BN (biscuit)
The BN Biscuit (or Biscuiterie Nantaise) is a French brand of biscuit, consisting of a filling, such as chocolate, sandwiched between two biscuits. It was launched in 1932, acquired by United Biscuits in 1998, and relaunched in September 2000.[1] They are manufactured at the United Biscuits site in Nantes, France.
Biscuiterie Nantaise company was acquired by General Mills in 1973, which later sold its European assets to PepsiCo in 1992. PepsiCo later sold BN to United Biscuits in exchange of several United Biscuits snack assets (including The Smith's Snackfood Company but excluding KP Snacks).
BNs are produced in two different shapes: circles and rounded squares. One side of the biscuit is decorated with one of four different faces. There are seven different flavours of the BN biscuit: chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, custard, raspberry, apricot and milk chocolate. They also come in a "Mini BN" variety.
A relaunch in September 1999 in the United Kingdom involved an advertising campaign with the name "BN BN" sung along to the tune of catchy "Mah Nà Mah Nà". Despite public petitions, BN Biscuits were not sold in the UK for a 10-year gap (2003 to 2013); however, they were still sold in many French, Nigerian and Afghan stores.
In 2013, BN returned to UK supermarkets with new packaging and logos, branded as "McVitie's BN".[2] A new advert for the biscuit once again features "Mah Nà Mah Nà".[3]
As of July 2020, the BN Biscuits will be available throughout the UK. Tha UK distributor is a company called Luke James Ltd. based in Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire.
References
- "BN United Biscuits website". Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
- "Tesco online grocery shopping". 31 July 2013.
- Dishman, Mark (20 July 2014). "Ad of the Week: BN's odd owls join McVitie's 'Sweeet' line-up". The Grocer. William Reed Business Media. Retrieved 7 April 2015.