A Look Back at Bovril Crisps
Bovril crisps, a nostalgic snack for many, were once popular among crisp lovers in the UK. Originating from the well-known Bovril brand, these crisps boasted a unique, deeply beefy flavour that many still fondly reminisce about today. Over the years, however, like many of my favourite childhood snacks, Bovril crisps have disappeared from store shelves, leaving fans of the savoury snack yearning for their return.
History of Bovril Crisps
Who Made Bovril Flavoured Crisps?
The deeply beefy flavour of Bovril crisps traces its roots back to a garage in Cricklewood in 1920. Here, Frank Smith and his wife started making potato crisps, eventually leading to the creation of Smith’s Bovril flavoured crisps. These crisps gained quite a following!
Smiths and Walkers
Over time, the Smith’s brand underwent changes in ownership. In the 1990s, it was bought by PepsiCo, a multinational food and beverage company that also owns Walkers. Despite these changes in management, the Bovril flavour remained a part of Smith’s crisp lineup for some time before being discontinued.
Retro Crisps
While Bovril crisps may no longer be available on shop shelves, they remain a nostalgic favourite for many. The taste of these crisps brings back fond memories for those who grew up with them. The longing for the return of discontinued crisps like Bovril has led to a renewed interest in retro crisps. Other unique flavours from the past, such as Smith’s Football Crazy crisps, are also remembered fondly and sought after by fans of nostalgic snacks.
And who can forget Hedgehog crisps?!
What is Bovril?
Bovril is a thick, salty, and meaty British spread made from beef extract. It is commonly used as a hot drink or added to soups and stews for flavour.
What Happened to Bovril Crisps?
These delicious crisps were flavoured with Bovril, a thick and salty meat extract paste that is similar to yeast extract. Bovril has a long history, having been developed in the 1870s by John Lawson Johnston. Nowadays, Bovril is owned and distributed by Unilever UK.
Despite their popularity in the past, Bovril crisps are no longer in production, and it is unclear why they were discontinued. There is a Facebook page dedicated to bringing back Bovril flavour crisps with over 200 likes, showing that many other fans share the same sentiment and would love to see these crisps make a comeback.
