Scotland’s famous confectionery company has rebranded itself as quintessentially British in an attempt to break into the Japanese market.
Tunnock’s has added the Union Jack to new packaging, but its decision to play down its Caledonian roots is almost certain to outrage some Scottish nationalists.
Last year the company triggered a political furore by launching an advertising campaign on the London Underground featuring a foil-wrapped treat on a silver cake stand, with the slogan: “The Great British Tea Cake.” Critics noted that it did not feature the Lion Rampant, the company’s symbol since it was founded in 1890.
Protesters picketed the factory after activists launched a social media campaign calling for consumers to shun snowballs, tea cakes and caramel wafers, while an online video showed a man smashing boxes of biscuits with an oversized hammer.
One SNP member wrote on Twitter: “Rebranding is one thing. What Tunnock’s did was a brazen rejection of Scotland.” Another tweeted: “Bye bye Tunnock’s. You know where you can shove your tea cakes.”
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The company’s latest marketing move appears likely to cause another storm in a tea cake. Each biscuit for export to Japan features a Union Jack on the packaging, while their cardboard boxes state: “Made in Great Britain.”
A gift bag of chocolate wafer creams, designed for the Asian market, makes no mention of Scotland and instead features red, white and blue stripes. It is understood that the firm is aiming to tap into Japan’s passion for British goods.
Alan Burnett, the company’s export manager, confirmed that new packaging had been created after the company secured orders for almost two million biscuits. He said: “The branding is different and, as you would expect, the writing is all in Japanese. However, it does have the Tunnock’s boy on it. You would recognise it instantly.”
He added: “Our products really seem to be really taking off over there. Last month we sent a 40ft container, containing around 650,000 biscuits, out to Japan. We have arranged for another to go out in September and a further delivery for December.”
The company established a distribution deal in the Japanese island of Okinawa in 1983. This year Tunnock’s products went on sale in the country’s biggest cities.
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Mr Burnett said: “Last year we got a Scottish government grant which allowed us to take part in a major exhibition in Tokyo. That led to us securing quite a lot of new business.” He added: “The Japanese don’t like caramel wafers. It’s a cultural thing — they say they are too chewy.”