Rachel Toy Who hasn’t reached for a tin of Ovaltine at some point in their lives, and mixed the malty powder with milk into a comforting bedtime drink? Ovaltine has been around for over 120 years, and was made in Britain for much of the twentieth century. The Kings Langley factory’s magnificent Art Deco facade could be seen on railway journeys to and from London and became a local Hertfordshire landmark. Read on to find out the history of Ovaltine in Britain.
As a local from Watford, the Ovaltine factory evokes many fond memories for me. It was always visible on a train journey to places like Milton Keynes and Hemel Hempstead. Seeing the factory always meant there was one stop to go till home. Many local people worked there and the company was visible in the community via their blue delivery vans and presence at local carnivals and fêtes – female factory workers would dress as the Ovaltine Maid at these to help promote the product.
From Swiss Medicine to Household Favourite
Ovaltine started life as a sticky, treacly malt extract for invalids after a Swiss chemist, Dr Georg Wander, read about its nutritional benefits, especially for children. He developed his first liquid malt extract in the 1860s which was sold to doctors and chemists as Wander’s Malt Extract. His son Albert Wander took over the company after Georg died in 1897. He developed his father’s malt extract into a dried powder and added extra nutrition in the form of milk, eggs and cocoa. The resulting product was named Ovomaltine and launched in 1904. At the time it was still sold as medicinal product.
The product was exported to Britain in 1906 and the name was shortened to Ovaltine after initially being spelt wrong on official trademark papers. The name stuck as it was easier for English speakers to say. In 1909, A. Wander Limited was set up as a British company.
A factory was built in Kings Langley and had the benefit of good canal and railway transportation links. The first two-storey building opened in 1913 with just 13 people employed. Larger buildings were completed in 1929 with the eye-catching Art Deco façade. The new facility also had its own wholesome poultry and dairy farm to produce the raw ingredients for the product.
In the 1920s Ovaltine began to be sold on grocers shelves to the general public. It was rebranded as a nourishing breakfast food and a nightcap, with an extensive advertising campaign. It was a success as sales tripled.
Ovaltine Goes to War
Ovaltine’s popularity increased during the First World War. The new British factory meant it could be produced in large amounts to support the war effort. Tins were sent to the trenches and helped keep soldiers’ energy up in harsh conditions. In military hospitals it became invaluable as an easily digestible, nutritious food for wounded and shell-shocked soldiers. Soldiers who returned home were therefore familiar with the drink when it started to be sold in grocers shops.
During the Second World War, Ovaltine Tablets were included into emergency ration packs for the military. Red Cross food parcels for Prisoners of War included tins of Ovaltine and the powder could be used to bulk out meagre meals. On the Home Front, the warm comforting drink helped with nights in outdoor air raid shelters and calmed nerves. Manufacturing was affected however, as the poultry farms at Kings Langley were not allowed to use their own eggs for the product. These had to be sent to the Government instead for domestic use. Dried egg was substituted, a change that became permanent after the war. Sugar rationing also affected the volume of chocolate bars produced.
New Products, Changing Times
Post-war, a wider range of nutritious foods became available. As a result, Ovaltine’s original health claims became less distinctive. The company had to diversify, save costs and create new products to survive. Fresh milk and eggs were replaced with powdered versions, and consumers now made Ovaltine with milk instead of water.
Chuckles biscuits appeared for babies alongside the original teething rusks. Diabetic chocolate bars and slimming meals were available to buy, along with desserts. The company expanded its powdered drinks range to skimmed milk powder, drinking chocolate and the Options range of low-calorie drinks, introduced in 1983.
Additionally, in the mid-1980s there was an Ovaltine chocolate bar with real chunks of Ovaltine powder in it. This was marketed as a healthier alternative for children. Biscuits continued to be sold, with their distinct shape and Ovaltine logo stamped in the middle. There were even Easter eggs and breakfast cereals with the signature malt flavour on supermarket shelves.
We Are The Ovaltineys
The Ovaltineys were created to appeal to children, an important market for the product. In 1934 an Ovaltineys radio show was piloted on Radio Luxembourg. It was an immediate success and subsequently went out at 5.30 pm every Sunday evening. The show was packed with loveable characters, stories, jokes, Ovaltine adverts and of course the song, We are the Ovaltineys.
Children could also join a secret club, The League of Ovaltineys, furthering their association with the brand. The Second World War interrupted the show’s broadcast but it was revived in 1952. The song returned in a 1975 television advert, which coincided with a revival of nostalgia around the brand.
Collecting Ovaltine Today
Ovaltine’s marketing department regularly ran promotional campaigns where consumers could send off for Ovaltine-themed products. In the age of the supermarket they could be collected at the till after you shopped.
Popular items amongst collectors today are original mugs, tins and glass mixers. Mugs include those with the famous ear-shape handle, made by The Ovaltine Pottery from the 1950s to the 1970s. There was a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee version in 1977. Also the interesting musical Ovaltina mug came out in 1985 which played a jingle when picked up.
The original mixers are also very collectable. Ceramic and tin versions were introduced in the 1930s to help mix up the bulky powder with water to make the drink, using a metal plunger. They were either sold with the Ovaltine at shops or could be sent off for via mail order. The glass mixers appeared in the 1950s and 1960s. However do look out for the lovely Art Deco tall ceramic jug if you like something different.
If you are looking to date original product tins, those with a paper label will be early, around the 1910s-1920s. From the 1930s tins were litho printed with the famous orange background and black Ovaltine lettering. This colour scheme stuck with the brand through the 20th century with the logo changing to blue. The Dairy Maid didn’t appear on tins until the 1970s. You will find commemorative tins also and large catering sized packs.
The orange Pyrex ‘Drink Up’ mugs shown above are interesting. The name Cool-Ova was devised in 1970 to create a trendy new identity for Ovaltine. They basically tried to reinvent the drink as a cold anytime refreshment. However it didn’t take off, as the comforting image around the night time drink was too strong, These mugs were produced to help promote it.
Preserving The Factory’s History
At its peak, the factory was the largest producer of liquid malt extract in the world. Ovaltine employed around 1,500 workers in the 1950s. The company continued to provide jobs for local people throughout the rest of the twentieth century until the factory was closed in 2002. Manufacturing was moved back to Switzerland and Associated British Foods acquired Ovaltine in 2002, incorporating it into its Twinings Ovaltine business.
Ovaltine’s British heritage has been preserved however, thanks to an enthusiastic group of local historians. The building retains its original façade and logo, and many artefacts were saved from the factory prior to its refurbishment. These are now on display in the Museum Store run by Dacorum Heritage and can be seen via specially arranged tours and open days. For more information visit the website dacorumheritage.org.uk.
I hope you enjoyed my post about the History of Ovaltine in Britain. Do you remember drinking Ovaltine at bedtime? Were you a member of the Ovaltineys? Let me know in the comments!
This blog post is written by Rachel Toy, owner of Rachel’s Vintage & Retro. I am a 20th Century Vintage Blogger and Dealer writing about the vintage lifestyle, collecting, nostalgia and selling vintage. I also sell carefully curated 20th century antiques and collectables from my online vintage shop. I am happy to work with related brands on collaborations and also accept guest blogs. Find out how to work with me.
