Seven big British food brands

Britain is steeped in traditional food, and many of its brands have become iconic worldwide too. Here are seven of the biggest British food brands.

McVitie's, Scotland

A common phrase in many British households is "put the kettle on and open that packet of digestives" — the quintessentially British pot of tea is never quite the same without a digestive biscuit. Digestives were first invented by the McVitie's brand in 1830 when a young Robert McVitie baked away in the basement of his family home. As the locals found out about the talented baker, Robert McVitie opened multiple shops to meet the demands of the public. Little did master McVitie know that his baking would become so popular that it would one day make it into a list of seven most iconic British food brands, but here it is! In fact, the McVitie's line got the royal seal of approval in 1893 when they baked the wedding cake for the marriage of Princess Mary of Teck and the Duke of York.

Bisto, Middlewich (Cheshire)

Ahh...Bisto, you're tasty, heart-warming, easy to prepare, and the Brits are very proud of you. Indeed, since the invention of Bisto gravy in 1908, making the perfect jug of gravy has been within everyone's capabilities. The Bisto brand is renowned for its unique ability to 'Brown Instantly, Season and Thicken in One', and the initials of this motto explain the name of this famous brand. Bisto is mainly loved for being the perfect topping to the traditional Sunday roast, and a recent study has shown that Bisto gravy can now be found in 57 per cent of British household cupboards and is poured over around 1.3 billion meals a year. Indeed, Bisto will always have its place in British hearts and at British dinner tables. For the foreseeable future, people will continue to repeat the infectious 'Ahh...Bisto!' phrase every time the familiar tub of gravy granules is brought out from the cupboard.

Warburton's, Manchester

The Warburton family have been baking bread since 1876 when Thomas Warburton founded the company. The bread making came about when Thomas opened a grocery store in Bolton in 1870 and, when the trade started to decline, his wife Ellen suggested that baking bread could bring in more business. The trial period was a success and Thomas Warburton changed the shop name to 'Warburton's the Bakers'. The Warburton's brand has since continued to add to its line by inventing 'baked pitta chips', crumpets, and 'toastie bread', which is presented in a unique waxy wrapping. It's all thanks to Thomas Warburton's wife that this family run business has continued to fuel Britain's love affair with the loaf.

Marmite, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire

'Love it, or hate it?' This question has divided public opinion amongst the Brits for years. It's funny that a little bulbous glass jar with a yellow lid can spark so much attention, but that's Marmite for you. Marmite is a popular condiment that was first invented in 1902. The dark brown spread has a rich aroma and a salty flavour. Rich in B-vitamins and riboflavin, Marmite is one of the tastiest (or most disgusting, depending on which category you fall into) British food brands around. Even the Marmite manufacturers have grown to love the controversy that surrounds it, and created the popular marketing slogan "Marmite — you either love it or you hate it". Whilst no one seems to fall into the 'I don't mind it' category, one thing its lovers and haters can agree on is that this is one of the most discussed British food brands around.

Mr Kipling, London

Mr Kipling is Britain's number one leading cake brand, and has maintained the number one spot since 1976. Kipling's range of "exceedingly good cakes" includes Cherry Bakewells, French Fancies, Battenberg, Angel Slices, and even Manor House cake. What's more, the entire range contains no artificial colours or flavours, and is free of hydrogenated fats. This famous household brand is a firm favourite when it comes to a scrumptious snack or a popular party food. Mr Kipling himself is a fictional character made up to represent the brand, although the Kipling employees like to envision him as a real person. Nevertheless, we think Mrs Kipling would be exceedingly proud!

OXO, London

The famous OXO brand has been producing stock cubes since 1840. Now synonymous with the traditional British Sunday dinner, OXO cubes were once used as an inexpensive way to add flavour to meals during World War One and these cubes of beef flavoured extract were a healthy addition to soldiers' ration packs. Many OXO cubes were sent out to British soldiers during the First World War to keep them healthy and add flavour to their otherwise rather bland rations. The pages of many vintage magazines were adorned with advertisements featuring the typical fifties housewife making her perfect jug of OXO gravy, and other marketing campaigns firmly focus on a happy family dinner time. OXO gravy is definitely a firm favourite of British families.

Heinz, a British staple based in the US

Although this is a US-based brand, no list of popular British brands would be complete without the mention of Heinz, which is a huge favourite amongst the Brits. Indeed, no English breakfast is complete without a dollop of Heinz Tomato Ketchup and a tasty serving of Heinz Baked Beans. The company may be based in the US, but the Heinz brand is still a classic condiment around the British breakfast table. In fact, the Brits love it so much that the Queen and Prince Philip made a special visit to the Heinz factory near Wigan in England to mark the 50^th anniversary of the opening of the factory, to honour its status as the Brit's favourite.