Australia Day 2022: Best places to buy Aussie food in the UK, from Tim Tams to Vegemite
Whether you’re after traditional favourites or sweet treats, these are the shops to bookmark
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Australia Day – celebrated annually on 26 January – is a national holiday that marks the arrival of the First Fleet at, what is now known as, Port Jackson, New South Wales in 1788.
The ships brought the first European settlers to the country and, on the day, the British flag was raised at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip as an act of founding the country.
The anniversary is a cause of celebration for some, marked by gatherings, barbecues and firework displays up and down the country.
But for Aussies away from home it can undoubtedly spark a bout of homesickness. One way to help ease these feelings is through food – something that has the power to connect us to home by evoking particular memories and emotions.
So, if you find yourself at a loose end and unsure of how you’re going to spend Australia Day this year, we’ve compiled a round-up of the best places to buy Australian food in the UK to help you get that feeling of nostalgia. From your fix of TimTams to Cheezels, we’ve got you covered.
Read more:
While the UK’s snack offering is OK, it’s no match for Australia. So, we went on a search for how you can source them in Blighty, assessing each website on its offerings.
Sanza
This one came as a recommendation from a friend of ours here at IndyBest, and it did not disappoint. With a catchphrase of “delivering a slice of home to your front door,” Sanza offers something for Aussies, Kiwis and Saffas.
Its Australian offering is faultless, including food, alcohol, souvenirs, toys and more – making it a true one-stop shop for all your needs. With so much to choose from, we opted for a selection of traditional favourites: Tim Tam double coat (£3.02, Sanza.co.uk), Shapes (£2.39, Sanza.co.uk), Cadbury caramello koalas (54p, Sanza.co.uk), Cadbury cherry ripe (£1.49, Sanza.co.uk), Milo (£8.06, Sanza.co.uk) and XXX Gold lager (£13.05, Sanza.co.uk) – all of which arrived neatly packaged.
But, you can also get both Tim Tam biscuits and Shapes in different flavours, as well as other big hitters, such as Vegemite (£5.81, Sanza.co.uk), Mitani chicken salt (£3.56, Sanza.co.uk), Arnotts chocolate mint slice biscuits (£3.06, Sanza.co.uk) and a broad selection of cereal, including our favourites Weet Bix (£3.56, Sanza.co.uk). As for delivery, it was super speedy, with prices starting from just £1.
Candy Mail
Best known for its selection of American confectionery, Candy Mail also stocks a range of Aussie treats too, and it certainly specialises in sweets. It has a huge variety of Tim Tam flavours, including our favourite double coat (£4.99, Candymail.co.uk), as well as white (£4.99, Candymail.co.uk), mint (£4.99, Candymail.co.uk) and dark chocolate (£4.99, Candymail.co.uk).
Similarly, you can buy a mystery box (£24.99, Candymail.co.uk), which we tried and found to be a great selection of all the classic favourites. If you order before 2pm, the retailer aims to ship your order the same day for free when you spend more than £49.99, otherwise prices start at £3.99 for delivery. A really good destination to know if you’re missing those homegrown sweet treats.
The Australian Food Shop
If you’re looking to send a care package to an Aussie in need, then The Australian Food Shop has you covered. There are plenty to choose from, which vary based on what size you’re after. But you can also customise your own, tailoring it to exactly what your recipient loves.
We were lucky enough to test the large Australia Day bundle (£32, Theaustralianfoodshop.com), which includes all the essentials your homesick loved one could want, including lamingtons fingers, twisties, Vegemite, chicken salt and of course TimTam biscuits. But that’s not all, the retailer has also included a selection of patriotic memorabilia, including a flag, tattoos and a magnet bottle opener.
The Australian Food Shop doesn’t just specialise in care packages, it also has a wide selection of goods that you can buy. Its food section being split into different sections, including snacks and groceries, and thanks to the various filters, the website is very easy to use and navigate.
Visit Theaustralianfoodshop.com now
Dinkum
Start-up Dinkum was founded in 2020 during the height of the pandemic by two Aussie ex-pats who couldn’t get home and instead reached for food to provide a little bit of joy. For such a newcomer, it does everything to perfection.
The selection of Arnott’s is on point – we’re talking a full range of Shapes flavours, Tim Tam biscuits, including chewy caramel (£4.29, Getdinkum.com) and double coated chocolate (£4.29, Getdinkum.com), as well as hundreds and thousands (£6.14, Getdinkum.com).
But that’s not all, you’ll also find everything from a great selection of packages to Cheezels cheese box (£3.90, Getdinkum.com), as well as the infamous Vegemite spread (£7.04, Getdinkum.com). The website is simple and easy to use, with filters making the search for different categories and/or brands a breeze. But we did notice it to be a more expensive option than some of the others featured here.
I Still Call Australia Home
Similarly to the others in this round-up, I Still Call Australia Home was founded on the mission for providing homesick Aussies living overseas a cure for their longing for a taste of home, wherever they are. It has a range of really well thought out selection of hampers, such as a whopping deluxe option (£265, Istillcallaustraliahome.com) which is full of classic treats and keepsakes, as well as a bundle of just Tim Tam biscuits (£24.90, Istillcallaustraliahome.com).
The treats section is well worth a look too. You’ll find all the Aussie favourites, be that chicken salt (£3.18, Istillcallaustraliahome.com), mint slices (£2.39, Istillcallaustraliahome.com) and jaffas (£2.80, Istillcallaustraliahome.com).
Visit Istillcallaustraliahome.com now
iFoodsUK
Should you be local to Corby, Northamptonshire, we’d certainly recommend visiting the iFoodsUK’s shop. Its Instagram highlights the great variety of sweet treats it has on offer, including one of our all-time favourites the KitKat chunky Aero mint (£2.99, Ifoodsuk.com).
Its website is home to a range of delicious treats from down under, with a focus on the sweet variety. We particularly like its new arrivals section and the mystery box (£25, Ifoodsuk.com), which is a random selection of Australian goodies, would make a great gift, either to yourself or a loved one this Australia Day.
Harvey Nichols
If its simply just Tim Tam biscuits that have the power to transport you back to your homeland, then you’re in luck because Harvey Nichols has a full range on offer.
Whether it’s just the original (£4.50, Harveynichols.com), salted caramel (£4.95, Harveynichols.com) or all-new coffee and chocolate (£4.50, Harveynichols.com) make a bee-line for the department store. It’s good to see that the retailer hasn’t done a huge price increase like other UK websites, too.
Voucher codes
For the latest discounts on food and drink, try the links below:
Looking to make midweek meals more exciting? Read our guide to the best food delivery services