Last week, we reported on the top five tea brands in Ireland, and this week, we found the perfect article to go with it.
Following on from Ireland’s love of tea, biscuits are the perfect companion – a snack that spans generations and is delicious with a cup of tea or as an afternoon pick-me-up, or even as an after-dinner treat.
The sweet nibble is not only a mainstay of Irish culture – it also plays a part in our history. During the 1916 Easter Rising, the Jacob’s biscuit factory was taken over by rebels, yet the brand thrived and is still in the top five to this day.
Biscuits are the seventh-ranked category in the Checkout Top 100 Brands 2024, retaining that spot for the fourth year in a row.
Published every August, the Checkout Top 100 Brands is based on branded value sales across the Irish grocery sector, making it the most accurate barometer of the biggest-selling brands in the marketplace.
In compiling the report, NIQ Ireland measures the sales performance of over 5,000 brands from over 200 product classes.
Ireland’s Top Five Biscuits
1 Jacob’s
Jacob’s retains its top spot as Ireland’s favourite biscuit brand, though it falls in the overall Checkout Top 100 Brands rankings by two spots, to 13. It’s no surprise, when considering the range of products made by the historic brand. From cream crackers to Jaffa cakes, Mikados to Club Milk bars, or even a classic Rich Tea, most Irish homes have some bit of Jacob’s sitting in their biscuit cupboards.
2 McVitie’s
McVitie’s is on an upward trajectory – after falling to number 29 in the brand rankings in 2020, it jumped to 25th position in 2023 and has now risen six places to 19th. Within biscuit rankings, it also retains its number-two spot from last year. The maker of the famous digestive biscuit, McVitie’s also has an expansive range, including Hobnobs, Penguin bars and Ginger Nuts.
3 Cadbury Snack
The popular Cadbury Snack is also on an upswing, retaining its number-three position in the biscuit rankings since last year, when it jumped an incredible 17 places in the overall Checkout Top 100 Brands. This year, it moved up another impressive 15 positions to take 63rd in the overall brand ranking for 2024. These moreish chocolate treats come in single-packet servings – ideal for stocking in a cookie jar or grabbing on your way out the door, for a snack on the go.
4 Nestlé Kit Kat
Moving up five places from last year overall – and holding its position in the biscuit ranking from last year – a reliable treat familiar to Irish biscuit lovers, Nestlé Kit Kat also comes in single-pack servings, and its well-known slogan makes it hard to resist: Have a break. Have a Kit Kat.
5 Oreo
The popular American biscuit – or cookie – has earned its way back on to the top five ranking for 2024. Last year, Oreo was knocked from the list by savoury Tuc. Although neither brand made the Top 100 overall in 2023 or 2024, their popularity endures and this may not be the last we've seen in this battle of the biscuits. Oreo knocked Tuc from number five in 2021, but the cracker cracked back last year, and now Tuc has fallen off the top-five list for 2024 – that's just how the cookie crumbles!
Read More: Ah, Go On – Ireland’s Top 5 Tea Brands
