If you thought Ovaltine was a bedtime drink – think again! Although the products are largely unchanged from their original recipes and formats, how we consume and think of Ovaltine today in the UK is vastly different from how it all began…
Since its humble beginnings in a Swiss laboratory, millions of families all over the world have grown up with the delicious, wholesome goodness of Ovaltine. Far from being a bedtime drink, it was originally developed as a nourishing food beverage for children. It was based on the vitamin-rich properties of malt extract and combined with Milk, Eggs and Cocoa it quickly became recognised as an ideal combination of essentials nutrients in a delicious and satisfying warm drink.
Spanning out from its health roots, Ovaltine had a long association with sponsoring sport until as recently as 1971 when Muhammad Ali was used to promote the brand. In 1953 Ovaltine accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary on his Everest expedition and in 1975 Ovaltine was one of the sponsors of Chris Bonnington's Everest expedition.
Ovaltine was first marketed in the UK with advertising that reflected its healthy ingredients ".... builds up body, brain and nerves to the highest efficiency". Ovaltine was included in soldier's ration packs and recommended for pilots during the WW2. The RAF was a large consumer of Ovaltine Tablets.
After the war, in the 1950's Ovaltine's product portfolio was bolstered with the introduction of rusks, Chuckles, biscuits and chocolate.
It's been over 100 years since we developed our original Ovaltine recipe and for the majority of our history it's been the mainstay of our range. But now there are a further four varieties of Ovaltine, as well as our delicious Max 4 Milk milkshakes for kids.
The simple, honest approach to our wholesome products has been reflected in some memorable advertising campaigns and, of course, the unforgettable Ovaltineys!
Whether you've been an Ovaltine fan for minutes or decades, we hope you'll enjoy learning more about us or reliving some fond memories.
Ovaltine gallery
Take a look through some of our best-loved images.
Ovaltine isn't just a drink – it was sold in the UK as lozenges, rusks and biscuits.
