Happy Birthday To Australia's Favourite Breakfast Cereal

Happy Birthday to Australia's Favourite Breakfast Cereal!

Sanitarium's Weet-Bix turns 81

It is 81 years since our favourite breakfast cereal, Sanitarium Weet-Bix, was introduced to Australians.

Australians buy 22 million packs every year, and Weet-Bix continues to be the pre-eminent breakfast for Australians of all ages.

One hundred per cent Australian-made and owned, millions of Australian families have enjoyed the health and nutritional benefits of Weet-Bix since 1928.

Sanitarium Weet-Bix Ambassador Brett Lee said "I grew up on Weet-Bix and now with having my own family I understand the importance of ensuring they get the best possible start to the day.

"The issue of obesity is one that I watch closely, particularly when it comes to kids," Brett said "It is important to fuel our bodies with the right foods, like Weet-Bix, and live an active, healthy life.

Australia's favourite breakfast for the whole family is made from the goodness of wholegrain wheat. Weet-Bix is naturally high in fibre and low in sugar and contains seven essential vitamins and minerals.

The Weet-Bix family has grown since its birth 81 years ago. . Weet-Bix has a range of products for the whole family including: Original, Kids, Hi-Bran, Organic, Multi-Grain and our Bites range.

Over the years Weet-Bix has also been associated with some great events, issues and people some historical, some interesting and some quirky and enjoyed great success.

For example, did you know?

* If you laid all of the Weet-Bix sold in Australia in the 2009 financial year end to end they would stretch around the equator 2.8 (2.75) times. If you stacked the same amount of Weet-Bix over a football field it would cover it to a height of 13.3m. It would also fill 38.8 Olympic Swimming Pools.

* Today, Weet-Bix is sold in 22 countries around the world. They are called Bixies in the UK and Mauritius, Ruskets in the US and Aussie Morning in Japan.

* Weet-Bix is the official breakfast of the Australian Cricket Team, Qantas Socceroos, Hyundai A-League and the Matildas.

* Aussie cricketer Brett Lee was the first ever individual contracted to promote Weet-Bix, and still fuels up every morning with seven Weet-Bix. Over the last nine years, Lee has appeared in over ten Weet-Bix commercials, on dozens of Weet-Bix packets and in an unprecedented move Weet-Bix in its 81 year history changed the front of pack to `Brett Bix' for a short-term promotion.

* Socceroo and Everton midfielder Tim Cahill is the latest individual contracted to promote Weet-Bix and he credits fuelling his body with the goodness of Weet-Bix as one of the reasons he scored the first ever goal to be scored by an Australian at a World Cup

* Millions of Weet-Bix is produced each day at different factories around Australia and New Zealand. At just one location1.2 million are produced every day.

* In 2006, Weet-Bix was voted by Australians as its favourite trademark.

* In 1999, a Mount Gambier man set an unofficial record when he ate 40 Weet-Bix in one sitting. He said at the time that he will continue to eat Weet-Bix, but probably not that many ever again in one sitting.

* The popular practice of giving away collector cards in Sanitarium Weet-Bix packs began in 1942. Today, you regularly see collectors buying and selling Weet-Bix cards on eBay and at Collectible Fairs.

* It is not true that a driver's license can be found in a Weet-Bix packet.

* Weet-Bix became Australia's fastest selling breakfast cereal at the same time that Don Bradman hit the fastest 50 in Test history, which was during the 1932-33 series against England.

* Sir Edmund Hillary ate Weet-Bix for breakfast during his historic climb to the top of Mt Everest in 1953.

* In 1928, the year Weet-Bix was introduced, Jean Rene Lacoste won the men's singles at Wimbledon while Helen Wills won the women's title, Statesman won the Melbourne Cup, Collingwood won the VFL Grand Final and South Sydney was the ARL premier.


Media enquiries:
Sheree Dell, Marketing Communications Manager
Phone: (02)4348 7741
Mobile: 0420 900 404
e: [email protected]

About Sanitarium

Sanitarium is a food company with a difference we have always believed goodness begins with nature!

As Australia's largest health food company we love using wholesome foods - we design our products for wholistic nutrition, so we can offer you the best of natures goodness. We are looking at ways to source ingredients and make our products locally; after all, we're proudly 100% ustralian

To help Australians on their health and wellbeing journey, Sanitarium offers a team of expert nutritionists who will happily provide their knowledge and advice free of charge. Simply phone 1800- 673-392 or visit www.sanitarium.com.au


SOURCE: Sanitarium