A CONVENIENCE store in South Wales is giving customers a taste of Australia - without them having to travel Down Under.
The Nisalocal store, in Vere Street, Cadoxton, in Barry, is seeing customers flock to the shop to buy imported Australian chocolate and biscuits – not widely available in the UK.
But store manager Arwinder Singh has never been to Australia and was unaware of the phenomena of the ‘Tim Tam Slam’.
Barry's most famous connection with Australia is the country's former prime minister Julia Gillard who lived in the town as a young child before her family emigrated.
The biscuit brand, widely consumed in Australia and New Zealand, consists of two malted biscuits separated by a light chocolate cream filling and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate.
The biscuit company Arnott's biscuit was created by Ian Norris, who found the Penguin biscuit on a visit to the UK and vowed to do better.
The Tim Tam Slam involves drinking a hot drink through the biscuit.
Opposite corners of the Tim Tam are bitten off.
One end is dunked in the hot drink, the biscuit acts like a straw and the biscuit melts.
Mr Singh, 30, said: “We were doing American sweets and then I saw Australian things online.
“I Googled wholesalers and we started with a small range and then customers wanted more stuff like Tim Tams so we ordered the whole full range and they’re selling good.
“I think they’re popular because there’s nothing similar in the UK.
“They are used to Dairy Milk Turkish Delight, but in Australia they still do Caramilk and the Black Forest and Boost – it’s something different.
“The Dairy Milk with Caramilk is the most popular here and the Tim Tams.”
The imported varieties of Dairy Milk bars cost £4.99 and the Tim Tams £3.99.
The store is open from 6.30am to 11pm Monday to Friday; and 8pm to 11pm Saturday and Sunday.
They deliver in Barry and customers, from out of the Vale, are welcome in store once lockdown restrictions cease in the county and other local authority areas.
Find them on Facebook at nisalocalbarry
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