Bertie Beetle
Encyclopedia
A Bertie Beetle is an Australia
n chocolate bar
manufactured by Nestlé
. It consists of chocolate
shaped like an anthropomorphised beetle with small pieces of honeycomb throughout. It was created as a way to use up pieces of coconut, and honeycomb left over from the production of Violet Crumble
bars .
footballer Ron Barassi
, and was sold in shops until 1970, when manufacturer Nestle entered an exclusive agreement with 'Showbag Marketing' to only sell the chocolate at shows and exhibitions in showbag
s.
Bertie Beetles are most well known for their inclusion in the reliably cheap Bertie Beetle showbag
, available around Australia at various Shows
. The 'Bertie Beetle Showbag' is one of the most popular showbags ever made. When the bag was withdrawn from sale at Royal Shows, Nestle bowed to the resultant community pressure and recommenced sale of the bag.
The bag traditionally cost $2 and came with a few Bertie Beetles and some * Allens
lollipop
s. Until 12pm on the first day of a royal show there is often an early bird
special with some Bertie Beetle bags discounted to $1.
The 'Bertie Beetle Bonanza' was created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bertie Beetle in 2003, which came with many Bertie Beetles as well as some other products. In 2006, there were four variations in existence: a small red bag, a medium sized blue bag, a large gold bag and the '1-2-3' bag, which contains the three bags as well as some extras. The price for the classic blue 'Bertie Beetle' showbag was increased in 2006 to $3. For the 2007 Royal Shows however, the price has returned to its traditional price of $2.
In the 2009 Royal Easter Show, there were a number of bags, including a Bertie Beetle Blue, Gold, Red and Green, along with a Bertie Beetle Bonanza Bag and a Bertie Beetle Black- Triple Deal.
Despite the reputation of the Beetle showbag for ubiquity, comedian Rove McManus famously failed to find one when he visited the Royal Adelaide Show
in 2001.
The product comes in the regular packaging as well as a red and white Christmas
edition. The standard sizing for both versions is 10 gram
s. Bertie Beetles contain gelatine so are not suitable for vegetarians.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n chocolate bar
Candy bar
A chocolate bar is a confection in bar form comprising some or all of the following components: cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, milk. The relative presence or absence of these components form the subclasses of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. In addition to these main...
manufactured by Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
. It consists of chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
shaped like an anthropomorphised beetle with small pieces of honeycomb throughout. It was created as a way to use up pieces of coconut, and honeycomb left over from the production of Violet Crumble
Violet Crumble
Violet Crumble is an Australian chocolate bar manufactured in Campbellfield near Melbourne, Australia, by Nestlé. It is one of the best selling chocolate bars in Australia. Violet Crumble is also common in Hawaii and is available in other places, including Hong Kong.The bar is a crumbly sponge...
bars .
First production
The Bertie Beetle was first produced in 1963, when it was launched by VFLAustralian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
footballer Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
, and was sold in shops until 1970, when manufacturer Nestle entered an exclusive agreement with 'Showbag Marketing' to only sell the chocolate at shows and exhibitions in showbag
Showbag
The showbag is a themed bag of commercial merchandise, and a distinctive feature of Australian shows...
s.
Showbag-only era
Showbag
The showbag is a themed bag of commercial merchandise, and a distinctive feature of Australian shows...
, available around Australia at various Shows
Agricultural show
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
. The 'Bertie Beetle Showbag' is one of the most popular showbags ever made. When the bag was withdrawn from sale at Royal Shows, Nestle bowed to the resultant community pressure and recommenced sale of the bag.
The bag traditionally cost $2 and came with a few Bertie Beetles and some * Allens
Allens (confectionery)
Allens is an Australian brand of confectionery presently produced by Nestle. It is best known for Minties, a soft chewable mint flavoured confectionery.-History:...
lollipop
Lollipop
A lollipop, pop, lolly, sucker, or sticky-pop is a type of confectionery consisting mainly of hardened, flavored sucrose with corn syrup mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. They are available in many flavors and shapes.- Types :Lollipops are available in a number of colors and...
s. Until 12pm on the first day of a royal show there is often an early bird
Early Bird
Early Bird may refer to:*A "lark", or "morning person", who usually gets up early in the morning and goes to bed early in the evening*An "early bird sale", also known as a Doorbuster...
special with some Bertie Beetle bags discounted to $1.
The 'Bertie Beetle Bonanza' was created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bertie Beetle in 2003, which came with many Bertie Beetles as well as some other products. In 2006, there were four variations in existence: a small red bag, a medium sized blue bag, a large gold bag and the '1-2-3' bag, which contains the three bags as well as some extras. The price for the classic blue 'Bertie Beetle' showbag was increased in 2006 to $3. For the 2007 Royal Shows however, the price has returned to its traditional price of $2.
In the 2009 Royal Easter Show, there were a number of bags, including a Bertie Beetle Blue, Gold, Red and Green, along with a Bertie Beetle Bonanza Bag and a Bertie Beetle Black- Triple Deal.
Despite the reputation of the Beetle showbag for ubiquity, comedian Rove McManus famously failed to find one when he visited the Royal Adelaide Show
Royal Adelaide Show
The Royal Adelaide Show also known as the Royal Show or simply The Show, is an annual agricultural show/fair held in Adelaide, South Australia that begins on the first Friday in September, or the last Friday in August, and runs for 9 days. It is held at the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, located in...
in 2001.
The product comes in the regular packaging as well as a red and white Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
edition. The standard sizing for both versions is 10 gram
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
s. Bertie Beetles contain gelatine so are not suitable for vegetarians.
Retail re-introducution
Bertie Beetles have been reintroduced to the Australian market through supermarket chains Woolworths/Safeway (Victoria), Big W, Coles and possibly other stores in fun packs containing 14 Bertie's. Moreover, Nestle has introduced a Bertie Beetle Easter Pack, with chocolate eggs and some Bertie Beetles.Bertie Beetle in the second decade of the 21st Century
A Bertie Beetle showbag was available at the 2010 Royal Melbourne ShowRoyal Melbourne Show
The Royal Melbourne Show is an agricultural show held at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds every September. The Royal Show began in 1848. The focus of the show is the display of rural industry, including livestock and produce. There are associated competitions and awards...