SAO biscuits are a savoury
cracker biscuit that was launched in Australia in 1904 by
Arnott's, the term SAO being
trade marked in 1904.[2]
Arthor Arnott, for whom the biscuits may have been named.
The origin of the name "SAO" is unknown. A widely held belief is that the name is an acronym for "Salvation Army Officer", and was named for Arthur, one of the Arnott brothers, who was indeed an officer in the Salvation Army. The
Salvation Army Australia somewhat cautiously mentions this on its website, calling it "Arguably Fact" and saying "...it is understood they named it in honour of their brother Arthur Arnott, a Salvation Army Officer.[3] In the 1993 book The Story of Arnott's Famous Biscuits, Ross Arnott states that Sao was the name of a sailing boat[a] which his grandfather (Arnott's founder
William Arnott) saw on
Lake Macquarie, of which he said "That would make a good name for a biscuit."[7]
SAOs are often eaten as a light snack, topped with butter/margarine and
Vegemite, or other ingredients.[8] They were also a common base for home-made
vanilla slice in Australian homes.[9][10]
Notes
^Perhaps Dr Milford's[4] 6-ton yacht Sao built by W. M. Ford and launched 15 December 1883. She took part in a famous race with Iolanthe and Assegai in 1887.[5] A few owners later, she was still competitive in 1897.[6]
References
^"Advertising". Evening News. No. 11, 570. New South Wales, Australia. 11 July 1904. p. 2. Retrieved 14 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^National Archives of Australia: Patent Office; A11708, Applications for Registration of Trade Marks, 1904, 3987, Application for Trade Mark titled SAO in respect of biscuits - by William Arnott Limited.
^"By "Eagle"". The Sportsman (Melbourne). No. 371. Victoria, Australia. 28 March 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 16 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.