A Frog Too Far

January 29, 2007 6:00 PM

MacRobertson's Confectionery were, in the 1930s, trialling new ideas for their children's 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. Those that only know him in chocolate form may be surprised to find out that Freddo was also the star of Australia's first cartoon.
posted by Mil (19 comments total)

First post guys, go easy. I'm off to try and find one of those hideously sticky and sweet raspberry freddos and regret the decision after I've eaten it in two bites. Yum!
posted by Mil at 6:01 PM on January 29, 2007

Crunchy Frog
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:10 PM on January 29, 2007

Carmello Koala kicks Freddo's arse.
posted by pompomtom at 6:17 PM on January 29, 2007 [1 favorite]

Mmmm Freddo Frogs, Cherry Ripes and Caramello Koalas... I think I still have a Haighs choccie frog left over from xmas still in the fridge somewhere....
posted by gomichild at 6:33 PM on January 29, 2007

my mom were trialling to change the light bulb in the childrens range.
posted by quonsar at 6:43 PM on January 29, 2007

And of course there's the New Zealand equivalent, chocolate fish.
posted by Paragon at 7:07 PM on January 29, 2007

Heh, chocolate fush.
posted by redteam at 7:19 PM on January 29, 2007

As an American, whose only chocolate animal experience is the ubiquitous chocolate Easter Bunny, I thought this post was very interesting, thanks!
posted by amyms at 7:28 PM on January 29, 2007

Chocolate is more delicious when it squats on paws, and is sweet when it is driven like the devil into the shapes of animals: I know this for a fact, because I am eating a dark chocolate pig from Bissinger's right now. It is a slouchy fatso, though less of one each minute.
posted by Powerful Religious Baby at 7:48 PM on January 29, 2007

You know, I haven't seen any Yowies lately. Has Cadbury stopped making them?
posted by zamboni at 8:15 PM on January 29, 2007

Liquorice: I love Koalas but have trouble eating them these days. When I was a kid I had a stint fundraising for a sporting trip overseas. They gave us these huge cartons of the Giant Caramello Koalas. You bought them for a buck from Cadbury, and sold them for two bucks to others, keeping the extra buck for fundraising.

$1 for a triple size Caramello Koala, with 200 of the suckers sitting in your room. Worst Fundraising Idea Ever.
posted by Mil at 8:16 PM on January 29, 2007

One of the best commercials ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw_gEyg7Nt8
posted by Jumpin Jack Flash at 8:43 PM on January 29, 2007

I'm on the fence about the use of "trial" as a verb , but this post is worth it, for this gem alone ...

In 1925, Robertson sponsored the MacRobertson Shield between Australia and England in his beloved sport of Croquet. This Shield is still the most skilled and prestigious Tournament Series on the International Croquet scene.

*Races off to research the thrilling sub-culture of international croquet*
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 8:47 PM on January 29, 2007

Molten caramellos are wonderful. Just like a molten Freddo - bite off the corner of the back and suck that baby out. Pure gold.
posted by Jilder at 11:21 PM on January 29, 2007

Totally popular in the UK, too.
posted by scruss at 5:06 AM on January 30, 2007

zamboni: You know, I haven't seen any Yowies lately. Has Cadbury stopped making them?

God, I hope so. I used to have a modicum of respect for Bryce Courtney. When he flogged the Kinder-ripoff cheap-crap-in-a-chocolate-shell Yowie concept to Cadbury's and started writing mediocre "great Australian" novels, somehow he managed to sink lower than the advertising man he already was.

And there's nothing better than cracking open the head of a strawberry Freddo and feasting on the sweet goo inside...
posted by Pinback at 6:39 AM on January 30, 2007

Are these actually shaped like frogs? I can only find pictures of the package with the frog cartoon on the front. Same with Carmello Koals.
posted by dindin at 8:46 AM on January 30, 2007

dindin, both Freddos and Caramellos are shaped like flat frogs (and koalas) rather than 3-D frogs. Kind of the same way gingerbread men are shaped like real men, but flat ones.
posted by andraste at 7:38 PM on January 30, 2007

Here you go dindin. The internet is now complete.
posted by tellurian at 9:42 PM on January 30, 2007