Jatz or Savoy? The cheeseboard staple that seldom crosses borders inspires the same sort of loyalist fervour usually reserved for rugby teams or deciding who sells the best banh mi.

For those not in the know, the two crackers are both owned and manufactured by Arnott’s. Savoy crackers are commonly found in Victoria and Tasmania, while Jatz crackers are more commonly found in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. They look exactly the same, but can you tell the difference between these Arnott’s crackers? Turns out it’s a topic that sparks much debate.

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Outside of the slight aesthetic difference (Savoy has its name embossed across the face of the cracker), it turns out that these crackers – which, at first blush, appear as twins – have some actual subtle differences in taste and texture. And it’s all down to a simple ingredient swap. According to Arnott’s, Jatz contains malt, while Savoy contains golden syrup.

Savoy crackers were on the market in Victoria and Tasmania before Jatz. The Savoy brand was originally made in Melbourne by Brockhoff Biscuits. Arnott’s (the creators of Jatz) was founded in NSW and merged with this company in the early 1960s, adopting many of Brockhoff’s products and techniques. It was decided to keep both Savoy and Jatz, because consumers in Victoria and NSW were equally passionate about their local brands. ‘Brockhoff’ was eventually dropped from the company name in the 1970s. 

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But if you can get Jatz in NSW and Savoy in Victoria, which variety is available in Albury-Wodonga, which sits right on the border? It’s a question a Reddit user recently posted, and they received many responses.

“You can get both on the border in the same shop,” one user said. “Until reading the other comments in this post, I always wondered what the deal was, I thought they were the same thing. Thank you all for removing one of my life’s great unsolved mysteries.”

Another replied: “My local IGA in the western suburbs actually stocks both. Was a pleasant surprise when I found out, I prefer the texture of Jatz over Savoy.”

But not all agreed with this. another user posted: “Both but anyone who says they’re the same biscuit is a liar. they’re so different in texture. Savoy supremacy everyday.”

In this writer’s opinion, Jatz are to Savoy crackers as the husky is to a malamute (while the Ritz is the noble wolf). Very similar beasts, both worthy, hard-working and reliable, and always the perfect vessel for a piece of cheese.

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