytime and the Bubble O'Bill.
Jaffas
Sweet treat from 1931, joy has been brought to sweet-loving Aussies everywhere by these happy little orange balls. Developed by James Stedman-Henderson's Sweets Ltd under its Sweet acres label, Jaffas were first sold from glass jars on the lolly counters of milk bars all across Australia and were to become the perfect cinema treat accompanying movie matinees.
Twisties
A moreishly crunchy and tasty favourite for kids (big ones included) everywhere, Twisties have remained a classic savoury snack choice since the 1950s. In fact, the brand’s resourceful creator, Isador Magid, watched how well cheesy snacks like Cheetos sold in the USA and went on to develop cheese-flavoured Twisties in Australia. He eventually sold the business to confectionary manufacturer Darrell Lea in 1955, and although a few other countries produced Twisties, they never quite achieved the same popularity at home.
Minties
A spot in Aussie popular culture has been earned by the peppermint mint, bolstered by some clever and catchy advertising. Its iconic strapline 'It's moments like these you need Minties', was first used in 1926, making it Australia's longest running advertising slogan. And who can forget the Minties wrapper challenge, in which the iconic white, green and red waxy packaging must be ripped in a single piece without tearing, to amuse children on road trips. Still freshening palates (and sticking jaws together) today, the Minties mint continues to be a popular choice.
Mrs Mac’s
In the same hands of the Macgregor family and still baking them out of Perth, Mrs Mac’s most famous creations are undoubtedly the Famous Beef Pie – that crisp, short crust pastry case, baked with flour milled from Aussie-grown wheat, stuffed full of Aussie mince, and the Giant Sausage Roll. Now they’ve extended to the bake at home and on the go ranges, as well as gluten-free and vegan bakes and a few specialty bakes, like the Loaded Chicken Parmi Pie, a pie version of the pub favourite, Chicken Parmigiana.
FAQ's
1. What is Arnott’s, and why is it considered the king of Aussie biscuits?
Founded in 1865, Arnott’s is Australia’s most famous biscuit manufacturer. They are responsible for nostalgic pantry staples like Tim Tams (chocolate-covered malted biscuits), Iced Vovos (wheat biscuits topped with pink fondants, jam, and coconut), Tiny Teddies, and Shapes (savory crackers in flavors like Pizza and BBQ).
2. Is Vegemite really exclusive to Australia?
While owned by Bega Cheese today, Vegemite remains almost exclusively an Australian cultural icon. Created in 1922 from leftover brewer's yeast extract, this salty, dark brown spread is a nostalgic staple that virtually every Australian kid grew up eating lightly spread over buttered toast.
3. What nostalgic ice creams are unique to Australian milk bars and gas stations?
Two street-side freezer classics top the list: Golden Gaytime (a vanilla and toffee ice cream on a stick, dipped in chocolate and coated in crunchy biscuit crumbs) and Bubble O’Bill (a cowboy-shaped ice cream featuring strawberry, chocolate, and caramel flavors with a gumball for a nose).
4. Which retro Australian chocolate bars have survived for decades?
Cherry Ripe—introduced in 1924 by MacRobertson's (now Cadbury)—is Australia's oldest manufactured chocolate bar, packed with dark chocolate, ripe cherries, and coconut. Other retro favorites include Violet Crumble (crunchy honeycomb wrapped in chocolate) and Caramello Koalas.
5. What are Bertie Beetles, and why are they so hard to find in stores?
Bertie Beetle is a small, beetle-shaped chocolate filled with crunchy honeycomb pieces. Originally created in 1963 to use up leftover honeycomb from Violet Crumble production, it gained legendary status because it is rarely sold in standard supermarkets—instead, it is famously sold inside nostalgic "showbags" at annual agricultural shows (like Sydney's Royal Easter Show).
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