Tunnock's wafers found in Guyanese village Yupukari 4,000 miles away from Lanarkshire factory

A Scottish ornithologist was stunned after finding Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers on sale in a remote Guyanese village.

Andy Mitchell discovered the iconic Scottish sweets at a medical store in the isolated village of Yupukari.

The village, described as a conservation hotspot, is established within the rainforest on the banks of the Rupununi River.

Set near the near the Kanuku Mountain Range and within the Rupununi-Ireng ecological corridor – which links the Amazon and Essequibo Rivers – it is believed to be among the most biodiverse regions of Guyana.

Speaking with STV News, Mr Mitchell, from Orkney, said he was on a trip with Irish wildlife photographer Colin Stafford-Johnson when he made the discovery.

Sunset on the savannah, looking towards the mountains in Brazil. Andy Mitchell

“We flew to Aberdeen from Orkney, and then on to London from there before making our way down to south America.

“As Logan Air usually does, we were all given a Tunnock’s wafer on the flight,” he recalled.

“Upon reaching Yupukari, on day two, the villagers were being visited by medical workers from a nearby city who had come bearing supplies.

A school in the remote village of Yupukari. Andy Mitchell

“Imagine my surprise when I looked over and saw a child eating a Tunnock’s biscuit! It’s a very distinctive wrapper, so it caught my eye immediately.”

Upon further inspection, Mr Mitchell found the four-packs of caramel wafers being sold inside a small medical shop – more than 4,000 miles away from the Tunnock’s factory in Uddingston, Lanarkshire.

He contacted the bakery upon returning, and was told that it has been exporting sweets to Guyana for at least 30 years.

The shop which sells Tunnock's wafers, 4,000 miles away in Guyana. — The shop which sells Tunnock’s wafers, 4,000 miles away in Guyana. Andy Mitchell

Mr Mitchell and his wife, Joan Maynard, are now gearing up for a visit to the manufacturing facility later this week.

The firm’s overseas sales manager, Kevin Hayes, wrote: “It all stemmed from the British Empire days and the British population.

“Since then it has grown and now, we are somewhat of a household item among all in Guyana and Trinidad.

“We export 40ft containers at a time and not long after they set sail, we will begin working in the next order. We work with two family businesses that import our products and distribute across the countries.”