You Know Freddo

In the 1930s, MacRobertson’s Confectionery trialled several new ideas for their childrens’ range. An employee suggested that as “women and children were afraid of mice,” rather than a chocolate mouse, a chocolate frog would be more popular with children. Three days later, what would become Australia’s most popular children’s confectionery, the Freddo Frog, was born. Its supposed creator, Harry Melbourne, died last week, having never received a cent in royalties. However, to this day there remains confusion as to whether he, or rather the inventor of the Cherry Ripe, Lesley Atkison, was in fact responsible.

While I was reading up on the Froggy Chocolate Conspiracy I was fascinated to find out that Freddo was also the star of Australia’s first cartoon that ran for several years in the 1960s.

Posted in Gastros on Tuesday February 6, 2007.