Now a new cold war has broken out in Britain’s freezer aisles after a wave of nostalgia prompted two of Britain’s biggest food firms to launch rival versions of the teatime favourite.
Birds Eye and Young’s Seafood have each announced they are set to release new crispy pancake ranges.
Young’s will be the first to get its product into shops when its Original Pancake Co version goes on sale later this month.
Rivals Birds Eye is due to launch its revamped Findus crispy pancake range in early May.
The revival of the dish comes months after Young’s sold off the Findus brand to Birds Eye’s parent company Nomad in a multi-million pound deal.
The sale led to speculation the Findus frozen food range, including their crispy pancakes, was set to be frozen out.
Following an outcry from ready-meal fans, though, both companies are now looking to cash in. Brand expert Lou Ellerton said: “Social media has made it easier for consumers to get together and create that sense of pressure.
“It’s lovely to see these iconic brands coming back.
“It will be interesting to see whether the product will be as successful as the memory of it.”
Crispy pancakes, which were created in 1972 and came with a choice of fillings such as minced beef or cheese, were once named the country’s favourite retro food.
Celebrities, including TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, have extolled their virtues.
He said he was hooked on crispy pancakes when he was a kid and has since used his show to create his own take on the dishes.
The new range of Findus pancakes will be available in four different recipes – cheese, ham and cheese, beef and onion and chicken, bacon and sweetcorn.
Birds Eye UK marketing director Steve Chantry said: “We’re confident that the new recipes and design will drive incremental sales as we remind Brits why they fell in love with the freezer staple in the first place.”
Similarly, Young’s plans to sell three recipes of pancakes – cheese, minced beef and onion and chicken, bacon and sweetcorn.
A spokesperson for Young’s said the snacks were being introduced “following popular demand”.
Both firms said consumer nostalgia played a major part in the decision to launch the products.
Birds Eye and Young’s will sell packs of four crispy pancakes for £1.
However, brand guru Kate Waddell from Dragon Rouge warned there might not be enough room in the market for two competing products.
She said: “Reinventing an icon is a delicate business”, adding it was a “difficult call” to predict which brand will emerge the winner.
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