OT - RIP

Freddo · Post by **Freddo** » 29 January 07 9:58 am

A FREDDO Frog flag will be draped over the coffin of the man who invented the Australian chocolate icon more than 70 years ago.

Harry Melbourne, who thought up the idea of the chocolate frog named Freddo when he was an 18-year-old, has died aged 94.

He was working for confectionary maker MacRobertson Chocolates in 1930 when he told his boss a frog shaped chocolate would be a better seller than one that looked like a mouse.

"I told Macpherson Robertson (the owner of MacRobertson Chocolates) that women and children were afraid of mice, and it wouldn't sell,'' Mr Melbourne said in 2000.

"He wanted to start making a new penny chocolate, and I overheard him say: 'I'm thinking of a mouse','' he said.

"I was never backward in coming forward and I just piped up.

"Sir Macpherson just looked at me - this 18-year-old moulder - and I thought I'd lost my job.

"But he said: 'I'd like to see one - make one up and bring it over to my office'.

"I did, and three days later the marketing manager said I had backed a winner.''

More than 70 years later his great granddaughter Tamika Melbourne, aged three, also declared the chocolate frog "very good''.

Harry Melbourne junior said he, too, was a fan of his father's invention and they always had Freddos at home.

"We always had lollies, we always had chocolates and it was amazing, we were never short of them,'' Harry Melbourne jnr told the Ten Network.

While daughter Leone Wandin remembers being popular at school because they were never short of chocolate frogs.

"We had the best mates at school ... we had lots of friends, it was unreal,'' Mrs Wandin said.

Despite inventing the Freddo Frog, Mr Melbourne never earned a cent from it.

"They sell 98 million Freddo Frogs a year in Australia alone,'' he said.

"Even with a cent a frog I would have been a multi-millionaire, but that's not the point.

"Freddo was created out of love for the firm ... we were just one big happy family at MacRobertson's."

Today Freddo Frogs, which are now made by Cadbury, come in several flavours, including the original milk chocolate, strawberry and peppermint.

Mr Melbourne passed away last Wednesday in a Melbourne nursing home.

Cached · Post by **Cached** » 29 January 07 10:29 am

Our thoughts are with you Freddo.l

The Owls · Post by **The Owls** » 29 January 07 11:38 am

Why were the chocolate goodies called "Freddo"

GIN51E · Post by **GIN51E** » 29 January 07 1:02 pm

A little off topic but related, our now 8 week old Chocolate Labrador is called Freddo

nomad_penguin · Post by **nomad_penguin** » 29 January 07 1:13 pm

[quote="GIN51E"]A little off topic but related, our now 8 week old Chocolate Labrador is called Freddo

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Soooo cute!

Zytheran · Post by **Zytheran** » 29 January 07 2:10 pm

"While daughter Leone Wandin remembers being popular at school because they were never short of chocolate frogs.

"We had the best mates at school ... we had lots of friends, it was unreal,'' Mrs Wandin said. "

Suprise, suprise..

It's all up to you now Monty, keep the little chocolate yummies in our hearts. (well, stomachs would be better but you get the drift)

Freddo · Post by **Freddo** » 29 January 07 3:21 pm

Team Pathfinder · Post by **Team Pathfinder** » 29 January 07 5:17 pm

Hmmmm....... theres a message in the story somewhere. I off to the shops to grab some Freddos - I always did ponder things much more efficiently with a frog or two. (blonde logic)

JackHenry · Post by **JackHenry** » 29 January 07 8:54 pm

Liability over private land access to a cache. Being sued over using a frogs name without permission. What is the world coming to???