The Chiko Roll debuted at the Wagga Wagga Agriculture Show in 1951.
Frank McEncroe developed the snack after seeing Chinese chop suey rolls sold outside the Richmond Cricket Ground in 1950. He wanted a much larger, sturdier roll that could be eaten easily at football matches and other outdoor events without a plate or cutlery.
McEncroe was a boilermaker from Bendigo, Victoria, and the Chiko Roll was developed there. Its public debut, however, took place at the Wagga Wagga Agriculture Show in New South Wales, which explains why Bendigo and Wagga Wagga are both associated with its origin.
The product was first sold as the “Chicken Roll,” although it did not actually contain chicken. Its filling is primarily cabbage and barley, with ingredients such as carrot, green beans, beef, celery, onion, and wheat cereal enclosed in a thick pastry tube. Since 1995, Simplot Australia has manufactured Chiko Rolls, now produced in Bathurst, New South Wales.