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Twix

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Product typeConfectionery
OwnerMars, Incorporated
CountryUnited Kingdom
Introduced1967; 57 years ago (1967)
MarketsWorldwide
Websitetwix.com

Twix is a caramel shortbread biscuit bar made by Mars, Inc., consisting of a biscuit applied with other confectionery toppings and coatings (most frequently caramel and milk chocolate).[1] Twix are packaged with one (mini and snack sizes), two (standard size), or four bars (king size) in a wrapper.

History

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Raider wrapper from 1989, found as litter

Twix was first produced in the United Kingdom in 1967,[2] and it was introduced in the United States in 1976, and again in 1979.[2] The name is a portmanteau of "twin sticks".[3] Twix was called Raider in mainland Europe for many years before its name was changed in 1991, 2000 in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Turkey, to match the international brand name.[4] The Raider brand was resurrected for retro editions sold in Germany in 2009, in the Netherlands and Belgium in 2015, and Switzerland in late 2023.[5]

Production

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Twix bars for the North American market are made in Cleveland, Tennessee, along with M&M's.[6][7] For global markets like Europe and Africa they are produced in Veghel, the Netherlands alongside Mars bars and other Mars, Incorporated chocolates.

Advertising

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See also: Left and right Twix

Beginning in 1990 and ran until 2001, actor and martial arts master Chuck Norris appeared in commercials for Twix as the candy's spokesman, appearing in selected events, as well as featuring in the Twix advertising campaign. In 2012, Twix launched the "Pick a Side" campaign. The advertising campaign introduced a rivalry between the two "sides" of the Twix bar being made in differing factories. Each Twix bar was given its own distinct packaging, being labelled as either a "Right Twix" or a "Left Twix", although both sides are identical and made in the same facilities.[8][9]

Twix products

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Bars

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Unwrapped peanut butter Twix

The following flavours are available in the United States of America.[10]

  • Twix Original
  • Twix Peanut Butter
  • Twix Salted Caramel
  • Twix Cookies & Creme
  • Twix Ice Cream Bar
  • Twix 100 Calories
  • Twix Cookie Dough

Discontinued products

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  • Twix Chocolate Fudge

Shrinkflation

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Like many confectionery items, Twix has been accused of shrinkflation, where, instead of increasing the cost of a bar, Mars, Inc. has decreased the size. A bar in the 1970s was 60g but in the 2020s they are 50g.[11]

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In an episode of Seinfeld entitled "The Dealership", a major plotline in the episode focuses on George Costanza's failed attempts to extract a Twix bar from a vending machine. Also, a recurring joke in the episode is that people confuse a Twix bar with a 5th Avenue Bar. However, George insists that "Twix is the only candy bar with the cookie crunch."[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ The biscuit is typically topped with caramel and then coated with milk chocolate. There is also an additional thin layer of chocolate between the biscuit and the caramel. "Cross-section of a Twix" Archived 2 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine, ediblegeography.com
  2. ^ a b "TWIX", marsfoodservices.com
  3. ^ @twix (17 September 2018). "Close! It's short for "twin sticks" ☺️" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "Twix — Snack History". foodnewsorg.com. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Toen Twix nog Raider heette". historiek.net (in Dutch). 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  6. ^ Warnke, Kyle (12 August 2016). "M&M's and Twix are Made in Tennessee". WVLT-TV. Knoxville, Tennessee. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Mars expands: Candymaker marks $67 million growth project". Times Free Press (Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA). 5 April 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  8. ^ Joseph, Seb (25 June 2012). "Mars unveils global Twix campaign". Marketing Week. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  9. ^ Lewis, Abbey. "Mars Releases 'Left' and 'Right' Twix Packs". CSP Daily News. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Explore Left Twix". twix.com. Archived from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  11. ^ "10 chocolate bars which have changed their size". Planet Radio. 3 January 2023. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  12. ^ The Twix Bar - Seinfeld Short Episode, archived from the original on 31 March 2023, retrieved 31 March 2023
  13. ^ "The Dealership". SeinfeldScripts. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
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