Move over Arnott’s? Arrival of Brits’ beloved Penguins reignites Tim Tam debate

After years of waiting, the iconic British Penguin biscuit is coming to Australia to delight the tastebuds of sweet-lovers across the country. However the arrival of the delicious chocolate-coated treat is sure to spark debate over which is better, the Aussie Tim Tam or the British bikkie?

McVitie’s Penguins were first created in 1932 and the sugary snacks are a favourite of many across Britain, with its delicious chocolate cream filling hard to resist. The taste and texture is quite like the Aussie Tim Tam, which for those in the Land Down Under is the best biscuit on the market.

But, to the shock of True Blue Aussies, some have even dubbed Penguins as the “original Tim Tam”, because it was invented 31 years before the Aussie heritage brand. But, are they really all that similar?

Tim Tams were created later than the Penguin, in 1964, and include biscuit, cream filling and a chocolate covering like the British treat. But there are some subtle differences as Penguins are both longer and crunchier than their southern counterpart. Plus, Penguins are individually wrapped and contain a joke or funny fact on each wrapper.

It’s a long-running debate over which biscuit is better. In fact, it’s lasted over five decades and has spurred many dinner table discussions. However, that’s not to say that Penguins aren’t delicious in their own right. And now, thanks to a recent trade agreement between Britain and Australia, Aussies will be able to enjoy both.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke in recent weeks about Penguins coming to Australia, with Johnson telling the Aussie politician: “I want to live in a world where we send you Penguins”. 

It’s a decision which has excited Mark Schomberg, the development chef at beloved biscuit maker McVitie’s, who said it’s the biggest migration of Penguins yet.

“The key difference is the crunch factor – Penguins have a great bite to them,” he said. “They audibly crack when they hit your teeth, whilst still having that delicious chocolate coating, double biscuit layering and chocolate cream filling.”

He added: “We in England have long perfected the tea and bicky combination. We’ve noticed some rather questionable and lurid tea-drinking performances from our southern cousins, where we would just dip and sip, in an act called the Penguin dip.”

If you’re brave enough to say Penguins are the “original Tim Tam” that’s up to you. But, at the end of the day, why can’t we have both? Penguins will hit Coles shelves across Australia from July 22. They will come in packs of six and are retailed at $2.80. The least you can do is give them a go right?