Bovril

A British classic

Bovril has been exported to countries around the world for many years. As well as expatriates looking for a taste of home in countries like France and Spain, Bovril is extremely popular in Malaysia, Singapore and China where generations of people have grown up with the iconic British drink.

A Bovril history

Way back in 1871, Napoleon ordered a million cans of beef for his hungry army. A Scot, John Lawson Johnston, rose to the challenge with his invention “ Johnston’s Fluid Beef”. This was renamed Bovril back in 1886, and so the beefy drink we know and love was born.

16 years later, on Christmas Day of 1902, and far, far away near the South Pole, Captain Scott and Ernest Shackleton supped on a cup of Bovril after a chilling 4-hour march.

By 1909, it wasn’t just explorers and soldiers that took strength from Bovril; hundreds and thousands of football supporters up and down the country were gulping down steaming hot cups of Bovril. In fact, by this time, Bovril was so popular with Brits that an electric advertising sign was erected in London’s Piccadilly Circus.

By 1968, the Bovril empire owned Argentinean beef ranches that totalled the equivalent to half the size of England. Production was also moved from London to its current home in Burton on Trent.

Today, Bovril is as popular as ever, providing 3 and a half million jars of strength every year to Brits in need.

Did you know? 

• The name Bovril comes from an unusual word Johnston found in a book. 'Vril' was 'an electric fluid' and he combined it with the first two letters of the Latin word for beef 'Bos'

• The Rangers Football Club's Govan Stand became known as the Bovril Stand because of the large and distinctive advertisement displayed on its roof
  

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