Iced VoVo

Iced VoVo is an Australian biscuit product associated with Arnott's, distinguished by a rectangular wheat-flour biscuit topped with a central strip of raspberry jam, two parallel strips of pink fondant and a coating of desiccated coconut. The contrasting pink, red and white decoration gives the biscuit a recognizable appearance and has made the product a longstanding part of Australian biscuit culture. The product's documented trademark history extends back to 1906, when the name was registered as Iced Vo-Vo. The name is therefore older than the modern Arnott's branding commonly associated with the biscuit, although the product is now generally treated as an Arnott's offering. Its identity depends less on a complex recipe than on the visual arrangement of its toppings: a plain or lightly sweet wheat biscuit supports raspberry filling, fondant icing and coconut. This combination places Iced VoVo within the traditional sweet-biscuit segment rather than the filled chocolate-biscuit or cream-biscuit categories. Iced VoVo became especially prominent in Australian public culture after Kevin Rudd referred to the biscuit during his victory speech following the 2007 Australian federal election. In a light-hearted remark, Rudd encouraged his colleagues to have a cup of tea and an Iced VoVo before beginning their work. The reference generated substantial public attention and was reported as contributing to a sharp increase in demand. Arnott's subsequently sent a pallet of Iced VoVos to Rudd's office at Parliament House in Canberra, turning a routine packaged biscuit into a widely remembered political and cultural reference. The brand has also been extended through limited-edition products and collaborations. In 2017, Arnott's partnered with Peters Ice Cream on an Iced VoVo-inspired ice cream. Coles later used the flavour and visual cues in seasonal and confectionery products, including Iced VoVo-inspired hot cross buns in 2024 and 2026, an ice-cream product in 2026 and Iced VoVo-inspired Tim Tams in 2026. These extensions show how the biscuit functions as a broader flavour and nostalgia platform, even when the original biscuit remains the core expression of the name. Iced VoVo's significance is primarily cultural and symbolic rather than corporate. It is not an independent company, publicly listed entity or diversified brand group; it is a packaged food product within Arnott's portfolio. Its enduring recognition comes from a combination of distinctive appearance, long trademark history, association with Australian tea-time habits and repeated appearances in seasonal or collaborative products. A broadly similar biscuit called Mikado has been sold by Jacob's in Ireland since 1888, but that product is separate from Iced VoVo and should not be treated as the same brand.

Iced VoVo is an Australian sweet biscuit whose defining format consists of a wheat-flour biscuit topped with a strip of raspberry jam, two strips of pink fondant and desiccated coconut. The finished product has a distinctive striped appearance and is associated with Arnott's, the Australian biscuit company that produces and markets it. The name was historically written as Iced Vo-Vo, and its trademark was registered in 1906. The available historical record does not identify a single inventor or founding company for the product, so its original creator and first commercial launch details remain unspecified. By the modern period, Iced VoVo had become established as an Arnott's product and as part of Australia's familiar packaged-biscuit tradition. The biscuit gained an unusual political and cultural moment in November 2007. During his election victory speech on 24 November, Kevin Rudd made a humorous suggestion that his team should have a strong cup of tea with an Iced VoVo before getting down to work. The line connected the biscuit with an everyday Australian tea-time ritual and attracted considerable media and public attention. Demand reportedly rose sharply after the speech, and Arnott's responded by sending a pallet of Iced VoVos to Rudd's office in Canberra's Parliament House. The episode helped turn the biscuit into a recognizable symbol of Australian popular culture beyond its role as a grocery product. Arnott's and other food companies have subsequently used the Iced VoVo name and flavour profile for limited-edition extensions. In 2017, Arnott's worked with Peters Ice Cream on an Iced VoVo-inspired ice cream. Later products associated with Coles included Iced VoVo-inspired hot cross buns in 2024 and 2026, an ice-cream product in 2026 and Iced VoVo-inspired Tim Tams in 2026. These products are adaptations rather than replacements for the original biscuit, and they demonstrate the value of Iced VoVo as a nostalgic flavour concept that can be transferred to other categories. Iced VoVo should be distinguished from Mikado, a similar biscuit sold in Ireland by Jacob's since 1888. Similarity in format or ingredients does not establish that the two products are the same brand. Iced VoVo remains principally an Australian product identity under the Arnott's portfolio, with its reputation based on longevity, recognisable decoration and cultural associations rather than on a separate corporate structure.

• 2026

  Additional category extensions reported

  [1]Iced VoVoen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material records Iced VoVo-inspired Coles ice cream and hot cross buns, together with Iced VoVo-inspired Tim Tams.

• 2024

  Coles launches Iced VoVo-inspired hot cross buns

  [1]Iced VoVoen.wikipedia.org

  The Iced VoVo flavour concept was adapted into a seasonal hot cross bun product sold by Coles.

• 2017

  Peters collaboration creates ice cream extension

  [1]Iced VoVoen.wikipedia.org

  Arnott's and Peters Ice Cream released an Iced VoVo-inspired ice cream product.

• 2007

  Political reference brings national attention

  [1]Iced VoVoen.wikipedia.org

  Kevin Rudd mentioned Iced VoVos in his federal election victory speech, after which public interest and reported sales increased.

• 1906

  Iced Vo-Vo trademark registered

  [1]Iced VoVoen.wikipedia.org

  The Iced Vo-Vo name was registered as a trademark, establishing an early documented point in the product's commercial history.

• 1888

  Mikado biscuit appears in Ireland

  [1]Iced VoVoen.wikipedia.org

  Jacob's began selling the similar Mikado biscuit in Ireland. It is a separate product and not an earlier name for Iced VoVo.

A nostalgic Australian sweet biscuit defined by its raspberry jam, pink fondant and coconut topping, with cultural relevance reinforced through limited editions and collaborations.

• Sweet biscuit

  Original Iced VoVo

  The core product is a wheat-flour biscuit finished with two strips of pink fondant, a central strip of raspberry jam and a sprinkling of coconut. Its visual design and combination of fruit filling, icing and coconut are the principal features that distinguish it from ordinary plain or cream biscuits.

• Ice cream · 2017

  Iced VoVo-inspired ice cream

  A limited-edition frozen dessert developed from the flavour cues and nostalgic identity of the biscuit. The 2017 version was made through a collaboration between Arnott's and Peters Ice Cream, while later reference material records another Iced VoVo-inspired ice cream associated with Coles in 2026.

• Seasonal bakery · 2024

  Iced VoVo-inspired hot cross buns

  Seasonal hot cross buns developed around the sweet, fruity and coconut-associated profile of Iced VoVo. Coles released versions in 2024 and 2026, extending the biscuit's identity into Easter bakery.

• Chocolate biscuit · 2026

  Iced VoVo-inspired Tim Tams

  A Tim Tam product inspired by Iced VoVo, combining the cultural identity of the older biscuit with Arnott's chocolate-biscuit format. The reference material places this release in 2026.

• 2007Rudd's tea-and-Iced VoVo reference

  Australia

  Although not described as a formal paid advertising campaign, Kevin Rudd's election victory speech connected Iced VoVo with Australian political and tea-time culture. The resulting publicity increased attention to the product.

  Outcome. Reported sales rose sharply, and Arnott's sent a pallet of biscuits to Rudd's office at Parliament House.

  Source

• 2026

  Further Iced VoVo-inspired product extensionsProduct launch

  Background

  The product's nostalgic flavour profile continued to be used in limited-edition food development.

  Action taken

  Reference material records Coles Iced VoVo-inspired ice cream and hot cross buns, along with Iced VoVo-inspired Tim Tams.

  Aftermath

  These launches further positioned Iced VoVo as a transferable Australian flavour and nostalgia platform.

  Source

• 2024

  Iced VoVo-inspired hot cross bunsProduct launch

  Background

  Seasonal bakery provided an opportunity to reinterpret a familiar Australian biscuit flavour.

  Action taken

  Coles released hot cross buns inspired by Iced VoVo.

  Aftermath

  The product broadened the biscuit's seasonal and retail presence without changing the identity of the original Arnott's product.

  Source

• 2017

  Launch of Iced VoVo-inspired ice creamProduct launch

  Background

  The biscuit's established flavour and nostalgic recognition provided a basis for extending the brand into frozen desserts.

  Action taken

  Arnott's partnered with Peters Ice Cream to release an Iced VoVo-inspired ice cream.

  Aftermath

  The collaboration demonstrated that the Iced VoVo identity could be adapted beyond the original biscuit format.

  Source

1. 1Iced VoVoen.wikipedia.org