Horlicks

Horlicks malt powder in jars from India (left) and Jamaica.

A jar, mug and a couple of teaspoons of Horlicks from the UK in 2007

Horlicks is the name of a company and of a malted milk hot drink, which is claimed to promote sleep when consumed at bedtime. There is, however, no evidence that malted milk directly promotes sleep, merely staves off hunger pangs that may disturb sleep.^[1] It is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline in the United Kingdom, India and Jamaica.

Around the world

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, Horlicks is known better as a café drink than as a sleeping aid. It is served at cha chaan tengs as well as fast-food shops such as Café de Coral and Maxim’s Express. It can be served hot or cold, and is usually sweetened with sugar. It is almost always made with warm milk, and ice is added to it if a cold drink is desired.

India

By far, the biggest market for Horlicks is India, where it has traditionally been marketed as 'The Great Family Nourisher.' New products have been developed specifically for India, such as alternative flavors and special formulations for young children and breast-feeding mothers. Claims by GlaxoSmithKline India in 2005 that Horlicks encourages growth and alertness in children have, however, caused some controversy^{[citation needed]}. Junior Horlicks 1-2-3 is a large extension that is specially designed for pre-school children. Horlicks is also available in biscuit forms. In 2005, Horlicks Lite was also introduced targeting older consumers and does not contain any cholesterol or added sucrose.In addition,the company has introduced Cereal Bars under the name Horlicks NutriBar exclusively for India.

South East Asia

In some countries, such as the Philippines and Malaysia, Horlicks was also sold as milky-chocolate-flavoured disks in paper packets, which were then eaten as candy. Horlicks remains popular in Malaysia and Singapore where it packed under licence from SmithKline Beecham and sold in large glass and tin containers. It is also available in 1.5 kg refill packs.

United Kingdom

In the UK, Horlicks is available in Original, Light, Extra Light, Malt Chocolate, Vanilla and Amaretto flavours. GlaxoSmithKline attempted a rebrand of the product in 2004 for younger consumers by redesigning the packaging and publicizing its consumption at a number of trendy London venues such as the Groucho Club.

Company timeline

The Horlicks factory in Slough is a local landmark.

• 1869: William Horlick from Ruardean, Gloucestershire emigrated to the United States.
• 1873: James Horlick, a pharmacist, joined his brother, William, in the U.S. and together they founded the company J & W Horlicks in Chicago to manufacture a patented malted milk drink as an artificial infant food.
• 1875: Business moved to larger premises at Racine, Wisconsin, with an abundant supply of spring water.
• 1883: U.S. patent 278,967 granted to William for first malted milk drink mixing powder with hot water.
• 1890: James returned to London to set up an office importing U.S.-made product.
• 1906: Slough selected as site for new factory (see picture).
• 1908: Factory construction completed at a cost of £28,000.
• 1909-1910: Horlicks became popular as a provision for North Pole and South Pole expeditions by Robert Peary, Roald Amundsen, and Robert Falcon Scott.
• 1914: James made a baronet. World War I saw extensive use of Horlicks drink at home and at the front.
• 1921: Death of James led company to split, with William having responsibility for the Americas and the sons of James for the rest of the world.
• 1928: William Horlick High School founded just north of Horlicks’ headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin.
• 1931: "Night Starvation" story developed to promote Horlicks as a bedtime drink.
• 1935: Richard E. Byrd named the Horlick Mountains on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf after William, in appreciation of his support. A small factory opened in Australia for the local market, including New Zealand. Horlicks milky-chocolate-flavoured disks in paper packets, which were eaten as candy, were marketed in the USA via radio commercials touting the ease with which they could be taken to school by children.
  In America, Horlicks Tablets were sold as a candy, offered in a glass bottle resembling an aspirin jar. These tablets were used during World War II as an energy boosting treat by U.S., UK and other soldiers. Today, these are packaged in foil pouches, manufactured in Malaysia as Horlicks Malties
• 1936: William Horlick died, aged 90.
• 1945: The U.S. company was acquired by the British Horlicks business.
• 1952: Horlicks was linked to the successful treatment of gastric ulcers and some forms of diabetes.
• 1960: Factory built in Punjab, India to make Horlicks from buffalo milk.
• 1968: Factory built in Punjab, Pakistan, to supply local demand (including East Pakistan, now Bangladesh).
• 1969: Horlicks acquired by the Beecham Group.
• 1975-1978: Factory construction and expansion in Andhra Pradesh.
• 1989: Beecham Group became SmithKline Beecham.
• 2000: SmithKline Beecham became GlaxoSmithKline.

Sleep promotion

Claims are often made by malted milk drinks such as Horlicks that they assist sleep, but these claims are unfounded. At most, they help to stave off hunger overnight, which can lead to sounder sleep.^[1]

Alternative word usage

The product's name has entered the vernacular in two ways. Firstly as an interjection, usually taken to be a substitute for the profanity "bollocks". Secondly it suggests a minor disaster or shambles, as in 'to make a complete Horlicks of something' (see citation below). The former use was exploited by the company in a 1990s advertising campaign, in which a harassed housewife exclaims "Horlicks" in a context where a stronger term could have been expected, thus widening the term's exposure and usage for a while.

The term was used in July 2003 by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw ("a complete Horlicks"^[2]) to describe irregularities in the preparation and provenance of a dossier regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Horlicks advertising

March 1952 ad for Horlicks in 208, the magazine of Radio Luxembourg.

• Dan Dare Pilot of the future serial sponsored by Horlicks in 1952 and heard Monday to Friday at 7:15 PM over Radio Luxembourg.

	A commercial for Horlicks from 1935
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References

See also

• Malted milk
• Mateen Mucho
• Milo (drink)
• Mayo (drink)
• Ovaltine

External links

• Horlicks company website
• Horlicks USA
• What Do Brits Mean by "Horlicks"? by Brendan I. Koerner
• Horlick Family History