On Anzac Day, Australians and New Zealanders get the chance to honour the bravery and selfless sacrifice of our veterans, past and present.
It’s a sobering reminder of the harrowing circumstances servicemen and servicewomen have faced to secure and maintain the way of life we are blessed to have today.
ANZACs and oats have a long history, too, even if we don’t often think about it — the key link being that of the famed traditional Anzac biscuit. What started as a practical snack for soldiers during wartime became one of Australia’s most beloved biscuits.
Understanding the Connection
The oat-based Anzac biscuit has a long and ubiquitous history with Anzac Day and the ANZACs.
It goes all the way back to World War I more than a century ago.
Anzac biscuits were created as a means of providing members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) with a nutritious, high-energy food that could survive the weeks-long shipping times without requiring refrigeration.
Be sure to check out our previous blog, The Importance of Oat Biscuits on Anzac Day. It goes into greater detail about the history of the Anzac Biscuit and its importance to the ANZACs.
The symbolism and history of the Anzac biscuit are treated with reverence, as evidenced by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs regulation that all commercial versions of Anzac Biscuits stick close to the original biscuit’s ingredients and shapes.
The Importance of Supporting Veterans
For anyone who hasn’t served, there’s no real way of truly understanding the substantive sacrifices and experiences that veterans have endured.
Throughout the year, people can express their support through simple gestures such as purchasing a red poppy in the lead-up to Remembrance Day.
Year-round, traditional Anzac Biscuits are often sold at Returned and Services Leagues (RSLs) as a way of raising funds for veterans. And, on Anzac Day itself, RSLs host and celebrate veterans.
It’s important to support our veterans, the vast majority of whom have faced circumstances and challenges that they go on to carry with them for the rest of their lives.
How Your Oat Purchase Can Make A Difference
As part of our own efforts to support our veterans, GF Oats has been partnered with Legacy Australia since 2020.
Legacy is a not-for-profit that was founded back in 1923 by ex-serviceman, Sir Stanley Savige (an Australian soldier and officer who served in WWI and WWII), along with other veterans.
The organisation currently cares for 43,000 veterans’ families, including widows in their senior years, younger widows with children, and the dependents of veterans with a disability. Their important work is made possible by more than 4,000 committed and compassionate volunteers.
As part of our partnership with Legacy, a percentage of profits from sales of our Anzac biscuits, Anzac biscuit bundles, and legacy biscuit bundles are donated to Legacy each year.
So far, through the sales of these products, GF Oats has been able to contribute $20,000 towards the work that Legacy does. We want to extend a big thank you to all of our customers who’ve made these contributions possible.
We’re proud to offer a way of supporting the well-being of veterans who have served our country while allowing our customers to enjoy a tasty, emblematic treat that honours their legacy.
If you’d like to learn more about the partnership, check out our Partnering with Legacy page. You can also view our full range of Anzac and oat biscuit offerings here.
If you have any questions about our products, partnership efforts, or you just want to get in touch, feel free to reach out to us.