Penguins are a type of biscuit that is made in Lancashire. They are a bar shaped biscuits that are covered in milk chocolate. The biscuits are filled with chocolate cream. Pladis' manufacturing division McVitie's makes them at their factory in Stockport.
History
They were first made in 1932 by William McDonald, a biscuit manufacturer in Glasgow. They became a brand of McVitie's when McDonald joined with McVitie's and Price, MacFarlane Lang & Co and Crawford to create United Biscuits in 1948. Each wrapper has a joke or "funny fact" printed on it and designs that feature penguins that are often in styles like that of famous works of art. These designs are usually funny.
In the 1980s, Penguin became known for their television advertising slogan "P...P...P...Pick up a penguin!”
In October 1996, United Biscuits sued Asda because they said Asda said their own brand of "Puffin" biscuits were part of the Penguin brand. In March 1997, United Biscuits won the case. The court found out Asda had not broken any laws on how the Penguin brand could be used.
United Biscuits was criticised for still using trans fatty acids in the cream filling of Penguins. By December 2007, United Biscuits began to publicly say trans fats are not in Penguins anymore.
The Tim Tam made by Arnott's in Australia was based on the Penguin. Occasional references in the media include tongue-in-cheek debates over which biscuit is better.
Types
There are currently three versions of the biscuit: Chocolate Orange Mint
Spin off brands
In 2002, McVitie's made some versions of the Penguin biscuit: Penguin Chukkas, Wing Dings, Flipper Dipper, Splatz and Mini Splatz. There is a £5 million promotional campaign for the biscuits. In 2008, McVitie's also made Penguin triple chocolate wafers.
Notes
Other websites
"Picnics past" - Observer story claiming the Penguin is the "towering treat of the Seventies" Penguin wrapper at the Candy Wrapper Museum McVitie's site United Biscuits page Penguin in the generic game, James Pond II