Stork (margarine)
Encyclopedia
Stork is a brand of margarine
spread, owned by Unilever
.
Introduced into the United Kingdom
and Ireland
from 1920, housewives were initially suspicious of the health affects and cooking ability of margarine. As a result, it required a large amount of advertising in the 1930s to increase usage, supported by the Stork sponsored Radio Lyons featuring the band of Carroll Gibbons
.
Stork has been manufactured at the Purfleet
works (originally Van den Berghs & Jurgens) since 1920.
It was on with the onset of World War II
and rationing
of butter
that sales began to rise, in part driven by the Stork Cookery Service. During the war, a lorry carrying Stork margarine overturned on the A531 road
near Heighley in Madeley, Staffordshire
, resulting in people coming to try to salvage its load. Today, the location is known as Margarine Corner.
Stork was launched in South Africa
in 1950, manufactured by Unilever South Africa. After rationing ended in the UK in 1954, the brand reappeared supported by the "Art of Home Cooking" promotion, with the first Stork television adverts were shown in 1955. Stork soft was introduced in the 1970s, with entertainers Bruce Forsyth
and later Leslie Crowther
, fronting taste test based television adverts.
The brand today is marketed under the tagline "Trusted for 90years," the UK Bake with Stork supporting advertising fronted by chef
and television cook Phil Vickery
.
Margarine
Margarine , as a generic term, can indicate any of a wide range of butter substitutes, typically composed of vegetable oils. In many parts of the world, the market share of margarine and spreads has overtaken that of butter...
spread, owned by Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
.
Introduced into the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from 1920, housewives were initially suspicious of the health affects and cooking ability of margarine. As a result, it required a large amount of advertising in the 1930s to increase usage, supported by the Stork sponsored Radio Lyons featuring the band of Carroll Gibbons
Carroll Gibbons
Carroll Gibbons was an American-born musician, bandleader and composer who made his career primarily in Britain. He was born and raised in Clinton, Massachusetts. In his late teens he travelled to London to study at the Royal Academy of Music...
.
Stork has been manufactured at the Purfleet
Purfleet
Purfleet is a place in the Thurrock unitary authority in Essex, England. It is situated south of the A13 road on the River Thames and within the easterly bounds of the M25 motorway but just outside the Greater London boundary. It was within the traditional Church of England parish of West Thurrock...
works (originally Van den Berghs & Jurgens) since 1920.
It was on with the onset of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and rationing
Rationing
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time.- In economics :...
of butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
that sales began to rise, in part driven by the Stork Cookery Service. During the war, a lorry carrying Stork margarine overturned on the A531 road
A531 road
The A531 is non-primary route in England that runs from Madeley Heath in Staffordshire to join the A500 close to Weston near Crewe, Cheshire....
near Heighley in Madeley, Staffordshire
Madeley, Staffordshire
Madeley is a village and ward in the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, North Staffordshire, England. It is split into three parts: Madeley, Middle Madeley, and Little Madeley. Madeley Heath is also considered by many to be part of Madeley...
, resulting in people coming to try to salvage its load. Today, the location is known as Margarine Corner.
Stork was launched in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1950, manufactured by Unilever South Africa. After rationing ended in the UK in 1954, the brand reappeared supported by the "Art of Home Cooking" promotion, with the first Stork television adverts were shown in 1955. Stork soft was introduced in the 1970s, with entertainers Bruce Forsyth
Bruce Forsyth
Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, CBE , commonly known as Bruce Forsyth, or Brucie, is an English TV personality...
and later Leslie Crowther
Leslie Crowther
Leslie Crowther, CBE was an English comedian, actor and gameshow host.-Biography:Crowther was born in West Bridgford in Nottinghamshire. At the end of 1944 he moved to London with his parents, but was evacuated for a few months to Bute until just after the war ended.His father, Leslie Frederick...
, fronting taste test based television adverts.
The brand today is marketed under the tagline "Trusted for 90years," the UK Bake with Stork supporting advertising fronted by chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
and television cook Phil Vickery
Phil Vickery (chef)
Philip Vickery is an English celebrity chef.-Biography:Vickery followed Gary Rhodes as Head Chef of the Castle Hotel, Taunton, which at the time held a Michelin Star. It lost its Michelin status under Vickery, but retained its 4 AA rosettes, while he gained the AA Chef of the Year...
.
External links
- Stork margarine at UnileverUnileverUnilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
- Bake with Stork