FROM FLEETWOOD TO THE WORLD.
FROM FLEETWOOD TO THE WORLD.
Big things often have small beginnings. Today, Fisherman’s Friend is a world famous brand. But it all started in Fleetwood, a small coastal town in northwest England. The year was 1865, the idea was amazing and the success that followed over the years was breathtaking.
It all began with three scratchy throats…
James Lofthouse, a pharmacist from the small port town of Fleetwood in northwest England, was talking to three deep-sea fishermen one evening in November and they told him about their catch of the day. Or rather they tried to, because all three could hardly say a word. Instead of amusing tales from the high Seas, all he heard was a croak. This gave him an idea ...
The next day he presented the three fishermen with a mixture of liquorice, eucalyptus and menthol - carefully packed into three small bottles. The fishermen were thrilled - and from then on everyone could actually understand their stories again. And yes, you read that correctly, Fisherman's Friend was originally liquid - but since not only the throats were rough, but also the sea, they often broke.
But James had another brilliant idea:
He thickened the tincture and made
handy little lozenges out of it.
Fisherman's Friend in its legendary
form was born and a breathtaking
success story would begin...
Fisherman’s Friend on wheels.
Fisherman's Friend was already on everyone's tongues in Fleetwood and neighboring Blackpool. And little by little, more and more vacationers and visitors began to get a taste for it - and upon their return would write letter upon letter to the Lofthouse family. Everyone had only one question: Why can't I buy Fisherman's Friend anywhere in MY city? Well, since where there was demand, soon the supply was there too: With the Fisherman's Friend-Van.
More Ideas, more Square metres.
Since not only demand but also the production constantly increased, a move was due. A specially refurbished railway building in Fleetwood became the new home and production facility of Fisherman’s Friend.
And the packaging also changed: The red and black color and a new label in a bold vintage look underlined the long-grown tradition of the brand.
New Shores. Same Course.
Go north: At the request of a friendly importer, a large box of Fisherman‘s Friend was exported to Norway for the first time. This was met with enthusiastic demand. Boxes quickly turned into containers, and from then on the orders never ceased. No wonder, it didn't stop with Norway: Fisherman’s Friend also became a huge success in Finland and Sweden.
Guten Tag, Germany!
And finally, things got fresher in Germany as well: But Fisherman's Friend wasn’t only on everyone's tongues in Germany, it was also exported to many other countries around the globe now. Incidentally, the first new flavour to be launched into the market was Aniseed.
Fun Fact: The typical look of the Fisherman’s Friend lozenges is based on the buttons of a dress by Doreen Lofthouse.
Now for something completely innovative: without sugar.
Not only the taste, but also our ideas have always been a bit stronger. Fishermans's Friend was the first confectionery company to launch sugar-free mint lozenges onto the market.
Even the Queen is “impressed”.
Whilst we do not know which was the favourite of her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in 1983 she presented Lofthouse with a royal award for the impressive export success of Fisherman’s Friend. Two more awards followed in the coming years. Simply majestic!
We are growing and growing…
By the end of the millennium, the factory premises now covered an area of 60,000 square metres. In the same way, of course, our aspiration to keep delighting our customers with new varieties has grown.
We are a family business in the truest sense of the word. And it will stay that way.
Since 1865, Fisherman’s Friend has been a family business - now in its 5th generation. We are producing more than 5 Billion lozenges per year and have become a truly global player. However, for us even global business is rooted in local heritage. And that is precisely why Fisherman’s Friend has always been produced in Fleetwood.
We are looking forward to the next 158 years ...
