Aussie supermarkets battle it out in ‘great hot cross bun war’ 2025
An intense battle is currently raging between Australia’s supermarkets – with every retailer going to great lengths to win.
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An intense battle is currently raging between Australia’s supermarkets – with every retailer going to great lengths to win.
Dubbed the “great hot cross bun war” by observant consumers, the annual showdown sees Coles, Woolies, Aldi and even IGA compete for the most outrageous flavour of the classic Easter treat.
Swords were first drawn five years ago, when Woolies introduced two limited-edition “twists” on the humble spiced bun.
Since then, the retail giant has continued to “push the boundaries”, surprising customers with unique flavours year after year.
It now offers an entire “indulgent” range featuring the hugely popular Biscoff-filled and Caramilk varieties – and the recently released collaboration with Cinnabon, which contains an “ooey gooey cream cheese style filling”.
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Coles has also got in on the hot cross bun action, with the supermarket releasing an array of out-there flavours, including a successful collaboration with Arnott’s that saw biscuit-inspired editions such as the Iced Vovo and Pizza Shapes.
Its most recent addition was Wagon Wheels “inspired”, and features a chocolate dough with a “moreish” marshmallow flavour combined with raspberry fudge, raspberry jellies and choc chips.
“Hot cross bun innovation has become a national obsession,” Thea Comino, Coles bakery product developer, told news.com.au.
“Every year, we push the boundaries, keep Aussies guessing, and build excitement in the lead-up to Easter.”
The Aussie obsession with OTT hot cross buns
Australia is undoubtedly ahead of the charge when it comes to “next level” takes on the classic food item, with the New York Times even likening our hot cross bun obsession to the American fascination with pumpkin spice.
Over in the UK, where the religious tradition first emerged in 12th century England, the most exotic flavours shoppers can snag are Apple & Cinnamon or Strawberries & Clotted Cream.
Woolworths explained the driving force behind its seemingly endless new hot cross bun flavours comes from consumer spending, with Aussies really getting behind the craze.
“When it comes to developing a new hot cross bun flavour, our bakery team gathers a lot of feedback and insights about the flavours we hear customers are looking for rather than introducing anything that sits well outside the box,” Donald Keith, Woolworths’ resident “hot cross bun expert”, told news.com.au.
“Take Fairy Bread as an example, it was about the sweet flavour and nostalgia behind an iconic Australian treat that led us to introduce the product in 2023 – a modern take on a classic treat.
“From there, the process to bring a new flavour to shelves is around about 12 months.”
IGA and Aldi have recently joined in, releasing Reese’s and Bakers Life Banoffee Hot Cross Buns respectively.
But aside from the symbolic cross on the top, the hot cross bun element on some of the products can be hard to spot, with some shoppers arguing the supermarkets had veered too far from tradition.
“What’s wrong with a regular hot cross bun? Toasted with butter – you can’t beat it,” one remarked on social media recently.
“The wacky flavours are getting too much for me, I’ll stick with the classic,” another agreed.
Coles and Woolies ‘war’ gives Aussies choices
But many foodies are huge fans of the annual “hot cross bun war”, including Melbourne vlogger Ange Eats.
“It’s always great to continue to see innovation in the bakery sector and I can’t wait to see what the following years have to offer,” he told news.com.au.
“The new additions provide some healthy competition between the supermarkets, I know I’ve ventured to a different store to find a limited-edition flavour in the past.
“Consumers love hunting down new viral products and the most recent releases have definitely created a stir.”
Nectro Vlangos – best known for his food reviews as @nectoriouspapi on social media – echoed this, stating he “absolutely loves the untraditional hot cross bun trend”.
“I think it’s always exciting to see what Coles, Woolies, IGA and Aldi will come out with,” he said.
“This year has been a great selection amongst the competition. The clear winner is Cinnabon in my opinion, and it seems Aussies agree as it went crazy on social media also.
“There’s nothing wrong with the classic version but they’re just boring. I can’t wait for next year’s flavours. I’m hoping it’s Nutella, Milo or Tim Tam.”
Who actually snares the crown each year is hard to determine, but it hasn’t stopped social media users ranking each flavour.
With just over a month of sales ahead for the festive season, it’s too early to call for 2025, but judging from the sheer number of videos and posts, it seems Woolies’ Cinnabon is a favourite.
Customers have been reporting the $5 product has “sold out”, with many travelling to different stores in a bid to snag the highly-sought after item.
“Over the years, we’ve explored many trending flavours for our Hot Cross Buns, but we think the Cinnabon flavour is pretty unique,” Mr Keith explained.
“We’ve partnered with the Cinnabon team to use their bespoke ‘Cinnabon cinnamon’ flavour and combined this with an indulgent cream cheese-style filling to bring something completely new to our range.”
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