Friday, May 7, 2021

Tim Tams No Longer Exported to the United States

 
Update on September 8, 2021: All indications are that World Market stores in the U.S. are again well-stocked with original milk chocolate Tim Tams: https://www.worldmarket.com/search?store=store245&q=Tim%20Tam&lang=en_US
 
OLD NEWS but worth leaving here:
 
 This sucks so godawful bad. No more Tim Tams. G'day, mate my arse.

In late 2019 a private equity firm named Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) acquired Arnott's, the Australian company that has made Tim Tam chocolate cookies since 1964.

Prior to this Arnott's was owned by the Campbell Soup company here in the U. S. It is very common for successful Australian companies to be bought by bigger American companies giving them lines of credit, tech, manufacturing, marketing, and management resources.

Holden automobiles = General Motors
Smith chips = Frito-Lay
Network Ten = CBS
Woolworth's = Safeway
etc.

Campbells spun-off Arnott's to KKR.

Private equity firms are notorious for sucking their acquisitions dry of cash, then selling off the company and leaving the employees to fend for themselves.

So, what's new at Arnott's?

All exporting of products (including Tim Tams) has ended. Everywhere, including the U. S.

Arnott's, under direction of their corporate overlords, are now issuing complaints to the two biggest supermarket chains in Australia, Woolworth's and Coles, that they are being charged too much for shelf space in their stores. So, watch the big Tim Tam end caps in the cookie/biscuit isle like we saw at a Woolies in Melbourne to come to an end.

Tim Tams can be ordered from foreign third party sellers on Amazon. The prices are ridiculous and customer reviews report receiving damaged, melted goop. A risky option.
 
I have received email replies on this matter from Arnott's (who were reluctant to say much), World Market (probably the most reliable U. S. retailer for Tim Tams), and Keebler, who were the U. S. distributor (owned by Campbell's).
 
For me, this means no more Tim Tams, especially during the AFL Grand Final in September.

Even Boris Johnson loves Tim Tams

Chronology of Arnott's takeover

another change of ownership 

 Update on September 8, 2021: All indications are that World Market stores in the U.S. are again well-stocked with original milk chocolate Tim Tams: https://www.worldmarket.com/product/arnott%27s+tim+tam+original+chocolate+cookies.do?searchTerm=Tim%20Tam