The Tunnock's Factory, Uddingston
Tunnock’s dominate the town of Uddingston, 7 miles south-east of Glasgow. For over 100 years the family firm has been pumping out their trademark Tea Cakes, Caramel Wafers and other delights for the pleasure of Scotland’s rotten-toothed populace. Tunnock’s products are such a part of Scottish heritage that they’ve followed ex-patriots round the world, winning them the sort of global following that most brands would kill for.
Established in 1890 by Thomas Tunnock, their products haven't changed much over the years, with their distinctive sunburst packaging and slightly wonky lettering. In a world that's constantly changing, there's something very reassuring about that. Traditionally, they’re a bit of an old-person’s snack, but that association with a trip to your granny's means that from an early age each bite of Tunnock’s is imbued with more than just sugary satisfaction. Thanks to this they have a loyal, almost cult following.
In Uddingston, their “Daylight” bakeries loom large on one side of the main street, while the Tunnock’s Tea Rooms nestle among a row of shops on the other. The Tea Rooms are a delight for any Tunnock’s lover, or indeed anyone with a sweet tooth. As well as a range of rare Tunnock’s biscuits (Wafer Crème, Coconut Meringue, Florida Wafer – all delicious) there are spectacular cakes, pies and loaves. At the back there is a café, not the most attractive of places, but still a cheap and cheerful place to refuel.
While you eat/shop, there are constant reminders of the glory of Tunnock’s. The staff have a caramel wafer shaped patch sewn onto their aprons, the counter is covered in miniature Tunnock’s vans, the walls lined with old adverts and then there are the window displays – oh boy, the window displays. Inhabiting the windows is a family of anthropomorphic creatures with bodies made from Caramel Logs, Tea Cakes and other Tunnock's paraphernalia. They are fantastically bizarre - a sign of genius, or madness. It's hard to tell which.
Across the road the factory is impossible to miss. There's a giant illuminated Caramel Wafer on the front, and a Tea Cake clock. Understatement really isn’t their bag. Outside, the air smells of roasted coconut; the experience is pure Willy Wonka. Getting inside is just as difficult, but it is possible.
Like everything else, the factory has a slightly surreal air. The tour starts in the Snowball Department where mallow is piped down from the floor above and everything is manufactured, wrapped, boxed and made ready for shipping. Their wonderful packaging sits on huge rollers in a variety of languages, with Arabic the most prevalent. Strangely the Middle East is their biggest export market, possibly due to the number of Scots who go to work in the oil industry there. They also have friends in high places - the Sultan of Brunei's wife is such a fan that she came over with her entourage to take the tour.
It’s awe inspiring to see the huge drums of chocolate (they get through 100 tons per week) and heart-warming to see the Caramel Wafers still being made by hand. One person lays down a slab of wafer which goes under a caramel coating machine, then someone else adds another slab of wafer, under the machine again and so on until there's 5 layers of wafer and 4 of caramel. Upstairs it's poetry in motion as the teacakes, delicate little things that they are, twirl round the conveyor belt to meet their chocolatey end.
Whether you go for the full factory tour, visit the Tea Rooms or merely eat a Tea Cake in the comfort of your own home, every experience is a feast for the senses. As their slogan says "You can't top Tunnock's". Truly, one of Scotland's national treasures.
Tunnock's at night photo by dickyhart. Used with thanks.
How to get there
Thomas Tunnock Limted, 34 Old Mill Road, Uddingston, Glasgow G71 7HH.
Uddingston is easy to reach by car or public transport. By train: From Uddingston station come out onto the main road and turn right. By car: Uddingston is signposted from the M74. The factory and Tea Rooms are on Uddingston Main Street near the junction with Bellshill Road.
For information on factory tours contact Tunnock's.
Comments
Yum! This post is making me hungry.
A pedant writes, though: Brunei is in the Far East, not the Middle East.
Posted by: Forest Pines | January 23, 2008 07:19 AM
So it is, apologies. I'll have to reword it then as the Middle East *is* their biggest market. Possibly down to the number of Scots who go to work in the oil industry there. That would explain how Brunei slips in too.
Posted by: Anne | January 23, 2008 08:23 AM
Ooh, I could just scoff a teacake now. Must resist lure of Costcutter's Tunnocks stock....
What are those silver and blue teacakes though?
Posted by: Mags | January 23, 2008 06:55 PM
They're the rare plain chocolate Tea Cake. They do plain chocolate Caramel Wafers too. Hard to find but very, very delicious.
Posted by: Anne | January 23, 2008 07:07 PM
Since reading your posts, I really want to go to Glasgow. Never felt that urge before :-)
You really should be paid by the Glasgow tourist board...
Posted by: Fruitcake | January 23, 2008 08:01 PM
I can eat an entire ten-pack of Tunnocks Tea Cakes in a single sitting - and do at least once a week. I always smooth out those lovely foil wrappers to get them prefectly even and square. If any foil tears or creases I get very, very upset. Who cares exactly where Brunei is? It's not as if anyone would ever choose to go there.
Posted by: David P | January 27, 2008 10:25 PM
Breaking news! Recent London sighting of the dark wafers in Sainsburys on Dog Kennel Hill SE22.
Posted by: Spud | February 1, 2008 09:02 AM
i purchased a box of tunnock's chocolate mallows the expiry date was 19/7/2008 now i love them but when we went to eat them the mallow was hard the kids couldnt eat the the dog's got them but the one i was saving for my tea i couldnt eat it if i had the lot of them i would have sent them back i got them from my savers shop in glasgow
Posted by: rachel dalziel | June 16, 2008 10:46 PM
heeey
i'm twelve and i live just up the road from your factory is it true you hav a year long waiting list because i REALLY wanna party there ..x
Posted by: cha.d | June 21, 2008 08:18 PM
the tunnocks factory is soo cool i have even seen mr tunnocks house my friend shows me and by the way the car and house is so cool
Posted by: ellie | September 28, 2008 09:35 AM
Dear Sir it has only just come to our family's attention that old man tunnock and my grandfather prodused together while serving in the war many of the original recipies that your factory is now producing we have a photo of them together in buckingham palace with an iceing cake of buckingham, palace if you want to no more please contact use at 01978753397 your's John Everett.
Posted by: john | November 19, 2008 06:26 PM
hı ı m from turkey and ı know tunnock because my gf work there and she talked wıth me about ıt next year ı wıll move there and ı wıll have eatıng ıt too much because really delıcuse and very very nıce yumm yumy byee
Posted by: james | December 26, 2008 02:01 AM
i work in tunnocks an a tell you wot them dark choc mallows r awsome every efort is took too make sure they taste as good as they look
Posted by: big ela | January 11, 2009 08:22 PM
how difficult is it to get on the tour? I really want to take my son for his birthday.
Posted by: Fiona | April 24, 2009 08:58 PM