Colin the Caterpillar

"Colin the Caterpillar" is a chocolate roll cake sold by the British retailer Marks & Spencer. More than 15 million Colin the Caterpillar cakes have been sold since it was introduced in 1990.[1]

Colin the Caterpillar
TypeRoll cake
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Created byMarks & Spencer
Main ingredientschocolate sponge cake, buttercream and shell; white chocolate

Overview

Colin the Caterpillar is a chocolate sponge roll cake filled with chocolate buttercream and covered in a milk chocolate shell, with sugar-coated milk chocolate beans for decoration.[2] The cake has a decorative face and feet made of white chocolate.[3] The dessert is available in large and small sizes.[4]

According to Marks and Spencer, it takes 38 people to assemble each cake from start to finish, and 8.4 tonnes (8,400 kg) of sugar coating are used each year for the decorative spots.[5]

Initial success for sales of the cake has been attributed to the ongoing popularity of Eric Carle's children's picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and that a bestselling cookbook by Jane Asher, published the same year that the cake launched, also featured a recipe for a caterpillar birthday cake.[6] However, Colin the Caterpillar has since become a staple of children's birthday parties, but is also popular with teens and adults.[3]

In 2020, Marks & Spencer marked the cake's 30th anniversary by declaring Colin's Birthday, Wednesday 26 August, as National Colin the Caterpillar Day.[7]

Variations

Over the years, there have been several seasonal and limited edition variations on the original Colin the Caterpillar cake:[6]

  • Colin the Caterpillar Cake
  • Connie the Caterpillar Cake – A female version of the original Colin cake, wearing a pink bow[8]
  • Personalised Cake – As part of its "Food to Order" offering, Marks & Spencer offers giant versions of the Colin and Connie cakes. The larger sized cakes can serve up to 40 people, and are also personalisable, with a space for a name and the exact occasion being celebrated piped on.[9]
  • Wedding Cakes – In 2017, Marks & Spencer launched a Colin the Caterpillar wedding cake range. The range features 2 cakes, the first called "Colin the Groom" is a larger than standard Colin cake (weighing just over 2 kg) with the face featuring a bow tie and top hat.[10] The bridal version – named Connie the Bride – features a lace veil, confetti and a flower posy and also weighs just over 2 kg.[11] Each cake currently costs £10-£15.[12][13]
  • 25th Anniversary Cake – In August 2015, Marks & Spencer marked the 25th anniversary of the dessert with a limited edition "Colin the Caterpillar" featuring a party hat and multicoloured feet, and additional candy spots.[14]
  • Count Colin the Caterpillar Cake – For Hallowe'en, Marks & Spencer launched a Count Colin cake. The colouring of Colin's face and feet changes from white to green, and his body is decorated with chocolate maggots. It is said to resemble either Frankenstein's monster or a zombie.[15]
  • Christmas Cake – For Christmas, a festive version of Colin the Caterpillar cake is produced. Colin wears a Santa hat, and his body is adorned with a range of festive decorations, including candy canes, holly leaves and snowflakes.[16]
  • Coffee Morning Colin – In 2018, Marks & Spencer launched a limited edition Colin Cake for Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning. Colin's feet were changed to purple, and his body was covered in green and purple sprinkles, instead of the usual multi-coloured ones. Marks & Spencer donated 10% of sales to Macmillan Cancer Support after purchasing.[17]
  • Count Colin Gummies – For Hallowe'en, Marks & Spencer sold packets of maggot gummies, similar to the maggots on the body of the Count Colin cake[15]
  • Colin the Caterpillar Faces - In 2020, to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Colin the Caterpillar cake, Marks & Spencer began selling bags of Colin the Caterpillar faces. The snacks have white chocolate faces and milk chocolate eyes, just like the one that come on the cake.[18]
  • Mini Colin the Caterpillars – Miniature milk chocolate-coated chocolate sponge rolls, filled with chocolate buttercream. Decorated with milk chocolate beans and a white chocolate face.[19]
  • Flower Power Connie – A redesigned version of Connie the Caterpillar, decorated yellow and pink flowers and a sporting a floral headband, released in 2021 for Mother's Day[20]
  • Easter Eggs – For Easter 2021, M&S launched a series of Colin the Caterpillar themed Easter Products. This included a hollow milk chocolate Easter Egg, containing a bag of Colin the Caterpillar faces, and a re-designed Colin the Caterpillar cake, which featured Colin wearing a top hat with mini bunny ear and chocolate eggs along his back.[21]
  • Colin the Caterpillar Cake Jars – In April 2021, M&S launched a series of cakes in jars, which featured raspberry ripple and trillionaire's cake, as well as a Colin The Caterpillar cake version. The Colin The Caterpillar jar featured layers of chocolate sponge with Belgian chocolate sauce, chocolate ganache, milk and white choc chips and was topped with Colin's white chocolate face.[22]
  • My Hero Colin - A smaller, redesigned version of Colin the Caterpillar, decorated blue cape and a superhero mask, released in 2023 for Father's Day[23]

Other retailers
Tesco's "Curly the Caterpillar" cake

Similar caterpillar cakes are available in other rival retailers. This includes Morris the Caterpillar from Morrisons, Cuthbert the Caterpillar from Aldi, Charlie the Caterpillar at the Co-Op, Cecil the Caterpillar at Waitrose, Clyde the Caterpillar at Asda, Wiggles the Caterpillar at Sainsbury's, Clive the Caterpillar at One Stop and Slinky the Caterpillar at Tesco.[24][25] Gluten and milk free versions are also available; Carl the caterpillar from Tesco, Frieda the caterpillar from Asda, and Eric the caterpillar from Sainsbury’s.[26][27][28]

In April 2021, Marks & Spencer announced that it had lodged an intellectual property claim for infringement of three trade marks with the High Court against Aldi in relation to the latter's Cuthbert the Caterpillar product. In its complaint, Marks & Spencer claimed that Aldi's Cuthbert the Caterpillar was too similar to the Colin the Caterpillar cake, which could lead consumers to believe that they are of the same standard and allows Cuthbert to "ride on the coat-tails" of the M&S cake's reputation.[29] In February 2022, the lawsuit was settled between both parties for an undisclosed amount.[30]

In reaction to the media generated around the court case Papa's Fish and Chips, a fish and chip shop in Cleethorpes, began selling deep-fried Mini Colin the Caterpillar cakes. Profits from the sales were used to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.[31][32] Emanuel's, a fish and chip shop in East Kilbride, later gained media attention for selling a full-sized Colin the Caterpillar cake that had been deep-fried in batter.[33][34]

See also

References
  1. "Colin the Caterpillar". M&S. Archived from the original on 2020-08-23. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  2. Orr, Gillian (11 October 2012). "Food: David Cameron's love affair with Colin (the caterpillar)". The Independent. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  3. Hyslop, Sarah (25 August 2015). "Colin the Caterpillar is getting a funky makeover". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  4. "7 reasons Colin the Caterpillar is simply the ultimate birthday cake". The Daily Edge. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  5. Connor, Liz (26 August 2015). "Colin the Caterpillar turns 25... and celebrates with a special edition party hat cake". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  6. Finney, Clare (3 September 2020). "Colin the Caterpillar at 30: how a supermarket cake stole the nation's heart". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  7. Chabo, Elena (18 August 2020). "This is what the original M&S Colin the Caterpillar cake looked like back in 1990". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  8. Ibraheem, Hanna (1 June 2016). "M&S have made a BIG change to the Colin the Caterpillar family". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  9. Chabo, Elena (17 July 2020). "M&S is selling giant personalised Connie and Colin the Caterpillar cakes". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  10. "Colin the Groom Wedding Cake (Serves 40) | M&S". Marks & Spencer. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  11. "Connie the Bride Wedding Cake (Serves 40) | M&S". Marks & Spencer. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  12. Buglass, Lucy (11 May 2020). "Marks & Spencer's new cake hampers are perfect for lockdown birthdays". GoodtoKnow.
  13. Boult, Adam (2017-01-30). "Colin the Caterpillar wedding cakes now available - but the price might surprise you..." The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  14. "M&S to launch limited edition popping candy Colin cake to celebrate Colin the Caterpillar's 25th birthday". Metro. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  15. Rice, Frencesca (30 September 2019). "Marks & Spencer launches Creepy Colin the Caterpillar for Halloween". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  16. Sim, Keren (20 September 2019). "This is when M&S' Christmas Colin the Caterpillar cake will be in stores". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  17. Chandler, Victoria (28 August 2018). "Colin the Caterpillar has had a makeover". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  18. Chabo, Elena (18 August 2020). "You can now get bags of Colin the Caterpillar faces at M&S". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  19. "Mini Colin The Caterpillars (Serves 25)". Marks & Spencers. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  20. Chabo, Elena (2 March 2021). "M&S launches new 'Flower Power' Connie the Caterpillar cake for Mother's Day". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  21. Troy-Pryde, Jadie (22 March 2021). "Colin the Caterpillar Easter eggs are here and thank you M&S". Marie Claire UK. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  22. Troy-Pryde, Jadie (8 April 2021). "Colin the Caterpillar cake jars are now a thing and we're heading to M&S immediately". Marie Claire UK. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  23. "M&S has brought back its superhero Colin the Caterpillar for Father's Day". you.co.uk. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  24. Whitbread, Louise (26 August 2020). "Colin the Caterpillar is 30. Lets revisit our Ultimate Taste Test". Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  25. Lewis, Anna (19 April 2021). "These Colin The Caterpillar Dupes Should Be Afraid. Very Afraid..." Delish. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  26. "Tesco Free From Carl The Caterpillar Cake". Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  27. "Sainsbury's Deliciously Free From Eric The Caterpillar Cake 592g". Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  28. "ASDA Free From Frieda the Caterpillar". Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  29. "M&S in legal claim against Aldi over Colin the Caterpillar trademark". Sky News. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  30. Onita, Laura. "Marks & Spencer and Aldi call a truce in Colin the Caterpillar cake war". The Daily Telegraph. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  31. Ford, Gregory (26 April 2021). "We try a battered Colin the Caterpillar from Papa's Fish and Chips in Cleethorpes". Grimsby Telegraph. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  32. Karran, Ellis (26 April 2021). "Snitches get battered: Lincolnshire chippy deep fry Colin the Caterpillar for charity". The Lincolnite. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  33. Barrie, Douglas (1 May 2021). "Colin the Catterpillar: Marks & Spencer cake deep fried by Scottish chip shop". The Scotsman. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  34. Morrow, Daniel (1 May 2021). "Scots chippy serves up deep fried Colin the Caterpillar after M&S cake row". Daily Record. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
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