Last week, we reported on the top five tea brands in Ireland, and this week, we found the perfect article to go with it.
Following on from Ireland’s love of tea, biscuits are the perfect companion – a snack that spans generations and is delicious with a cup of tea or as an afternoon pick-me-up, or even as an after-dinner treat.
The sweet nibble is not only a mainstay of Irish culture – it also plays a part in our history. During the 1916 Easter Rising, the Jacob’s biscuit factory was taken over by rebels, yet the brand thrived and is still in the top five to this day.
Biscuits are the seventh-ranked category in the Checkout Top 100 Brands, retaining that spot for the third year in a row.
Published every August, the Checkout Top 100 Brands is based on branded value sales across the Irish grocery sector, making it the most accurate barometer of the biggest-selling brands in the marketplace.
In compiling the report, NIQ Ireland measures the sales performance of over 5,000 brands from over 200 product classes.
Ireland’s Top Five Biscuits
1 Jacob’s
Jacob’s retains its top spot as Ireland’s favourite biscuit brand, though it falls in the overall Checkout Top 100 Brands rankings by one spot, to 11. It’s no surprise, when considering the range of products made by the historic brand. From cream crackers to Jaffa cakes, Mikados to Club Milk bars, or even a classic Rich Tea, most Irish homes have some bit of Jacob’s sitting in their biscuit cupboards.
2 McVitie’s
McVitie’s is on an upward trajectory – after falling to number 29 in the brand rankings in 2020, it is back up to the 25th position therein. Within biscuit rankings, it also retains its number-two spot from last year. The maker of the famous digestive biscuit, McVitie’s also has an expansive range, including Hobnobs, Penguin bars and Ginger Nuts.
3 Cadbury Snack
The popular Cadbury Snack is also on an upswing, reclaiming its number-three position after it was pushed down last year within the biscuit ranks, and jumping an incredible 17 places in the overall Checkout Top 100 Brands. These moreish chocolate treats come in single-packet servings – ideal for stocking in a cookie jar or grabbing on your way out the door, for a snack on the go.
4 Nestlé Kit Kat
Moving up nine places from last year overall – though falling from its number-three position last year, now reclaimed by Cadbury Snack – a reliable treat familiar to Irish biscuit lovers, Nestlé Kit Kat also comes in single-pack servings, and its well-known slogan makes it hard to resist: Have a break. Have a Kit Kat.
5 Tuc
Tuc is the only biscuit brand on the list that exists mainly in the savoury category, and the only biscuit not to make it onto the Checkout Top 100 Brands. These light salty crackers come in packets and single-serve packages. They are a nice savoury supplement or the solution for a biscuity crunch without too much sweetness. Tuc held the fifth-place spot for biscuits in 2021, but was pushed off the list the following year by Oreo. This year, Oreo has fallen off the top-five list completely – that’s just how the cookie crumbles!
Read More: Ah, Go On – Ireland’s Top 5 Tea Brands
