Interestingly, Lucozade was first sold in Newcastle in 1927 under the name ‘Glucozade’ by pharmacist William Walker Hunter. Then in 1929, the first letter was dropped giving it the name we are familiar with now.
Initially it came in a yellow glass bottle, wrapped in a yellow-ish cellophane.
One of the most significant landmarks in Newcastle tied to Lucozade are the Claremont buildings, which are located at Barras Bridge. Once home to the chemist shop W. Owen & Son; Lucozade was first manufactured and sold here.
At this point in time, it was used to aid patients suffering from illnesses such as the common cold and influenza. However, instead of it being thin and watery, how we know it now, its original formula was a syrup-like citrus flavoured glucose drink with a stickier consistency to it. This gave it a more medicinal feel.
After it was bought by pharmaceutical company Beecham in 1938, there was a change in formula. Here, they evolved the taste and turned it into a refreshing carbonated drink. By the 1950s, the original slogan ‘Lucozade aids recovery’ changed to ‘Lucozade replaces lost energy’, because of this people started perceiving Lucozade as an everyday drink instead of something to help make you feel better.
From the 1980s onwards, Lucozade went through a complete rebrand, becoming an energy drink. This is also when the Lucozade sport range was introduced. This led to it being placed in mainstream supermarkets and invited in opportunities for athletic sponsorships.
Now, Lucozade has a diverse range of fruity flavours throughout the sport and energy ranges. Even though the brand has expanded tremendously, its connection to this city remains an important part of its history.