Ovaltine facts for kids
Ovaltine jar and cup, both in the distinctive orange colour
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| Manufacturer | Associated British Foods or licensees (Nestlé in the United States) |
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| Country of origin | Switzerland |
| Introduced | 1904 |
| Variants | Chocolate Malt, Malt, Rich Chocolate |
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Ovaltine, also known by its original name Ovomaltine, is a popular drink mix. It adds flavor to milk. It's made from malt, sugar, and whey. Some types also have cocoa. Ovaltine is a well-known brand. It is owned by Associated British Foods. In the United States, Nestlé makes Ovaltine.
Contents
The Story of Ovaltine
Ovaltine was created in 1904. A chemist named Albert Wander developed it. He lived in Bern, Switzerland. The original name was Ovomaltine. This name comes from "ovum," which is Latin for "egg," and "malt." Eggs and malt were the main ingredients at first. In 1927, the factory moved. It went to Neuenegg, a village near Bern. Ovaltine is still made there today.
Ovomaltine was first sent to Britain in 1909. There, it was called Ovaltine. A factory was built in Kings Langley, England. This factory also sent Ovaltine to the United States. By 1915, Ovaltine was made in Villa Park, Illinois, for the US market. Later, it was made in Peterborough, Ontario, for Canada. In 1943, a large factory opened in Devonport, Tasmania. This helped meet demand in Australia and Southeast Asia.
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Ovaltine was first advertised as having malt, milk, eggs, and cocoa. But the recipe has changed over the years. It also varies in different parts of the world. For example, in the UK, it no longer contains eggs.
Different Kinds of Ovaltine
Today, you can find Ovaltine as a powder. You mix it with hot or cold milk. There's a chocolate malt version. Some places also sell "Malt" Ovaltine, which has no cocoa. "Rich Chocolate" Ovaltine has no malt. Ovaltine has also expanded into other products. These include chocolate bars, Easter eggs, cookies, and breakfast cereals. They all have the original Ovaltine flavor.
The Ovaltine factory in Villa Park, Illinois, closed in 1988. It had been there since 1917. The old factory building is now apartments. It is called Ovaltine Court.
Who Owns Ovaltine?
In 2002, Associated British Foods bought the Ovaltine brand. They bought it from Novartis. Associated British Foods now makes Ovaltine in Switzerland, China, Thailand, Nigeria, and Australia. In Canada, Grace Foods makes Ovaltine. In the United States, Nestlé makes it.
Ovaltine Around the World
Ovaltine was very popular in Britain. The factory in Kings Langley was a famous landmark. Production stopped there in 2002. The factory building is now apartments. Near the factory, there was once a health farm. It was a health resort for children. This farm operated until the 1960s.
Ovaltine has been a popular drink for climbers. It has lots of calories and sugar. Climbers carried it on big expeditions. This included the first attempt to climb K2 in 1902. It was also taken on the first successful climb of Mount Everest in 1953.
In Hong Kong, Ovaltine is a common café drink. You can find it in cha chaan tengs and fast-food places. It's served hot or cold over ice. In Brazil, people often mix it with vanilla ice cream. In Asia, there's Ovaltine-flavored chocolate ice cream.
In Malaysia and the Philippines, Ovaltine is sold in cartons. It's available in many shops. However, it's not as popular as some other drinks there. In Australia, you can buy Ovalteenies. These are small, round tablets of compressed Ovaltine. People eat them like candy.
In Brazil, the fast-food chain Bob's sells milkshakes and sundaes with Ovaltine. They have done this since 1959. These "Ovomaltine" treats became very famous. In 2016, McDonald's got the rights to sell "Ovomaltine"-branded milkshakes in Brazil. Brazil has the second-largest Ovaltine factory. It is in São Paulo. Brazil is also the second-largest consumer of Ovaltine, after Thailand. Brazilian Ovaltine is special. It's crispier than other types. This happened because of a factory mistake that they kept!
See also
In Spanish: Ovomaltine para niños
