Put away those goggles! Woolworths has announced that it will now be selling ‘tearless onions’ in stores across NSW, Victoria and the ACT. Happy Chop onions contain fewer tear-inducing compounds than regular onions, and will be available exclusively at Woolies from July 12. 

‘No cry’ onions have been available as ‘Sunions’ in the US since 2018, and in the UK since 2022. Now that they’ve made their way Down Under, there will no doubt be many happy tears shed in kitchens across the country. 

The onions were developed by Rick Watson, a plant breeder working for German chemical company BASF. But don’t let his employer freak you out – no chemicals or genetic modification was involved. Watson began working on a tear-free onion back in the 1980s, cross-breeding less pungent onion varieties that contained lower levels of those volatile compounds that make you bawl into your spag bol. 

While many have welcomed this new weep-free allium, others have noted that the reduced pungency has resulted in an onion with less flavour. But if you like a milder, sweeter onion, Happy Chop could be just what you’ve been crying out for. 

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