The brand’s owner, Birds Eye says a ‘fresher faced, open-armed Aunt Bessie has entered the kitchen’
The new Aunt Bessie’s logo with “fresher, more contemporary feel”.(Image: Birds Eye)
Yorkshire pudding brand Aunt Bessie’s has received a makeover, featuring a younger, “fresher faced” cook. The national favourite, which is made in Hull, is now fronted by an open-armed Aunt Bessie who replaces her familiar predecessor who was clutching a mixing bowl.
The “glow up”, as Birds Eye calls it, is said to provide a “fresher, more contemporary feel while retaining the recognisable character that has made her such a beloved face in kitchens for decades”. Bosses say that while her appearance may have changed, “underneath it all, she’s still the same Aunt Bessie that families trust and can rely on”.
Claire Hoyle, head of marketing for Aunt Bessie’s said: “Aunt Bessie is a national treasure who has been part of the family for decades, so we thought it was about time she received the glow up that she deserves. Her arms are wide open because that’s what we’re all about, welcoming people to the table, no matter what day of the week.
“Importantly though, she’s still the same Aunt Bessie fans know and love, and have trusted for generations. There are so many ways to enjoy a roast, so Aunt Bessie’s is here to help families enjoy all their favourites and create more time together to make memories around the table.”
Around 20 million Aunt Bessie’s Yorkshire puddings are made every week at the Brighton Street Industrial Estate factory in Hull. The brand points out that means more than one billion puddings could be served on dinner tables across the country each year.
Since the brand’s launch in the mid-1990s, Aunt Bessie herself has had a handful of logo and packaging refreshes over the years. But bosses say this change marks the biggest yet.
They say the makeover comes as the idea of a traditional Sunday roast is changing, with families increasingly cooking when and how it suits them including a rise in midweek roasts. Yorkshire puddings are increasingly being eaten with meals other than roasts.
The recipe that led to Aunt Bessie’s dates back to 1974, when William Jackson Food Group workers in Hull began to make frozen Yorkshire puddings to supply Butlins holiday camps. Now, Aunt Bessie’s is a Birds Eye brand which is in turn owned by European frozen food giant, Nomad Foods.
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