Filipinos (snack food)
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| Product type | Biscuit doughnut |
|---|---|
| Owner | Artiach |
| Country | Spain |
| Website | https://www.artiach.es/en |
Filipinos is a well-known Spanish cookie brand, characterized by its crunchy texture and authentic chocolate coating, making it an ideal snack to share, especially among teenagers aged 15 to 18. Its distinctive round shape with a hole in the center, covered with 100% real chocolate, makes it instantly recognizable.
Currently, Filipinos is one of the most prominent brands under Artiach in the Spanish market, ranking number fourth in consumer preference in the total Spanish market, and number one in sales for ring-shaped cookies, with 86% brand awareness. The brand has expanded to over 40 countries thanks to strong marketing strategies and a notable presence in international points of sale, especially in Portugal, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Morocco.
Variations
[edit]There are several versions of Filipinos: white chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate and innovative flavors such as salted caramel, red berries, and speculoos. It's worth highlighting the importance the brand places on using authentic, high-quality chocolate, as these cookies contain a high percentage of it (ranging from 45% to 34%).
These cookies are produced by Artiach, one of the oldest companies in Europe, with more than 117 years of history. Founded in the early 20th century in the Ribera de Deusto by brothers Gerardo and Gabriel Artiach Astegui, the company later moved its production to Orozko, where it still operates today.
In 2012, Artiach became part of the food group Adam Foods, solidifying Filipinos as one of the leading brands in its category in terms of sales.
Over the years, Filipinos has evolved by introducing new flavors and limited editions. Standout varieties include Black Cookie and a collaboration with Dinosaurus, another iconic Adam Foods brand, which combines Filipinos’ signature white chocolate with the flavor of Dinosaurus cookies.
The brand has also innovated in formats, adapting to new consumption habits and launching smaller sizes. A notable example is the 2025 launch of Crispy Bites: small rectangular cookies with wavy edges, covered in chocolate (white or milk) and cereal toppings, presented in doypack-style resealable packaging for better preservation.
Filipinos has also partnered with major international brands like Unilever to create an ice cream line inspired by its most iconic flavors. Highlights include the Cornetto Filipinos, XXL Sandwich, and Carte D’Or tub ice cream. The brand has also collaborated with McDonald’s and Burger King, resulting in the McFlurry Filipinos White and the King Fusion, respectively. Other popular collaborations include Danone and its Danet custard, as well as Nestlé, with nougat, chocolate bars, and bonbons. Another notable partnership was with Phoskitos, another Adam Foods brand, featuring a Filipinos topping.
Controversy
[edit]The government of the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest with the government of Spain, the European Commission and the then manufacturer Nabisco Iberia in 1999. The protest objected to the use of the name "Filipinos", a term which can refer to the people of the Philippines, to market cookie and pretzel snacks and demanded that Nabisco stop selling the product until the brand name was changed.[1]
The resolution's author, former Philippine Congressman and Senator Heherson Alvarez, claimed that the name of the cookie was offensive due to the apparent reference to their color, "dark outside and white inside".[2] His resolution stated "These food items could be appropriately called by any other label, but the manufacturers have chosen our racial identity, and they are now making money out of these food items."[1] On August 26, 1999, the Philippine president Joseph Estrada called the brand "an insult".[1]
The protest was filed despite Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon's initial reluctance on the matter. Siazon had reportedly said he saw nothing wrong with the use of 'Filipinos' as a brand name, noting Austrians do not complain that small sausages are called "Vienna sausages".[1]
The controversial snack has been sold on the market for over 40 years. There were statements however, that the chocolate-covered snack was named "Filipinos" due to its brown outer layer and white inside before the snack was bought by Nabisco.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Philippines protests 'Filipinos' as cookie brand". Kyodo News. August 27, 1999. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
- ^ Jazmines, Tessa (October 25–31, 1999). "Philippine ratings board targeted". Variety. Reed Elsevier. p. 18.
Alvarez ... also spoke out against the naming of a Nabisco chocolate cookie as "Filipinos"
- ^ Weekender: Travel trade east: Tuch ado about nothing. (1999). BusinessWorld, 1.
External links
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